Isaac Ledyard

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Isaac Ledyard (November 5, 1755 or 1754 – August 28, 1803) was a physician and the health officer for the Port of New York and was an elector for the United States presidential election of 1800. He was born in Groton, Connecticut, the son of Youngs Ledyard (1731-1762) and Mary Avery (1730-1787). The town of Ledyard, Connecticut is named for his family.

Aaron Burr had the following anecdote:

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Of Melancton Smith it is proper to remark here that he was a plain, unsophisticated man. A purer patriot never lived. Of the powers of his mind some opinion may be formed by the following anecdote. Dr. Ledyard, who was afterwards health officer of the port of New York, was a warm federalist. He was at Poughkeepsie while the federal constitution was under discussion in the state convention. Smith was an anti-federal member of that body. Some time after the adoption of the constitution, Ledyard stated to a friend of his, that to Colonel Alexander Hamilton had been assigned, in a special manner, the duty of defending that portion of the constitution, which related to the judiciary of the United States. That an outdoor conversation between Colonel Hamilton and Mr. Smith took place in relation to the judiciary, in the course of which Smith urged some of his objections to the proposed system. In the evening a federal caucus was held; at that caucus Mr. Hamilton referred to the conversation, and requested that some gentleman might be designated to aid in the discussion of this question. Robert R. Livingston, chancellor of the state, was accordingly named. Mr. Livingston was at that time a distinguished leader in the ranks of the federal party. Whoever will take the trouble to read the debates in the Convention, in which will be found the reply of Smith to Livingston, will perceive in that reply the efforts of a mighty mind. It was a high but merited compliment to the talents of Melancton Smith, that such a man as Colonel Hamilton should have wished aid in opposing him.

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[edit] HR 694

January 23, 1833. Read twice, and committed to the Committee of the Whole House to which is committed the bill (H. R. No. 694) for the relief of the heirs of Dr. Isaac Ledyard.