George Washington Lay (July 26, 1798 – October 21, 1860) was an American politician and diplomat who served as a U.S. Representative from New York and Charge D'Affaires to Sweden.

George W. Lay
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 29th district
In office
March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837
Preceded byPhineas L. Tracy
Succeeded byWilliam Patterson
Personal details
Born
George Washington Lay

July 26, 1780
Catskill, New York, U.S.
DiedOctober 25, 1860 (aged 80)
Batavia, New York, U.S.

Born in Catskill, New York, Lay pursued classical studies and graduated in 1817 from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York. He studied law with Phineas L. Tracy, attained admission to the bar in 1820, and commenced practice in Batavia, New York as Tracy's partner. Lay served as Treasurer of Genesee County from 1825 to 1831.

He was elected as an Anti-Masonic Party candidate to the Twenty-third Congress and reelected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the Twenty-fourth Congress (March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837). In 1835 he received the honorary degree of Master of Arts from Yale University.

Lay later became a Whig and served as a member of the New York State Assembly in 1840. He was Charge D'Affaires to Sweden from May 12, 1842, to October 29, 1845.

He died in Batavia on October 21, 1860. He was interred in Batavia Cemetery.

Sources

edit
  • United States Congress. "George W. Lay (id: L000150)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by New York's 29th congressional district
March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837
Succeeded by
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by U.S. Minister to Sweden
May 12, 1842 – October 29, 1845
Succeeded by

  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress