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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York published by John M. Gresham & Co. in 1891.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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COLONEL RUFUS HAYWOOD. A man well-known for his active and upright life, and also by reason of his services rendered to the Union cause during the late civil war, was Col. Rufus Haywood, of Fredonia, who has been identified during the last half century with useful and important business interests in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Illinois and western New York. He was a son of Benjamin and Polly (Sawyer) Haywood, and was born at Jaffrey, Cheshire county. New Hampshire, March 6, 1820. The territory of the “Granite State” as a royal province, was largely settled by thrifty and energetic families from the eastern part of Massachusetts colony, and among these pioneer families was the Haywood family. One of its members, who was born in Massachusetts, was Benjamin Haywood, Sr., grandfather of Col. Rufus Haywood. He was a blacksmith by trade and served in the Revolutionary war, during which he was severely wounded in the breast by a musket-ball in one of the principal battles of that great struggle. After the declaration of peace, he returned to his New Hampshire home, where he lived a respected citizen until his death. His son, Benjamin Haywood (the father), was born in 1786, and died in February, 1853. He inherited the industry and perseverance of his father, and judiciously and successfully improved his business opportunities. His life was devoted to agricultural pursuits, and while confining his field of labor to his own county, yet ranked as one of the foremost and most substantial farmers of the State. He married Polly Sawyer, who was a native of New Hampshire and a member of the well-known Sawyer family of that State. She passed away in 1842, at forty-six years of age.

Rufus Haywood grew to manhood on the farm, received his education at Jaffrey academy, and then was engaged for five years in teaching in the district schools of New Hampshire. At the end of that time he went to Winchendon, Mass., where for over one year he conducted a butcher shop and livery stable. He then returned to Jaffrey, purchased property on which he built, and embarked in farming and merchandising. After three years he removed to Cambridge, Mass., where, in company with H. O. Houghton, he engaged in publishing law-books for one year, and then spent several years in the west. While in Illinois he kept a hotel for one year at Belvidere, and acted as teller for two years in a bank of that place, during which time he lost over seven thousand dollars by speculating in corn. Leaving Belvidere, he purchased a farm near Chicago, and embarked in the cattle business. With remarkable foresight he looked forward to a bright future for Chicago, saw in its commanding position the certainty of its future commercial supremacy as one of the great cities of the American continent, and invested in that city largely in real estate, which yielded him handsome returns in his sales of the same. In 1855 he settled in Brocton, this county, and engaged for several years in the stock business. In 1861 he and his brother, Albert Haywood, and a Mr. Hubbell, formed a partnership and purchased several thousand horses for the government. In February, 1863, he retired from this partnership to enter the Union army as a paymaster, with the rank of major. He was stationed at Washington city, and afterwards sent to Rochester, this State. He paid off the first regiment that was discharged, was brevetted colonel by President Johnson for meritorious services, and served until December 31, 1865. He then returned to Chautauqua county, and became a resident of Fredonia, where he has resided ever since. From 1866 to 1876 he was largely engaged in mail contracting in a dozen different States, and since the last-named year has been more or less interested in various lines of business.

In 1866 he was the prime mover in starting the Fredonia savings bank, of which he was chosen president. In 1877 he embarked in the oil business at Oil City, Pa., where he did a large brokerage business for several years. In the oil field his good judgment and clear insight into every possible combination rendered him successful in many ventures where old and experienced operators went down. While his star was still in the ascendant, and before age could impair his mental powers, he left the hazardous ventures of oil and turned his attention to dealing in real estate. He was a Knight Templar in Masonry, and always took a deep interest in agricultural and educational matters, as well as having been active and prominent in business affairs.

On May 6, 1841, Col. Haywood united in marriage with Elizabeth Prescott, who was born within one-half mile of his New Hampshire birthplace. They had three sons, two of whom died in infancy, and Edward A., born January 26, 1861, died February 10, 1881.

He was hospitable and generous, and no man greeted or entertained his friends with warmer cordiality. He was intelligent, honest, genial and straightforward, of strong force of character, of sound judgment, true to every interest intrusted to his care, and a good citizen in the true meaning of that term.

He died in 1891, of valvular heart disease.

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This family biography is one of 658 biographies included in Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York published in 1891. 

View additional Chautauqua County, New York family biographies here: Chautauqua County, New York Biographies

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