JAMES H. SEARLES
The subject of this sketch was born in Belleville, Jefferson county, N. Y., August 6, 1832. He was the son of Martha Gott Ransom and James H. Searles, who was a leading merchant in the town of Ellisburgh many years. Mr. Searles came to Rome January 1, 1867, since which time he has been in the banking, real estate and insurance business. A zealous, broad natured citizen, always in sympathy with any good and able enterprise that might be for public advancement.
He was twice married. First, to Frances Barrilla, daughter of Ebenezer and Mollie Stark Webster, June 19, 1859. Three children were born by that union--James Webster Searles, of Salt Lake City, Utah, Katherine Mary, wife of Dr. Jay Hathaway Utley, of Los Angeles, California, and Jenny Frances, born April 29, 1860, at Kalamazoo, Mich., died October 12, 1880. Second to Eloise Catherine., daughter of John Milton and Mary Abbott Rumney, April 18, 1872. Four children were born to them: John Rumney Searles, Charles Noble Searles, Elizabeth Porter Searles, and Martha Eloise Searles, born February 4, 1879, at Rome, died February 23, 1880. Eloise C. Searles is a grand niece of Newton Mann, whose portrait appears in this work.
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