when oneida county was split from herkimer county in 1798, sanger was named "first judge" of the five county judges and was re-appointed several times through 1810, when he was no longer eligible due to his age of 60. the court was formally the oneida county court of common pleas and although judges were appointed by the council of appointment for five-year terms, sanger was reappointed more often (in 1801, 1804, 1805, 1808, and 1810).