Danforth E. Ainsworth (Republican), who represents Oswego County, is serving his seventh term in the Assembly. He is a native of Clayton, Jefferson County, where he was born November 29th, 1848. He was educated at Pulaski Academy and at Falley Seminary and is an attorney and Counselor -at-law, having been admitted to the bar in 1873. He was a Trustee of the Village of Sandy Creek in 1881, 1882, and 1883, and has also been a member of the Board of Education. Mr. Ainsworth is a Republican in politics and always has been, but prior to 1885, when he was first elected to the Assembly, had never been a candidate for public office. He was elected to the Assembly in 1887 by 1562 plurality, and during his service was regarded as one of the most ready and effective debaters in the House. He was again elected in 1888 by 4,836 plurality, and after four year lapse, was again elected in November 1892, by 3,246 plurality over Hamilton E. Root (Democrat), and Wood (Prohibitionist).

Mr. Ainsworth presented in the year 1893 an interesting bill providing for a novel form of choosing the officers of the City of Oswego and amending generally the charter of that City; providing for the construction of a bridge over the Erie Canal at Phoenix, changing the time for holding the municipal elections of Oswego from Spring to fall; amending the Banking Law, and authorizing the Oswego Agricultural Fair Association to borrow money.

Mr. Ainsworth, in 1894, was Chairman of the leading Assembly Committee. that on Ways and Means, and holding that position was the Republican leader in the Assembly and the manager of nearly all political interests.

Assemblyman Ainsworth, in 1894, introduced bills for continuing work on the new Capitol: providing for an equal number of inspectors for each political party: providing for home rule in matters of taxation; prohibiting the sale of tobacco to minors; amending the legislative law providing a local veto for excise measures; amending the execution laws; providing for the election of Commissioners of Jurors: creating a new charter for Oswego; providing for the distribution of $30,000 among the agricultural fair societies; appropriating $58,000 for the payment of newspaper claims against the State. Mr. Ainsworth was very economical as Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means. He introduced a supply bill which appropriated only $1,497, 084, a reduction of $1299,550 in comparison with the year before. Mr. Ainsworth also presented a bill to secure the registration of plumbers; a bill to regulate the sale of cocaine and opium; a bill for the preservation of the Adirondack Forests; a bill to compel the teaching of physiology and hygiene.

Mr. Ainsworth, in 1894, was again a candidate for Assemblyman from Oswego County. He received 9,633 votes; N. Hazard (Democrat) 5,283, and A. W. Young (Prohibitionist) 494. Mr. Ainsworth was once more the Republican Leader in 1895, being, Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, and a member also of the important Committee on Rules and the Committee on Codes.

NYS Red Book 1895