Clinton Root, of Wells' Bridge, was born January 27 1854, in the town 
of Laurens, and is a son of Lafayette and Harriet N. Root, the former 
of whom owned a farm in the town of Otego, and was both a farmer and 
speculator.  They were both natives of this State.  He owned a farm 
of 152 acres, and was one of the most practical farmers of his day.  
He and his wife reared a family of four children, viz; Melville, 
living in the town of Otego; Adelbert, living in the town of 
Unadilla; William E., living in the town of  Sidney, and Clinton, the 
subject of this sketch.  Lafayette Root died on hi farm at the age of 
sixty-eight years; his wife lives with her son in the village of 
Wells' Bridge, and is sixty-seven years of age.

Truman Root, the father of Lafayette, was born in Massachusetts, and 
removed to the town of New Lisbon, Otsego Co., NY where he ran a 
carding-machine and woolen factory.  He and his wife reared a 
family of twelve children.  He spent his last days in the town of 
Laurens, and died at the age of seventy-two, his wife having died 
when about thirty years of age.  Truman Root and his son 
Lafayette were both democrats, and took an active interest in 
politics, as becomes citizens of a country in which the people rule.

Clinton Root was reared and educated in the town of Laurens, 
attending the district schools, and remained at home until he was 
twenty-three years of age.  After working on a farm for some time 
at $17 per month, he established himself in the egg business, 
which he followed two years.  He then bought half of the old 
farm, and followed farming for three years.  Removing to Otego, 
he went into the lumber business, and in December, 1887, removed 
to Wells' Bridge, in the town of Unadilla, where he engaged in 
business.  He was in the coal and feed business for a number of 
years, but sold that, and bought the general store of C. W. 
Mallory, and in 1890 bought a one-half interest in the general 
store of W. H. Sisson.  At the present time Messrs. Root and 
Sisson have two large general stores in Wells' Bridge, and carry 
a complete line of goods, such as are to be found in any 
first-class store of the kind.  They carry a stock of about 
$15,000. Mr. Root also owns the old Root farm, which he leases to 
a tenant.

In 1876 Mr. Root married Frankie Burnside, who was born in 1859 in 
the town of Milford.  She is the daughter of Sylvester and 
Harriet Burnside, the former of whom was a farmer, and died when 
a young man.  Mrs. Root has two half-brothers and a half-sister.  
her mother lives in Hartwick, and is about sixty-five years of 
age.  Mr. and Mrs. Root have two children living, viz: Floyd, born 
November 2 1878, and Seymour, May 7, 1881, both of whom attend 
school.  In politics Mr. Root is a Democrat.  His brother, 
Adelbert, was appointed Postmaster at Wells' Bridge in 1889.  Mr. 
Root is well known to the people of his vicinity as a 
straightforward, hones, business man, pleasant socially, and 
strictly reliable in every way, and as deserving of great credit 
for what he has accomplished.