The ancestor of the Lemon family of Cohoes, represented in the present generation by Harold S. Lemon, is Lieutenant-Colonel George Frank Lemon, of Troy, New York, who was born in that city in 1816. He was a gallant officer of the civil war and in battle received wounds that resulted in death. He was enrolled May 22, 1861, at New York City, to serve two years; mustered in as major of the Thirty-second Regiment, Volunteer Infantry, May 31, 1861; promoted lieutenant-colonel, October 23, 1862, with rank from October 2, 1862; wounded September 14, 1862, at Crampton's Gap, Maryland; died of his wounds November 10, 1862, at Burkettsville, Maryland. He was in many of the hard battles of the war that previous to his death were fought by the Army of the Potomac. His promotion to lieutenant-colonel was for "gallant conduct" on the field of battle, and had not his career been early cut short he would surely have attained greater glory and higher rank. He married, in 1841, Susan A., daughter of Abraham L. Lansing, of Lansingburg, New York (see Lansing family). Child, George McElvie, see forward.
(II) George McElvie, son of Lieutenant-Colonel George Frank and Susan A. (Lansing) Lemon, was born in Lansingburg, New York, August 3, 1842. He was educated in the public schools, and was for thirty years with the Walter A. Wood Company, manufacturers of agricultural machinery. After leaving their employ he was with the New York Central railroad for five years in Cohoes, and for the past year (1910) has been cashier at the freight office of the same company. August 29, 1862, he enlisted in Company H, Thirty-second Regiment, Volunteer Infantry, and served three years. The Thirty-second was part of the Army of the Potomac. April 8, 1863, he was promoted to the rank of commissary sergeant. August 25, 1863, he was transferred to the One Hundred and Twenty-first New York Regiment. He was engaged in many of the fierce battles in which the Army of the Potomac fought: Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Antietam, where his father also fought, White Oak Church and others. The Thirty-second was enlisted as a two years' regiment, but Mr. Lemon served three years and received an honorable discharge. In politics Mr. Lemon is an ardent Republican; he is a communicant of the Episcopal church, as was his wife. He has been a Mason for thirty-six years; is a member of Mount Zion Lodge, No. 311, of Troy. He married, September 17, 1874, Mary W. Snyder, born in Watervliet, New York, died May 20, 1910, daughter of Abraham George Snyder, a longtime employee of the Watervliet Arsenal, where he was master machinist. He was a highly esteemed and very popular man. On the day of his funeral the Arsenal was closed and the flags lowered to half mast, an honor seldom if ever before paid to an unofficial employee. Mr. Snyder was born at West Troy, New York, March 31, 1819; married Eliza Ann Williams, born October 19, 1820, died August 22, 1892, at Cohoes. He died June 10, 1876. Children of George McElvie and Mary W. (Snyder) Lemon:
- Harold Snyder, mentioned below.
- George Snyder, born December 12, 1879, at Hoosick Falls, where he was educated. At age of nineteen entered employ of New York Central & Hudson River Railroad as cashier; was made freight agent for same company at Cohoes in February, 1909, which position he still holds (1910). He married Ida Waitey Brown, of Troy, New York.
(III) Harold Snyder, son of George McElvie and Mary W. (Snyder) Lemon, was born in Watervliet, New York, October 12, 1875. When he was a year old his parents removed to Hoosick Falls, Rensselaer county, New York, and here he obtained his education in the public schools. At age of sixteen he left school and entered the employ of the Walter A. Wood Company, in the sign and stenciling department. He was the youngest employee in the paint department and as partner was placed with the oldest man, causing much merry comment. He rapidly acquired the necessary skill in the department, and as it was all piece work, was soon making good wages. The firm then began to adopt the unwise plan of penalizing expert workmen by cutting the piece price, which they continued until wages were reduced over one-half. When this condition became unbearable to an ambitious, expert man, Mr. Lemon left the company. He had now reached the age of twenty-one. He went to Troy, New York, and entered the employ of E. W. Millard, the leading undertaker of Troy, remaining with him until February, 1897, becoming thorough master of the undertaking business. In the latter year he removed to Cohoes, where for a few months he was employed in the undertaking establishment of Frank C. Reavy. He then entered the employ of Parker G. Tymerson, undertaker, where he remained over five years. He took a special course in embalming, received his diploma, March 19, 1895, and his state license as undertaker and embalmer, September 11, 1899. On February 22, 1902, having complied with all the legal requirements and possessing a thorough knowledge of his business gained by his many years of practical experience, Mr. Lemon decided to engage in business for himself. June 14, 1902, he opened an undertaking and embalming establishment in Cohoes, on Oneida street, and in 1907 removed to enlarged quarters at 47 Oneida street. July 1, 1907, he purchased the livery business of W. W. Synder [Snyder?] — a livery and ambulance service, with boarding stable — and now conducts it in connection with his undertaking business. His establishment is modern and well equipped, and he enjoys a liberal patronage. In December, 1908, he engaged in the retail coal trade which he still continues. His ambulance service is the only one on the west side between Albany and Saratoga, and is also used by the city as a police patrol wagon. He is a loyal Republican and active in politics. For ten years he has been inspector of the first district, second ward of Cohoes, and a frequent delegate to the local party conventions. He was connected with the National Guard of New York for six years, receiving an honorable discharge, June 9, 1897. He was corporal of Second Company M, of Hoosick Falls, Second Regiment. His grandfather received his death wound while leading the Thirty-second New York Regiment, at the battle of Antietam; his father fought in the ranks of the same regiment, in the same and other desperate conflicts; the son in more peaceful times served as a citizen soldier in the National Guard, Second Separate Company. Among the precious heirlooms and treasured relics of the family is the service sword of Lieutenant-Colonel Lemon, owned by Harold S. Lemon, and a handsome gold-mounted sword presented to Colonel Lemon by his Thirty-second Regiment, owned by his son, George McElvie Lemon. Harold S. Lemon is a member of St. John's Episcopal Church, and for three years was president of the Young Men's Association of that church. He is a member of Spartan Lodge, No. 210, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and has been chief chaplain, Sons of Veterans. He has been a volunteer fireman for eleven years with Truck No. 1 and Steamer No. 4.
He married, June 14, 1900, Martha A. Harrington, of Bennington, Vermont, born in Hoosick, New York, daughter of Lorenzo and Hannah M. (Eydesheimer) Harrington, and granddaughter of John and ———— (McCoy) Harrington. John Harrington was a farmer of Hoosick, Rensselaer county, New York, where he was born in the southwest part of the town, and where he died. Lorenzo, his son, was born on the homestead farm in 1834, was a farmer, and is now living retired at Potter Hill, New York. He was an active member of the Seventh Day Adventists Church and superintendent of the Sunday school. He married Hannah M. Eydesheimer, born in Johnsonville, New York, died September 22, 1886.