History of Oriskany Falls, (Oneida County) New York United States of America

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James Oscar Pierce, historian, was born at Oriskany Falls, N.Y., Feb. 3, 1836; son of James and Lucy (Barnes) Pierce; grandson of Stephen (a Revolutionary officer) and Abigail (Taylor) Pearce, and of Thomas Barnes, and a lineal descendant of John and Priscilla (Molines) Alden, and of Richard Warren, passengers on the Mayflower, 1620; also of Edward Rossiter, assistant in the first government of Massachusetts Bay, 1630. James Oscar Pierce attended the public schools of Syracuse, N.Y. He enlisted, April 20, 1861, in the let Wisconsin volunteers for three months' service; was admitted to the bar in Dodge county, Wis., in September, 1862, and was married, Sept. 14, 1862, to Ada, daughter of Wellington H. and Caroline (White) Butterfield. He re-entered the army, Sept. 27, 1862, as let lieutenant of the 29th Wisconsin volunteers; was promoted major and assistant adjutant-general, May 8, 1863, serving on the staff of General B. M. Prentiss, and as his chief of staff participated in the battle of Helena, July 4, 1863. He was mustered out, Nov. 29, 1865, and took up the practice of law at Memphis, Tenn., where he resided until 1886. He was appointed judge of the law court of Memphis, October, 1867, and elected judge of the circuit court of Shelby county, Tenn., August, 1878, which office he bold for eight years. He was lecturer on constitutional jurisprudence and history in the College of Law in the University of Minnesota, 1888-1902, and in July, 1902, was chosen dean of the College of American History, a department of the National Memorial university, Mason City, Iowa, established in 1902. He was an active member of the Tennessee State Historical society and of the Tennessee State Bar association, 1875-86, and president of the Eclectic club of Memphis, 1876-86. He was elected a member of the Minnesota Historical society in 1890; was president of the Bar association of Hennepin county, Minnesota, 1901; a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, and of several other patriotic societies. He edited: Hutchinson on Carriers (1878), left unfinished by Judge Robert Hutchinson, and is the author of Fraudulent Mortgages of Merchandise (1884), and contributions to the Southern Law Review, Central Law Journal, and American Law Review.

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

History of Oriskany Falls, (Oneida County) New York

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