Matz and Schramm Families - Person Sheet
NameEdgar Gregory Dusenbury 
BirthOct 1841, New York
Death1920
Occupationfamily businesses. President Olean Bank on death of brother, John.
EducationDeposit Academy
FatherHenry Richard Dusenbury (1801-1860)
MotherCaroline Butler (1811-1871)
Notes for Edgar Gregory Dusenbury
“Edgar G. born in October, 1841, was a mercantile business with his brothers, and is now giving his attention to the large tannery at Portville - The Portville Tanning Company; he is an efficient business man, and possesses great firmness and executive ability; he is also an earnest and working Christian and an elder of the Presbyterian church” Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Portville - Chapter XLIII (43) Page 1009
Bought house on Main Street and gave to town as Portville Free Library (Dusenbury Room)
Lived in large ornate Victorian across street from similar house of brother, William.
PORTVILLE FREE LIBRARY'S PROUD HISTORY
In 1857, a young school teacher, Marilla C. Wheeler ( who could not live in a community where there was no library) went from house to house soliciting at least one book from each family. After adding her own donation of twenty-seven volumes, she created the humble beginning of the Portville Free Library's book collection.
March 14, 1857, the Portville Library Association was formed. Membership was open to anyone in the villages who paid the quarterly dues of twenty-five cents. Bookplates used in the first books circulated stated that "the library will be opened for drawing and returning books on Saturday of each week from 3 to 4 and from 7 to 8 o'clock p.m."
The growing library collection was kept in various and sundry places until 1909 when
E. G. Dusenbury purchased the property on Main Street. This building was the home Smith Parish which he built in the colonial Georgian architecture in 1847. Mr. Dusenbury funded and supervised extensive renovations of the building and grounds to convert the home into a beautiful library. He established a liberal endowment fund to cover operating expenses of the library. He continued to augment the funds with frequent contributions as the need arose.
On March 31, 1910, the present absolute charter was granted by the Regents of the University of the State of New York.
Several major additions were made to the original building in1915, 1930 and 1960. In 1991, we were placed on the National Register of Historical places.
History of the Town of Portville - Chapter XLIII (43) Page 1009
Bought house on Main Street and gave to town as Portville Free Library (Dusenbury Room)
Lived in large ornate Victorian across street from similar house of brother, William.
PORTVILLE FREE LIBRARY'S PROUD HISTORY
In 1857, a young school teacher, Marilla C. Wheeler ( who could not live in a community where there was no library) went from house to house soliciting at least one book from each family. After adding her own donation of twenty-seven volumes, she created the humble beginning of the Portville Free Library's book collection.
March 14, 1857, the Portville Library Association was formed. Membership was open to anyone in the villages who paid the quarterly dues of twenty-five cents. Bookplates used in the first books circulated stated that "the library will be opened for drawing and returning books on Saturday of each week from 3 to 4 and from 7 to 8 o'clock p.m."
The growing library collection was kept in various and sundry places until 1909 when
E. G. Dusenbury purchased the property on Main Street. This building was the home Smith Parish which he built in the colonial Georgian architecture in 1847. Mr. Dusenbury funded and supervised extensive renovations of the building and grounds to convert the home into a beautiful library. He established a liberal endowment fund to cover operating expenses of the library. He continued to augment the funds with frequent contributions as the need arose.
On March 31, 1910, the present absolute charter was granted by the Regents of the University of the State of New York.
Several major additions were made to the original building in1915, 1930 and 1960. In 1991, we were placed on the National Register of Historical places.