Archives at Cornell

Van Buren vs. Hudson River Railroad Company legal documents

Collection — manuscript box: 8 - folder 1

Identifier: 1132m

Scope and content

5 items including manuscript and printed documents in the case as it came before the New York State Court of Appeals, including a printed judgment record and notice of appeal, giving an account of the progress of the case up until that point. Also included are a list of arguments in favor of the appellant, and a judge's decision in the case.

Dates

circa 1853.

Creator

Van Buren, Lorenzo (Appellant, Person)
Hudson River Railroad, (Respondent, Organization)

Language of Material

In English.

Biographical / Historical

Lorenzo Van Buren leased a parcel of land in Westchester County, New York, on which he began to create a brickyard; but then the Hudson River Railroad excavated the land and laid a railroad track across it, destroying the brickyard. Van Buren sued the railroad for trespassing. The case was dismissed by the circuit court at Westchester on the grounds of insufficient evidence. The plaintiff took exceptions which were heard by the court of the state's Second Judicial District, which decided in favor of the railroad. Van Buren then appealed to the state Court of Appeals.