My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE H. HYDE, president of the Cortland County Agricultural Society, and one of the best known and successful farmers of this section, residing near the village of Cortland, was born in the town of Bangor, Franklin County, N. Y., October 6, 1853. Our subject was a son of William H. Hyde, who was one of the prominent merchants of Bangor, N. Y.

William H. Hyde was the patentee of the Hyde Double Cooling Milk Pan, and as a member of the firm of Townsend & Hyde came to Cortland and introduced the article. In 1876, he formed a stock company, known as the Jewett Milk Pan Co., which manufactured the product above-mentioned for two years, when the factory was destroyed by fire, entailing heavy losses. Mr. Hyde then sold his interest, and moved to Malone, N. Y., where he became connected with the hardware firm of J. M. Span & Co., and died there June 16, 1886, aged sixty years. He served as sheriff of Franklin County for one term. He married Charlotte Adams, a member of an old Massachusetts family; her decease occurred June 7, 1888, at the age of sixty years. Their children were: George H., our subject; Charles W., a druggist of Malone, N. Y.; and John S. of New Haven, Conn.

The schools of Franklin County provided George H. Hyde, our subject, with his education. His first introduction to business was when he was associated with his father in introducing the milk cooling pans. When the stock company was formed, and the manufacture of the pans on a large scale was commenced, he became the manager and superintendent of the company at Cortland, and directed the manufacturing until the fire occurred. He has since been engaged in farming on the Calvert farm, and on land of his own lying near by; he keeps a choice dairy of grade Jerseys and Holsteins, twenty-five head of stock in the aggregate. He has all the modern improvements and latest approved types of labor-swing machinery, that go so far toward making a model farm. He has successfully operated a silo for a number of years past, and the ensilage has proved an important factor in the wintering of his stock and keeping them in the best condition. Mr. Hyde was elected president of the Cortland County Agricultural Society in 1896, and it is admitted on all sides that the County Fair held under his supervision in 1897 was one of the most successful in the history of the society. The grand-stands were re-built and additions constructed, provisions for taking care of large exhibits in stock completed, and general improvements in track and grounds undertaken and satisfactorily finished. Much praise was accorded to the management of the Fair of 1897, and many words of commendation were spoken in approval of the masterly way in which our subject handled the whole proceeding. Hr. Hyde has been prominently connected with the Patrons of Husbandry, and has held all the subordinate offices. He has been steward of the State Grange, and is an influential member of the auditing committee. He is a Republican in his political preferences.

In 1878, Mr. Hyde married Miss Esther A. Calvert; two sons have been born to them: William Calvert, born June 3, 1879; and Frederick Chaplin, born March 19, 1884. Both young men give great promise of emulating their father’s record. Mrs. Hyde is a daughter of Wilson Calvert, who is one of the oldest and widest known men of Cortland County, and has always been a popular and favorite resident of the town of Cortland. Mr. Calvert was born on the farm, now owned by John Jones, within half a mile of where he now lives, August 16, 1820, and was a son of John Calvert, Jr., and grandson of John Calvert, Sr., who came with his son John Calvert, Jr., from the northern part of Ireland and settled in Washington County, N. Y. John Calvert, Jr., resided in that section some two or three years, and then bought a large tract of new land in the town of Virgil, this county, which after having partially cleared he sold, and bought the property, where John Jones now lives at South Cortland. He cleared the estate, which is now accounted to rank among the best farms of the town, and built a house, barn and the necessary outbuildings. John Calvert, Sr., died there in 1808; his wife had been called to her last Home when still a resident of Ireland. Their children were: John; Robert; William; Nathaniel; Alexander; Thomas; and Isabelle. John Calvert, Jr., was a sturdy, hard-working pioneer, and was very successful in his attempts to acquire some little wealth and lay by a competence to support him in his old age, at one time being the owner of 320 acres of choice, arable land. It was said of him, that his neighbors could hear him threshing when they were retiring to their beds for a little rest, and when they arose in the morning at daybreak he was still at it. The inference should not be drawn that he worked all the night, but the above goes to illustrate how long his hours of labor were, and how tireless he was in his exertions. The grain, that he raised in addition to what he required for his own immediate use, he drew to Albany, and sold on the market. Little by little, by working harder than his neighbors, by economizing here, and swing a little there, he added to his possessions, and became very well-to-do. Not the least of his worldly wealth were the thirteen children that were born to him, of whom all grew to maturity but one. The record is as follows: John; Nancy, who died in childhood; William; Margaret; Thomas; Martha; James; Susanna; Wilson; Sarah; Elnathan; Esther; and Melancthon. His wife was Isabella Story. Both lived to be seventy-two years of age.

Wilson Calvert was reared and educated a model farmer. When a small boy he learned to handle the oxen, and was very skilled in plowing with them. The first farm he owned was one he purchased of his father, which is now known as the Hoaglin farm, which after three years of residence and improvement he sold, and bought the Walsworth farm of 72 acres, which he has since owned. He built a fine new house and barn, set out an abundance of standard varieties of fruit indigenous to this section, and has in every way kept up the family record of thrift. He married Betsey M. Wilcox, daughter of Asher and Rose (Bement) Wilcox of Cortland County; Mr. Wilcox was a pioneer farmer and lime maker. Mrs. Calvert was born February 19, 1820. Both husband and wife enjoy the highest esteem of the best people of the county; they are endowed with remarkably strong and vigorous constitutions and bid fair to see many more happy years. Mr. Calvert has been a Republican since 1856, and is a Presbyterian in his religious views. Six children have been born to him, of whom but one survives, our subject’s wife, who was third in order of birth. Frederick died at the age of eight years; Frank lived to be nine years old; Martha was called Home at the tender age of three years; and two died, unnamed, in infancy.