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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York published by John M. Gresham & Co. in 1891.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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EUGENE E. DE VOE, the present efficient and accommodating postmaster at Ellington, New York, is a son of Dr. David G. and Mary T. (Grinnell) De Voe, and was born in the town of Napoli, Cattaraugus county, New York, September 15th, 1842. His father, a native of Homer, Cortland county, New York, migrated into Cattaraugus county in 1832, and in 1849 to Ellington, Chautauqua county, where he continued to reside up to his death in 1857, at the age of fifty-two years. Dr. De Voe was a graduate of the Syracuse Medical College and also of the Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati, Ohio. Being the first practitioner of an eclectic school to locate in the town of Ellington, he naturally met with considerable opposition. His was a new school of medicine to the people of Ellington, he was received with a great deal of skepticism and was forced to live down the opposition and successfully demonstrate the scientific wisdom and natural reason of his theory and practice. This required hard work and unremitting application, and though complete success followed, yet it was at the expense of his health and mainly superinduced his death. Prior to his death he enjoyed a large and varied practice, was a careful student in the various branches of his profession, as well as in collateral subjects, and ranked high in the councils of the medical fraternity. He was a man of sterling qualities, and, at his death, was mourned by all who knew him. The grandfather of our subject was a sturdy tiller of the soil, a New Englander by birth and a Revolutionary patriot and soldier. He was of French descent and died at Homer, Cortland county, New York, at the age of eighty-two years. Subject’s mother was born at Canaan, Columbia county, New York, and died in 1889, at the age of eighty years.

Eugene E. De Voe passed his early life mainly within the county of Chautauqua, received his education in the district schools and the academy at Ellington, and has all his life been an instructor in instrumental music, piano and organ, and conducting music. His field of labor has been in western New York and western Pennsylvania. In 1862 he was a musician in the 64th regiment New York Volunteers for a period of three months and in the 111th Pennsylvania Volunteers for six months. In 1890 subject received the appointment as postmaster of Ellington, which position he now holds. Among the other official positions which have been acceptably filled by Mr. De Voe is that of town assessor, which office he held for six years. He has served on the board of education quite a long time and in other offices of local importance.

On October 13th, 1870, Eugene E. De Voe was united in marriage to Miss Ophelia, daughter of Hiram Terry, of the town of Ellington. To them have been born three children, all daughters: Bertha E., Marna M. and Ina Belle.

E. E. De Voe is a thorough republican, believing firmly in having fixed political views as the proper basis for wielding the right of suffrage. He also belongs to the A. O. U. W. As a thorough musician, a skilled performer and teacher, Mr. De Voe has a high standing in his profession. He is a close student and has given much time to the study of harmony, instrumentation and general technique of music.

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This family biography is one of 658 biographies included in Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York published in 1891. 

View additional Chautauqua County, New York family biographies here: Chautauqua County, New York Biographies

View a map of 1897 Chautauqua County, New York here: Chautauqua County, New York Map

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