STEARNS, Ozora Pierson, soldier, born in De Kalb, Lawrence County, New York, 15 January, 1831. He was educated at Oberlin college and Michigan university, where he was graduated in the literary department in 1858, and in law in 1860. Immediately after his graduation he began practice in Rochester, Minnesota, and shortly afterward was elected prosecuting attorney for Clinton county. In August, 1862. he entered the National army as 1st lieutenant in the 9th Minnesota volunteer infantry, and in April, 1864, he was commissioned colonel of the 39th regiment of United States colored infantry. His regiment suffered severely at the mine-explosion before Petersburg on 30 July. He accompanied General Benjamin F. Butler on his Fort Fisher expedition, was with General Alfred H. Terry at the capture of that fort, and afterward remained with his command in North Carolina until he was mustered out of the service in December, 1865. He then returned to Rochester, Minnesota, was soon afterward offered the professorship of agriculture in Cornell university, which he declined, was again elected county attorney, and then appointed register in bankruptcy. In 1871 he was elected United States senator for the unexpired term of Daniel S. Norton, deceased, and served for a short period. In the spring of 1872 he removed with his family to Duluth, and two years later became judge of the 11th judicial district of Minnesota, which office he has held ever since. He is in favor of granting the right of suffrage to women.--His wife, Sarah Burger, reformer, born in New York city, 30 November, 1836, is the daughter of Edward G. Burger. She was educated chiefly at the Ann Arbor high-school, and the State normal school, Ypsilanti, Michigan In 1858 and afterward she made formal application to be admitted as a student to the Michigan state university, which, though it was refused, had an influence , in finally deciding the regents in 1869 to make their classes open to women. During the civil war Mrs. Stearns was well known as a worker on the sanitary commission, and lectured on behalf of the soldiers' societies in Michigan and elsewhere. She married Colonel Stearns in 1863, and removed to Minnesota in 1866. For many years she has been vice-president for Minnesota of the National woman suffrage association. She is president of the Duluth home society, and was instrumental in establishing a temporary home for needy women and children in that city. She has been active for years as an advocate of woman's rights.