Anson Lapham, son of Sunderland Pattison and Annette Hannah (Bell) Gardner, was born in Farmington, Ontario county. New York, February 7, 1873. His preparatory education was acquired in the district school of Farmington and the Macedon Center Academy, and he then became a student at Columbia University, New York City, from which he was graduated in the class of 1896. During his earlier years he assisted in the cultivation of the home farm and was engaged in teaching in district schools for a period of two years. He commenced the study of law in the office of his uncle, Elisha W. Gardner, continuing at the university, and was admitted to the bar in November, 1897. He is engaged in general practice and his list of clients, attracted by his skilful conduct of the cases entrusted to him, is a large and constantly increasing one. His political affiliations are with the Democratic party, and he very efficiently filled the position of clerk in the supervisor’s office in 1894-95. His fraternal associations are as follows: Canandaigua Grange, No. 1062, of which he has been secretary; Canandaigua Lodge. No. 294, Free and Accepted Masons; Canandaigua Lodge, No. 236, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has served as chaplain; Canandaigua Camp, No. 9574, Modern Woodmen of America, of Canandaigua; U. O. A. M., McKinley Council, No. 95; president of the brotherhood of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Canandaigua; director of the Young Men’s Christian Association of Canandaigua. Mr. Gardner is a member of the Society of Friends, and his wife is a member of the Reformed Evangelical church.
Mr. Gardner married at Farmington, August 29, 1901, Edith M. Clapper, born in Canandaigua. She is the daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth (Appleton) Clapper, the former a farmer who was born at Geneseo, New York, November 4, 1834, and is of Dutch descent, the latter was born at Worsted. England, November 20, 1835, and came to America with her parents in 1850. Abraham and Elizabeth (Appleton) Clapper had children: Richard, of Canandaigua; Abraham Lincoln, of Canandaigua; Dr. William Bennett, of Victor; Arthur Henry, of Starkey, Yates county; Mary Elizabeth, of Palmyra; and Edith May, of Canandaigua. Anson Lapham and Edith M. (Clapper) Gardner have children: Sunderland Pattison, born June 14, 1902; and Elizabeth Annette. born January 19, 1906.