Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 21

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1368

USA > New York > Jefferson County > Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York > Part 21

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George C. Sherman was law partner with Mr. Bucklin, and acquired his early legal training in the office of the latter. He was admitted to practice in 1823, and soon afterward the firm was established. By constant association with his distinguished partner, Mr. Sherman ac- quired many of the characteristics of Mr. Bucklin, and became one of the leading lawyers of the county in his time. He was district attor- ney from 1833 to 1840; was Common Pleas judge from 1843 to 1842, and in the fall of 1843 was elected to the senate. At one time he was partner with Robert Lansing, and the firm of Lansing & Sherman, like that of Bucklin & Sherman, was acknowledged as one of the strongest in the region; and as a matter of fact, Mr. Sherman was in all respects the peer of his partners in professional life. He was inter- ested largely in land operations, and thus acquired a fortune. In 1838

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he organized the Watertown bank and loan company, which, with his other business interests eventually drew him away from the profession and directed his efforts in other channels. Mr. Sherman died April 28, 1863.

Harlow Emerson was a conspicuous member of the old bar for many years. He came from Norwich, Conn., read law in Mieah Sterl- ing's office, and was admitted to practice in 1815. He was a bright, keen lawyer, a special pleader of note, and owed much of his early sue- cess to the training received under the instruction of Mr. Sterling, with whom he was closely associated. Mr. Emerson was a close student, possessed a thorough understanding of the law, and never went half prepared into the trial of a case. His mind, too, was broad, and all his impulses were generous and liberal. He died June 24, 1846.

Justin Butterfield was admitted to practice in the Common Pleas of this county in 1813, and lived for a time at Saekets Harbor, from whence he removed to the county seat. He went to Chicago about 1840, and there gained a high place in the profession, and was re- warded with a substantial fortune. In this county he was regarded as one of the strongest lawyers at the bar, possessed of remarkable ability and splendid address. His removal was regarded as a serious loss to the bar in Watertown.

William A. Green, who was related to Mr. Butterfield, succeeded to the business left by the latter when he removed from the harbor to the county seat. Mr. Green came to the local bar in 1830, and was a care- fil, competent lawyer. He soon went to New York and practiced many years. He eventually returned to Watertown, but not to pro- fessional work.

John W. Tamblin, of Evans Mills, who was admitted to practice in 1831, did not attain a high standing in the profession as a lawyer, but in the early political history of the county was a prominent figure. His name appears in the civil list almost as frequently as that of any man in the county. As a manager in this special field he stood as a leader, and his power in political circles was very great. He was in the assembly several years, four years in the senate, and held other offices of perhaps minor importance. Soon after 1840 he removed to the county seat, and for a time edited a weekly newspaper. He pos- sessed an excellent, retentive mind, had a special taste for scientific studies, and was something of a theorist.

Benjamin Wright, who lived at Adams and practiced law in that

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town for many years, was another respected member of the old bar, and held the office of surrogate for nearly twenty years. He was ad. mitted as early as 1816, and was "side judge" from 1829 to 1836. Other recollections of him are meagre, but at one time Judge Wright was well known all through the county. His daughter married Bishop Whipple of Minnesota.

William D. Ford was admitted to the bar in 1814, and was for many years in active practice at the county seat. His office was on Court street, about opposite the Goodale residence. Mr. Ford was father to Augustus Ford, the latter also a lawyer, admitted in 1833, and afterward well known about Sackets Harbor, both in legal and military circles.

Edward B. Hawes also came to the bar in 1831, and lived at Belle- ville, where he had great reputation as a justice court practitioner. Indeed, his fame in this respect extended all through the county. He was generous, but his eccentricities operated against what might have been for him a high place in professional and social life.

William Ruger was also one of the "class" admitted in 1831, and was perhaps more noted as a teacher of mathematics than as a lawyer. Ile was the author of " Ruger's arithmetic, " once a standard work in this locality. At one time Mr. Ruger was partner with Charles Mason, and later on with Joshua Moore. The civil list shows him as senator in 1842-43. He was uncle to the late chief justice William C. Ruger of the court of Appeals.

Charles Mason, afterward Justice Mason of the Supreme court, came to this county and was admitted to practice in the Common Pleas in 1835. From that time to 1839 he was a partner of William Ruger, but then removed to Madison county, where he attained a high standing in the profession.

Daniel Wardwell was an early prominent lawyer of Mannsville, senior member of the old and well known firm of Wardwell & Rossiter. Mr. Wardwell afterward lived at Adams. fle was admitted to the bar in 1814, and gradually rose in the ranks of the profession, and in the field of politics, until he was rewarded with a seat in congress, serving from 1831 to 1837, three consecutive terms. He was a strong lawyer and an upright and honorable citizen.

Lysander H. Brown, who for a period of more than half a century was in active professional life in this county, and who during that time established a reputation for ability and integrity not often excelled,

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was a native of Brownville, born December 20, 1808. He entered Union college in 1831, and wasgraduated from that institution. In 1831 he became principal of Champion academy, then one of the most noted educational institutions of the region. Here he remained four years, reading law in the meantime, and in 1838 came to the county seat to complete his legaleducation. In October, 1839, he was admitted to the bar, and at once entered upon a professional and political career, which placed him high up with the most active minds in the state. In 1842 Mr. Brown was appointed county superintendent of common schools; in 1844 he was elected to the assembly, and in 1817 was the first elected surrogate of the county under the constitution of 1816. As a lawyer he possessed ability, and as a public speaker his powers were marvel- ous, always exciting the admiration of his auditors. Mr. Brown died in 1892, at the advanced age of 84 years.

Jasper W Gilbert, who is remembered as one of the most prominent attorneys at the bar of the county for several years, was the son of Marenus W. Gilbert, and was admitted to practice in 1839. Later on he removed to Rochester, and thence to Brooklyn, where he was elected justice of the Supreme court, holding that position until retired by reason of the age limit.

Joshua Moore came from Plattsburgh and was admitted to the local bar in 1839. At first his abilities found no opportunity to display their strength, but by a coincidence he suddenly leaped into public notice and favor. He was appointed district attorney in February, 1846, and was the first elected incumbent of the office under the constitution of that year. He first located at Brownville, but afterward removed to Watertown. He was a partner with Mr. Ruger, and later on with Levi 11. Brown. Mr. Moore died in 1854.

Luther J. Dorwin was known to the legal profession in this county for a period of more than fifty years, and in many respects was looked upon as the "father of the bar." He was a native of the county, born in Champion, and the son of Hubby Dorwin, one of the early settlers in that town. Mr. Dorwin was admitted to the bar in 1843, and is re- membered as an excellent lawyer, a safe counsellor, and one whose in- fluence in every walk in life was good. He was unquestionably one of the best equity court lawyers in the state.

Charles E. Clarke was a native of Saybrook, Conn., a graduate of Vale, and became a member of the Jefferson county bar in 1815, yet memories of the man and lawyer are so clear and distinct that it appears

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as if he was still in professional life and work. He died in 1863, just one short year after having delivered a most instructive and pleasing address on the " old bar " of the county, on the occasion of the dedica- tion of the court house in October, 1862. Mr. Clarke possessed a native ability as a lawyer and public speaker that specially marked his talent and gave him an enviable standing among his professional asso- ciates. Indeed, he was regarded as one of the brightest lawyers of the bar, an ornament without tarnish. His brother, John Clarke, read law in his office, was admitted in 1825, and became his partner in practice ; but Charles was engaged in milling enterprises and was thereby called away from professional work much of the time. He was a factor. too, in politics; was in the assembly in 1839-40, and in congress in 1849-51.

John Clarke came to Watertown about 1820, and is remembered as a hard-working, strong, painstaking and conscientious lawyer. He was not specially prominent in public affairs, but held the appointive office of surrogate from 1840 to 1844. He was partner with Delano C. Cal- vin for about ten years, beginning in 1855. Mr. Clarke died in 1865.

Bernard Bagley was one of the most remarkable characters who ever engaged the attention of either court or jury in Jefferson county; but in this observation we do not detract one whit from his mental ability, for without question Mr. Bagley was one of the ablest practitioners at the bar. His traits were wholly his own, and in great measure dom- inated his life and action ; with them he was a power, but without them he might have been weak. His wonderful capacity to accurately meas- ure and analyze character often worked greatly to his advantage, but his remarkable memory was his most potent auxiliary in preparing and trying cases. Moreover, he was a brilliant lawyer, and the most shrewd cross.examiner at the bar. These qualities drew to him an extensive clientage, for his skill was known throughout the region. Mr. Bagley was a native of Durham, Greene county, born Nov. 5, 1:91, and first came to this county in 1812, engaging in teaching school and building roads in Antwerp. He came to the county seat about 1816, began reading law in Mr. Clarke's office, and was admitted to the bar in 1826. He died June 26, 1818.

James F. Starbuck, whose brilliant professional and public career honored and elevated the bar of the county for a period of nearly forty years, was a native of Cayuga county, born Sept. 5, 1815, and came to Watertown in the spring of 1839. He began the study of law in the office of Lansing & Sherman, and was admitted to practice in the Com-

Lew Anoun

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mon Pleas in 1813, and in the Supreme court in IS11. Ile at once be- gan practice and was soon recognized among the leading lawyers of the county, a standing be maintained throughout the long period of his professional life, while the respect he commanded from the bar and the people of the entire region outlived him, and survive even to this time. Mr. Starbuck was undoubtedly one of the strongest lawyers the county ever produced, and his service in the office of district attorney proved of value to his subsequent career. In 1846 he was secretary of the constitutional convention of that year. In 1850 he was elected district attorney, and served three years. In 1860 he was nominated for con- gress, but was defeated at the polls. In 1875 he was elected to the state senate. Mr. Starbuck died in Watertown, December 20, 1880.

Lawrence J. Goodale, now retired from active life, but who for a period of fifty seven years has been associated with the legal profession in Jefferson county (though a part of the time living out of the county) was born in Watertown February 20, 1816. He was educated at Union college, and in 1838 began reading law with Sterling & Bronson. In 1840 he was admitted to practice, but during the course of his long busi- ness life he has engaged in various pursuits, chief among which was his management of the Le Ray property in this county and elsewhere, and also in mercantile pursuits in New York city. However, in 1842, Mr. Goodale was partner with Micah Sterling, and later on with Joseph Mullin. In 1856 he removed to New York, remained eight years, and returned in 1864, taking up his residence in Carthage, where he settled the Le Ray estates. Recently, however, he returned to Watertown and lives in comfortable retirement in the house where his father dwelt three-quarters of a century ago.

Levi H. Brown, the senior member of the active Jefferson county bar, was born in Lorraine, March 21, 1818, and was the son of Aaron Brown, an early settler and successful farmer of that town. Levi spent his early life on the farm, was educated at the Belleville and Oxford (Chenango county) academies, after which, in 1841, he entered Union college, and was graduated in 1843. He began the study of law in Schencetady, in the office of Judge Jones, and completed his course with Calvin Skinner, at Adams. He was admitted to practice in 1846. He lived and practiced at Adams until 1852, then removed to the county seat and became law partner with Joshua Moore, under the firm style of Moore & Brown. The firm was dissolved by the death of the senior partner in April, 1854, after which Mr. Brown was

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associated with Allen Beach in a partnership which continued until 1821. A later partner for a short time was Henry S. Gipson, but gen- erally since Mr. Beach's retirement from the firm Mr. Brown has prae- ticed without a partner. His business life has been devoted to the · profession, and while he has taken a deep interest in all public and political questions, and entertains clear and well-settled opinions on all of them, his affiliation with the minority party in the county has kept him from service in any general public office. Nevertheless, in Water. town he has been elected to municipal and town offices, and has ever freely given his service and advice to his party in its councils.

Allen C. Beach was born in Fairfield, Herkimer county, October ?, 1828. He was educated in the Jordan and Mexico academies, then en- tered Union college, and was graduated in 1849. He came to Water- town and for a year was teacher in the Black River Literary and Re- ligious Institute, after which he read law under the instruction of Joshua Moore, and was admitted to the bar in 1853. In the same year he began practice and in 1854 became partner with Levi H. Brown. a relation which was maintained until 1871; and it has been said with much truth that the firm of Brown & Beach was one of the strongest in the county, and enjoyed an extensive and lucrative practice. In the fall of 1868 Mr. Beach was elected lieutenant governor, and was re- elected in 1820. In 18;t he was the nominee of the democratic party for the office of secretary of state, and was elected at the polls in No- vember following; was renominated for a second term, but was de- feated. In both county and state democratic circles Mr. Beach was for many years a prominent figure; was chairman of the county com- mittee from 1860 to 1870; was chairman of the state executive commit- tee from 1868 to 18;2, and was delegate to the democratic national conventions of 1860, '72 and '76. About 1880 he retired from active politics and professional work, and devotes himself to the care of pri- vate interests.

Referring briefly to other past members of the county bar, mention is due to the memory of Edmund B. Wynn, a native of New York eity, and who came to the bar in 1846, after having read law with James F. Starbuck. He practiced for a time at Three Mile Bay, thence removed to Watertown, where he died February 15, 1892. Mr. Wynn was a lawyer of ability and possessed cultivated literary tastes. He was once a candidate for the Supreme court judgeship.

Frederick Lansing, who for a period of thirty years honored the bar

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with his ability and presence, was born in Herkimer county in 1838. He read law with Judge Hubbard, and was admitted to practice in 1859. During the war he enlisted, and was promoted to adjutant of the 8th Cavalry, serving with bravery until peace was restored. He then resumed practice, and in 1823 formed a partnership with Watson M. Rogers. From 1881 to 1885 Mr. Lansing was in the state senate, and in the fall of 1888 was elected to congress.

Daniel G. Griffin was one of the strongest civil lawyers at the Jeffer- son county bar, and in a political sense was one of the prominent men of the state. In recognition of his abilities he was appointed by Gov. Ilill, in 1891, a member of the convention to revise the judiciary article of the state constitution. At one time he was chairman of the execu - tive committee of the democratic state committee, and in 1896 was the candidate for the governorship on the national democratie ticket. Mr. Griffin was a native of Wilna, born in 1848. He was admitted to the bar in 1846. He died April 2, 1891.

Charles W. Thompson was a native of St. Lawrence county, and practiced law at Theresa before coming to Watertown. His law part- ner, both in Theresa and the county seat, was Arthur L. Chapman. Mr. Thompson was a strong lawyer and advocate, but death came when he was in the prime and vigor of professional life. Ile died May 6, 1895.

Mills A. Hackley, of Belleville, was for many years a prominent figure in Ellisburgh history, and, withal, one of the best lawyers in southern Jefferson county. He was register in bankruptcy many years, under the national bankrupt law. He was particularly an office law- yer, and a prudent, safe counsellor. Ilis father was one of the old justices of the peace in that town.

Alonzo and Paul C. Maxon, father and son, were for many years well known in legal circles at Adams. Both were good lawyers, and an honor to the profession.

Nathan Whiting came from Herkimer county and began law practice at Philadelphia. Later on he removed to Carthage, where he also prac- ticed but was more prominently connected with a banking enterprise which resulted in failure. He then came to Watertown and engaged in professional work to the end of his life.

Samuel H. Hammond was a native of western New York and was there admitted to practice law. He came to the Jefferson county bar in 1861, and was identified with professional life in Watertown to the 25

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time of his death. He was one of the old law firm of Hammond, Win- slow & Williams, his partners being Gen. Bradley Winslow and present Judge Williams of the Supreme court. This firm was formed in 1869, succeeding the older firms of Hammond & Bigelow and Hammond & Williams. Mr. Hammond was unquestionably one of the best jury lawyers and advocates at the county bar, possessing remarkable powers of eloquence and persuasion.

La Fayette J. Bigelow was a native of Ellisburgh, from whence he came to the county seat and began the practice of law about 1856. He was district attorney from 1862 to 1865, and was in the assembly in 1861 and '68. He died soon after that time.

Charles A. Sherman was the son of George A. Sherman of the old bar of the county. He was born in 1838, and was admitted to practice in 1860, after having been educated for the profession at Albany law school, and also after having the excellent instruction furnished by his distinguished father. Mr. Sherman was one of the most scholarly, polished young lawyers of the county bar. A brilliant future awaited him, but his untimely death (April 25, 1882) cut short a splendid career. His law partner was Frederick Lansing.

Thus might the list be prolonged indefinitely, but the scope and policy of our work forbids. The successors to the old bar were equally worthy and honorable, but many of those who entered the profession subsequent to 1850 are still living and in active practice, and it is con- trary to the design of our work to review the lives of those whose career is unfinished, except as they may have been members of the old bar or attained to positions on the bench. Could the narrative be extended, mention would be made of Porter, Rogers, Purcell, Smith, Brown, Winslow, Scott, Mullin (whose unfortunate and sudden taking off, Sept. 2, 1897, shocked the entire community), Kearns, the Breens, Trow- bridge, Ballard, Fitch, Hooker, Saunders, Hunt, Ramsdell, Whipple, Taylor, Cooley, Davis, Trolan, Welch, Cook, Francis, Kilby, Evans, Lee, Stowell, Morse, Rees, Leffingwell, Harder, Bearup, Wheeler, Ford, Phelps, Nims, Ward, Atwell, Adams, Child, Walker, McConnell, and indeed almost the whole bar, for they are men of honor, capacity and worth. The professional and public lives of the practitioners, and also of the still younger members of the county bar, must for the present be an unwritten page, yet in another department of this volume, de- voted to personal history, will be found sketches of the lives of hun- dreds of the prominent professional and business men of the county, and of others who have been identified with local history.

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However, that the record of the bar of the county may be made as complete as possible, the writer has availed himself of the county rec- ords, old newspaper files, public and legal documents, old court calen- cars, and, in fact, of all reliable sources of information, and has com- piled therefrom the appended chronological register of the bar. The claim is not made that the list is in all respects perfect, or that it shows the name of every lawyer who has practiced at the bar in the county from its earliest history, but when we consider that no special record of the bar has ever been kept, and that our information has been drawn from widely scattered and occasionally doubtful sources, the reader will appreciate something of the difficulty attending the preparation of the roll, However, the "roster " shows for itself, and may be regarded as reasonably accurate, showing the names of lawyers and also the year in which each was admitted to or began practice in the county.

1805 .- Augustus Sacket, Moss Kent, Samuel C. Kannady, Benjamin Skinner, Egbert Ten Eyck.

1806. (Probably) .- Elisha Camp, Thomas Y. Howe, Thomas Skinner, Isaac W. Bostwick, John Kirkland.

1807 .- Samuel Whittlesey, Amos Benedict. Lyman Munson.

1808 .- Ela Collins, Henry R. Storrs, Boswick & Allen, Micah Sterling, Artemus Stoel.

1809 .- Sterling & Skinner.

1810 .- William Brown.

1811 .- Alfred Lathrop, David W. Bucklin, Popham & Radcliff, Wright & Camp, Wm. S. Radcliff, David Perry, Canfield & Brown, J. M. Canfield.

1812 .- Ely & Camp, IL. W. Channing.

1813 .- Justin Butterfield, Samuel A. Talcott, Enoch Ely, Thomas C. Chittenden.

1814. - Barnabas Yale, Daniel Wardwell.

1815 .- 1Tarlow Emerson, Amos Holton, J. Rossiter, Samuel Beardsley, George Smith, Charles E. Clarke.

1819 .- Abel P. Vosburgh, Wm. D). Ford, Baron S. Doty, John Cooke, Cornelius Low, H. Leavenworth.

1818 .- David Brooks, jun.

1819 .- E. Lee Smith, Charles Hayden.

1820 .- Charles Dayan, Robert Lansing, Horatio Shumway, John McCarty.

1822 .- George P. Bond, Dyer Tillinghast, Benajah B. Phelps.

1823 .- George C. Sherman, Isaac H. Bronson, John Adams.

1824 .- Jeduthan Steele, Perley G. Keyes.

1825 .- Edward Fowler, Jolin Clarke.

1826 -Calvin Skinner, Alex. W. Stowe, Bernard Bagley. Orson Parker.

1828. - Marenus W. Matthews.

1829 .- Edwin Dodge, Edmund M. Eldridge, Stockwell Osgood.

1830 .- William A. Greene, Horaee Howe.

1831 .- William Ruger, John W. Tamblin, Edward B. Ilawes, Alfred D. Rathbun,

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Andrew Z. McCarty, Wm. H. Shumway, Henderson Spencer, Jason Marsh, Dyer N. Burnham.

1832 .- Samuel G. Watson, Albert Richmond, Sanford M. Green.

1833 .- Peter Yates, Augustus Ford, Nathan Rathbun.

1834 .- John S. Bagg, George A. Benedict, Anthony Ten Eyck.

1835 .- Charles Mason, Ahera G. Eastman.

1836 .- Gouverneur M. Bucklin, Cyrus H. Stone.

1837 .- Joseph Mullin, Alonzo M. Watson, Westel W. Wager.

1838 .- Frederick W. Hubbard, George W. Hungerford, Wooster Sherman,

1839 .- George Camp, William C. Thompson, Stephen G. Dodge, Lysander H. Brown, Randolph Barnes, John Henry Dutton, Allen Nims, Charles D. Wright, Nathaniel P. Wardwell, Joseph Curtis Partridge, Joshua Moore, Jasper W Gilbert, John F. Hutchinson,

1840 .- Marcus Bickford, William Forward, Lawrence J. Goodale.

1842 .- George R. Fairbanks, Joseph W. Brackett, David J. Wager.

1843 .- Gould T. Curtis, Eugene C. Leis, Luther J. Dorwin, James F. Starbuck. Wellington W. Butterfield, Laban H. Ainsworth, William L. Sherman, Charles W. Rogers, Albert A. Hawes.

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Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 21

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed Publication date: 1898 Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co. Number of Pages: 1368

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1368