▁to ▁ 1 8 1 9 . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁State ▁milit ia ▁officer , ▁eventually ▁becoming ▁a ▁major ▁general . ▁ ▁Support ing ▁De W itt ▁Cl inton ' s ▁Er ie ▁Canal ▁project , ▁German ▁ ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁planning ▁and ▁over see ing ▁its ▁construction ▁after ▁being ▁appointed ▁State ▁Commission er ▁of ▁Public ▁Works ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 7 . ▁German ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁Assembly ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 9 ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Cl inton ian ▁fa ction ▁of ▁the ▁Democratic - Rep ublic an ▁Party ▁and ▁was ▁chosen ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁Spe aker . ▁After wards ▁he ▁res umed ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁law . ▁German ▁became ▁a ▁Wh ig ▁when ▁that ▁party ▁was ▁organized . ▁ ▁He ▁died ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 8 4 2 ▁in ▁Nor wich , ▁New ▁York . ▁He ▁was ▁buried ▁at ▁North ▁Nor wich ▁C emetery ▁in ▁North ▁Nor wich , ▁New ▁York . ▁ ▁Family ▁Ob ad iah ▁German ▁was ▁married ▁twice . ▁ ▁He ▁had ▁five ▁children ▁with ▁his ▁first ▁wife , ▁Mary ▁Ann ▁Lewis , ▁known ▁as ▁Ann , ▁who ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 9 . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁his ▁first ▁wife ▁he ▁married ▁Mary ▁Ann ▁Knight , ▁a ▁woman ▁much ▁younger ▁than ▁he . ▁ ▁They ▁had ▁three ▁children , ▁and ▁by ▁some ▁accounts ▁the ▁marriage ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁happy ▁one , ▁with ▁Mary ▁Ann ▁Knight ▁and ▁the ▁children ▁living ▁in ▁Sy rac use ▁while ▁Ob ad