Peter Silvester

Who was Peter Silvester?

Peter Silvester was an American politician who was a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. He is also the grandfather of New York Representative Peter Henry Silvester.

Born at Shelter Island, New York on Long Island, Silvester completed preparatory studies, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1763, and practiced in Albany, New York.

Silvester held a variety of positions in New York including: member of the Albany Common Council in 1772, member of the Committee of Safety in 1774, served in the First and Second Provincial Congresses in 1775 and 1776, moved to Kinderhook, New York and practiced law, appointed judge of the court of common pleas of Columbia County, New York in 1786, and regent of the University of the State of New York 1787–1808.

Silvester was elected to the First and Second United States Congresses. After his time in Congress, he served in the New York State Assembly in 1788 and as a member of the New York State Senate 1796–1800. Again served in the State assembly 1803–1806 and then retired from public life. Silvester died in Kinderhook, on October 21, 1808 aged 74 years and is interred in Old Van Schaack Cemetery, over which a Reformed Dutch Church was built in 1814.