Story of John Agnew

 

 

Plattsburg Press Republican Monday , November 11,1963 

  John Agnew

John Agnew born at Beekmantown on Aug 10, 1857, was an important factor in the mercantile trade of the North Country. He was of Scotch and Irish ancestry. His, father, William Agnew, native of Armagh, Ireland, settled in the Town’ of Beekmantown in 1846 and engaged in farming. The mother, The  former Sarah.Gray, also was a native of County Armagh. Of ten children,  Mary became the wife of Ban Sanger. Robert, moved to Idaho during the gold rush. William became a partner of his brother John. George established a livery at Elizabethtown. Alexander became a railroad conductor in Denver. David (previously referred to) became a Plattsburgh lawyer.Cyrus joined his brother George In Elizabethtown. Franklin L and Sarah remained at home.

 John attended Plattsburgh Academy and later was employed in Burlington, Vt., for a time. In 1879 he entered business with a Mr. Savage at Crown Point. The firm moved to Port Henry in 1882, when William Agnew purchased Savage’s interests.The firm was a wholesale dealer in wool, hides, sheep,pelts, furs, tin and wooden ware.John Agnew served Port Henry as village trustee and later as village president. He was a prime mover In organizing the water works of the town and served for years as treasurer of the village’s board of commissioners. He was also a member’of the board of education. He was a trustee of the Methodist Church and served as superintendent of the Sunday School and a trustee of the YMCA. His first wife was Matlie E. Edgerton of Beekmantown. She died in 1889. Two years later Mr. Agnew married Amy C. Comstock of Plattsburgh.

Mr. Agnew was the father of the late John C. Agnew of 86 Broad St., Plattsburgh.