USA > New York > Westchester County > Manual of Westchester county.Past and present. Civil list to date 1898 > Part 11
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I. Howard Kinch, of Pleasantville, was appointed first Com- missioner of Jurors May 12, 1892, and continued in office until 1897.
John Sells, of Yonkers, was appointed and took office April 9, 1897.
George W. Burlinson, of Croton Falls, served as Deputy Com- missioner from 1892 to 1894.
Harold Kinch, of Pleasantville, as Deputy Commissioner from 1894 to 1897.
John J. Mahaney, of Tarrytown, was appointed Deputy Com- missioner 1897.
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
School Commissioners of the County.
The act establishing free schools in this State was passed by the Legislature March 26, 1849. From that date until 1857 School Commissioners in this county were appointed by the Board of Super- visors. In 1856 an act was passed by the Legislature providing for the election of School Commissioners by the people. The first election for School Commissioners in this county was held in No- vember, 1857. The term of office is three years. They are all elected in one and the same year, each School Commissioner district electing one such officer. At present the salary paid in this county is $1,000, allowed by the State, together with $200 for traveling expenses and about $500 extra compensation allowed by the Board of Supervisors, per year. The following list gives names of persons elected to the office in the several districts and the years in which their terms commenced:
FIRST DISTRICT :
Jared M. Horton, Kingsbridge, 1858. Theodore Kent, West Farms, 1861.
William Miller, Mount Vernon, 1864. Franklin W. Gilley, Morrisania, 1867, 1870.
Joseph H. Palmer, Yonkers, 1873. Joseph S. Wood, Mount Vernon, 1879.
Jared Sanford, Mount Vernon, 1882. C. H. Noxon, New Rochelle, 1892. Walter T. Allerton, Mount Vernon, 1893, now in office.
SECOND DISTRICT :
William G. Weston, Tarrytown, 1858.
Isaac D. Vermilyea, Armonk, 1861.
Abel T. Stewart, Tarrytown, 1864. Benson Ferris, Jr., Tarrytown, 1866. George W. Smith, Port Chester, 1867, 1870.
Casper G. Brower, Tarrytown, 1873. Theodore B. Stephens, Tarrytown, 1882.
James B. Lockwood, White Plains, 1885. Farrington M. Thompson, White Plains, 1894. Jacob G. Miller, Sing Sing, 1897, now in office.
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THIRD DISTRICT :
James W. Husted, Bedford, 1858. John S. Bates, Bedford, 1860. Henry White, Yorktown, 1861. Henry A. Wells, Peekskill, 1864. Milton Frost, Peekskill, 1866. Joseph Barrett, Bedford, 1867. Isaac C. Wright, Somers, 1876. Edward N. Barrett, Bedford, 1879. Platt R. H. Sawyer, Bedford, 1882. John W. Littel, Peekskill, 1887. Timothy C. Adams, Bedford, 1890. William G. Barrett, Bedford, 1895, now in office.
Isaac D. Vermilyea, of the Second District, died while in office in August, 1864; Abel T. Stewart, of Tarrytown, was appointed to succeed him, the latter resigned in August, 1866, and was succeeded by Benson Ferris, Jr., of Tarrytown. James W. Husted, of the Third District, resigned Feb. 16, 1860; John S. Bates, of Bedford, was appointed to fill the vacancy. Henry A. Wells, of the Third District, resigned in May, 1866; Milton Frost, of Peekskill, was ap- pointed to the vacancy.
County School Superintendents.
The office of County Superintendent of Common Schools was created by the State Legislature, by act of April 17, 1843. The Board of Supervisors of this county appointed two, Samuel L. Holmes, of Bedford, and John Hobbs, of Yonkers. They served from 1843 to 1847, March 13, when the office was abolished.
The Palisade Commission.
An act providing for Commissioners to confer with like repre- sentatives of the State of New Jersey for the acquisition of the Palisades of the Hudson River by the United States, thereby preserv- ing the Palisades from defacement and spoiliation, was passed by the State Legislature on March 12, 1895.
The Commissioners appointed under this act, by Governor L. P. Morton, were as follows: Enoch C. Bell, of Nyack; Waldo G. Morse, of Yonkers, and James R. Croes, of Yonkers.
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
Inspectors of the State Prison at Sing Sing.
FORMERLY CALLED THE MOUNT PLEASANT PRISON.
The Legislature on March 26, 1796, by the passage of an act, provided for the erection of two State Prisons in this State, one to be located in New York city and the other in Albany. The New York Prison, known as Newgate, which was opened November 25, 1797, was soon found to be inadequate to accommodate the convicts in the eastern section of the State, therefore, it was determined to sell that prison and build a new and more commodious one in or not far distant from New York city. Sing Sing was chosen as the site, chiefly because of an extensive quarry of marble on the premises, which would afford employment to the convicts. On March 7, 1824, George Tibbits, Stephen Allen and Samuel M. Hopkins were ap- pointed as Commissioners to build the new prison. It was com- pleted in 1830, ready for occupancy. The following are the names of the persons appointed by Governors and Senates of the State pre- vious to 1847, as Inspectors of Sing Sing Prison, together with their address and the year in which their terms commenced:
Pierre Van Cortlandt, of Cortlandt, appointed 1830.
Allen Macdonald, White Plains, 1830.
John Fisher, White Plains, 1830.
Walker Todd, Mount Pleasant, 1832.
Chauncey Humphrey, Mount Pleasant, 1840.
Lewis G. Irving, Sing Sing, 1840.
Edward Kemeys, Sing Sing, 1840.
William Newton, Sullivan County, 1840.
Isaac G. Graham, Jr., Mount Pleasant, 1840.
Hudson McFarlan, Monroe Works, 1840.
Isaac Nelson, Jr., Sing Sing, 1840.
Thomas Bailey, Mount Pleasant, 1841.
John W. Edmonds, Hudson, 1843.
Thornton M. Niven, Newburgh, 1843.
Henry Romer, Pleasantville, 1843. Isaac Birdsall, Sing Sing, 1843.
Henry Harris, Sing Sing, 1843.
John Bigelow, Highland Falls, 1845.
Benjamin M. Brown, Mamaroneck, 1845.
Benjamin Mace, Newburgh, 1845.
James Powers, Catskill, 1845.
John Fisher, White Plains, 1845.
Amzi L. Dean, Lake Mahopac, 1845.
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
As Inspectors of Sing Sing State Prison.
Under the State Constitution adopted in 1846, three Inspectors of State Prisons were elected, at large, in the State. After 1848 the term of office was three years. Following are names of persons resi- dent of Westchester County who have been elected to the office of Inspector, together with their address, the year in which they were chosen and the years they served:
John B. Gedney, White Plains, 1847, one year.
Alexander H. Wells, Sing Sing, 1848, three years.
Henry Storms, Tarrytown, 1851, three years.
Abraham B. Tappen, Fordham, 1861, three years.
An amendment to the State Constitution, adopted in 1876. abolished the office of Inspector of State Prisons, and assigned the duties of such officers to one officer to be known as a Superintendent of State Prisons. The said Superintendent is empowered to appoint the Agents and Wardens of the several State Prisons. Under this law Oscar V. Sage is the present Agent and Warden of the State Prison at Sing Sing. Clerks at the several prisons are appointed by the State Comptroller.
Agents and Wardens of Sing Sing Prison.
As previously stated, the Legislature authorized the erection of a State prison at Sing Sing in 1824. The Commission appointed under this act entrusted the construction of the prison to Captain Elam Lynds, who at the time was the Agent of the State Prison at Auburn. Captain Lynds set about to perform the work with the aid of convict labor. He selected one hundred convicts from the Auburn Prison, these men, with their keepers, guards, baggage and provisions, were brought to Sing Sing without accident or disturb- ance, on May 14, 1825. The same day a temporary barrack was erected to shelter the convicts at night, and for several years the men worked industriously building their own prison. When com- pleted in 1829 the prison contained eight hundred cells; two hun- dred cells were added in 1830, when the building was raised one story. The first Warden appointed for the new prison was Robert Wiltse, and he served for nearly ten years. At that time Wardens received their appointment from the Governor of the State, for a term of two years. Commencing with 1850, the title of the officer at the prison was changed from Warden to Agent and Warden, and he was appointed by the Prison Inspectors.
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
Following are names of persons who have held the office, to- gether with dates on which they qualified, from 1830 to the present year:
Robert Wiltse, Agent, Nov. 2, 1830.
David L. Seymour, Agent, April 18, 1840.
William H. Peck, Agent, May 26, 1843.
Hiram P. Rowell, Agent, Sept. 25, 1845. Chauncey Smith, Agent, Jan. 6, 1848.
Alfred R. Booth, Agent, Jan. 24, 1849.
Munson I. Lockwood, Agent and Warden, Nov. 23, 1850. Christopher Batterman, Agent and Warden, Jan. 2, 1855. A. H. Wells, Agent and Warden, April 26, 1856. William Beardsley, Agent and Warden, May 7, 1856. Gaylord B. Hubbell, Agent and Warden, May 1, 1862. Thos. E. Sutton, Agent and Warden, Jan. 27, 1864. S. H. Johnson, Agent and Warden, Jan. 19, 1865. D. P. Forrest, Agent and Warden, Jan. 16, 1868. Henry C. Nelson, Agent and Warden, Jan. 22, 1869. Edmund M. Russell, Agent and Warden, Feb. 10, 1870. Henry C. Nelson, Agent and Warden, Jan. 11, 1872. Gaylord B. Hubbell, Agent and Warden, Jan. 7, 1873. James Williamson, Agent and Warden, Aug. 28, 1874. Alfred Walker, Agent and Warden, Oct. 6. 1874. Geo. R. Youngs, Agent and Warden, Jan. 20, 1876. Benj. S. W. Clark, Agent and Warden, Feb. 20, 1877. Chas. Davis, Agent and Warden, Feb. 20, 1878. Augustus A. Brush, Agent and Warden, March 18, 1880. Wm. R. Brown, Agent and Warden, May 2, 1891. Chas. F. Durston, Agent and Warden, May 3, 1893. Omar V. Sage, Acting Agent and Warden, Oct. 10, 1894.
Omar V. Sage, Agent and Warden, Dec. 3, 1894.
CLERKS.
John Sing, June 22, 1832. H. P. Rowell, Sept. 8, 1836. Munson I. Lockwood, Nov. 23, 1840. Hiram P. Rowell, March 31, 1840. Levi L. Lockwood, Sept. 27, 1845. James B. Swain, Jan. 6, 1848. Abraham Gridley, Jan. 24, 1849. James C. Hale, April 16, 1850.
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
Casper C. Childs, Jan. 7, 1852.
Benjamin G. Berry, Jan. 5, 1855. Daniel Stewart, Sept. 14, 1855.
Henry L. Butler, July 26, 1856. John Bussing, April 15, 1863. Henry A. Reeves, Jan. 9, 1864. Walter Franklin, Jan. 19, 1865. ٠١
Casper C. Childs, Jr., Feb. 12, 1869.
George B. Gifford, Jan. 7, 1873. Samuel S. Whallon, Jan. 20, 1876. Omer Leyns, March 1, 1877. A. L. Babcock, March 15, 1878. M. De Forest Yates, Feb. 5, 1890. John E. Ashe, March 5, 1890. Wm. N. Johnston, Dec. 11, 1891.
Robt. J. Campbell, July 11, 1892.
Edward P. Corwin, March 5, 1894.
Edgar W. Cook, July 8, 1895.
Chaplains at the Sing Sing Prison,
The first Chaplain appointed for Sing Sing Prison was Rev. E. N. Mead, who subsequently in 1834 became rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church of Sing Sing.
In 1839 Rev. John Luckey, Methodist clergyman, became the Chaplain, serving until 1846. He was again appointed to the posi- tion in 1855, and remained until 1865. Rev. Mr. Luckey organized the prison library, Gov. Seward having authorized in 1840 the pur- chase of books, and the Legislature, failing to make an appropria- tion, Gov. Seward paid the cost ($300) from his private purse. When Rev. Mr. Luckey, in 1865, retired from active life, the State, by an act of the Legislature, presented to him $1,000, in recogni- tion of his long and faithful services, longer than any other Chap- lain, nearly eighteen years. Rev. Mr. Luckey died in 1876, aged 76 years, and was buried in Dale Cemetery, Sing Sing.
Rev. Jacob Green was appointed Chaplain in 1846. He died in 1851, at the age of 61 years. His remains lie buried in Dale Cem- etery.
United States Military Posts in the County.
Fort Schuyler, opposite Westchester; Fort Slocum, opposite New Rochelle. The last named fort is the recruit rendezvous.
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
₹ The Present Prison Officials.
The present officials connected with the State Prison at Sing Sing are as follows:
Omar V. Sage, Agent and Warden, salary $3,500 per annum.
Rev. J. C. Wells, Chaplain, salary $2,000 per annum.
E. W. Cook, Clerk, salary $2,000 per annum.
Dr. R. T. Irving, Physician, salary $2,000 per annum.
James Connaughton, Principal Keeper, salary $2,000 per annum.
James Jackson, State Detective, salary $1,800 per annum.
J. A. Perry, Superintendent Manufacturing Department, salary $1,800 per annum.
Cornelius V. Collins, Superintendent of Prisons, salary $6,000 per annum.
The Eleven Great Wonders in America.
Croton Aqueduct, in this county.
Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pa; claimed to be the largest park in the world.
Lake Superior, the largest lake in the world.
Mammoth Cave, in Kentucky.
Niagara Falls, a sheet of water three-quarters of a mile wide, with a fall of 175 feet.
Natural Bridge, over Cedar Creek, in Virginia.
New State Capitol, at Albany, New York.
New York and Brooklyn Bridge.
The Central Park, in New York City.
Washington Monument, Washington, D. C., 555 feet high.
Yosemite Valley, California.
Legal Holidays,
January 1, New Year's Day.
February 12, Lincoln's Birthday.
February 22, Washington's Birthday.
May 30, Decoration Day.
July 4, Independence Day. September 5, Labor Day.
November 8, Election Day.
November 24, Thanksgiving Day.
December 25, Christmas.
Every Saturday, after 12 o'clock, noon.
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
Post Offices and Postmasters in Westchester County.
Amawalk, town of Yorktown, David Ryder, Jr., Postmaster. Ardsley, town of Greenburgh, John H. Odell Postmaster.
Ardsley-on-Hudson, town of Greenburgh, Robert W. Plum Postmaster.
Armonk, town of North Castle, William F. McDonald Post- master.
Baldwin Place, town of Somers, Samuel Lounsbury Postmaster.
Banksville, town of North Castle, H. B. Alley Postmaster.
Bedford, town of Bedford, Eliza D. Cochrane Postmaster.
Bedford Station, town of Bedford, William B. Adams Post- master.
Boutonville, town of Poundridge, Joseph W. Waterbury Post- master.
Briarcliff Manor, town of Ossining, Charles H. Whitson Post- master.
Bronxville, town of East Chester, Anna V. T. Smith Post- mistress.
Buchanan, town of Cortlandt, George Buchanan Postmaster.
Chappaqua, town of New Castle, George Hunt Postmaster.
Chauncey, town of Greenburgh, James Eaton Postmaster.
Cross River, town of Lewisboro, William Moore Postmaster.
Croton Falls, town of North Salem, Frederick A. Purdy Post- master.
Croton Lake, town of Yorktown, George Palmer Postmaster.
Croton-on-Hudson, town of Cortlandt, James F. Hunt Post- master.
Crugers, town of Cortlandt, James H. Lent Postmaster.
Dobbs Ferry, town of Greenburgh, Charles G. Storms Post- master.
Eastview, town of Mount Pleasant, Carrie De Revere Post- master.
Elmsford, town of Greenburgh, William T. Hallenbeck Post- master.
Goldens Bridge, town of Lewisboro, George H. Bennett Post- master.
Harrison, town of Harrison, Nicholas E. Burger Postmaster.
Hartsdale, town of Greenburgh, John E. Morse Postmaster.
Hastings-on-Hudson, town of Greenburgh, Frederick Gorlich Postmaster.
Irvington, town of Greenburgh, James A. Hall Postmaster.
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
Jefferson Valley, town of Yorktown, John W. Birdsall Post- master.
Katonah, town of Bedford, Henry W. Kellogg Postmaster.
Kensico, town of North Castle, Peter Bang Postmaster.
Kitchawan, town of Yorktown, Silas Gregory, Jr., Postmaster.
Lake Waccabuc, town of Lewisboro, Henry E. Johns Post- master.
Larchmont, town of Mamaroneck, B. Frank Palmer Postmaster.
Lewisboro, town of Lewisboro, Stephen G. Seymour Postmaster.
Mamaroneck, town of Mamaroneck, William A. Boyd, Post- master.
Millwood, town of New Castle, George F. Allen Postmaster.
Mohegan, town of Yorktown, Francis J. Cronk Postmaster.
Montrose, town of Cortlandt, Morris T. Munger Postmaster.
Mount Kisco, town of Bedford, Charles S. Ware Postmaster.
Mount Vernon, town of Mount Vernon, David O. Williams Postmaster.
Neperan, town of Mount Pleasant, Alfred Cox Postmaster.
Nepera Park, town of Mount Pleasant, F. G. Boutelle Post- master.
New Rochelle, town of New Rochelle, James Ross Postmaster.
North Castle, town of North Castle, Isaac R. Tripp Postmaster.
North Salem, town of North Salem, Edward W. Cole Post- master.
North Tarrytown, town of Mount Pleasant, J. M. Swift Post- master.
Oscawanna, town of Cortlandt, Stephen B. See Postmaster.
Peekskill, town of Cortlandt, William R. Thorne Postmaster. Pelham, town of Pelham, Katherine I. Merritt Postmistress.
Pelham Manor, town of Pelham, George H. Kerr Postmaster.
Pleasantville, town of Mount Pleasant, Thomas B. Pierce Post- master.
Pleasantville Station, town of Mount Pleasant, William T. Bailey Postmaster.
Pocantico Hills, town of Mount Pleasant, William Foley Post- master.
Port Chester, town of Rye, John Leonard Postmaster.
Poundridge, town of Poundridge, Frederick R. Scofield Post- master.
Primrose, town of Greenburgh, William A. Cornelius Post- master.
Purchase, town of Harrison, Charles C. Haviland Postmaster.
Purdy Station, town of North Salem, Ira McKeel Postmaster.
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
Rye, town of Rye, Disbrow Budd Postmaster.
Salem Centre, town of North Salem, Albert J. Lobdell Post- master.
Scarboro, town of Ossining, Theodore Neid Postmaster.
Scarsdale, town of Scarsdale, Herbert B. Fellows Postmaster. Scotts Corners, town of Poundridge, Sivori Selleck Postmaster. Shrub Oak, town of Yorktown, Frank Darrow Postmaster. Sing Sing, town of Ossining, John McNally Postmaster. Somers, town of Somers, William D. Marshall Postmaster.
Somers Centre, town of Somers, Charles T. Tompkins Post- master.
South Salem, town of Lewisboro, George Lawrence Postmaster. Tarrytown, town of Greenburgh, Isaac Requa Postmaster.
Tuckahoe, town of Eastchester, Richard G Bennett, Postmaster.
Valhalla, town of North Castle, William O. Carpenter Post- master.
Verplanck, town of Cortlandt, Mary E. McGuire Postmistress. Vista, town of Poundridge, Rufus R. Smith Postmaster.
West Somers, town of Somers, Frank Ryder Postmaster. White Plains, town of White Plains, John P. Moran Postmaster. Yonkers, town of Yonkers, Henry Osterheld Postmaster.
Yorktown, town of Yorktown, Minnie L. Peterson Postmistress.
Yorktown Heights, town of Yorktown, Theodore F. Tompkins Postmaster.
The Big State Seal.
Among the many curious and interesting old documents found by County Clerk Crumb in his rearranging of old papers in the County Clerk's office, at White Plains, are the certificates of appoint- ment to office made in the early days of the State's history, especially when John Jay was Governor. Then Justices of the Peace, as well as other officers, were appointed by the Governor. To these certifi- cates, written on parchment, is attached, suspended by a piece of ribbon, the Great Seal of the State of New York, adopted in 1777. This seal was the first designed after the organization of the State, is impressed upon wax, and is nearly as large as a saucer. It was devised by a committee appointed by the Convention of the State, April 15, 1777, composed of Messrs. Morris, Jay and Hobart, and was to be used for all purposes for which the Crown Seal was used under the colony. On one side is a rising sun, motto "Excelsior," legend, "The Great Seal of the State of New York." On the reverse side a rock in the ocean; legend, "Frustra, 1777."
MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
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Former Officers of the County.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
LEWIS C. PLATT.
Lewis Canfield Platt, the first elected Surrogate of Westchester County, was born in North Castle, in said county, in March, 1818. He was a son of Benoni Platt, a farmer of that town, and on the farm the subject of this sketch spent his early days. He, like several other men who became prominent in the county's history, attended the Acad- emy at Bedford; in 1834 he entered Union College, from which he grad- uated with special honors. Decid- ing upon becoming a lawyer, he en- tered the law office of Samuel E. Lyon. Here his studiousness and love of learning served him well, as usual, and in 1843 he was able to practice law on his own account, opening an office in White Plains. His honesty of purpose and kind- ness of heart, that characterized him through life and made men love him, soon gained for him clients that came from all sections of the county. He in politics became at- tached to the Whig party, and as the candidate of that party was elected Supervisor of White Plains in 1846. In 1847 he was elected Sur- rogate, and was the first person elected to that office in Westchester County. He was re-elected and served two terms, eight years. In 1855 he was candidate for County Clerk on the fusion Whig-Demo- cratic county ticket, but was de- feated by a small majority by John P. Jenkins, the candidate of the American party. Mr. Platt was one most instrumental in having the present County Court House erected where it now stands. A strong pres- sure had been brought to change the site to Mount Vernon, but the un- tiring efforts of Mr. Platt and his friends prevailed. When the pres-
ent site was about to be purchased Mr. Platt urged that the county se- cure at least ten acres instead of one and a half acres, for a site and public park, he claiming that the future growth of the county would require the land for public build- ings and use; then the land, which is now in the very center of the bus- iness portion of the village of White Plains, could be bought for $300 per acre; but others in author- ity were not as far-sighted as Mr. Platt and the opportunity was lost. Mr. Platt's sympathies were with the Republican party during the late civil war, but when Horace Greely was nominated for Presi- dent, in 1872, he was found in the ranks of the Liberal Republicans, uniting with Democrats supporting Mr. Greely. In the latter year he was urged to accept the Democratic- Liberal Republican nomination for Congress in the Westchester dis- trict, which, however, he declined. Subsequently Mr. Platt acted with the Democratic party. He was elected to serve several, terms as a Trustee of the village of White Plains. In 1883 the Democrats of White Plains nominated him for Supervisor, to oppose a popular Re- publican, who had heretofore been elected to the office, and was consid- ered invincible. Mr. Platt was suc- cessful by a large majority, and was elected continuously up to 1893, the year in which he died. For more than forty years he labored zeal- ously, conducting a large practice, his efforts being often rendered gra- tuitously, assisting those in need. He was the oldest member of White Plains Lodge, No. 473, F. & A. M., having joined May 15, 1859. He was a consistent member of the Presby- terian Church. In 1853 Mr. Platt was married to Miss Laura Sher-
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MANUAL AND CIVIL LIST.
brook Popham, of Scarsdale. His widow and eight children survive him.
ISAAC N. MILLS.
Isaac N. Mills, a former County Judge, was born in Thompson, Windham County, Connecticut, on September 10, 1851. He is descend- ed from paternal ancestors who were farmers in the town of Thompson from a period antedat- ing the Revolution. On his moth- er's side he is descended from a family of Rhode Island Quakers, to a branch of which General Greene, of Revolutionary fame, belonged. At the age of seventeen he entered the Providence Conference Semi- nary, at Greenwich, Rhode Island, taught district school for a term, working evenings to keep up with his class, and was graduated in the summer of 1870 at the head of his class. Entering Amherst College, he took prizes during the course in Latin, Greek, philosophy, physi- ology, debate and extemporane- ous speaking, and was graduated in 1874 as valedictorian, having
also been for two years pres- ident of his class. In 1876 he was graduated from Columbia College Law School, and in Oc- tober of that year was admitted to the bar in New York city. He be- gan practice in Mount Vernon, be- coming a member of the law firm of Mills & Wood, this partnership continuing until 1882. Judge Mills, soon after his being admitted, earned for himself recognition as a learned lawyer, and it was not long before he acquired a large practice and a most prominent place in the front rank of the West- chester County Bar. His success as a trial lawyer creates a constant demand for his services. He has appeared in many of the most im- portant litigations of Westchester County, including the contests over the wills of William M. Wallace and Alfred H. Duncombe, both leaving large estates; the case of Reynolds vs. the Bank of Mount Vernon, and the investigation of the Westchester Temporary Home. In the fall of 1883 he was nominat- ed by the Republican party as its
candidate for County Judge. At this time the county was consid- ered to be strongly Democratic, and the Republicans had little hope of electing their county nominees. Mr. Mills' well-established reputation suggested him to voters as a man specially fitted for the position, and a large majority of the votes was cast in his favor. In 1889 he was re-elected by an increased major- ity. As a Judge he proved accept- able to members of the bar and to laymen alike. To all he was fair and just. As presiding Judge of the Court of Sessions, he conduct- ed the trial of some of the most noted criminal cases ever tried in Westchester County. In 1895, at the close of his second term, he was again tendered the Republican nomination, which he declined to accept for the reason that under the new constitution the County Judge was disqualified from prac- ticing in the Supreme Court or Court of Appeals. Since 1895 he has devoted himself exclusively to the practice of law, having offices in New York city as well as in Mount Vernon. He is a well-known speaker on public occasions, is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, the Westchester County Bar Associa- tion, the Union League Club of New York city, the New York, New England Society, Sons of the Rev- olution, Society of Medical Juris- prudence, Delta Kappa Epsilon Club, New York Republican Club, and the Masonic fraternity. He is married.
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