Penn Yan Democrat
Penn Yan, Yates County, New York.
December 2, 1910
Death of Col. James Thurston.
Colonel James Sidney Thurston, who was for many years a prominent business man in Owego and afterwards in Elmira and Binghamton, and who subsequently became active and prominent in political affairs in this state, died Tuesday, November 22nd, at the Clifton Springs sanitarium, aged 85 years.
Col. Thurston was the youngest son of David Thurston, who came to Owego from Leominster, Mass., about the year 1812 and died here Jan. 16. 1858. David Thurston was one of seven per
sons who united to form the first Methodist church at Owego. Col. Thurston was born Oct. 14,.1825, in Owego. When the Civil war broke out, Col. Thurston was appointed quartermaster of the 109th regiment and went to the front. In August, 1863, he was appointed an army paymaster with the rank of major and assigned to the department of the west. In November, 1865, he was promoted to "Lieutenant Colonel, for arduous and meritorious services in his department" and afterwards received the rank of colonel.
When the Merchants' Union express company was organized in 1867, Col. Thurston was appointed agent of the company at Elmira and removed there in April of that year. When the company went out of existence in the following year he purchased Seymour Fairman's interest in the Elmira Advertiser and became the business manager. He was connected with the paper until October, 1870. In February, 1872, Horace A. Brooks began the publication of the Ahwaga Chief, a weekly Republican newspaper in Owego. In the fall of the same year Mr. Brooks removed the presses and printing material to Elmira, where in a company with P. C. VanGelder, who had also been business manager of the Advertiser and Col. Thurston, he began the publication of the Southern Tier Leader, a Methodist Republican temperance weekly paper. In June, 1874, col. Thurston became sole owner of the paper. During his sojourn in Elmira, he was twice elected alderman of the third ward. He was also treasurer of the Southern Tier Savings bank and superintendent of the Nobles manufacturing company.
Tn September, 1877, Col. Thurston went to Wheeling, W. Va., to assume the business management of the Daily Standard. In January, 1878, he came to Binghamton and became business manager of the Daily Republican. In May, 1880, he was appointed deputy superintendent of the banking department of this state, which position he held until August, 1883, when he resigned and became secretary and treasurer of the American Loan and Trust company, of New York city. While thus engaged, in June, 1887, he was appointed one of the board of managers of the St. Lawrence insane asylum by Governor Hill, which board was composed of six Democrats and four Republicans. In February, 1891, the American Loan and Trust company failed. He was afterwards president of the Metropolitan Electric and Equipment company, in New York city.
In January, 1896, Col. Thurston was again appointed deputy superintendent of the banking department of this state. He held this position until October, 1901, when he resigned and retired to live on his fruit farm of ninety acres, on Lake Keuka, near Penn Yan, which he had purchased three years previous. While living in Owego, Col. Thurston was elected a member of the village board of trustees in 1856. Col. Thurston leaves two daughters, Mrs. Alfred Campbell of Binghamton and Mrs. Charles D. Darling, of Canandaigua. He is also survived by one brother. John Metcalf Thurston, of Syracuse. Col. Thurston was an uncle of Mrs. Charles Marvin, of New York city, and of C. P. and F.G.Thurston, of Owego.
[Notation: His wife was Phoebe Ann Van Benschoten.]
Penn Yan Democrat
Penn Yan, Yates County, New York.
December 2, 1910
Death of Col. James Thurston.
Colonel James Sidney Thurston, who was for many years a prominent business man in Owego and afterwards in Elmira and Binghamton, and who subsequently became active and prominent in political affairs in this state, died Tuesday, November 22nd, at the Clifton Springs sanitarium, aged 85 years.
Col. Thurston was the youngest son of David Thurston, who came to Owego from Leominster, Mass., about the year 1812 and died here Jan. 16. 1858. David Thurston was one of seven per
sons who united to form the first Methodist church at Owego. Col. Thurston was born Oct. 14,.1825, in Owego. When the Civil war broke out, Col. Thurston was appointed quartermaster of the 109th regiment and went to the front. In August, 1863, he was appointed an army paymaster with the rank of major and assigned to the department of the west. In November, 1865, he was promoted to "Lieutenant Colonel, for arduous and meritorious services in his department" and afterwards received the rank of colonel.
When the Merchants' Union express company was organized in 1867, Col. Thurston was appointed agent of the company at Elmira and removed there in April of that year. When the company went out of existence in the following year he purchased Seymour Fairman's interest in the Elmira Advertiser and became the business manager. He was connected with the paper until October, 1870. In February, 1872, Horace A. Brooks began the publication of the Ahwaga Chief, a weekly Republican newspaper in Owego. In the fall of the same year Mr. Brooks removed the presses and printing material to Elmira, where in a company with P. C. VanGelder, who had also been business manager of the Advertiser and Col. Thurston, he began the publication of the Southern Tier Leader, a Methodist Republican temperance weekly paper. In June, 1874, col. Thurston became sole owner of the paper. During his sojourn in Elmira, he was twice elected alderman of the third ward. He was also treasurer of the Southern Tier Savings bank and superintendent of the Nobles manufacturing company.
Tn September, 1877, Col. Thurston went to Wheeling, W. Va., to assume the business management of the Daily Standard. In January, 1878, he came to Binghamton and became business manager of the Daily Republican. In May, 1880, he was appointed deputy superintendent of the banking department of this state, which position he held until August, 1883, when he resigned and became secretary and treasurer of the American Loan and Trust company, of New York city. While thus engaged, in June, 1887, he was appointed one of the board of managers of the St. Lawrence insane asylum by Governor Hill, which board was composed of six Democrats and four Republicans. In February, 1891, the American Loan and Trust company failed. He was afterwards president of the Metropolitan Electric and Equipment company, in New York city.
In January, 1896, Col. Thurston was again appointed deputy superintendent of the banking department of this state. He held this position until October, 1901, when he resigned and retired to live on his fruit farm of ninety acres, on Lake Keuka, near Penn Yan, which he had purchased three years previous. While living in Owego, Col. Thurston was elected a member of the village board of trustees in 1856. Col. Thurston leaves two daughters, Mrs. Alfred Campbell of Binghamton and Mrs. Charles D. Darling, of Canandaigua. He is also survived by one brother. John Metcalf Thurston, of Syracuse. Col. Thurston was an uncle of Mrs. Charles Marvin, of New York city, and of C. P. and F.G.Thurston, of Owego.
[Notation: His wife was Phoebe Ann Van Benschoten.]
Inscription
85 yrs
Gravesite Details
DIED Canandaiqua, NY
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
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