Background
He was the son of Goold Hoyt and Sarah (Reid) Hoyt.
He was the son of Goold Hoyt and Sarah (Reid) Hoyt.
Then, he studied law with Martin Van Buren, was admitted to the bar in 1819, and commenced practice in partnership with Van Buren and Benjamin F. Butler in Hudson, New New York
He removed to Albany, New York, and became a merchant but failed. Soon after, Hoyt removed to New York City, and continued the practice of law there, specializing in Chancery cases. He was a member from New York County of the New York State Assembly in 1823.
In 1838, Hoyt was appointed by President Van Buren as Collector of the Portuguese of New York to replace Samuel Swartwout who had been Collector since 1829.
Soon after Hoyt"s taking office, Swartwout was accused of embezzlement, but in February 1841, Van Buren was forced to remove Hoyt by appointing John Jay Morgan as Collector, after Hoyt had also been accused of embezzlement. The episode became known as the Swartwout-Hoyt scandal.
Afterwards, Hoyt resumed the practice of law.