Geo. F. Horton

“ Cyrus Horton was a New York merchant for some years, but by reason of ill-health, he abandoned active business and purchased the homestead of his father in Philipstown, and there he spent the closing years of his life in comparative retirement, possessing a moderate competence, acquired in merchandising. He died in the same house in which his father had lived and died, thus two generations died on the homestead. He was distinguished for his gentlemanly deportment, Christian life, and public spirit. The old homestead was a church and a religious centre for more than sixty years. ”

“ He possesses excellent social qualities, is kind-hearted, generous and noble, and at his banking house, 56 Broadway, New York, or at his island home, those who visit him will meet with such a frank and cordial reception as to make them feel that they are not only at home, but at the home of one whose words and deeds define the character of a true gentleman. ”

“ Horton is a man of liberal views, and has always been an ardent and practical advocate of political and religious freedom. To the poor, both black and white, he has been a faithful friend. To-day, an honest man in homespun receives as cordial a grasp of his hand, as the man in broadcloth and fine linen. That he has the sympathy and respect of the masses of his fellow-citizens, was manifested in a most gratifying manner in the vote given him in his county for State Senator, in the contest of 1871. ”

“ They are both live members of the Presbyterian Church of Southold, and he is one of the ruling elders, and they are both wielding a strong influence for Christianity, and command the respect and esteem of the community. They own a good farm beautifully situated. Mr. Terry is a farmer, doing much of his farm-work himself, but still he finds time for study and reading, and for some years past he has been engaged in looking up, and collating and compiling the genealogy of the descendants of Richard Terry I. He has the work in a good state of forwardness, and much of it ready for the press. ”

“ In Terrytown, Pa., on the 7th inst., Miss Nancy T. daughter of Dr. G. F. and Abigail Horton, aged twenty-five years. Born of pious parents, from infancy she enjoyed the advantages of religious culture. In early life she made profession of faith in Christ, and ever after adorned that profession with a consecrated life and godly deportment. She was among the first to unite with the then recently organized Presbyterian church at Terrytown, which she loved with the ardor of a sanctified affection. ”

“ Sarah H. Thompson was one of the excellent of the earth—faithful, kind, energetic and industrious—exemplifying Christianity in her daily walk and conversation; open, frank and cheerful, she was ever sunshine for the family. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Thompson is well preserved; has lived a long life of usefulness; an able and efficient farmer; an upright Christian man; began the world with little; is now wealthy. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church.
VII. Lydia, daughter of Jeremiah Horton, Esq., and Mary Goldsmith, [98] born in Blooming Grove, 24 April, 1799 ”

“ He loved his friends and home, but he loved his country more, and he was willing to bid adieu to father and mother, brothers and sisters, and go into the foremost rank of those who were battling for the right, and he battled nobly, and fell at last a martyr for his country's freedom. ”

“ Mining has had no attraction for him to this day.
When Mr. Horton reached San Francisco again, his financial condition would have caused a "panic" in any other man. In capital he was "broke," but in nothing else. Then as now, there were the strength and elasticity of steel in the man's spirit and nerves. He first tried a stall in the market; but the dollar a day realized caused him to retire from business in a short time. ”

“ Israel Horton and Sarah Lee, born at Cutchogue, Southold, L. I., 18 Dec., 1758; married in 1783, to Mary Terry, daughter of Uriah Terry and Abigail Cleveland, and born in Southold, L. I., in 1760. He was a clothier by trade, served his apprenticeship in Chester, and then settled for a short time at Boskenridge,—it is now Basking Ridge,—New Jersey, and then moved to Somerville, New Jersey, where he settled permanently and where he died. He was one of the most pious and exemplary men that ever lived, a zealous, active, intelligent Presbyterian. ”

“ Mr. T. K. Horton is a first-class merchant in the city of Brooklyn, and is doing a large business. He visited Europe a few years ago, and when in England he went to Mousely, the birthplace of the old puritan, Barnabas. But he found no one there who knew anything of the ancestry of Barnabas.
Mr. Horton is distinguished for his business capacity, industry, strict integrity and honorable dealing with his fellow men. ”

“ Eaton, they organized themselves into a Congregational Church, and sailed to the east end of Long Island, now Southold. They had all been members of Puritan churches in England, and all had families with them except Peter Hallock. They doubtless had been on the island previous to this time and looked out their homes. On nearing the shore they cast lots to decide who should first set foot on the land. The lot fell on Peter Hallock, and the place where he stepped upon the land has ever since been known as Hallock's Landing. ”

“ I purchased land, and settled permanently at Adams Centre, after my marriage. In December, 1829, myself and wife connected ourselves with the Baptist Church, at the State Road, Jefferson County, New York.
"We were blessed with four daughters—all grew up to womanhood, married, made a public profession of religion, and became members of the Baptist Church. We occupied our old home until the 13th of December, 1872, when death removed my dear wife from this world of care, pain and suffering to the mansions of everlasting rest, as I humbly trust. ”

“ In many of the early families the exact order of births cannot be ascertained; but it has been approximated as nearly as possible. The lineage is given in connection with the first member of the family. The Roman numerals indicate the order of births. The sons and daughters of the old Puritan, Barnabas, constitute the second generation, but they are spoken by way of eminence as Joseph I., Hannah I., &c. The book contains much repetition, but none too much to make it plain and easy to study.
This little book contains the chronicles of only about one-half of the Horton families looked up. ”

“ She was sustained through a long and painful illness by an unfaltering trust in her covenant keeping Saviour, and with her feet firmly set on the Rock of Ages by a living faith, fearlessly entered the dark valley, fearing no evil. ”

“ They knew that the spirit of the late rebellion still survived in New Orleans, and they could not hope that they should be permitted to assemble without some molestation from disorderly individuals, but they had no suspicions that the masses of the city would rise against them, organized for deliberate bloodshed. ”

“ Speaking of her deceased little infant, Susan Amelia, she says, "To whom, like a dew-drop, kissed off by the sun's morning beam, a beauteous existence was given, whose soul seemed to come down to earth in a dream, only to wake up when it ascended to Heaven." She has kindly given much valuable information in regard to the Hortons of New Jersey and their connections, only a small part of which can appear in the "Chronicles." Mrs. Coe's ancestors, both on her father and mother's side, were originally from England. ”

“ He was Supervisor of the township of Phelps for eight years in succession, and was one of the most prominent and influential citizens of the town, enjoying the fullest confidence of the people. He was a kind-hearted and upright man, a close figurer, but always just and honorable in his dealings. He was never married, never made a public profession of religion, although he was a man of very correct moral deportment and habits, and practically a Christian gentleman. ”

“ His opponent was the Democratic chief of the county, that had never before failed to give a large Democratic majority. San Diego honored the Republican Horton with a majority of 50, and he only failed in election by the adjoining county (forming the balance of the district) voting as usual, largely Democratic. Socially he is a warm-hearted, affable gentleman, true to his friends, and watchful of those who play him false. Temperate in his habits, and always active in mind and body, his health is as robust, and his personal appearance as young as most men at 50 years. ”

“ After partaking of the latter, the party (among whom were the names of Churchill, Odell, Ogden and Jewett) continued on until reaching the foot of Koskonong Lake, where each one made a quarter-section claim, built a cabin, and went back to Milwaukee. One of those claims, at least, was left for another pre-emptor, with the cabin thrown in, for Horton was soon too busy to think farther about it. Others waited, with hands in pockets, for the approaching land sales; he took up the shovel and worked on the new streets. Money was worth too much to be wasted by idleness. ”

“ He is now an excellent and well-educated farmer, owning a large and beautiful farm on the Susquehanna River, about four miles above the mouth of Wyalusing Creek.
Dr. Maria M. Homet commenced the study of medicine, in Phelps, with Dr. Bannister. In early life she was a very acceptable and successful school-teacher. In 1850 she came to Pennsylvania, and entered the office of Dr. Horton at Terrytown, Pa., and continued the study of medicine. She graduated at the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, in the class of 1853. ”

“ They are, and always have been, producers rather than consumers, and for industry, integrity, and piety, they will lose nothing in a comparison with the renowned families of either the new or the old world.
The first of the family who emigrated to this country, of whom we have any authentic record, came over from England 1633 to 1638. Thomas, Jeremiah, and Barnabas, were among the early emigrants, and old tradition says they were brothers. Thomas came over in the "Mary and John," in 1633, settled permanently in Springfield, Mass. [xi] Jeremiah also settled in Massachusetts. ”

“ Under date of 8 February, 1874, Webb Horton writes, "My mother is living and in good health. She resides at Liberty, Sullivan Co., N. Y. She is in the eighty-seventh year of her age. Her father died aged eighty-eight, and her grandmother, Prudence Schofield, aged ninety-four. She has now living ten children, thirty-seven grandchildren, and nineteen great-grandchildren."
This is a very remarkable family—so large and yet so few deaths. [24] It is a rare occurrence to find a family of children, ten in number, the youngest forty-six years old, all living. ”

“ Franklin Blackman is a very intellectual man, possesses superior social qualities, a high sense of honor, and extraordinary business capacities. He resides at Rochelle, Ill. He is self-educated, possesses a large store of general information and practical knowledge, a mind disciplined to study, and a generous spirit. He has made two European tours, the first in 1866–67, and the second in 1868–69. During his travels and after his return home he published, in the "Ogle County Reporter," fifty letters, under the title of "Rambles in the Orient," ably written, and full of interesting information. ”

“ Nevertheless, with but few exceptions, they have been industrious, peaceable, law-abiding, and very respectable citizens, possessing commendable self-reliance and independence. They belong to the middle class of the people—the class which has always constituted the basis of a good-ordered, well-regulated, and prosperous State and Nation. ”

“ Mr. Jordan is a son of Matthias Jordan and Sally Smith, both of illustrious English descent, and on the mother's side tracing back to the Colonial Governor of Virginia. They were planters, on the James River, but moved to North Carolina in early life, engaged largely in [169] the East India trade—lost a large fortune by the ravages of the war of 1812.
Hon. J. P. Jordan is a lawyer, self-educated, but rose gradually to eminence in his profession, and has several times been a member of the Legislature. ”

“ Habits have grown upon me imperceptibly from my childhood. I have old diaries written in my younger days, in which I find recorded rules for my own conduct, the strict observance of which, has caused me many miles of travel and hours of labor. ”

“ Though long engaged in mercantile pursuits, he never had occasion to fear financial crises or revulsions, living always prepared at any moment to honor his pecuniary obligations. Punctuality and promptness were marked characteristics of the man. To perform was more pleasing to him than to promise; in enterprises for the public good he was always among the first. ”

“ Isaac Horton was a member of the Baptist Church, of Colchester; but after he moved to Liberty, Sullivan Co., N. Y., he usually attended the Episcopal Church. He built a grist-mill at Liberty Falls, in 1827 or 1828, another in 1841–42. He was quite extensively engaged in the manufacture of bed-posts and other turned work, including wooden bowls; also in shipping curled and birds-eye maple. Politically he was a whig, and an ardent supporter of Clay and Webster. He died 10 May, 1855. She is still living. ”

“ Jonathan, son of Col. Nathan Horton and Elizabeth Eagles, born on New River, 26 Feb., 1806; married 11 Jan., 1841, at Richland, Ashe Co., N. C., to Melinda Hartzag, daughter of Jacob Hartzag and Rebecca Coloway, and born at Richland, 10 May, 1824. She is a distant relative of the celebrated Daniel Boone, the bold old pioneer of the West, of former days.
The Colonel resides at the old homestead of his father, Col. Nathan, owns good lands, and is an excellent farmer. He lost heavily by Emancipation. He has been a very prominent man all his life—firm, intelligent and generous. ”

“ William Horton and Lizzie Covert, born at Sommers, New York, 23 January, 1773; was married 15 May, 1800, to Martha White, born at White Plains, 17 March, 1775. She died 16 July, 1862, aged 87.
He was about sixteen years of age when his father moved to Colchester, Delaware County, New York, where he endured the hardships and privations incident to a frontier settlement. In 1806 he moved from Colchester to Chaumont, Jefferson Co., New York, then a dense forest. He settled permanently on Point Salubrious, being the first family of white people who ever settled there. ”

“ She was a beautiful woman, and her happiness seemed to centre in their welfare, which her husband reciprocated by leaving her his entire estate, which she left unimpaired at her death, after a life of over four-score years. ”