Chemung County NY
History of Tompkins, Schuyler, Chemung, Tioga 1879
Page 285 - Lyman Covell Biography
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1879 Four County History - Table of Contents
Typed for Tri-Counties by Janice Walker
Formatted by Joyce M. Tice
Lyman Covell was born in Wilkesbarre, Pa., April 16, 1795. His father, Dr. Matthew Covell, was a native of Glastonbury, Conn., born in the year 1760, and settled at Wilkesbarre when a young man, where he practiced the profession of medicine the remainder of his life, and ranked among the first as a physician and surgeon. He was a man of devout Christian principles, and had the confidence of a large circle of acquaintances. He died in 1813, leaving a widow (maiden name was Orello Tuttle) and five sons and one daughter. The mother died in 1845, aged eighty-one years.

Of this family of children only two are living, -Mrs. Dr. Howell, now a resident of Elmira, N. Y., and in her seventy-sixth year of age, and the subject of this narrative who has resided longer in Elmira than any man now living here. His father dying when he was only fourteen years of age, Lyman two years after came to Elmira and engaged as a clerk in his eldest brother, Robert’s, store, where he remained until he became thoroughly schooled in the business, and until about the year 1820, when he established a general mercantile business for himself, which he continued for nearly forty years, and retired from the active duties of life. As a business man he was active, prompt, and upright, and during all these years retained the respect and confidences of the citizens of Elmira.

Mr. Covell has never been a professional politician, but has been an ardent advocate of Democratic principles and an unswerving member of the Democratic party. He has filled various places of responsibility and trust among the people, as president of the Chemung Canal Bank, supervisor of the town, sheriff of Tioga County, before its divisions, for one term, and surrogate, the first appointed for Chemung County, in all of which positions his duties were discharged with fidelity to the public and honor to himself. He is now in his eighty-fourth year of age, and has lived to see most of the great improvements of the age, and the growth and enterprise of a village to become a city of beauty and wealth.

In the year 1818 he married Susan, daughter of William Dunn of Elmira. She was born December, 1796, and for many years previous to her decease was a devoted member of the Presbyterian Church, and during her entire life an exemplary woman. She died 1864. their children living are Alice (Mrs. John Hamlin) and John, a physician at Forreston, Ill.

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