His father was a member of Constitutional Convention of 1787, judge of Rensselaer County and member of the New York State Senate.
hɪz fˈɑːðɚ wʌzɐ mˈɛmbɚɹ ʌv kˌɑːnstɪtˈuːʃənəl kənvˈɛnʃən ʌv wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi sˈɛvən, dʒˈʌdʒ ʌv ɹˈɛnsɪlˌɛɹ kˈaʊnti ænd mˈɛmbɚɹ ʌvðə nˈuː jˈɔːɹk stˈeɪt sˈɛnət.