On January 1, 1856, Lorenzo Burrows, a banker and an "American" or "Know Nothing," of Albion, became Comptroller. He had been a member of the Thirty-first and Thirty-second Congresses. He later served as Regent of the University by appointment made February 17, 1858, and in November, 1858, was one of the candidates of the "American party" for Governor against E. D. Morgan. To the time of his death, many years afterward, he never failed to make at least one visit yearly to the Comptroller's office, and always maintained a lively interest in its affairs. After one term of service Mr. Burrows was succeeded by Sanford E. Church, a lawyer and a Democrat, also of Albion. Mr. Church had been a Member of Assembly from Orleans county in 1842; District Attorney of the same county from 1846 to 1850; Lieutenant-Governor from 1850 to 1854. He ran for re-election as Comptroller in 1859 and was defeated, and again in 1863 and was also defeated. He was elected one of the Delegates-at-Large to the Constitutional Convention in 1867, and was Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals from May, 1870, to May 20, 1880, when he died. In all these various positions Mr. Church showed a broad, liberal spirit, and great mental force. His reports as Comptroller are valuable State papers, expressed in clear, strong and forcible language. It is sufficient to say of Judge Church, that, as Comptroller, he brought the same care, attention and strong mental grasp to his duties that afterward won for him eminence and fame as Chief Judge of our highest court. Robert Denniston, a gentleman farmer and Republican, of Salisbury's Mills, became Comptroller January 1, 1860, having been elected at the November election of 1859 over Sanford E. Church. He had been Assemblyman from Orange county in 1845, and Senator from the second district in 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1845, 1846 and 1847, and had been an unsuccessful candidate against Mr. Church for the office of Comptroller in November, 1857. He was thus Comptroller in the first year of the war, at the inauguration of high taxes and the large expenditures of that period. His administration was wise and conservative.