MICHAEL CEOTTY. 



Michael Crotty was born in Gourhas, County Clare, 

 Ireland, in 1829. His father, Michael, senior, was a 

 well-to-do farmer of the same place, and was there born 

 and died, being about sixty years of age. Of his three 

 sons and three daughters, only the subject of this narra- 

 tive came to America. 



In the year 1848 he emigrated to this country, stop- 

 ping first at Elmira for a while. He then moved to 

 Canisteo, and from there to Alfred, finding employment 

 with Professor Kenyon, of Alfred University, where he 

 acquired a good common-school education. In 1853 he 

 settled in Hornellsville, and after a few years in the em- 

 ploy of Mr. Osborne, he became the confidential clerk 

 of Maurice Fitzgerald, by whom he was intrusted im- 

 plicitly with the financial part of his business. In 1863 

 he purchased the location on Broad Street which he oc- 

 cupied as a place of business until his death. It was in 

 this place that he first went into business for himself, 

 and where by judicious management he accumulated a 

 comfortable fortune, the larger portion of which was 

 made by operations in real-estate. 



Mr. Crotty was connected with the best interests of 

 the village during his residence here, and showed that 

 characteristic industry and integrity worthy the emu- 

 lation of others, and by his own exertion, from strug- 

 gling with poverty, became one of the best financiers 

 of Hornellsville. He is thus spoken of by the papers 



of the village at the time of his death, which occurred 

 Sept. 9, 1877 : 



" When a man of wealth or influence passes away it is 

 very easy to say good words for him in public, but all 

 who were acquainted with Mr. Crotty well know that 

 we speak only the truth when we say the highest praise 

 that can be given to any one — that he was an honest man. 

 And more than that, while he probably had more inti- 

 mate dealings with more poor people than any other man 

 in town, no one can truthfully say that he ever in any 

 way took advantage of that fact to advance his own 

 interest by distressing them in any manner. Nay, more 

 than that. When he knew a man to be worthy, but 

 unfortunate, he did not even enforce his own just dues, 

 but tided him over his difficulties by not merely passive, 

 but active sympathy and aid. He was a man whose 

 word was believed to have been as good as his bond. 

 His people trusted him implicitly. The last act of his 

 life was to make a will, bequeathing everything he owned 

 to his wife, unreservedly and without restrictions of any 

 kind, remarking that, as they had begun life together 

 poor, and had toiled together in early days to gain their 

 possessions, everything should go to her at his death. '^ 



He was married July 3, 1856, to Margaret O'Brien, 

 a native of Ireland, and who came to America at the* age 

 of seventeen, settling first at Hornellsville. Their chil- 

 dren living are Maggie and Nellie. 



