Charles Eugene Selover, Sr. was born in Niles, Cayuga Co., New York on 3 June 1853, the son of
William Selover, Jr. and Ann Elizabeth Welty. Their farm was located on present-day Rockefeller Road slightly southeast of Seward Point in Niles School District #12 on the east side of Owasco Lake. Charles presumably attended School #12 at Nine Corners (present-day Austin) until he was about 12 years of age. For Charles, views to the west would have encompassed the blue water of Owasco Lake contrasted with green fields falling away to the lake. In the fall, the scene would have been highlighted by trees dressed in brilliant colors, while in winter the whistling west wind and snow would have made his journey to school and back an adventure, if not a difficult slog.
Charles as a young boy also would have engaged in farm tasks with his father. Chores might have involved feeding horses and other livestock in addition to helping his mother, perhaps with bringing in firewood or splitting kindling or pumping water from the well. We can't know how Charles felt about the farm life as a boy, but he eventually set his sights on other pursuits.
Moravia
The precise time that Charles and his father removed from Niles to the Village of Moravia, Cayuga Co., New York is unclear but probably followed soon after the death of Charles's mother in 1866. By 1870, William Selover, Jr. had remarried and was established in the manufacture of wagon wheel spokes near Moravia where Charles was attending the school. The new
Union Free School had opened in April 1870. Charles likely completed his education at that institution.
Having left the farm, Charles had new opportunities in the village environment. Moravia Village had a modest amount of water power available in Mill Creek and its adjacent Montville tributary of Dresserville Creek. Several mills of various sorts operated on these creeks. One was the
planing and sawmill operated by Charles's father in Montville, presumably the same operation that manufactured spokes. William also had taken an interest in a flour mill by 1873, in conjunction with his first cousin Morris C. Selover. In addition to manufacturing, Moravia had the usual mix of retail businesses and trades to serve the village and surrounding countryside.
Financial services were also present. William Selover, Jr. had become one of the founding shareholders of Moravia National Bank in 1863, created to serve the banking needs of the Moravia area. This fact would set the course for the career of Charles Eugene Selover, Sr. who began working at Moravia National Bank as early as 1870, according to some accounts. That being the case, Charles would have been about 17 years old.
Charles Eugene Selover, Sr. Begins His Career in Banking
First National Bank of Moravia
William Selover, Jr. as a founding shareholder in the First National Bank of Moravia would have been well placed to find an employment opportunity in the bank for his son, Charles. Later accounts state that Charles was both a Bookkeeper and Teller during his time at the Moravia bank. Charles appears to have started at the bank in bookkeeping but advanced to Teller after several years. This is confirmed by the 1875 New York State Census, which listed Charles as a Teller, age 22, living in his father's household in Moravia. Charles seems to have been well established in his banking career by this time and would remain with the Moravia bank for a portion of the following year before again advancing his career elsewhere.
The Alert Fire Company, Moravia's First Fire Department, and Other Moravia Activities
Citizens of Moravia Village organized a Volunteer Fire Department during a meeting at Smith's Hall on 3 May 1876. Charles E. Selover was elected treasurer of the new Department and also was listed among the volunteer fire fighters. The first company came to be named The Alert Fire Company with dress uniforms consisting of red shirts and black pants. Charles's time with the Company seems to have been short because he removed to
Cortland, Cortland Co., New York before the end of 1876.
Charles must have become a member of the Masonic Lodge in Moravia during his time at the First National Bank of Moravia because he was noted as a permanent part of their exercises when he attended a meeting there in June 1879 after traveling from Cortland.
National Bank of Cortland
Charles E. Selover was appointed Cashier of the National Bank of Cortland in January 1877 after he had served briefly in a special role at the Bank upon recommendation of a government Bank Examiner. This implies that Charles left the First National Bank of Moravia in the summer or fall of 1876 to take up his employment in Cortland, a village some 20 miles distant by road from Moravia. He most likely viewed his move as an advancement, both in terms of responsibility and employment by a larger institution at the county seat of Cortland County.
Charles was appointed a Notary Public for Cortland County shortly after he assumed the role of Cashier at National Bank of Cortland. He would continue to be authorized as a Notary in Cortland County until 1890. Within two months of becoming Cashier at the Cortland bank, the Moravia newspaper noted his oratorical skills for a speech delivered in Cortland. Charles was again elected Cashier of the bank in 1878 and 1879. He also was elected as a Director of the bank in 1879. In February 1879, Charles appeared among other citizens of the Town of Cortlandville on a remonstrance against an attempt to repudiate railroad bonds of the Town. That summer he spent his annual vacation in late August and early September with his father and stepmother in Moravia.
From 1880 through 14 August 1889, Charles continued in his role as Director and Cashier of the National Bank of Cortland until a new opportunity presented itself in Elmira, Chemung Co., New York. Among Charles's actions during this time was to become a subscriber, on behalf of the National Bank of Cortland, to the first telephone exchange in town in March 1882. Charles made a business trip to Moravia with J. E. Eggleson for the Cortland bank in October 1884. In January 1885, Charles represented the bank's interest as a creditor in a bankruptcy at DeRuyter, Madison Co., New York. Charles returned to DeRuyter in September 1885 with R. T. Peck to explore the feasibility of establishing a new national bank in that town. Charles traveled to New York City in May 1888 on a business trip, presumably representing the interests of the Cortland bank.
In March 1889, the National Bank of Cortland advertised for the sale of $20,000 in mortgage coupon bonds by the Homer Wagon Company, secured by the buildings and property of the Company in addition to $20,000 insurance. The property was leased to Charles, in his role as Cashier of the Bank, as Trustee on the bondholders' behalf. The separation between Charles's role as Cashier and his own private interest in this venture as lessee is not clear to me.
Marriage of Charles Eugene Selover, Sr. and Caroline Susan Ingalls
The federal census of 1880 showed Charles as a Bank Cashier, age 27, boarding in the household of Otis C. Smith at 20 Court Street in the Village of Cortland, Town of Cortlandville. Less than two weeks later, Charles married Caroline Susan Ingalls (who always went by Susan), daughter of Hiram Green Ingalls and Adelia Campbell Newton on 23 June. She had been born on 19 March 1855 in the Town of Summerhill, Cayuga Co., New York and had spent her early youth there. By 1870, Susan's family had removed to Cortland. Susan was a Photograph Retoucher and Finisher at the Silverman Studio in Cortland at the time of her marriage. She continued in her profession following marriage, somewhat unusually for a married woman of the day.
Charles and Susan spent their honeymoon at Rochester, Monroe Co., New York, staying at the Osburn House in that city before returning to Cortland. A more extensive trip of three months' duration followed in 1882 when the couple traveled to Hot Springs, Garland Co., Arkansas where Charles sought treatment for his rheumatism in the spa waters. Charles and Susan vacationed at Woodville, Ellisburg, Jefferson Co., New York in September of the following year, a location near the mouth of Sandy Creek and Lake Ontario. Charles purchased a house at 39 Prospect Street (now Prospect Terrace) in Cortland in the fall of 1884. Susan and Charles's first son, Charles Eugene Selover, Jr. was born there on 1 September 1885. The house had been well prepared for a newborn by installation of a Florida Improved Steam Boiler in the house at about that time.
Charles Eugene Selover, Sr.'s Recreational Activities During His Cortland Residence
Charles joined his father, William Selover, Jr., and Leander Fitts in early to mid-September 1884 for a few days on the shores of Lake Ontario in northern Oswego Co., New York. Leander Fitts was a partner in William Selover, Jr.'s flour mill at Moravia. In the same month the following year, Charles journeyed to Jefferson Co., New York for a stay of two weeks, presumably on or near the shores of Lake Ontario. His main activity on these trips may have been fishing because he later traveled to Minetto on the Oswego River in Oswego County in company with several other men in August 1886 for that express purpose. Several months later, Charles made a hunting and fishing trip with another man to Woodville in Jefferson County, a place he had visited with Susan early in their marriage.
Community Activities and Organizations at Cortland
By 1881, if not sooner, Charles had become a member of Cortlandville Lodge No. 470, Free & Accepted Masons (F. & A. M.). He served as Junior Warden of the Lodge in 1882 and as Treasurer during 1887-1888. Charles also was a member of the Cortland Commandery, No. 50, Knights Templar and served as Guard in 1884-1885. Susan and Charles attended the Commandery's Annual Ball as late as 1900. By 1886, Charles was also a member of Cortland Chapter No. 194, F. & A. M. and served as Secretary in 1887.
The various Masonic organizations in which Charles enjoyed membership occupied his social life. He attended the Annual Communication of Cortlandville Lodge, No. 470 F. & A. M. in December 1881, and in March 1883 attended Easter services at Grace Episcopal Church with other members of Cortland Commandery, No. 50, Knights Templar. The following year, Charles attended the Annual Conclave of the same organization at Cortland in April and the Annual Conclave of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar at Buffalo, Erie Co., New York in October. He again attended the Annual Conclave of the Cortland Commandery in 1885.
Susan and Charles together served on the Children and Flower Committee for the Independence Day celebration at Cortland in 1886. Charles was a member of a Citizen's Committee appointed in February 1888 to prepare for a Convention of the State Firemen's Association in Cortland.
Charles was among the Vice-Presidents of a newly organized Republican Campaign Club in October 1882. The next spring, Charles was among the nominees for Village Treasurer but placed second to Fitz Boynton. Charles was chosen as Secretary Pro Tem of the Blaine and Logan Club in August 1884, formed to support the Republican candidates for President and Vice President. From 1886 until 1889, Charles was among the Commissioners of Union Free School District No. 1 at Cortland. He also served as a Teller at the Republican Caucus in September 1886 to select Delegates to the County Nominating Convention. In January 1888, Charles was appointed to the Republican Membership Committee. His last political act in Cortland was receipt of a single write-in vote for Village Treasurer in 1889 when Fitz Boynton ran unopposed.
In the realm of religion, Charles Eugene Selover, Sr. became Sunday School Treasurer at the Presbyterian Church and Trustee of the Presbyterian Society in 1883. He also was a member of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) and served as a Director in 1884. Charles was Treasurer of the Cortland County Sunday School Association in 1888-1889. In 1889, he also was a member of the Building Committee for construction of the new
Presbyterian Church at the corner of Church and Railroad (now Central Avenue) streets in Cortland. The cornerstone was placed 24 July 1889, an event Charles attended with other members of the Building Committee.
Charles and Susan Selover's Business Ventures In and Around Cortland
Charles and Susan started their marriage in "The Gilded Age," and seem to have been no strangers to the quest for wealth amidst rapid industrial growth. Neither seemed satisfied to simply draw a wage, and both worked to advance their prospects through business activities in Cortland.
Charles made several property purchases and sales in Cortland beginning in early 1882 with a lot on Railroad Street obtained for $1,200. That summer, he sold a lot on Crandall Street for $1,400. He then purchased an estate for $900 in early fall 1882. His next purchase seems to have been his previously mentioned house on Prospect Street in 1884.
Susan, after working for the Silverman Studio for several years, became a Photograph Retoucher and Finisher with the Photograph Rooms of C. I. Page, who soon sold to E. M. Santee, between September 1882 and March 1885. She then became Proprietor, with Eloise Schutt, of Selover & Schutt, photographers, at 46 North Main Street. She continued this business at least through the spring of 1889 while raising her son, Charles, Jr.
Charles became a major shareholder and Treasurer of the Cortland Omnibus and Cab Company in 1886. This enterprise constructed omnibuses, express wagons, milk wagons, etc. in Cortland, and Charles's interest and roles in the company would continue beyond his period of residence in Cortland. Beginning in 1887, Charles became a stockholder in his father's milling enterprise at Moravia, sometimes known as the Selover (Moravia) Milling Company. The following year, Charles became Director and President of the Cortland Lumber Company organized with $12,000 capital, with panel saw mills to be built at West Branch, Ogemaw Co., Michigan to process basswood. Charles's brother-in-law, Frank Cyrus Straat, was a partner in this enterprise.
To be continued. . . .
