The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 463
Village of Moravia

than the opinion of others, in difficult cases. He was born in 1787. He read law in the office of Judge Walter Wood, at Montville, and was admitted to practice in 1817, about which time he established himself at Moravia. He died October 9th, 1852, at the Utica Insane Asylum.

Leonard 0. Aiken was born at Antrim, New Hampshire, September 14th, 1805. The following March, his father, James Aiken, removed with his family to Summer Hill. Iii 1821, Leonard, at the age of 16, began to teach in the district school; and February 17th, 1823, he commenced the study of law with Jonathan Hussey, of Moravia, with whom he remained one year, when he entered the office of Hon. Freeborn G. Jewett, of Skaneateles, where he pursued his studies a little less than a year. He then spent a year in study in the office of Augustus Donelly, of Homer, and another in that of Judge Edward C. Reed of the same place. He was admitted to the Court of Common Pleas in 1828, and to the Supreme Court, July 30th of that year. He formed a partnership with Judge Townsend Ross, of Homer, with whom he remained till August, 1831, when he removed to Moravia. and soon after formed a partnership with Charles D. Tallman, a grandson of Judge Walter Wood, which continued about a year, when Tallman removed to his father's in Scipioville. He was for a short time in partnership with Nelson T. Stephens, a lawyer of acknowledged ability, who studied with him, and removed to California in 1850. Stephens writes in a recent letter, "I read law with L. 0. Aiken, Esq., to whose methodical ways and careful habits in the preparation of his pleadings and causes for trial I am more indebted for any success which may have been mine, than to any other part of my education." Mr. Aiken's practice was, to a great extent, connected with litigations arising from defective titles to real property in this and adjoining towns, involving intricate legal questions and laborious research. He was honored with various offices of trust, and retired from practice, with a fair competence, about 1875.

Jared M. Smith, son of Ezekiel Smith, was born March 17th, 1815. He graduated at Hamilton College, standing high in his class, of which he was valedictorian. He studied law with Hon. Millard Fillmore in Buffalo, and commenced practice here in September, 1842. He was at one time partner with Jonathan Hussey. He endeared himself by kindly acts to all with whom he came in contact, and died May 23d, 1846.

William H. Price was born in Falmouth, Mass., in 1820. He was admitted to the bar at Ithaca, in July, 1848, and returning to Moravia, remained five years. He is now living in Utica, but is not practicing his profession.

Hon. John L. Parker was born March 28th, 1825, and educated chiefly at the Moravia Institute. He read law with Jared M. Smith, and after the latter's removal, with L. 0. Aiken. He was admitted to the bar July 4th, 1848, and has continued practice since. He was justice of the peace twelve years; superintendent of common schools in 1851 and '52; and president of the village in 1870. In 1863 he was appointed engrossing clerk in the Assembly, which office he also held the following year. He was Member of Assembly in 1865, '6 and '7, and in that body displayed superior qualities as a tactician and proved himself an effective debater. He was appointed agent of the U. S. Pension Department of the Special Service Division in 1873, which office he still holds. Since 1874, he has been in partnership with Hull Greenfield, under the name of Parker & Greenfield.

S. Edwin Day, younger son of Samuel Day, deceased, was born in Moravia, January 20th, 1810, and educated at Moravia Academy. He pursued the study of the law with his uncle, L. 0. Aiken, from April, 1858, till his admission to the bar June 6th, 1861, when he formed a law partnership with him, which continued till July, 1869. He has since practiced alone, with the exception of one year from April 1st, 1870, when he was associated with John L. Parker, and in Moravia, with the exception of two or three years spent in Buffalo. He was supervisor in 1869, '72 and '73, running largely ahead of his ticket, which was otherwise generally defeated. He was elected president of the village in 1868, and was put in nomination that year by his party for District Attorney. He was admitted to practice in the Circuit Court of the U. 5. September 20th, 1875; and was elected County Judge in November, 1877.

Erastus E. Brown was born in Jordan, October 27th, 1836. Before he was a year old his father, Russel Brown, removed with his family to LaGrange county, Indiana, where Erastus re-

Return to the Index of The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 by Elliott Storke
Return to the Cayuga County NYGenWeb Project Home Page