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ORRIS PARISH was born in
Canterbury, Windom county, Connecticut, in the year 1782. His father was
Reuben Parish, and his mother Zurilla Bishop, and his mother
Zurilla Bishop. Orris received the early part of his education
in the common schools of Connecticut. In 1790, his father's family, with
those of his grandfather and uncle, Levi Parish, settled in Middletown
(now Naples), Ontario county, New York, where Orris attended such schools
as were found in the first settlements in the wilderness, and he may have
attended the academy a few terms, in Canandaigua, New York. In 1807, or
1808, he entered the law office of the late John C. Spencer, but, before
completing his course, his parents died, and he left Spencer's office,
and finished his studies with his cousin, John Parish, in Windom,
Windom county, Connecticut. In 1811, or 1812, he emigrated to Ohio, and
settled in Franklinton, Franklin County. He was there during the war, and,
in 1815, moved to Columbus, after the capitol was fixed there. He acquired
some distinction as a practitioner, especially in jury cases, where his style of
oratory was very effective. He acquired some distinction as a
practitioner, especially in jury cases, where his style of oratory was very
effective. His services were consequently in large demand, and he had a
large practice on the circuit, which, in those times, was traveled, on
horseback, from court to court, even to distant counties, by the jolly lawyers
of the olden time, among whom he was noted. He was a very eccentric man,
and many stories are related of him, his free translation to a jury of the legal
phrase "nectus in coma, which he gave as "coming into court head and tail
up," was long remembered by the fun-loving generation of that day, and has
descended as a bon mot in the profession. In 1816 he was
elected president judge of the court of common pleas for this district. At
the legislative session of 1818-19 charges were preferred against him calling
for an investigation of his official conduct. They were referred to a
committee, and the judge published his address to the committee, in which
he says: "To you, gentlemen, I submit my official conduct, and of you I solicit
the most rigid inquiry and the severest-scrutiny," concluding, "I neither ask
nor desire, any other justice at the bar of my country, or Heaven, than that
which I have contributed my best exertions to measure out to those whose rights
have been confided to my hand. " The committee reported in his favor, and
afterwards he resigned, and returned to the practice of the law, at which he
continued with great success, as his reputation as a jury lawyer was
co-extensive with the State.
On _____, 181__, he was married to Aurelia Butler,
daughter of Judge Butler, of Madison county, New York, at the residence
of her brother-in-law, Richard Douglas, in Circleville, Ohio.
He built, on Fourth street, Columbus, a residence known now as the Whitehill
property, at present the residence of Chauncey N. Olds, a leading lawyer
of the city. He and Gustavus Swan, David Scott and David Smith,
were the first four lawyers, and that located in Columbus after it was laid out
i 1812.
Page 66 - Source:
History of Franklin & Pickaway
Counties, Ohio - Published by Williams Bros. - 1880 |
