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The Early History of Ontario County, New York Kindly transcribed by Deborah Spencer Welcome to Ontario County, NY, History and Genealogy. This is is a central point of entry to independent not-for-profit web sites with historical or genealogical content. Although independent, it is affiliated with The American History and Genealogy Project. To learn more about this group, click the link above. Return to Home Page Return to History Index
From the History of Ontario County, NY Published 1893 Pg 107 - 120 Original
County Organizations--Albany County--Tryon County Formed--Name Changed
to Montgomery--Ontario County Created--Its Extent and Population--The
First County Officers--The County Seat--The County Buildings--Civil
Divisions of Ontario County--Subsequent County Erections Which Took
Lands of Original Ontario--Formation of the Towns Now Comprising Ontario
County--The County Civil List. DURING the
rule of the Dutch, the inhabited portion of the State of New York was
organized as a county or province of Holland; but during that period
there was little attempt at settlement beyond the limits of the
Netherlands, and only a limited colony in the vicinity of Schenectady.
After the overthrow of the Dutch power in America, the successful
English rulers organized the original county of Albany, the same being
formed November 1, 1683, and confirmed October 1, 1691. In 1772,
just preceding the outbreak of the Revolution, the territory of Albany
was divided, and Tryon and Charlotte counties were created.
Tryon county was formed March 12, and originally embraced all the
lands of the State west of the Delaware River and a line extending north
through Schoharie, and along the east lines of the present counties of
Montgomery, Fulton and Hamilton, and continuing in a straight line to
Canada; and therefore embraced the lands of the Genesee country and the
subsequently created county of Ontario. Tryon
county was so named in honor of William TRYON, colonial governor of the
Province of New York, but during the Revolution the conduct of this
official was so decidedly inimical to the cause for which the Americans
were contending that his name was highly distasteful to the patriotic
settlers who located in the county after the war.
Consequently when a petition was presented to the Legislature,
that body on the 2d of April, 1784, dropped the former name and in its
stead adopted that of Montgomery, so given in honor of Gen. Richard
Montgomery, a Revolutionary officer, who was slain in battle at Quebec. During the
period in which the region existed under the names of Tryon and
Montgomery, there was a division of the territory into provisional
districts, and it was not until 1788 that any town or township
organization was effected, or even attempted.
At first there were five of these districts, all formed in 1772,
and covered all the inhabited portion of the country. In 1787
PHELPS and GORHAM became the owners of a vast tract of land in
Montgomery county, located west of Seneca Lake, in extent being about
2,600,000 acres.
The greater part of the remainder of the State west of the
purchase just mentioned soon afterward became the property of the
so-called Holland Land Company.
The proprietary of each of these tracts at once began its
development by making surveys and settlements thereon.
The permanent settlement on the Phelps and Gorham tract began in
1787, and increased so rapidly that in 1789 it was deemed advisable to
make a division of Montgomery county.
Therefore, upon the presentation of an application, the
Legislature, on January 27, passed an act creating Ontario county, and
including within its boundaries all the lands of the State west of
Seneca Lake, or in other words, the whole tract which was ceded by New
York to Massachusetts west of the pre-emption line.
The county was named from Lake Ontario, which formed its original
northern boundary.
The effective part of the act creating the county reads as
follows: "Whereas, the county of Montgomery is so extensive as to
be inconvenient to those who now are, or may hereafter settle in the
western part of that colony; Therefore, be it enacted, etc., That all
that part of the county of Montgomery which lies to the westward of a
line drawn due north to Lake Ontario from the mile-stone or monument
marked 82, and standing on the line of division between this State and
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, shall be one separate and distinct
county, and called and known by the name of Ontario." The third
section of the act provided that until other legislation should be had
in the premises it "shall be lawful for the justices of the Court
of Sessions for the said county of Ontario to divide the said county
into two or more districts, as they shall deem expedient and
convenient to the inhabitants." It was
under the provisions of this act that the original districts of Bristol,
Canandaigua, Bloomfield, Farmington, Gorham, and Middletown (Naples)
were formed, each thus comprising a much larger area of territory than
at present. However,
this is a subject which will be more fully treated hereafter. At the time
of the organization of the county the total population of its towns or
districts did not exceed 1,000 persons, as the first federal census,
made soon afterward, gave the county a total of 205 families and 1081
inhabitants. After the
erection of the county, to complete the organization, the following
officials were appointed: Oliver PHELPS, judge of the Common Pleas; John
COOPER, surrogate; and Nathaniel GORHAM, county clerk.
The first sheriff of the county, Judah COLT, was not appointed to
office until April 7, 1790. As is well
known, the county seat and buildings have been located at Canandaigua
since the erection of the county; and while the people of Geneva had a
strong desire to possess the county properties, even at the time the
county was formed, their claims were not well grounded, inasmuch as
there was then a doubt whether the locality of that village was on the
Phelps and Gorham tract, or on the lands claimed by the lessees.
Furthermore, the seat of operations of the proprietors had, by
1789, been removed from Geneva to Canandaigua, and as those proprietors
were chiefly instrumental in causing the division of the mother
county---Montgomery--it was only natural that the same influences should
control the location of the county buildings.
Therefore, the commissioners appointed to examine the several
localities desirable for the seat of justice, had no difficulty in
designating Canandaigua as the place most suitable. Geneva,
however, was the county seat to the extent of having conducted within
its limits (at PATTERSON's tavern) the first Court of Oyer and Terminer
convened in the county.
This event took place in 1793, and Judge John Sloss HOBART
presided at the session. The first
court-house of Ontario county was built during the year 1794, in
pursuance of an act of the Legislature, passed April 9, 1792, which
authorized the supervisors of the several towns to raise by tax the sum
of 600 pounds to construct the building, with an additional tax of one
shilling to pay the expense of collection.
The old court-house was a plain two-story frame structure, and
was located on the northeast corner
of the public square, near the site of the present court-house.
It was built by Elijah MURRAY.
On the erection of the second court-house, in 1824, the pioneer
building was removed to the corner of Main and Cross streets, and
thereafter was occupied as a town hall and post office.
Later on it was again moved to Coach street and used as a
store-house. The second
Ontario county court-house was a more pretentious structure than its
predecessor, a fact in no manner surprising when we consider that the
new building cost double the first one.
After thirty years of constant use the old county building was
deemed unfit for longer use; in truth it was said to be a disgrace to
the village and the county, and that notwithstanding the historic
memories surrounding it.
But as sentiment counts for nothing in a growing, enterprising
community, the people in 1824, through the board of supervisors, applied
to the Legislature for an act authorizing the laying of a tax to raise
the sum of $6,000 for the construction of a new court-house.
The bill passed and was approved in April, and on the 4th of July
following the corner stone of the new building was laid with impressive
ceremonies. Like
its predecessor, the second court-house was a plain two story building,
yet was more substantially built and more ornamental in appearance.
Over its entire front was a broad portico, supported by heavy
columns. This
building was in use by the county from 1824 to 1858, a period of
thirty-four years, and then gave way to the large and handsome structure
which now adorns the "square." The present
court-house of the county was begun in the early part of 1857, the
corner-stone being laid with Masonic ceremonies and great formality on
the 4th of July of that year.
However, it must be said that the people of the county seat and
vicinity were somewhat divided in sentiment regarding the erection of
the new building; not that there was much serious dispute concerning the
necessity of a new and handsome structure, but rather as to its exact
location and the direction it should front.
In fact three sites were considered, and of them, the old square,
was finally chosen.
The building, which has a base measurement of 76 x 96 feet, was
erected by Canandaigua and Geneva contractors, and cost $46,000, a large
portion of which was borne by the United States government.
The court-house is surmounted by a large dome, The first
Ontario county jail was originally built as a block-house to be used in
case an attack should be made upon the village by the Indians.
The use of this structure as a place of confinement was of a
later date. In
1813 the supervisors adopted measures for the erection of a more
suitable jail building, and, under the direction of commissioners John
PRICE, Rogers SPRAGUE and Septimus EVANS, a jail was built.
At one time, also, in the early history of the county, a hotel,
sheriff's residence and jail were built, the lower part being used as a
place of residence and hotel, while the second story was arranged for
confining prisoners.
This building, which stood on the Webster Hotel site, is said to
have been first used about 1816.
The present Ontario county jail was built at a somewhat later
date, and was, at the time of its erection, considered a very
substantial structure.
Its appointments were complete and somewhat elaborate.
It still stands and is in use, but the ravages of time are
becoming apparent, and the building must soon give way to one of greater
security. Upon the
erection and organization of Ontario county, its vast territory was but
little developed and settled.
Previous to that time there appears to have been little
government in the region, except the general authority exercised by the
State. In
fact there was no need of officers or law, for the few settlers of the
region were inspired by other desires than those of lawlessness or
violence. The
town of Whitestown, a subdivision of Montgomery county, was formed in
March, 1788, and included within its boundaries an indefinite area of
territory to the westward; so that previous to the formation of
districts and towns in Ontario county, whatever jurisdiction was
necessary to be exercised over the region was as a part of the town
named. However,
during the next year, this county was created, and separated in its
territory from the mother county--Montgomery--and its townships The first
reduction in area of Ontario county was made on the 18th of March, 1796,
when Steuben county was created out of its territory, the north boundary
of the new formation being the south line of Milo, Jerusalem, and that
same line continued east and west, and the west boundary was the west
line of the seventh range of townships on the Phelps and Gorham tract.
At the time of its erection Steuben county had not to exceed
1,500 population. The next
surrender of land which Ontario county was called upon to make was on
the 30th of March, 1802, when an act of the Legislature created Genesee
county, by taking all that part of old Ontario which lay west of the
Genesee River and a line running due south from the junction of the
river and Canaseraga Creek.
The formation of Genesee county took from the mother county at
least half its original territory, and still the people of the old
region seem to have submitted uncomplainingly to the reduction.
However, in 1805 another scheme was set on foot looking to still
another division of Ontario, and against the proposed measure the
inhabitants of Canandaigua and adjoining towns did earnestly protest;
and the result was that the bill to divide the county was defeated.
At that time the county contained 4,150 taxable inhabitants, and
its boundaries were the lake on the north; the Genesee on the west; the
new pre-emption line on the east; and a continuation of the south lines
of Milo and Jerusalem on the south. After the
erection of Genesee county there was no further division of what was
then left to old Ontario until the formation of Livingston and Monroe
counties, both of which were created February 23, 1821. However,
from 1805 until the division of the county was again accomplished, there
was a constant agitation of the subject, and the discussion engendered
considerable feeling throughout the region.
During these years the development of the country and its
consequent increase in population were almost marvelous, and as fine
villages were constantly being built up, the most progressive of them
were each naturally desirous of becoming the shire town of a county.
It is claimed, and with much show of reason, that the then
villages of Rochester, Palmyra, Avon, Geneva and Penn Yan had
aspirations in this direction; and subsequent events showed that some of
them succeeded in gaining the desired prominence. As has been
stated, Livingston and Monroe counties were created February 23, 1821,
each taking lands from Ontario and Genesee counties.
The next formation which took further from the territory of
Ontario was Yates county created February 5, 1823, followed on the 11th
of April of the same year by the erection of Wayne county, the latter
taking lands from Ontario and Seneca counties. Briefly
recapitulating events, Ontario was created January 27, 1789, including
within its boundaries all that part of the State lying west of the
pre-emption line.
Out of this vast territory there has been erected and at present
exists fourteen counties, the names of which, with the date of the
erection of each, are as follows: Steuben, March 18, 1796, taken wholly
from Ontario; Genesee, March 30, 1802, taken wholly from Ontario;
Allegany, April 7, 1806, taken from Genesee; Cattaraugus, Niagara and
Chautauqua, March 11, 1808, taken from Genesee; Livingston and Monroe,
February 23, 1821, taken from Genesee and Ontario; Erie, April 2, 1821,
taken from Niagara; Yates, February 5, 1823, taken from Ontario; Wayne,
April 11, 1823, taken from Ontario and Seneca; Orleans, November 12,
1824, taken from Genesee; Wyoming, May 14, 1841, taken from Genesee; and
Schuyler, April 17, 1854, taken from Chemung, Steuben and Tompkins
counties. From
this, and what has already been narrated in preceding chapters, we
discover that Ontario county originally contained about 6,600,000 acres,
or more than 10,300 square miles of land, and that by the reduction of
its territory, taken for the creation of other counties, it contains at
present 409,600 acres, or 640 square miles of land. Ontario
county, as at present constituted, contains sixteen towns, and in the
present connection we may note briefly concerning them, but refer the
reader, for detailed information, to the several chapters relating
especially to town history. Bristol was
formed January 27, 1789, and was named from Bristol county, Mass.
In 1838 South Bristol was taken off and a part was annexed to
Richmond in 1848, but restored in 1852.
It is an interior town, lying southwest of the center of the
county. Its
population in 1830 was 2,952, and in 1890 was 1,510. Canadice,
the name of which is a corruption of the Indian name of the lake
situate in the center of the town, was formed from Richmond, April 15,
1829. A
part of it was annexed to Richmond in 1836.
It is the southwest corner town of the county. Canandaigua,
the
shire town of the county, was one of the original towns, formed January
27, 1789, and a part of it was annexed to Gorham in 1824. East
Bloomfield was
formed as Bloomfield January 27, 1789, and Mendon and Victor were taken
off in 1812. Farmington,
named
from Farmington, Conn., was also one of the original towns of the
county, and was formed January 27, 1789. Gorham was
likewise an original town, formed January 27, 1789, under the name of
Easton, but changed to Lincoln in April, 1806, and to Gorham one year
later. The
last name was given the town in honor of Nathaniel GORHAM.
Hopewell was set off from this town in 1822, and a part of
Canandaigua was annexed in 1824. Hopewell
was
formed from Gorham, March 29, 1822. Manchester
was
formed March 31, 1821, under the name of Burt, which was changed to
Manchester April 6, 1822. Naples was
one of the original towns of the county, formed January 27, 1789, under
the name of Middletown.
However, the region embraced by the town was originally known as
Watkinstown, so named from William WATKINS, of Berkshire, Mass., one of
the purchasers under PHELPS and GORHAM.
This region was called by the Indians Nundawao, in reference to
the "great hill," of which mention has been made in a
preceding chapter.
The name Middletown was changed to Naples April 6, 1808.
Italy was set off from it in 1815, and a part of Springwater in
1816. Phelps was
formed in 1796, under the act of January 27, 1789, and was named in
honor of Oliver PHELPS, one of the proprietors.
A part of this town was annexed to Lyons, Wayne county, April 11,
1823. Richmond
was also formed under the act of 1789, and called Pittstown.
April 6, 1808, the name was changed to Honeoye, and to Richmond,
April 11, 1815.
A part of Canadice was annexed April 30, 1836, and parts of
Bristol and South Bristol in 1848, but the latter were restored in 1852. Seneca was
formed in 1793 under the provisions of the act of 1789, and its
territory remained substantially undisturbed until November 15, 1872,
when the town of Geneva was erected by the Board of Supervisors. South
Bristol was
formed from Bristol March 8, 1838. Victor was
formed from Bloomfield May 26, 1812. West
Bloomfield was formed from Bloomfield February 11, 1833. Now, having
sufficiently referred to the various properties and civil divisions of
Ontario county, it is proper that there should also be made a record of
the names of persons of the county who have been identified with the
political history of the Federal, State and county governments: United
States Senator--Elbridge G. LAPHAM, elected July 22, 1881. Secretary
of War United States--John C. SPENCER, October 12, 1841. Postmaster-General
United States--Francis GRANGER, March 6, 1841. Secretary
of Treasury United States--Charles J. FOLGER, October 27, 1881. Representatives
in United States Congress--Thomas MORRIS, 1801-3; Oliver PHELPS,
1803-5; Nathaniel W. HOWELL, 1813-15; Micah BROOKS, 1815-17; John C.
SPENCER, 1817-19; Nathaniel ALLEN, 1819-21; John DICKSON, 1831-35;
Francis GRANGER, 1835-37; Mark H. SIBLEY, 1837-39; Francis GRANGER,
1839-41; John GREIG, 1841; Robert L. ROSE, 1847-51; Emory B. POTTLE,
1857-61; William H. LAMPORT, 1871-75; Elbridge G. LAPHAM, 1875-83; John
RAINES, 1889-92. Governor--Myron
H. CLARK, elected November, 1854. Secretaries
of State--John C. SPENCER, appointed February 4, 1839, served to
February 7, 1842; Frank RICE, elected November, 1889, and November,
1891. Comptroller--Thomas
HILLHOUSE, elected November 7, 1865. Canal
Commissioners--Myron HOLLEY, appointed April 17, 1816; William W.
WRIGHT, elected November 5, 1861. Adjutant-Generals--Levi
HUBBELL, appointed June 4, 1833; Thomas HILLHOUSE, August 19, 1861. Bank
Commissioner--James REES, appointed February 1, 1830. Inspector
of State Prisons--Jared WILSON, appointed May 10, 1835. State
Engineer--Charles B. Stewart, elected November 2, 1847. Regents
of the University--John GREIG, January 12, 1825; William H. GOODWIN,
June 24, 1865. Members
of Constitutional Conventions--Convention of 1801, Moses ATWATER;
convention of 1821, Micah BROOKS, John PRICE, David SUTHERLAND, Philetus
SWIFT, Joshua VAN FLEET; convention of 1846, Robert C. NICHOLAS, Alvah
WORDEN; convention of 1867, Henry O. CHEESEBRO, Angus McDONALD, Charles
J. FOLGER, Elbridge G. LAPHAM. Judges
of Court of Appeals--Samuel A. FOOTE, April 11, 1851; Charles J.
FOLGER, May 17, 1870, and chief judge, May 20, 1880. Justices
of the Supreme Court--Henry W. TAYLOR, March 27, 1850; James C.
SMITH, May 23, 1862; William H. ADAMS, November 8, 1887. Senators--Thomas
MORRIS, 1797-1801; Lemuel CHIPMAN, 1802-5; John NICHOLAS, 1806-9; Amos
HALL, 1810-13; Philetus SWIFT, 1814-15, 1817; Stephen BATES, 1815-16,
1817-19; Gideon GRANGER, 1820-21; John C. SPENCER, 1825-28; Chester
LOOMIS, 1835-38; Robert C. NICHOLAS, 1839-42; Mark H. SIBLEY, 1840-41;
Albert LESTER, 1844-47; Myron H. CLARK, 1852-54 (resigned January 1,
1855, elected governor); William H. GOODWIN, 1855; Thomas HILLHOUSE,
1860-61; Charles J. FOLGER, 1862-69; Stephen H. HAMMOND, 1876-77; Edwin
HICKS, 1878-79; John RAINES, 1888-89. Members
of Assembly--Eleazer LINDSLEY [1], 1791; Israel CHAPIN, 1792-93;
Thomas MORRIS, 1794-96; Lemuel CHIPMAN and Charles WILLIAMSON, 1796-97;
Amos HALL [2] and Charles WILLIAMSON, 1798-99; Nathaniel NORTON and
Charles WILLIAMSON, 1800; Lemuel CHIPMAN and Nathaniel NORTON, 1800-01;
Daniel CHAPIN and Peter B. PORTER, 1802; Thaddeus CHAPIN, Augustus
PORTER and Polydore B. WISNER, 1803 [3]; Amos HALL, Nathanial W. HOWELL
and Polydore B. WISNER, 1804; [1] Eleazer LINDSLEY served from Jan. 4 to April 12. [2]Amos
HALL from Ontario and Steuben counties. [3]
Polydore B. WISNER, Genesee and Ontario counties. Amos HALL,
Daniel W. LEWIS and Alex. REA, 1804-05; D. W. LEWIS, Ezra PATTERSON,
Alex. REA, 1806; Alex. REA, Philetus SWIFT, Asahel WARNER[1], 1807; Amos
HALL, William RUMSEY, Philetus SWIFT and Asahel WARNER, jr., 1808;
Michah BROOKS, Samuel LAWRENCE, Richard LEECH, Hugh McNAIR and Wm.
ROGERS, 1808-09; Valentine BROTHER, Israel CHAPIN, Daniel DORSEY, Wm.
MARKHAM, Gideon PITTS, 1810; Septimus EVANS, Reuben HART, Hugh McNAIR,
Stephen PHELPS, Asahel WARNER, 1811; Nathaniel ALLEN, Valentine BROTHER,
David SUTHERLAND, Joshua VAN FLEET, Ezra WAITE, 1812; Abraham DOX,
Gilbert HOWELL, Hugh McNAIR, David SUTHERLAND, Asahel WARNER, 1813-14;
Hugh McNAIR, Stephen PHELPS, David SUTHERLAND, Joshua VAN FLEET, Asahel
WARNER, 1814; Peter ALLEN, John PRICE, James ROSEBURGH, Ira SELBY, David
SUTHERLAND, 1814-15; Peter ALLEN, Israel CHAPIN, Jonathan CHILD, Henry
FELLOWS, Myron HOLLEY, Alex. KELSEY, Thos. LEE, Roger SPRAGUE, 1816;
Peter ALLEN, Jonathan CHILD, Byram GREEN, Caleb HOPKINS, Joshua LEE,
James ROSEBURGH, Nathan WHITNEY, 1816-17; Phineas P. BATES, Nathaniel
CASE; Samuel LAWRENCE, James ROSEBURGH, Ira SELBY, John VAN FOSSEN, Ezra
WHITE, 1818; William BILLINGHURST, Byram GREEN, Eli HILL, Wm. McCARTNEY,
Elijah SPENCER, John A. STEVENS, Asahel WARNER, 1819; Valentine BROTHER,
Byram GREEN, John PRICE, John C. SPENCER, Elisha B. STRONG, John VAN
FOSSEN, Matthew WARNER, 1820; Claudius V. BOUGHTON, William CORNWELL,
Oliver CULVER, Truman HART, Myron HOLLEY, John C. SPENCER, Wm. H.
SPENCER, 1820-21; Birdseye BROOKS, Byram GREEN, Isaac MARSH, Aaron
REMER, David WHITE, 1822; Birdseye BROOKS, Richard HOGARTH, Jacob LEACH,
Aaron REMER, Ira SELBY, Philetus SWIFT, 1823; Daniel ASHLEY, Gideon
PITTS, Bowen WHITING, 1824; Claudius V. BOUGHTON, Gideon PITTS, Bowen
WHITING, 1825; Claudius V. BOUGHTON, Francis GRANGER, Gideon PITTS,
1826; Francis GRANGER, Lemuel MORSE, Nathan PARKE, 1827; Heman CHAPIN,
Francis GRANGER, Robert C. NICHOLAS, 1828; John DICKSON, Walter HUBBELL,
Robert C. NICHOLAS, 1829; John DICKSON, Francis GRANGER, Robert C.
NICHOLAS, 1830; John DICKSON, Francis GRANGER, Robert C. NICHOLAS, 1830;
Thomas OTTLEY, Samuel RAWSON, John C. SPENCER, 1831; Francis GRANGER,
Jonathan MASON, Robert C. NICHOLAS; 1832; Ephraim W. CLEVELAND, John C.
SPENCER, James H. WOODS, 1833; Peter MITCHELL, Oliver PHELPS, Aaron
YOUNGLOVE, 1834; [1] Asahel
WARNER, Allegany, Genesee and Ontario counties. Ariel
HENDEE, William HILDRETH, Mark H. SIBLEY, 1835; Amos JONES, Henry PARDEE,
Mark H. SIBLEY, 1836; Amos JONES, Henry PARDEE, Henry W. TAYLOR, 1837;
Jonathan BUELL, David HUDSON, Henry W. TAYLOR, 1838; Augustus SAWYER, Z.
Barton STOUT, Henry W. TAYLOR, 1839; Reynold PECK, Abraham A. POST,
Henry W. TAYLOR, 1840; Isaac MILLS, Daniel A. ROBINSON, Alvah WORDEN,
1841; Peter M. DOX; Staats GREEN, Joseph C. SHELTON, 1842; Sylvester
AUSTIN, James C. CROWN, Jedediah DEWEY, jr., 1843; Lorenzo CLARK, Israel
HUNTINTON, Henry PARDEE, 1844; Timothy BUEI, Jr., Israel HUNTINGTON,
Alvah WORDEN, 1845; Elias COST, Joseph C. SHELTON, Alvah WORDEN, 1846;
Emery B. POTTLE, Ezra PIERCE, 1847; Charles S. BROTHER, Hiram ASHLEY,
1848; Dolphin STEVENSON, Josiah PORTER, 1849; John L. DOX, Josiah
PORTER, 1850; Thomas J. McLOUTH, Henry PARDEE, 1851; William R. PETTIT,
Elnathan W. SIMMONS, 1852; Marcus PARSONS, Hiram ASHLEY, 1853; Jesse
COST, Stephen V. R. MALLORY, 1854; William H. LAMPORT, Oliver CASE,
1855; Samuel A. FOOT, Oliver CASE, 1856; Samuel A. FOOT, Zoroastar PAUL,
1857; Volney EDGERTON, Ira R. PECK, 1858; Ulysses WARNER, Shotwell
POWELL, 1859; Lewis PECK, Shotwell POWELL, 1860; Perez H. FIELD, Stephen
H. AINSWORTH, 1861; David PICKETT, Francis O. MASON, 1862; Perez H.
FIELD, Lanson DEWEY, 1864; Volney EDGERTON, Edward BRUNSON, 1865; Hiram
SCHUTT, Edward BRUNSON, 1866; Hiram SCHUTT, Samuel H. TORREY, 1867;
Henry RAY, Samuel H. TORREY, 1868; Henry RAY, George COOK, 1869; Henry
RAY, David E. WILSON, 1870; George W. NICHOLAS, David E. WILSON, 1871;
Ambrose L. VAN DUSEN, Cyrillo S. LINCOLN, 1872-73; Stephen H. HAMMOND,
Cyrillo S. LINCOLN, 1874-75; Seth STANLEY, Hiram MAXFIELD, 1876; Dwight
B. BACKENSTOSE, Amasa T. WINCH, 1877; David COSAD, jr., Amasa T. WINCH,
1878; John ROBSON, Charles R. CASE, 1879; Charles R. CASE, 1800; John
RAINES, 1881-82; Frank RICE, 1883-84; John RAINES, 1885; Edward P.
BABCOCK, 1886-87; Robert MOODY, 1888-89; Sanford W. ABBEY, 1890; Frank
O. CHAMBERLAIN, 1891-92; Wm. L. PARKHURST, 1893. County
Judges--Oliver PHELPS [1], May 5, 1789; Timothy HOSMER, October 5,
1793; John NICHOLAS [2], January 27, 1803; Natnaniel W. HOWELL, March
13, 1819; [1]
Oliver PHELPS, date of appointment or election. [2] John
NICHOLAS, no record of his appointment found in minutes of Com. of
Appointments--Civil Abstract No. 1 Sec'y St. Off. shows that he received
a general commission as first judge, dated March 11, 1805. Oliver
PHELPS, April 30, 1833; Bowen WHITING, July 17, 1838; Charles J. FOLGER,
May 7, 1844; E. Fitch SMITH, February 10, 1845; Mark H. SIBLEY, June,
1847; Charles J. FOLGER, 1851; Peter M. DOX, 1855; John M. BRADFORD,
March 18, 1856; Henry W. TAYLOR, 1857; George B. DUSINBERRE, 1860;
William H. SMITH, 1868; Francis O. MASON, 1872; William H. SMITH, 1878;
Frank RICE, 1884; J. Henry METCALF, app. January, 1890, and elected
November, 1890. Surrogates--John
COOPER, May 5, 1789; Samuel MELLISH, March 22, 1792; Israel CHAPIN, jr.,
March 18, 1795; Amos HALL, February 23, 1796; Dudley SATONSTALL, January
25, 1798; Reuben HART, February 16, 1809; Eliphalet TAYLOR, February 13,
1810; Reuben HART, February 5, 1811; Eliphalet TAYLOR, March 9, 1813;
Reuben HART, March 17, 1815; Stephen PHELPS, April 10, 1817; Ira SELBY,
March 5, 1821; Jared WILCOX, March 28, 1823; Jared WILSON, March 31,
1827; Orson BENJAMIN, January 29, 1840; George R. PARBURT, April 10,
1844, county judge, June, 1847; George WILSON 2d, November 2, 1851;
Orson BENJAMIN, December 2, 1852; Samuel SALISBURY, February 18, 1853;
John N. WHITING, November, 1855; Orson BENJAMIN, November, 1857; Elihu
M. MORSE, October 11, 1861; Isaac R. PARCELL, November, 1869; Charles A.
RICHARDSON, 1873; Edward P. BABCOCK, 1879; David G. LAPHAM, 1885; David
G. LAPHAM, 1891. District Attorneys--William STUART, appointed March 31, 1796; Nathaniel W. HOWELL, appointed February 9, 1797, for the Sixth District; William STUART [1], 1802; Daniel W. LEWIS, 1810; William STUART, 1811, Vincent MATTHEWS, 1813; Daniel CREGER, 1815; John C. SPENCER [2], 1818; Abraham P. VOSBURGH, 1821; Bowen WHITING, 1823; Henry F. PENFIELD, 1832; George W. CLINTON, 1835; Nathan PARKE, 1836; Thomas M. HOWELL, 1840; Barzillai SLOSSON, 1847; James C. BROWN, 1849; Stephen R. MALLORY, 1851; Jacob B. B. FAUROT, 1853; Thomas O. PERKINS, 1855; Edwin HICKS, 1857; William H. SMITH, 1857; Edwin HICKS, 1863; Frank RICE, 1875; Oliver C. ARMSTRONG, 1881-84; Maynard N. CLEMENT, 1887-90, and re-elected for second time. [1] William
STUART, The above were appointed under the act of 1802 for the Seventh
District. [2] John C.
SPENCER, Year of appointment or election under act of 1818. Sheriffs--Judah
COLT, 1790; Nathaniel NORTON, 1794; Roger SPRAGUE, 1798; Benjamin
BARTON, 1802; Stephen BATES, 1806; James R. GURNSEY, 1807; Stephen
BATES, 1808; James REES, 1810; Stephen BATES, 1811; William SHEPARD,
1813; Nathaniel ALLEN, 1815; Phinehas P. BATES, 1819; Samuel LAWRENCE,
1821; Phineas P. BATES, 1822; Joseph GARLINGHOUSE, 1825; Jonathan BUELL,
1828; Jonas M. WHEELER, 1831; Joseph GARLINGHOUSE, 1834; Myron H. CLARK,
1837; John LAMPORT, 1840; Eri DENSMORE, 1843; Phenas KENT, 1846; William
H. LAMPORT, 1849; Owen EDMONSTON, 1852; Henry C. SWIFT, 1855; William
HILDRETH, 1858; Harlow MUNSON, 1861; John WHITWELL, 1864; William W.
CLARKE, 1867; Darwin CHENEY; 1870; Nathaniel R. BOSWELL, 1873; David V.
BENHAM, 1876; Orrin S. BACON, 1879; Hiram PECK, 1882; Robert H. WHEELER,
1885; Irving CORWIN, 1888; Avery INGRAHAM, 1891. County
Clerks--Nathaniel GORHAM, jr., 1789; John WICKHAM, 1795; Peter B.
PORTER, 1797; Sylvester TIFFANY, 1804; James B. MOWER, 1808; Myron
HOLLEY, 1810; James B. MOWER, 1811; Myron HOLLEY, 1813; Hugh McNAIR,
1815; John VAN FORSEN, 1819; Gavin L. NICHOLAS, 1821-24; Ralph LESTER,
1825; Charles CRANE, 1831; John L. DOX, 1834; Thomas HALL, 1837;
Alexander H. HOWELL, 1843; Reuben MURRAY, jr., 1849; John J. LYON, 1852;
Elnathan W. SIMMONS, 1858; Jefferson J. WHITNEY, 1861; Nathan J.
MILLIKEN, 1864; Frederick W. PRINCE, 1867; Walter MARKS; 1870;
Washington L. HICKS, 1873; Myron S. HALL, 1876; William G. DOVE, 1879;
Bolivar ELLIS, 1882; Martin H. SMITH, 1885; William R. MARKS, 1888;
Devoy J. HARKNESS, 1891. County
Treasurers[1] ---Henry K. SANGER, 1848; Ralph CHAPIN, 1851; William
H. PHELPS, 1854; Jacob J. MATTISON, 1855; Spencer GOODING, 1858; Charles
A. RICHARDSON, 1864; George N. WILLIAMS, 1870; Harrison B. FERGUSON,
1876; Ira B. HOWE, 1882; E. Chapin CHURCH, 1885; Jesse B. COUTANT, 1891. [1] County
Treasurers, Elected under Constitution of 1846; formerly were appointed
by supervisors. Created by Dianne Thomas These electronic pages may be printed as a link or for
personal use, but is NOT to be reproduced Copyright 2006 - 2009 |
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