Edgar Gregory Dusenbury
June 10, 1836 - December 25, 1920
June 10, 1836 - December 25, 1920
Edgar G. Dusenbury, a lifelong resident of Portville, New York, died at his home at 2:30 o’clock p.m.,
on Christmas Day, after an illness of about two years. He was born at Portville on October 31st,
1841, and was the youngest son of Henry and Caroline Dusenbury, who were among the early settlers
of Portville, his father having moved there from Deposit, New York, in 1834, to become a member of
the firm of Dusenbury, Wheeler, May and Company, pioneer lumbermen and merchants.
In connection with his lumber interests, it is a quite remarkable fact that the original copartnership,
composed of the Dusenbury and Wheeler families, and established in 1834, is still existent and actively
engaged in the manufacture of lumber at Endeavor, Pa., where mills of large capacity are located. Mr.
Dusenbury attended school in Portville and at the Deposit Academy in Deposit, New York. After
leaving school, he entered the mercantile business with his brothers, John E. and William A.
Dusenbury, at Portville. He was actively associated with the Wheeler and Dusenbury group in the
development of their lumber operations, tanning, oil, and banking enterprises. He was one of the
organizers of First National Bank of Olean in 1871 and, upon the death of his brother, John E.
Dusenbury, in 1913, became President of that Institution, which office he held at the time of his death.
Becoming keenly interested in agriculture, he for many years conducted a model Jersey farm near
Portville, not so much for profit, as for experimental purposes. He was one of the first men in the
county to successfully produce alfalfa. He served for nine years as a member of the Board of Control
of the State Experimental Station at Geneva, N. Y., having been appointed to that office by the late
Governor Frank Wayland Higgins.
Mr. Dusenbury was associated with many charitable and educational institutions, having served on the
Board of Trustees of the Auburn Theological Seminary at Auburn, N. Y., and for twenty years was a
trustee of the Chautauqua Institute. No one will ever know just how many young men and women
gained an opportunity for a thorough education through his generosity, for he was a modest man.
He was exceedingly liberal toward all charities that appealed to him, and his native town of Portville
was the recipient of many of his benefactions, among them the beautiful Public Library and grounds,
which he presented to the village in 1909 and later liberally endowed.
He was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church at Portville and for more than twenty-eight years
an elder. On account of this affiliation, it is interesting to recall that the First Presbyterian Church in
Cattaraugus County was organized in Olean in 18XX and Mr. Dusenbury’s father, Henry Dusenbury,
was one of the organizers, paying one-half of the cost of the modest church building, the rest of the
congregation the remainder. Mr. Dusenbury was a generous supporter of his church, the Presbyterian
Board of Missions, the Olean General Hospital, the Olean Young Men’s Christian Association, the
Western New York Home for Dependent and Homeless Children at Randolph, which institution he
served as President of the Board of Trustees. No worthy charity appealed to him in vain.
In politics, he was a staunch Republican, a believer in the principles of the party, and a liberal
contributor to its cause, though he neither cared for nor sought public office.
Quite the finest trait in the character of Mr. Dusenbury was that of loyalty. Loyalty to his home
community, to business associates, to friends, to church and to his country. He was a Christian
gentleman, a home loving man, modest in demeanor, affable in approach, and one who despised fraud
and sham and deceit.
Mr. Dusenbury was united in marriage at Westfield, Mass., October 3rd, 1866, to Eloise Fowler, who
survives him, as does one sister, Miss Caroline Dusenbury of Chicago; a neice, Miss Katherine S.
Dusenbury of Portville, N. Y., and the following nephews: George E. Vincent, New York City; Henry
D. Sheldon, Detroit; William A. Dusenbury, Edgar T. Dusenbury and Duncan C. Dusenbury, all of
Portville, N. Y., and Donald Dusenbury of Olean, N. Y.
The funeral will be held from the family home in Portville on Tuesday afternoon, December 28th, at 3
o’clock. Burial will be at Chestnut Hill Cemetery at the convenience of the family. Flowers are
gratefully declined.
on Christmas Day, after an illness of about two years. He was born at Portville on October 31st,
1841, and was the youngest son of Henry and Caroline Dusenbury, who were among the early settlers
of Portville, his father having moved there from Deposit, New York, in 1834, to become a member of
the firm of Dusenbury, Wheeler, May and Company, pioneer lumbermen and merchants.
In connection with his lumber interests, it is a quite remarkable fact that the original copartnership,
composed of the Dusenbury and Wheeler families, and established in 1834, is still existent and actively
engaged in the manufacture of lumber at Endeavor, Pa., where mills of large capacity are located. Mr.
Dusenbury attended school in Portville and at the Deposit Academy in Deposit, New York. After
leaving school, he entered the mercantile business with his brothers, John E. and William A.
Dusenbury, at Portville. He was actively associated with the Wheeler and Dusenbury group in the
development of their lumber operations, tanning, oil, and banking enterprises. He was one of the
organizers of First National Bank of Olean in 1871 and, upon the death of his brother, John E.
Dusenbury, in 1913, became President of that Institution, which office he held at the time of his death.
Becoming keenly interested in agriculture, he for many years conducted a model Jersey farm near
Portville, not so much for profit, as for experimental purposes. He was one of the first men in the
county to successfully produce alfalfa. He served for nine years as a member of the Board of Control
of the State Experimental Station at Geneva, N. Y., having been appointed to that office by the late
Governor Frank Wayland Higgins.
Mr. Dusenbury was associated with many charitable and educational institutions, having served on the
Board of Trustees of the Auburn Theological Seminary at Auburn, N. Y., and for twenty years was a
trustee of the Chautauqua Institute. No one will ever know just how many young men and women
gained an opportunity for a thorough education through his generosity, for he was a modest man.
He was exceedingly liberal toward all charities that appealed to him, and his native town of Portville
was the recipient of many of his benefactions, among them the beautiful Public Library and grounds,
which he presented to the village in 1909 and later liberally endowed.
He was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church at Portville and for more than twenty-eight years
an elder. On account of this affiliation, it is interesting to recall that the First Presbyterian Church in
Cattaraugus County was organized in Olean in 18XX and Mr. Dusenbury’s father, Henry Dusenbury,
was one of the organizers, paying one-half of the cost of the modest church building, the rest of the
congregation the remainder. Mr. Dusenbury was a generous supporter of his church, the Presbyterian
Board of Missions, the Olean General Hospital, the Olean Young Men’s Christian Association, the
Western New York Home for Dependent and Homeless Children at Randolph, which institution he
served as President of the Board of Trustees. No worthy charity appealed to him in vain.
In politics, he was a staunch Republican, a believer in the principles of the party, and a liberal
contributor to its cause, though he neither cared for nor sought public office.
Quite the finest trait in the character of Mr. Dusenbury was that of loyalty. Loyalty to his home
community, to business associates, to friends, to church and to his country. He was a Christian
gentleman, a home loving man, modest in demeanor, affable in approach, and one who despised fraud
and sham and deceit.
Mr. Dusenbury was united in marriage at Westfield, Mass., October 3rd, 1866, to Eloise Fowler, who
survives him, as does one sister, Miss Caroline Dusenbury of Chicago; a neice, Miss Katherine S.
Dusenbury of Portville, N. Y., and the following nephews: George E. Vincent, New York City; Henry
D. Sheldon, Detroit; William A. Dusenbury, Edgar T. Dusenbury and Duncan C. Dusenbury, all of
Portville, N. Y., and Donald Dusenbury of Olean, N. Y.
The funeral will be held from the family home in Portville on Tuesday afternoon, December 28th, at 3
o’clock. Burial will be at Chestnut Hill Cemetery at the convenience of the family. Flowers are
gratefully declined.
| The Portville Historical and Preservation Society |
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| 17 Maple Avenue Portville, NY 14770 www.portvillehistory.org |
Portville, New York
Edgar G. Dusenbury, Banker and Leader in Industry,
Dies at Home in Portville
Was Seventy-Nine Years of Age and Had Been
Identified with This City and the Village of His Birth
All His Life – Was President of First National Bank
of Olean – Philanthropist, and Trustee of Many
Public and Charitable Institutions
Dies at Home in Portville
Was Seventy-Nine Years of Age and Had Been
Identified with This City and the Village of His Birth
All His Life – Was President of First National Bank
of Olean – Philanthropist, and Trustee of Many
Public and Charitable Institutions
Funeral of the Late Edgar G. Dusenbury Held From Home in Portville Today
The funeral of Edgar G. Dusenbury was held from his home in Portville at 3 o'clock this afternoon,
services being conducted by the Rev. Hiram D. Bacon, minister of the Portville Presbyterian church,
assisted by the Rev. Frank W. Bible of New York City. Interment was made in the family lot in the
Chestnut Hill Cemetery.
The active pallbearers were: Nelson P. Wheeler, Jr., Endeavor, Pa.; John D. Matz, Chicago, Ill.;
Duncan C. Dusenbury, Portville, N. Y.; Henry L. Jacoby, Portville, N. Y.; Arthur E. Yahn, Olean, N.
Y.; James P. Quigley, Olean, and the honorary bearers were: Wilson R. Page, W. C. A. Quirin, Henry
J. Zimmerman, Wallace Weston, Jr., Edward H. Wright, Charles L. Davis, all of Olean, N.Y.
Those from out of town attending the funeral included: Miss Caroline Dusenbury, Chicago, Mrs.
George Vincent, New York City; Mr. and Mrs. Carl D. Matz, Washington, D. C.; Mr. and Mrs. John
D. Matz, Chicago; Mr. and Mrs. Nelson P. Wheeler, Jr., Endeavor, Pa.; A. R. Wheeler, Endeavor,
Pa.; W. O. Fuellhart, Endeavor, Pa.; Mr. and Mrs. William H. Stiles, Endeavor, Pa.; Mrs. Eleanor W.
Pfeiffer, New York City, and Charles Merrill, Randolph, N. Y.