Stranahan thus was put in charge of the legal business deriving from the land holdings, like collecting debts and foreclosing mortgages.
The Federalists supported Lewis in his run for re-election against his Clintonian challenger Daniel D. Tompkins.
During the election campaign, on April 3, 1807, on Phinney's instructions, the New York State Legislature incorporated Cooperstown as the "Village of Otsego", thus insulting Judge Cooper by "stealing" his village, but the incorporation act was not published in Cooperstown until after the election.
Cooper campaigned vigorously for Lewis, but Tompkins was elected Governor, also carrying Otsego County.
This happened only in 1812 when the Federalists had the next time a majority in the State Legislature, and the "Village of Cooperstown" was re-incorporated.