From the Belmont Dispatch, October 10, 1902.
HE WAS A GOOD MAN
L. H. Scoville Who Died at Wellsville on Friday
Mr. Luman H. Scoville, senior member of the wholesale and retail grocery firm of Scoville, Brown & Co., died at his home on Maple Avenue, in this city, Friday afternoon, October 3rd at 2:30 o'clock, surrounded by his family and a few friends. Mr. Scoville was 82 years of age. The obsequies were conducted from his late residence Monday afternoon. Our citizens turned out to honor the closing scenes of a life that was so successful, so fraught with integrity and manliness. The services were conducted by Rev. W. C. Gates of the Baptist church with whose congregation the deceased affiliated.
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Mr. Scoville has been in ill health for many months therefore his death was not unexpected. Deceased, however, has been so prominently identified with the business interests and growth of our young city during the past 31 years that our people were necessarily shocked and grieved.
Luman Humphrey Scoville was born at Cornwall, Connecticut, December 13, 1820. While a baby in arms his parents moved to Green, Chenango county, N.Y. The family resided successfully in Cortland, N.Y. and Harrison township, Pa. Mr. Scoville was a typical young man of the pioneer period, strong in body and mind, and with a firm determination to succeed in life.
In 1845 he was married to Miss Harriet A. Churchill, of Bingham, Potter county, Pa., who survives him. The fruits of that union were two sons, Mr. F. H. Scoville, of this city and Rev. F. C. Scoville of Greenwich, N.Y.
Deceased engaged in farming and was successful. His mind took on a broader scope, however and in 1853 he began his mercantile career, opening a general store at Spring Mills, N.Y. He soon became the John Wanamaker of that locality. Continuing in trade he passed through the terrible panic of 1857, the times that tried men's souls and tested the metal [sic], character and business acumen of all those engaged in mercantile pursuits. But never was the credit of L. H. Scoville questioned for a moment. He continued to trade until 1865. By his industry, frugality and business tact he had gained a competency but his restless spirit and superabundance of energy was unimpaired. Spring Mills offered too narrow a scope for his mature experience and broadened views. He came to Wellsville in 1871 and erected the one business block now occupied by the enterprising firm of which he was the head. Since that time his life has been an open book to the people of Wellsville, always active and thorough in his business methods, at times perhaps aggressive, he was charitable to the faults and foibles of competitors but kind and generous to all. The name of L. H. Scoville was a rock against which the waves of varying fortune dashed during the fitful existence of the firms of William and J. S. Brown & Co., Brown & Scoville, L. H. Scoville, & Co., Scoville, Thurston & Brown, until they settled into the calm and peaceful waters which now surround the present grand commercial aggregation of Scoville, Brown & Co., of which Wellsville is so proud.
Much more might be said by us. It is unnecessary, however. We therefore lay aside and turn to the poets for a fitting tribute to close the brief sketch of such a noble life
“He was a man, take him all and all
I shall not look upon his like again.”
—Democrat