My Genealogy Hound

FERNANDO CORTEZ HASKIN. Among the many American citizens who trace back their lineage to Celtic Scotland is Fernando Cortez Haskin, the subject of our sketch. He is a son of Enoch and Mary (Wadsworth) Haskin and was born in Pittston, New York, on July 5, 1817. Elkanah Haskin, from whom the American stock by that name sprang, was born in Scotland about the year 1700, came to Connecticut in early life and settled in Norwich. Here he pursued the vocation of broadcloth weaver, reared his family and died at the age of eighty years. His family included seven children, one of whom, Enoch Sr., was the great-grandfather of our subject, and was born May 5, 1740, in Norwich, Connecticut. True to his religious training and environment, he was a strong adherent of the Presbyterian church and sought to inculcate its doctrines and dogmas by his life and example. Enoch Sr., was twice married; by his first wife he had one daughter, Rachel; by his second wife he had several children, among whom was Enoch Jr., subject’s grandfather, born July 23, 1765. Animated and fired with enthusiasm for his country’s independence in its moments of deepest gloom, our boyish patriot threw his life, his soul, his all into the struggle for liberty. He did all that a boy could in behalf of his native land, endured the privations, the sufferings, the dangers and the vicissitudes of war. Upon one occasion he was stunned by a cannon-shot and thrown into the ditch, but almost miraculously resuscitated and lived to see the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. Reward was made for his gallant services by a pension. Subsequent to the Revolution he married Miss Lydia Ackley, who bore him a family of seven children. He was thoroughly democratic in his views of State; conscientious in conduct, and an active member of the Presbyterian church. He died in Ohio.

The father of our subject was born near Breedport, Vermont, in 1788, and in 1818 came to the town of Sheridan, Chautauqua county, New York, where he lived until his death in 1868. He was reared upon a farm and subsequently purchased a farm of his own in Sheridan town, which he cultivated simultaneously with other branches of business. Later he went into the hotel business, and as proof of his carefulness and integrity in the sale of liquors, has on file some thirty-one licenses granted by the excise committee. He is an enthusiastic democrat in political creed, but a very notable attestation of his popularity irrespective of party is the fact that he lacked but twenty-one votes in the race for the office of sheriff in a strong republican district. His union in marriage was blest with eight children, four boys and four girls; two of the former and three of the latter are still living.

Fernando C. Haskin was married to Sarah A. Keech, a daughter of Abram Keech of the town of Hanover. Three children were born to them: George; Susan who now lives in Winona, Minnesota; and Mary, married to George Cranston, a postal clerk on the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Mr. Haskin received the customary common school education of this day, and being reared on a farm, has followed farming ever since, with the exception of eight years spent in the lumber business. He has acquired a comfortable home, is regarded as an honest, upright citizen and a good neighbor; is a democrat in politics, both by heredity and principle and is fully alive to the National issues of the day.