Bradford County PA Chemung County NY Tioga County PA Tri-Counties Genealogy & History by Joyce M. Tice History of Tompkins, Schuyler, Chemung, Tioga 1879

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Richard Lockwood	Susan Fischler

The ancestors of Mr. Lockwood are of Scotch descent, two brothers having at the very early day settled in Connecticut, from one of which he is descended, although it is impossible to trace the successive generations, the records having been lost or destroyed. But of his father we have quite a full account. Colonel Edmund Lockwood was born at Watertown, Litchfield Co., Conn., Nov. 24, 1769. He there married Nancy Judson, by whom he had two children,--Caroline, who married Samuel Simons, and Charles J. who married a lady named Cook, and had two children, Caroline and Nancy. May 19, 1797, he was commissioned captain in the 8^th Regiment of Militia by Governor Oliver Wolcott. May 28, 1802, he was promoted to the rank of major by Governor John Turmbull. May 10, 1810, he received his commission as colonel of the same regiment from Governor John Treadwell. He obtained a contract, with other parties in Connecticut, to construct a macadamized road from Baltimore to Washington, and he went tither to superintend the same, taking oxen and carts from Connecticut to do the grading. While thus engaged he made the acquaintance of Charles Carroll of Carrolton, and was finally persuaded to enter his service as practical farmer, superintending his plantation. He was soon after appointed agent for the sale of the Carroll and Caton lands in Bradford, Tioga, and Steuben Counties. He faithfully looked after the interests of the owners, and required of his purchasers that they should not cut off the valuable pine timber only so fast as they cleared and cultivated the lands. His successor was not so particular, he allowing the lands to be stripped of the timber, so that they sold for a mere nominal price.

While engaged in the sale of these lands, Colonel Lockwood formed the acquaintance of Anna, widow of Dr. Russell,* whom he married March 13, 1816. She was born March 8, 1793, and was the daughter of Isaac Cash and Sally Gore, and granddaughter of Judge Obadiah Gore, who came to Sheshequin from Wyoming in 1784. Judge Gore had three brothers and two brothers-in-law killed at the Wyoming massacre. Her mother, Sally Gore died March 22, 1813, and her father, Isaac Cash, a few weeks later, April 12. Colonel Lockwood purchased the Cash family homestead in Old Sheshequin, of four hundred and twelve acres, and took up his residence there, and there ended his days, Jan. 16, 1834, aged sixty-three years. The home farm was divided among the children, eight in number, six of whom survive, namely Edmund, born Nov. 12, 1816; Abigail Crassa, born Sept. 14, 1818; Richard Caton, our Subject, born Sept. 19, 1820; Samuel Simons, born Feb. 22, 1823; Mary Ann, born November 7, 1825; Phoebe Maria, born March 2, 1830; two others, Francis and Charles Huston, died young.

(*-Dr. Robert Russell was a surgeon in the New York State forces during the war of 1812. He is supposed to have been killed during the war, as he was never heard from afterwards. The only child of Robert and Anna Russell was a daughter,--Miami,--who married John M. Pike, and now resides at Athens ,PA.)

Richard Caton Lockwood, son of the above, was born in Ulster, Bradford Co. Pa., Sept. 19, 1820; At the age of thirteen years he struck out for himself, soon after his father’s death. He went to Towanda, Pa., and commenced his business career (for he had a leaning toward a mercantile life) as a clerk with his uncle, David Cash, of the firm of Cash & Warner, merchants, - agreeing to stay one year in their service for his board. After a nine-months’ experience in his uncle’s store, he concluded that it was not only very hard work, but a very slow way of making money, and he soon after engaged with Guy Tracy, a merchant in Ulster, as clerk, at the salary of eight dollars per month. He continued with him until 1841. His educational advantages were those of the district school, and three months subsequently at the Athens Academy. But he was quite a proficient scholar, sufficiently so to take charge of a district school when but eighteen years of age, while in Mr. Tracy’s employ, and with his consent. He taught the same for one term. It was soon after this that he made his first business venture, -purchasing a raft of lumber, which he ran down the river and sold at quite an advance.

In 1841 he moved to Wellsburg, Chemung Co., and entered into the mercantile business in partnership with Guy Tracy, his former employer, who had so much confidence in young Lockwood’s integrity and business tact as to furnish the capital and give him entire charge of this store, while Mr. Tracy operated his store in Ulster. In those days goods were sold on long credits, taking lumber in payment, and running it down the Susquehanna to Port Deposit and Baltimore. He continued this business until 1854, at which time his store, with nearly all its contents, was consumed by fire, with a loss of $2000 over the insurance. Mr. Lockwood then took the stock that had been saved from the fire, and gave his partner $10,600 for his interest after reimbursing him the capital invested in the business. Fram this date Mr. Lockwood continued the business in his own name, rebuilding the store in 1856, on the site of the one so recently burned. This conflagration was the work of incendiaries, and Mr. Lockwood had the satisfaction subsequently of seeing the perpetrators brought to justice, -being himself largely instrumental in breaking up a thoroughly-organized gang of horse-thieves, which then infested this vicinity. Mr. Lockwood did a successful business until 1865, when he sold his stock and rented the store to Messrs. Kress & Evans. He has since been engaged in farming, and in connection carries on the lumber and coal business, and also a planing-mill.

He was the originator of the movement for the formation of the town of Ashland , and the ardent supporter of the same in despite of strong opposition. He continued his efforts indefatigably until he secured the passage of a bill by the Legislature in 1867, setting off the town from the territory of the old towns of Southport, Elmira and Chemung. He was very fitly elected in 1867 is first supervisor, and was re-elected each successive year until 1871, again in 1876 and is the present incumbent. He also held the office of postmaster of Wellsburg for several years. In politics, Mr. Lockwood was formerly a Whig, but since its organization has acted with the Republican party, of which he has for years been an active worker.

In 1855 he married Susan Fishler, who was born Jan. 21, 1821, and was the daughter of George Fishler and Joannah Van Scoder, both of German extraction. Her father was born April 9, 1797, in Bucks Co., Pa; removed to Wallpack, Sussex Co., N.J., and thence to Wellsburg, N.Y., in 1835. Her mother was born in 1801, in Sussex Co., N.J., and died April 28, 1843. The children of George and Joannah Fishler were Susan, born Jan. 27, 1821; John Van Scoder, born Oct. 20, 1822; Nathaniel, died in infancy; George Washington, born Aug. 22, 1827; Mary, born Oct. 3, 1829; Eliza , born April 22, 1832; and Joanna born March 22, 1835. Eliza Fishler died Feb. 3, 1846; Mary died Oct. 16, 1850. Mr. Fishler is a carpenter and joiner by trade, although now in his eighty-third year, is hale and hearty, and quite active for his years. Mrs. Lockwood takes special delight in the culture of flowers and plants. To Mr. And Mrs. Lockwood have been born three children, viz., Ulilla May, born June 6, 1856; Roe, born Aug. 4, 1857; and Edmund C., born April 3, 1864. Roe died Dec. 15, 1862.

Mr. Lockwood is pre-eminently a self-made man,--one who, by indomitable energy, has achieved success in what ever he has undertaken. Whether in business or in social life, the rule of his conduct has ever been that of the strictest integrity,--his word is as good as his bond.
 

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