This is an early Connecticut name and is still represented in that state whence it has spread to many regions of the United States and has been especially identified with the settlement and development of northern New York. It is today (1910) conspicuous in Franklin and Clinton counties, as well as elsewhere throughout the state.
(I) Henry Botsford, supposed to have been a native of England, is found among the first settlers of Milford, Conn., being there as early as 1639. There is a tradition that he removed from Massachusetts Bay Colony to Wethersfield, and thence to Milford. He early owned land in Milford at Camp Morgage to which his son Elnathan succeeded. Henry Botsford became a member of the Milford Church, June 25, 1644, and died in 1685-86. The inventory of his property shows the value of eighty-seven pounds and four shillings.
His wife Elizabeth, died in 1690-91.
Their names are among those perpetuated in the memorial bridge of Milford, erected to the memory of the first settlers and dedicated in 1889, the two-hundredth and fiftieth anniversay of the settlement.
Children:
Elnathan, mentioned below.
Elizabeth, baptized in 1643.
Mary, 1644.
Hannah, Dec., 1645.
Hester, July 11, 1647.
Ruth, July 6, 1649.
(II) Elnathan, eldest child of Henry and Elizabeth Botsford, was born in Milford, baptized there Aug. 14, 1641, and died Sept. 10, 1791. [transcriber's note: do they mean 1691? If it's 1791 he lived to be about 150 years old!] He became a member of the Milford church, Dec. 17, 1669.
He married (first) at Milford, Dec. 12, 1655, Elizabeth, daughter of John Fletcher. She died in 1660, and he married (second) Oct. 14, 1667, Hannah, daughter of Timothy and Mary Baldwin, baptize in August, 1644.
Children of first wife:
Elizabeth, born 1656.
Esther, 1658.
John, Jan. 8, 1666 [see below in Second Entry].
Children of second wife:
Samuel, July 30, 1669.
Mary, Jan. 11, 1671.
Hannah and Joanna (twins), 1673.
Henry, 1675.
Timothy, Nov. 10, 1678.
Sarah, Aug. 10, 1683.
Joseph, mentioned below.
(III) Joseph, youngest child of Elnathan and Hannah (Baldwin) Botsford, was born Sept. 30, 1688, in Milford, and was among the pioneer settlers of Newtown, Conn., locating there soon after 1709. He was selectman of the town in 1730 and frequently afterward as late as 1745. He probably had sons, Amos, Gideon, Abel and Ephraim.
(IV) Ephraim, son of Joseph Botsford, was probably born in Newtown, in 1720, died in Sharon, Conn., Dec. 5, 1795. He settled in that town in 1765, and had sons, Elnathan and Ephraim. The elder died in 1821. Following is inscribed on the tombstone of Ephraim Botsford in Sharon:
"When you, my friends, this tomb draw near,
Bedew my urn with one kind tear;
Then look by faith to realms above,
Where all is harmony and love."
(V) Elnathan (2), elder son of Ephraim Botsford, was born Dec. 4, 1757, in Newtown, and resided in Sharon. He was a soldier in the revolution, serving in Captain Oliver Parmelee's company, the Seventh Company of Colonel Charles Burrell's battalion, enlisting Feb. 4, 1776. He also enlisted July 4, 1780, and was discharged Dec. 12 of the same year.
His wife's name was Tamar, and their children included:
Warren, mentioned below.
Elnathan and Caleb Palmer (twins), born Sept. 15, 1781.
Phoebe.
(VI) Warren, son of Elnathan (2) and Tamar Botsford, was born Feb. 19, 1780, in Sharon, Conn., died in Burke, Franklin county, N.Y., Feb. 10, 1856. He was among the pioneers of Burke, settling there in 1804, and was the first supervisor of the town when it was set apart from Chateaugay. He was a volunteer in the war of 1812, serving as a private in Captain Moses Eggleston's company, in the Sixty-sixth Infantry Regiment, New York Militia, commanded by Major Smith. He enlisete Sept. 11, 1814, and served until the twentieth of the same month.
He probably lived for a time when a young man in Lanesborough, Berkshire county, Mass. The records show that he married there (first) April 30, 1802, Cynthia Lane, of Cheshire, Mass., born 1779, died Sept. 26, 1812.
Children:
Luther, Eliza A., Cynthia, William, Sally, Almira and Loren (mentioned below).
He married (second) Electa Eggleston, a widow, who died in 1852.
(VII) Loren, youngest child of Warren and Cynthia (Lane) Botsford, was born in 1805, in Burke, where he died May 10, 1865. He was a man of unusual intelligence, and made such use of his time in the primitive school of the day that he was able to teach school and followed this occupation for a number of years.
He was a Democrat in political principle, was active in local affairs, and served as supervisor of the town of Burke.
He married Emily Thayer, who died at Spring Valley, Minnesota, about the same time as her husband.
Children:
Diana, Henry (mentioned below), Emma, Myra, Loren, Ellen and Nelson.
(VIII) Henry, eldest son of Loren and Emily (Thayer) Botsford, was born Feb., 1837, in Burke, and died there April 10, 1890. He had such educational advantages as the common school afforded, and this was supplemented by extensive reading. He was a student of men and affairs, one of the best posted citizens of his community, and was a prominent member of the Baptist church of Burke.
He married, in 1860, Jennie Bromley, born in Canada, 1843, now (1910) living at Brushton, N.Y., wife of George C. Greenlief.
Children of Henry & Jennie Botsford:
1. Elmer F., born in Burke, Nov. 24, 1861, attorney-at-law, Plattsburgh, N.Y.; married Katherine L. Lyons; child, Benedict.
2. Addis Kingsley, mentioned below.
(IX) Addis Kingsley, son of Henry Botsford, was born June 7, 1869. He attended the public schools of his native town, and the Union Free School at Chateaugay, N.Y., graduating thre in 1889. He then taught school for a time at Chateaugay. He entered the University of Vermont, at Burlington, and was graduated in the class of 1894. He studied his profession at the Cornell Law School and was graduated in 1896. He was admitted to the bar, Oct. 29, 1896, in the appellate division of the New York supreme court, and to practice in the federal courts Sept. 17, 1901, at Utica, N.Y. He opened an office, at Saranac Lake, N.Y. in 1896, and has continued in that place to the present time (1910).
In politics he is a Republican.
He served as school commissioner of the first district of Franklin county, comprising eight towns. He was town clerk one term. In 1908 he assisted in organizing the Saranac National Bank and is attorney and a director of that institution. He is president of the Home Telephone Company; secretary of the Au Sable Heat and Power Company; vice-president of the Saranac Board of Trade; director of the Valley Stream Realty Company of Long Island; director of the Floral Park and Plattsburgh Realty Company of Long Island. He was treasurer of his class in college in 1894.
He is a member of White Face Mountain Lodge, No. 789, Free and Accepted Masons, of Saranac Lake; of Waneta Chapter, Nov. 291, Royal Arch Masons; of Franklin Commandery, No. 60, Knights Templar; of Karnak Temple, Mystic Shrine, of Montreal, Canada; of White Face Mountain Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star; member of the Saranac Lake Lodge, No. 659, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is treasurer of the Pontiac Club; member of the International Skating Assocaition; the Fish and Game Club, and director of the Anti-Tuberculosis Association of Saranac Lake.
In religion he is a Presbyterian.
He married, in November, 1896, Elizabeth Smith, of Chateaugay, daughter of Edward and Barbara Smith.
SECOND ENTRY:
(III) John Botsford, son of Elnathan Botsford (q.v.) was born in Milford, Conn., Jan. 8, 1666. He settled in Newtown, Conn., and is the progenitor of most of the families of that town.
He married Hepsibah ____.
In 1712 we find as heads of families at Newtown, John, Moses, Joseph, Henry and Henry Jr., his sons and grandsons, and brothers. He had a son Gideon.
(IV) Moses, son of John Botsford, was born at Newtown about 1700. He married Sarah ____.
Children:
Theophilus, born March 23, 1731.
Jabez, mentioned below.
Phebe, March 8, 1739.
Thomas, Jan. 13, 1743.
From these have descended many of the Newtown families.
(V) Jabez, son of Moses Botsford, was born at Newtown, Sept. 26, 1735. He was a lieutenant in the Fairfield County Company (Eighth Company) in 1775 in the revolution; captain of the Seventh Company of the Fairfield County Regiment, Colonel Heman Swift, 1777. Clement Botsford was an ensign in this regiment. Jabez was lieutenant also in 1777 for a time in Major Daniel Starr's regiment. (Conn. Rev. Rolls, p. 13.) Captain Jabez Botsford was a justice of the peace in Fairfield county.
(VI) Jabez (2), son of Captain Jabez (1) Botsford, was born in the village of Botsford, Conn., April 9, 1772, died in New York, Aug. 31, 1834. He settled in early life in Lewis county, N.Y., and was a tailor by trade.
He married Sopha Fox, born May 28, 1782, died Feb. 28, 1862.
Children:
Emily, born Oct. 13, 1806.
Daniel F., Oct. 9, 1808.
Franklin W., May 9, 1811.
Cyrenus Zebedee, mentioned below.
Anthony, Sept. 6, 1816.
Francis P., March 4, 1818.
James W., Aug. 2, 1819.
Henry H., March 17, 1822.
Mary E., Feb. 23, 1824.
Adelia A., Aug. 20, 1825.
Ahira F., Oct. 17, 1826.
John J., April 9, 1832.
Adelia, April 26, 1833.
(VII) Cyrenus Zebedee, son of Jabez (2) Botsford, was born in the village of Botsford, Fairfield county, Conn., Oct. 9, 1813, died in Canton, New York, 1896. He came to Lewis county, N.Y. with his parents when he was twelve years old and went to live with Lemuel Buck, of Canton, jailor of the county, and for a time Mr. Botsford was a turnkey. Afterwards he became a school teacher, working in summer at farming and teaching in winter. He also learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked for some years. He was also a building mover. In later years he had a farm at Canton, where he resided all his life after the age of twelve.
In politics he was a Republican, and was a member of the Union League.
He was a Baptist in religion and a member of the church.
He married (first) ____ Clark; (second), ____ Clark, sister of his first wife; (third), in 1843, Aurilla Emeline, born 1815, died 1898, daughter of Henry KIng, of Canton, N.Y.
Child of second wife:
Julia Ann, died in 1862, aged twenty-two years.
Children of third wife:
Elizabeth, died in 1903; married William Lewis of Canton, and had one son, Llewellyn Lewis.
Mary Jane, married Adelbert Clark, of North Russell, N.Y.; child, Ivy Clark.
Llewellyn Thomas, mentioned below.
(VIII) Dr. Llewellyn Thomas Botsford, son of Cyrenus Zebedee Botsford, was born at Canton, N.Y., May 27, 1852. He attended the district shcools of his native town, Canton Academy and St. Lawrence University. He taught school in order to save money for his education. He began to study medicine under Dr. Sanford D. Hoag, of Canton, and took one year in the medical school of the University of Vermont at Burlington, and graduated in 1878 from the New York Homeopathic Medical College. He began to practice at Colton, N.Y., and continued in that town until he came to Potsdam, N.Y. in 1895. Since then he has been one of the leading practitioners of Potsdam. He is a member of the New York State Medical Association; of Racquette River Lodge, No. 228, Free and Accepted Masons; of St. Lawrence Chapter, No. 132, Royal Arch Masons, of Canton; of St. Lawrence Commandery, No. 28, Knights Templar, of Canton; of Media Temple, Mystic Shrine, of Watertown.
In religion he is an Episcopalian; in politics a Republican.
He was for several years a health officer of Colton, six years coroner of the county and three years on the board of education of Canton.
He married (first) in 1880, Jennie Potter, who died Dec. 10, 1890, daughter of Pelopides Potter, of Colton. He married (second) in 1894, Elizabeth Mary, daughter of George Lane, of Potsdam.
Children of first wife:
1. Leland P., born at Canton, graduate of the Homeopathic College, New York.
2. Julia Gladys, supervisor of music in the public schools of Canton.
3. Millie Ruth, graduate of the Potsdam Normal School, and studied kindergarten work in Columbia College.
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