Squires Building

      Before it burned down on April 11, 2006, The Clocktower building in Cortland was known as the Squires building. The Squires building was erected in 1883 by James Squires. It cost $40,000 to build, and it contained seven stores, eight offices and ten rental flats. It encompassed a portion of the old Eagle store, which was built in 1815 and was owned by Gen. Roswell Randall.
    James Squires was born in Virgil on January 31, 1819. Neighbors and friends said that he was a merchant at birth. By age ten he was buying and selling and making a profit. He started his first business in Virgil, recovered from a business failure in 1843, then was appointed postmaster of Virgil and later he became superintendent of the Virgil school.
    James Squires came to Cortland in 1853. He was engaged in a very profitable mercantile business at that time. He was elected president of the Bank of Cortland in 1869. He was one of the principal founders of the State Normal School at Cortland. He was treasurer of two railroads. He helped fund and erect the Baptist Church of Cortland, and was a prominent member of the church.
    Mr. Squires built his personal residence on lot #44 at the corner of Prospect Terrace and Tompkins street in 1871. It was one of the finest homes in Cortland. By 1885, many improvements were made to his residence, including conservatories and piazzas.
    James Squires was married three times. He married his first wife, Lucia Chamberlain, in 1843. They had four children. Lucia died in 1862. He married his second wife, Libbie Adelia Purinton, in 1865. They had three children. Libbie died in 1871. He married his third wife, Mary Elizabeth Lester, in 1873. They had two children [our primary reference is dated 1885.] Mary died in 1941.
   James Squires died November 21, 1900. His obituary was published in the New York Times.