(Mr. and Mrs. Horace Prescott Home)

HORACE PRESCOTT

     The perpetuation of family records and genealogies is commendable.  It exhibits a reverence for the memory of those departed that is as admirable as it is just.  It is a noticeable fact that families in this country are imitating the example set by those of the old world, in the preservation of family histories.  When the ancestry of a person in America can be traced back a couple of centuries it becomes an honor and a pride to the individual as great, in our estimation, as for old and long-established families in Europe to trace their pedigree five times as far back.  In the history of the Prescotts in America is offered a fair example to illustrate the above argument.  We find that James Prescott, the progenitor of the family in America, emigrated from England and settled in Hampton, N.H., between the years 1660 and 1668.  He married Mary Boulter, daughter of Nathaniel and Grace Boulter, of Hampton.  The exact date of his birth and marriage is not known.  His wife was born May 15, 1648.  He removed to Kingston, N.H. (being one of the grantees of that town), where he died in 1728.  A fac-similie of the family coat of arms is retained, a photograph of which is in the possession of the subject of this sketch.  It is of elegant design, and bears the motto “Vincit qui petitur” (he that conquers endures).  We trace the genealogy of the family through seven generations, as follows:

     James Prescott, son of James Prescott above mentioned, born Sept. 1, 1671; married Maria Marston, March 6, 1695.  Samuel Prescott, born March 14, 1697; married Mary Sanborn, Dec. 17, 1717.  William Prescott born June 21, 1728; married Susanna Sanborn, Nov. 22, 1750.  William Prescott, born Oct. 14, 1762; married three times: first, Deborah Welch; second, Sarah (Gibson) Forest; third, Jane (Smith) Kezar.  John Prescott, born March 28, 1787 married twice: first, Rebecca George; second Eunicia Dawson.

     Horace (of whom we write), born at Franklin, N. H. Feb. 10, 1810.  He married Laura Blunt, of Machias Jan. 12, 1840.  They had issue, two sons and two daughters, namely: Emily, born March 6, 1842; died March 16, 1843.  Adelaide, born March 25, 1844; married Philetus Martin, Nov. 19, 1868; resides in Farmersville.  Edgar, born June 15, 1846; married Mary Jane, daughter of William Napier, of Machias, Oct. 21, 1869.  Urban, born Aug. 9, 1848; unmarried.

     Mr. Prescott removed from Franklin, N. H., to Covington, Genesee Co., N.Y., when a youth, and from there to Machias, on the 28^th of February, 1827, where he has since resided.  The country was wild and unsettled when he arrived.  There were no roads or other material improvements, so that it required both energy and industry to effect a permanent settlement.  Both of these qualifications he possessed, and as a result he has succeeded in accumulating a fine farm of four hundred and ten acres, upon which he has recently erected a good substantial bar, forty by fifty feet, at a cost of about fifteen hundred dollars.

     Mr. Prescott has never taken a very active part in politics, having had his time and attention well occupied in improving and bettering his farm.  He has, however acceptably filled the office of assessor ten years, and also other positions in the town government.  He espoused the Greenback cause at the organization of that party, and has since advocated its principles, believing them to be the best for the general public good.  He is a man of considerable force of character, and has done much towards the advancement of the best interests of his town.  His neighbors esteem him as a good practical farmer, and respect him as an upright and honest citizen.

*The above information was obtained from the History of Cattaraugus County, New York by L. H. EVERTS, 1879.