HUFCUT
John Hufcut, immigrant ancestor, was born in Holland. He came to Dutchess county, New York, before the revolution and served in the American army in the Fifth New York Regiment of militia under Major Brinton Paine, Adjutant Isaac Crane, and his name appears in the list of those entitled to land bounty. (Page 246, New York Revolutionary Rolls). He probably died before 1790, for in the first federal census, taken in that year, his name does not appear, and the only one of the family given is William, presumably an older son, who was living in Washington, Dutchess county, and had one son under sixteen and three females in his families. John also had a son George, mentioned below.
The spelling Hufcut is an Americanized form. In the revolutionary rolls it is given Hofcoat, and in the census Hoefoot. The original spelling is not known.
(II) George, son of John Hufcut, was born about 1775 in Dover. He settled at Dover, Dutchess county, and married Hannah Benson, who was born in that town. They had a son John B., mentioned below.
(III) John B., son of George Hufcut, was born in 1800 in Dover, Dutchess county, N.Y. He married there in Feb. 1827, Mary Simpson, who was born in Connecticut. They settled about the time of their marriage in Denmark, Lewis county, New York. Among their children was Henry, mentioned below.
(IV) Henry, son of John B. Hufcut, was born Feb. 11, 1834, in Denmark, Lewis county, N.Y., and was educated there in the common schools. He worked on his father's farm as a boy and continued to follow farming until the civil war. He enlisted in 1862 in Company A., Twentieth New York Regiment of Volunteers, and took part in some of the bloodiest battles, and was in many engagements. At the close of the war he resumed his occupation of farming and continued throughout his active life. He settled at Rushford, Minnesota. He died Aug. 15, 1907.
In politics he was a lifelong Democrat and earnestly supported the principles and candidates of his party.
He married, Dec. 27, 1867, at Fountain City, Wisconsin, Elizabeth, born at Claremont, New Hampshire, Dec. 9, 1843, daughter of Edward and Mary (Bradstreet) Blanchfield. Her father died at Spokane, Washington, in 1909; her mother at Rushford, Minnesota in 1868.
Children:
1. Mary, born Nov. 5, 1868; married, in 1889, William Crowder; she died Jan. 24, 1908; children: Floyd H., Edith M., George, Winona, Blanche V. and Henry H. Crowder.
2. George E., mentioned below.
3. William, April 20, 1873, died Nov. 30, 1885.
4. Herbert, 1883, died Nov. 25, 1885.
(V) George E., son of Henry Hufcut, was born at Rushford, Minnesota, July 3, 1870. After receiving his education he entered the employ of J. H. Elsaser as manager and organizer of store at Boonville, Watertown, Ogdensburg and other points. After two years he became traveling salesman for the same employer and covered the territory of New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio. In 1903 he resigned to build and equp a general store in the village of Castorland, New York, and he has achieved a notable success in this business. His store is large and well stocked and admirably adapted for handling the large trade that it has attracted. Mr. Hufcut's courtesy, consideration and personality have brought him personal popularity as well as trade, and he takes rank among the foremost and most influential merchants of the community.
In politics he is a Democrat and possesses a large influence in his party. He was Democratic nominee for assembly from Lewis county district in 1906. He was delegate from this county to the Democratic state convention at Rochester in 1908, and served on the committee to draft the party platform. He has been one of the leaders of his party and of public affairs for many years.
He belongs to Denmark Grange, Patrons of Husbandry and Natural Bridge Lodge of Odd Fellows. He and his family attend the Castorland Baptist Church.
He married, April 20, 1898, Edith, born at Denmark, May 16, 1873, daughter of Jacob and Caroline (Barrett ) Buxton. Jacob Buxton was born at Deerfield, Oneida county, N.Y., April 10, 1820, son of James and Mary Buxton, who came from Holland and settled in Oneida county, New York, when it was little more than a wilderness. Jacob Buxton was educated in the public schools, and learned the trade of carpenter and joiner, following it all his active life. He was a man of strict integrity, and by his honesty, uprightness and industry, won the confidence and respect of the community in which most of his life was spent. He was a skilled craftsman and excelled by none of his competitors as a builder.
He erected some of the principal buildings of Denmark and vicinity, and many dwelling houses and other structures. In politics Mr. Buxton was an earnest Republican, and he took a keen interest in public affairs. He died at Castorland, May 12, 1890. Mr. Buxton married, in Denmark, 1863, Caroline Barrett, who was born at Evans Mills, Jeffeson county, N.Y., June 21, 1836, daughter of James and Eddice (Bassett) Barrett. The Barrett and Bassett families came to northern New York from Vermont, whither they came a generation or two earlier from Massachusetts, of old colonial stock. Caroline (Barrett) Buxton died at Castorland, April 15, 1910. Jacob and Caroline Buxton had children: Eugene S., Dora B., Carrie E., Charles G., Ardell M., James H., Ernest B., Herbert G., John M., and Edith Buxton.
Children of Mr. and Mrs. Hufcut:
1. Ernest H., born Oct. 8, 1906, died in infancy.
2. William Harwood, born April 3, 1910.
[transcriber's note: since this material was published in 1910, there may have been additional children].