STRATTON
James Stratton, a native of Ireland, born about the year 1828, emigrated to Candad with his mother in 1849 and settled in Hemingford, Province of Quebec. Name of his father was George. He was a tailor by trade and followed that occupation to Hemingford for the remainder of his life, which terminated in 1889. He married, in Hemingford, Jane Orr, also a native of Ireland, and she died in 1896, aged seventy-six years. They were the parents of seven sons and two daughters, all of whom were born in Hemingford, and are not living:
1. Thomas George, married a Mrs. Sanders and now resides [1910] in Mooers, N.Y.
2. James A., mentioned below.
3. William, resides in Hemingford.
4. Steven S., also of Hemingford.
5. Samuel Orr, resides in California; married Maggie Dryden.
6. John F., now of Montreal.
7. Mary Jane, became the wife of D. E. Fairbrother; resides at Ticonderoga, N.Y.
8. Edward B., married Kate Goodspeed; resides in Plattsburgh.
9. Lucy R., who is now residing in Ticonderoga; wife of Frank C. Gates.
(II) James A., second son of James and Jane (Orr) Stratton, was born in Hemingford, March 27, 1850. Commencing the activities of life at the age of thirteen years, he engaged at various vocations in Hemingford and in Montreal, and continued some five years, during that time attending a night school in order to obtain the necessary education for a business career. When eighteen years old he came to the United States and during the succeeding two years was employed in various places. In 1870 he entered as a clerk the employ of J. F. Sheldon, a prosperous country merchant in Mooers, N.Y., and he retained that positoin for a period of six years, during which time he also served as deputy postmaster. Going to Winchendon, Mass. in 1876, he accepted a clerkship with Messrs. W. L. Woodcock & Son, manufacturers of woodenware, was later advanced to the position of traveling salesman and still later became foreman of the plant. Returning to New York state about 1880 he became bookkeeper and deputy postmaster for A. B. Angel & Company at Sciota, remaining there three years, and going to Clintonville he was employed as a bookkeeper by the Peru Steel Ore Company for one year.
Settling in Plattsburgh in 1884 he devoted the succeeding three years to the sale of organs and pinoforte for A. C. Smith & Company, and accepting the local agency of the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company of Hartford in 1887, he has ever since managed the affairs and forwarded the interests of that corporation in Plattsburgh and vicinity with ability and success. He also deals in real estate. He has been very successful in his bueiness affairs. In politics Mr. Stratton is a Republican and for a number of years has been quite active in civic affairs. For nine years he was a member of the Plattsburgh board of health, a considerable portion of which time was an officer, serving as both secretary and president. While serving in the latter capacity in 1902, he was called upon to cope with an epidemic of smallpox, and he received many gratifying commendations for the energy and good judgment he displayed in protecting the community in the midst of a serious emergency. From 1907 to the present time he has held the office of city chamberlain, and is also serving as loan commissioner, having been appointed as such by the late Governor Higgins. He was one of the civil service commissioners in 1906-07. He is a Master Mason and a member of Clinton Lodge, No. 155. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
In 1879 Mr. Stratton was married at Mooers, N.Y., to Emma S. Bullis, a native of that town and a daughter of Alfred Bullis. They haveone son, James Bernard, born in Winchendon, Mass., March 4, 1880; was educated in Plattsburgh high school, Troy Conference Academy at Poultney, Vermont, and River View Military Academy, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., after which he entered his father's office as deputy city chamberlain, in which capacity he is still acting, even though there has been a change of administration. He is a member of Plattsburgh Lodge, No. 828, Free and Accepted Masons.