BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

THE LEADING CITIZENS OF MADISON COUNTY

CONTENTS
Preface
Names Index
Portrait Index

JOSEPH D. SENN, a popular citizen and a successful lawyer of Morrisville, was born in Verona, Oneida County, N.Y., April 18, 1860. He is a son Frederick Senn, who was born in the Province of Alsace-Lorraine, and whose father, George Senn, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a native of the same province, where he spent his entire life on a farm. Three brothers came to the United States; namely, Frederick, Martin, and Jacob. Frederick, the father of our subject, was reared and educated in his native land, and was twenty years of age at the time of his arrival in this country. He settled in the town of Verona, Oneida County, on a piece of timbered land. At the time of his purchase of this land a log house was already erected, and in this house the family of Mr. Senn lived for some years. He was a very active, industrious, and hard-working man, clearing his land of its timber, and converting it into a productive farm. He married Mary Fessman, who, like himself, was a native of Alsace-Lorraine, but who was brought to this country by her parents when three years of age. To this marriage there were born seven children; namely, Caroline, Margaret, Mary, Frederick, Michael, Samuel, and Joseph D.
Joseph D. Senn received his earlier education in the district schools, later attended the New London (Oneida County) union schools, and still later the Oswego State Normal School. Being thus well qualified to teach, he commenced that occupation when nineteen years of age, and taught two terms. At the age of twenty-three he began the study of law with Edwin J. Brown, of Oneida, Madison County, N.Y., and was admitted to the bar August 23, 1886, commencing the practice of his profession at Morrisville. He was elected District Attorney in 1892, and still retains that position.
In 1888 he was married to Mabel Dunham, who was born in Stockbridge, Madison County, and is a daughter of A. S. and Mary Dunham, both natives of the same town. Mr. and Mrs. Senn have two children, Lucy and Elsie. Mr. Senn is strictly devoted to the profession of the law, and, while a Republican in his political opinions (casting his first Presidential vote for James G. Blaine in 1884), is not a politician in the usually accepted sense of the term.