Genration Six: Simeon Whitney Niles

Born: May 26, 1797 in Gardiner, Androscoggin Co., ME¹
Died: February 3, 1877, Cooperstown, Otsego Co., NY; Gravestone.
Married: (1) Sarah RUTENBER, born 1789; died February 11, 1847; Gravestone.
Mariied: (2) Polly WILSON, April 9, 1848 in Cooperstown, Otsego Co., NY; born 1808, Cherry Valley, Otsego Co., NY; died December 15, 1872, Cooperstown, Otsego Co., NY; Gravestone.

Children of Simeon W. and Sarah (Rutenber) Niles:

• John Lester, born 1823 ²; married (1) Deborah BUTMAN, September 21, 1841, (2) Antoinette FITHC, circa 1852.
• Samuel Whitney, born January, 1828; married Lucena FORD, 1855; died 1908, Johnson City, Broome Co., NY; Gravestone.
• Julia L., born 1828, Otsego Co., NY ²; died February 3, 1877, Otsego Co., NY; Gravestone.
• Lorenzo Grant, born 1830, Otsego Co., NY; married Augusta E. CRANDALL; died March 31, 1916.
• William D., born 1843, Otsego Co., NY; married Lydia L.

Children of Simeon W. and Polly (Wilson) Niles:

• Herman D., born March 28, 1852 in New York; married Catherine HASBROUCK; died March 28, 1916; Gravestone.
• John Lester., born April 20, 1858, Sullivan Co., NY; married (1) Anna TILLSON, married (2) Emma PRATT, May 22, 1901; died January 10, 1916, Oneonta, Otsego Co., NY; Obituary.

Notes:

Simeon W. lived in Hartwick, N.Y. which borders the town of Exeter, Otsego Co., on the south and is down the valley and easy to travel from Schuyler Lake.

Census 1840, Town of Otsego, Otsego Co. N.Y. :

Simeon W. Niles
1 male under 5 (William D.), 2 males 5-10 (John and Lorenzo, 1 male 30-40 (Simeon)
1 female under 5, 1 female 15-20 (Julia), 1 female 40-50 (Nancy)

Otsego County Records, Town of Otsego 1850:

Simeon Niles, 40A improved; 5A not improved value $1000;
1 horse, 3 cows, 2 oxen, 3 other cattle, 2 swine.

The Freeman’s Journal, Cooperstown, N.Y., February 08, 1877, Page 3:

Simeon W. Niles was an old and respected resident of this place, and had attained nearly his fourscore years. He was a truly good man. His only daughter, Julia L., remained with him, to cheer him, in his declining years, and literally wore herself out in the service of others. He had for years at times expressed anxiety that she - often in feeble health - might die and leave him alone in the world. Both retired to their beds of illness on the 27th ult., he from the effects of paralysis, and she with pleurisy. At two o’clock on the morning of the 3d inst. The beloved daughter died, and at one in the afternoon the father followed her to the spirit land.

Sources:

¹ Death records in the Cooperstown, N.Y. cemetery office state his birthplace as St. Marie, Maine (there is no such town as St. Marie, Maine, so this was probably a misprint, perhaps someone tried to abbreviate "State of Maine").
² Based on the 1850 Census, Town of Otsego, New York.