My Genealogy Hound

EDGAR B. TOLLES belongs to the class of thrifty and intelligent farmers of the town of Sheridan, Chautauqua county. His paternal grandfather, Chester Tolles, was of Puritan lineage, a native of Connecticut, and came to the shores of the placid Skaneateles while the forests and lands were still free from the marks and innovations of Anglican progress. His companions were pioneer farmers and foresters, but he was a blacksmith and farmer, and instead of conducting a crusade of destruction against primeval forests and virgin soil, he set up a forge and smithy, which, to the aboriginal natives, was quite as curious and awe inspiring as was the forge of Vulcan to the mythical inhabitants of the orient. His career, however, as pioneer adventurer was short-lived; while crossing the lake in a canoe, it was suddenly capsized and he was drowned. At this time his son Buel (father of subject) was four years old. Subsequently his widow married Nathan Thompson, a soldier and officer in the Revolutionary war. Captain Thompson came to Chautauqua county in the year 1828, bought a tract of land from the old Holland Land company, settled on and improved it and there lived out his days. He was a member of the Baptist church. Grandfather Zerubabel Curtis was born in the State of Vermont, but later became a resident of Malone, St. Lawrence county, New York, where he died. He was a farmer, contractor and lumberman and through his business tact, his foresight and careful judgment in the transaction and control of his various interests, accumulated quite a good deal of property, both real and personal. In his gifts to charitable, educational and religious causes he was uniformly liberal. He was a member of the Baptist church, a Revolutionary sailor of valor and captain in the New York State militia. He married Esther Thompson, and had a family of thirteen children, twelve girls and one boy. Buel Tolles (subject’s father) came to Chautauqua county, town of Sheridan, about 1830, having been born in Skaneateles, Onondaga county, New York, November 29, 1810. He was a cabinet-maker by occupation, and worked at that business for a considerable length of time after coming to Chautauqua county. Farming also came in for a minor share of his attention. He was a democrat in politics and was elected by his party to the office of supervisor for eight successive years. As illustrative of the entire confidence in which he was held by his fellow citizens, it is sufficient to say that he has, without solicitation on his part, been elected to every political office within the gift of his town. He married Sarah S. Curtis (born March 3, 1816, and died April 24, 1889), who bore him the following named children: Almira D., died in 1863; Euphemia A. lives at home; Eliza, married to Alfred Hall, of the town of Sheridan; and Edgar B. (subject). Buel Tolles was a member of I. O. O. F., and died in 1877.

Edgar B. Tolles was born April 30, 1846, in the town of Sheridan, Chautauqua county, New York. In his childhood and youth he was surrounded with pastoral scenes, reared as a farm lad and educated in the common schools. He is and has always been a farmer throwing into it a rare business tact and penetration.

On November 12, 1873, he married Mary Bentley, a daughter of David and Ruth Keech Bentley, of the town of Hanover. Mr. and Mrs. Tolles have no children.