Samuel DeVeaux (1789–1852) was a public official in

Western New York Western New York (WNY) is the westernmost region of the U.S. state of New York. The eastern boundary of the region is not consistently defined by state agencies or those who call themselves "Western New Yorkers". Almost all sources agree WNY in ...

. Born in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

in 1789 of Huguenot descent, DeVeaux began his career at the land office in

Canandaigua, New York Canandaigua (; ''Utaʼnaráhkhwaʼ'' in Tuscarora language, Tuscarora) is a City (New York), city in Ontario County, New York, United States. Its population was 10,545 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Ontario County; some administrat ...

in 1803 and moved to the Niagara area to work as commissary at

Fort Niagara Fort Niagara is a fortification originally built by New France to protect its interests in North America, specifically control of access between the Niagara River and Lake Ontario, the easternmost of the Great Lakes. The fort is on the river's e ...

in 1807. Deveaux became a co-owner of a store in

Lockport, New York Lockport is both a city and the Lockport (town), New York, town that surrounds it in Niagara County, New York, Niagara County, New York (state), New York. The city is the Niagara county seat, with a population of 21,165 according to 2010 census ...

after the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

and was postmaster of

LeRoy, New York Le Roy, or more commonly LeRoy, is a town in Monroe County, New York or Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 7,641 at the time of the 2010 census. The town is named after one of the original land owners, Herman Le Roy. Th ...

from 1813 to 1815. Returning to Niagara County in 1815, DeVeaux acquired various tracts of land (including land later used for the

Cataract House The Cataract House was a hotel in the neighborhood of Buffalo Avenue in Niagara Falls, New York. The hotel was established in 1825 but destroyed by fire in 1945. It was a major stop on the Underground Railroad and it was the largest hotel in Niag ...

), became school commissioner in 1819,

Justice of the Peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

in 1821. In 1847 DeVeaux became a member of the Lockport and Niagara Railway and member of the board of the

International Suspension Bridge The Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge stood from 1855 to 1897 across the Niagara River and was the world's first working railway suspension bridge. It spanned and stood downstream of Niagara Falls, where it connected Niagara Falls, Ontario to N ...

in 1848. DeVeaux died in 1852, he was predeceased by his wife Maria in 1815. DeVeaux is buried at Saint David's United Methodist Cemetery in

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario Niagara-on-the-Lake is a town in Ontario, Canada. It is located on the Niagara Peninsula at the point where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario, across the river from New York, United States. Niagara-on-the-Lake is in the Niagara Region of O ...

Legacy

* DeVeaux College - established on his estate in 1855 and closed in 1972. Site now

Deveaux School Historic District Deveaux School Historic District is a national historic district located at Niagara Falls in Niagara County, New York. Beginnings The property was deeded in the mid-1850s as “The DeVeaux College for Orphans and Destitute Children” by Judge ...

DeVeaux Woods State Park De Veaux Woods State Park is a state park located in Niagara County, New York, USA. The park is located off the Niagara Scenic Parkway, north of the City of Niagara Falls. It is adjacent to Whirlpool State Park. History The park's land was or ...

- built of site of DeVeaux College for Orphans and Destitute Children (see DeVeaux College) and became a state park in 2001

References

{{reflist 1789 births 1852 deaths People from New York City Huguenots