Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 09.pdf/118

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The Green Bag.

VOL. IX.

No. 3.

BOSTON.

MARCH, 1897.

DANIEL CADY. BY GENERAI. EDWARD FITCH BULLARD. DANIEL Cady, who became the dis tinguished lawyer and jurist, was born in Caanan, Columbia County, N. Y., April 29i!773- That county has been the birth place of many of our eminent men, among whom may be named Martin Van Buren, Elisha Williams, William W. Van Ness, Ambrose L. Jordan, and John W. Edmonds. The father of Daniel was an honest farm er of limited means, who was strongly op posed to the idea that his son should aban don the honorable occupation of farming to become a lawyer. His mother, however, early perceived the latent genius in her son and encouraged in every way his ambition. In the fall after he had attained the age of sixteen years, and after the season's work on the farm had been concluded, he became a teacher in a country school. At the same time he continued his studies and in this way prepared for the study of law without call ing upon the limited means of his father. He read law in 1794 with John Woodworth at Albany, who was subsequently attorney general and a justice of the Su preme Court. Admitted to the bar in 1795, Mr. Cady commenced practice at Florida, in the County of Montgomery, N. Y., from which place he soon after removed to Johns town, then the county seat of that county. In that historical town, at the baronial residence, which was erected by Sir William Johnson, Cady was married to Margaret Livingston, on the 8th day of July, 1801. Margaret was the daughter of Col. James Livingston, who was second in command at

West Point under Benedict Arnold. While Arnold was temporarily withdrawn from the Fort and was carrying on his secret negotia tions with Major André, Colonel Livingston fired upon the " Vulture," which vessel had brought André up from New York and was waiting to take him back. The shot drove the vessel down the river, and left André to attempt his return by land, when he was captured and afterwards executed as a spy. Mr. Cady first saw his future bride as she was riding through the village on a spirited horse. He so admired her courage that he sought an introduction and was married to her within three months after, when she was but sixteen years of age, and he twelve years her senior. Mr. Cady and his wife had ten children, of whom Elizabeth was the seventh. She afterwards married Henry B. Stanton, and became famous as the great champion of " Women's rights." The mother of Gerrit Smith was a sister of Daniel Cady, and from her distinguished cousin, Elizabeth imbibed much of her sympathy for the slave, which made her a hater of oppression and a lover of freedom. The law-office of Judge Cady was adjoin ing his residence, and before she was ten years of age, his daughter Elizabeth spent much time in the office with her father. She now states that the woes and wrongs from time to time related to him by his female clients in her presence, strongly im pressed her, and at that early age she resolved to advocate their cause as best she 93