TOWN OF WAYNE. 



433 



1811. Mrs. Wixson was born July 7, 1793. Daniel Wix- 

 son settled in Wayne on the farm now owned by his son Joel 

 about the time of his marriage. Of this union eleven chil- 

 dren were born, viz., Mary, Joel, Martin, Norman, John, 

 Daniel, Sacket B., Solomon C, Franklin, Eli B., and Menzo. 

 Martin and Daniel are deceased. Daniel, Sr., was a soldier 

 in the war of 1812, and was a farmer by occupation, and 

 reared his family to industry and economy. He was suc- 

 cessful, and was numbered with the most highly respected 

 citizens of Wayne. He and his wife were members of the 

 Baptist Church. He died Dec. 2, 1852, and his wife died 

 April 4, 1864. Mr. Joel Wixson lived with his parents 

 till he was about twenty-two, when he went to Illinois and 

 remained about one year, having taken up three hundred 

 and twenty acres of land. He returned and taught school 

 winters, and worked on the farm summers. 



He married Miss Lydia S. Wright, daughter of John 

 and Lydia Wright, of Barrington, Yates Co., N. Y., April 

 3, 1839. Mrs. Wixson was born June 4, 1816. Of this 

 marriage six children were born, viz., Mary Jane (died at 

 the age of twenty- two), Alzada, Alonzo J. (died at the age 

 of twenty-three), Ida (died at the age of twenty-one), John 

 Wright (died at the age of about twenty), and Lydia W. 

 Mr. Wixson settled on his present farm (the old home- 

 stead) in June, 1855. He has a fine farm of about one 

 hundred and eighty acres under a good state of cultivation. 

 Besides farming, he is engaged in the growing of grapes, 

 peaches, and apples, occupying for this purpose some twelve 

 acres. He is a breeder of fine sheep, and in all his farming 

 interests intends to keep up with the spirit of the times. 



In politics, he affiliates with the Republican party. He 

 has held various offices of trust and honor, such as assessor 

 and supervisor, for two terms during the war, and at present 

 is a commissioner of railroads. He and Mrs. Wixson have 

 been members of the Baptist Church for many years. He 

 is interested in good schools, and has given his children 

 good opportunities for an education. On Mr. Wixson's 

 sixty-fourth anniversary the members of his own and Mrs. 

 Wixson's family gathered at his home and made him an 

 agreeable surprise and a fine present, thus attesting their 

 love and esteem for him. 



Mrs. Wixson's father, John Wright, was one of the 

 earliest settlers of what is now known as Barrington, Yates 

 Co., N. Y., and became one of the wealthy men of that 

 county. He held various offices of trust, and was num- 

 bered among the most honorable in his community. 



SAMUEL HALLETT. 



Samuel Hallett was born in Canisteo, Steuben Co., N. Y., 

 Dec. 3, 1827. His parents were Moses and Nancy Fulton 

 Hallett. He attended the common school winters, until he 

 was sixteen, when he went to Alfred Academy for two terms. 

 He was graduated at the State Normal School in Albany, 

 N. Y., in 1847. He married Ann E. McDowell, of Wayne, 

 N. Y., April 18, 1848. Before and after his marriage he 

 taught school in Bath and elsewhere, with marked success ; 

 afterwards he was confidential clerk for George D. Mitchell, 

 of Hammondsport, N. Y., until 1851, when he went to 

 Adrian, N. Y., and engaged in the lumber business. While 

 55 



there, F. M. McDowell became interested with him in busi- 

 ness, and continued with him until his death. In 1852 he 

 removed to Hornellsville, and opened a banking-office ; soon 

 after he with others organized the Bank of Hornellsville. 

 In 1855 he went to Europe in the interest of the Scioto 

 and Hocking Valley Railroad Company. 



He was nominated for Congress by the American party 

 in 1856, and although unsuccessful, ran far ahead of his 

 ticket. At the beginning of the war he joined the Repub- 

 lican party, and acted with it ever after. 



Early in January, 1857, the firm of Samuel Hallett & Co. 

 was formed, consisting of Samuel Hallett, F. M. McDowell, 

 N. M. Crane, and Gr. W. McDowell, for the purpose of 

 transacting a general banking and negotiating business, and 

 located at 58 Beaver Street, New York. In the latter part 

 of this month, he went to Europe in connection with the 

 Nautilus Submarine Diving-Bell. 



While there he became interested in the enterprise of the 

 Atlantic and Great Western Railroad Company, and re- 

 mained until he had placed a sufficient amount of the stock 

 and bonds to buy the iron and complete the road ; for which 

 negotiation the firm received, as commissions, as large an 

 amount as was probably ever given to any American house 

 for a similar transaction up to that time. He returned from 

 Europe in October, 1858. 



The success of this enterprise gave an impetus to the 

 business of the house, which in the early years of the war 

 made it prominent in monetary affairs. Their financial 

 circular was quoted extensively both in this country and in 

 Europe. 



The house earnestly supported the government during 

 the critical times of 1861, and subscribed largely to its first 

 loans. 



In 1863 a new firm, retaining the same name, was or- 

 ganized, and in connection with Gen. John C. Fremont, 

 bought the controlling interest of the Leavenworth, Pawnee 

 and Western Railroad Company, one of the initial lines of 

 the Union Pacific, and changed its name to the Union Pacific 

 Eastern Division, now known as the Kansas Pacific. Mr. 

 Hallett took the entire charge of the work in Kansas, and 

 pushed it with his usual vigor. It was found, however, 

 that the subsidy in its original shape, together with the 

 difficulties in negotiating railroad securities at that time, 

 was insufficient to build the several roads contemplated by 

 the act of Congress, and he with others made such repre- 

 sentations to Congress as induced them to cancel the first 

 lien and take a second mortgage on the roads. 



Difficulties arising, Gen. Fremont retired from the enter- 

 prise, and Mr. Hallett continued the work in his own name. 

 In the face of almost insurmountable difficulties, he com- 

 pleted the first section, and issued cards of invitation for a 

 grand opening, when on the 27th day of July, 1864, he 

 was assassinated in the streets of Wyandotte, Kan., by a 

 discharged engineer. He is buried at his home in Wayne, 

 N. Y. 



On the day of his death, Mrs. Hallett sailed from Europe 

 for home with her four children, Ellen, Margaret K., Robert 

 L., and Samuel I., who are all living, except Ellen Hallett 

 Stewart, who died April 16, 1876. 



Mr. Hallett was a man of pleasing address, had a sanguine 



