USA > New York > Genesee County > Our county and its people : a descriptive and biographical record of Genesee County, New York, v. 1 > Part 38
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marked foresight and ability. In 1842 he was appointed charge d'affaires at the court of Norway and Sweden, and resided three years at Stockholm. After his return home his health failed, he became a confirmed invalid, and died October 21, 1860.
Isaac A. Verplanck, who was ranked as one of the ablest lawyers in Western New York, practiced for several years in Batavia. He was born October 16, 1812, and came to Genesee county in 1831. For a considerable time he was in partnership with John H. Martindale, the two forming a very strong law firm. Mr. Verplanck lacked the in- dustry and indomitable energy which characterized his distinguished partner, but compensated by his masterly abilities, by his extensive knowledge of the law, and his great forensic power. He was district attorney of this county from 1838 to 1842, and again in 1846. Soon after this he removed to Buffalo. He was elected one of the judges of the Superior Court of that city, and held the position during the re- mainder of his life. For the last three years he was chief judge. His death occurred October 15, 1873.
Elijah Hurty, whose early death terminated a career of marked prom - ise and usefulness, was a man of scholarly tastes, genial disposition, and excellent character. He was born in Bethany, in this county, and when quite a young man became principal of Union School in Batavia. Soon after his admission to the bar he formed a partnership with Hon. George Bowen, under the firm name of Hurty & Bowen. He died August 10, 1854, at the age of thirty-two years.
James G. Hoyt spent but a small portion of his professional life in this county, and although a sketch of his career is hardly within the scope of this article, yet so well was he known here that his name eannot properly be omitted. He was born in Camden, January 25, 1800, and removed to Genesee county in 1812. His father died six years later, leaving a widow and nine children in such poverty that the future jurist was at once thrown upon his own resources. In 1830 he was elected a constable, and discharged the duties of his office with so much promptness and intelligence as to attract the atten- tion of leading business men. In 1834 he was elected justice of the peace, and the same year began to read law with Moses Taggart. Shortly after his admission to the bar he removed to Attica, which was then included in Genesee county. He gained almost immediate recognition as a lawyer of unusual industry, thoroughness and ability. After a few years he removed to Buffalo, and was twice elected justice
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of the Supreme Court. In the discharge of the exacting duties of that office he gained a high reputation, and is remembered by all our older lawyers as one of the ablest of the many eminent men who have filled the position. He died October 23, 1863.
Probably no firm of lawyers ever enjoyed so varied and extended a practice in this county as Wakeman & Bryan, who were copartners from 1852 until the death of Mr. Bryan, which occurred in October, 1867. The combination was one of unusual strength. Seth Wake- man was a successful trial lawyer, while William G. Bryan was a coun- selor of learning and discretion. Mr. Wakeman was born in Vermont, January 15, 1811. His father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and died in the service, leaving a widow and a large family of children in destitute circumstances. They soon removed to this county. When quite a young man Mr. Wakeman was elected a constable of the town of Pembroke, and it was by reason of his occasional duties at justice's courts that he became interested in law. In 1838 he was elected a jus- tice of the peace, and six years later, at the age of thirty-three, he was admitted to the bar. After a brief partnership with Joseph Sleeper the firm of Wakeman & Bryan was formed. After Mr. Bryan's death Mr. Wakeman was for a time a partner of Judge Taggart, and afterwards, and up to his forced retirement on account of failing health in 1875, he was associated with William C. Watson, the firm doing an extensive business. Mr. Wakeman was a Whig until the dissolution of that party, when he became a Republican. He was elected district attorney in 1850 and served two terms. In 1856 and 1857 he was a member of assembly. In 1867 he was a member of the State Constitutional Con- vention, and in 18:0 he was elected to the Forty-second Congress. As a citizen Mr. Wakeman was generous, companionable and kind. Dis- tinctively a self-made man, he was always in warmest sympathy with every person whom he found struggling with adverse fortune. While eminently fair as a lawyer his strongest antagonists found him " a foe- man worthy of their steel." He was an admirable trial lawyer, and gained a splendid practice and reputation as such. Possessed of few of the graces of oratory, Mr. Wakeman was nevertheless a strong, trenchant and convincing speaker. He died January 4, 1880.
William G. Bryan was born January 28, 1822, in Brighton, England. He came to America and settled in Le Roy in 1830. His law studies were pursued with Albert Smith and with Moses Taggart. In 1851 he formed a partnership with John H. Martindale, which was soon dis-
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solved by the removal of the latter to Rochester. In politics Mr. Bryan was an ardent Democrat, and was a trusted adviser in all party matters. He was a lawyer of decided ability, but from choice spent his time inside his office preparing papers, giving counsel and examin- ing cases. He was a man of refined tastes, of scholarly attainments, and great personal worth. Between him and Mr. Wakeman the strong. est attachment existed. ITis untimely death, at the age of forty-five, was the result of an accident. He had gone to Burlington, Iowa, on a visit, and while there, in endeavoring to control a frightened horse, he was thrown from a carriage and killed. A public meeting of the cit- izents of Batavia was held on the sad occasion. His accomplished and estimable wife, Ruth Bryan, for many years principal of the Bryan Seminary, died January 13, 1892, at Buffalo.
James M. Willett was born October 10, 1831. He graduated at the Albany Law School in 1856. In 1859 he was elected district attorney, being the first Democrat ever elected to that office in this county. Ile entered the army in 1862 and became a major of the famous Eighth New York Heavy Artillery. In the fearful ordeal through which that regiment passed at Cold Harbor he was severely wounded. Upon re- joining his regiment three months later, he became colonel, and to the close of the war commanded a brigade. After leaving the army he engaged in business in New York until 1820, when he removed to Buffalo and formed the well known law partnership of Laning, Folsom & Willett. The firm were the legal representatives of the New York Central Railroad, and did a large general practice. Colonel Willett con- tinued to suffer from his army wounds, his health gave way, and he died June 6, 18:2. He was a strong, well equipped lawyer, a genial and companionable friend, a Christian gemlemen. Few men ever practiced at our bar who had so strong a hold on the affections of his associates and the people at large.
Martin F. Robertson was a native of Genesee county, and passed his life in Batavia. Ile was possessed of decided ability, fair legal learn- ing, and was a good trial lawyer. As a man he was very companion- able and popular. He died March 21, 1868, at the age of forty-eight years, never having married.
Benjamin Pringle, for many years one of the foremost citizens of this county, was born in the year 1806, at Richfield, in this State. He came to Batavia in 1830 and formed a partnership with Albert Smith, and later became a partner of Heman J. Redfield. He was judge of
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the county from 1841 to 1846. In 1852, and again in 1854, he was elected to Congress. In 1862 he was member of assembly and in 1863 President Lincoln appointed him judge under a treaty between the United States and Great Britain for the suppression of the slave trade. He remained in the discharge of the duties of this office for seven years at Cape of Good Hope. Judge Pringle was a competent equity lawyer, but without special taste for the trial of causes. As a citizen he was public spirited and patriotic. In private life he was exemplary. For many years he was a warden of St. James's Episcopal church, of which he was a devoted member. During his old age he divided his time between Batavia and Hastings, Minn., where his sons lived. He died at the latter place June 2, 1887. His remains are buried in Batavia.
Marlbro W. Hewitt, though never particularly active as a practitioner was a respected member of the bar. and an esteemed and well known citizen of Batavia. He was for a great many years a justice of the peace and discharged the duties of that office with fidelity and unusual intelligence. Mr. Hewitt died January 23, 1880, at the age of sixty- four years.
Hleman J. Redfield was born in Connecticut December 27, 1288. His father removed to Western New York and the son remained on the farm till 1808 when he entered the Canandaigua Academy. He stud- ied law with that distinguished jurist, John C. Spencer. He volunteered as a private in the war of 1812 and served through two campaigns. He was in the battle of Queenston Heights and was with Gen. Har. rison at Fort George where he received a brevet from the commanding general for valiant service. In 1815 he began the practice of law at Le Roy He was appointed district attorney in 1821; he was State senator from 1823 to 1825, and during the last year of this service he was appointed one of the New York commissioners to settle a boundary question with New Jersey. He served as postmaster in Le Roy for more than twenty years. He was offered and declined the position of special counsel to assist in the trial of the persons accused of abducting William Morgan. In 1835 he declined the office of circuit judge ten- dered him by Governor Marcy; in 1836 he became the purchaser with Jacob Le Roy from the Holland Land Company of its unsold possessions. President Pierce appointed him naval officer of New York but he was soon transferred to the office of collector of the port of New York and he held this position until June 30, 1837, although James Buchanan, who had then lately come into office, offered to continue him. During
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the Civil war Mr. Redfield was conspicuous as a War Democrat and his intense loyalty was of great value to the Union cause.
A sketch of his life published many years ago, says, "On Sunday evening, July 22, 1877, he sat with the members of his family on the veranda of his house, enjoying the cool breezes after the heat of the day, appearing in excellent health and spirits. About eight o'clock he complained of a dizziness in his head, entered the house, gradually grew worse, and became unconscious, and about ten o'clock he peace. fully, painlessly, breathed his last. Thus closed the earthly career of a good, kind-hearted, benevolent man, and a true and devout Christian. During his long life he was an active and devout member of St. James Episcopal Church at Batavia, serving as vestryman and warden. Many citizens attested their respect and esteem for their old neighbor and friend by their attendance at the funeral service Wednesday evening. The procession was one of the longest ever seen in the village. Im- mediately following the hearse came the venerable roadster, so long the favorite riding horse of Mr. Redfield, saddled and bridled, and led by the groom."
One of the most interesting figures in the history of the bar of Gen- esee county and of Western New York was Gen. John H. Martindale. Although most of his professional life was passed in Rochester, whither lie removed in 1852, he had prior to that time served two terms as dis- triet attorney of this county, and had laid the foundation of his brilliant career as an advocate and orator. Having received a military educa- tion at West Point he entered the army at the breaking out of the Rebellion. He did active and efficient service in the field quite early in the war, and later served as military governor of the District of Columbia, with the rank of major-general. He was elected attorney- general of this State in 1865. General Martindale became famous in his management of actions for damages for personal injuries brought against railroad corporations, particularly the New York Central. His most frequent antagonist was that most brilliant and admirable trial lawyer, the late Albert P. Laning, of Buffalo. They tried a large number of cases opposed to each other in this county, and the memory of those days is an ever recurring delight. The court house wasalways filled and the audience always entertained. The limits of this article forbid what might be an interesting account of this remarkable man. Always eloquent, he had the faculty of being most so in cases otherwise commonplace. The writer has heard many of his addresses to juries,
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but the most eloquent is remembered as his summing up in the case of Garwood against the New York Central Railroad, an action brought to recover damages for injury to plaintiff's mill power by pumping water from the Tonawanda Creek into tanks for the use of locomotive boilers. The theme was certainly not one which would seem to afford opportu- nity for a display of oratory, yet the speaker proved superior to the oc- casion, and the result was an address seldom equalled. Although of agreeable disposition General Martindale was rather easily ruffled when engaged in the trial of important cases. His wily opponent learned well his sensitive points, and never failed to take advantage of them. As General Martindale always appeared for the plaintiff in rail- road cases he had the advantage of the closing address. He was quite fond, in talking to a Genesee county jury, of indulging in reminiscences, and often referred to his acquaintance with the fathers of some of the younger jurymen, and to old associations con- nected with Batavia. On one well remembered occasion, when Mr. Laning thought his florid antagonist would be apt to find opportunity for a display of this kind, he turned his weapons against him in that quiet and inimitable manner so strikingly in contrast with the exuber- ant style of his opponent. He told the jury what the general would shortly proceed to narrate in their hearing, including all that Martin- dale could possibly say about his early home, his dead partner, "the classic Verplanck," his friends and neighbors, the old church, etc. The result was that the orator was compelled to change his tactics. The contests between Martindale and Laning will always be remem- bered by those who enjoyed the privilege of listening to and witness- ing the efforts of these remarkable but wholly dissimilar men. In pri- vate life General Martindale was greatly esteemed. His character was above reproach, and he was a man of sincere piety. His personal appearance and bearing attracted admiration at all times. In 1881 he went to Europe in a vain search for health, but died in Nice, France, on the thirteenth day of December of that year, at the age of sixty-six.
Lucius N. Bangs was born April 4, 1825. He studied law with Augustus P. Hascall, with whom, after his admission to the bar, he formed a partnership. He subsequently became a partner of Elizer Hinsdale, who after a few years removed to New York. In 1870 Mr. Bangs was elected county judge and surrogate of this county, and held the office for twelve years. During his first term Mareus L. Babcock was clerk of the surrogate's court, and during his last term the position
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was filled by Frank S. Wood, now of the Batavia bar. Judge Bangs did not receive a college education but he was a man of rare scholarly tastes and extraordinary attainments, both in the field of his profession and in literature and science. His law library was one of the finest private collections in the State, while his miscellaneous library was of great value, selected as it had been with discrimination and taste. The latter collection was unfortunately burned in a fire which destroyed its owner's residence. Judge Bangs was not fond of the work of a trial lawyer, but in his arguments before the appellate courts he displayed .great ability and a degree of learning which was marvelous. After his term of office expired he removed to Buffalo. He died in the city of New York December 3, 1892. At a meeting of the bar of Genesee county held a few days later, the Hon. George Bowen said that he had collected and preserved Judge Bangs's printed briefs, and that he con- sidered the discussions contained in them absolutely exhaustive of the questions involved, a rare compliment from one well qualified to judge. Judge Bangs was a delightful man in his social and family relations, and his associates of the bar were much attached to him.
Henry I. Głowacki was born in Poland in 1816 of a distinguished family. He was the son of a prominent general of the Polish war of 1812. Having participated in the revolutionary movement he was im- prisoned for two years, and afterward, about the year 1833, was exiled by the Austrian government. In New York he was favored with the friendship of Albert Gallatin, who while a foreign minister had known his father. Mr. Glowacki made the acquaintance of David E. Evans, who offered him a position in the now historic Land Office in Batavia. He came here in 1834, and continued for four years in the land office. During his later years Major Glowacki used to tell that early in this service he was employed to copy records, and that, although wholly unable to read the English language, he performed the work by imi tating the handwriting assigned to him to copy. He was admitted to the bar in 1840. He was shortly afterward appointed master in chan- cery, and served until 1846. He was for several years a law partner of Judge Joshua L. Brown, and the firm enjoyed a large and lucrative practice. Mr. Glowacki was seldom, if ever, engaged in the trial of cases, or in legal arguments, but he was a valuable and accurate office lawyer. Major Głowacki was a Democrat, and was for many years conspicuous in the councils of his party in State and county. He was four times a delegate to national Democratie conventions. He served
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nine years as president of the Batavia Board of Education. Major Głowacki was a man of elegant and distinguished personal appearance. Although he became a proficient English scholar he always retained a marked foreign accent in speech. He died at his home in Batavia in November, 1895, having years before retired from the practice of the law.
Randolph Ballard died December 26, 1890, at the age of sixty-eight years. He studied law with Judge A. P. Hascall. He was at one time in business with Gen. C. F. Bissell. Upon the death of Judge Henshaw in 1850, Mr. Ballard was appointed by the Democratic governor to fill the vacancy, and served for the remainder of the year. No one who ever knew him can forget his elegant manners and his fastidious dress. Like qualities extended to his business and professional life. He was an excellent penman and all his work was neatly, promptly and accu rately done. Judge Ballard tried some cases in court and tried them well, but he was essentially a business lawyer and business man and was successful as such. In the fall of 1890 he found himself obliged to submit to a critical surgical operation. He was unable to rally from its effects and died in Rochester on the 26th day of September.
Thomas P. Heddon was born at Stafford, N. Y., December 2, 1840. He was educated at the common schools and at the Genesee and Wyom- ing Seminary in Alexander. He studied law with Randolph Ballard. and was admitted to the bar in 1865. Mr. Heddon was for several years a justice of the peace of the town of Le Roy, and served as dis. trict attorney of the county from 18;8 to 1881. He was a trustee of the village of Le Roy at the time of his death. He was a Republi- can in politics, and his services as a public speaker were often in demand at political meetings. Mr. Heddon died June 22, 1994.
Myron H. Peck was born May 28, 1827. At the age of fourteen he received an injury which rendered it evident that he must choose a vo- cation unattended with active physical labor, and he soon concluded to make the law his profession. He studied in Canandaigua in the office of Lapham & Metcalf, and after his admission to the bar he became the partner of Elbridge G. Lapham, one of the members of this firm and afterwards representative in Congress and United States senator. The firm dissolved in 1858, and Mr. Peck removed to Batavia. Hc was for a time associated in business with Col. James M Willett and afterwards with Hon. George Bowen, under the firm name of Peck & Bowen. In 1882 he was nominated by the Democratic party for the
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office of county judge and surrogate, and was elected. After the ex- piration of his term he removed to Buffalo, where he continued in practice until his last illness. He died September 2, 1898. A mect- ing of the bar was held a few days later at a term of the court. Ap- propriate remarks were made by Hon. Nathan A. Woodward, William Tyrrell, H. F. Tarbox and HI. B. Cone. Judge North, presiding, pre- sented the following memorial prepared by him, which, upon the re- quest of Mr. Tyrrell, was ordered entered upon the minutes of the court :
" The death of Judge Peck having occurred so soon before a regular .term of the court over which he presided for six years, the suggestion was made by several members of the bar that it would be quite ap. propriate that this court room should be selected as a place of a meet . ing of the lawyers of the county to take suitable action, in open court. expressive of our sorrow at the death of our associate and of our ap- preciation of the intellectual qualities which rendered him one of the most notable figures in the history of our bar.
"Here for thirty years he practiced his profession, and could these walls speak what memories would they recall! His thorough prepa- ration in every case with which he was connected, his keen and analyt- ical mind, his abounding knowledge of the law and the vehement force with which he expounded it, his terse and lucid expression of legal principles, the contempt with which he brushed aside matters which he deemed unimportant, and the power with which he massed all his virile force into a few strong points, all of these things combine at this hour to bring his familiar face and voice vividly before us.
" To those of us who have served long enough to have known of these qualities, it will be hard to realize that he has gone out from his place for the last time, and by every member of our bar from the oldest to the youngest he will be remembered as a man of unusual learning in the profession which he loved, of great force and strength in the prac- tice of the law and as a fair and impartial judge.
"It may well be added that although his aggressive temperament made him a stern and uncompromising antagonist, yet down deep he was greatly attached to the members of his own profession and to his friends in general, and since his removal from this county nine years ago, he has always, on the occasion of his visits to Batavia, evinced the warmest interest in the welfare of his old friends and neighbors and the liveliest satisfaction at every opportunity to renew old friendships.
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" He is now numbered among those whose lives are of the past, and of all of these who have practiced law here it is doubtful if there has been one possessed of wider learning in the great profession of which he was an honored member."
Hiram W. Hascall was born at Le Roy, December 18, 1812, and his long and eventful life was wholly passed in that town. Up to about a year previous to his death he had retained his vigor in a remarkable degree, and was as active as at any period of his life. He was a staunch adherent of the Republican party, and his devotion to the best interests of that organization was proverbial. Business matters absorbed his attention quite largely, and he was never particularly active as a prac- titioner. He was elected county clerk in 1835, and served for two terms. In 1864 he was appointed collector of internal revenue. In 1869 he was made postmaster of Le Roy, and filled that position to the satisfaction of his townspeople for sixteen years. Mr. Hascall was a man of upright life and a most kind and genial friend and companion. Ile died December 2, 1898.
William R. Crofoot was born December 10, 1855, and was reared upon his father's farm in Pavilion. He attended the Le Roy Academy for some time. and graduated from Amherst College in 1880. He studied law with Hon. Randolph Ballard, and after his admission to the bar occupied the office with Judge Ballard until the death of the latter. Mr. Crofoot was three times elected as a justice of the peace of the town of Le Roy and six times village clerk. He was the attorney of record for the executors of the will of William Lampson in the im- portant litigation connected with the large estate left by Mr. Lampson. Mr. Crofoot was a man of agreeable manners and of great kindness of heart. His death occurred December 3, 1898.
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