BIOGRAPHY: Luther O. Markham; Haverstraw, Rockland co., New York transcribed by W. David Samuelsen for USGenWeb Archives *********************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.org/ny/nyfiles.htm *********************************************************************** Portrait and Biographical Record of Rockland and Orange Counties New York Containing Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the Counties. Together with Biographies and Portraits of all the Presidents of the United States. New York and Chicago; Chapman Publishing Co., 1895 PROF. LUTHER O. MARKHAM. There is no profession that brings with it greater responsibilities or requires larger talents than that of the teacher-he who moulds the youthful mind and prepares it for the world of activity. To say, therefore, that a man fills this responsible position satisfactorily and efficiently is to bestow upon him the highest praise. With truth this statement can be made of Professor Markham, Principal of the public school of Haverstraw, and a man well and widely known as a successful educator. Through his grandfather, Alden Markham, the subject of this notice traces his lineage to John Alden, of Puritan fame. The line of descent is as follows: John Alden and Priscilla Mullens; Jasper Alden and Mary Summers; John Alden and Hannah White; Rev. Noah Alden and Mary Vaughn, the former having been a prominent man in his day in Massachusetts; Lucy Alden (daughter of the above) and Darius Mark-ham, the latter a member of a family that traced its ancestry back to two brothers who came to America with the Plymouth Colony; Alden Mark-ham and Elizabeth Pease, daughter of Capt. Abner Pease, son of Isaac Pease, of Enfield, Conn., son of Isaac Pease, of Salem, Mass., son of John, who in 1634, at the age of four years, came to America from Ipswich, England, with his father, Robert; Alden Markham and Catherine D. Cook, the latter a daughter of Nathaniel and Huldah (Sprague) Cook, natives, respectively, of Saratoga County, N. Y., and Massachusetts; Luther O. Markham and Jennie A. Lane, whose two children, Convas L. and Amanda Rose, represent the ninth generation in America. The subject of this sketch was born in West Fulton, Schoharie County, N. Y., April 11, 1851. His parents, Alden and Catherine D. (Cook) Markham, natives of Otsego and Schoharie Counties, respectively, were the parents of five children: Convas E. Markham, who married Carrie Louden; Nathaniel C. Markham, who died when young; Asher Markham, who married Jane Han-cock; Luther O. Markham; and Louisa E. Mark-ham, who married Elam W. Haverley. The father in early life began teaching, but later operated a farm in Schoharie County, where he reared his family. When Luther O. was a lad of twelve years he was bereaved by his mother's death, and the old home was then broken up and the family scattered. He went with his father to Massachusetts, where two years later his father died. He worked during the summer months and attended school in the winter until in 1869. At the age of eighteen he entered the Albany Normal School, from which he was graduated in 1872. Immediately after completing his studies, Professor Markham entered upon professional work. In fact, two weeks before graduating he came to Haverstraw and accepted the position of Principal of a school at this place. The people here had applied to Dr. Joseph Alden, President of the normal school, to send a teacher, there being a vacancy, and he sent our subject. The latter has since remained in this village with the exception of one year. His first position was that of Principal of a school, with three assistants. In 1885 that school was consolidated with another, a new building erected, and he has since been retained as Principal. The enrollment of pupils is between seven and eight hundred, and there is a well equipped corps of sixteen teachers, the most of whom are normal graduates and trained for professional work. The school building, which was erected in 1884-85, is steam heated, furnished with every convenience for teaching, and is said to he the best arranged building of the kind in the state. Since the Main building was put up an addition of five rooms has been made. In 1875 Professor Markham was admitted to the Bar, but he has never engaged in legal practice. He is a member of the Rockland County and the State Teachers' Associations, and has, during his residence at Haverstraw, been a member of Dr. Freeman's congregation. In Masonry he is identified with Stony Point Lodge No. 313, and for four years was Master of the lodge. For a time he was Assistant Grand lecturer, and while serving in that capacity visited many of the lodges in the district. He also holds member-ship in Ionia Lodge, K. of P. December 24, 1879, he married Jennie A. Lane, who was born in Irvington and reared in Haverstraw, being the daughter of John H. and Amanda (Rose) Lane. Two children have been born to their union.