History of Waterford, (Saratoga County) New York United States of America

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Biographies:

John Cramer, representative, was born in Waterford, N.Y., Sept. 26, 1779. His first national political service was as presidential elector in 1804, when he voted for Jefferson and Clinton. He was a member of the state assembly, 1806-11, and state senator, 1823-25. He was a delegate to the state constitutional convention of 1821, and represented his district as a Jackson Democrat in the 23d and 24th congresses, 1833-37. He again served in the state assembly in 1842. He died at Waterford, N.Y., June 1, 1870.

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

John Hancock Douglas, physician, was born in Waterford, N.Y., June 5, 1824. He was graduated from Williams college in 1843 and received the degree of M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1847. He studied in Europe, 1849-51, and on his return established himself in practice in New York city. He edited the American Medical Monthly, 1856-62, and the New York Medical Journal, 1865-66. He also contributed frequently to other medical periodicals. He attended General Grant in his last illness, from Oct. 22, 1884, to July 23, 1885. He died in Washington, D.C., Oct. 2, 1892.

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

John Kilham Porter, jurist, was born in Waterford, N.Y., Jan. 12, 1819; son of Dr. Elijah and Mary (Lawrence) Porter; grandson of Moses and Sarah (Kilham) Porter, and of David and Abigail (Burch) Lawrence, and a descendant of John Porter, who settled in Windsor, Conn., about 1639. He was graduated at Union college in 1837; studied law in the office of Nicholas B. Doe and Richard B. Kimball at Waterford, N.Y., and settled in practice there in partnership with the former. He was a delegate to the Whig national convertion of 1844, where his address gave him a national reputation, and was a member of the state constitutional convention of 1846. He became associated with Nicholas Hill, Jr., and Peter Cagger in the practice of law in Albany, N.Y., in 1848, and in 1859 assumed charge of the firm's cases in the court of appeals. Charles O'Conor employed him as his associate in conducting the Parrish will case; and Horace Greeley selected him as his counsel in the libel suit brought against the Tribune by De Witt C. Littlejohn. He was married, first, May 27, 1847, to Sophie R., daughter of Eli M. Todd of Waterford, N.Y., and secondly, Nov. 18, 1861, to Harriett Tibbetts, daughter of John Cramer of Waterford. He was judge of the court of appeals, 1864-68, the first year by appointment, and then by election for a term of eight years, and resigned in 1868, resuming practice in New York city. William M. Tweed unsuccessfully sought to secure his legal services in defending him against the charges brought by the Citizens' committee, and he was subsequently appointed to examine the accounts of the city comptroller. He was also counsel for the Erie Railway company; for General Babcock in the whiskey frauds trial; for Mrs. Tilton in the Beecher-Tilton trial, in 1875, and senior counsel for the people in the trial of the assassin Guiteau, 1882. He died in Waterford, N.Y., April 11, 1892.

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