Children, all born at Peekskill:
1. [William James], born 10 December, 1828; married Leah B. Carpenter.
2. Sarah Jane, born 10 June, 1832; died 10 March, 1835.
3. Cornelia, born 17 February, 1837; died 18 February, 1852.
4. [Stephen D.], born 17 February, 1837; married Emily Horton.
Hon. Frost Horton is a retired manufacturer, and resides at Peekskill. He has always been a prominent man in the community, enjoying in a high degree the confidence and respect of his fellow citizens. He possesses fine social qualities, and, since retiring from business, he occasionally amuses himself in hunting and fishing. His integrity, industry and great business capacities, during the active part of his life, rendered him a most valuable acquisition to the community in which he carried on his business, and the articles he manufactured were of sterling value to the farming interests of the country.
Mr. Horton, on sending me his photograph for an engraving, accompanied it with the following very modest and unassuming sketch of his life:
"I was born in Yorktown, Westchester County, New York, 15 September, 1806. My parents were farmers, in moderate circumstances. I remained with them until I was seventeen, working on the farm in the summer, and going to school in the winter, thus acquiring merely a common-school education. When I was seventeen years old, at the suggestion of my parents, I decided to learn the blacksmith trade, and commenced the business at once, and served an apprenticeship for several years. On the 17th of October, 1827, I married Phebe Tompkins, and on the 9th of March, 1820, we moved to Peekskill village, where we have resided ever since. I bought some property, and set up the blacksmithing business. I succeeded well in the business. In the spring of 1835 I entered into a co-partnership business with Mr. Truman Minor, under the firm name of 'Minor & Horton,' and went into the foundry business, manufacturing agricultural implements, principally ploughs and plough-castings. Our business increased rapidly, and paid us well. We continued partners for twenty years. In 1855 Mr. Minor retired from business, and I took in Mr. Geo. W. Depeu as a partner, and about two years afterwards, we admitted each of us a son, and the firm then became, 'Horton, Depeu & Sons.' Our manufactured articles were sold in nearly every State in the Union, and also in many foreign countries.
"In 1862 we all sold out to a stock company, formed for that purpose. Having been in active business for thirty years, I now retired. In the spring of 1855 I was elected Supervisor of the town of Cortlandt, and I represented that town in the Board of Supervisors for five years in succession.
"In the winter of 1858, I was a member of the Legislature from this Assembly District. For many years I held the various offices of our village, but of late have declined official stations, preferring the enjoyments of private life."