Sanford, a United States Senator from New York; born in Bridgehampton, New York. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1799 and commenced practice in New York City. He served as United States commissioner in bankruptcy in 1802; United States attorney for the district of New York 1803-1816; member, State assembly 1808-1809, 1811, and served as speaker in the latter year; member, State senate 1812-1815; elected as a United States Democratic-Republican Party to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1815, to March 3, 1821. He served as chairman, Committee on Commerce and Manufactures (Fifteenth and Sixteenth Congresses), Committee on Naval Affairs (Fifteenth Congress), Committee on Finance (Sixteenth Congress). He was a delegate to the State constitutional convention in 1821; chancellor of New York 1823-1826, when he resigned, having been elected Senator; elected to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy in the term commencing March 4, 1825, and served from January 14, 1826, to March 3, 1831; was not a candidate for reelection. He served as chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations (Nineteenth Congress); resumed the practice of law in Flushing, New York.
Adapted from Congressional Biographical Directory.