Craft Masonry in Oneida County, New York - Onondaga and ...

Faxton Lodge No. 697, Utica, New York
http://home.comcast.net/~richardson156/faxtonts.html
Theodore Saxton Faxton
The ancestor of the Faxon family in America was Thomas Faxon, a native of England,
who came to Massachusetts with his wife and three children before the year 1647. He
was a man of means, and represented Braintree in the General Assembly in 1669.
From him descended (1) Richard, (2) Josiah, (3) Thomas, (4) Thomas, and (5)
Thomas. Thomas Faxon (4), son of Thomas and Ruth (Webb) Faxon, was born in
Braintree, MA, 9 Feb 1724, and died in Deerfield, MA, Jun 1792. He married Joanna
Allen, daughter of Abijah and Joanna (Bolter) Allen and a descendant of Samuel Allen,
the immigrant. He was a private in Capt. Joseph Stebbins's company of Col. David
Wells' regiment in 1777, and also in a body of six months men from Deerfield, MA, in
1780. His son Thomas (5) was born in Braintree, MA, 19 Feb 1755, settled as a farmer
and shoemaker in Cunway, MA, and moved thence about 1802 to Whitestown, Oneida
county, whence he removed about 1822 to York, Livingston, NY, where he died 3 Jan
1827. He was married, first, to Rachel Davis, daughter of Isaac and Rachel (Sheldon)
Davis, of Somers, CT. She was born 15 Apr 1756; died in Conway, MA, Jan 1794.
Their children were Fanny (Mrs. Justus Sackett), Alpheus, Rachel (Mrs. Ira Cook),
Abigail (Mrs. John Parsons), Mary (Mrs. Willard C. Conkey), Isaac Davis, and
Theodore Saxton. Mr. Faxon married second, Deborah, daughter of Prince and Jane
(Delano) Toby, of New Bedford, Mass. They had eight children, of whom Thomas J.,
Emily, Ezra T., Josiah G., and an infant daughter, deceased, were born in Whitestown.
Theodore Saxton Faxton [according to a History of the Faxon family, Theodore S.
Faxton was the first to insert the "t" in his name; he adhered to this style of orthography
in writing his name throughout life.] was born in Conway, MA, 10 Jan 1794, and was
the youngest of seven children of Thomas and Rachel (Davis) Faxon. His early educational advantages were limited to the common
schools of the period, supplemented by six months at Clinton soon after taking up his residence in Utica in 1812. In 1813 he became
a driver on the stage, and for four years, except the previously mentioned six months, held the reins of a four-in-hand every day.
After 1817 he mounted the box only occasionally, yet such was his acknowledged skill as a reinsman that on occasions of
ceremony, or when something extraordinary was required, he was invariably selected to do honor to the service.
When Lafayette visited Utica in 1825 Mr. Faxton secured six dashing gray horses, harnessed them with silver-plated harness,
borrowed the old Van Rensselaer carriage, and drove to Whitesboro, where the distinguished guest was to be received. After
General Lafayette had left the boat and entered the carriage Mr. Faxton felt, as he expressed it, grander than Napoleon. After the
year 1817 he had charge for a considerable period of a portion of the stage business of Jason Parker and a little later was offered
an interest in the concern on the condition that he should pay for his share as fast as the profits would permit. In 1822 he became a
partner, together with Silas D. Childs, in the firm of Jason Parker & Co. Notwithstanding the competition of the new Erie Canal the
stage business through Central New York continued very large for a number of years, and at the death of Mr. Parker in 1828 there
were eight daily lines running through Utica east and west and four lines north and south. The firm successfully managed this vast
and intricate business for ten years after the death of the senior member, and Messrs. Faxton and Childs continued in partnership
some time longer. Together they erected the Exchange building on the site of the old Canal Coffee House, and collected the rents of
this, the Eagle Tavern, and other real estate which they held in common. Mr. Faxton also joined with John Butterfield, Hiram
Greenman, and others in running a line of packet boats on the Erie Canal, and in connection with Alfred Munson and associates he
organized the first American line of steamers on the River St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario, and for several years was one of the
managing directors. He was one of the originators of the Utica and Black River Railroad, paid a larger subscription than any other
man, and for a long time served most efficiently as president of the company.
Mr. Faxton always took a just pride in developing the village and city of Utica, and through various enterprises contributed largely to
its material prosperity. He gave the first $100 to found the Utica Mechanics Association and held the office of president several
terms. With Willett H. Shearman and Anson Dart he was one of the commissioners who completed the erection of the Utica State
Hospital (then the State Lunatic Asylum) in 1843, and in 1852 was chairman of the building committee of the First Presbyterian
church. He was also one of the originators of the Utica Water Works Company, the Utica Steam Cotton Mills, and the Second
National Bark, and served the last two named corporations as president; and was interested in the Globe Woolen Mills, of which he
was president from April, 1856, until his death.
In 1845 he became a conspicuous factor in developing and adapting to wider use the then greatest invention of the century, the
telegraph, and in this respect he will forever merit particular credit. From the very first he was attracted to the possibilities of the
wonderful invention, and soon after the success of the first line from Baltimore to Washington he visited the latter city for the
purpose of personally investigating for himself and the few others who shared his confidence. He had learned from experience in his
Telegraph line of stages--a line fitted out by his company to carry a small number of passengers at the greatest possible speed, and
which had been so popular that every seat was spoken for days in advance of departure--that men loved speed and would
encourage and patronize the fastest stages, the fastest boats, and the fastest means of transmitting intelligence. While absent he
secured the right to establish a telegraph line between New York and Buffalo, the owners of the patent to have one-half of the stock
of the company when the line was complete.
On his return to Utica he united with John Butterfield, Hiram Greenman, Mr. Livingston, Mr. Wells, and others, and formed a
company with a capital of $200,000, and with himself as president and superintendent, in which capacity he continued to act for
seven years. The company strung the first wire between New York and Buffalo; it was of copper and cost about $60 per mile. His
attention was called to the wire fence which had been in use on Colonel Walker's grounds for 25, and he concluded that if iron was
good for fences for such a length of time it would also do for telegraphing purposes. The copper wire was taken down and sold for
enough to put up the two iron wires, which cost only $18 per mile. Mr. Faxton labored hard against much opposition to make the
enterprise a success, which it proved to be. [see approximate cost estimate and savings of telegraph line below].
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