Mr. Corcoran was born at Dryden, Tompkins County, N. Y., and is a son of Patrick Corcoran, who was born in the town of Rue, parish of Kilmore, County Roscommon, Ireland. In the spring of 1844, this worthy Irish peasant left his native country, and came to New York; having friends in Tompkins County, he journeyed thither, and settled near Dryden, where he followed agricultural pursuits. He afterwards moved to Freeville, where he farmed until he retired from active labor, and moved to Cortland to reside with his son, the subject of this sketch, with whom he still lives. Patrick Corcoran's wife was Miss Catherine Conlon, who was also a native of the Emerald Isle, being born in an adjoining county. In the parental family were five children, who were named as follows: James; Mary; Frank; Henry; and Charles.

    The district schools of Freeville furnished Henry Corcoran with an education, which, though limited in amount and confined in its scope, sufficed as a fundamental ground-work for the knowledge gained by observation in the splendid school of experience. At the age of fourteen, the straitened circumstances in the parental family forced him to leave off attending school, and to begin to support himself. He secured a position as water-boy on a gravel train of the E., C. & N. R. R., and later became a flagman at the junction of the E., C. & N. R. R. and the S. C. R. R., in which latter position he continued for several years. Rising still higher in the railroad service he became a clerk in the freight office, a position he held until he voluntarily resigned, and came to Cortland in 1882. Upon becoming a resident of this village, which has ever since been his home, he took up the work of a carriage trimmer for the Cortland Wagon Co., and before long was taking contracts in this line of work, and showed his business sagacity by amassing considerable capital. In 1880, with Mr. M. E. Holton, as Holton & Corcoran, he bought out H. C. Harrington, and the firm as constituted above became the proprietors of the Cortland Bottling Works. In 1890, Mr. Corcoran secured entire control of the establishment, and entered upon a career of prosperity, that is highly flattering to his business capacity and keen insight into the needs of the trade. He has enlarged and improved his facilities, and built up a large trade in the surrounding country for his products, which consist of all kinds of carbonated and mineral waters, together with lager beer and ale. In 1897, he made a very important addition to his already large establishment by adding a wholesale liquor store. Two teams are kept busy delivering his goods about the village, county and even to the surrounding counties. The bottling works and liquor store are located in F. B. Haberley's Block at 37 and 39 Port Watson Street. As befits a man of his standing and worth in the community he owns his own residence at No. 13 Maple Avenue, where he has, with an eye to the best permanent results, indulged his tastes in making a number of important improvements, among which is a new barn, that is a model of convenience and general neat appearance. Mr. Corcoran's portrait appears on a preceding page.

Source: pages 219-220

    Grandfather Crofoot spent his life in the town of Preble, where he operated a tannery. He was formerly a Democrat, as was his father, but later became an Anti-Slavery man. He married Jane Seaverson, and they reared two sons, David O., and Wellington, deceased.

    David O. Crofoot was born at Preble, October 8, 1833, in the oldest house in the town of Preble, which was owned by his grandfather Seaverson. He has lived in his native town all his life, with the exception of ten years which were spent in the State of California, where he was engaged in mining, and latterly in the business of photography. He received a liberal education in the schools of Preble, and then turned his attention toward the operating of a mill and saw-mill which was formerly owned by his grandfather, and known as the Tallman and Crofoot Mills. In politics he is a staunch Republican, and has served as supervisor in such a manner as to win the highest praise of his fellow-citizens. He has represented his party on county, district and state committees. He married Sarah E. Tallman, who was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., but afterwards came to Preble, where her father engaged in milling. They had a family of three sons and one daughter. They are as follows: John T., subject of this personal sketch; Mary E., teacher in the public schools of Tonawanda; Henry C., an employee of the United States Government Service in California; and Wellington, student in the Buffalo Medical College, at Buffalo, N. Y.

    John T. Crofoot was educated in the Homer and Cortland Academies, after which he engaged in work around the village of Preble; he then went to Syracuse, where he remained for one year, and later he worked four years with R. H. White & Co. of Boston, Mass. February 19, 1895, he returned to his native town, where he conducted a general merchandise store. He now commands the leading trade of the village.

    Mr. Crofoot married Mrs. Lavinia Dunnell of Boston, Mass., October 17, 1894. They have two children, Beulah and Doris E. Politically, he is an avowed Republican, and was elected justice of the peace in the last spring election. He is a member of the Preble Lodge, No. 164, I. O. O. F. Since Mr. Crofoot has been a resident of this community, he has won hosts of friends who know him to be an honest an upright citizen.

Source: pages 138, 141.