CHAPTER XII 



C. J. HAMLIN AND VILLAGE FARM 



CICERO J. HAMLIN was born in November, 1819, in 

 western Massachusetts, and I recall a visit with him 

 to Pittsfield in the vigorous days of his mature life 

 when he pointed out the changes that had taken 

 place there since he was a boy. When a young man 

 he embarked in the business of general storekeeper 

 at East Aurora, Erie County, N. Y., and the little 

 economies that he was forced to practice colored to 

 some extent his future career. The passion for driv- 

 ing a keen bargain never deserted him, and he would 

 resist as earnestly an unjust tax of five cents as one 

 of $500. The father of ex-President Millard Fil- 

 more was one of the men who traded at his country 

 store, and he used to tell with dry humor the remark 

 the old gentleman made when three eggs out of a 

 proffered dozen were rejected. " Well, I suppose 

 I shall have to take them back home and me and 

 my wife will try to eat them." After Mr. Hamlin 

 had accumulated a little money at East Aurora he 

 moved to Buffalo and rapidly built up a reputation 

 as a dry goods merchant. His investments in real 

 estate were made with rare judgment, and his suc- 

 cessful development of the glucose industry greatly 



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