ORRIS PARISH was born in Canterbury, Windom county, Connecticut, in the year 1782.  His father was Reuben Parish, and his mother Zurilla Bishop, and his mother Zurilla Bishop.  Orris received the early part of his education in the common schools of Connecticut.  In 1790, his father's family, with those of his grandfather and uncle, Levi Parish, settled in Middletown (now Naples), Ontario county, New York, where Orris attended such schools as were found in the first settlements in the wilderness, and he may have attended the academy a few terms, in Canandaigua, New York.  In 1807, or 1808, he entered the law office of the late John C. Spencer, but, before completing his course, his parents died, and he left Spencer's office, and finished his studies with his cousin, John Parish, in Windom, Windom county, Connecticut.  In 1811, or 1812, he emigrated to Ohio, and settled in Franklinton, Franklin County.  He was there during the war, and, in 1815, moved to Columbus, after the capitol was fixed there.  He acquired some distinction as a practitioner, especially in jury cases, where his style of oratory was very effective.  He acquired some distinction as a practitioner, especially in jury cases, where his style of oratory was very effective.  His services were consequently in large demand, and he had a large practice on the circuit, which, in those times, was traveled, on horseback, from court to court, even to distant counties, by the jolly lawyers of the olden time, among whom he was noted.  He was a very eccentric man, and many stories are related of him, his free translation to a jury of the legal phrase "nectus in coma, which he gave as "coming into court head and tail up," was long remembered by the fun-loving generation of that day, and has descended  as a bon mot in the profession.  In 1816 he was elected president judge of the court of common pleas for this district.  At the legislative session of 1818-19 charges were preferred against him calling for an investigation of his official conduct.  They were referred to a committee, and the judge published his address to the committee,  in which he says: "To you, gentlemen, I submit my official conduct, and of you I solicit the most rigid inquiry and the severest-scrutiny," concluding, "I neither ask nor desire, any other justice at the bar of my country, or Heaven, than that which I have contributed my best exertions to measure out to those whose rights have been confided to my hand. "  The committee reported in his favor, and afterwards he resigned, and returned to the practice of the law, at which he continued with great success, as his reputation as a jury lawyer was co-extensive with the State.
     On _____, 181__, he was married to Aurelia Butler, daughter of Judge Butler, of Madison county, New York, at the residence of her brother-in-law, Richard Douglas, in Circleville, Ohio.   He built, on Fourth street, Columbus, a residence known now as the Whitehill property, at present the residence of Chauncey N. Olds, a leading lawyer of the city.  He and Gustavus Swan, David Scott and David Smith, were the first four lawyers, and that located in Columbus after it was laid out i 1812.
Page 66 - Source: History of Franklin & Pickaway Counties, Ohio - Published by Williams Bros. - 1880