My Genealogy Hound

HON. JOHN S. LAMBERT, judge of the Supreme Court of New York for the Eighth Judicial District, is one of that class of self-made men who build their own “monuments of fortune and reputation.” He was born at Johnsonville, Rensselaer county, New York February 4, 1851, and is a son of Peter and Mary (Morey) Lambert. The Lambert family as the name would indicate is of English origin. Peter Lambert was born and reared in England where he remained until 1841, when he came to this State and settled at Johnsonville. He was trained to agricultural pursuits in his native land and has followed farming ever since he became a resident of Johnsonville. He is an active democrat and married Mary Morcy, who is a native of Ireland.

John S. Lambert was reared on his father’s farm and like most of farmers’ sons prior to 1860, enjoyed but limited educational advantages. After a brief attendance at the common schools he entered Greenwich academy, from which educational institution he was graduated at seventeen years of age. Leaving the latter academy he worked on a farm for a few months and came, in 1870, to Chautauqua county, where he spent the ensuing two years as a laborer on a farm. At the end of that time he became a clerk at Mayville, in the office of Charles G. Mapes, then surrogate of Chautauqua county. During the two years he was with Mr. Mapes he turned his attention to jurisprudence for which he always had a decided preference, and so far improved his leisure moments as to secure considerable knowledge of the elementary principles of the common law. In 1874 he came to Fredonia, where he read law with Morris & Russel for three years, and was then, in the fall of 1877, admitted as a counselor-at-law in the courts of the State of New York. In 1878 he became a partner with Morris & Russel in the practice of law, and three years later was elected county judge. At the expiration of his six year term, in 1888, he was re-elected as county judge and had served two years upon his second term when (1890) he was nominated by his party as their candidate for a justice of the Supreme Court of New York, for the Eighth Judicial District, composed of the counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Eric, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming.

Judge Lambert took his seat upon the bench on January 1st, 1890, for a term of fourteen years and to succeed Judge Barker of Fredonia. The judges of the Eighth Judicial District were appointed by the governor from 1823 to 1847, since which year they have been elected by the people, and the judges from Chautauqua county who presided over this district have been: John Birdsall, appointed 1826; and Richard P. Marvin, elected 1849, 1855 and 1865; George Parker, elected 1868, 1875 and 1883; and John S. Lambert, elected in 1890.

Judge Lambert has always been a republican in politics, but has many warm personal friends in the ranks of all the other political parties. He is sociable but dignified, yet courteous and pleasant to all whom he meets. At the bar he was recognized as an able and successful lawyer and on the bench he has presided with ability and impartiality. To his own ability, energy and efforts he owes his success in life, while his fidelity and zeal in behalf of any cause which he espoused has won him the respect and confidence of the public.