JUDGE HENRY STARR 

Judge Henry Starr, or “Colonel” Starr, as he is generally known on account of his military rank, is a native of Nova Scotia, born at Starr’s Point, Cornwallis Valley, on the 24^th of September, 1819. The Starrs are an old American family, and those on this continent sprang from Dr. Comfort Starr, who landed at Boston from England in 1635, and whose descendants now number nearly 8,000. Among his children was Dr. Thomas Starr, and he had three sons -- Josiah, Comfort and Samuel -- who emigrated to Connecticut. Josiah (the ancestor of the Starrs of Vallejo and Oakland) settled at Danbury; Comfort settled at Middleton, and Samuel located at New London. The latter was the direct ancestor of Judge Starr. When the French Acadians were driven out of Nova Scotia the English Government held out inducements to new settlers, and they came in by the shipload. A large proportion of them were from the American colonies, especially Connecticut, and Massachusetts (at that time including Maine), and the great-grandfather of Judge Starr headed a party that went to Nova Scotia from Norwich, Connecticut, in 1759. They selected their land in Cornwallis Valley, at the head of the Bay of Minas, which is at the head of the Bay of Fundy. Thus the Starr family was established at Nova Scotia. Joseph Starr, grandfather of the Judge, while born in Connecticut, was yet a mere child when the family removed to Nova Scotia. When he arrived at a suitable age he was sent back to Norwich, Connecticut to be educated, and was at school there when the Revolutionary War came on. He joined the Patriot forces, and served gallantly throughout the war. After peace was declared he married a Miss Starr, a cousin, and located in Connecticut. As his father advanced in age, however, he was called upon to go back to Nova Scotia and run the farm, which he did. Charles Starr, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Connecticut prior to the return of his family to Nova Scotia, and was the oldest child of the family. According to the habit of the family he was sent back to Norwich, Connecticut to be educated, and while he was there the war of 1812 broke out, and he joined the army of the United States. After the close of the war he went back to Nova Scotia, and took possession of the family homestead. He married Paulina, daughter of Henry Cox, who went to Nova Scotia from what is now Portland, Maine. Henry Starr, subject of this sketch, was the first born of his parents’ children. He commenced his education at Starr’s Point, his native place, and finished at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary in 1840. During the winter of 1840-’41 he taught school at Turner, Oxford County, Maine, on the Androscoggin River, and among his pupils was Eugene Hale, now United States Senator from Maine. In 1841 he went to the old family home in Connecticut, and clerked in a boot and shoe store about a year. He then joined his parents at Boston, and they proceeded to Chicago. There he read law with John J. Brown, and was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court in May, 1844. He went to Morris, Grundy County, Illinois, where he was successful in practice, and in 1849 was elected county judge. He held the office until 1852, when he resigned in order to come to California. In January of that year a large number had mutually agreed to go to California when the weather opened up. About April they commenced backing out of the bargain, and finally Judge Starr found himself alone. He went to St. Louis, thence took a steamer to St. Joseph, and joined a party of Missourians bound for California. He accompanied them as far as Fort Laramie, and there changed to a Wisconsin company, with whom he went as far as Salt Lake. From there he packed to California, arriving at Placerville on the 6^th of August. He mined for six months at French Hollow, then came to Sacramento, where he has ever since resided. He was elected city attorney in 1856, and served two years. In 1859 he was elected to the Legislature, and served in the sessions of 1859-’60. In 1871 he was elected district attorney, and served one term in that capacity. Judge Starr has ranked as a prominent lawyer ever since his advent to Sacramento. He became connected with the National Guard of California in 1861, first as Lieutenant and after as Captain of the City Guard. He was afterward chosen Major, and finally Colonel, commanding all the companies of Sacramento. He is not now, however, connected with the military. Judge Starr was married in Iroquois County, Illinois, July 20, 1845, to Miss Sarah Ann Shipley, a native of Burgettstown, Washington County, Pennsylvania. They have three living children, viz.: Albert (now inspector of buildings, and sanitary inspector of Sacramento); Clara (wife of Seneca B. Wood), and Charles, a resident of this city. Judge Starr takes an active interest in politics. From 1840 to 1860 he was a Democrat, and was elected to the Legislature as a Douglas Democrat, being the only one elected on the Legislative ticket. Since that time, however, he has been a strong and active Republican. Judge Starr is an able, forcible writer, and many of his newspaper articles have attracted widespread attention, notably one on the subject of the annexation of Canada to the United States, which brought out some salient points which had been entirely overlooked, in favor of the position, and a copy of the article was called for by a leading Eastern member of Congress who is agitating the question.

 

Transcribed by Debbie Gramlick.