HARVEY E. LIGHT

Main Cemetery -- Area K
Lot 153 -- Westside

Harvey E. Light was born in Fishkill, New York on September 19, 1834 but shortly after his birth, the family moved to Fairport, New York where his father, who was a smithy, built and ran a blacksmith shop. The family, which grew to include eight children, remained in Fairport until 1852 when they moved to Michigan. Harvey, who was 18, stayed in New York State.

Harvey didn’t have much formal education, but he taught school until 1855 when he joined his family in Michigan and worked as a nursery-man. He returned to Pittsford to marry his sweetheart, Mary Helen Shepard but settled in Michigan where they had 6 children. He supported his family by becoming a sheriff but resigned in 1863 to join the Union Army.

Prior to his enlistment, Light had spent much time persuading others to join him in the army and because of this leadership, he was promoted to Captain; in 1865 he became a Major.

After the war the major returned to his family in Michigan and made his living at farming, but in 1873 he moved to Westfield, MA and took charge of a manufacturing plant. Four years later he moved that business, named the Eureka Steam Company, to Rochester, NY. where it continued to flourish.

Major Harvey, as he was known, was very much involved as a Prohibitionist. He traveled locally with a large horse drawn wagon, gathering people to his tent where he expounded on the evils of alcohol. He had an amazing war record, died in 1921, and is the highest ranking Civil War officer buried in the Pittsford Cemetery.