Matz and Schramm Families - Person Sheet
NameWilliam Addison Dusenbury 
Birth24 Sep 1879, Newtown, Pennsylvania
Death10 Jun 1942
BurialChestnut Hill Cemetery, Portville, New York
OccupationPres. Olean Bank and other family businesses.
EducationLawrenceville Academy, Princeton BA 1902
FatherWilliam Addison Dusenbury (1839-1890)
MotherHelen McGregor Truesdell (1845-1922)
Notes for William Addison Dusenbury
1880 census has him, at age 8 months, living with mother in home of Edgar G. Dusenbery.
1930 Census identifies him as banker, unmarried at age 50, living with brother, Duncan, in home on Maple Avenue, Portville, New York.
Invited cousin Carl Dusenbury Matz to spend summers of 1931-1941 in vacant house across the street which had belonged to his uncle Edgar.
In 1928 built lodge on 39 acres at top of mountain near Bolivar, NY. Olean Bank kept it for a while after is death and then sold it. Being used as a restaurant in 1990. 8015 Messer Hill Road, Bolivar, NY 14715. 716-928-1040 or 1-800-479-1042
2003 website for lodge operated by Fontanas of Buffalo restaurant business who acquired it in 1982.
http://www.hilltoplodge.net/pages
Lodge brochure says it took 4 years to develop property and that he died without heirs leaving assets to charity.
“William A. Dusenbury, president of the First National Bank of Olean and one of the most prominent business men in this section, died Wednesday evening (June 10, 1942) at his summer home, Hilltop, near Richburg, following a long illness.
William Addison Dusenbury was born in Newton Mills, Forest County, Pennsylvania, September 24, 1879, the son of William Addison and Helen Truesdell Dusenbury. His father was engaged in the lumbering business in Pennsylvania, and after his death at Tidioute, Pa., the family removed to Portville, N. Y., in 1892.
Mr. Dusenbury received his education in the Portville School and at Lawrenceville Academy preparatory to entering Princeton University. He was graduated from Princeton in the class of 1902 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts.
After a year spent in travel, he entered the employ of the First National Bank of Olean in 1903. On July 11, 1911, he was made a director of the bank and its vice president, following the death of W. E. Wheeler. On January 11, 1921, he was elected president of the bank to succeed his uncle, the late Edgar G. Dusenbury.
Although Mr. Dusenbury spent the greater part of his time as the head of a growing banking institution, he had many interests to which he brought his experience, his good judgment and his keen analytical mind.
Hi grandfather, Henry Dusenbury, had come from Deposit to Portville in 1834 and had founded, in partnership with William F. Wheeler, a lumber business which in time extended its interests into several other states and eventually into California and the Northwest. To the direction of these family interests, Mr. Dusenbury devoted much time and energy. He was throughout his life closely connected with the oil industry, which followed lumbering as the basic industry of this region.
He was associated with many of the industries of Olean and vicinity and was an integral part of the business life of this entire section. He was an officer in a score of companies and his advice was much sought by those in positions of guidance in business and financial undertakings. He was for some time a director of the Buffalo branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Among the many concerns of which Mr. Dusenbury was a director were the Messer Oil Corporation of Olean, the Forrest Petroleum Corporation of Bradford, the A. Weston Lumber Company of Olean, and the Fremont Lumber Company, Oregon.
Mr. Dusenbury’s interests extended far beyond those of banking, industry, and business. He was always deeply concerned with the health and welfare of the people of the county generally and when the County Health Department was established in 1923, he was chosen a member of the first County Board of Health and served in that capacity for a number of years. He was a member of the Crippled Children’s Committee, which had as its objective the correction of physical disabilities among the children of the county. He gave much time and attention to the Children’s Home at Randolph and was for many years a member of the board of the Olean General Hospital.
Mr. Dusenbury served for several years as Mayor of Portville, and was responsible for a number of improvements. He was in large measure responsible for the establishment of Pioneer Memorial Park and was a director of Chestnut Hill Cemetery.
Among the many organizations of which he was a member were the City Club of Olean, Olean Lodge 491, BPOE, Bartlett Country Club, and the Portville Fireman’s Club.
He was a generous contributor to the Community Chest and other charities and was widely known as the donor of private philanthropies.
Mr. Dusenbury is survived by his brother, Duncan C. Dusenbury.”
(This obituary appeared in the Olean Times Herald Newspaper)
1930 Census identifies him as banker, unmarried at age 50, living with brother, Duncan, in home on Maple Avenue, Portville, New York.
Invited cousin Carl Dusenbury Matz to spend summers of 1931-1941 in vacant house across the street which had belonged to his uncle Edgar.
In 1928 built lodge on 39 acres at top of mountain near Bolivar, NY. Olean Bank kept it for a while after is death and then sold it. Being used as a restaurant in 1990. 8015 Messer Hill Road, Bolivar, NY 14715. 716-928-1040 or 1-800-479-1042
2003 website for lodge operated by Fontanas of Buffalo restaurant business who acquired it in 1982.
http://www.hilltoplodge.net/pages
Lodge brochure says it took 4 years to develop property and that he died without heirs leaving assets to charity.
“William A. Dusenbury, president of the First National Bank of Olean and one of the most prominent business men in this section, died Wednesday evening (June 10, 1942) at his summer home, Hilltop, near Richburg, following a long illness.
William Addison Dusenbury was born in Newton Mills, Forest County, Pennsylvania, September 24, 1879, the son of William Addison and Helen Truesdell Dusenbury. His father was engaged in the lumbering business in Pennsylvania, and after his death at Tidioute, Pa., the family removed to Portville, N. Y., in 1892.
Mr. Dusenbury received his education in the Portville School and at Lawrenceville Academy preparatory to entering Princeton University. He was graduated from Princeton in the class of 1902 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts.
After a year spent in travel, he entered the employ of the First National Bank of Olean in 1903. On July 11, 1911, he was made a director of the bank and its vice president, following the death of W. E. Wheeler. On January 11, 1921, he was elected president of the bank to succeed his uncle, the late Edgar G. Dusenbury.
Although Mr. Dusenbury spent the greater part of his time as the head of a growing banking institution, he had many interests to which he brought his experience, his good judgment and his keen analytical mind.
Hi grandfather, Henry Dusenbury, had come from Deposit to Portville in 1834 and had founded, in partnership with William F. Wheeler, a lumber business which in time extended its interests into several other states and eventually into California and the Northwest. To the direction of these family interests, Mr. Dusenbury devoted much time and energy. He was throughout his life closely connected with the oil industry, which followed lumbering as the basic industry of this region.
He was associated with many of the industries of Olean and vicinity and was an integral part of the business life of this entire section. He was an officer in a score of companies and his advice was much sought by those in positions of guidance in business and financial undertakings. He was for some time a director of the Buffalo branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Among the many concerns of which Mr. Dusenbury was a director were the Messer Oil Corporation of Olean, the Forrest Petroleum Corporation of Bradford, the A. Weston Lumber Company of Olean, and the Fremont Lumber Company, Oregon.
Mr. Dusenbury’s interests extended far beyond those of banking, industry, and business. He was always deeply concerned with the health and welfare of the people of the county generally and when the County Health Department was established in 1923, he was chosen a member of the first County Board of Health and served in that capacity for a number of years. He was a member of the Crippled Children’s Committee, which had as its objective the correction of physical disabilities among the children of the county. He gave much time and attention to the Children’s Home at Randolph and was for many years a member of the board of the Olean General Hospital.
Mr. Dusenbury served for several years as Mayor of Portville, and was responsible for a number of improvements. He was in large measure responsible for the establishment of Pioneer Memorial Park and was a director of Chestnut Hill Cemetery.
Among the many organizations of which he was a member were the City Club of Olean, Olean Lodge 491, BPOE, Bartlett Country Club, and the Portville Fireman’s Club.
He was a generous contributor to the Community Chest and other charities and was widely known as the donor of private philanthropies.
Mr. Dusenbury is survived by his brother, Duncan C. Dusenbury.”
(This obituary appeared in the Olean Times Herald Newspaper)