Family Profile
of
ELLERY COLBY
President of the Owego Bridge Company.
WRITTEN BY:
Ken Colby
Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this full paragraph remains on all copied material. These electronic pages, with original information, commentary, and underlying source code, cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation, nor may this copyrighted original electronic text be used on any other site or CD-ROM.
Lucius H. Colby, was born in Goshen, CT in 1814 - (Our County and it's People a Memoral History of Tioga County, New York - by W. Kingman, 1897 p. 572 - gives the names of Lucius parents as John and Anna Colby) he was married to Rosetta F. Perkins August 3, 1835 at Bethany, CT. Lucius moved his family to Cayuga County, New York where they are listed in the 1850 Federal Census p. 118. Before removing to Groton, Tompkins County, NY - where they are listed in the 1860 Federal Census, by 1880 they are living in Auburn, Cayuga County, where he is listed in the Federal Census p. 402 as a Veterinary Surgeon. Rosetta (Perkins) Colby died on January 22, 1891 leaving a will in which she names my 2nd-great grandfather - Frank E. Colby of Groton, Tompkins County. He was first married to Estella Maria Hinman ( 1860-1879 ) daughter of Milo and Ruth Hinman who are buried in the Indian Mound Cemetery at Mariva - County, NY and his second wife was Harriett E. Keys ( 1864.- 1927 ) who is buried beside him in the Tioga Cemetery on Highway 17C - West of Owego.. Lucius remarried on May 20, 1893 age 80 years, to Phebe J. Clark age 51. This marriage was found in Auburn. Lucius died March 20, 1894. Lucius and Rosetta Colby are both burried in the Fort Hill Cemetery, in Auburn, Cayuga County - NY. He also left a will in which he names son Frank E Colby of Owego, Tioga County - NY. They also name a son Ellery Colby of Owego. The history book that I named above tells about Ellery Colby as being the President of the Owego Bridge Company. The 1900 Federal Census for the town of Owego names Frank as a bridge builder. His 1918 obituary relates that he died July 6, 1918 at his home on East Main St. the census lists his home as 359 Main St. It also names my great - grand-father Watson W. Colby, the only child of Frank and Estella Hinman Colby. Watson W. Colby was born November 9, 1878 at Groton, Tompkins Co., NY. He is listed in the 1880 Federal Census Census for the town of Locke, Cayuga Co., p. 4 living in the household of his grandparents Milo and Ruth Hinman. He married first, Adah Mosher, daughter of Stephen D. and Fannie Mosher, on July 12, 1896 at Groton, Tompkins County - New York. ( Adah Mosher was born 1878 in the town of Locke - she is listed in the 1880 Federal Census p. 8 ). His second wife was Nellie W. Sherwood who he married June 5, 1909 at Nicholes, tioga County - New York. According to Watson's obt. found in the Owego Times dated June 25, 1935 which relates that he removed to Owego about 35 years ago (1900) when his father became associated with the Owego Bridge Company, and established his residence here. Thereafter for a period of about 12 years Watson W. Colby was manager of his father's farm at Lounsberry where he resided at the time of Adah Mosher Colby death in 1906. From there he removed to a farm which he had purchased at Hiawatha and where he lived for six years. He then removed this village ( Owego ) where he lived in the former Alford E. Hill resident on William Street, at the foot of Front Street while he was engaged in the livery, taxi, and trucking business on North Ave. Watson's death obt. relates that he died June 22, 1935 in the arms of his wife Nellie - this would make a good lovestory. Watson was burried in the Tioga Cemetery on highway 17C - west of Owego beside both of his wifes. The children of the first marriage were:
Walter Frank Colby born August 14, 1898, Locke, Cayuga Co., NY These are my grandparents who moved to Garden City Kansas.
Estella Maria Colby, born July 16, 1903, Nicholes, Tioga Co., NY Their descendants still live in and around Owego The history book "Early Owego" by LeRoy Wilson Kingman p. 560 shows a picture of the Iron Bridge that was built by the Owego Bridge Company known as the Court Street Bridge - for it's story and the story of the 1910 flood see: http://www.rootsweb.com/~nytioga/owegofld.htm So I am trying to find a real picture of this bridge and one of Frank E. Colby - Can you help ?
|
|---|
Send comments or suggestions to:
Ernie Miles