History of Cooperstown, (Otsego County) New York United States of America

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Biographies:

Rensselaer Russel Nelson, jurist, was born in Cooperstown, N.Y., May 12, 1826; son of Judge Samuel and Catherine Ann (Russell) Nelson; grandson of John Rogers and Jean (McArthur) Nelson and of John and Elizabeth (Williams) Russell, and a descendant of John Nelson, who emigrated from Ballingarry, Ireland, and settled in Salem, N.Y., in 1762. He was graduated at Yale, 1846; was admitted to the bar in 1849; began practice in Buffalo, N.Y.; in 1850 removed to St. Paul, Minn., and engaged in practice there. He was appointed associate judge of the supreme court of Minnesota territory in 1857, and upon its admission as a state was appointed district judge of Minnesota by President Buchanan, May 11, 1858, holding the office until May 16, 1896, when he resigned. He was at the time the oldest Federal judge in the service of the United States. He was married, Nov. 3, 1858, to Emma, daughter of Washington Beebee of New York state. In 1901 he was made the candidate of the Democratic party in the Minnesota legislature for U.S. senator.

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

John Converse Starkweather, soldier, was born in Cooperstown, N.Y., May 11, 1890; son of George Anson Starkweather (1794?1878), a Democratic representative in the 30th congress, 1847?49. He entered Union university in the class of 1850, but did not graduate; practised law in Milwaukee, Wis., 1851?61, and on the outbreak of the civil war was commissioned colonel, 1st Wisconsin volunteers, and was engaged at Falling Waters, and Edward's Ferry. He was mustered out, Aug. 21, 1861, but obtained a special order from the war department under which he reorganized his regiment and re-enlisted for three years. He commanded the 2d brigade, 3d division, 1st army corps, Army of the Ohio, at the battle of Perryville, Ky., Oct. 8, 1862, being stationed on the extreme left and rear of Terrill's brigade, and when the latter gave way in confusion, he checked the attack. He commanded the 3d brigade, 1st division, centre, Army of the Cumberland under Rosecrans, at Stone's River, Tenn., and on Dec. 29, 1802, he was attacked by 3000 of General Wheeler's Confederate cavalry, and after a conflict of two hours, Wheeler fell back and was pursued by Starkweather for over one mile, the Union loss being 122 in killed, wounded and missing. He was appointed brigadier-general, U.S.V., July 17, 1863, and commanded the 2d brigade, 1st division, 14th army corps, Army of the Cumberland, at Chickamauga, Ga., Sept. 19?20, 1863, and the 3d brigade, 1st division, 14th army corps, in abe Chattanooga campaign, Nov. 23?27, 1863. He was mustered out of service, May 11, 1865, and resumed his law practice in Milwaukee and in Washington. He died in Washington, D.C., Nov. 15, 1890.

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

Charles Nelson Potter, jurist, was born in Cooperstown, N.Y., Oct. 31, 1852; son of George Washington and Mary Jane (Marcellus) Potter, and grandson of Royal and Chloe (Priest) Potter, and of John and Elizabeth (Johnson) Marcellus. He attended the pubic schools of Grand Rapids, Mich., and was graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan in 1873. He was admitted to the bar in 1873; removed to Cheyenne, Wyoming, in 1876, and was married Aug. 22, 1877, to Bessie, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Slater) Ireland of Muskegon, Mich. He was city attorney, 1878-81 and 1888-91; prosecuting attorney of the county, 1881-83; a member of the state constitutional convention in 1889; attorney-general of Wyoming, 1891-95; a member of the board of education of Cheyenne, 1888-97 and associate justice of the supreme court of Wyoming, 1895-97, and on Dec. 8, 1897, became chief justice.

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

Theodore Lewis Mason, physician and surgeon, was born in Cooperstown, N.Y., Sept. 30, 1803; son of David and Mary Elizabeth (Lewis) Mason; grandson of the Rev. Dr. Isaac Lewis, and a descendant of Maj. John Mason, the founder of Norwich, Conn. After receiving a classical education he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York city, registering his name in the office of Dr. David Hosack. His degree of M.D. was conferred in 1825. He practised in Wilton, Conn., for a few years, and returned to New York city, where he married, in 1833, Katharine Van Vliet, daughter of Peter De Witt, lawyer, and removed in 1834 to Brooklyn, N.Y., in which city he was a practitioner, 1834-82. He was president of the Kings County Medical society, 1842-43; a founder of Brooklyn city hospital, 1845; the Long Island College hospital, 1861, and president of the collegiate department, 1861-82; a member of the Citizens' association of New York to further the passage of the Metropolitan health bill in 1864; an incorporator and first president of the Inebriates' home of Kings county, 1866; a founder of the American Association for the Cure of Inebriates, 1870, and president of the association for several years from 1875. He was also a permanent member of the Medical Society of the State of New York; resident fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine; delegate to the international medical convention, Philadelphia, 1876, and founder, life member and director of the Long Island Historical society. He was a member of the Reformed Dutch church. His address, Inebriety a Disease, was quoted as authority in the British house of commons in arguments supporting a bill for the establishment of inebriate homes. He died in Brooklyn, N.Y., Feb. 12, 1882.

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