My Genealogy Hound

MILO P. NEVINS, the accommodating and efficient railroad agent at Smith’s Mills, is a son of Lyman G. and Bethany (Gallett) Nevins, and was born April 20, 1849, in the town of Hanover, Chautauqua county, New York. His grandfather, Thomas Nevins, was a native of the Green Mountain State and died at Smith’s Mills, Chautauqua county, New York. Prior to his coming to Smith’s Mills, he was a citizen of Forestville, same county. He belonged to that sturdy, courageous force of pioneers to whom the splendid development of Chautauqua county is indirectly due. Upon his first arrival the county was still, practically, in its primitive garb, but, undaunted by all those hardships and privations and nondescript conditions that surround the pioneer, he steadily fell to work with strong determination and a hopeful heart. Through the joint efforts of himself and his co-laborers, the evidences of civilized life soon began to appear: the process of clearing continued, crops succeeded, homes and barns were built, roads laid out, villages arose, industry and education and religion obtained a foot-hold, and finally emerged the Chautauqua county of to-day, with all its machinery of government, its political and educational institutions, its judiciary, its homes and culture. All this he did not live to see, but he did live long enough to be cognizant of the law of progress. During the existence of the old Whig party, Thomas Nevins was one of its most enthusiastic supporters. He was one of those inspired with the spirit of patriotism, and during the soul-stirring and significant campaigns of that early day, his inspiration and feeling burst forth in poetry and song. As in love of country, so in religion he was a man of deep and abiding convictions, whose life was rich in wholesome fruition. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was twice married. His second wife was Abigail Baxter, who bore him nine children, four sons and five daughters. In the latter part of his life Mr. Nevins became a lay preacher in the Methodist church. His father had been a soldier in the war of 1812, and took part in the engagement at Buffalo, during the siege and burning of that city. The grandfather of Milo P. Nevins on the maternal side, Henry Gallett, was born in New England and emigrated to Ontario county, New York, where he ever afterward lived and died. He was a blacksmith by trade and united in marriage with Miss Lydia Martin, by whom he had a family of three girls and one boy. Lyman G. Nevins (father), was born in Forestville, Chautauqua county, New York, October 25th, 1814. He has always been a resident of Chautauqua county, and never was outside of the county but once, and rarely left his home in Hanover town, where he owned a farm and devoted himself to its cultivation. His death occurred on July 20, 1890. Lyman G. Nevins was married on July 15, 1824, and is the father of two children: William, born March 2, 1844, married to Delilah Devinna, and now living in Monroe county, Michigan, where he is a farmer and mechanic; and Milo P.

Milo P. Nevins was educated in the common schools and Eastman’s business college, Poughkeepsie, New York, where he was graduated in 1870. After graduation he became a brakeman on the Erie R. R., and in 1871 came to Smith’s Mills and received the appointment of station agent and operator, in which capacity he is now employed.

In May of 1872, he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Wilson, daughter of Edward Wilson, an Englishman by birth. Mr. and Mrs. Nevins have four children: George, born November 1, 1873; Jennie, born June 14, 1877; Harry, born February 26, 1879; and M. Stanley, born August 3, 1890.

In matters of politics, Mr. Nevins is a supporter of the Republican party, though he takes anything but an active part in politics. He is a prominent secret society man, and is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons at Forestville, New York, and No. 152, A. O. U. W., at Smith’s Mills, New York.