EDWARD S. ESTY
pp. 11-15

The genealogy of the Esty family is traced back to the early settlement of Massachusetts. In the year 1796 the family of Elijah Esty started from Roxbury, Mass., for what is now the State of New York. Their journey was made with an ox team and a single horse. Reaching Westmoreland, now in Oneida county, N.Y., they established a primitive home. The wife of Elijah Esty, who was his companion in the wilderness, was, prior to marriage, Sally Winslow Williams, a direct descendant of the Puritans who came over in the Mayflower in 1642. After two years spent in the arduous work of clearing up a forest, Elijah Esty, who was a practical tanner, decided to engage in that business, and for that purpose removed to what is now the city of Auburn, then called “Hardenburgh’s Corners.” There he established a small tannery and carried on the business until his death in 1812.

While the family of Elijah Esty were living in Westmoreland, Joseph Esty, father of Edward S. Esty, was born, June 20, 1798. At the death of his father the estate was badly involved and the family were thrown upon their own resources. Joseph, then fourteen years old, took up the business of his father and was apprenticed to Ezekiel Williams, of New Hartford, N.Y. He subsequently returned to Albany, where R. & J. Patty built a tannery under Mr. Esty’s supervision. In 1822 Mr. Esty removed to Ithaca, where he purchased a small tannery of Comfort Butler, borrowing a thousand dollars for the purpose. This he operated successfully, and a few years later purchased land on the corner of Tioga and Green streets and there built a larger tannery, which he conducted until 1852. He was then succeeded by Edward S. Esty, his son, and the subject of this sketch. Joseph Esty was a man of marked characteristics. Nurtured through his personal experience in a school of rigid economy; possessed of excellent business judgement; of undoubted integrity, he so conducted his business and his investments that he acquired a well-earned fortune. He was a trustee of the village in 1829, and in the same year served as overseer of the poor for the town; in 1836 he was elected supervisor. He was chosen a director in the old Ithaca Bank, and was finally one of the trustees selected to close up its affairs. He was an original stockholder in the First National Bank, was made a director in the first board and so continued until his death. He was also made one of the trustees of the Ithaca Savings Bank when it was chartered in 1868. He was a prominent member of the Presbyterian Church, and without his previous knowledge was chosen for the offices of deacon and elder, being an office bearer in the church for fifty-five years. He died in the year 1881 at the advanced age of eighty-three, in the enjoyment of the utmost respect of the community. His wife was Mary Selover, daughter of Isaac Selover, of Auburn.

Edward S. Esty was one of three sons of Joseph Esty, and he survived both of his brothers. He was born in Ithaca, July 17, 1824, and died in Boston, Mass., October 2, 1890. His education was obtained in the public schools and the Academy of Ithaca. As before stated, the large tanning business established by his father came into his control in 1852; but he had many years before that date begun an association with his father. After the business came into his possession he greatly extended it, establishing tanneries at other points, and became one of the largest and most successful producers of leather in this section of the State.

Mr. Esty was a Republican in politics, and was chosen to fill some of the higher State offices. In 1858 he represented Tompkins county in the Legislature, where his sturdy honesty and courageous resistance of wrongs made him quite obnoxious to unscrupulous political leaders. In 1884-85 he represented his Senatorial District in the State Senate with distinguished ability and manly courage.

The confidence of his fellow citizens in his business ability was evidenced in their association with him in the organization of the First National Bank, of which he was a director until hid death, and vice-president after 1883.

But it was, perhaps, in his liberality towards, and his solicitude for, the cause of education that Mr. Esty left the deepest and most beneficent impression upon the community. He early showed a devoted interest in Cornell University, and one of its largest legacies may be traced directly to Mr. Esty’s influence. He was many years a trustee and vice-president of the Cornell Library Association. In later years he was made trustee of the academy and its treasurer, and the prosperity of that institution was largely due to his prudence and business sagacity. When the academy ceased to exist and the present school system was established, Mr. Esty was made one of the commissioners and was president of the board from its organization until his death. To the duties of this office he gave unsparingly of his time, energy, business wisdom, and enthusiasm; and it is not too much to say that to him more than to any other one person is due the present excellence of the Ithaca schools and school buildings.

In 1873-4 Mr. Esty passed nearly a year in travelling in Europe, whence he wrote a series of interesting letters to his home paper. He gave $10,000 for the organization of the “Children’s Home,” an institution which has conferred great benefits upon the community. Indeed, in all benevolent and charitable undertakings, or other enterprises for the public good, Mr. Esty was found in the front rank of supporters. Mr. Esty left a devoted wife, Amelia Wilgus, to whom he was married May 12, 1846, and three children: Alfred H. Esty, Amelia W., wife of Calvin D. Stowell, of Ithaca, and Clarence H. His sons, who were since their majority associated with him in business, continued the same until about a year ago, when it was merged into the United State Leather Company.

A proper estimate of Mr. Esty’s character, the respect in which he was held both at home and abroad, the friendship of his associates, can be gained from extracts from various publications at the time or soon after his death. The Board of Directors of the First National Bank adopted the following memorial:

“In the death of Edward S. Esty this board has lost a valued and most efficient member.

“He was one of the organizers of the bank in 1863, and its vice-president for the past seven years. From the beginning of the bank’s existence until the time of his death, as a director, his counsel and services have been held in the highest esteem by his associates.

“The same business capacity and wisdom with which he conducted his own affairs and those of his family, were always at the service of the bank, and to whatever business success it may have attained, his ability contributed in no small degree. His extended knowledge of commercial affairs, his broad and enlightened views, his wide acquaintance with men in all spheres of life, and his just appreciation of character, are well known in this community. Her, as in every other position of trust occupied by him, he managed the interest confided to his care with an eye single to their safety and welfare, and with no other thought than of devoting to them the best of his talent and abilities.

“While enterprising and progressive in the management of his affairs, his judgement was always guided by prudence. By his sagacity and scrupulous integrity he commanded the respect of his fellow directors, and his kindly nature, evidenced by a never failing courtesy, won their affection.

“As vice-president of the bank he has discharged his duties with tact and discretion, and with entire satisfaction to his associates.

“But not alone nor chiefly for his financial ability and rare business capacity will he be remembered. To these qualities were united in his well rounded character a sympathetic nature; an enthusiasm for all that in noblest and best, as well in small and restricted circles, as in the more ambitious fields of State and National concerns; a personal interest in individual worth; a contempt for all forms of baseness, tempered by a charitable recognition of the infirmities of human nature; a readiness to assist in the development of all that tends to the uplifting of mankind.

“A leader and benefactor in the community, he was in every relation of life a true man. Such a life is in itself an educational influence of inestimable worth, and must be an encouragement to all who are striving for the realization of high ideals of public and private conduct.

“It is the desire of his former associates to place upon record an expression of their appreciation of the great service Mr. Esty has rendered to the bank, and of their feelings of profound sorrow at his sudden death, and to this end it is directed that this paper be entered in full on the minutes of the Board.”

The Board of Education of the city of Ithaca, at their meeting held October 7, unanimously adopted the following as a tribute of respect to their deceased president Hon. E. S. Esty:

“The death of Hon. E. S. Esty is a source of sincere sorrow to his associate members of the Board of Education. His long business career in our community, characterized by unswerving integrity and a prompt response to every call of duty, had won for him the confidence, respect and esteem of all our citizens. Often called to serve in places of trust and honor, his public duties were discharged with the same conscientious fidelity that has made his business life a success. As president of this board for more than sixteen years since its organization, April 14, 1874, his most earnest efforts were freely given to build up a system of public school education that would be worthy of his native city, and with great satisfaction he saw that system develop from year to year. Our well equipped school buildings, erected through his persevering efforts, will long stand as enduring monuments to his wisdom and sagacity. A cultivated Christian gentleman of refined tastes, a faithful and devoted friend, a judicious and trustworthy counselor, a generous benefactor of the needy and distressed, a capable, far-sighted leader among men, an earnest worker for the prosperity of his city, Mr. Esty’s death is an irreparable loss. May we revere his memory and strive to imitate his virtues.

“RESOLVED, That in the death of Hon. E. S. Esty this board has lost a member and presiding officer of great worth, whose many sterling qualities had won for him the entire confidence, the greatest respect and the highest esteem of his fellow-members, and our schools have lost a warm and earnest friend, whose untiring labors were unstintedly [sic] given in their behalf.

“RESOLVED, That we tender to the family of Mr. Esty our sincere sympathy in this their sore bereavement.”

At a meeting of the trustees of Cornell Library on Tuesday, October 14, the following resolutions were adopted:

“RESOLVED, That in the death of Hon. E. S. Esty, the Cornell Library Association, of which he was for five years the honored president, shares an irreparable loss with the city in which he lived, and with the State itself; that the wisdom and integrity with which he has presided over our deliberations, and the financial solicitude and ability with which as treasurer of the library fund, he promoted the welfare of the library, deserved and will receive our enduring gratitude.

“RESOLVED, As trustees of the library, that we sincerely deplore the great affliction which has thus suddenly fallen upon the family and relatives of Mr. Esty, and desire to convey to them our assurance of profound sympathy for them in their deep distress.”

From the New York Tribune of October 11th:

“THE LOSS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

“The cause of education, both of the common schools and higher education, lost one of its most efficient friends in the death last week of ex-Senator Edward S. Esty, of Ithaca. He was an intimate friend of Ezra Cornell, and in full sympathy with him when, in 1865, he decided to devote a considerable part of his fortune to the establishment upon the hills overlooking the beautiful Cayuga Lake of a university that would furnish a broader practical education than any of the older institutions provided. Among Mr. Cornell’s friends at Ithaca few were so sanguine of the final success of the undertaking as Mr. Esty.

“When Cornell University was established upon a firm basis Mr. Esty became greatly interested in the idea of building up in this community a system of schools which, beginning with the lowest forms, should be graduated to the highest kind of instruction preparatory to university studies. Twenty years ago, when Cornell University was barely beginning its work, the character of the schools of Ithaca was about on a level with, but in no way superior to, that prevailing in other towns of the State of 10,000 inhabitants. Mr. Esty undertook to arouse public sentiment in favor of his cherished plans.

“In 1874 the Board of Education of that city was organized, with Mr. Esty as its president, an office which he continued to hold until his death. He lived to see his ideas carried to the most successful consummation. It would be difficult to find a more complete and admirable school system than that which exists today in that little city of less than 15,000 inhabitants. So widely and favorably have its advantages become known as an adjunct to the university that of the 400 or more students that now enter Cornell each year a very considerable number are the sons of parents who have either sent their children or have com to live with them there, that they may receive the best and most appropriate preparation for their college work. In fact the standard of the requirements for entrance to the university is said, upon good authority, to have been considerably raised by the influence of the work in the Ithaca schools. For this success chief credit is freely conceded to Mr. Esty. At this week’s meeting of the Board of Education resolutions were adopted expressing the appreciation felt for his services for education in the community.