BIOGRAPHY: William Hoxie, Cayuga co., New York

transcribed and submitted by: Ann Anderson (ann.g.anderson at gmail.com)

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BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
THIS VOLUME CONTAINS BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE LEADING CITIZENS OF CAYUGA
COUNTY NEW YORK
BOSTON
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW PUBLISHING COMPANY
1894

WILLIAM HOXIE was for nearly fourscore years a resident of Cayuga County,
having been brought to Scipio by his parents when only two years old; and
from that time until his death, which occurred in 1890, when he was
seventy-eight years of age, he was an interested witness of the various
changes that here took place, watching with delight the rapid transformation
of the heavily timbered land into a rich and productive agricultural
country, and aiding by every means within his power its growth and
advancement. He was a native of New York, born in Washington County in 1812,
being a son of Joseph Hoxie, whose birth occurred in the town of Easton.
Washington County was also the place of nativity of Joseph's father, Zebulon
Hoxie, who was a thrifty farmer. He married Alice Hall; and both spent their
entire lives in that part of the State, where they were prominent members of
the Society of Friends, as Mr. Hoxie's parents, Zebulon, Sr., and Sarah
Hoxie, of Beekman, Dutchess County, N.Y., had been before them.

 In 1806 Joseph Hoxie was united in marriage to Eleanor Allen, the daughter
of Ama-ziah Allen, of Scipio; and eight years later he removed with his
family to Cayuga County. Crossing  the country with teams, which were then
the only means of land communication, he came directly to the town of Scipio,
where he purchased eighty-two acres of land. The only improvement on the
property was a house which had formerly been used as a tavern. In common
with the other pioneers, he labored with untiring energy to improve his
land, and, as the years rolled by, found himself possessed of a comfortable
homestead, well under cultivation. Moving the original dwelling back, he
built a substantial frame house and convenient farm buildings, and there
spent his declining years in quiet contentment. His wife, who survived him,
died in 1869, at the ripe old age of fourscore years. Both were
conscientious members of the Friends' Society, in their upright,
unostentatious, peaceful lives practising the serene virtues of their faith.
They reared the following children: Allen, Zebulon, Hannah, William, Sarah,
Susan, and Mary Jane.

 William, the fourth of these, was educated in the district schools of
Scipio, and early in life began to assist in the pioneer labor of clearing a
farm from the wilderness. Early and late, with undiminished energy, he
worked as soon as physically able, felling the giant progeny of the forest,
upturning the sod, planting the seed, and in harvest time reaping the crops.
In this manner he obtained a practical knowledge of the various branches of
agriculture while young in years; and, choosing farming as his life
occupation, he remained under the parental roof-tree, and after the death of
his father in 1851 he bought out the interest of the other heirs, and
continued in its management. Thorough and systematic in his methods, able
and skilful in his operations, and wise and judicious in the use of his
money, he made an unquestioned success in his agricultural labors. From the
original homestead he sold forty acres of land; and at the time of his
decease he owned a valuable farm of one hundred and sixteen acres, all of
which was in a good state of cultivation, yielding a good income. In all of
his business transactions he was straightforward and fair dealing, and
enjoyed in a marked degree the confidence and good will of his
fellow-citizens and associates. In his domestic life he was a kind husband
and father, attentive to the welfare of his household, where his kind
presence was a daily benediction, and will ever be missed. In the Friends'
Meeting he and his family always worshipped,  being esteemed members.

 The maiden name of his wife, to whom he was united in marriage March 17,
1854, was Phoebe L. Battey, the daughter of Benjamin and Mary (Leggett)
Battey, of Vermont. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Hoxie were Nicholas
and Thankful (Baker) Battey, natives of the Green Mountain State, while her
maternal grandparents were Charles and Phoebe (Willson) Leggett, natives of
Warren County, New York; and all were members of the Society of Friends.

 Mr. and Mrs. Hoxie reared four daughters  Mary E., Frances, Lillian E.,
and Dorinda L.  two of whom are married. Frances is the wife of Allington W.
Watkins, of Scipio; and Lillian E., of James M. King, also of this town. The
recent birth of Phoebe M. King, a child of rare beauty and promise, the
first-born of James and Lillian, is naturally a cause of great rejoicing in
the King and Hoxie households.