- JOHN DEWITT REXFORD was born in Sherburne, N.Y., July 5,
1820. He was the son of
- Benjamin REXFORD and a descendant in the fifth generation
of Arthur REXFORD, who was married in New Haven, Conn., in 1702,
and died there in 1728.
- After an academical course and two years of collegiate study
in Hamilton College (terminated by
- his poor health), he read law in the office of his brother,
B. F. REXFORD, in Norwich, N.Y.
- He was admitted to practice in the Supreme court of the state
of New York at Utica, July 18,
- 1845, and to the Court of Chancery at Saratoga the following
day. He was member of a law firm made up of his brother, himself
and Warren NEWTON in Norwich until 1852, when he retired therefrom.
- In May 1853, he moved to Janesville and practiced his profession
here for several years.
- September, 1, 1856, he accepted the office of cashier of
the Central Bank of Wisconsin, which
- he had helped to establish in 1855. After six years' service
he resigned this office on account of protracted illness.
- In January, 1865, he was elected president of the First National
Bank of Janesville (the successor
- of the Central Bank of Wisconsin), which office he held until
January, 1891, when he declined a re-election.
- He was also president of the Janesville Machine Company from
its organization in 1881 until
- December 1894.
- Mr. REXFORD was a member of the Republican party, but never
sought any political office.
- He was one of the founders of the First Presbyterian church
of Janesville, and served as an elder
- in that church from its organization in 1855 until 1879,
when he declined a proffered re-election.
- John DeWitt REXFORD was married to Cynthia Maria BABCOCK,
of Sherburne, N.Y., May
- 20, 1846. The children born of this union were John Grandin,
Benjamin Babcock, Seneca Butts and Mary. The two first named
are still living and reside in Janesville. Mr. REXFORD died
at his home in Janesville, Marcy 13, 1895.
-
- Taken from "Rock County, Wisconsin, Vol. II"
by William Fiske Brown, (c)1908, p. 782.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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