The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 281
Town of Ira Biographical Sketches

engaged in farming, which business he has followed up to the present time.

In politics Mr. Knapp was a Free Soil Democrat until the adoption of the Buffalo Platform by the followers of Martin Van Buren, and upon the formation of the Republican party he joined its ranks and has ever been an earnest supporter of its principles and objects. During the late war he was a special detective for two years, having received his appointment from the Provost-Marshal-General. About this time he was appointed by General Seymour to the position of recruiting agent for the station at Auburn.

Mr Knapp has also held other offices of trust and responsibility, among which may be named that of postmaster at Victory for fifteen years, and Justice of the Peace for the same length of time and at the same place.

In 1823 he was joined in marriage to Theoda, daughter of John and Theoda (Hunt) Newcomb, of Cayuga County. She was born in Lebanon, now Columbia, Conn., in 1805. She died February 19th, 1874. She was a pure-minded, large-hearted, Christian woman, with malice towards none and charity for all, and loved and honored by all who enjoyed the favor of her acquaintance. There have been born to them ten children, named in order of their birth: Submit Jerusha, born March 20th, 1824, died December 19th, 1840; John N., born November 3d, 1826; Lovinia Eliza, born May 26th, 1828, died February 26th, 1829; James G., born November 26th, 1830; Edward N., born September 6th, 1832, who was a Captain in 52d Illinois infantry, and killed at the battle of Shiloh April 7th, 1862, Harriette E., born March 25th, 1835, died January 28th, 1861, wife of Dr. Henry Parker; Charles H., born January 12th, 1837; Theoda Abigail, born August 10th, 1838; Dwight B., born April 12th, 1840, died December 16th, 1840; George P., born March 4, 1842.

C. Burton Sprague

C. Burton Sprague was born in Ira November 5, 1830. He is the youngest child of Parmenas and Christina Sprague. His father was born in Saratoga County October 16th, 1781. His father was married three times. His first wife, Rebecca Nobles, was born February 19th, 1787. They married February 14th, 1804. She died December 2d, 1807.  By this wife he had three daughters.

His second wife, Mary A. Potter, was born July 4th, 1787; married April 30th, 1809.  She died October 9th, 1828. By her he had seven children--five girls and two boys. His third wife, Christina, was born November 12th, 1796. They were married December 17th, 1829. She died November 13th, 1873. The subject of this sketch is the result of this union. His father came to this County about the year 1806, and settled on lot 20 in the town of Ira. He purchased 100 acres of land and resided upon it until his death, which occurred June 11th, 1871, at the advanced age of nearly ninety years.

C.B. Sprague lived at home with his father until he was seventeen years old; then worked out two years by the month. He attended the district school till he was fourteen, and after that time had no schooling except three terms that he attended in the Academy at Red Creek, Wayne county, when he was twenty years of age. He then taught school two winters. After that he worked land on shares and burned lime. Then he purchased the old homestead of his brother, at that time containing forty-eight acres of land, and in addition to that fifty acres adjoining. He has added from time to time by purchase till now his farm contains 146 acres. He is still residing on that place.

October 16th, 1853, he married Miss Elizabeth D. Campbell, daughter of William and Polly Campbell, of the village of Cato. There have been born to them four children, three of whom are living, as follows: Emma L., born January 9th, 1855; Clara E., born January 31st, 1859; and Willie Burt, born February 5th, 1869. In politics Mr. Sprague is a staunch Republican. He is a member of the Baptist church in Ira, was clerk of that church for many years, and for eleven years was the Superintendent of its Sunday school. Mr. Sprague has been successful in life, notwithstanding that for many years he has been afflicted with a partial failure of his eye sight. He is a self-made man, and all that he is or has in this world he owes to his own energy and talents. A view of his beautiful home may be seen on another page of this work.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Town of Conquest

CONQUEST lies upon the west border of the County, north of the center, and is bounded on the north by Victory, on the east by Cato, on the south by Seneca River, and on the west by Wayne county. It is the south-west quarter of the township of Cato, or No. 3 of the Military Tract, from which it was erected March 16th, 1821. Its name commemorates the victory achieved by those who favored a division of the town of Cato over those who opposed it.

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