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A life of intense and well directed activity has brought Thomas Hubbard Stryker to a prominent position
in the business circles of Rome and Oneida County, his activities and financial connections covering various fields
wherein not only his individual success is promoted but also general prosperity advanced. Moreover he is a representative
of an old and prominent family of the county and of Dutch ancestry. His birth occurred November 14, 1847, in the
residence which is still his home, and which occupies the site of old Fort Stanwix. His parents were John and Frances
E. (Hubbard) Stryker, the former a native of Orange, New York, and the latter of Hamilton, Madison county, New
York John Stryker lost his father when but seven years of age and afterward came to Oneida county with his mother
who in 1815 went to Whitestown to make her home with the Rev. Bethuel Dodd, a minister of that place. It was there
that John Stryker acquired his education. He studied later in the office of Thomas R. Gold, a noted attorney, and
after being admitted to the bar located for practice in Rome, becoming one of the leading lawyers and residents
of that city. In politics a strong democrat, when a young man he served as a member of the state legislature and
also as clerk of the court. In 1867 he was the democratic candidate for congress but the county was strongly republican
and therefore failed of election. For ten years he served as judge of the probate court and was recognized as one
of the foremost attorneys of this city. He became actively or financially interested in most all of the enterprises
of Rome and for a long time was president of the old Bank of Rome. In 1839 he built the house now occupied by his
son Thomas and which remained the father's home until his death, in 1885. His wife survived him until 1891. Her
father, Thomas H. Hubbard, the first surrogate judge of Madison county, was member of congress from this district
from 1818 until 1821, having been elected on the democratic ticket. Unto Mr. and Mrs. John Stryker there were born
five children, two sons and three daughters, but only two are now living, Thomas H. and Phebe H., both residents
of Rome.
In a private school of Rome Thomas H. Stryker mastered the elementary branches of learning and afterward attended
successively Rome Academy and Walnut Hill School, of Geneva, and Hobart College, of Geneva, New York. From the
time when his father suffered from a stroke of paralysis until his death seventeen years later Thomas H. Stryker
managed his many interests. His life has been a very active one and during his earlier manhood he was engaged in
a number of engineering projects including railroad building in New York and the building of the New York state
canals, and for two years he was in charge of the department of the ifudson river. He returned to Rome to accept
the position of secretary and treasurer of the New York Locomotive Works, which position he filled from 1881 until
1888. He then resigned the office of treasurer but continued as secretary until 1890, when, upon the death of T.
G. Mock, the president, he was elected to that office and continued as such until the company passed out of existence.
He was also president of the Rome Locomotive Machine Works until 1900 and since that time has been retired from
active business connections although he has been and is a stockholder and director in many enterprises. He served
as a director of the Romo Iron Works and the Rome Merchants Iron Mill during their existence; is now president
of the First National Bank; vice president of the Rome Brass & Copper Company; and a director of the Rome Metal
Company, Rome Wire Company, Rome Manufacturing Company, Rome Gas & Electric Company, the Williams Knitting
Company, the Bingham Harness Company: the Rome Radiator Company and the Rome Cemetery Association.
Mr. Stryker has always given his political allegiance to the democracy and in 1904 was democratic candidate for
the office of state engineer and surveyor. He has been chairman of the board of Fire & Police of Rome; is a
director of the Central New York Institute for Deaf Mutes; is a member of the Sigma Phi, the Sons of the American
Revolution Society of Colonial Wars, the Rome Club and the University Club of New York city; and in religious faith
is an Episcopalian, serving at the present time as senior warden of Zion church. His activities have closely touched
the general interests of society and his efforts and business judgment have contributed to material prosperity
and to political, intellectual and moral advancement.
From:
History of Oneida County, New York
From 1700 to the present time
of some of its prominent men and pioneers.
By: Henry J. Cookinham
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
Chicago 1912
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