A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 107

Author: Minard, John Stearns, 1834-1920; Merrill, Georgia Drew
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Alfred, N.Y., W. A. Fergusson & co.
Number of Pages: 1102

USA > New York > Allegany County > A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York > Part 107

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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CENTREVILLE.

Hanks was the building in which this store was kept. Mr. Hanks went to New York twice a year to buy goods, which were sent by canal to Rochester, poled up the river in flat-bottomed boats to York Landing, and from thence hauled by teams to destination. M. W. Skiff, then clerk for Cook, was post- master. A four-horse, old style stage coach, heavy, strong and capacious, was run from Geneseo to Jamestown, passing over the Allegany road. Mr. Hanks built an ashery. The pearlash was marketed in New York. Butter was taken for goods, at from 6 to 10 cents per pound, and eggs at about the same price per dozen. When a sufficient quantity had accumulated the but- ter would be mixed together, worked over and packed, and the eggs packed and both sent to Rochester with teams. Mr. Hanks' partner went on one ocaasion to Geneseo, where was the nearest bank, with $500 which he wanted to send to New York, $300 to one firm and $200 to another. The bank wanted $1 per hundred exchange. This he thought too much and procured five $100 bills. These they sent by mail and lost all of it. In 1836 the firm sold the store, bought the farms of M. D. Higgins and Levi Luther and went into sheep raising. Dogs used to kill many. Mr. Hanks sometimes had 20 men at work in "haying." Money was scarce. John Bean let a letter lie in the office three months before he could get the money to pay the postage.

In 1835 Morris Stickle was appointed enumerator for Centerville for the state census. He preserved some of the statistics, which his son Myron has kindly furnished us. This manuscript shows that there were 1,423 inhabitants. No. doing military duty 92, no. of voters 266, married females under 45 181, unmarried females from 16 to 45 92, females under 16 311, marriages during the year 14, births in the year 58, deaths for same time 22, acres of improved land 6,621, neat cattle 2,062, horses 380, sheep 4,070, hogs 1,116, yards of fulled cloth made 2,554, flannel 4,022, linen cloth 4,752. During the War of 1861-4 Myron Stickle's wife (Mary J. Lyon), spun and wove 25 yards of linen cloth for shirts and pants, rather than pay 60 to 70 cents per yard for cotton cloth. This was doubtless the last home-made cloth made in town.

In 1836 Lyman Lovell from Vermont taught a select school at the Centre; about 35 pupils attending. This was so well conducted as to attract atten- tion and inspired much zeal in educational affairs in the town. Jonathan W. Earle, a graduate of Vermont University, started a school in the early forties which continued several years and drew patronage from Hunts Hollow, Pike, Hume, Rushford and some of the Cattaraugus towns. It was largely at- tended and sent out a good class of scholars. Mr. Earle's superior qualities as a teacher were however soon demanded in larger educational centers. To Mr. Earle's scholastic accomplishments, was added great fame as a wrestler, and experts in that line came long distances to " try titles " with him.

To the names of early and prominent settlers we add the Veaseys, Lambertsons, Joel Nye, Ellis, Cole, Pratts, Binghams. Cleasby, Hopkins, Osgood, Hatch and others. Succeeding Dr. Cass, the early physicians were

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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

Dr. Wm. A. Stacy, Dr. F. Higgins, Dr. Stewart and later Drs. Crang, Hanks, Ware, Body, John Stacy, Fish, and L. G. Waterman, now the only physician in Centreville. Other early merchants were: Mr. Carpenter, G. S. Jenk- ins, R. O. Billings and John Thompson. D. A. Hanks and Elliott & Hancock now conduct the only mercantile enterprises in town. Symes Bros. run a successful carriage and wagon making establishment. Four cheese factories are in operation. T. B. Pratt, Thos. Symes and L. Higgins each have a saw- mill. There is now no gristmill. But one lawyer ever made lodgement here and he tarried only a short time. Sheep husbandry has been a leading in- dustry; dairying and hay are now the chief sources of revenue.

The assessed valuation of real estate for 1894 was $355,654, of personal property $10,000. Equalized value of land per acre $15.45, state tax $740.42, county tax $1,530.02, town tax $2,286.23, other taxes $50.88. Total amount exclusive of school and road taxes, $4,556.67. The population was in 1830, 1,195; 1835, 1,426; 1840, 1,513; 1845; 1,436; 1850, 1,441; 1855, 1,394; 1860, 1,323; 1865, 1,181; 1870, 1,043; 1875, 995; 1880, 956; 1890, 911; 1892, 874.

The officers elected at the first town meeting in 1819 were: Jesse Bullock, supervisor; Alfred Forbes, town clerk; Edward Crowell, Zacheus Spencer, everseers of the poor; Benjamin Blanchard, Mark S. White, Strong Warner, assessors; Abraham Dayton, Mark Blanchard, Nathaniel Moore, commis- sioners of highways; Jesse Hadley, Calvin Cass, constables; Calvin Cass, col- lector; David Smith, Benjamin Weaver, Simeon Forbes, school commission- ers; Calvin Cass, Jesse Bullock, Alfred Forbes, school inspectors; Perkins B. Woodford, pound master.

SUPERVISORS .- Jesse Bullock, 1819, '20, '22 ; Alfred Forbes, 1823 ; Russell Burlingame, 1824, '25, '35 ; Jesse Hadley, 1826-28 ; David Oaks, 1829; Benjamin Blanchard, 1830, '41 ; Strong Warner, 1831, '32 ; Orin Pell, 1833, '34 ; Hugh Gillis, 1836-38 ; Timothy Higgins, 1839, '40, 1842-45, 1856, '57 ; Gregory Metcalf, 1846, '47 ; Ezra M. Hopkins 1848, '49 ; R. O. Billings, 1850-52 ; G. H. Jenkins, 1853 ; Allen Simmons, 1854, '55, '60, '62 ; A. S. Barnum, 1858, '59 ; Jonathan Couch, 1863-65, '69, '70, '74, '75, 1877-79, '80, '81, '82, '83, '84 , L. B. Treeman, 1866-67 ; Thomas B. Edwards, 1868 ; John D. Ballard, 1871-73, '76; W. T. Elliott, 1886, '88 '89 ; Myron Stickle, 1887 ; J. S. Sawyer, 1890 ; M. D Hanks, 1891-92 ; D. M. Hancock, 1893-95.

The town officers (1895) are : D. M. Hancock, supervisor ; A. L. Barnum, town clerk ; John Metcalf, commissioner of highways ; Alvah Powell, Richard Owens and F. R. Palmer, assessors ; F. R. Palmer, Vic- tor Crowell, E. E. Barnum, John McKerrow, justices ; A. P. Allen, overseer of the poor ; William D. Wil- mot, collector ; John Heald, Frank S. Slocum, Darwin E. Allen, William D. Wilmot, constables ; D. M. Lewis, E. E. Barnum, inspectors of election ; Thomas Gibby, commissioner of excise.

The Presbyterian Church at Centreville, the pioneer in the religious field, was organized July 25, 1824, by Rev. Silas Hubbard, the first pastor. There were 14 original members. The church was received into the Genesee Presbytery August 31, 1834, and in 1829 transferred to the Presbytery of Angelica. In 1831 there were 30 members, in 1843 109, in 1846 78. Other early preachers were: Revs. Horatio Waldo, Horace Galpin, John T. Baldwin, Lemuel Hall, Phineas Smith, Leonard Rogers, Samuel Sessions, Smith Sturgis and H. B. Taylor. About 1850 came Rev. Lyman B. Waldo. Rev. John W. Lane succeeded him in 1853, and under his ministry a house of worship was erected costing $3,000, which was dedicated in the fall of 1859. Mr. Lane, in 1868, was succeeded by theological students as supplies. In

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1878 Rev. Franklin S. Spencer, the Rushford pastor, was supplying the pul- pit. Since then very little Presbyterian preaching has been had. The Presbytery owns the church upon which there is a debt of $500. The house is open for services of other denominations; the Baptists of late years hold meetings there quite regularly, Revs. Darling, W. N. Mason and Spencer officiating. A Sunday school with 25 members is held.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in June, 1842, with 13 members by Rev. Charles D. Burlingame, the first pastor. In 1844 a church was erected at a cost of $1,000, with a seating capacity for 175. The pastors have been Revs. William Welling, D. W. Worthington, John Hills, W. H. McCartney, Mr. Long, J. L. Newton, J. L. King, John Vaughan, Mr. Bab- cock, G. H. VanVradenburgh, J. K. Underhill, N. B. Congdon, Mr. Jack- son, A. Mills, H. Peck, J. L. King, Mr. Farnum, A. H. Mason, W. L. Moore and Dr. W. F. Wells. Regular services are held. The membership is about 20. There is a Sunday school of 35 members of which R. N. Byington is superintendent.

The Fairview Congregational Church was organized in 1846 by Rev. John T. Edwards. In 1851 a small house of worship was erected. In 1865 a large and better one costing $900 was built. The people supporting this church are mostly Welsh. In 1878 Rev. W. R. Roberts was their pastor. A Rev. Mr. Roberts is now preaching there. There are 30 members. There is a Sunday-school.

The Wesleyan Church (Higginsville) .- Late in the forties Rev. John Wat- son organized a class (largely composed of seceders from the M. E. church on account of its attitude on the slavery question) at Higgins' Mill. Among them were Humphrey Palmer, Marcellus Palmer, Elisha Wood and Mr. Chamberlain. It was for years connected with Rush Creek, Bellville and East Rushford in "The Allegany charge." Among the earlier preachers were: Revs. L. R. Ward, C. K. Leonard, Z. T. Petty, Alanson Bixby, S. Phinney, H. Harris, Silas Brundage. Later, Revs. D. W. Ball, Geo. W. Cooper, and the present supply Rev. Sisson. The society has purchased an unused store building and converted it into a comfortable little church, erected sheds, etc., and has a Sunday school connected.

The Centreville Tent, K. O. T. M., was organized Feb. 10, 1893. There are now 22 members. Meetings are held semi-monthly. The officers for 1895 are: Lott Smith, P. C .; Wm. D. Wilmot, C .; Frank Slocum, Lt. C .; A. L. Barnum, R. K. and F. K .; Charles Clark, Jr., Chap. ; John Vosburgh, Sergt .; P. G. Jones, M. at A .; Reuben Lewis, 1st M. G .; Bird Hopkins, 2d M. G .; Stephen Reynolds, Sentinel; Warren Palmer, Picket.

Royal Templars of Temperance, with a charter bearing date April 6, 1878, has a membership of 50. The officers are: Thomas Williams, S. C .; Peter Hughes, V. C .; R. N. Byington, P. C .; Paul Morris, Chap .; Clara Cole, Sec .; Samuel Symes, Financial Sec. and Treas .; D. L. Veasey, Herald; J. M. Fish, Guard; Thos. Symes, Sentinel.

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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

SOME RESIDENTS .- Azem F. Bowen, son of Elias Bowen, a soldier in the war of 1812, and son of Bijah Bowen of Madison Co., was born in East Otto in 1840. Elias came to Go- wanda soon after the war and married Lydia Wellington. Children : Mahaman, Alzina, Elias, Wellington, Lurana, Caleb, Jesse, Joseph, Lydia, Daniel, Azem and Judson. Elias, Daniel, Azem and Judson were soldiers in the late war. Azem enlisted in 1862 in the Ist N. Y. Dra- goons, and was in the battles of Deserted House, Manassas Junction, Winchester, Cedar Creek, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Trevillian Station (where there was severe hand-to- hand fighting), Shenandoah Valley, Weldon Railroad, and was present at the surrender of Lee at Appomattox. He was taken prisoner at Manassas Junction, was confined in Libby and Belle Island prisons, was paroled, came home and married Myra Squires, Christmas day, 1863, and returned to his regiment seven months from the date of his capture. He was in 36 differ- ent engagements during the three years that he served his country. After the war he settled in Franklinville, and since 1874 has lived on his farm of 71 acres in Centerville. Mr. and Mrs. Bowen have had two adopted children : May (Mrs. Julius Hogg ; children: Emmett and Cecil), and Newton Howard, now in the west.

Frank D. Couch is the son of William B., son of Calvin whose father, a German, was impressed on the sea into the British service, but deserted and fought for America in the Revo- lutionary war. He married in Massachusetts and settled in Perry, N. Y., with his family of 3 sons and 4 daughters. Luther and Lorren settled in Hume. Calvin settled in Centreville, married Mary Brown. Their children were : Jonathan, born in 1821, died April 16, 1883, and William B., born Aug. 29, 1826. The latter a farmer married Elida E. Allen in 1848, who died Nov. 2, 1871. Their children were : Calvin, Mary R., Frank D., born Nov. 30, 1854, in Hume, Floyd, born in 1856 (married Martha Bell, children, Belle, Clifford and Margerette), Rose, born in 1860 (Mrs. John Wright, children: Lloyd, Ernest and Herold). William B. came from Hume to Centreville in 1862. He went to Illinois in 1865, returned in 1872 and has been a resident of North Dakota since 1883. Frank D. married, in 1877, Emma R., daughter of John D. Ballard. Their children are : Luverne B., Forrest J. and Glenn F. Mr. Couch made cheese in Catta- raugus county 4 years, and I year in Hume. He bought his present farm of 21472 acres in 1882. Politically he is a Prohibitionist.

John J. Davies, son of John and Mary (Samuel) Davies, was born in Cardigan, Wales, in 1845, and was one of 9 children. He became a sailor for 6 years and rose to the position of first mate on vessels running from England to South America. In 1869 he came to America and to Centreville with Thomas T. Evans, whose daughter Mary was his wife. They crossed the ocean in the ship " City of Brussels." He at once became a farmer, chopping cordwood winters, which paid him $1.50 per day and his board. He has kept a dairy of over 30 cows, and has raised large crops, digging 300 bushels of potatoes per acre in 1895. The children of his first wife were : Mary E. (Mrs. William Thomas), Thomas J. (married Stella Gove of Livonia, N. Y. They have one child, Lora), and David J. (who married Annie Fuller, one child, Enah.) His second marriage was in 1872 to Deborah Evans, sister of his first wife. The children by his second wife were : Willie J. (married Floy Anstee), Maggie E., Samuel J., Dan- nie J. (married Mina Simmons of Mansfield, Ohio), Bennie J., Freddie J., Katie E. and Sarah E. Mrs. Deborah Davies died in 1889, and, in 1892, Mr. Davies married Louisa, daughter of Richard Jones of Centreville. They have twins, Annie E. and Willard J.

John H. Davis is son of William Davis, who was born in Wales in 1828, and married Margaret Thomas. Children : David, Mary A., John H., Thomas, Hannah, Margaret, William, Myra, Edward and Dennis, all born in Freedom and Centreville. Mr. Davis came to Centre- ville in 1852 and died in 1885. John H. Davis was born Sept. 30, 1857, and has always been a farmer. He lived 3 years at Fairview, 3 years in Freedom and since in Centerville. He bought his present farm of 237 acres in 1892. He married, in 1879, Elizabeth, daughter of Stephen and Sarah (Chapman) Findley. Children : Margaret A., born May 28, 1842, William J., born Dec. 2, 1884, Maud E., born Nov. 8, 1886, Nellie J., born Feb. 26, 1890, and Ella M., born April 20, 1894. William J. died May 15, 1895. Mr. Davis was justice of the peace in Centerville from 1888 to 1892.

David M. Hancock descends from a family of coal miners in County Staffordshire, Eng- land, made historic in America by John Hancock of Boston. Joseph, born in 1800, son of Thomas, married Mary, daughter of George Newton, a naval commander under Lord Nelson. Joseph and Mary Hancock had two children, John and Sarah. John was born March 1I, 1824, and began work in the coal mines with his father at the age of six. In 1846 he came to Boston in ship Thomas H. Perkins, thence went to Pittston, Pa., where his English employers had a coal mine. He became such an expert in the surface indications of coal that the government secured him in 1849 to travel with Prof. Owen of the Smithsonian Institute to examine all the coal fields in the United States which took nearly three years. He was next employed by coal corporations, locating and opening mines in the Lafayette district, and Mckean, Forest and

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Elk counties, Pa. In 1881 he went to New Mexico for a syndicate to locate gold and silver mines, While there he bought five claims in Sierra county which he is now developing. He married Mrs. Mary (Mitchel) McFarlin. Children, Keziah, Robert, Joseph, David M., Ida and Willie. David M. was born in Pittston, Pa., in 1857. He married Dell, daughter of Merritt Mead. Children, Ella, Grace, Inez, Robert and George. He is a progressive farmer and set- tled on his farm of 254 acres in 1880. He raised in 1895, 15 acres of the largest corn in North- ern Allegany. and built the first silo in Centerville. He deals in live stock and sells agricultural implements. Mr. Hancock has been an assessor in Centerville three years and its supervisor since 1892.

John H. Morgan is son of Daniel Morgan, who was born in Pembrookshire, Wales, in 1810, and married Ann Morgan. Children, John H., Anna, Benjamin, Samuel, Mary A., William, Daniel and David. Daniel Morgan brought his family to America in 1839, stopping at Utica, where he worked at farming. In 1842 he came to Freedom where he lived till his death in 1888. John H. Morgan was born in Wales in 1834. He was brought up and has remained a farmer. He married, in 1857, Elizabeth Roberts. Children, David J., born in Freedom in 1858, married in 1885, Mary Edwards. Children, John and Lucian; Margaret (Mrs. William Hig- gins), children, Floyd, Katharine and Elizabeth; Samuel married Mary Williams. Children, Stanton and Stanley ; John married Catharine Evans, children, Lulu and William; Hannah (Mrs. John Higgins), children, Frank and Emma; Annie (Mrs. Robert Williams), children, John. Roy and Lloyd; Mary (Mrs. Arthur Peet), children, William and a babe; Emma (Mrs. James Gibbons, one child John) and William. John H. Morgan bought in 1872 the farm of IOI acres in Centerville on which his son David J. has lived for the past 10 years. While in that town he was assessor 7 years. In 1886 Mr. Morgan moved to his present farm of 87 acres in Freedom. Mrs. Morgan died in 1891.

Flavel Ruthem Palmer is the grandson of Humphrey Palmer of Honiton, Devonshire county, England, whence government persecution drove him from an estate that rented for £300 per year, that was afterward confiscated, because he espoused the cause of the American colonies. He settled in East Guilford, Windham Co., Vt. Children : Humphrey, John, Will- iam, Hannah, Maria. William, born in 1786, came to Centerville about 1812, and bought of the Holland Land Co. 100 acres at $2.50 per acre. He married in 1814 Sally Vendermark, had one child Stephen. By his second wife, Elenor Knickerbocker, of East Bloomfield, N. Y,, his children were Silas W., Monroe, Jeremiah, Henry, Calvin, Flavel R. and Ellen. Mr. Palmer was a school teacher, a writer of prose and poetry, and a strong abolitionist. His mental traits had marked development in his children. Silas W. and Henry were Baptist ministers, Flavel R. is a writer in prose and verse, and Ellen (Mrs. A. B. Allerton), who died in Padonia, Kansas, in 1893, was a poet of national reputation. Her volume, " Poems of the Prairies," is one of the classics of the west. Mr. Palmer died in 1865. Mrs. Pal- mer in 1863. Flavel R. was born Dec. 15, 1831, was a student in Leland Seminary, Ver- mont, two years. He married, in 1854, Cynthia A. Kellogg. Cyrus S., their eldest child. graduated from Cornell University in 1890. His health failed while principal of Monroe Collegiate Institute at Elbridge, N. Y., in 1893, and he is now on the old homestead in Cen- terville. He married, in 1891, Nellie Jones, of Pike. N. Y, Florence E., their other child, in the wife of Deputy Sheriff Byron E. Woods of Fillmore. Mrs. F. R. Palmer died in 1893, and his second marriage was in 1895, to Mrs. Salinda M. (Frye) Whitney. Mr. Palmer is one of the assessors of Centerville, and is serving his ninth year as justice of the peace.

Thomas B. Pratt is a son of Delanson Pratt who was born in 1805 in Tolland, Mass., where his father lived. Delanson came to Cayuga county, and from there in 1832 to Centreville. He married in 1831, Lucia, daughter of Thomas Bingham, who came from Riga, Monroe county, in 1819, and bought 900 acres of land, 120 acres in Hume, the rest in Centreville. Mr. Bingham never lived on it, but gave 150 acres to each of his sons Joseph, Justin and Clark, who settled thereon. Mr. Pratt bought land where Thomas B. now lives, and, in 1840, the sawmill built by John Connell in 1830. The children of Delanson and Lucia Pratt were : Thomas B., Martha, Elmira (Mrs. Horatio Vedder), Amelia (Mrs. Palmer Watson), Marcia (Mrs. Orville Miller), and Hattie (Mrs. Adelbert Gillett of Buffalo). Mr. Pratt died in 1867 and Mrs. Pratt in 1878. Thomas B. Pratt was born in 1832. His earliest memories are his love for machinery, urging his father when only 8 years old to buy the sawmill in which he was a devoted worker till its loss by fire in 1867. The failure of Houghton Creek caused him to rebuild a steam mill in its place, to which was added a shingle machine, and later a run of stone for grinding coarse grain. In 1880 this mill cut 800,000 feet of lumber. Material for building is here sawed, planed and fitted for use, doing a business of $5,000 a year. For many years the charge for planing boards on one side was $3 per M. now both sides are planed for $1. In 1858 Mr. Pratt began for himself on part of his present farm of 167 acres, and the same year married Lusina, daughter of Willard Higgins of Centreville, who came from Vermont. Their children have been : Finette E., and

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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

Willard D. who married J. Belle Wilson and has children, Kirk W., M. Beryl and L. Irene. Ella J. Rice is an adopted child of Mr. and Mrs.Pratt. Her mother was Mrs. Pratt's sister Elizabeth.

Thomas and Samuel Symes, wagon manufacturers and owners of the saw and feedmills at Centreville, sons of Samuel and Mary (Scott) Symes were born in Somersetshire, England. Samuel Symes, elder, came to America in 1852. Thomas Symes came in 1855, joined his father and bought John Morris' blacksmith shop. In 1856 Mrs. Symes and two daughters Mary and Edith and one brother Samuel came. They all settled in Centreville and Samuel joined in the wagon and blacksmith shop. They put steam power in their shops in 1867, a mill for grinding feed in 1874 and the sawmill in 1895. Thomas married as his first wife, Sarah Mathias in 1858. By his present wife, Sarah Plumb, he has two children, John T. and Mary B. He has been town clerk 14 years and highway commissioner three terms. His father and mother both died in 1866.

William W. Thomas is son of Lewis Thomas who was born in Wales in 1785. The chil- dren of Lewis were : Peter, Richard, Mary, William W., Leah, Sarah and Rachel. Mr. Thomas brought his family to America in 1831, settling near Utica, where William W. worked on con- struction of the New York Central railroad at 50 cents per day. In 1841 Mr. Thomas came to Freedom and 2 years after moved to Centreville, bought 55 acres of land of David Ellis, and his son, William W., helped pay for this by selling butter for 6 cents per pound, and drawing oats to Buffalo for 121/2 cents per bushel. In 1845 he drew potatoes to Buffalo for 25 cents per bushel to help make up the deficiency in the interest then due. As he could not spare the price of lodging, he was on the road two nights and one day. Another time he stopped at the " North Star " tavern 15 miles from Buffalo, and late at night when he went to feed his horses he found flames in the manger that reached to the roof, he ran aloft, threw more hay on the flames then jumped on the top and smothered the fire. The landlord, Mr. Sexton, was so grateful that he made his bills free ever after. William W. Thomas married Elizabeth, daugh- ter of John Davis from Wales. Their children were : John L., Mary (Mrs. David Davis, whose children are, Catharine and Mabel), John, Isaac, a railroad man now in British Columbia, Catharine (Mrs. William Young, has one child, Earl), Gomer, who was married in November, 1895, to Miss Helen Belle Bloomingdale of Alabama, Genesee Co., N. Y. Mr. Thomas has been a very successful farmer, owning at one time over 600 acres of land. On his farm of 380 acres his sons John and Gomer raised 2,300 bushels of grain in 1895 in spite of the drought and grasshoppers.

John C. Vosburg is the son of Lorenzo D., son of Jacob, son of Abram Vosburg, whose father came from Holland. Abram came from Bainbridge, Otsego county, where Jacob was born, to Washington township, Wyoming Co., Pa., where Vosburg Station and tunnel on the Lehigh railroad were named after him. Lorenzo D. was born there Nov. 15, 1815. He kept a hotel at Meshoppen, where John C. was born Feb. 15, 1859, was postmaster and merchant at Russell Hill, and gave the land for the first church built in Washington township. He married Eliza Wiggins. Children : Marion, Armina, Luella, Etta, Isabel, John C., Merritt and Lottie. Lorenzo D. came to Centerville in 1870, a farmer, where he died in 1892 and his widow in 1895. John C. was brought up a farmer and married in 1882 Mary Marsh. Children : Manley F., Ruth and Agnes. Merritt Vosburg married Etta Low. Children : Albert, Frankie, Ada, Amber and Stanley. Mr. Vosburg has rented this farm of 289 acres since 1882. He raised in the dry season of 1895 1,600 bushels of grain and 700 bushels of potatoes.

Lucius Gilbert Waterman, M. D., physician and surgeon at Centreville, son of Eli and Per- sis (Edwards) Waterman, was born Sept. 16, 1849, in China (Arcade), Wyoming Co., N. Y. Eli Waterman was born in Blanford, Mass., June 8, 1789, and was a major in the War of 1812. His first wife was Persis Wright. Children : Diantha, Anson, Robert, Nancy, Alonzo, Eliza and Persis. His second wife, Persis Edwards, was born in Suffield, Hartford Co., Conn., May 20, 1801. Their children were : Caroline, Lucius E., Harrison, Franklin, Orlando, Alphonso, Jer- usha A., Eli W., Esther, and Lucius G. Mr. Waterman came to China soon after 1820, bought 360 acres of land of the Holland company at $2.50 per acre, built the first sawmill in town, opened a public house in which he kept the first postoffice at East China, and was postmaster 27 consecutive years. He died in Arcade, Jan. 24, 1861, and his widow Jan. 2, 1890. Lucius G. was educated at the University of Suffield, Conn., read medicine five years with Dr. Lusk of Eagle, attended lectures at Medical University of Buffalo, came to Centreville in 1878, was re- ceived into the Allegany County Medical Society and by it was licensed to practice. In 1883 he received his diploma from Buffalo Medical College. He married in 1871, Mary A., daughter of Capt. A. N. Richardson of Eagle. They had one child, James R. born July 5, 1875. He is a Latin academic graduate of Pike Seminary, and is now a student in Buffalo Medical College. Mrs. Waterman died in 1887. [See Medical Chapter.]

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A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 107

Author: Minard, John Stearns, 1834-1920; Merrill, Georgia Drew Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Alfred, N.Y., W. A. Fergusson & co. Number of Pages: 1102

Author: Minard, John Stearns, 1834-1920; Merrill, Georgia Drew
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Alfred, N.Y., W. A. Fergusson & co.
Number of Pages: 1102