Henry Manning Sage (May 18, 1868 in Albany, New York – September 25, 1933 in Menands, Albany County, New York) was an American senator and politician from New York. He became Chairman of the State Hospital Development Commission.

Henry M. Sage
Sage, ca. 1915
Member of the New York State Senate
In office
1919–1920
Preceded byGeorge H. Whitney
Succeeded byFrank L. Wiswall
In office
1911–1918
Preceded byWilliam J. Grattan
Succeeded byJames E. Towner
Member of the New York State Assembly
In office
January 1, 1899 – December 31, 1899
Preceded byGeorge W. Stedman
Succeeded byEdward McCreary
Personal details
Born
Henry Manning Sage

May 18, 1868
Albany, New York, U.S.
DiedSeptember 25, 1933(1933-09-25) (aged 65)
Menands, New York, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouses
Anna Wheeler Ward
(m. 1895; div. 1908)
Cornelia McClure Cogswell
(m. 1911)
Children4, including Kay
RelativesHenry W. Sage (grandfather)
Paul Fenimore Cooper (nephew)
EducationThe Albany Academy
Yale College

Early life

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Henry Manning Sage was born in Albany, New York on May 18, 1868. He was the son of Dean Sage (1841–1902) and Sarah Augusta (née Manning) Sage and the grandson of Henry W. Sage (1814–1897).[1] He was also distantly related to Congressman Russell Sage, family of Colonel Ira Yale Sage.[2]

He attended The Albany Academy, and graduated from Yale College in 1890. His sister, Susan Linn Sage (1866–1933) married James Fenimore Cooper (1858–1938), grandson of prolific author James Fenimore Cooper (1789–1851). Susan and James were the parents of Paul Fenimore Cooper (1899–1970), an author and Henry's nephew.

Career

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Sage Hall at Yale, completed in 1924

After graduation from Yale, he began working in the lumber business, like his father and grandfather, eventually becoming president of Sage Land and Development Company, as well as a director of several banks and insurance companies in Albany.[3] The family later donated the funds to build Sage Hall at Yale, at the time, the largest forestry school on the continent.[4]

Sage was a Republican member of the New York State Assembly (Albany Co., 4th D.) in 122nd New York State Legislature, serving from January 1 until December 31, 1899.[3]

Later from January 1, 1911 until December 31, 1920, Sage was a member of the New York State Senate, sitting in the 134th, 135th, 136th, 137th, 138th, 139th, 140th, 141st (all eight 28th D.), 142nd and 143rd New York State Legislatures (both 30th D.). While in the State Senate, he served as Chairman of the Finance Committee from 1914 to 1920.[5][6]

Afterwards he was Chairman of the State Hospital Development Commission. He was a delegate to the 1916, 1920 and 1924 Republican National Conventions.

In 1932, he wrote to The New York Times about New York's finances and warning against increasing taxes.[5]

Personal life

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On October 29, 1895, he married Anna Wheeler Ward (b. 1875). Anna was the daughter of Dr. Samuel Baldwin Ward, an Albany surgeon.[1] Together, they were the parents of two daughters:[3]

  • Anne Erskine Sage (1897–1934), who married a Swiss Army Officer.[3]
  • Princess Katherine Linn Sage (1898–1963), an artist who married Prince Ranieri di San Faustino in 1925.[7][8]

Henry and Anna Sage were divorced in 1908. On May 11, 1911, he married Cornelia McClure Cogswell (1880–1972). She was the daughter of Ledyard and Cornelia (née McClure) Cogswell. Together, they were the parents of two more children:[3]

  • Cornelia Sage,[3] who became engaged, and wed, to John Cotton Walcott in 1935.[9][10]
  • Henry M. Sage Jr.[3]

He died on September 25, 1933, at his home "Fernbrook" in Menands, New York, of a heart attack after having been ill for several years.[3] He was buried at the Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands.

Board of trustees

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In March 1900, he was elected a trustee of Cornell University,[11] to fill the seat which had been vacant since the death of his grandfather Henry W. Sage (1814–1897) who had been chairman of the board of trustees for more than 20 years.[12] Henry M. Sage and his uncle William H. Sage (1844–1924) resigned from the board of trustees in protest against the burial of Willard Fiske (1831–1904) in the Sage Chapel.[13]

Sources

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Notes
  1. ^ a b Bergen, Tunis Garret (1915). Genealogies of the State of New York: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation. Lewis Historical Publishing Company. pp. 982–987. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  2. ^ Adams, Charles Collard (1908). Middletown Upper Houses; A History of the North Society of Middletown, Connecticut, from 1650 to 1800, Grafton Press, Boston University, New York, p. 630-635
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "H.M. SAGE IS DEAD | EX-STATE SENATOR | One-Time Ally of William Barnes Jr. of Albany, He Was Named for Governor". The New York Times. September 26, 1933. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  4. ^ "YALE DEDICATES FORESTRY BUILDING; New Home for School Formally Turned Over by Sage Family to the University". The New York Times. February 24, 1924. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  5. ^ a b Sage, Henry M. (25 March 1932). "TIME TO RETRENCH.; Former Senator Sage Writes About New York State Finances". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  6. ^ "OPPOSES NEW STATE TROOP; Sage Resists Whitman Proposal on the Ground of Economy". The New York Times. 18 February 1918. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  7. ^ Suther p. 41.
  8. ^ "MISS SAGE BRIDE OF ITALIAN PRINCE; Daughter of Ex-State Senator Sage of Albany Weds-Prince of San Faustino. SHE WAS AN ART STUDENT / Ambassador Fletcher and Staff at Ceremony -- Miss Helen Walcott Marries Cole Younger". The New York Times. 1 April 1925. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  9. ^ "CORNELIA C. SAGE ENGAGED TO MARRY; Daughter of the Late State Senator to Become Bride of John C. Walcott". The New York Times. 7 August 1935. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  10. ^ "CORNELIA SAGE WED TO JOHN C. WALCOTT; Daughter of Late State $enafor Given in Marriage by/lo/z:r in Home at llenands, N Y." The New York Times. 29 September 1935. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  11. ^ "CORNELL TRUSTEES MEET.; University to Change to Two-Term System -- H.M. Sage Elected Trustee" (PDF). The New York Times. March 11, 1900. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  12. ^ "SAYS STATE CARES FOR 56,044 WARDS; Henry Sage Tells Women's Federation of Activities of 37 Institutions. 39,391 CASES OF INSANITY Chairman of Hospital Commission Urges Preventive Measures as Real Need. Feeble-Minded a Menace. Effect of Prohibition" (PDF). The New York Times. October 15, 1922. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  13. ^ "CORNELL OFFENDS SAGES.; Members of Family Quit Trustee Board -- Trouble Over Fiske Incident" (PDF). The New York Times. February 2, 1905. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
Sources
New York State Assembly
Preceded by New York State Assembly
Albany County, 4th District

1899
Succeeded by
New York State Senate
Preceded by New York State Senate
28th District

1911–1918
Succeeded by
Preceded by New York State Senate
30th District

1919–1920
Succeeded by