DISTINGUISHED NANTUCKETERS . 109 



is, at the present writing (1881), to use his own words, 

 "threescore and three " years of age. The dwelling 

 next north of the Sherburne House, now occupied by 

 Mr. Francis Colburn, was subsequently built by Judge 

 Folger's father, and the family occupied it for a num- 

 ber of years, or until young Folger was thirteen years 

 old, when they removed to Geneva, in the State of 

 New York. Mr. Folger has been a resident of that 

 town ever since. He graduated at Hobart College in 

 1836, and read law with Mark H. Sibley; was in 1839 

 admitted to the bar, and soon distinguished himself for 

 acuteness and eloquence. In 1844 he was appointed 

 judge of the Ontario Court of Common Pleas, but 

 soon resigned. In 1851 he was elected county judge 

 of Ontario County, serving four years. In 1861 he 

 was elected to the State Senate. 



In a recent speech to the people of Geneva, Judge 

 Folger said: u Twenty years ago you first sent me to the 

 State Senate. Five times in succession you gave me 

 that token of your confidence and trust. I fought the 

 good fight, I kept the faith, I believe, -7- 1 know that I 

 laid down the trust untarnished at your feet." A daily 

 paper says of him: "He was the ablest State senator 

 since Seward's time, and maintained himself, in that 

 trying position, without encountering a breath of re- 

 proach. He was never classed as any man's ' man.' " 



In 1869 Judge Folger was appointed Sub-Treasurer 

 of the United States in New York City. On the death 

 of Chief Justice Church, of the Court of Appeals, 

 Judge Folger was appointed to the vacancy in 1880, 

 having, after his retirement from the treasury, been 

 an associate justice. And now that he has been 



