Seymour Boughton, a prominent resident of Charlotteville, was born in Summit, November 17, 1834, son of Seymour and Phoebe (Mix) Boughton. The father came here from Connecticut, settling first in Charlotteville, and later moving to Summit village, where he kept a hotel. He afterward engaged in the cooper business, anal also ran a distillery. Studying law, he was admitted to the bar in 1840, and thenceforward carried on a profitable general law business.
Actively interested in public affairs, Samuel Boughton, the elder, was elected to the Assembly on the Anti-rent ticket in 1845, was twice elected Supervisor as a Democrat, was for some years a member of the county committee, served with ability as Excise Commissioner, and was Postmaster for eight years. He was very popular with all classes irrespective of party, and his personal character was such as to fully merit the high estimation in which he was held. He was an active member of the Baptist church. He returned to Charlotteville in 1866, and died here in 1871, aged eighty-one years. Nine children were born to him and his wife, Phoebe, namely: Lucius, who died December 11, 1826; Harvey; Mary; Squire, who died December 9, 1819; Phoebe; Polly; Louisa; Harmon K., who died in 1851, aged twenty-four years; and Seymour, the subject of this sketch, he and his sister Mary being the only survivors.
Seymour Boughton after finishing his education learned the carriage painter's trade in Cobleskill, mastering it without much difficulty, as he had a natural genius for handling the brush. Engaging in business for himself, his first contract, which amounted to two thousand three hundred dollars, was tendered him by parties in Gallupville; and he subsequently enlarged his business. For many years he conducted the largest carriage-making establishment in the county. He also did most of the repairing and painting in this and the adjacent towns, and at one time he carried on two shops. Of late he has been gradually withdrawing from business, but still continues to follow his trade to some extent. Mr. Boughton's connection with public affairs began as a boy in the Assembly at Albany, and he was elected Town Clerk the year he became a voter. He afterward served as Constable two years, held some minor town offices, was elected Supervisor in 1878, re-elected in 1879, was County Clerk from 1881 to 1888, was Postmaster under Andrew Johnson and the second Cleveland administration, and has been a member of the Democratic Town Committee for many years. His political record is a most honorable one, and it is worthy of note that while some of the offices to which he was elected were hotly contested, his candidacy for a second term as Supervisor was without opposition, a fact which demonstrates the confidence of his fellow-townsmen in his ability and integrity.
Mr. Boughton contracted his first marriage with Maggie Ferguson, daughter of Thomas Ferguson. She bore him four children, namely: Arthur J., Frank, and Thomas G., none of whom are living; and Charles F., who is a painter by trade and a musician of local repute. For his second wife he married Emma Nadley, daughter of Christopher Nadley, and by this union he has two children — Edith and Horatio S. Boughton.
Mr. Boughton belongs to Jefferson Lodge, No. 554, F. & A. M., and John L. Lewis Chapter, No. 229, R. A. M.