Charles Loring Elliott 1812 - 1868 Charles Loring Elliott a native of Cayuga County NY became one of the foremost portrait artist of his time. During his career he painted more than seven hundred portraits including many of the period's most successful businessmen, such as glass manufacturer Erastus Corning, Hartford gun magnate Samuel Colt, millionaires William Thompson Walters of Baltimore and William Wilson Corcoran of Washington, as well as writers, artists, and politicians.  For more information about the life of Charles Loring Elliott, click HERE.

Millard Fillmore 1800 - 1874 Born on a farm in Cayuga County, New York on January 7, 1800, Millard Fillmore was one of the original "log cabin to the White House" Presidents. With little formal education, Fillmore was admitted to the New York State Bar at age 23, and by the time he was 30, he served on the New York State Assembly. When Fillmore succeeded Zachary Taylor to the United States Presidency in 1850, he signed the Fugitive Slave Act as part of the Compromise of 1850. Ultimately, Fillmore's support of this act, marked the end of his political career when his own party did not nominate him for re-election.

Emily Howland 1827 - 1929 Emily Howland worked to start schools for freed blacks, gave money to pay for the education of women wishing to study medicine, and worked to bring women the vote. She served as delegate to state and national suffrage conventions and also served as president of the Cayuga County Suffrage Association. She is shown here being conferred an Honorary Doctorate Of Letters from the University Of The State Of New York in 1926, the first woman to receive this honor from this institution. -Read Emily Howland's "Early History Of Friends In Cayuga County"

Edward Sanford Martin 1856 - 1939 Edward Sanford Martin was raised on the shores of Owasco Lake. As a child, he saw visitors at his home such as President Grant, Colonel Custer, General Sheridan, and many others who shaped the nineteenth century. He attending Harvard University, he created the humor magazine Harvard Lampoon with a few of his friends. Following graduation, he and his friends created Life magazine, originally designed as a humor publication.

William H. Seward 1801-1871 William Seward was born and raised in Florida, New York, and moved to Auburn in 1823, to become Judge Miller's law partner. The following year Seward married the Judge's daughter, Francis, and moved into the house which bears his name, The Seward House. He was later elected the first Whig Governor of New York State in 1839. As a Senator, Seward was the acknowledged leader of the anti-slavery group and served as a close advisor to President Zachary Taylor. He was a founder of the Republican Party, but lost the Republican presidential nomination to Abraham Lincoln. Under Lincoln though, he became Secretary of State and is best remembered for the purchase of Alaska, otherwise known as "Seward's Folly." After his extensive political career, Seward retired to his Auburn home where he died in 1872.

Enos Throop 1784 - 1874 Enos T. Throop moved to Auburn in 1806, where he practiced as an attorney. As one of the earliest settlers of Auburn and a member of the first Board of Trustees, Throop began his political career as the second postmaster of Auburn. He held a variety of other public offices including: Cayuga County Clerk, United States Congressman, Lieutentant Governor of New York State, Governor of New York State, and charge d'Affaires of the Two Sicilies.

Harriet Tubman 1820 (?) - 1913 Harriet Tubman was born in Maryland around 1820, as a slave on an Eastern Shore plantation. She escaped in 1849, travelling by night through Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, and on to Canada. Not content with her own freedom, Tubman made 19 trips south, rescuing more than 300 slaves. All of her trips were carefully planned and executed using a network of safe places, known as the Underground Railroad. During the Civil War, Tubman served as a spy, scout and nurse. After the war, she settled in Auburn, New York on land purchased from William Seward. She lived on this land and established a home for sick, poor, and retired blacks. Harriet Tubman is buried in Fort Hill Cemetary, in Auburn, New York.

Emory Upton 1839 - 1881 One of the most influential American officers of the nineteenth century, Emory Upton was too young during the Civil War to be fully recognized for his deeds on the battlefield. General Upton created the blitzkrieg style of assault at the Battle of Spotsylvania, in which the soldiers charged in such a rush that they were not allowed to fire their weapons until they overran the enemy. His book Military Policy of the United States became the basis for the organization of the armed forces.

Martha Wright 1806 - 1875 Martha Wright, sister of Lucretia Mott, was one of the five women to issue the call to the first Women's Right Convention at Seneca Falls, New York in 1848. After the success of the first convention, she helped plan later conventions and also served as Secretary of the National Women's Right Convention at Syracuse in 1852, and President of the tenth National Women's Right Convention at New York City in 1860. She also cofounded the American Equal Rights Association in 1866, and the National Woman Sufferage Association in 1869.

Photos courtesy of Cayuga Museum   and   Historians Office Historic Cayuga