My Genealogy Hound

MILO HITCHCOCK is a prominent and progressive agriculturist of Kennedy, this county, who has become a representative citizen through his own strong personality and vigorous industry. He is a son of Otis and Sarah (Delano) Hitchcock and was born September 30th, 1832, in the town of Randolph. The paternal grandfather, Bethnel Hitchcock, came from Massachusetts when quite a young man and settled near Bloomfield but afterwards moved to Henrietta, Monroe county. He was a soldier in the war of 1812 and at its close came home and died. His mother’s family came from Cayuga county, New York and was of Scotch extraction. Otis Hitchcock was born in the Empire State, May 9th, 1795, and spent his childhood and youth on a farm. His parents were not wealthy, and, although the young man went to school in early youth, as soon as his services became of some value, he was put to work, first at farm laboring but arose to the dignity of a landed proprietor at Henrietta, Monroe county, while yet young. He removed to Randolph about the year 1824, where, following farming, he stayed the remainder of his life, with the exception of two years that he lived in Niagara county, New York. He died June 19th, 1873, at the age of seventy-eight years. He married Sarah Delano and became the father of twelve children, ten of whom reached maturity: Truman, Jefferson, Harriett, Adaline, Eliza, Edwin, Milo, Sarah, Mary and Alvin. Alvin died in July 1864, and Adaline and Sarah both are dead. Otis Hitchcock was a whig and, during the slavery agitation, became an abolitionist. He held a number of local offices which he filled with fidelity. The Baptist church occupied a warm place in his heart and he served it as a deacon for many years. He was but a boy at the breaking out of hostilities in our second war with the mother country but he enlisted and did gallant service on the Canadian frontier. Early in life he saw that the chief requisite to make a man successful in life was tact and a good education and he began to devise plans for the improvement and popularizing of our educational system. He held a position on the school commission and was one of the projectors and supporters of Chamberlain Institute. Being a careful and hard-working farmer, he accumulated considerable property, which he handled with skill. Mr. Hitchcock took a deep interest in public affairs and although conservative in his views, was thoughtful and philanthropic in disposition.

Milo Hitchcock secured his early training on his father’s farm; his elementary education was received at the common schools and was supplemented by a course at Randolph academy. When he stepped forth to battle with the world, his first work was lumbering but he finally settled back to farming, to which he found himself best adapted. In the latter ‘50s he went west but returned to Cattaraugus county in 1861 and bought the old homestead and lived upon it for two years. The ensuing twenty years were passed in buying and selling farms, several exchanges being made where he saw it was profitable, and in 1884 he came to Poland town, Chautauqua county, where he now resides.

On March 23d, 1862, he married Louise Hill, a daughter of Julius Hill, a prominent farmer of Cattaraugus county and Mr. and Mrs. Hitchcock became the parents of six children; Harriet E., born Christmas day, 1862; Gertrude M.; Frank G.; Fred; Melva and Florence M. Melva died in infancy, Harriet E. became the wife of George M. Wilhelm, of Randolph, Gertrude married E. M. Bush of Kennedy, and Frank married Nellie Harris; she died September 17th, 1890.

Milo Hitchcock is identified with the Republican party and was assessor of the town of Randolph. He is a member of the Patrons of Husbandry, was a director of the County Agricultural Society and has served on the school board and excise committee. He keeps himself well posted on current events and is one of the most intelligent and well-read men in his town.