The Old Yellow Tavern, Norwich, NY, Part 5

The Old Yellow Tavern, and Allied History of Norwich

C.R. Johnson

Norwich Sun, March 13, 1920

Part 5

 

Young Sam Randall attended Norwich common schools and the academy, of which his grandfather was a trustee, and which stood at the intersection of N. Broad and Mitchell street, until he outgrew them, and his thirst for an education was not satisfied; so in the summer of 1823 he attended Oxford Academy.  Then he prepared for college under the private tuition of Rev. Edward Andrews, pastor of the Congregational church of Norwich, to whom to the last day of his life he gave credit for a very large part of whatever of mental proficiency he had attained.  Both teacher and student were so thorough in instruction and application that in 1824 he entered Hamilton college, Clinton, N.Y., and graduated in 1825.  In 1826 he entered on a five year course of study in law in the office of Clark & Clapp in Norwich and in 1831-34 was admitted to the bar as an attorney and counsellor and took up law practice in Pitcher, New Berlin and in Norwich.  He was appointed in 1836 deputy journalizing clerk of the state assembly at Albany.  In 1837 he was appointed to a clerkship in the department of common schools, by Gen. John A. Dix, secretary of state, and was general deputy superintendent until the fall of 1846.  In 1851 he was appointed by Adjt, Gen. Jones to a clerkship in the war department at Washington; and in 1853 became city superintendent of public schools of Brooklyn, N.Y., and in Jan. 1854, general deputy superintendent.  In the June following he was elected city superintendent of public schools of New York city by the city board of education, and every two years thereafter was re-elected for sixteen years, until 1870, when he resigned.  The resignation was accepted, but with many expressions of regret by the Board and with earnest testimonies to the value of his work as superintendent.  In 1873 Mayor Havemeyer appointed  him inspector of common schools for the eighth district of New York. This appointment was renewed by Mayor Wickham.

 

His had been in Morrisania (now "the Bronx") for many years, and he died in that family home, June 2, 1881, at the ripe age of 72 years, beloved by every one who had any acquaintance with him and the number was legion.

 

His eldest daughter was Lucy Ann (Randall) Comfort, wife of Dr. John E. comfort.  Her home was just across Franklin avenue from the family home.  She became very noted as an author and novelist, and published several books of fiction.  A second daughter, Martha Edmunds Randall was also a very fluent writer and an occasional contributor to the papers.  A son also, Samuel Sidwell Randall, was for many years a prominent lawyer in that section of the city, and contributed articles often to the New York dailies.  A grandson, Randall Comfort, son of Mrs. Lucy Comfort, has also written some books of local history of the Bronx, and the neighborhood.

 

To be continued