Mr. Handy was born in Paris, Oneida county, New York, January 17th, 1807.
He had the advantage of a good academical education, and made preparation
for entering college, which, however, he did not do, and at the close of
his school term, spent the remaining time, until his eighteenth year,
upon his father's farm, with the exception of two winters in which he
taught school.

On reaching his eighteenth year it was decided that he should enter on a
commercial life, and a year or two were spent in stores in Utica and New
Hartford, N. Y., leaving the latter place in October, 1826, to take a
position in the Bank of Geneva, Ontario county, N. Y., of which the Kev. H.
Dwight was president. With this commenced Mr. Handy's long banking career.
Five years were spent in this bank and then he accepted an invitation to
remove to Buffalo, for the purpose of assisting in the organization of the
Bank of Buffalo, of which he was made teller, and remained one year in
that position. In March, 1832, the young banker married Miss Harriet N.
Hall, of Geneva, and with his bride set out on the wedding tour, which was
also one of business, to Cleveland.

Under other circumstances the journey would scarcely be deemed a pleasant
one. It was in early Spring, and the weather was still inclement. The
roads were bad, and the lumbering stage floundered heavily through mud,
and amid obstructions that made the way one of discomfort, not unmixed
with peril, for six weary days, between Geneva and Cleveland. But in
addition to the fact that it was a bridal tour, the young couple were
cheered by the prospect before them. The charter of the old Commercial
Bank of Lake Erie, established in 1816, and which had gone under, had been
purchased by the Hon. George Bancroft and his family in Massachusetts, and
it was designed to resuscitate it under better auspices. Mr. Handy had