Maj. John Couch Backus and Mary Almira Windsor
Husband Maj. John Couch Backus 1
Born: 13 Mar 1817 - Lee, Berkshire Co, MA 2 Christened: Died: 26 Oct 1888 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 2 Buried:
Father: Thomas L. Backus (1785- ) 3 Mother: Rebecca Couch ( - ) 3
Marriage: 18 Jun 1860 2
Other Spouse: Mary Sartwell ( -1860) 4 - 1857 5
Wife Mary Almira Windsor 4
Born: 27 Dec 1842 - Franklinville, Cattaraugus Co, NY 2 Christened: Died: Aft 1913 Buried:
Father: Ebed Windsor (Abt 1802-1845) 4 Mother: Mary Ann King (1812-1865) 6
Father: Solomon Sartwell ( - ) 6 Mother: Sarah "Sally" King (1802-Bef 1913) 6
Children
1 M Frank Backus 2
Born: 11 Mar 1862 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 2 Christened: Died: Aft 1913 Buried:
2 F Alice Bell Backus 2
Born: Oct 1864 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 2 Christened: Died: 5 Feb 1866 2 Buried:Spouse: Did Not Marry
3 M John Clayton Backus 2
Born: 14 Mar 1866 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 2 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Lucy Blake ( - ) 2
4 M George Anthony Backus 2
Born: 12 Jun 1868 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 2 Christened: Died: 14 Jun 1905 2 Buried:Spouse: Did Not Marry
5 M Frederick William Backus 2
Born: 22 Nov 1870 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 2 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Carrie Schott ( - ) 2
6 F Lucy Mygatt Backus 2
Born: 1 Nov 1873 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 2 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: William Seger ( - ) 2
7 F Nellie Almira Backus 2
Born: 19 Apr 1876 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 2 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Dr. Arthur Ward Cutler ( - ) 2
8 M Ralph Eugene Backus 2
Born: 19 Mar 1880 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 2 Christened: Died: 14 Nov 1880 2 Buried:Spouse: Did Not Marry
9 M Merle Edwin Backus 2
Born: 19 Apr 1882 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 2 Christened: Died: Buried:
10 M Harold Eugene Backus 2
Born: 2 Oct 1886 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 2 Christened: Died: 26 Jun 1910 2 Buried:
General Notes: Husband - Maj. John Couch Backus
He was born in Massachusetts, but in his fourth year his parents moved to Lansing, New York, where his childhood and youth were spent and early education obtained. He was a graduate of Oberlin College (Ohio), and began life fully equipped educationally. After attaining his majority he engaged with his brother, Seth A., in the lumbering business at Wellsville, New York, and in 1845 moved to Tuttle Point, McKean County, Pennsylvania. There they purchased a sawmill and combined their lumbering operations until 1848, when becoming tired of the business and aspiring to a professional career, John C. moved to Smethport and began the study of law with N. W. Goodrich, then a prominent lawyer of the county. In 1851 Mr. Backus was admitted to the McKean county bar and in 1856 to practice in the supreme court. He at once began the practice of his profession in Smethport and for over twenty-five years was engaged in nearly every important case tried in the county. At the time of his death he had been in practice longer than any other lawyer. He also took an active part in politics. He was a life-long Democrat and in 1851 was elected register and recorder of McKean county; was a member of the state legislature in 1875 and 1876, and for ten years was chief burgess of Smethport. He was a veteran of the civil war, enlisting in 1861, and in December of that year was commissioned captain of Company E, Fifty-eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He fought in all the battles participated in by his regiment until compelled by his failing health to resign. He had risen through successive promotion, and at the time of his resignation was holding the rank of major. In 1877 he formed a law partnership with Sheridan Gorton, of Friendship, New York, which continued until the death of Major Backus. He was a member of the Episcopal church, McKean Lodge, No. 338, Free and Accepted Masons, and of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Major Backus was noted for his generosity, and none ever appealed to him in vain. Positive and energetic by disposition, he pursued with untiring zeal every cause he championed and every work he undertook. He held a high place in the esteem of his townsmen and ever labored for the welfare of Smethport and its inhabitants. He was a prominent member of the Masonic order and was buried by his brethren according to the beautiful Masonic ritual. No more fitting tribute can be paid to his memory than that tendered by one of his brethren of the bar: "In him his country has lost one who proved by his acts that he fully appreciated the duty of a good citizen and a true patriot. In him his wife lost a kind husband, children, an indulgent father, and kin of every degree a generous friend." He always held his army comrades in highest regard and was a charter member of the Smethport Post, Grand Army of the Republic, which post passed fitting resolutions of respect to his memory. [GPHNP, 61]
General Notes: Wife - Mary Almira Windsor
She was educated in the public schools of Smethport, Pennsylvania, and the high school at Alfred Center, New York.
1 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Northern Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 58, 61.
2 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Northern Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 61.
3 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Northern Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 58.
4 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Northern Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 60.
5 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Northern Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 62.
6
John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Northern Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 60, 92.
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