My Genealogy Hound

MILTON HOAG, Vice-President of the Exchange National Bank of Seneca Falls, has been one of the representative business men of the place for nearly a half-century. A native of Montgomery County, N. Y., he was born July 29, 1830. His father, John I. Hoag, who was also a native of New York State, was a lawyer by profession, and died in Canajoharie, Montgomery County, when in his eighty-fourth year. Nathan Hoag, the grandfather of our subject, was born in this state and was of the Quaker faith. John I. Hoag married Sarah Combs, who was born in New York, and was a descendant of the “Jersey Blues.” She died in Montgomery County, near the Palentine Bridge, that spans the Mohawk River. They were the parents of ten children, nine of whom attained years of maturity. Milton Hoag was the eighth in the family of John I. Hoag. He spent his boyhood years in his native county, assisting in the farm work during summer and attending the common schools in the winter seasons. He continued on the farm until sixteen years old, when he learned the butchering business, which he followed for three years. When in his nineteenth year, he embarked in the grocery business at Spraker’s Basin, Montgomery County, and carried on the trade successfully about three years, when he sold out. In February, 1851, he came to Seneca Falls, and entered the employ of his brother Delavan, who was a member of the firm of Adams & Hoag, rectifiers of whiskey. At the expiration of three years he purchased the business, which he continued alone, being very successful. In 1866 he sold out to Charles A. Parsons, Cashier of the National Exchange Bank of Seneca Falls, and also one of its heaviest stock-holders. As part payment he took two hundred shares of the stock of the bank, amounting to more than $23,000, but soon afterward he increased his bank stock to $35,000. The same year he purchased Carr’s Hotel, on the corner of Fall and State Streets, and after making many changes in its construction, at an expense of over $8,000, the name was changed to Hoag’s Hotel.

About the same time Mr. Hoag purchased Union Hall and Cuddeback lots. In the spring of 1865 he bought the King estate homestead, No. 21 Cayuga Street, where he now makes his home. In 1882 he purchased the Springbrook Stock Farm, two miles north of the village. Four years later he bought the three stores on the south side of Fall Street, known as the Sheldon Block. A few days later he purchased Daniels’ Hall, and after remodeling the opera house at a cost of over $14,000, changed the name to Daniels’ Opera House. In 1885 he purchased a one-half interest in Maurer & Carpenter’s drugstore, and four years afterward bought out Mr. Carpenter’s interest.

In 1877 Mr. Hoag took full charge of his hotel. While he never had any hotel experience, under his management the business soon doubled. He continued to run the hotel in this very creditable and satisfactory manner, both to the public and himself, until 1890, when it was burned to the ground, as were also his beautiful opera house and drug store. This was the big fire of July 30, 1890, when many other business places were destroyed. In 1894 he sold the hotel site and on it has been erected a beautiful hotel, The Hoag, which was opened in May, 1895. It has all the modern improvements and is a great credit to the village.

In 1884 Mr. Hoag commenced building his present fine residence on the old homestead site, which is one of the most elegant homes in Seneca Falls. It is finished in hardwood of the most exquisite design, and in point of architectural beauty is without a parallel in central New York. The architect was J. M. Elliott, of Auburn, N. Y. Since the great fire he has devoted much of his time to breeding and developing high-grade trotting horses. He has sold several at high prices and has a very choice lot now on hand.

Mr: Hoag was married to Rosa A. Finnegan, of Seneca Falls, and by this union he has two bright little daughters, Irene E. and Ethel M. In politics he is a Democrat, but is not very active in political affairs. Since 1866 he has been a Director in the National Exchange and Exchange National Banks, and for twenty-four years has been Vice-President. In everything pertaining to the material welfare of Seneca Falls he takes an especial interest, and is ever ready to do his part in securing manufacturing and other interests in this place. In a financial way he was eminently successful until the great fire of 1890, and socially he has the respect and esteem of the best citizens of the village.