My Genealogy Hound

HON. L. F. STEARNS, a resident lawyer of Dunkirk and now serving his second term as district attorney of Chautauqua county, is a son of Crawford and Lovina (White) Stearns, and was born in the town of Villanova, Chautauqua county, New York, July 27, 1856. The Stearns and Whites are of English descent and the grandfathers of L. F. Stearns, Benjamin Stearns and Joel White, came from New England to Chautauqua county, where they followed farming. Benjamin Stearns was a native of Vermont, and died in the town of Villanova, in 1865, while Joel White (maternal grandfather) was born in Massachusetts, where his family was founded by the White who came over in the Mayflower, and from which State he came to this county, in which he followed farming and manufacturing until his death. Crawford Stearns (father) was born in the town of Villanova in 1830, and has been principally engaged in farming and in raising, buying and shipping stock. He owns four hundred acres of land in the town of Dunkirk, has been a member of the Methodist church for many years and is a strong republican in politics. His wife is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and was born in 1835.

Lester F. Stearns grew to manhood on the farm and attended Forestville Free academy, one of the best schools in the county Leaving the academy he taught school for two years and then went to the Bradford oil district of Pennsylvania where he remained for one year and had charge of several wells that were being sunk for oil, besides the supervision and oversight of a large strip of oil territory. After returning from the oil fields he resumed teaching which he followed until 1879 when he commenced the study of law with J. A. Parsons of Forestville, and then came to Dunkirk where he read for some time with Holt & Holt, but completed his legal studies with C. B. Bradley, at that time district attorney. He was admitted to the bar in April, 1882, and in June of that year opened his present law office at No. 221 Center street where he has fine rooms and a handsome library.

In July, 1889, he united in marriage with Mary H. Hiller, daughter of police-justice Hiller, of Dunkirk. Their union has been blessed with one child, a son named Harrold.

L. F. Stearns is a republican in politics, owns a neat and tasteful residence on Swan street and enjoys a good practice. In 1883 he was nominated for special county judge, but declined the nomination, but the following year was elected special surrogate and served as such for three years. In 1886 he was elected as district attorney and in 1889, was re-elected for a term of three years which will expire in 1893.