From History of Ontario County, NY
Published 1878 by Everts, Ensign & Everts
Pg 38-39

ONTARIO'S ROLL OF EARLY NOTABLES.

OLIVER PHELPS - the original purchaser, with Nathaniel GORHAM of all that part of the State of New York lying west of the preemption line.  Born in Windsor, Connecticut in the year 1750.  Died in Canandaigua, February 21, 1809.

NATHANIEL W. HOWELL - Born in Blooming Grove, Orange county, New York, January 1, 1770.  Died October 15, 1850.  For thirteen years first judge of Ontario County.  Assisted as counsel, with Vincent MATTHEWS and Peter B. PORTER, in 1795, trying in Canandaigua the first cause ever tried before a jury in Ontario County.

NATHANIEL GORHAM - born in Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1738.  Purchased with Oliver PHELPS, all that part of the State of New York lying west of the preemption line.  A delegate from Massachusetts to the convention to form the first constitution of the United States.  Died in Boston, Massachusetts in 1769.

JOHN GREIG - Born in Moffat, Dumfrieshire, Scotland, August 6,1779.  Attorney and counsellor-at-law.  Settled in Canandaigua in 1800, where he died April 9, 1858.

VINCENT MATTHEWS - Born in Orange county, New York.  Settled in Newtown (now Elmira) in 1791.  Attorney and counsellor-at-law.  Practiced at the Ontario bar at an early day and with Nathaniel W. HOWELL and Peter B. PORTER, tried the first cause ever tried before a jury in Ontario county and died at Rochester in 1846.

AUGUSTUS PORTER - Born in Salisbury, Connecticut, January 18 1769.  Settled in Canandaigua in 1789; removed to Niagara in 1806, where he died June 1849.

ABNER BARLOW - Born in Granville, Massachusetts, 11th March, 1759.  Came to Canandaigua in May 1789 and that year sowed the first wheat ever sown in this town.  Died June 28, 1846.

WILLIAM WOOD - The originator of the gallery of portraits, founder of the Merchants' Clerks' Association of the city of New York, and other similar excellent institutions.  Born in Boston, Massachusetts, March 31, 1777.  Came to Canandaigua in 1800, where he died August 5, 1857.

MOSES ATWATER - Born in Cheshire, Connecticut, May 12, 1765.  The first physician settled in Canandaigua, having come there in 1789.  For many years, one of the side judges of the Ontario County Court of Common Pleas.  Died November 15, 1847.

MICAH BROOKS - For some years one of the side judges of the Ontario County Court of Common Pleas.  Born in Cheshire, Connecticut, and settled in East Bloomfield in 1799.

WILLIAM FITZHUGH - Born in Maryland; settled near Genesee in 1816.

JASPER PARRISH - born in Windham, Connecticut, 1769.  Captured when a boy by the Delaware Indians, soon after the massacre at Wyoming, and sold by them to the Mohawks, with whom he remained seven years as a captive; was found among them on the opening of the settlement of Western New York.  Settled in Canandaigua in 1789, where he died July 12, 1836.

THOMAS BEALS - Born in Boston, Massachusetts, November 13, 1783.  For twenty seven consecutive years he was the treasurer of Ontario county.  Settled in Canandaigua in 1803, where he died July 12, 1836.

WILLIAM A. WILLIAMS - Born in Wallingford, Connecticut; settled as a physician in Canandaigua in 1793, where he died September 3, 1834.

PETER B. PORTER - Born is Salisbury, Connecticut in 1773.  Settled in Canandaigua in 1795.  In that year, he with Vincent MATTHEWS and Nathaniel W. HOWELL as attorneys, tried the first cause ever tried before a jury in Ontario County.  Was a brave and skillful general of the Western New York militia in the war with Great Britain in 1812.  Died at Niagara Falls, March 1844.

NATHANIEL ROCHESTER - Born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, February 21, 1752.  The founder of the city of Rochester.  Settled in Dansville, Livingston county, New York in 1810.  Died in Rochester, May 17, 1831.

HENRY WELLES - For many years judge of the Supreme Court of the State of New York.

JAMES WADSWORTH - born in Durham, Connecticut, in 1768.  Settled in Geneseo, Livingston county, then called Big Tree, in 1790, where he died in 1844.

DANIEL S. BARNARD - A member of the Ontario County bar as early as 1825.

CAPTAIN PHILIP CHURCH - a large land proprietor at an early day in Alleghany county, New York, and one of its earliest settlers.  Died in Angelica.

WILLIAM WADSWORTH - Born in Durham, Connecticut.  Settled in Geneseo, then Big Tree, in 1790.  Was general of the militia of Western New York in the war with Great Britain in 1812.  Died at Geneseo in 1833.

AMBROSE SPENCER - An eminent judge of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, when the court was the pride of the state.

STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS - Studied his profession as a lawyer in Canandaigua.  Was senator in Congress for Illinois.  A Presidential candidate of Conservative Democracy in 1860, and died in 1861 at Chicago.

RED JACKET - The renowned chief of the Seneca Indian, and the famed orator.

MARK H. SIBLEY - Born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, in 1795.  Settled in Canandaigua in 1814.  A distinguished member of the Ontario bar.  Represented the county in the Assembly and in Congress.  Died in Canandaigua, September 8, 1852.

JARED WILLSON - Born in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, May 23, 1786.  Settled in Canandaigua in 1813.  Admitted to the bar, where he was well known as a sound lawyer and eloquent advocate.  Died April 8, 1851.

WALTER HUBBELL - Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, February 15, 1795.  Long a prominent leader of the Ontario County bar.  Settled in Canandaigua in September 1814, where he died March 25, 1848.

BOWEN WHITING - Born in Berkshire county, Massachusetts.  Appointed first judge of Ontario county.  Died at Geneva.

JOHN C. SPENCER - Born in Hudson, New York January 8, 1788.  Settled in Canandaigua, 1809, where he resided until 1845.  A prominent lawyer of this bar and State.  Represented Ontario County in the Assembly and Senate of this State and in Congress.  Was appointed in 1827, one of the revisers of the laws of this State by Governor De Witt CLINTON.  Was secretary of this State in 1839, and in 1841 Secretary of War under John TYLER.  Died in Albany in 1855.

WILLIAM H. ADAMS - Admitted as attorney and counsellor of the Supreme Court of New York in 1815.  Practiced his profession with great credit in Canandaigua for many years, and died in Lyons, Wayne county.

GIDEON GRANGER - Born in  Suffield, Connecticut, July 19, 1767.  Postmaster-general under Jefferson from 1801 to 1809.  Removed to Canandaigua in 1816.  Elected State senator in 1818.  Died in Canandaigua December 31, 1822.

FRANCIS GRANGER - Born in Suffield, Connecticut, December 1, 1792.  Came to Canandaigua in 1816, and the admitted to the bar.  Was a member of the Legislature of this State, and a member of Congress from this county for many terms.  Was postmaster-general under Harrison, and died at Canandaigua  August 28, 1868.

HENRY S. COLE - Born in Canandaigua September 23, 1800.  Admitted to the bar in 1821.  Removed to Michigan, of which state he was attorney-general, and died in Detroit in 1835.

Many other eminent lawyers, like General Dudley MARVIN, for thirty years and able Practitioner, is entitled to like honors and brief mention, but these given serve as examples that the bar of Ontario has no fictitious reputation.

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