This picture of William C. Ruger was taken in 1878, only a few years after Onondaga County Bar Association (OCBA) was established. In addition to his service at the OCBA, Ruger was the chair of the convention in 1876 that established the New York State Bar Association, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2026. For more about Ruger’s influence on the establishment of NYSBA, please read Henry M. Greenberg’s article in the State Bar Journal.
In 1975, the Onondaga Bar Association was gifted Chief Judge Ruger’s desk, pictured below. In honor of the Bar’s centennial, Syracuse attorney Max Stolz gave the desk to the Bar, but Mr. Stolz passed away before he could deliver his gift. His executor Morris Swartz and his heirs carried out his wishes.
