John Gail Borden (1844 - 1891)

Born 4 Jan 1844 in Texas, USA

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 20 Oct 1891 at age 47 in Ormond Beach, Volusia, Florida, United States

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Biography

John Gail Borden was born on 4 January 1844 in Texas.^[1] He was the youngest child of Gail Borden and Penelope Mercer Borden. ^[2][3] His mother had lost a daughter, Mary, and a son, Stephen, before John Gail was born. In March of 1844, another brother, Morton, and his mother both died of yellow fever. Subsequently, his father married Azalea, or Augusta, Stearns on 15 February 1845. In 1850 his household contained his father Gail, mother Augusta, his oldest brother, Henry Lee, and two sisters, Philadelphia and Mary Jane in Galveston city, Galveston county, Texas.^[4] "Coming North when but a lad of thirteen, he entered one of the Brooklyn public schools, and later attended the Winchester Academy in Winchester Center, Conn., where he remained for two years. From the time when he left the Academy until he entered a business college, young Borden assisted his father in establishing the condensed milk business, then in its infancy."^[5] His step-mother died in 1857 and the next census records him at age 15, living in the home of Marcus and Charlotte Munsil in Winchester, Litchfield county, Connecticut in 1860. Marcus Munsil was the father-in-law of John Gail's sister, Mary Jane. Also in that household are Emeline Church and her son, Alfred.^[6] Later that same year John Gail's father married Evaline Eunice Eno Church and adopted her two sons, Samuel and Alfred.

He enlisted in General Ketcham's regiment, the 150th of New York Union Army and in 2-1/2 years attained the rank of 2nd lieutenant. During this time he was baptized into the Baptist Church. Even at this young age, his health was a factor in his ability to serve in the military, requiring a leave of absence for rest and recuperation. His return to the army was spent in the 47th N.Y. Volunteers until the close of the war.^[7] Strangely enough, when the rest of the family moved to New York, his older brother, Henry Lee, had remained in Texas, and served in the Confederate Army.

John Gail married Ellen Lovisa Graves on 14 December 1865 in Winstead, Connecticut.^[8] Other trees list their marriage place as the same as her birth place, Seneca county, others list Davids Island, Westchester county, both on New York, but these locations do not rely on a source. She was born on 7 September 1845 in Seneca Falls, New York and was the daughter of Dr. Lewis Graves (1812-1880) and Adeline Janes (1816-1892), later of Long Island, Queens county, N.Y. John Gail and Ellen had six children; Penelope Adaline, Gail, Beatrice, Lewis, Marian and Marion.

His primary residence, until about 1881, was the town of Southeast in Putnam county, New York. Within the town of Southeast is the incorporated village of Brewster, which was the location of one of the milk condensing plants of the New York Condensed Milk Company, but was more famous for its rail station. His family was composed of himself, his wife, Ellen, his daughter, "Willie" which was either a nickname for Penelope Adaline, or a census-taker's error, and the same Marcus Munsil whom he had resided with in 1860.^[9] And in 1880, the US Census shows him and his family living in Southeast, Putnam county, New York. The members of his household had enlarged to include another son, Lewis. Note that Adaline and Lewis were named after his wife's parents.^[10] After moving to Home farm, they had a set of twins, a girl named Marian, and a boy named Marion. It is not known whether Marion survived infancy, as no records for his life and death are available other than the mention of his birth in secondary sources.

"John Gail succeeded to the presidency of the New York Condensed Milk Company on the death of his father, Gail Borden, the inventor, and occupied the position for ten years, until 1884. A genius for invention very early showed itself in him, and found ample opportunity for utilization in the requirements of the large business under his management. Mr. Borden was a man of indomitable energy, with a large capacity for details. Courtesy and gentleness were his marked characteristics. His hat was always removed as quickly for a little girl as for a lady. One of his unwritten mottoes was "what is worth doing at all is worth doing well." Mr. Borden believed in rest and vacations for others, but not for himself. He worked incessantly, and was old before his time, dying at 47. He is buried on Home farm at Walkill, N.Y."^[11] Many years later, the newly re-named Borden Milk Company, which was no longer run by the descendants of the inventor of condensed milk, looked to its roots to develop a very successful and long-lived centerpiece for its brand, Elsie, the cow, believed to be the favorite of John Gail's daughter, Marion.^[12]

The Home Farm at Walkill, Ulster county, New York was a dream of John Gail. He bought the first farmland in 1881 and his dream expanded over about the last eleven years of his life. His wealth enabled this farm to operate to high levels of production under the management of a benevolent aristocrat. "In 1883, he hired draftsmen to plot his dream village on a 4-foot by 8-foot map that was labeled “Wallkill” then he went beyond plans; he funded the dream that was plotted on paper...Borden’s commitment to Wallkill also had a personal touch. He is said to have given a bag of 25 new pennies and an American flag on Memorial Day to every child at the old school on Bridge Street. He also distributed ice cream and cake across the village to mark the holiday. (Borden was a veteran of the Civil War.) The Bordens also hosted many social events at the Home Farm. Locals have passed down stories of a so-called “Home Farm Festival” that would happen once a year to celebrate local farmers. People would come from Wallkill, Walden and beyond to hear dignitaries talk, bands play, and to dance at the Home Farm."^[13]

He died on 20 October in either 1891 at Ormond Beach, Volusia, Florida. The cause of his death was "dropsy," which in modern times is called congestive heart failure. His body was transported back to the Home Farm, where it was buried in a private family plot. His wife, Ellen was laid to rest there in 1928 and his daughter, Marion in 1930. The three of them were the only burials on the farm.^[14]

Sources

1. ↑ Borden Historical Record, [1], Hattie Borden Weld 1899, pages 247-248.
2. ↑ Entered by Brian Collins, Mar 2, 2012
3. ↑ The Cyclodedia of American Biography, [2], Homans, Vol.VIII, page 129.
4. ↑ FamilySearch.org, [3], 1850 US Census.
5. ↑ GenealogyTrails.com, [4], Ulster, N.Y. Biographies.
6. ↑ FamilySearch.org, [5], 1860 US Census.
7. ↑ GenealogyTrails.com, [6], Ulster County, NY, Biographies.
8. ↑ FamilySearch.org, [7], Connecticut Marriages
9. ↑ FamilySearch.org, [8], 1870 US Census.
10. ↑ FamilySearch.org, [9], 1880 US Census.
11. ↑ Borden Historical Record, [10], Hattie Borden Weld 1899, page 248.
12. ↑ The New York History Blog, [11], By Schenkman 2013.
13. ↑ Ulster Magazine, [12], Mar/Apr 2014 Issue.
14. ↑ FamilySearch.org, [13], Burial Index.

• Brian Collins, firsthand knowledge. Click the Changes tab for the details of edits by Brian and others.

• "John Gail Borden, the youngest son of the late Gail Borden, was born in Galveston, Texas, January 4, 1844."

A short biography with details on young John Gail's academic and military experiences. (http://genealogytrails.com/ny/ulster/bios.html : genealogytrails.com, accessed 11 February 2018) Ulster County, New York Genealogy and History. This biography is copied and cleaned up from only a portion of a longer biography printed in 1899 in "The Wallkill Valley in Art and Story" Published by The Wallkill Valley Farmers' Association, Walden, N. Y. Scanned by archive.com, (https://archive.org/stream/wallkillvalleyin1899wall/wallkillvalleyin1899wall_djvu.txt : from a copy from the Allen County Public Library, accessed 11 feb 2018) John Gail Borden, pages 48-49.

• John Borden in household of Gail Borden, "United States Census, 1850"

Indexed Information
Household - - - - - - Role - - Sex - - Age - - Birthplace
Gail Borden - M - 50 - New York
Augusta Borden - F - 50 - Maine
H L Borden - M - 19 - Texas
Philip Borden - M - 14 - Texas
Mary Jane Borden - F - 9 - Texas
John Borden - M - 7 - Texas
"United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MXLK-RJJ : 12 April 2016), John Borden in household of Gail Borden, Galveston city, Galveston, Texas, United States; citing family 132, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• John Borden in household of Marcus Munsill, "United States Census, 1860"

Indexed Information
Household - - - - - - Role - - Sex - - Age - - Birthplace
Marcus Munsill - M - 59 - Conn
Charlotte Munsill - F - 58 - Conn
Ann M Munsill - F - 22 - Conn
Edward Bissell - M - 16 - Mich
John Borden - M - 15 - Texas
Emeline Church - F - 52 - Conn
Alfred B Church - M - 16 - N Y
"United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MH5T-B7Z : 13 December 2017), John Borden in entry for Marcus Munsill, 1860.

• John G Borden, "Connecticut Marriages, 1630-1997"

Indexed Information:
Name: John G Borden
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 14 Dec 1865
Event Place: , Winsted, Connecticut, United States
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Ella L Graves
Spouse's Gender: Female
"Connecticut Marriages, 1630-1997", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F7LK-8XH : 31 March 2016), John G Borden and Ella L Graves, 1865.

• John G Borden, "United States Census, 1870"

Indexed Information
Household - - - - - - Role - - Sex - - Age - - Birthplace
John G Borden - M - 26 - Texas
Ellen Borden - F - 23 - New York
Willie Borden - F - 2 - New York
Marcus Munsil - M - 60 - Connecticut
"United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M8VT-7K1 : 12 April 2016), John G Borden, New York, United States; citing p. 15, family 118, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,576.

• John G Borden, "United States Census, 1880"

Indexed Information
Household - - - - - - Role - - Sex - - Age - - Birthplace
John G Borden - Self - M - 36 - Texas
Ellen L Borden - Wife - F - 35 - New York
Penelope A Borden - Daughter - F - 12 - New York
Gail Borden - Son - M - 8 - New York
Lewis M Borden - Other [son] - M - 0 - New York
Marcus Minsill - Other - M - 80 - Connecticut
"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MZFQ-6BM : 8 September 2017), John G Borden, Southeast, Putnam, New York, United States; citing enumeration district ED 82, sheet 134D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0917; FHL microfilm 1,254,917.

• "Utopia in Ulster: How John Borden's dream created Wallkill" by Adam Bosch, Photos by Philip Kamrass.

John Gail Borden acquired 261 acres, the nucleus of Home Farm that grew to more than 1700 acres and included a village for the farm work force, which numbered about 88 in one year's record that has survived, and also the largest milk condensory plant in the company when it was built in 1884. (http://ulstermagazine.com/borden-farm.html : March/April 2014 Issue, accessed 11 Feb 2018.) Ulster Magazine, 2014 Hudson Valley Media Group, 40 Mulberry Street, Middletown, NY 10940.

• "Everyone Knows Elsie: A Short History of the Borden Company" By A. J. Schenkman on October 9, 2013.

Elsie, the cow, was only one cow of thousands that produced milk for processing at the local condensory. After the New York Milk Company changed its name to the Borden Milk Company, Elsie became part of the branding that successfully tied the new company to its history at the Wallkill Home Farm. (http://newyorkhistoryblog.org/2013/10/09/everyone-knows-elsie-a-short-history-of-the-borden-company/ : The New York History Blog, accessed 11 Feb 2018.) Historical News and Views from the Empire State.

• John Gail Borden, "Find A Grave Index"

Indexed Information
Name: John Gail Borden
Event Type: Burial
Event Date: 1891
Event Place: Ulster, New York, United States of America
Photograph Included: Yes
Birth Date: 04 Jan 1844
Death Date: Oct 1891
Affiliate Record Identifier: 53013875
Cemetery: Borden Estate Private Cemetery
"Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QV2M-2779 : 13 December 2015), John Gail Borden, 1891; Burial, , Ulster, New York, United States of America, Borden Estate Private Cemetery; citing record ID 53013875, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

• "THE CYCLOPEDIA of AMERICAN BIOGRAPHY"

Transcribed Information:
"Borden, Gail...b.1801...first wife (Penelope) was the mother of all his children: Mary (1829-33), Henry Lee, Morton Q., Philadelphia, Stephen F., Mary Jane and John Gail..." p.129.
eBook, Google, (https://books.google.com/books?id=gMEOs4na_yAC&pg=PA129&lpg=PA129&dq=penelope+mercer+borden&source=bl&) Edited by James E Homans Volume VIII Non-alphabetical with index, New York, The Press Association Compilers, Inc. 1918. A volume of "an unusual number of excellent portraits" of many "distinguished man's achievements..."

• Borden Historical and Genealogical Record.

Transcribed Information:
"1682. JOHJ GAIL, born January 4, 1844; died October 20, 1891 at Ormond, Fla.; married Ellen L. Graves, daughter of Dr. Lewis Graves and Adaline Janes, December 14, 1865; Ellen L. Graves was born at Seneca Falls, N.Y. September 7, 1845."
"HISTORICAL and GENEALOGICAL RECORD of the Descendants as far as Known of Richard and Joan Borden who settled in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, May, 1638 with Historical and Biographical sketches of Some of their Descendants." eBook, Google Books (https://books.google.com/books/about/Historical_and_Genealogical_Record_of_th.html?id=jt41AAAAMAAJ), eBook, Internet archive BookReader, (https://archive.org/details/historicalgeneal00weld), Compiled by Hattie Borden Weld, thought to have been published about 1899. In the preface she reveals her list of no less than 20 sources.

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