USA > New York > Broome County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Broome County, New York. > Part 1
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44
Gc 974.701 B79b pt.2 1886813
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
Gc
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01150 0151
4488
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
THIS VOLUME CONTAINS BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF
THE LEADING CITIZENS OF BROOME COUNTY
NEW YORK
Ft.2
" Biography is the only true history."-Emerson.
BOSTON BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW PUBLISHING COMPANY
1894
429
1886813
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
. fireplace, the cracks between the logs much open to the weather, and a teacher able to read and write and figure as far as "the rule of three." There was an abundance of fuel for the fire, and the greatest degree of comfort obtainable was secured by warming one side at a time. When twenty-one years old, he left the farm, and came to Chenango Forks, and worked in a cooper shop for a Mr. McCoy. lle kept his eyes and ears open to possible chances for business, and soon began the lum- ber trade, buying pine and taking it to the New York market via the Chenango Canal. Thus employed, in the course of five years he had accumulated some money, and was pre- pared to settle in life. For thirty-five years Mr. Palmer was in the grocery business at Chenango Forks, and while the canal was in operation he did an extensive business. In 1884 he purchased his mill property, which has four run of stone, and is propelled by water-power furnished by the Chenango River. There is in connection also a saw-mill. The construction of these mills dates back to 1845, and the property is now and always has been valuable.
HIe was married December 28, 1842, to Polly Waters, who was a daughter of Justin Watters, and was born in the town of Barker in 1822. At the time of her marriage her grandparents, her parents, and their nine chil- dren were living. She was the eldest of the six daughters and three sons, and is the only one now left of the family, the names of the others having been added to the long list of the silent majority. Her grandfather, Moses
Waters, and his wife, Margaret Chamberlain, came to this neighborhood from Dutchess County in the year 1800, bringing with them their first child, the father of Mrs. Palmer, when he was four years old. In 1847 they went to the State of Michigan, where they continued till the time of their death in the eighties. Their son Justin lived to be about sixty-eight years old; and his wife, Mrs. Palmer's mother, lived until eighty-three years old. She was before marriage Abigail. Kimball, and came here from Connecticut with a brother llarmon in 1819, her father having been drowned at New Haven, Conn., in the prime of life. She was married here in 1821. William Waters, her first son, the eldest brother of Mrs. Palmer, died here when twenty-seven years old. This is the record of the other children: Melinda, wife of Lorenzo Thurston, died, leaving a son two years old, George Thurston, who was a volunteer soldier in the late Civil War, and when eighteen years old died from hardships and starvation in Libby Prison; Mary Ann, wife of George Merrill, died in Saginaw, Mich., leaving four children; Eliza, wife of Edward Gillette, died in Lansing, Mich., leaving six orphans; Wesley, died at twenty-six, unmarried; Mar- garet, died when fifteen; Julia, died in her seventeenth year; and George, when but three years old.
Mr. and Mrs. Ira Palmer buried an infant son, and have reared six daughters, all of whom are living except Irene, who was the wife of Edward Knight, of Cortland, and died in 1883, when twenty-six years old, leaving
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an infant son. This grandchild, Arthur P. Knight, who was taken by them when four days old, is now a bright boy of eleven years. The other daughters are the following: Alice, wife of B. E. Watson, living in Syracuse; Grace, wife of Frank Fuller, a farmer of this town, by whom she has one daughter; Julia, wife of Frank Arnold, of Rome, N. Y., hav- ing one son; Eliza, wife of Weller Roose, M.D., having one daughter; and Minnie, wife of Fred Pierce, living in Waterville, N. Y. Mr. and Mrs. Palmer have had a long, happy, and prosperous life together. They celebrated their golden wedding with appro- priate ceremonies and cheer on the 28th of December, 1892.
Mr. Palmer votes with the Republican party, and upholds the principles advocated 'by that organization. He is attached to his home, where he has lived for forty-five years, has a pleasant location, owns three farms, aggregating four hundred acres, and is in the enjoyment of a competence fairly and hon- estly won. lle still runs his grist-mill sum- mers, hiring a miller in the winter. He is not a member of any particular church; and, while favoring the Methodist denomination, his thought is not bound by any creed or his action governed by any dogma. He adheres to the broad principle of human kindness as enunciated by the Divine Master, and be- lieves with many that in following the Golden Rule we cannot go far from the kingdom. Mrs. Palmer is a consistent and useful mem- ber of the Methodist church, to which organ- ization she has for many years belonged.
SCAR E. BRIGGS, journalist, a resi- dent of Binghamton, N.Y., is an ear- nest and persevering advocate of the cause of temperance, an ardent supporter of the Prohibition party. Mr. Briggs was born in the town of Oxford, Chenango County, N.Y., February 11, 1840, son of Erastus and Maria (McFarland) Briggs. His mother is a sister of Dr. McFarland, the celebrated ocu- list of Binghamton. His father was born in Smyrna, Chenango County, in 1811, a son of Rufus Briggs, who was a pioneer in that county. Erastus Briggs spent most of his active life in his native county as a teacher and lawyer, but did not practise the latter profession very largely. He long resided at . Oxford, but for the last few years his home has been at Brisben, of the same county. Ile reared a family of six children, who are all living, namely: Oscar; Marion, wife of L. C. B. Fish, of La Porte, Ind., a stock- raiser; Elizabeth, Mrs. Samuel Moorchouse, of Brisben; Ira, court stenographer at Erie, .Pa. ; Ilerbert A., court stenographer at Buf- falo, N.Y., of the firm of Thornton, Briggs & Co .; the Rev. E. R. D. Briggs, a minister of the Wyoming Conference, now located at Marathon, N.Y. The mother died in 1878.
In his boyhood Oscar pursued his studies in the common school at Brisben, and later spent four terms at the Oxford Academy. He then taught school in the winters and fol- lowed farming in summers until October of 1862, when he enlisted in the Federal army, taking service in Company B, One Hundred and Seventy-sixth New York Volunteer In-
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fantry. He was assigned to the Gulf De- partment, and was in the expedition under General Banks in Louisiana. Being wounded at La Fourche Crossing, he was discharged from service, having been with the regiment a little over a year. Ile returned to Oxford, and engaged in his old occupations of teach- ing and farming until 1873, when he removed to Binghamton.
His first employment in this city was as reporter and correspondent for the Bingham- ton Daily Tiines, he being in that office three years. He then went into court reporting, which he followed for three years more. Mr. Briggs was the originator of the Prohibition paper called the Axe, the first issue appearing May 10, 1885. He was editor and manager for three years and a half, when the publica- tion suspended for lack of support. August 8, 1889, he started a large eight-page, six- column weekly called the Southern New Yorker, a journal of religion and prohibition, which was under control of a stock company. Not agreeing with the manager, Mr. Briggs withdrew, and since that time has been corre- spondent and advertising agent for the New York Voice, the national organ of the Prohi- bition party. He is also manager of the Binghamton Pulsion Telephone Company, be- sides being interested in other organizations.
On October 25, 1866, Mr. Briggs was mar- ried to Miss Julia L. Loomis, daughter of Mr. Daniel T. Loomis, of Greene, Chenango County, N. Y. They have one son, Ralph E., who is now court stenographer and a fine musi- cian of the city of Binghamton. This young
man received a portion of his musical educa- tion at the Grand Conservatory of New York City. The family are all strict and earnest supporters of the First Baptist Church.
Mr. Briggs is a member of Watrous Post, Grand Army of the Republic, and was Adju- tant for five years, also Sergeant-Major of the post. Mrs. Briggs has been connected for many years with the Women's Christian Temperance Union, and has been for the last three years and a half Manager and Superin- tendent of the Binghamton Coffee House. She has also been delegate to the different city, county, and State conventions held in the interests of the cause of temperance. Zealous and persevering in what they believe to be a righteous cause, Mr. and Mrs. Briggs receive the respect of right-minded people for their fidelity to their earnest convictions. Conscientious and upright, actuated by purest motives, they have many stanch friends and adherents.
ALUSHA ELDRIDGE, an old and well-known settler in this part of the country, has been a resident of Chenango Forks for about forty-two years. His name and reputation are well spread abroad through- out this section; and, notwithstanding the untoward circumstances of his early days, he has risen, and, by virtue of his own inherent abilities and resolution, has accomplished more than most men more highly favored. He had but little opportunity for obtaining an education in the schools; and what little chance he had he was not able to improve,
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impaired health compelling him to abandon all hard study or close mental application when but fifteen years old. At that early age he excelled in many branches of learning, notably in orthography, being able to spell without mistake all the words in Webster's old spelling-book. He has a large natural fund of common sense, and his education has been of the practical sort obtained by observation and actual contact with the world of work.
His great-grandfather was the son of an Englishman who came over with two brothers from his native country and settled many years ago on Cape Cod, Mass. Benedict El- dridge, son of the immigrant, was born in Sharon, Dutchess County, N. Y., and was one of the very first settlers in this place, coming from Dutchess County with about thirty other families, making quite a colony. Arriving at what is now Binghamton, they found that the streams, the woods, and the conditions surrounding the country at that time generally formed a barrier seemingly almost insur- mountable. But none of these things and not all of them put together dampened the cour- age or checked the determination of these hardy pioneers. They pushed on with their ox-teams, fording streams, chopping down trees, removing obstructions, fighting the wild beasts, sometimes hungry, but always confi- dent and self-reliant, till their objective point was finally reached. The location was sub- sequently called Adams Settlement. Zenas Eldridge, son of Benedict and father of Ga- lusha, was born in Sharon, Dutchess County, N.Y. Ile married Diana Heth, a . daughter
of Azariah and Martha (Rummer) Heth, the latter being of French extraction. They were the parents of twelve children, six sons and six daughters, all of whom reached maturity, the youngest death being at the age of twenty-one years, that of Charles. Of the others, Lucius died in the Black Hills country in the spring of 1882, at sixty-five years of age; Eunice, when a young lady; Lucy, the eldest daughter, wife of Hiram Dunham, died in the spring of 1882, at the age of sixty-five years, leaving one son and one daughter. The eight living children are the following : Polly, the wife of Dr. Martin Bullock at Kattelville; Edward, living at Olean, N. Y .; Chester, of Whitney's Point; Louisa, wife of Hiram Grey; Caroline, wife of Moses Gaylord, of Binghamton; Orra, wife of Chester Atwater, of the town of Barker; Benedict, of Whit- ney's Point; and the subject of this sketch. Zenas Eldridge and Diana, his wife, had a hard struggle to bring up this large group; yet they accomplished it, and reared a family possessing health, common sense, and adapta- bility to their environment.
Galusha Eldridge was born in the town of Lisle, now Barker, November 17, 1815. He learned the trade of carpenter and bridge- builder, and has lived in this vicinity nearly all his life. He remained at home with his parents until of age; and then the first move toward an independent life was made when he married Mary R. Maloncy. They began life together without any means, and subse- quent years attested the success of their en- deavor. Ilard work, close living, and strict
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economy, from the time of the wedding, Janu- ary 15, 1837, made a change in their circum- stances, and enabled them to enjoy in later life a competence fairly won. At first Mr. Eldridge worked four days and walked two and one-half miles to his place of labor for one bushel of corn, and later worked five days for a bushel of wheat, which he sowed, and reaped as the fruits thereof twenty bushels of grain.
Mr. and Mrs. Eldridge have had two chil- dren, both of whom are deceased: Almira, wife of l'eter Ockerman, who died soon after marriage; and Maria, who died when about twenty years old. Mr. Eldridge in politics is independent, and does not believe in follow- ing blindly after any party, but has profound respect for truth, honesty, and manliness, wherever found. He built the railroad depot at Chenango Forks, and was station agent for two years. He was also for a while an agent for the express company, who did not require a bond from him, although he had in his house at one time as much as one hundred and twelve thousand dollars. He has been a useful man in the community, and can look back upon a life well spent.
AMES C. TRUMAN, an ex-Postmaster of Binghamton, a prominent man of affairs, who has held many important trusts, is a great-great-grandson of Thomas Truman, who was born in England in the year 168t, and when a young man emigrated to New London, Conn., where he died on Janu-
ary 15, 1747. Jonathan Truman, son of the immigrant, married Abigail Pearce, of Provi- dence, R.I., July 7, 1751. Their youngest son, John E., who was born in New London, Conn., August 9, 1769, married Amy Hoag, of Dutchess County, New York. Nathan Truman, son of John E., was born November 26, 1806. While he was a small boy, his parents moved to the wilds of Otsego County, New York, and established a home in the town of Butternuts, which has been known since that time as Truman Hill. Miss Lo- retta Field, of the well-known family of that name in New England, became the wife of Nathan Truman; and from this union was born on June 12, 1841, James Christopher Truman, of whom this sketch is written. His parents being Quakers, the boyhood of James was spent soberly and uneventfully in his rural home; and not until he reached manhood did he begin the varied and interesting life he has since led. He was educated at the Gilberts- ville Academy and the Collegiate Institute of his native town, and at the age of seventeen began teaching school, which occupation he continued for three years, and then entered the office of Abram Becker, Esq., of South Worcester, N. Y., where he read law. In 1863, the year of his marriage, Mr. Truman went to California, and there established Truman & Co.'s Express, which was con- dueted for several years under that name, and then reorganized as the Pacific Express, and is now consolidated with the Wells, Fargo & Co. Express. In 1865 he returned from California, and engaged in mercantile business
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at Gilbertsville, N. Y., remaining there for four years, during which time he was Post- master, and held other minor offices in the town. While living at Gilbertsville, Mr. and Mrs. Truman were deeply afflicted in the death of two lovely children who had been born to them, and in whom their hearts and future hopes were centred. The graves of these beloved little ones are in the pretty Brookside Cemetery of that town. Mr. Tru- man was chicfly instrumental in creating an association for the improvement and care of this beautiful burial-place.
In June of 1869 Mr. Truman went to Cul- peper, Va., where he dealt in real estate in that place, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. After one year's residence in Cul- peper he went to Chicago, Ill., and engaged in business. But the great fire came Octo- ber, 1871; and, in common with thousands of others, he lost everything. Disappointed, but not disheartened, he returned to the East once more, and, settling in Binghamton, N.Y., first engaged in the produce trade with gratifying pecuniary success, but, seeing a better opening for his talents, became pub- lisher and principal owner of the Binghamton Daily Times. Under his management that journal reached the zenith of its career. It was at this time Mr. Truman was selected by San Francisco and Binghamton capitalists who were interested in a railway concession made by the State of Sonora, Mexico, to go to the Pacific Coast, and make a report on the feasibility of constructing the road. A rail- road has since been built on the identical 1
route reported on by him, after an unsuccess- ful attempt to build it in part by another one. Mr. Truman was interested with the late Henry Wells and others in establishing cx- press lines through Southern California, Ari- zona, and New Mexico; but, owing to the long hostilities of the Indians of those Terri- tories, emigration was kept back for years, and development of the country rendered impos- sible. The venture, for this reason, brought financial loss to all concerned. Mr. Truman, always a Democrat, took an interest in the politics of his city, county, and State, and was for several years at the head of the Demo- cratic organization in Broome County, New York. He succeeded the late E. K. Apgar in 1881 as member of the State Committee in his Congressional district. At the World's Exposition held in New Orleans in 1884- 85 Mr. Truman was appointed by Governor Cleveland to represent the State of New York, which he did in a commendable man- ner. It fell to his lot as the Commissioner of the Empire State to welcome and entertain many of the public men of the day who visited the Exposition; and to none of them was he more courteous than to Vice-President Thomas A. Hendriks and his party and the Press Association of New York State, who . found in him a royal host in the Crescent City. During his long stay at New Orleans Mr. Truman contracted malaria, which nearly cost him his life. As soon as he sufficiently regained his health he was tendered a position under the late Daniel Manning in the United States Treasury, which he accepted, remain-
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ing there until the President appointed him Postmaster at Binghamton, N.Y. The re- forms he made and carried into execution dur- ing his short official term here proved his adaptability to the position, which, on Mr. Harrison's becoming President of the United States, he surrendered to his Republican suc- cessor. Mr. Truman then engaged in the real estate business in New York City, and was the founder of Nepera Park, situated in Yonkers, a delightful suburb of the me- tropolis.
Mr. Truman was married on June 6, 1863, to Miss Serena Wilber, of Fall River, Mass. Her parents, Henry and Abbie Bennett (Cleveland) Wilber, were natives of Massa- chusetts, and were deseendants of most esti- mable New England aneestry. The father, Henry Wilber, lived and died in his native State, and was very prominent for years in the eivie affairs of Fall River. His wife, who is yet living, at the age of eighty-five years, is the grand-daughter of Captain Jona- than Cleveland, of Boston, Mass., whose record as a patriot of the Revolutionary War is well known in the annals of Massachusetts. His fame especially rests on his career as a pilot of the Atlantic coast, he having been one of the best and most skilful during the war between the British and the colonists, and doing such effective work in his line as to bring public commendation from the highest authorities.
real estate business at Yonkers, N. Y. ; Cleve- land, register clerk in the post-office at Bing- hamton; and Serena L., a lovely young daughter, still in the home shelter. While his affairs keep him a great part of his time in New York, Mr. Truman's real home is in Binghamton, where he owns one of the most elegant residences, and with his estimable wife and children takes his greatest comfort and rest from his many eares. He has been in his life an extensive traveller in America, having crossed the continent fifteen times. His reeent trip to the Mediterranean, inelud- ing brief visits to places of exceeding interest in Italy, Egypt, and the Holy Land, has been thus briefly summarized by the local press : "James C. Truman returned to his home in this city Saturday morning last, having been absent about ten weeks. During this time he visited Gibraltar, the cities of Algiers and Blida, and made a trip to a gorge in the Atlas Mountains in Northern Africa, crossed the Mediterranean, and visited Genoa and Pegli in Italy; Ajaccio in Corsica; the volcano of Stromboli, near the Strait of Messina; Alex- andria, Cairo, the pyramids, the ruins of Memphis and of Heliopolis in Egypt; Jaffa, Jerusalem, Mount of Olives, Bethany and Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, Smyrna, and the ruins of Ephesus in Western Asia; Athens in Greece; the Dardanelles, the Sea of Mar- mora, Constantinople and Seutari, the Bos- phorus and Black Sea. Returning, he visited Messina and Palermo in Sicily; Naples, Sor- rento, Pompeii, Vesuvius, and Herculaneum
To Mr. and Mrs. Truman have been born six children, of whom three are living, namely: James C., Jr., who is engaged in [ in Italy; the Blue Grotto in Capri; again
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visiting Genoa, and sailing thence direct to New York."
A man of handsome, commanding presence, Mr. Truman is of marked individuality in any crowd. His success in his enterprises has been gained by the pluck and perseverance which have enabled him to overcome the obstacles that have been in his way, and the case and affluence that he is enjoying to-day are the reward of his diligent striving.
OHN Q. CLARK is a native of Orange County, New York. His great-grand- father built the first house in Florida, Orange County ; and he himself was born in that little village. His parents were David Wells Clark and Hanna Gilson. They soon removed to Warwick, and finally to Hampton- burg, Orange County. On December 31, 1857, Mr. Clark was married to Maria L. Kerr, of Middletown, N. Y. He was then en- gaged in the manufacture of sash, doors, and blinds at Chester, N. Y. After a few years he removed to Addison, Steuben County, N. Y., where he had the job of manufacturing blinds for a large wholesale factory. In 1870 Mr. Clark bought an interest in Oquaga Planing Mill, and removed his family to Deposit.
In 1875 the mill was burned, but it was rebuilt with improvements. In 1879 Mr, Clark bought out the interests of his part- ners in the business. In 1881 fire again visited him, a part of the buildings he occu- pied being destroyed. In spite of these diffi-
culties Mr. Clark has enlarged the business until it includes a lumber-yard, saw-mill, and other wood-working industries, as well as sash, doors, blinds, etc.
Mr. Clark was one of the first to feel the necessity of village water-works, and has been active in procuring this advantage to the town. He is at present President of the Deposit Water Company. At one time, be- ing a member of the School Board, the edu- cational affairs of the village engaged con- siderable of his attention. lle is always actively interested in the Presbyterian church, of which he is a member. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have one daughter, Elvira B., who since completing her education has resided with her parents.
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A E. WICKWIRE, of the firm of Wick- wire & Russell, dealers in hardware and agricultural implements in the village of Deposit, has been engaged in trade here since 1867. He is a self-made man, having by his own personal endeavors suc- ceeded in his business undertakings without assistance. His father, Isaac Wickwire, was born in Cornwall, Conn., and married Nancy Evans, of Middletown, in the same State. . He was a contractor and builder, and, having come to New York, had a contract on the State Prison at Auburn previous to the birth of his son, A. E. Later he had a contract on the Erie Canal. aqueduct at Schenectady, and was afterward a subcontractor on the Croton Water-works for New York City. He com-
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manded a company in the War of 1812. Ilis death occurred at the age of sixty-six years. The mother of Mr. A. E. Wickwire was his second wife. She died when fifty-nine years old. Spencer Wickwire was a son by the first wife. Ile died at Troy, N. Y., at the ad- vanced age of ninety years.
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