My Genealogy Hound

PORTER CRITTENDEN. Among her citizens the town of Cincinnatus owns quite a number who have been very successful in their agricultural operations, and have proven false the oft-quoted statement that “there is no money in farming.” Large estates, capacious, well-ordered farm buildings, and certain regular business methods in farming characterize the farms of Cortland County. Mr. Crittenden, who is now well advanced in years, can claim as wide an experience in farming in the town of Cincinnatus as anyone, for he has lived there most of his life from his birth, which occurred there September 15, 1815.

Our subject’s father, Ebenezer Crittenden, was born in Berkshire County, Mass., whence he emigrated at an early day to Cortland County, locating in what is now the town of Willet. He purchased one hundred acres that bordered on the Otselic River, and became a pioneer settler, enduring all the privations and hardships incident to a frontiers-man’s life. After clearing the farm and living there some years, he removed up the river to a locality just below the village of Cincinnatus, where he purchased a tract of five hundred acres, on which he lived and labored the greater portion of the years of activity that remained to him. Later, he moved to a farm above the village of Cincinnatus, but returned to his other estate in the town of Cincinnatus before his death, which took place in 1845. He achieved remarkable success in farming for his day and generation, and was esteemed as one of the town’s most prominent citizens. He reared ten children, among whom was Porter, the subject of this sketch.

Porter Crittenden was educated in the common schools of his time, and served an apprenticeship at the trades of a carpenter, joiner, and painter, but never worked at his trades. A grain speculation was his first venture in business, and it consisted in hauling grain overland from the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania to Coudersport, Potter County, that state, where he disposed of his freight. He was engaged in this business for six months, and then, after working out as a farm-hand for several months, began farming on his father’s estate in the town of Cincinnatus, the business being conducted on shares. He farmed for about six years; during this period he was also associated with his brother in repairing and improving a carding and woolen mill, saw mill and flour mill at Coudersport, Potter County, Pa., selling out at last to his brother Julius, who had undertaken the work alone at first, but found the project too serious an undertaking to handle without assistance. In 1845 he purchased a farm north of the village of Cincinnatus, that consisted of 130 acres; he remained on that property engaged in farming for about eight years, during which time he was also busied in buying and selling live stock.

He at length sold that farm, and removed to the village of Cincinnatus, where he became a general dealer in live stock. After living there three years, he sold his business, and removed to a farm of fifty acres of land south of the village, where he was engaged for two years in farming, and in general dealing in live stock. He then removed to the Colebrook place above the village of Cincinnatus, and to the 130 acres he purchased there he added about 600 acres on the Brackell, in Chenango County. He made his home there for about four years, when he sold 500 of the 600 acres on the Brackell, retaining in all about 230 acres, where he lived for four years more. He then traded it for the Union Hotel in Cincinnatus, but soon after repurchased the farm property, which he sold to the Colegroves, and removed to the hotel, near which he built a store and put in his son-in-law, M. E. Smith, as manager. He then sold the structure, that was formerly the Union Hotel, and boarded a short time, after which he removed to the Forbes place. After living there for a short time, and after erecting a number of farm buildings, he sold the property to Mr. Forbes, and moved to the village of Cincinnatus, where he continued to live for two years. His next venture was to purchase a tract of land, 700 or 800 acres in extent, about one mile south of the village, where he proceeded to clear the property of its growth of timber, and fit it for cultivation, for the land was as yet unimproved. He went there in 1868, and in a few years had the finest farm in his section of the county, at the cost of great exertions, for the job was one of the biggest improvements ever undertaken in the valley of the Otselic River. He was not satisfied with having improved the land itself, but went to great expense and trouble to surpass anything ever before attempted in the town of Cincinnatus in the way of farm buildings. While living there, he was also engaged in dealing in live stock in various states, and carried on extensive transactions in real estate throughout the West, owning considerable realty in Iowa, Indiana, and Utah.

Mr. Crittenden married Tryphena Delano, a daughter of Thomas and Clarissa Delano, who was his helpmeet for fifty-six years, dying December 23, 1893. She contributed largely to her husband’s success, and in her he found his best, his truest friend and companion, ever sympathetic and good. Four children were born of this union, namely: Lucetta, who died young; Harriet K., the wife of M. E. Smith of Omaha, Neb., who is carrying on a large wholesale dry goods business; Julius A., who is a real estate dealer of Council Bluffs, Iowa; and Amos G., who resides upon the Crittenden farm with his father, and takes upon himself most of the personal supervision of the estate. The latter was born March 15, 1862, on the Colegrove place in the town of Cincinnatus, where his father was then living. He obtained a good common school education, but has learned most of his practical knowledge by business experience. He was reared on the farm, and has always followed farming pursuits. In addition to the farming operations that he conducts on the homestead, he is also a general dealer in live stock. He owns a creamery at East Freetown, and conducts a very profitable business. He is a Republican in his politics, and is at present the commissioner of highways of the town of Cincinnatus. He was married in 1882 to Addie Smith, a daughter of Wallace Smith of Cincinnatus, and has a son, Harold.