A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 22

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 22

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ALFRED UNIVERSITY.

When our old family physician. Dr. E. C. Green, told him he ought not to go to the chapel to begin the year's work, he seemed to know the end was near. He continued. however. busy in correcting the proofs of his last sermon, and in directing the work for the one who had taken his classes. On the morning of the 21st of September, 1892. those who stood near him showed upon their faces their deep sympathy with his suffering. "I am happy." he said, " why cannot you be so?" These were his last words. In a few moments he had passed beyond mortal ken, and when those who stood by looked at the dear face for the sign of " peace," they saw, instead, a glorious joy. Judge Hubbard writes: "President Allen, during his fifty years as professor and teacher, came into personal acquaintance with 10,- 000 young men and women of more than ordinary intellect. He made as profound an impression upon them as did Plato or Aristotle upon their pupils. These 10,000 have gone into all the earth, and other tens of thou- sands follow. and all bear the impress. to some extent at least, of the intel- lect, the goodness, the greatness of this great teacher. And thus it is that his influence goes on in an ever-widening and never-ending path to bless, to cheer, to purify, to elevate. His immortality is like himself when with us here, modest, charitable, unselfish. sweet, all-pervading and altogether blessed. May we all live as he lived. teach as he taught, and die as he died."

FACULTY-1895-6.

REV. BOOTHE COLWELL DAVIS. M.A., B.D., was born near Jane Lew, W. Va .. July 12. 1863. He is the eldest son of Rev. Samuel D. and Elizabeth Randolph Davis, still living at Jane Lew. His district school education was supplemented by one year in the Fairmont (W. Va.) State Normal School. He then taught four years in the public schools of West Virginia. In September. 1885. he became a student at Alfred University. In 1890 he graduated in the classical course, and in the fall entered Yale University to pursue a course in divinity. In June, 1892, he received a call to the pastorate of the First Alfred Church. The call was accepted to begin his labors Sept. 1, 1892, with leave of absence to complete his course in divinity in Yale University, where he was graduated, May 17, 1893. May 18, 1893. he married Miss Estelle W .. daughter of John B. and Josephine Crandall Hoffman of Shiloh, N. J .. and June 1st they came to Alfred. They have one child, Stanton Hoffman. born Aug. 31, 1894. In June, 1895, Mr. Davis was unanimously elected president of Alfred University.

EDWARD M. TOMLINSON .- The Greek department of Alfred University is most satisfactorily conducted by Professor Edward M. Tomlinson, whose thorough preparation for and complete devotion to his work, afford the student a rare opportunity for acquiring proficiency in Greek scholarship. Mr. Tomlinson, son of Dr. George and Phebe (Mulford) Tomlinson, was born at Roadstown, Cumberland county, N. J,, October 22, 1842. After attending for a short time the public school of his native village. he entered Union

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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

Academy at Shiloh, N. J., and was a student in that institution during the principalship of Wm. C. Whitford, C. R. Burdick, Wm. A. Rogers, Chas. H. Thompson, and George E. Tomlinson. He was graduated at Bucknell Uni- versity, Lewisburg, Pa., in 1867. The same year he was called to the pro- fessorship of Greek in Alfred University, and occupied this position for four years. During the year 1870-71 he served also as professor of Latin. Early in 1872 he went abroad, where he remained about two years and a half, the most of this time being devoted to study at the Universities of Berlin and Leipsic. After his return he taught for a time in Germantown Academy, Philadelphia. In 1881 he returned to Alfred University as professor of Greek and this position he still holds. Mr. Tomlinson married, March 12, 1884, Miss Mary E., daughter of Rev. Thomas B. Brown, of Little Genesee, N. Y. Their home on Terrace Avenue is notable for its cozy appointments, its well stocked and well chosen libraries and its genuine hospitality.

HENRY CLARKE COON, M D., Professor of Physics and Chemistry in Alfred University, was born in West Edmeston, N. Y., Jan. 28, 1828. His Scotch ancestors came to New England, from there to Otsego county amongits first settlers. His father, a farmer, gave him a good common school educa- tion. He attended DeRuyter Institute and Alfred University, was gradu- ated in the Classical Course in 1868. He received the degree of A. M. in 1871 and of Ph. D. in 1891. He graduated in medicine at the New York Homeo- pathic Medical College in 1872, and the same year, was elected professor of Physical Science in Alfred University. He married L. Elvira Stillman of Alfred, Nov. 21, 1851. She died April 21, 1879. He was again mar- ried to Mary E. Hill, Dec. 6, 1880. While he has practiced medicine consid- erably, yet his life work has been mostly teaching, and he has helped many yonng men to commence their studies in medicine and also in other profes- sions. He was ordained deacon of the First Alfred Seventh-day Baptist Church, Aug. 30, 1879. He is a member of the American Institute of Homeo- pathy, The American Association for the Advancement of Science, The American Chemical and Microcospical Societies, and the Institute of Civics, which help to keep him in touch with the advanced thought of the day in these lines of work.

LEWIS A. PLATTS, D.D .- Doctor Platts is a native of the state of Ohio, having been born at Chapman's Creek in that state. His ancestry, partic- ularly in the maternal line, has been especially prolific of ministers of the gospel. Dr. Platts in early youth entered Milton Academy and literally worked his way through, earning every dollar of his expenses. Entering Alfred University in the Junior Class, he was graduated two years later, after which he studied three years in the Union Theological Seminary of New York, receiving with its diploma special commendation for proficiency in scholarship. He was ordained to the gospel ministry in 1866, and has served as pastor of the Seventh-day Baptist churches at Nile, N. Y., New Market, N. J., and Westerly, R. I. In 1882 he became editor of the Sabbath Recorder, the denominational paper of the Seventh-day Baptists, published

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ALFRED UNIVERSITY.

at Alfred, which position he ably filled for ten years. In 1892 he was elected to the professorship of Church History and Homiletics in the Theological Department of Alfred University, where he still labors. In the fall of 1893, upon the reorganization of the Department of English Literature, he was made professor of that department also. In addition to his regular work, Doctor Platts has done much preaching service during a large part of the time and has frequently responded to calls for funeral services and public addresses. He was married at the age of twenty-four to Miss Emma Tefft, of Almond, N. Y., who has continued throughout to be his sympathetic and devoted co-laborer.

LESTER C. ROGERS, A.M .- Professor of the Charles Potter Professor- ship of History and Civics. This department was endowed in 1888 by Charles Potter, Esq., of Plainfield, N. J., who has always been a staunch friend of and liberal donor to Alfred University, as well as to other benev- olent institutions and enterprises. Professor Rogers was born in Water- ford, Conn., in 1829, and is a descendant in the tenth generation of the martyr John Rogers. He prepared for college at DeRuyter Institute and Alfred Academy, entered the Sophomore class of Williams College in 1853, where he was a classmate of President Garfield, graduated with honor in 1856, and received the degree of A. M. in 1859; entered Rutgers Theological Seminary, New Brunswick, N. J., September, 1859, and graduated in 1860. He was married to Miss Josephine Wilcox, preceptress of DeRuyter Acad- emy in 1857; was ordained to the gospel ministry in 1858 and has been pastor of the churches at New Market, N. J., Brookfield, N. Y., Milton, Wis., Harts- ville and Alfred Station, N. Y. He also served the Seventh-day Baptist Missionary Society from 1875 to 1877. In the war of the rebellion he was chaplain of the 29th N. Y. Regt. U. S. Volunteers.

ALPHEUS B. KENYON, A. M., Professor of Mathematics, was born at Potter Hill, R. I., Aug. 2, 1850. and spent his boyhood at Mystic, Conn. He received his early education in the public schools of Mystic and Hope Valley, R. I .; spent three summers working in the shipyard, and later learned the trade of house carpenter. In the fall of 1868 he entered the Academic De- partment of Alfred University; taught school three winters in Smethport, Pa .. and Little Genesee, N. Y., and was graduated from the University in 1874, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Science. Having taken special work in draughting, mechanics and kindred subjects, he received the degree of Master of Science in 1877. Professor Kenyon was elected to the chair of Industrial Mechanics in 1872, but did not begin his work until the fall of 1874, when he was also called to the chair of Mathematics. He continued in charge of both departments on the salary of one for ten years, when Profes- sor A. A. Titsworth was elected to the chair of Industrial Mechanics, which he held for two years. After that time Professor Kenyon was again in charge of both departments for two years. In the winter of 1887 he received a furlough from Alfred University, and did post-graduate work in Cornell University, studying mathematics and methods. Professor Kenyon has

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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

served during several years as secretary of the faculty and has held the office of registrar since 1891; served as acting president of the University after the death of President Allen until the duties of the office was assumed by President Main in April, 1893. He married Miss M. Viola, daughter of Martin W. Babcock, in 1873.

AMELIA E. STILLMAN, A.M., Professor of Art, was born in Alfred, March 20, 1834, and was educated in the district school and in Alfred Academy, receiving the degree Laureate of Arts in 1853. She received her earliest instruction in art of Mrs. A. A. Allen. In 1869 she studied art in Chicago, Ill., and in 1870-71 taught painting in the public schools of Hor- nellsville, N. Y., also in the select school of Miss Kingsley. In February, 1872, she became associated with Mrs. Allen in the Art Department of Alfred University, in which she has continued until the present time. Miss Stillman spent the fall and winter of 1886-7 in study at the Corcoran Art Gallery at Washington, D. C., and the spring and summer of 1883 at the Metropolitan Museum in Boston, Mass. In 1881 she studied with L. W. and R. Wiles at Leroy, N. Y.

CHARLES M. POST, A.M., M.D., PH.D., Professor of Natural History, is second son of Doctor George Post and Mary, daughter of Judge Clark Crandall, the first settler of the town of Alfred. He was born in Chicago, Ill., in 1864, and educated in Milton College, Wis., and Alfred University, having graduated from the latter in 1886. He received the degree of A. M. in 1887, that of Ph. D. in 1889, and the degree of M. D. from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, of Chicago, Ill., in 1892. He assumed the chair of Natural History in Alfred University in 1892, and was elected University physician in 1893. He married, in 1888, Dolly, second daughter of Dr. D. E. Maxson.

F. S. PLACE, A.B., B.D., Professor of Industrial Mechanics, son of Rev. Alvin A. and Ruth (Sherman) Place, was born in Wirt, N. Y., Aug. 15, 1858, and lived from infancy until he was seventeen at Nile. He entered Alfred University in 1875, where, with interruptions, he studied for ten years. He received the degree of A. B. in 1882, and that of B. D. in 1885. In 1888 he was called to the chair of Industrial Mechanics in Alfred University, having served as tutor for two years. He is now in charge of Mechanics and Astronomy. Prof. Place married Martha Burdick of Ward in 1882.

EARL P. SAUNDERS, A.M., Professor in Preparatory and Normal De- partment, a native of Genesee county, N. Y., born in 1856, worked his way through Alfred University, from which he graduated in the classical course in 1880. After taking one year of Theology in Alfred he spent two years in Union Theological Seminary in New York city. He has been pastor of the Seventh-day Baptist churches of New Market, N. J., and New York city, has been principal of the graded school at Ashaway, R. I., and of the Pleas- ant Street grammar school at Westerly. He served the American Sabbath Tract Society as business manager of its publishing house at Alfred for four years. He has ably performed the duties of his present position since

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the fall of 1893. He was married to Miss Carrie Briggs of Ashaway, R. I., in 1882.

INEZ R. MAXSON, A. M., Professor in Preparatory and Normal Depart- ment, is a native of Rodman, Jefferson county, N. Y. She received the rudi- ments of her education in district schools and entered Alfred University in 1870, from which she was graduated four years later. Since her graduation she taught in Berlin, N. Y., one year, and from 1878 to 1883 in New Rochelle, N. Y. In 1885 she began teaching in the preparatory and normal depart- ment of Alfred University. In 1891 Miss Maxson received a furlough of one year which she spent in the State Normal School at Albany, N. Y., grad- uating at the end of the year and receiving the degree of Bachelor of Peda- gogy. She then returned to Alfred and resumed her work in the Prepara- tory and Normal Department.

MARTHA B. SAUNDERS, Professor of Modern Languages, is a native of Providence, R. I. She spent a year and a half in school at Alfred at a very early age, but while yet a child accompanied her parents, who were sent as missionaries, to Palestine, where they remained six or seven years, residing mainly in Jaffa. This cosmopolitan city, the seaport of Jerusalem. made a knowledge of many languages a necessity. Miss Saunders received here the best instruction from native teachers. Her father becoming connected with the consular service, Doctor John W. Gorham, who was then United States Consul at Jerusalem, became a member of the family. Dr. Gorham, who was an American, a graduate of Harvard College, and who had spent many years in study and the practice of medicine in Paris and Rome, was a most accomplished linguist. Owing to failing health he became a perma- nent attache of this family, and Miss Saunders's constant tutor. He re- turned with them to their former home in Westerly, R. I., where he gave private and public instruction in the modern languages. Miss Saunders spent a year in the Seward Institute at Florida, N. Y., and later three years in the private school of Miss Brace, where she enjoyed many of the privileges of Yale University, and from which school she was graduated. Returning to Westerly she took up the labors which Dr. Gorham had been compelled to relinquish, and after his death went to Germany in the fall of 1893, to perfect her knowledge of the German and French languages. She located in Berlin where she took private lessons of Frau Hempel, and attended her lectures on history and literature, living in a "pension," where only German was spoken. Leaving Germany in the spring of 1894 she traveled for five months through Europe, spending some time in Paris and London, and arriving in America in time to commence her work at Alfred at the be- ginning of the school year of 1894-5.

WILLIAM C. WHITFORD, A.M., Professor of Biblical Languages and Literature, is a native of Madison county, N. Y., and was born Jan. 31, 1865. He received his early education and prepared for college in Brookfield Academy. In 1882 he entered Colgate University, from which he was grad- uated with honor in 1886, after which he served three years as cashier of

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the Banking House of Calvin Whitford, his father, in Brookfield. Feeling it to be his duty to enter the gospel ministry he entered Union Theological Seminary, from which he was graduated in 1892. He accepted at once a call from the Seventh-day Baptist Church of Berlin, N. Y., to become its pastor, having served that church as supply during part of the time spent in the Theological Seminary. He was married, in 1892, to Miss Jessie Briggs, of Ashaway, R. I., a graduate of Alfred University, and in the fall of the same year accepted a call to the chair of Biblical Languages and Literature in Alfred University.

F. A. J. WALDRON, A. M., Professor of Latin, was born in Springfield, Ill., Sept. 17, 1862, and educated in the public schools of that city, graduat- ing from the Springfield High School in 1879. He removed to Philadelphia and later to Chester, Pa., and for a time engaged in mission work in New York city. He graduated from the University of Rochester in 1886 and from the Rochester Theological Seminary in 1893. One year during his studies in Rochester he taught in Jackson College, Miss., and was called to his present position in 1893.

GEORGE WESLEY HILL, Professor of Elocution and Physical Culture, was born in Victor, Ontario Co., N. Y., in December, 1866. He secured his early education at the Victor public school and at Genesee Wesleyan Semi- nary, Lima, N. Y., graduating from the latter institution in 1888. He then attended the School of Oratory at Boston, Mass., from which he graduated in 1890. Mr. Hill adopted teaching as a profession and accepted a position as instructor in the Conservatory of Music at Lincoln, Neb., where he re- mained two years. Wishing to live in the East he was admitted as instruc- tor in Elocution and the English branches at the Military Academy at Peeks- kill-on-the-Hudson, teaching at said academy until he was called to the Pro- fessorship of Elocution and Physical Culture in Alfred University.

MRS. MARY E. B. MAIN, Professor of Music, was born in Painesville, Ohio, and moved to Adams, N. Y., when a child. She received her early musical training in Adams from local teachers, and at the Adams Centre Institute; graduated at Bellville Normal Music School under Prof. A. N. Johnson and studied music later with L. O. Emerson and Carl Zerhan. She took a course at Utica Conservatory and studied voice culture with Prof. Tower of Towers College of Music, New York, and Prof. Howard, author of the Howard Voice Method; graduated in Vocal Normal Music with Prof. J. T. Roberts, of Utica, and taught music in Oswego, Schenectady, Watertown and Adams, N. Y.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS.

CHAPTER XXIX.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS.

BY ROGER STILLMAN.

'HE history of the press of Allegany county would, if it could be accurately followed from the first påper printed within its boundaries to the pres- ent time, giving the changes in ownership and editorial management. form one of the most interesting chapters in the county's history; but data at hand is too meager to enable us to give more than a mere outline of the more noted of them. Many have come into existence, flourished for a short time, died and been forgotten, while others have become household companions from one generation to another, giving their readers a complete history, not only of the happenings in the towns where they were printed, but also of the county, state and nation. In preparing this chapter it is impossible to trace all the changes made in the names of publications, or their migrations from town to town or the merging of one into another. We have however followed them as closely as possible, though in many cases the exact dates of these changes have been lost in the dust of years. This chapter is appropriately opened by an account of the first paper printed in its territory.

The Allegany Republican, which first went to press in Angelica in Octo- ber, 1820, and was owned and edited by Franklin Cowdery, who continued it for two years when he suspended its publication. In 1827 The Angelica Republican took its place, and was conducted by Samuel P. Hall until 1832, when it passed into the hands of B. F. Smead with the name changed to The Angelica Republican and Farmer's and Mechanic's Press. During 1832 it was sold to Peter Cherry, who changed its name to The Allegany Republi- can and Internal Improvement Advocate. Mr. Cherry continued its publica- tion for a trifle over four years, again changing its name in 1836 to The An- gelica Republican and Allegany Whig, soon after this selling it to Wm. P. Angel, when its title was changed to The Angelica Reporter and Allegany Re- publican under which name it had run but a short time when it was pur- chased by Samuel C. Wilson who issued it as The Angelica Reporter until 1856. Mr. Wilson sold the paper to Horace E. Purdy and Charles Horton in 1841, and. in 1844, Mr. Purdy retired, leaving Mr. Horton sole proprietor. In 1856 Mr. Horton purchased The Advocate and Whig (a paper started at Cuba as The Advocate in 1842 by Erastus S. Palmer who sold it to Elray & Churchill, who, in turn, sold to Peter S. Norris, who transferred it to W. H. & C. M. Beecher. It was consolidated with the Cuba Whig in 1852 forming The Advo- cate and Whig) and consolidated it with The Angelica Reporter under the name of The Angelica Reporter and Angelica Advocate and Whig. Some years later Geo. W. Dickinson purchased the paper and soon after moved the plant to

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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

Belmont where the paper was published until 1874 when it was purchased and moved to Wellsville and united with The Wellsville Times by the stock com- pany owning the latter, under the name of The Allegany County Reporter. In 1876, Enos W. Barnes purchased a controlling interest in the stock, and took entire charge of the paper until his death in 1888, when it was continued by Mrs. Enos W. Barnes, assisted by her sons E. Willard and Charles H., who now publish it as a semi-weekly, and also publish The Wellsvile Daily Reporter, founded by E. W. Barnes in 1880, the only daily paper in the county.

After the removal of the original Angelica Republican from Angelica in 1870, there was a time when that village was without a paper, but, in Decem- ber, 1871, Mr. P. S. Norris revived the name of the Angelica Republican in a new paper established there, of which he issued the first, Dec. 22, 1871. He continued the publication until August, 1875, when A. W. Phillips & Co. became owners. They, after a few months, sold to Clark & Mclaughlin, who were burned out and soon thereafter gave up its publication. Early in 1876, H. C. Scott, who started The Canaseraga Times at Canaseraga in 1873, moved the plant to Angelica and started a paper, adopting for its title the old established name of Angelica Republican. This journal was sold to L. G. Raymond in 1879, and still continues to be published by him.

The Republican Aegis and Allegany Democrat was the second paper pub- lished at Angelica and in the county, having come into existence in 1830.

The Genesee Valley Free Press first appears as an occasional publication at Belfast in 1852, where it was printed and edited by A. N. Cole until early in 1853, when he moved it to Wellsville and issued it from that place regularly each week until 1865 when he sold it to Fisk & Fish and its name was changed to The Wellsville Free Press. In 1870 Charles M. Beecher purchased the busi- ness and conducted it until 1875. The Genesee Valley Free Press was revived by its founder at Belmont in 1877, in an office purchased from The Alleganian by his son, A. P. Cole, who became the publisher of The Free Press and The Genesee Valley Farmer, (which formed a part of the weekly publication occu- pying one page under the above head). This paper was discontinued and the plant sold in 1881.

The Cuba Patriot was first published at Cuba in 1862 by Stebbins & Bur- dick as a Republican paper. Burdick soon sold his interest to W. J. Carrier, who, after one year, withdrew from the firm, and F. G. Stebbins continued sole owner until 1865 when Mr. Carrier again became a partner, but only for a brief period, for, in November, 1865, Mr. Stebbins was again its sole proprietor, and a month later the firm was changed to Stebbins & Pratt. In August, 1866, Mr. Pratt retired and Mr. Stebbins continued alone until 1869 when he sold one-half interest to C. F. Meloy. In March following Meloy sold his interest to C. L. Shepard. In October, 1872, The Patriot was sold to The Cuba Herald Association, its name changed to The Cuba Herald, which was placed under the editorial management of James A. M'Kibbin. About Jan. 1, 1875, it was sold to E. S. Barnard, who associated Mr. Stebbins with him as associate editor and changed the name back to The Patriot. Mr.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS.

Barnard died in March, 1875, and Mr. Stebbins again bought the paper and conducted it until 1880 when he sold to Miles A. Davis, who edited it one year when it again came into possession of its founder, who published it until his death. In 1883 W. J. Beecher and W. J. Glenn became proprietors. In January. 1887, Mr. Beecher retired, leaving the firm name W. J. Glenn & Co. Stanley C. Swift purchased the Patriot in April, 1891, and sold it to H. Moulton & Co., in July, 1892. W. J. Glenn & Co., its present proprietors, took possession again in April, 1893.

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A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 22

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