Stories in Stones: Stories from Oneida County, NY Cemeteries

       Thomas Hill Hubbard was born on December 6, 1781 in New Haven Connecticut. He studied law in Troy, NY. Mr. Hubbard was admitted to the New York State Bar either in 1804 or 1805. About 1805, Thomas Hill Hubbard became the second attorney to settle in Hamilton, NY. On March 26, 1806 he was appointed Madison County Surrogate. He served almost ten years until Feb 26, 1816. During his time as Surrogate he also held other positions including Master in Chancery. In 1816, Thomas Hill Hubbard was appointed as District Attorney for the seventh district which covered Oneida, Madison, Herkimer and Otsego Countries. In 1818, when separate officers were appointed for he each country he was appointed DA of Madison County a position he stayed in until 1821.     In 1817, Thomas Hill Hubbard was elected the Representative to the United State Congress for the 17th District of New York State which covered Madison and Herkimer Countries. He served from 1817-1819 (du...

     Philo Gridley was born Sept 16, 1796 in Paris, NY to Asahel and Chloe Hungerford Gridley. He graduated from Hamilton College in 1816. He was admitted to the bar in 1816 and practiced in Waterville, NY. He later practiced in Hamilton.       From 1829 to 1836 Philo Gridley was Madison County District Attorney. In 1838 Gov. Marcy appointed him Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit of the State. He presided over one of the most notable criminal cases in our country; the murder case of Alexander McLeod. Alexander McLeod was accused of the murder of Amos Durfee by pistol shot on the night of Dec 30, 1837. McLeod was a British Subject and the British government demanded he be released. The Secretary of State of the United States Daniel Webster was in favor of granting his release but the Governor of New York would not consent to McLeod's release. The court case was scheduled to be heard first in Erie County but because the environment there was hostile on mo...

       Talcott Williams was born on July 20, 1849 in Abeth, Turkey to Rev. William Frederic and Sarah Amelia Pond Williams. He graduated in 1873 from Amherst College.     He worked for the New York World from 1873 to 1879 (his obituary says 1879 but I am wondering if it was a mistake and it should have said 1877); he was the Washington correspondent for two newspapers: The New York Sun and San Francisco Chronicle from 1877 to 1879; editorial writer for the Springfield, Mass Republican from 1879 to 1881; and was connected with the Philadelphia Press from 1881 to 1912.     Talcott Williams was a member of American Philosophers Society, American Society, American Academy of Political and Social Science, honorary member of the Pennsylvania State Bar Association and was president of the American Conference of Teachers of Journalism in 1913; a trustee of Amherst College from 1913 to 1919; Constantinople College for Girls, was a member of the b...

       Hiram Denio was born May 21, 1799 in Rome, NY to Israel and Esther Robbins Denio. He attended Fairfield Academy in Fairfield, NY. Hiram Denio first studied law under Judge Joshua Hathaway in Rome. He also studied under Henry R. Storrs in Whitesboro, NY. Mr. Denio was admitted to the bar in 1821. He opened a private practice in Rome. In 1825 Hiram Denio was appointed as Oneida County District Attorney he served until 1833. During his time as DA he moved his office from Rome to Utica. During his tenure he was engaged in a practice with E.A Wetmore in Utica.     Ward Hunt (who later became a justice of the US Supreme Court and is also buried in Forest Hill Cemetery) said of Hiram Denio: "in every criminal case, he was thoroughly prepared, both on the law and the facts. His indictments were accurately drawn, and always stood the test of criticism. He tried his cases with zeal and vigor. Indeed it was sometimes said he sought convictions with too muc...

      Smith M. Lindsley was born in Monticello, NY on April 11, 1847 to Rufus B. Lindsley. He was valedictorian of his class at Monticello Academy. After Monticello Academy he graduated from Wyoming Seminary and College. Smith M. Lindsley joined the faculty at Wyoming Seminary and College for one year after he graduated.     Smith M. Lindsley left the faculty to read law in Wilkesbarre, PA. He came to Utica in 1869 and joined the law office of Francis Kernan. He was admitted to the bar the following year.      Smith M. Lindsley was a Democrat. In 1872, he was elected city attorney. He served as city attorney for two terms. After that he refused any political honors including nomination as a Justice of the Supreme Court. In 1885, Smith M. Lindsley became president of the First National Bank of Chittenango, which he held until he passed away. He was also a member of the Utica Court House Commission.      Smith M. L...

       This post is a longer version of the one which appeared on the Oneida County History Center's Facebook page.       John W. Boyle was born in 1852 in Glasgow, Scotland. The following year he and his parents settled in New York Mills, NY. He was one of the must successful lawyers in Utica. In February of 1879 John W. Boyle married Harriet E. Combs (who died April 28, 1922).     In the mid to late 1880's John W. Boyle became involved in the street railroads of Utica. At that time they were horse railroads. It was through Mr. Boyle's efforts that they were made electric and they were connected with suburban villages. He laid out Summit Park. John W. Boyle was also involved in other railroads outside of the state, in 1901, he acquired the controlling interest of the Penobscot (Maine) Central Railroad which he sold the following spring for $74,000.     John W. Boyle passed away of heart disease in March of 1924 ...

        Theodore Pomeroy was born in Utica on Jan 14, 1820 to Dr. Theodore and Mary Fuller Pomeroy. He attended Columbia College. After graduating Mr. Pomeroy studied law in the offices of Beardsley and Crafts.      Dr. Pomeroy and Thomas R. Walker assumed charge of an oil cloth factory after the founder J.D. Edwards was unable to pay back a loan to them. Mr. Walker left the business in 1854. The younger Theodore Pomeroy gave up his legal career and joined his father in the management of the factory. Dr. Pomeroy died in 1860. Theodore Pomeroy took over the factory after his father's death. The factory was located at the corner of Columbia and Cornelia Streets (they were demolished after he retired).     Theodore Pomeroy married Mary Dutton (who died Nov 21, 1900) they had a son Theodore who died at the age of 10 on April 11, 1859; son George D; daughter Florence Evelyn.     Theodore Pomeroy died at his home in t...