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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
HOMER LOCKWOOD.
Notably among the prominent early settlers of Northern Cayuga was HOMER LOOCKWOOD, who settled in Victory (then
Cato) in 1817. Homer Lockwood, whose father was a Revolutionary patriot, was born in Brookfield, Conn., November
7th, 1793, and Sally Benedict, his wife, was born October 27th, 1795, in Ridgefield,Conn. They were united in marriage
October 2d, 1816, and the year following moved to Victory and settled upon the farm they subsequently lived upon
for over half a century.
Northern Cayuga was then mostly a wilderness and the latter part of the three weeks' journey from New England,
by wagon, was over corduroy roads, and many miles were traveled with only marked trees to guide them.
Long years of the most arduous, patient toil, resulted in their ability to purchase additional tracts of land until
the " Lockwood farm" was known as one of the most extensive in that part. Mr. Lockwood never had a taste
for public or political preferment, yet was always foremost in matters pertaining to the social and educational
welfare of the community. He was founder of the first school-house in the town and of the first academy, and actively
promoted the temperance reforms under the old Washingtonian society, and was founder of the first Methodist Episcopal
Church in that region. He was a positive man, and never hesitated to champion the cause of right. Mr. and Mrs.
Lockwood celebrated their golden wedding October 2d., 1866, surrounded by their three children then living, twelve
grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Homer Lockwood, although infirm in limb, yet vigorous in body, lived to the age of eightytwo, and died February
12th, 1875. Mrs. Lockwood lived to her eighty-second year, and died August 24th, 1877.
The Lockwood family traces its ancestry directly back to Rev. Richard Lockwood, Rector of Dinghy, county of Northampton,
Eng., in 1530.
Ephraim Lockwood, a descendant of Richard, settled in Norwalk, Conn., in 1650, from which family the subject of
this sketch descended.
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