My Genealogy Hound

WESLEY MILSPAW. Among the prominent business men and progressive citizens of western New York, Wesley Milspaw stands in the front rank. He is a son of Jeremiah and Margaret (Waggoner) Milspaw, and was born in the town of Townsend, Huron county, Ohio, February 23, 1823. His grandfather, George Waggoner, was a native of New Jersey, and at the outbreak of the Revolutionary war, without a thought of self, placed himself at the service of the country which gave him birth. He served in that memorable struggle through seven years of hardship, privation, battle and National darkness with unswerving patriotism, and, strange to remark, without having received a single wound. Another fact showing the strange and somewhat remarkable workings of fortune, was that his death occurred in the country against which in early life he had risked his life. When he died he was seventy-eight years of age. The father of our subject was born in Orange county, New York, but soon became a resident of the State of Ohio, whither his father removed. In 1827 he returned to New York State and located in what is now known as Cherry Creek, Chautauqua county. Here he resided for a period of three years, after which he went to Canada and remained a couple of years, thence returning to Ellington, where he died in 1852, at the age of seventy-two years. By trade Mr. Milspaw was a tailor, having served a long apprenticeship in that business in New York city. He was regarded as a very skillful and artistic workman in his line, but his abilities as a manager were rather mediocre. He was in religion a communicant of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in his political views a stanch democrat. The Milspaw family is of French extraction, though on the maternal side was of German origin. Subject’s mother was a native of New Jersey, an enthusiastic churchwoman, and during their residence in Canada devoted much time to teaching and Christianizing the Indians. She was a woman of rare gifts, sincere and devoted to the cause of truth and religion and, above all, filled with unbounded enthusiasm and energy. Her missionary efforts bore fruitful results, and she lived to enjoy the benedictions which arise from a life of devotion and good works. Her death occurred in 1842, when at the age of fifty-eight years.

Wesley Milspaw was reared principally in Chautauqua county, educated in the common schools, and upon leaving took up trading and peddling for some time. He was a poor boy who was compelled to make his own way in life, so that all his spare time had to be turned toward making a livelihood. When a young man he cut wood at eighteen cents per cord and worked in the hay fields at fifty cents per day. After accumulating a little money and establishing a credit, he engaged in the lumber business and farming, finally embarking in commission business for eastern firms. For the past ten years Mr. Milspaw has been engaged in the oil business and is now the lessee of twenty-nine flowing wells, for which he has been offered one hundred thousand dollars. He also owns and operates a large agricultural house in Elllington, where is kept a large variety of farming implements, buggies and wagons, grass seeds, etc. Besides these interests, a couple of farms and other properties claim his attention.

Wesley Milspaw was united in marriage, on December 24, 1843, to Angeline, daughter of Mrs. Almira Cheeseman, of Ellington, N. Y. To them have been born five children, three sons and two daughters: Charles L., Willis M., Luella, Alice and Francis. Luella is married to Clinton Conet, of Conewango, Cattaraugus county; Alice is married to George Wells, of Warren, Pennsylvania, while the sons are residents and large farmers of the town of Ellington.

He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church (and has been for forty-eight years), in which he is steward and trustee. Politically he is a republican, and in 1864-65 was highway commissioner, during which term of service he built twenty-five bridges. Mr. Milspaw is a remarkably well-preserved man for his age, which he attributes largely to his abstemious habits and regard for the laws of health. His entire career has been no less remarkable; starting in life without a dollar, he has gradually ascended the scale of success until now he possesses all the material wealth that one could possibly desire. His life is one worthy of study and indicates what can be done by perseverance, courage and energy.