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HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK. 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 



JOHN D. HAMILTON. 



The great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch was 

 born in Scotland, and came to America, settling in New 

 Jersey, where he reared a large family, of whom William 

 Hamilton was one. He (William Hamilton) was the father 

 of eleven children,— five sons and six daughters, — all of 

 whom lived to manhood and womanhood, and some to ex- 

 treme old age. Of this number Cornelius S. Hamilton was 

 born in Morris Co., N. J , July 28, 1799. Early in life 

 he commenced to learn the shoemaker's trade, and followed 

 it through life. He married Miss Rebecca, daughter of 

 John Davis, of Hunterdon Co., N. J., Nov. 29, 1827. 

 She was born in Bethlehem, Hunterdon Co., N. J., April 

 1, 1805, and left there, in company with her parents, about 

 1825, and settled in Lansing, Tompkins Co., N. Y., where 

 she became acquainted with her husband, who had left 

 New Jersey some time before and settled in that place. 

 Their children were John D., Jane, Sarah A., and Lewis. 

 They were all born in Lansing. Sarah A. died at the age 

 of twenty. 



In February, 1840, Mr. Hamilton with his family re- 

 moved to Lawrenceville, Pa., and from there to Pix, Schuy- 

 ler Co., N. Y., and Nov. 2, 1843, settled in Campbell, 

 where he resided till his death. In politics he was a Whig. 



Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton were members of the Presby- 

 terian Church at Campbell. Mr. Hamilton died Feb. 20, 

 1850, and was buried in the cemetery at Campbell. Mrs. 

 H. is now well advanced in years, and lives with her son, 

 John D. 



John D. Hamilton was born at Lansing, Tompkins Co., 

 N. Y., Nov. 17, 1828. He was reared to industry, and 

 early formed those business habits which have character- 

 ized him through life. He received a common-school edu- 

 cation, but by reading and reflection has acquired a good 

 business education. 



He commenced life by working on a farm for seven dol- 

 lars per month. He also learned the shoemaker's trade. 

 Before his majority he had made ten trips down the Sus- 

 quehanna as raftsman, and acted as pilot during one trip. 



When Mr. Hamilton became of age he commenced busi- 

 ness for himself in the shoe trade at Campbell. In April, 

 1854, he entered into partnership with S. B. Howell and 

 John G. Curtis, of Painted Post, and built a tannery at 

 Curtisville, and this partnership continued till February, 

 1857. During this time the company owned a store at 

 Painted Post. 



Messrs. Hamilton and Howell sold their interest in the 

 tannery to their partner, John G. Curtis, and his brother, 

 Daniel B. Curtis, and in a few weeks Mr. Hamilton sold 

 his interest in the store to Mr. Howell. 



In April, 1857, he began building his present tannery. 

 The firm was established under the name of J. D. Hamil- 

 ton & Co., as it has since remained, though Mr. Hamilton 

 has changed partners. In 1866, Messrs. Hamilton, Curtis 

 & Co. built a very extensive tannery at Emporium, Cameron 

 Co., Pa. In 1870 the firm-name changed to Hamilton, 



Martin & Co., Mr. Curtis having retired. Mr. Hamilton 

 has been the controlling manager in both tanneries. They 

 give employment to more than ten men continually, and 

 during bark-peeling time they employ some three hundred 

 and fifty or more men. They use about ten thousand cords 

 of bark annually. This company make the purchases of 

 their stock in the city of New York, and sell their leather 

 direct from the tannery. This firm owns several thousand 

 acres of timber land, and is unsurpassed by any other for 

 its credit. 



Mr. Hamilton affiliates with the Republican party, and 

 cast his first vote for Winfield Scott for President. He has 

 never held any official position, as his extensive business 

 relations would not allow him to do so. His firm has dealt 

 with large firms in England, Scotland, and Germany, send- 

 ing their leather direct to those firms. 



He married Harriet D. Lovell, a native of Chemung 

 Co., N. Y., Feb. 17, 1858. Mrs. Hamilton was born Aug. 

 25, 1835. They have two children, — Willis L., born April 

 14, 1860, and Sarah, born Feb. 24, 1874. 



Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton are worthy members of the 

 Presbyterian Church. He has been one of the most suc- 

 cessful business men in Steuben County. (See view of his 

 residence on another page of this work.) In all his busi- 

 ness relations he has been actuated by a strict regard for 

 truth and honor. He is a kind, hospitable neighbor, a 

 dutiful son, and an affectionate husband and father. His 

 life shows what can be accomplished by industry, integrity, 

 and perseverance, coupled with those moral principles 

 which lie at the foundation of every truly successful life. 



DANIEL B. CURTIS. 



The subject of this sketch is the oldest son of John and 

 Lucy Curtis, and was born in Newtown, Fairfield Co., Conn., 

 March 30, 1826. His father owning and carrying on the 

 business of a tannery, Daniel worked with him until his 

 death, which occurred in 1845. He then continued the 

 business alone until 1849, when he sold out and went to 

 California by way of the Isthmus of Panama, being forty 

 days on the way. He arrived in San Francisco about the 

 15th of November, 1849, and for the first year was en- 

 gaged in prospecting and mining, and the remainder of his 

 stay in California as a general produce merchant, shipping 

 goods by pack-mules into the mining districts, his head- 

 quarters being at Marysville. He left California in the 

 fall of 1856, and in the spring of 1857 he settled at Cur- 

 tis, Steuben Co., N. Y., having purchased a half-interest 

 in a tannery there. He continued in the business about 

 two years, when he sold out to Messrs. Fitch & Ailing, of 

 Rochester. 



He then purchased of his uncle, Daniel Curtis, after 

 whom the railroad station of Curtis was. named, the saw- 

 mill and farm on which he now resides. The farm contains 

 about four hundred acres. He was married in Bath, N. Y., 

 in May, 1863, to Mary A., daughter of Lucius H. and 

 Susan Y. Brown. They have had four children, Jennie B. 

 (who died when three years old), John S., George H., and 

 Uri B. Curtis. 



