Marcus Nelson Horton was born on 6. Apr. 1830 at South Oxford, Chenango County, New York. He was the son of
Leonard Horton and
Jemima Conover. Marcus Nelson Horton married
Adaline Mead Brisack, daughter of
Sylvester Hoffman Brisack and
Mary Ann Mead, on 1. Jul. 1861 at Walton, Delaware County, New York. Marcus Nelson Horton married
Marian Kendall Babcock. Marcus Nelson Horton died on 6. Apr. 1911 at Glen Ridge, Essex County, New Jersey, at age 81.
Born in South Oxford, Chenango Co., N.Y. by the Chenango River just below Robin-son's Mills. His wife was the second daughter of Sylvester & Mary Ann of Walton, Delaware Co., N.Y. Their children were born respectively at Watertown, N.Y., Elmira, N.Y. and Williamsport, Penna.
"Marcus in his boyhood was an eager student in the district school and before reaching the age of 17 years, began his work as an educator in charge of the district school in the "Davis District" of West Bainbridge. He subsequently pushed on in study attending an eight weeks select school of Rev. Joel Hendricks in West Bainbridge in the fall of 1845-6 and another like it in 1846-47, and subsequently becoming a student and helper in Delaware Literary Institute, where he prepared for college, retiring occasionally then and afterward to teach a term of district school in obedience to the demands of a scanty purse. By similar endeavors and means, and by borrowing on his own paper with a small life insurance polio as collateral security, he worked his way to a college diploma, which was awarded in the summer of 1853 by Williams College of Williamstown, Mass.
"Directly after graduating he resumed an instructor's position as Principal of the Oak Grove Seminary in Pownal, Vt. Similar engagements as principal or in special charge of a department were continued until he voluntarily relenquished the principalship of Oneida Seminary to engage for about three years with Mr. Dwight Chapin in Oneida as partner in the book and picture business. In the meantime, leasure was found for some progress in the study of law, and in May 1869, he was admitted to the Bar of the State of New York. Clients being scarce, he accepted the principalship of the High School in Williamsport, Penna., and was soon after-ward made superintendent of the schools of that city. He continued in the educational field till 1891, except that for a few years he retired to his farm in Coventry, N.Y., Chenango Co. to recuperate his own declining health to strength the physique of his sons Edward & John.
His last public service to the teachers' profession was in the capacity of School Commissioner in the Second District in Chenango Co., N.Y. in 1888, 1889 & 1890. For a number of years past [now 1901] he has with his wife and younger son, John, lived a retired life at his home at 88 Essex Ave., Glen Ridge, N.J. In politics he is a very decided Republican of which party he has been a member from its beginning. In religion he now makes no profession - though in the past he has associated with the Baptists people and was in Oneida and Williamsport a member of the Baptist Church."