Cornelius Hogeboom, a 53-year-old male, served as the Sheriff of Columbia County, New York, and was a veteran of the Revolutionary War, having held the rank of Captain in the Albany County Militia. His life came to a violent end on October 22, 1791, when he was killed in the line of duty while attempting to serve a writ of ejectment. This fatal encounter unfolded as one of the early acts of what would become known as the Anti-Rent War, a period of tenant revolt in the Hudson Valley.
On that autumn day, Sheriff Hogeboom was preparing to auction off the farm of Jonathan Arnold, a farmer who had failed to pay his annual rent. The land tenancy system of the time, where farmers leased their property from wealthy manor lords, had created significant unrest. As Hogeboom prepared to proceed with the eviction, he was ambushed by a group of seventeen men dressed as Native Americans.
In the ensuing chaos, Jonathan Arnold fired a pistol into the air, signaling the disguised men to attack. As Sheriff Hogeboom and his officers were pursued and fired upon, Arnold himself fired the fatal shot that struck the sheriff in the heart, killing him instantly. Following the murder, Jonathan Arnold and three of his alleged accomplices fled the area and were reported to have escaped to Nova Scotia. Although suspects were arrested and charged in connection with the murder of Sheriff Hogeboom, all were ultimately acquitted of the crime.
