My Genealogy Hound

JOHN H. TOUSLEY, a descendant of ante-Revolution fathers, is living in retirement, having disposed of his baking and confectionery business about three years ago. His parents were William and Charlotte (Haughton) Tousley, who reared ten children. John H., the subject of our sketch, who was born in Madison county, New York, December 28, 1827, is the youngest. John Haughton (maternal grandfather) came from England to Madison county, but we have not the date of his arrival, except that it was some years before the Revolution — probably between 1760 and 1765. At the beginning of the war for independence he was impressed in Burgoyne’s army, but escaped as soon as possible and joined the colonial troops, serving with them, sharing the privations and dangers of the isolated camp-life and a skulking Indian enemy until the close of the war, when he returned to his plow and followed it. In politics a democrat, he was a warm supporter of Jeffersonian principles. William Tousley was born in Connecticut and came of old New England stock, but early in life came to Madison county, this State, where he conducted a blacksmith-shop and followed farming. He married and had a family consisting of three sons and three daughters: Sarah (now Mrs. Coman) lives in Madison county; Hiram, died in Madison county in 1890; Lucinda (Mrs. Ames Belknap) moved to Michigan, where she died; Edmund O., lived eighteen years in Jamestown, but removed to Madison county, where he now resides; Deborah, married Leonard Leland (now dead), of Madison county; and John H. John H. Tousley received the usual early education of a country boy and afterwards took an academic course, and upon leaving school learned to be a carpenter, which trade he followed until 1855, when he opened a bakery and confectionery store. In 1864 he came to Jamestown and continued his business, following it uninterruptedly until 1889, when he was succeeded in the business by his sons.

In January, 1855, he married Mary E. Parker, of Allegany county, New York. Three children have blest this union: Charles P., married to Addie Turlow, is conducting the baking and confectionery business in Jamestown; John H., Jr., is also engaged in business with his brother and lives at home with his father; and Ruth C., a teacher in the Jamestown public schools.

Of a retiring and modest disposition, Mr. Tousley, while being a supporter of the Democratic party, has never sought office or permitted his name to be used as a candidate, and has now arrived at an age where he can take a retrospective view of life and feel satisfied with his life’s work. He is a member of Mount Moriah Lodge, No. 145, Free and Accepted Masons, and is held in high esteem by the fraternity.