SANFORD




The Sanford family of England and America is descended from Thomas de Sanford, a Norman follower of William the Conqueror. His name appears in the Battle Abby roll. He held manors of Sandford and Rothal and the former manor is still [1910] in the possession of descedants. Coat-of-arms: Quarterly of first and fourth per chevron sable and ermine in chief two boar's heads coupled close or, second and third quarterly per fesse indented azure and ermine. Crest: A falcon with wings endorsed preying on a partridge proper. Motto: Nec Temere Nec Timide.

(I) Thomas Sanford, American immigrant, was probably the son of Anthony and Joan Sanford, of Stratford, England, grandson of Rauf of Stow, Gloucestershire. He was born in England about 1610, died in Oct. 1681. He married (first) Dorothy Meadows, daughter of Henry of Stow. He came to Boston, Mass., in 1631; was in Dorchester in 1634 and in Milford in 1639. He married, (second) Sarah _____, who died in 1681.
He left an estate of four hundred and fifty pounds.
Children:
1. Ezekiel, born 1635.
2. Sarah, 1637.
3. Mary, Jan. 16, 1641.
4. Samuel, April 30, 1643.
5. Thomas, December, 1644.
6. Ephraim, May 17, 1646, mentioned below.
7. Elizabeth, Aug. 27, 1648; married Oct. 21, 1669, Obadiah Allyn.

(II) Ephraim, son of Thomas Sanford, was born May 17, 1646. He settled at Milford, Conn., and died there. He was a witness to the will be Benjamin Fenn, of Dorchester and Milford, in 1672. He married, in 1669, at New Haven, Mary, daughter of Thomas Powell.
His estate was divided by the court, Nov.1 6, 1692, among the children and widow.
Children:
Samuel, Ephraim, Thomas, Nathaniel and Zachariah.

(III) Samuel, son of Ephraim Sanford, was born at Milford about 1675. He had a son Joseph, mentioned below.

(IV) Joseph, son of Samuel Sanford, was born about 1710. He settled in Litchfield, Conn., and married Mary Clark.
Children, born at Litchfield:
1. Hannah, 1729; married Ephraim Harrison.
2. Oliver, Aug. 22, 1732.
3. Jonah, Aug. 1, 1735, mentioned below.
4. Mary, October 4, 1739.
5. Joseph Jr., July 28, 1745.

(V) Jonah, son of Joseph Sanford, was born in Litchfield, now Morris, Aug. 1, 1735, died Jan. 21, 1817, at an advanced age. He served in the revolution in Captain Jesse Curtis' company, Colonel Hooker's regiment, Wolcott's brigde, at Barracks No. 3, Peekskill, and was also commissioned an ensign.
He married, Dec. 7, 1757, Rhoda Woodruff, who died July 11, 1809.
Children, born at Litchfield:
1. Joseph 2d, April, 1758.
2. Benjamin, 1761, mentioned below.
3. Clark, July 10, 1764.
4. Rhoda Pamelia, April 27, 1768.
5. Jonah, Jan. 27, 1773, died Aug. 28, 1906[sic. 1806?].
6. Simeon, May 6, 1775.

(VI) Benjamin, son of Jonah Sanford, was born in Litchfield, June 4, 1761. He removed to Cornwall, Vermont, in 1785, and died there July 1, 1833. He was a farmer and a man of position and good standing. He was a member of the legislature in 1805-06-21-23-26. He was justice of the peace for many years. He married Sarah Marsh, of Litchfield, who died Feb. 28, 1818, aged fifty-two.
Children:
1. Orman, died March 3, 1790.
2. Daniel.
3. Pamelia, married Edmond Hill.
4. Ozias.
5. John, inherited the homestead. 6. Benjamin, settled in Hopkinton.
7. Sarah Ann, died March, 1808.
8. Mary Ann.
9. Josephus, died 1813.
10. Julina.
11. Betsy.
12. Jonah, mentioned below.

(VII) Colonel Jonah (2) son of Benjamin Sanford, was born at Cornwall, Vermont, Dec. 31, 1790, died Dec. 25, 1867. He attended the district school when young. Afterward he went to Hopkinton, New York, and cleared a piece of forest land for a farm. During the war of 1812 he enlisted and served a short time in the army at Vergennes, and was also a volunteer in the battle of Plattsburgh, Sept. 11, 1814. In 1818 he was appointed justice of the peace, and held the position for twenty-two years, almost without a break. He took up the study of law, and became one of the ablest pracititioners in the county. He was a born debter, logical in reasoning, combative and fearless, and a tireless fighter. He was supervisor of the town from 1823 to 1826, and held other minor offices. In 1827 he was appointed commissioner to lay out the Port Kent road through fifty miles of wilderness. He was a member of the assembly in 1829-30, and a member of the second session of the twenty-first congress from Dec., 1830, to March, 1831, to fill an unexpired term of Silas Wright. He was active in the state militia, and in 1827 was commissioned captain of a volunteer company of cavalry. In 1828-29, he was lieutenant-colonel, and the two following years colonel. In 1832-33 he wsas brigadier-general of the state militia. In 1831 he was appointed judge of the court of common pleas, holding that position six years. In 1846 he was a member of the state convention to revise the state constitution. He was an active Democrat until 1856, when he became a loyal Republican, on account of the slavery issue. In 1861 he set out to raise a regiment for the civil war, and in December had achieved his object, and the regiment went to Potsdam for drill. Colonel Sanford went to the front in Feb., 1862, at the head of his regiment. He accompanied the regiment to the banks of the James river, where his advanced age, seventy-two years, and ill health compelled him to return home.

Judge Sanford was of a fine physique, six feet all, weighing two hundred and twenty-five pounds, of erect carriage and military bearing. His genial good nature endeared him to all. He took great interest in the advancement of young men. He was loyal to his convictions, and stood by them, no matter what the cost.

He married (first), March 14, 1811, Abigail, born Jan. 20, 1793, died Dec. 15, 1842, daughter of Rev. Henry Greene, of Cornwall. He married (second) Sept. 22, 1845, Harriet E. Barney, born Dec. 2, 1812, died Feb. 9, 1898.
Children of first wife:
1. Ozias, born Sept. 18, 1812.
2. Calista, July 3, 1814.
3. Henry B., July 22, 1816.
4. Pamelia, July 2, 1819.
5. Jonah, Oct. 24, 1821.
6. Abigail, Feb. 11, 1823.
7. Cordelia, June 29, 1825.
8. Silas W., Feb. 11, 1829.
9. Celestia B., March 29, 1833.
10. Rollin O., Nov. 29, 1837.
By second wife:
11. Simeon H., April 3, 1847.
12. Harriet Barney, March 4, 1850.
13. Twin son, 1853, died young.
13. Twin daughter, died young.

(VIII) Hon Junah (3) son of Judge Jonah (2) Sanford, was born Oct. 24, 1821, died Oct. 18, 1886, in Hopkinton, New York. He had charge of his father's farm until 1849, when he bought a small farm which was later owned by Thoms Conlin. In 1853 they moved to the farm west of his father's, where he lived the remainder of his life. From about 1863 to 1872 he carried on a potato starch factory with much success. He was justice in 1853; assistant ssessor of internal revenue from 1862 to 1782; supervisor 1869 to 1873; member of assembly, 1874-75; supervisor 1876 to 1885; chairman of the board for the years 1878-79. In the latter year he was presented with a gold-mounted cane by the members of the board. He was very fond of athletic sports, and, though he was ill with diabetes for the last seven years of his life, he would wrestle with any man, and was never thrown. He ws full of fun and had a ready wit, which he enjoyed using as often as an occasion presented itself. His success in business ventures was almost unerring.
He married, Feb. 17, 1847, Clarinda Risdon, born June 23, 1822, died Oct. 19, 1893.
Children:
1. Carlton Elisha, Dec. 31, 1847.
2. Silas Harmon, March 9, 1849.
3. Alice Clarinda, May 15, 1852.
4. Herbert Jonah, mentioned below.

(IX) Herbert Jonah, son of Hon. Jonah (3) Sanford, was born Apri 1, 1861, in Hopkinton, New York. He was educated in the public schools of that town and at Lawrenceville Academy. From 1883 to 1886 he was engaged with several partners in the lumber business at Parishville, N.Y., under the firm name of Clark, Sanford & Company. He was a general merchant at Parishville from 1886 to 1903, when he bought the coal, feed and grain business of L. J. Robinson, of Potsdam. Since then he has done business under his own name at Potsdam, dealing in coal, wood, hay, grain, feed, flour, etc. He is one of the leading merchants of the town. He has been a director of the People's National Bank since 1893 and in the Potsdam Clothing Manufacturing Company. He is an active member and trustee of the Presbyterian church. In politics he is a Republican; in 1910 he was elected trustee of Potsdam village.
Mr. Sanford married, June 28, 1882, Bertha Olivia, born March 21, 1862, daughter of Varick and Charlotte Chittenden.
Children:
1. Son, born July 15, 1884, died Sept. 6, 1884.
2. Alice Edna, Dec. 23, 1887.
3. Floyd H., Jan. 5, 1891; died Oct. 6, 1891.
4. Varick Risdon, Feb. 2, 1898.

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