My Genealogy Hound

DAVID HOUSE, a respected and popular farmer of Westfield town, living about two and one-half miles east of the village, is a son of David, Sr. and Nabby (Saunders) House, and was born near the scene of his present residence in Westfield, Chautauqua county, New York, June 29, 1832. The best blood of old England flows in his veins, his mother having come from the aristocracy of that country. His great-grandfather was a respectable gentleman, but of somewhat humbler origin than his wife, and they decided to come to America, which they did about the middle of the last century, making the Newport, Rhode Island and Providence plantations their home. In 1760 John House was born, and became the grandfather of our subject, Anterior to the commencement of the present century he moved to central New York, where he followed farming until 1816, and then with his family, which were born there, came to Westfield town, where he resided until his death, having bought and cleared two hundred acres of land. This was divided among his children who, with their descendants, still live upon it. He was married in 1784, and had eight children.

David House, Sr. (father), was born in Cortland county, N. Y., in 1792, and came here with his father in 1816. He married Nabby Saunders, who came from New Jersey, where she was born in the same year with her husband. They had ten children: John, born November 12, 1821; Nancy, born August 28, 1817; Julia A., born November 27, 1819; Indiana, born January 30, 1843; David, Jr., born June 29, 1832; Ruth, born October 5, 1827; Louisa J., born March 11, 1827; Nabby, born September 17, 1824, died in April, 1834; Eliza J., born March 24, 1835; and Edwin, born October 11, 1837. Mr. House died May 20, 1868, aged seventy-six years, and was followed by his consort in 1886, when she had attained the unusual age of eighty-nine years.

David House was reared on the farm, and received his education in the public schools. His life-long occupation has been following the plow, sowing and reaping the harvest of his fields, together with conducting a fine grape orchard.

In 1860 he married Mary Ann Caldwell, a daughter of Samuel Caldwell, who lived in Portland town, and their union resulted in nine children, four sons and five daughters: Edwin M., James S., living in Nebraska, Nabby S., Nancy M., wife of E. D. Mead, who lives in Westfield; Emmit D., Almedia A., Clara M., Arthur J. and Lydia A.

Politically, Mr. House is a republican, modest and retiring, and while not caring to receive any political honors, is always willing to advance the interests of his party by honest and legitimate means. Personally he is an agreeable companion, courteous and entertaining, and enjoys a large circle of friends and acquaintances.