The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 178
City of Auburn

1869-'70 their present fine four-story brick building was erected and occupied by them in November of the latter year. They employ a capital of $60,000. The business rapidly increased from $60,000 in 1860 to $500,000 in 1866, and continued at the latter figures two or three years; but as prices declined it diminished to about $300,000 per year, which it averaged till 1877, when, by the addition of some lines, it increased to $400,000.

They occupy the entire four floors of their large store, besides a large adjoining iron warehouse on Exchange street.

EDWARD D. PARKER, wholesale liquor dealer, 7 State street, commenced business in 1870, in company with Wm. M. Thomas, under the name of Thomas & Co. At the death of Mr. Thomas, April 15th, 1878, Mr. Parker acquired his interest. The capital invested is about $25,000. The annual sales are about $48,000, but the business has declined as compared with former years.

ADAM ECKERT, wholesale liquor dealer, 27 Genesee street, commenced business in the spring of 1871, in company with his brother, Francis Eckert, Jr., whose interest he bought in August, 1875, since which time he has conducted the business alone. He employs a capital of $8,000. The sales, which were between $19,000 and $20,000 the first year, increased till 1873, since which time they have diminished to about what they were the first year, by reason of the necessity for a more rigid scrutiny of the condition of those to whom credits are extended.

CHARLES F. SMITH, wholesale and retail dealer in crockery, 83 Genesee street, commenced business in March, 1877, with a stock valued at $6,000, which he has since increased to $12,000 to $15,000. His sales have been largely increased and necessitated the fitting up of a basement for storage and the accommodation of his wholesale trade.

BANKS OF AUBURN

The banking business of Auburn was an out-growth of its manufacturing and commercial interests, to the convenient and successful transaction of which banks were indispensable.

The business of the village had been transacted for about twenty years without them and their necessity was so apparent as to unite the wealthier men of the County in a project for organizing a bank.

THE NATIONAL BANK OF AUBURN, on Genesee street, opposite State street, was incorporated March 31st, 1817, as the Bank of Auburn, with a nominal capital of $200,000, which was not paid in full till 1835. At a meeting held at the house of Canfield Coe, July 7th, 1817, Nathaniel Garrow, Enos T. Throop, George Leitch, John Bowman, James Porter, Archy Kasson, Hezekiah Goodwin, Horace Hills, Walter Weed, David Brinckerhoff, Wm. McCartey, Joseph Cott, and Thomas Mumford, all of whom are dead, were elected directors. Thomas Mumford was elected President and held the office two years, when Daniel Kellogg was chosen and performed the duties of the office till 1835. He was succeeded by John H. Beach, who retained the office till 1839, when choice was made of George F. Leitch, who served in that capacity till Dec. 24th, 1845, when Cornelius Cuyler was elected. He was succeeded in 1849 by James S. Seymour, who performed the responsible duties of the office till his death Dec. 3d, 1875. C. H. Merriman was President one year, and was succeeded by S. L. Bradley, the present incumbent. The first cashier was James S. Seymour, who performed the duties of that office till he was chosen president in 1849. C. H. Merriman succeeded to the cashiership, and he also retained that position till he was promoted to the presidency in 1875. He was succeeded by James Seymour, who still holds the office, and who performed the duties of teller of this bank from 1850 till promoted to the cashiership. With the exception of Thomas Alcott of Albany, Mr. James S. Seymour was, at the time of his death, the oldest bank officer in the State, he having performed the duties of cashier and president in this bank a period of fifty-eight years. To his energy, prudence, and ability, is the success of this institution very largely due. His memory is redolent of good deeds and kindly acts.

He needs no other monument to endear his memory to posterity, than his own beneficent gifts. His noble charities evince at once, the purity of his character and the wisdom of his judgment. Religion and learning, the orphans, the dependent poor, and the sick, were all remembered, and he made a wise and liberal provision for each and all. Calvary Church, the Seymour Library, the Orphan Asylum, the Old Ladies' Home, and the Auburn Hospital were but a part of the objects upon which he bestowed liberal proportions of his large estate, furnishing in his beneficence, and in his wise decrimination of objects, an admirable model for the imitation of the opulent.

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