His father, John Z. Rathbun, was a native of Lee, Mass., was a physician by profession, settled in practice while a young man at Ballston, where he continued a successful practitioner for some forty years, and in the year 1822 removed to Cayuga County, town of Scipio, where he remained in the practice of his profession for some twenty years, when his age debarred him from the further active duties of his profession, and he came to Elmira, where he died at the very advanced age of ninety-eight, in the year 1867.

His mother, whose maiden name was Celia Tobey, a native of Lee, Mass., lived to the age of eighty, and died at Scipio, Cayuga Co., N. Y.

Of their family of three sons and six daughters, Mr. Rathbun was second son. His other two brothers, Lorenzo and Valentine, were prominent physicians, the latter of Harrisburg, Ill., the former of McLeansburg, Ill.

The boyhood days of Mr. Rathbun were spent at home, receiving the advantages of a fair English education. After reaching his majority he selected farming for his occupation, which he followed in the town of Scipio for some thirty years, and was one of the most successful agriculturists in grain raising, and also sheep breeding, of his time in Cayuga County, raising some years as many as one hundred acres of wheat, and as much more spring grain.

In the fall of 1857 he removed to Elmira, where down to the present time he has been quite largely engaged in the purchase and sale of real estate. Among his first purchases was the "Brainard House," now known as the "Rathbun House," one of the finest and largest structures and well-appointed hotels in the city and in the southern tier of the State.