O-EOI^G-E :R. i?.. ^^inSTS^^ATOI^TH:, 



George R. R. x4.insworth was horn in the town of 

 Prattsburgh, Steuben Co., N. Y., Jan. 12, 1830. His 

 father, Isaac Ainsworth, was a native of Massachusetts, 

 and came to Otisco, Ouondaga Co., with his mother (the 

 father having died in Massachusetts) while quite young, 

 and during the latter part of the last century. While a 

 young man he migrated to the town of Prattsburgh, 

 about the year 1800, and took up some twelve hundred 

 acres of timbered land. This was in the time of Indian 

 wigwams, and when the forests in this section teemed 

 with wolves and other wild game. 



During his lifetime he cleared over one-half of the 

 original forest from this land, as- 

 sisted as he was by seven negro 



men whose families lived on his "^ 



place, and he retained his entire 

 proj)erty until his death, 1840. 



Having received a liberal edu- 

 cation in his early life, upon 

 coming to this new country Mr. 

 Ainsworth, senior, spent his time 

 for several winters as a teacher, 

 and many of the oldest men now 

 living in Prattsburgh owe their 

 early education to the efforts of 

 this man. While he lived he was a 

 representative man and a worthy 

 citizen, and for some twenty-five 

 years held places of trust and 

 responsibility in the town. He 

 was one of the organizers of the 

 Presbyterian Church of the place, 

 and contril)uted liberally to that 



and kindred interests during his life. He was married 

 to Louisa Burton, after settling here, in the year 1812, 

 of which union was born one son, Addison, who now 

 resides in his native town. 



His wife died April 26, 1816, and he married Sallie 

 Townsend, of Prattsburgh, the same year, September 4. 

 Of this union were born ^ve sons and one daughter, — 

 Willard (deceased), Clinton (deceased), Mrs. Dr. Cheney 

 (deceased), George, Henry C, and Burrage R. The 

 mother of these children died in 1841, at the age of 

 forty-three. 



George R. R. Ainsworth was only ten years of age 

 when his father died. At the age of fifteen he became 

 a clerk for James C. Johnson, of Prattsburgh, and after 



(S-oMoIRoAIi: 



one year went to Penn Yan, and was a clerk with Mr. 

 E. B. Jones for three years ; at the end of which time he 

 came to Prattsburgh and established a general merchan- 

 dise store with Dr. Chauncey Hayes. After a partner- 

 ship of three years, Mr. Ainsworth disposed of his 

 interest in the store, and established himself alone in 

 the same business, which he has enlarged as the growing 

 interests of the country demanded, and continued until 

 the present time. In 1862 he established a private 

 bank, and has since carried on legitimate banking in 

 connection with his mercantile business. 



In 1875 he established a bank in Hammondsport, 



this county, which has been 

 managed since by his son, Henry 

 C. Ainsworth. — ~.^__ 



His father was a firm sup- 

 porter of the old Whig party, 

 _. and, carrying out the principles 

 of his progenitor, Mr. Ainsworth 

 is identified with the Republican 

 party. Never solicitous of any 

 political preferment, desiring 

 rather the quiet of a strictly 

 private life, he has given his 

 whole attention to business. 



He has grown up with the 

 village of Prattsburgh, and ever 

 been actively interested in its 

 prosperity. For some ten years 

 he was trustee of the Franklin 

 Academy, and since the estab^ 

 lishment of the Union Free 

 School, in connection with the 

 Academy, he has held the office of trustee for two 

 years. 



Mr. Ainsworth is a member of the Presbyterian 

 Church, of which he has been secretary and treasurer for 

 many years, and among the first to forward all interests 

 tending to educate and elevate the rising generation. 



He is an acceptable business man, and as a neigh- 

 bor has no superior in genuine kindness of heart, and 

 liberal, unostentatious acts of private charity. 



In the year 1851 he married Mary E., daughter 

 of David Smith, of Hammondsport. Their children 

 are George R., Henry C, Mary E. (deceased), Edward 

 S., Willard S. (deceased), David S., Clara T., and 

 Robert L. 



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