Horton gave promise of obtaining eminence at the bar, but met with an early death. • He was descended from Barnabas Horton, who came to this country from England in 1640. Stephen was the son of Wright Horton, of Yorktown, and Ann Quers his wife, and was born in Yorktown October 3, 1808. He came to Peekskill in 1831, began the study of law with Hon. William Nelson, became the partner of the latter in 1835, and a few years afterwards engaged in practice by himself. He died March 5, 1842, and was buried in the yard attached to the First Presbyterian Church, in Peekskill. He was married to Delia Clapp, sister of Dorlon Clapp, of Peekskill, and had one daughter, who was born in 1842 and died in 1855.

Robert H. Coles, surrogate, 1855-62, was originally from the neighborhood of Tarrytown. He studied law in the office of Minott Mitchell, at White Plains, and located in New Rochelle, where his energy and devotion to his profession soon obtained him a good practice. He was secretary of the Westchester Fire Insurance Company of New York in its early days, when it was located at New Rochelle. He was a Democrat in politics, and an active worker for his party. His death occurred January 15, 18()2. He was then barely thirty years old. He was buried in the church-yard at Sleepy Hollow. Mr. Coles was not regarded as a brilliant lawyer, but he was pushing and energetic and was considered honest and reliable. He was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Palmer, of White Plains, and had two daughters and one son.