My Genealogy Hound

REV. GILBERT TRAVIS. Among the well known and influential residents of the town of Junius, Seneca County, is Mr. Travis, who devotes his time and attention to the raising of all kinds of fruit; he is also greatly interested in the production of poultry and eggs. The products of his farm are of the best quality, and he finds a ready market for them in the surrounding villages and cities.

Mr. Travis is a native of this state, and was born in Westchester County, January 29, 1823, to Joseph and Hester (Reynolds) Travis He was a lad of thirteen years when his parents removed to Syracuse, where they made their home for about a year. After farming on a tract of land near that place for one year, they disposed of it and came to the town of Junius. Here the father made his home for two years and a-half, after which he returned to Westchester County. Our subject, however, remained here with his wife, to whom he had been married a short time. He was educated in the schools of the neighborhood, and when about twenty years of age was awarded a certificate to teach, and had no difficulty in obtaining a school. After his marriage, however, he abandoned that vocation and began farming on shares for his father-in-law.

When seventeen years of age, Mr. Travis was converted and became a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. After locating in this county he was appointed Class-leader of the church at Tyre, and soon after was licensed as a local exhorter. He was then made Deacon of his congregation, and subsequently was ordained Elder by Bishop Janes. About 1855 he held his first charge at West Junius, under Presiding Elder Dr. F. S. Hibbard. He did not continue in the ministry very long, however, resigning his position to establish himself in the grocery business. After being thus engaged for about a year, he was appointed to sell a large stock of books which the church had on hand, giving his attention to the work for a year. After this he went to New York City and for one year carried on a good trade as a feed merchant. He was obliged to leave the city, however, a year thereafter, on account of the illness of his wife, and, coming to this town, purchased the forty acres of land on which he now lives. After presiding over the churches of Sodus Center and Alton, in Wayne County, for one year, he went to South Sodus, and was in charge of a church there for one year, after which he returned to his farm. Here he has set out all kinds of fruit and derives a handsome income from the sale of poultry and eggs.

Rev. Mr. Travis has traveled quite extensively through the Central and some of the Western States, and although well pleased with the country, is satisfied to spend the remainder of his life in his native state. He was married to Miss Clarissa Grote, but after twenty-five years of happy life together, she was called to her final home. Mr. Travis afterward chose for his wife Mrs. Carrie Roberson, by whom he has become the father of a son, John Lewis, who is now engaged in keeping books for a firm in Seneca Falls. Mrs. Carrie Travis died May 9, 1895. In politics our subject was in early life a Republican, but of late years, having had cause to change his views, has been a firm supporter of Prohibition principles. His record for officiating at weddings and funerals is surpassed by only one other minister in the town of Junius. The same may be said of the calls made for speeches at various meetings and social gatherings. Mr. Travis is one of the two members now living who voted for the official board at the time the first Methodist Episcopal Church was established here fifty-five years ago. At the fiftieth anniversary of the church he made the address in the evening, and at that time gave the names of all the preachers and presiding elders who had ever had charge of the church up to that time, and the names and description of the class-leaders and their qualifications, all of which was given from memory.