This is a family transplanted from Ulster county, New York, where Benjamin Eighmey was born January 4, 1776, died at Danby, New York, August 23, 1861. He was a farmer all his days, as were his family before him. He married Jeannette Palmerton, born August 4, 1782, died September, 1836. Children:
- Elias L., born January 8, 1804;
- Philip, May 20, 1806;
- Katy C., March 13, 1808;
- Anna Kenton, January 10, 1810;
- Eley, March 11, 1812;
- Mary C., February 22, 1814;
- John M., July 9, 1816;
- Daniel, March 1, 1819;
- Sarah Jane, April 7, 1821;
- Thomas P., July 8, 1824;
- Tirzah, June 6, 1827.
(II) Elias L., son of Benjamin and Jeannette (Palmerton) Eighmey, was born in Ulster county, New York, January 8, 1803, died in Ithaca, New York, January 17, 1887. He learned the trade of weaver in the days of the hand loom, but later in life became a farmer and market gardener. He married, October 10, 1831, Lovina Cooper, born at Dryden, Tompkins county, New York, June 7, 1804, died at Ithaca, New York, June 27, 1877. Children: Eugene, see forward; Dumont; Louisa F.; Munson; James S.
(III) Eugene, eldest child of Elias L. and Lovina (Cooper) Eighmey, was born in Ithaca, New York, March 17, 1833. He was educated in the Ithaca public schools, and for thirty-five years was a cigar manufacturer in that city. He became interested in the knit goods business and after working in knitting mills for some time in a subordinate capacity, formed the Putnam Knitting Company in 1907, with John H. and Mary Murphy associated with him. The company are manufacturers of specialties in their line and have a prosperous business; their mill is located at Cohoes, New York. He is a Republican in politics, an attendant of the Presbyterian church, and a member of the Masonic fraternity. He married, October 12, 1861, Jennie L., born in England, daughter of James and Sarah (Stedman) Spurr, formerly of England, later of Valatie, Columbia county, New York. James Spurr, born in England, in 1822, died 1849, in California. Sarah Stedman, born in England, 1802, died 1884 in Cohoes. Children:
- Sidney S., see forward;
- Nellie;
- Annie, married John H. Murphy, of Cohoes, partner with the father in the Putnam Knitting Company; children: William E., and John Harold Murphy;
- Eugenia.
(IV) Sidney Spurr, eldest child and only son of Eugene and Jennie L. (Spurr) Eighmey, was born in Ithaca, New York, August 4, 1863. He was educated in the common and high schools, and began business life as clerk in a grocery at Cohoes at the age of fifteen. He next formed a partnership with Albert Hildreth, under the firm name of Eighmey & Hildreth, continuing for ten years, terminating by purchasing his partner's interest. He continued alone for two years, 1895-96, when he sold out the business and store. He was appointed by the Cohoes school board attendance officer, holding that appointment until 1902. In that year the police board of Cohoes appointed him warden of the city jail, where he still remains (1910). He is a Republican and has frequently represented his party in conventions. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and a member of the Royal Arcanum. He married Nellie J., daughter of David and Mary (Cooney) Williams, and granddaughter of Thomas Williams, of Wales. David Williams was born in Wales, 1835, died in Cohoes, New York, November 13, 1903. Married Mary Cooney, born 1837, died at Cohoes, New York, November 15, 1895. They had eight children, five of whom died in infancy. Those surviving were John, Nellie J., and James Henry. The family were Episcopalians. David Williams came from Wales to the United States when he was seventeen, and located at Cohoes, where he was in the grocery business for a long time and made a fortune. He, however, sunk it in the manufacturing business by unwise investments and losses by fire. He was an invalid for seven years previous to his death. He was three times chosen alderman of Cohoes by the Republican party, and was a member of the Knights of Pythias. Children of Sidney S. and Nellie J. (Williams) Eighmey: Leah N. and Henry S.