Aaron M. Lathrop, one of the wealthy, retired business men of Bennettsville, Bainbridge township, is a son of Levi9 and Patience (Rowlely) Lathrop and was born Nov. 1, 1829, in Unadilla, Otsego County, NY.

    His great grandfather was minute-man in the Revolutionary War, enlisting from New York and giving his life in the service of his country at Saratoga. Elisha, the grandfather was born near Albany, but grew to young manhood in Norwich, Conn. When he was nineteen years old he came to this state, locating on Sand Hill Creek, Otsego County, where he secured a tract of woodland and at once set about clearing it. When this was accomplished he had a fine farm of 300 acres, where he lived and was buried, when dissolution finally occurred at the extreme old age of ninety-two years. His mother was Susanah Gates, a first cousin of General Gates.

    Levi Lathrop was born on the paternal acres in 1793 and was reared and educated in Otsego Co. dying at the age of sixty-eight. His life was spent in farming and working at the trade of a cooper. He was twice married, his first wife being Patience Rowley, by who he had eight sons and four daughters. After her death he married Phoebe Halbert and t5o them was born one child a daughter. The maternal grandfather of Aaron M. Lathrop was Seth Rowley, a native of the town of Rowley, situated about forty miles noth of Boston, in Essex County, Mass.

    Aaron M. Lathrop received his education in the common schools and has since added to his stock of knowledge continually by reading and intelligent observation. He married Jan 1, 1861 to Mariet Crane, a daughter of Simeon Crane of Sanford, Broome County, this state. Their only child Laura died in childhood.

Source: page 598

    SCOTT B. LEWIS, is without question the most widely known citizen of New Berlin township, Chenango County, N.Y. He is a comparatively young man, but his life has been crowded with events of importance, which have followed one another in close succession. His fair reputation is known not only throughout the entire central part of the Empire State but his connection with vital human interests has given him a state-wide fame. He is a son of Henry and Eliza (Hall)Lewis, and was born in the town of Morris, Otsego County, NY, April 14, 1857

    Nathaniel Lewis, grandfather of our subject came from the State Of Massachusetts in 1800 and located in the town of Morris. The early part of his life was identified with the medical circles of Chenango County as a regular practitioner, but later he turned his attention toward the tilling of the soil. He passed from this life in 1859, aged eighty years. He was the father of eight children.

    Henry Lewis, the father of our subject, was born in the town of Morris, Otsego County, N.Y., 1814 and died in the town of Butternuts in 1886. The most of his live was spent on the old homestead, where he was engaged in the pursuits of an agriculturist. Mr. Lewis was formerly an old time Whig, but upon the organization of the Republican party he became identified with that political power and remained with it until the time of his death. Religiously, he was a Free Will Baptist and held many offices in that church. He was united in marriage with Eliza Hall, and they reared nine children.

    Scott B. Lewis received his elementary education in the south New Berlin Union School and at the age of twenty years he engaged in the mercantile business. He formed a partnership with Oliver Angell and for the first two years the firm name was Lewis & Angell. He bought out the interests of his partner, Mr. Angell, and conducted the business alone for the succeeding thirteen years. In 1892 he began to speculate in livestock and produce, and has built up a very large successful business.

    He formed a matrimonial alliance with Sarah A. Babcock, daughter of Chancellor H. Babcock and they were happily wedded January 2, 1881. Laura is the only child that has blessed their union. Mr. Lewis is a Republican in politics, with his convictions as deeply settled and fixed as his father's ideas of freedom. He believes in true Republicanism, not the party spirit which actuates men to do the bidding of some self-constituted leader who has no claim on their support except it is by his own unblushing audacity or willingness to perform actions that a true man would be ashamed of. The kind of Republicanism that Mr. Lewis loves is the kind whose banner John C. Freemont dared carry; that "Abe" Lincoln proclaimed; that today William McKinley represents. To Mr. Lewis's mind a free-born American's right of suffrage is his dearest possession. A citizen should vote with a clear idea behind his ballot of what he wants that ballot to do. Men, who are leaders, should have won the right to lead by having performed actions entitling them to leadership. He is in a position to know the correctness of the stand he takes, for his experience in politics has been life-long. He has been supervisor of New Berlin two terms; has been justice of the peace since 1893; and in 1893 he was elected commissioner of highways for a term of three years. He is president and manager of the South New Berlin Water Co, and was one of the organizers, in 1897; and is treasurer and a director of the South New Berlin Gas Co, of which he was one of the chief promoters in 1896. Socially he is a member of the Phoebus Lodge, No. 82, F. & A.M.; Harmony Chapter, No. 42, R.A.M. ; Norwich Commandery, No. 46, Knight Templars; and Winnebago Tribe, No. 362, I.O. R.M. of New Berlin. Religiously, he is a member of the Methodist Church of which he is a trustee. The manner in which Mr. Lewis has executed the responsibilities of the trusts that have devolved upon him proves the genuineness of his integrity and the justice of the reputation he has earned for energy and executive ability, as well as probity and unswerving rectitude.

Source: page 593
Transcribed by Ann Hopkins November 9, 2005