Cuyahoga-Wood County OhArchives Biographies.....SQUIRES, James S. January 31, 1819 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/oh/ohfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: J. Robison normadeplume@wmconnect.com February 28, 2009, 3:42 am Author: Anonymous From 'History of Cortland County' (NY) by Anonymous 1885 JAMES S. SQUIRES, of Cortland, is descended from one of three brothers who emigrated from England in the earlier history of our country, and located at Saybrook, Connecticut. His grandfather, Samuel Stent SQUIRES, was born in Saybrook in the early part of the eighteenth century and participated in the French and Indian War, particularly in the conflicts of Braddock's defeat and at Fort Du Quesne. He received his discharge at Perth Amboy, N. J., at the close of that war. He also served the full period of seven years in the Revolutionary War, entering into the spirit of those times and fighting as all others did, and sacrificing as many had to, for our liberty and independence. He married Margaret COOK, the mother of the father of our subject, John S. SQUIRES. The latter was born in New Haven, Conn., in 1771, and removed to Farmington, Conn., in 1793, when twenty-two years old, and there married Huldah HADSELL. Her father, James HADSELL, was also a Revolutionary soldier, and his wife was a teacher who supported her family and seven children during those long years of anxiety and privation by teaching a common school. In 1800 John S. SQUIRES moved to Choconut, Broome Co., where he remained one summer, removing thence to near Marathon, where he located just below the present village. His trip westward from his native town was made with an ox team and one horse. He crossed the Hudson on the ice and made his way to the State turnpike leading west at a time when there was no other road except a line of marked trees. He accomplished this trip in about three weeks. In 1800 there was one saw-mill and one grist-mill only in the vicinity where Mr. SQUIRES first located in Broome county. These were patronized after the SQUIRES family removed to Marathon, the settlers generally going to and from the mills in frail and rudely constructed canoes or "dugouts" up and down the Tioughnioga. There was a mill at Cayuga lake, twenty miles distant, but this was not so easily reached, the journey being overland. The first house erected by Mr. SQUIRES in Marathon and Virgil had no door save a blanket, and the only windows were openings covered with paper. The floor was made of planks or "puncheons" split from logs. In 1807 John S. SQUIRES moved to Virgil and took up four hundred acres of land, where he resided until his death June 24th, 1835. He was a man of splendid physical proportions, weighing about two hundred and fifty pounds, active and energetic, and was thus able to accomplish much towards subduing the wilderness and bringing it under cultivation. He was lieutenant of a company of aged men which was organized in 1813 for frontier defense against Canada. Simeon WEST was captain and Wm. POWERS ensign. Mr. SQUIRES reared a family of twelve children, six sons and six daughters. The daughters were all married and became mothers of families, and lived to be over sixty years old. The three oldest sons all died before they were twenty-one years old. John A., his fourth son, was a prominent resident of Iowa, where he died some years ago. Dann C. SQUIRES, member of assembly in 1864, and again in 1874, and who was for thirty years justice of the peace and forty-four years district clerk, was the next son. He died in the old homestead in what is now Lapeer, December 17th, 1874. James S. SQUIRES the subject of this sketch, was the youngest member of the family, and was born in Virgil, Jan. 31st, 1819. His early life was spent on the farm, toiling early and late, going to school only on such days as he could not work out on account of inclement weather. His school privileges were therefore limited to a few days or weeks in winter of each year. His zeal for learning was great, and notwithstanding the difficulties in the way, he diligently pursued his studies at home, often stretching himself before the open fire-place in the evening and poring over his books by the light of the fire. When he reached the age of sixteen years his father died, leaving a large family of children, and James S. saw before him a life in which he must stand or fall by his own efforts. Accordingly in the following year he made preparations to start out into the world for himself. His mother was a devoted Christian woman from her girlhood, and changed her faith from Presbyterian to Baptist principles soon after her husband's death. She now, as her youngest son was about to leave her side, admonished and counseled him as to his future habits. She obtained from him promises that he would never use tobacco in any form; would abstain from intoxicating drinks; would never gamble in any way; would strictly observe the Sabbath day; and would in all things be guided by her Christian teaching and advice. These promises he has always tried faithfully to keep and they have, in his estimation, been the foundation stones upon which he has built up a successful career as a business man and gained the esteem and friendship of all his acquaintances. Following naturally upon the habits formed from those promises, came honesty, uprightness and a conscientious regard for the rights of his fellowmen. As a merchant he never permitted his clerks to misrepresent goods for the purpose of effecting a sale, and in all things endeavored to have them conform to his correct business methods; in short, he followed the only course through life upon which can be established a successful and justifiable record. When eighteen years old he attended school one full term, under the late Nathan BOUTON, in Virgil, and made such rapid advancement that his teacher gave him a certificate to teach. In this occupation he afterwards learned more than he had been able to under his previous limited advantages. But Mr. SQUIRES was a born merchant, and this characteristic showed itself when he had reached only the age of ten years; he then purchased a quantity of top-onion seed of his brother as six cents a quart, which he sold among his neighbors during evenings at ten cents. In this way he made fifty cents, which he invested in a lamb, which he let for a term of years to double, and from the increase of this investment he found himself the possessor at the time of his first marriage, when he was twenty-four years old, of thirty-two sheep. Of these he sold twenty-five for $50, a profit of a dollar for each original penny invested. The other seven sheep were sold to a tailor and served to pay for cutting and making his wedding suit, himself furnishing the goods. In the year 1843 Mr. SQUIRES began mercantile business for himself in Virgil; but through endorsements for the accommodation of others, this venture failed, leaving him twenty-two hundred dollars in debt. Contrary to the advice of his friends and others he devoted his best energies to the payment of his heavy burden, which he accomplished within a few years. The wisdom of this course was shown when the people of the town made him postmaster soon after the failure, and the next year superintendent of schools, which office he held while he remained in the town. He subsequently (1853) removed to Cortland village, where he engaged in mercantile business of a general character and succeeded in building up an annual trade of about $100,000 a year. His store was known as the largest in the county at that time and the most successful, employing much of the time ten clerks, several of whom remained with him fifteen years and are now numbered among the foremost business men of Cortland and other places. In 1869 Mr. SQUIRES became president of the Bank of Cortland, which responsible position he filled with ability for fifteen years until 1884, when he resigned to devote all of his time to his personal business. He was prominently instrumental in securing the location of the State Normal School at Cortland, and has also done much to encourage the establishment of manufacturing interests in the place, contributing liberally of his own means to this purpose. He was made treasurer of the Ithaca and Cortland railroad and of the Utica, Chenango and Cortland railroad, which offices he has held until the present time. He gave liberally, also, to the fund for the erection of the Baptist Church in Cortland, of which he has for many years been a faithful and consistent member. He was elected trustee of the society in 1858 and has held the office ever since. He was appointed treasurer in 1860 and still holds that position. He has been one of the pulpit committee since 1861 and was elected deacon in 1875, still holding the office. In 1876 he was elected president of the board of trustees and now holds that office. Mr. SQUIRES built his handsome residence in Cortland on the corner of Tompkins and Prospect streets in 1871. It is one of the most attractive private dwellings in the village and has been greatly improved by the addition of conservatories, piazza, etc. In 1876 he purchased the site of the Old Eagle store, built early in the century by General Roswell Randall, and erected thereon the handsome and valuable SQUIRES building at a cost of about $40.000, containing seven stores, eight offices and ten flats. Mr. SQUIRES has been married three times, the first event occurring on December 24th, 1843, when he was united with Miss Lucia CHAMBERLAIN, formerly of Otsego county. She was born Feb. 5th, 1821, and died March 16th, 1862. She was a devoted Christian wife and mother, and died strong in her faith in Jesus. The oldest child of this union was Lucia Verdine SQUIRES, who was born Aug. 5th, 1847. She was married to Jerome R. HATHWAY in 1868, and died May 28th, 1877. The second child was Francesca Eudell SQUIRES, born Dec. 6th, 1849; she is now the wife of Geo. W. EDGCOMB, of Cortland. Two sons were born of this marriage also; the oldest in James Duane SQUIRES, now a member of the law firm of Thornall, SQUIRES & Constant, 120 Broadway, New York City. He was born in Cortlandville, Feb. 8th, 1855, attended school at the Cortlandville Academy and later at the Normal School, where he graduated at the age of sixteen. After teaching one season he took an extra course at the Rochester Collegiate Institute where he graduated and took the first prize for commencement oration....... The other son is Earl Frank SQUIRES, born in Cortlandville Aug. 2d, 1857...... In 1877 he became a member of the firm of Stoker & Co., grocers and provision dealers, which was very successful. In 1882 the firm of Squires & Co., was oraganized for the same business in Cortland, of which he is now the junior member. He was married to Miss Ophelia EVANS, daughter of W. R. EVANS, of Dallas, Texas, July 30th, 1879. Mr. SQUIRES second marriage occurred on the 8th of Aug. 1865, to Miss Libbie Adelia PURINTON, of West Virginia, and granddaughter of Elder PURINTON of Truxton. She was born in Truxton May 13th, 1839, and died November 30th, 1871, and was a lady of excellent qualities. Vernon P. SQUIRES, the eldest son born of this union, was born Nov. 4th, 1866, and is now in the Cortland Normal School preparing for college. Emma Maud SQUIRES was born May 25th, 1869, and is now in the Normal School, preparing for Vassar College. Louis Almon SQUIRES, born Nov. 24th, 1871, is now in the Normal School, pursuing his regular course of studies. Mr. SQUIRES was agian married on the 14th of May, 1873, to Mary Elizabeth LESTER, of Binghamton, who had been a teacher many years and principal of the primary department of the Cortland Normal School. Their children by this marriage are Mary Louisa, born July 19th, 1875, died Aug. 17th, 1876; and Fred Dann Lester, born Feb. 2d, 1877, now in the Normal School..... File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/oh/cuyahoga/bios/squires390bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ohfiles/ File size: 12.4 Kb