My Genealogy Hound

HENRY R. CASE, sheriff of Chautauqua county, and loan commissioner by appointment of the governor of New York, in 1873, for four years, is a son of Gardiner and Lucy (Cutting) Case, and was born in the town of French Creek, Chautauqua county, New York, April 28, 1839. While a large stream of pioneer settlers came direct into Chautauqua county from Massachusetts, the parent colony of New England, an indirect stream of considerable size came from the Bay State through the minor colonies of New Hampshire, Connecticut and Vermont, in which it had been arrested in its westward course for a generation in the lives of the fathers, but moved forward in the adventurous spirit of the sons who crossed the confines of eastern civilization and made homes for themselves in the vicinity of the great lakes. Among the families of English descent in Massachusetts, who moved to Vermont, were the Cases and Cuttings, and of the next generation, which was born in the Green Mountain State, Rev. Joseph Case and David Cutting, the grandfathers of Sheriff Case, became early settlers in Chautauqua county, where they continued to reside until they died. Rev. Joseph Case was a minister of the Baptist church, and served as a soldier in the war of 1812, while David Cutting was a farmer, and served likewise in the second War for Independence. Gardiner Case (father) was born on his father’s Massachusetts farm, and served on the Canadian frontier in the war in which his father, and afterwards father-in-law were soldiers. Some time after peace had been ratified between Great Britain and the United States, he came to Chautauqua county, where he settled in the town of French Creek, in which he was a resident until his death, February 20, 1860, at seventy-one years of age. His wife was Lucy Cutting, who was born in Vermont, April 7, 1799, and passed from earth in April, 1871. To Gardiner and Lucy Case were born in their western home, four sons and two daughters: Luther H., a carpenter of Brocton, who owns and operates a vineyard; Homer, a farmer of Bremer county, Iowa; Joseph, a justice of the peace in Montana; Darwin, who is engaged in farming in the town of Ripley; Henry R.; Ziba, widow of Eli N. Brown; and Lucy, wife of P. N. Cross, now of the town of French Creek, but formerly a merchant of Corry, Pa.

Henry R. Case was reared on a farm, attended the common schools of his town, and engaged in farming as his first business in life. In 1861 the oil fields of Venango county, Pa., attracted his attention as offering superior advantages to investors, and as being far more profitable than investments in farming could possibly be at that time. He leased property in that county, and for four years was engaged as an oil producer. During the early part of that time he was seriously burned and lost the sight of one of his eyes at a flowing well, which caught fire and burned nineteen others to death. These injuries which he received prevented his entering the late war, and when he quit operating in oil in 1865, he embarked in the feed and grocery business at Pioneer, on Oil Creek, which he followed for about five years. He then became a member of the mercantile firm of Cross & Case, at Corry, Pa., which lasted for eight years. In 1878 he returned to French Creek, where he has been engaged in the lumber and shingle manufacturing business ever since. In November, 1888, he was elected by the Republican party as sheriff of Chautauqua county, and assumed charge of that office January 1, 1889. Previous to this he had served for nine years as supervisor of French Creek, and in 1873, was appointed as a loan commissioner by the governor of New York.

January 1, 1861, he married Mary Hubbard, daughter of Jonas L. Hubbard, of this county. In 1862 Mrs. Case died, and on December 25, 1866, Mr. Case united in marriage with Susanna Hubbard, a sister to his former wife.

H. R. Case has always been identified with the Republican party, which has always received his undivided and active support. His time has chiefly been devoted to his various business enterprises. In addition to lumbering he is largely interested in dairying, and owns a large cheese factory. He also owns a valuable stock farm of nine hundred acres, which is tillable and well adapted to grazing. He is a member of Columbus Lodge, No. 164, F. & A. M., at Columbus, and Clymer Lodge, No. 51, Ancient Order of United Workmen, of Clymer, N. Y. Sheriff Case has always been diligent, energetic and active in every business enterprise in which he has been engaged. As a business man he has been successful, as a citizen he has liberal ideas as to public affairs, and as a sheriff he is prompt and faithful in the discharge of every duty of that important office.