The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 226
CITY OF AUBURN.

mission that had located the court house at that village, and had concluded to settle there.

He borrowed of his kind preceptor, on his own note, two hundred dollars, and on the first day of March, 1806, reached the village of Auburn. In the winter of 1807 he formed a partnership with Joseph L. Richardson, which continued three years, when Mr. Throop was elected County Clerk.

The parties which divided the electors at that time were " Federal " and " Republican." Mr. Throop adhered to the latter. He was a firm and zealous partisan, and no one could misunderstand his political position. He held the office of County Clerk from the Republican Council of Appointment, but in 1813 that body was composed of Federalists and Mr. Throop was removed, Elijah Miller, a prominent Federalist, being appointed to the place. Two years later the Republicans triumphed and Mr. Throop was restored to the office.

Mr. Throop married Miss Evelina Vredenburgh, of Skaneateles, in July, 1814, by whom he had three children, all of whom died in infancy. Mrs. Throop died in 1834.

In 1814 he was elected to the 14th Congress as a friend of the war, representing the counties of Cayuga, Seneca, Tioga and Broome, a double district sending two members. In Congress his restless activity led him to take a conspicuous and influential part in its deliberations. He supported what was called the " compensation act," by which the salaries of the members were raised from about thirteen hundred to eighteen hundred dollars per year. This was a very unpopular measure, and led to the defeat at the next election of nearly all its supporters, including Mr. Throop. This manifestation of disapprobation led him to resign his seat ; which he held for a single session only. In the election to fill the vacancy caused by his resignation, Mr. Throop received a majority of six hundred in Cayuga County, but it was overcome in the balance of the district. The vote showed the popularity of Mr. Throop with those who best knew him.

In 1819 the council of appointment was favorable to the friends of Mr. Clinton, and Mr. Throop was removed from the office of county clerk, after which he devoted his attention to his private affairs until 1833, when he was appointed judge of the Seventh Circuit, the duties of which position he discharged with signal acceptance.

Mr. Throop always had strong rural tastes, and in 1826 he purchased and removed to the beautiful farm of Willow Brook, on the shore of the Owasco Lake, intending to pass there the remainder of his life. But in 1828 he was induced to accept the nomination of Lieutenant-Governor on the ticket with Martin Van Buren, the candidate for Governor, the understanding being that the latter would be called into the cabinet of President Jackson if the latter were elected. He was elected, and Mr. Van Buren resigned to accept the office of Secretary of State of the United States, Mr. Throop becoming acting Governor. He discharged the duties of the office with such satisfaction that he was nominated for and elected Governor in 1830. In his second official term he was supported by friendly majorities in both branches of the legislature, and his measures generally endorsed. Yet the jarring and dissonant wrangles of party strife were becoming more and more distasteful to him and he decided not to be a candidate for reelection. He longed for the peace and quiet of his lake-shore farm. He had made an honorable political record, but his private fortune had not been augmented. His wife dying in 1834, and being childless, he had no family ties to bind him to his home, and for these reasons he was induced to remain longer in public life than he had intended. He accepted the position of naval officer of the port of New York tendered him by President Jackson, holding the office until 1838, when he was appointed Charge-de-Affairs to the kingdom of the two Sicilies, by President Van Buren. Here he remained until the election in 1840 of General Harrison to the presidency, when he returned and retired to his Willow Brook farm. He was now fifty-six years of age, with his mental and physical powers yet vigorous and active. He had purchased a large farm near Kalamazoo, Michigan, and improved and put under cultivation about two hundred acres. To this farm he removed disposing of his Willow Brook property to his nephew, and for several years devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits. But with the approach of age he returned to his old beautiful home on the shores of the Owasco, living with his nephew and enjoying the society of his kindred and of the many dear friends who were hospitably entertained in his rural home. His old age was free from many of the disabilities to which that period is usually subject, and his end was peaceful. He died November 1st, 1874.

ELIJAH MILLER.

HON. ELIJAH MILLER, one of the early and distinguished residents of Auburn, was the son of Captain Josiah and Paulina Titus Miller, and was born in the town of Bedford, Westchester Co., New York, April 11th, 1772. His ancestors on both sides were of English origin. His father was an industrious and respected farmer in Bedford, and a captain in the Revolutionary army. He was also an active member of the local " Committee of Safety," and pledged to " protect the American colonies against the hostile attempts of the British fleets and armies."

In his farm operations he was aided by two

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