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Below is a family biography included in Portrait and Biographical Record of Seneca and Schuyler Counties, New York published by Chapman Publishing Co., in 1895.  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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ABRAM SERVEN, who holds an honored place among the retired farmers of Waterloo, was born in Rockland County in 1811. In that county his father, James H. Serven, was also born, and when grown to manhood he engaged in the manufacture of woolen-goods. As a side issue he carried on a farm with much success. The grandfather, Henry Serven, was one of the pioneer settlers of the county, in early life coming from Holland. The mother of our subject was known before her marriage as Miss Ann Lawrence, her parents being of English origin.

When the father removed with his family from Rockland County into Seneca County in 1822, he located upon a farm in the town of Junius, consisting at first of but sixty acres, but as he was able to add to it he did so, until it contained one hundred and fifty acres. Before leaving Rockland County, he disposed of all his business interests there, and devoted himself to building up his farm, on which he remained until the time of his death, in 1852, at the ripe age of seventy-five years. His wife survived him, dying in 1865, in the ninety-fourth year of her age. They were the parents of eleven children, whose names are as follows: Henry, Mary, John, Charity, James, Sally, Abram, Samuel, Rachel, Richard and Catherine. Of this goodly family only two are now living, Catherine and Abram.

Mr. Serven, the subject of our article, attended school in Junius, and devoted every winter to mental improvement until he had reached the age of twenty years, when he engaged to work by the month for the next two years. Then he took his father’s old farm, and began raising wheat, his first crop amounting to more than thirteen hundred bushels. This he sold for a good price, and the net profits of the year made him quite independent. For three years he continued on this farm, when he bought a farm for himself.

August 20, 1835, Mr. Serven married Miss Eleanor Goodell, of Seneca County. Soon after their marriage, the young couple removed to the farm in Junius, which at first consisted of only forty acres, but in the passing years has been increased to eight hundred acres. His first wife died June 30, 1849, leaving one child, George J., now a prosperous farmer in Junius, residing near his grandfather’s old homestead. January 13, 1850, Mr. Serven married Mrs. Maria Mattoon, who died September 3, 1886, leaving two children: Ida A., who married Horatio Marshall, a prominent attorney of Waterloo; and Abram Ralph, now a resident of Washington, D. C., who is an attorney-at-law, and an active politician, and at present is chief of the division of the Comptroller of Currency, appointed under the Democratic administration. Mrs. Maria Serven had three children by her former husband, Mr. Mattoon. In 1887 our subject married a third time, the lady of his choice being Mrs. Ruth A. Williams, the widow of Harvey J. Williams, and the daughter of Matthias Van Kirke, of Tyre, Seneca County.

Mr. Serven is a stanch Democrat, “from start to finish,” and has been active in local politics without seeking or holding office. In 1873 he removed from his farm into Waterloo, and has since that time devoted himself to the care of his many business interests. He lives in a handsome brick residence, well furnished, and has secured an ample competence for approaching old age. Though he may be said to have retired, he still has interests in the county.

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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in Portrait and Biographical Record of Seneca and Schuyler Counties, New York published in 1895. 

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

View a map of 1897 Seneca County, New York here: Seneca County, New York Map

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