History of Fairfield, (Herkimer County) New York United States of America

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Biographies:

James Hadley, educator, was born at Fairfield, Herkimer county, N.Y., March 30, 1821; son of Dr. James and Maria (Hamilton) Hadley, and grandson of Capt. George Hadley of Weare, N.H. His father was graduated from Dartmouth in 1809; was professor of chemistry in the College of physicians and surgeons at Fairfield, 1813-36, and at the General medical college, 1840-69, and died in 1869. The son was prepared for college by the principal of Fairfield academy', and was graduated at Yale in 1842. He remained in the college as a graduate student one year, attended the theological seminary two years, and was tutor at Yale, 1845-48. He was assistant professor of Greek language and literature, 1848-51, and in the latter year succeeded the Rev. Dr. Theodore Dwight Woolsey to the full chair. He was appointed a member of the American committee for the revision of the New Testament. He was one of the original members of the American oriental society, a member of the National academy of sciences and of the American philological society. He received the degree of LL.D. from Wesleyan university in 1866. Among his works are: A Greek Grammar for Schools and (Colleges (1860); A Brief History of the English Language (1864); Elements of the Greek Language (1869); and two posthumous works: Twelve Lectures on Roman Law, edited by President Theodore D. Woolsey (1873), and twenty Philological and Critical Essays, edited hy William D. Whitney (1873). He died in New Haven, Conn., Nov, 14, 1872.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Abijah Mann, representative, was born in Fairfield, Herkimer county, N.Y., Sept. 24, 1793; son of Abijah and Levina (Ford) Mann; grandson of Abijah and Sarah (Porter) Mann, and a descendant of Richard and Rebecca Mann who emigrated from England to America previous to 1644, and settled in Scituate, Mass. He attended the public schools of Herkimer county, and began life as a school teacher in Oneida county. He soon after engaged in trade and acquired considerable real estate in the principal cities and villages in New York, and purchased an undeveloped coal mine in Lackawanna county, Pa. He was married, Jan. 18, 1814, to Mary Ann Bruce. He early connected himself with the Democratic wing of the Republican party, held several local offices, and was a member of the New York assembly, 1828-31. He was a representative in the 23d and 24th congresses, 1833-37; was appointed one of the commitee to investigate the affairs the U.S. bank, but was denied access to the bank building, whereupon he hired men intending to dig an entrance under the building, when the officers allowed Mr. Mann to make an investigation and he reported the details to the President in person. He was again a member of the New York assembly in 1837, and subsequently opened a law office in New York city. He was the unsuccessful candidate for attorney-general of the state in 1855, served as a delegate from Queens county, in the Republican State convention of 1856 over which Reuben E. Fenton presided and in 1857 was defeated in the Republican convention for the nomination for state senator by Samuel Sloane. He then retired from public life. He died in Auburn, N.Y., Sept. 6, 1868.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Richard Pratt Marvin, representative, was born in Fairfield, N.Y., Dec. 23, 1803; son of Selden and Charlotte (Pratt) Marvin and a descendant of Reinold Marvin, who came from England in 1635 and was one of the first settlers of Hartford, Conn. In 1809 he was taken by his parents to Dryden, N.Y., where he worked on the farm and attended the district school until 1822. He then continued his studies, supporting himself in part by teaching. In May, 1829, he was admitted to practice in the supreme court and court of chancery in the state of New York, and in 1839, on motion of Daniel Webster, he was admitted as an attorney and counsellor in the U.S. supreme court. He settled in practice in Jamestown, N.Y. He was married, in September, 1834, to Isabella, daughter of David Newland of Albany. He was a member of the state assembly, 1836-37; and was active in securing the aid of the state in behalf of the New York & Erie railroad. He was a representative in the 25th and 26th congresses, 1837-41; took a conspicuous part in the campaign of 1840; was a delegate to the state constitutional convention of 1846; and was elected judge of the eighth judicial district in June, 1847, holding the office by re-election until 1871. After the death of his wife in 1872 he visited Europe, and in 1873 resumed the practice of law. He died in Jamestown, N.Y., Jan. 11, 1892.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor