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Biographical Review: Greene, Schoharie and Schenectady Counties, New York
William Salsbergh

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[This information is from pp. 130-131 of Biographical Review Volume XXXIII: Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Greene, Schoharie and Schenectady Counties, New York (Boston: Biographical Review Publishing Company, 1899). It is in the collection of the Grems-Doolittle Library of the Schenectady County Historical Society at 920 BIO.]

William Salsbergh, a prosperous agriculturist of Hyndsville, in the town of Seward, Schoharie County, was born in Wright, N. Y., October 22, 1835, in the same house in which his father, the late Philip Salsbergh, first opened his eyes to the light of this world. He is of German ancestry, being a great-grandson of Jacob Salsbergh, who emigrated from Germany to this country when a young man.

Jacob Salsbergh located in the town of Wright as one of its original settlers, and took up a homestead of three hundred acres. At the time he reared his log cabin in the little opening which he first made in the forest, there were no paths excepting the Indian trails, and the redskins and the wild beasts were his only companions. His wife, Winney, who lived to the remarkable age of one hundred and one years, was born in Germany, where she spent the first sixteen years of her life. She came to America then, poor in pocket, and for six years after her arrival in Fishkill, N. Y., worked to pay for her passage across the ocean.

John Salsbergh, the grandfather of William, was born in the little log house in the town of Wright in which his parents made their home, and on attaining his majority was given possession of a portion of the original farm. He there carried on agricultural pursuits until well advanced in years, when he came to Seward, where he died at the ripe old age of eighty-four. His wife, Margaret Sternbergh, died at the age of fourscore years. Both were members of the Reformed church.

Their son, Philip Salsbergh, was one of a family of eleven children, all of whom were brought up on the home farm, and educated in the district school. He inherited a portion of the estate, and was engaged in tilling the soil until 1840, when he removed to Seward, and, buying a farm, continued his chosen vocation until his death, at the age of eighty-five years. He was held in high respect as a man and a citizen, and was particularly active in management of the affairs of the Reformed church, in which he held all the offices. He married Catherine Woolford. Of the ten children born into their household, eight are now living, as follows: Margaret, widow of Gilbert Shank; Rebecca W., wife of Ira Frazier; John T.; Catherine M., widow of Christian Markley; William, the subject of this brief sketch; Allen; Jemima, wife of Harlem Southworth; and Amanda, wife of John Markley. The mother passed to the life immortal at the age of seventy-eight years.

William Salsbergh received a common-school education, and until his marriage worked on his father's farm. He then bought his present farm of eighty-seven acres. By dint of persevering labor and the exercise of good judgment he has made of it one of the finest-improved estates in this locality. The farm buildings are substantial and well adapted to the purposes for which they were erected. He carries on general farming with profitable results, each season raising good crops of hay and hops. At the Schoharie County Fair he has taken premiums for his exhibits. In politics he is a steadfast Republican. He is interested in all enterprises tending to benefit the town or county, but has never been an aspirant for public office. He is a liberal supporter of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he has been an active member for years, and has served faithfully as trustee and class leader. He has also been identified with its Sunday-school, of which he has been superintendent a number of terms.

On July 2, 1856, Mr. Salsbergh married Emeline Van Tyle, who was born in Seward, one of the five children of Daniel R. and Hannah (Guernsey) Van Tyle, her father a prominent farmer, one of the most highly esteemed citizens of Richmondville. Mr. and Mrs. Salsbergh have one child, a daughter Elva. She is married to Luther Brumaguem, and has four children — Stewart, Arthur, Ernest, and Floyd. By a former marriage to Lawyer O. Strander, Mrs. Elva Brumaguem has a son William. He has been adopted by his grandfather Salsbergh, and is now known as William Salsbergh, Jr.

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