USA > New York > Allegany County > A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York > Part 46
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The City Hall built this year (1895) was constructed particularly as a home for the fire department. Rooms in the second story are occupied by the Baldwins. Genesees and Emeralds and the apparatus room on the
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ground floor is especially arranged for conveniently storing the hose jump- ers, the trucks, hose, etc.
Grand Army of the Republic-The local Grand Army post was organized at a meeting attended by 45 old soldiers at the Moore House (now Commer- cial) Jan. 26, 1883. Of the informal organization Col. Stephen B. Moore was elected president, Capt. W. R. Bliss secretary and James Thornton treas- urer. Feb. 9, 1883, the Post was formally mustered in and Capt. W. R. Bliss elected commander; Capt. H. U. Schlick, senior vice com .; Geo. W. Greene, junior vice com .; I. L. Kress, adjutant: Miles F. Jones, quartermaster; Dr. A. W. Greene, surgeon; L. C. Hakes, chaplain. The record book says: "On motion the name of the post was called "Dexter Post," in honor of the Dexters, formerly of this place, now dead." The successive past com- manders have been Capt. W. R. Bliss, E. Geer, Capt. G. H. Blackman, James Jump. Russell Tremaine and A. M. Boyd. The present officers are: Commander, James Thornton ; Senior Vice Commander, M. D. Pal- mer; Junior Vice Commander, Russell Tremaine; Officer of the Day, William Miller; Quartermaster, G. Eugene Farnum ; Chaplain, I. L. Kress; Surgeon, Dr. King ; Officer of the Guard, Ezekiel Johnson; Inside Guard, Charles Gardner; Outside Guard, J. C. Jump; Delegate to State Depart- ment, Russell Tremaine; alternate, I. H. Kress. Auxiliary to the Post there is an efficient Woman's Relief Corps.
The enrollment of membership affords a fairly complete list of the veterans of the Rebellion who have lived in Wellsville since 1883. A star opposite a man's name indicates that he is dead. The list is taken from the post record book which, unfortunately, is, in many ways, incomplete.
I. W. R. Bliss, served May 1, 1861-Aug. 1, 1865. Co. G, 13th N. Y. Vols. ; 2. H. U. Schlick, Aug. 4, 1862-July 18, 1865, Co. K, 130th N. Y. Vols. ; 3. A. M. Boyd, September, 1861-Jan. 5, 1865, Co. H, 106th Pa. Vols. ; 4. S. W. Greene, Dec. 26, 1863-Feb. 1, 1865, 147th N. Y. ; 5. Wm. Steffy, April 1, 1861-Sept. 1, 1865, 13th N. Y. ; 6. I. L. Kress, October, 1861- March, 1862, 86th N. Y. ; 7. L. C. Hakes, September, 1862-November, 1865, 160th N. Y. ; 8. John Sarsfield, 1861-1862, 105th N. Y. ; 9. James Thornton, Aug. 12, 1862-June 30, 1865, Co. G, 130th Vols., or Ist N. Y. Dragoons ; 10. Miles T. Jones, Sept. 16, 1861-Nov. 21, 1862, Co. H, 85th N. Y .; II. Peter Murray, Oct. 14, 1864-Oct. 15. 1865, Co. H, 2d N. Y. H. A .; 12. Horace Marshall, Dec. 5, 1861-Dec. 5, 1864, Co. G, 64th N. Y. ; 13. Darien C. John- son, Sept. 5, 1864-July 20, 1865, 3d N. Y. Lt. A. ; 14. Wm. B. Voorhees, Aug. 12, 1862-June 20, 1865, 136th N. Y. ; 15. Geo. H. Rowley, September, 1862-November, 1865, 160th N. Y .; 16. Christopher Hoffman, Jan. 7, '64-June 30, '65, Co. G, Ist N. Y. Dragoons ; 17. R. M. McDaniels, Aug. 12, '62-June 30, '65, Co. G, Ist N. Y. Dragoons ; 18. Henry Brandes, Sept. I, '61-Nov. 1, '65, 64th N. Y. ; 19. Jacob Gardner, Sept. 12, '61-June 1. '63, 85th N. Y. ; 20. M. D. Palmer, records incomplete ; 21. Charles Clarke, records incomplete ; 22. U. B. Grames. 16Ist N. Y. ; 23. G. H. Avery, 56th N. Y. ; 24. Charles Chambers, 160th N. Y. ; 25. James Garrigan, 83d Pa. ; 26. Wm. E. Leo, 14th N. Y. ; 27. E. Geer, 6ist Pa. ; 28. Henry McIntire, ship " Sonoma "; 29. Jacob O. Wilhelm, 12th Pa. Cav. ; 30. John Wedge, no record ; 31. Chas. Pryor, 86th N. Y. ; 32. C. F. Clemons, G. H. A .; 33. Walter C. Smith, 5th N. Y. Cav. ; 34. James K. Voorhees, 107th N. Y. ; 35. E. B. King, 189th N. Y. ; 36. Geo. W. Wheeler, 20th N. Y. Bat. ; 37. Wm. Little, no record ; 38. Fred Peters, 45th Pa. Vols. ; 39. Peter Olden, 8th N. J. ; 40. Nelson Mosher, 156th N. Y. ; 41. Newell Judd, 93d N. Y .; 42. Thos. Williams; 43. John H. Miller, 11th P. V. R. C .; 44. Ross Paddock, 5th N. Y. Cav. ; 45. Christ Gerry, no rec- ord; 46. O H. Perry, 16Ist N. Y. ; 47. E. B. Curtis, no record ; 48. W. B. Mason, 16ist N. Y .; 49. Peter Dudley, no record ; 50. Manny Hills, 65th N. Y .* ; 51. Ithamer Moore, 130th N. Y. ; 52. Edward Kinney, 5th N. Y. Cav .* ; 53. Geo. W. Ward, 169th Pa .; 54. Charles Wells, 189th N. Y .* ; 55. John C. Wheeler, 93d N. Y .; 56. Henry Fuller, no record ; 57. John Krine, no record ; 58. S. D. Spicer, 188th N. Y. ; 59. Jacob C. Arnold, no record* ; 60. Seneca Williams,
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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.
27th N. Y. ; 61. Ira W. Niles, 160th N. Y. ; 62. Geo. A. Gordon, no record ; 63. R. S. McClure, 193d Pa .* ; 64. Thos. D. Bradford, 106th N. Y .* ; 65. John H. Brown, no record ; 66. Philip Aus- tin, 90th N. Y. ; 67. Wm. W. Plants, 189th N. Y .; 68. Alfred West, 97th N. Y .; 69. S. M. Sorber, 52d Pa .; 70. Michael Gouter, no record ; 71. D. S. Sanger, no record ; 72. Wm. C. Bridge, 184th Pa .; 73. Chas. Richardson, 5th N. Y .; 74. Ferdinand Rockdisher, 41st N. Y. ; 75. Capt. Hiram A. Coats, 85th N. Y .* ; 76. George Cross, 179th N. Y .; 77. Fred Simmons, 130th N. Y. ; 78. Geo. T. Emerson, 86th N. Y. ; 79. John Moore, no record ; 80. John Fellows, no record ; 81. Elisha Hills, no record ; 82. L. A. Bunker, no record ; 83. Dennis Williams, no record ; 84. Chester Coleman, no record; 85. Ed. Eastman. 126th N. Y .; 86. John Keller, 189th N. Y .; 87. Wm. Helmhold, no record ; 88. Henry Tibbetts, no record* ; 89. Lewis Clark, no record ; 90. H. K. Opp, no record ; 91. Henry Keerse, 189th N. Y .; 92. Tim Barker, no record ; 93 James Margeson, 85th N. Y .; 94. J. M. Clark, no record ; 95. Frank Angel, no record ; 96. Phineas Weed, 161st N. Y .; 97. Geo. A. Caudy, 4th Pa. Cav .; 98. A. Randall, no record ; 99. D. C. Johnson, no record ; 100. L. C. Bentley, no record ; 101. Ezekiel Johnson, 14th N. Y. Art. ; 102. Wallace Moore, 5th N. Y. Cav. ; 103. C. K. Reitmeyer, no record; 104. A. K. Steoes, no record ; 105. John Shattuck, no record ; 106. Merton Hakes, 160th N. Y. ; 107. N. L. Waldon, 136th N. Y .; 108. Jacob Rauber, 64th N. Y .; 109 Nicholas Rauber, 64th N. Y. ; 110. Geo. W. Wescott, Ist N. Y. Dragoons ; III. Geo. Howe, 64th N. Y .* ; 112. Wm. F. Blaisdell, 90th N. Y .; 113. Wm. L. Jones, 60th N. J. Band; 114. L. Hannegan, 6th N. Y. Cav. ; 115. Thos. Prentis, Ist N. Y. L. Art. ; 116. John W. Reed, 85th N. Y. ; 117. Nathaniel Tompkins, 35th N. Y. ; 118. Henry Mclaughlin, Ist N. Y. Bat .; 119. Charles Stives, Ist N. Y. Bat. ; 120. Jason Ganoung; 160th N. Y. ; 121. George Elwell, Ist Brigade, Ist Div., 2d Corps, Band; 122. F. E. Brothers, 90th N. Y .; 123. Wm. Lasher, 160th N. Y. ; 124. A. O. Winters, 13th Ill. ; 125. James Messler, 64th N. Y. ; 126. S. A. Wescott, Ist N. Y. Dragoons ; 127. Thos. Willson, 93d N. Y. ; 128. Col. Stephen Moore, 11th N. J. Infantry* ; 129. Wm. C. Chamberlain, 86th N. Y. ; 130. James Welsh, 93d N. Y. ; 131. Frank Butts, 85th N. Y .; 132. Olio Klingen- berg, 29th Ill. ; 133. James C. Jump, 53d Ill. ; 134. Orville Proctor, Ist N. Y. Dragoons ; 135. C. K. Reitmeyer, no record ; 136. Daniel West, 5th N. Y. H. Art .*; 137. George E. Farnum, 26th Mich .; 138. Amos Rifle, no record ; 139. Wm. E. Kemp, no record; 140. I. Root, no record ; 141. G. P. Slade, no record ; 142. O. A. Fuller, 85th N. Y .; 143. Rufus Scott, ist N. Y. Dragoons ; 144. H. McDaniels, 85th N. Y .; 145. F. L. Aldrich, 23d N. Y .; 146. Norman B. Hills, 67th N. Y .*; 147. W. H. Huffman, 29th Pa .; 148. F. P. Leo, 64th N. Y .; 149. A. Hamilton, 160th N. Y. ; 150. Capt. Geo. H. Blackman, 93d N. Y. ; 151. Russell Tre- maine, 2d Bat. ; 152. Arthur P. Maddock, Ist N. Y. Cav. ; 153. Thomas Mellody, Ist N. Y. M. Rifles ; 154. Matthias Lehnard. 13th H. Art. ; 155. R. J. Messer, 16th Vt. ; 156. A. D. Lewis, 160th N. Y .; 157. W. H. Miller, 64th N. Y. ; 158. John Maddock, Ist Mo. Lt. Art. ; 159. Ed- win Preston, 161 N. Y. ; 160. A. L. Witherspoon, 19th Me. : 161. L. King, no record.
An incomplete list (to which the writer has added 15 names) of the sol- diers interred in Wellsville cemeteries is among the post records: It is
Col. Stephen Moore, 11th N. J. Inf .; Capt. Wheeler Hakes, Co. F, Ist N. Y. Dragoons ; Capt. J. J. Meservey, Co. G, 64th N. Y. ; Capt. Hiram A. Coats, 85th N. Y .; Matthew K. Wild- man, 13th H. A .; Dr. James Wright, regiment unknown ; Dr. J. M. Clark, regiment unknown ; Lieut. Charles Horton, Quartermaster 136th N. Y .; M. M. Coleman, Co. H, 85th N. Y .; Chas. O'Neil, 85th N. Y. ; A. S. Palmer, 85th N. Y. ; Charles L. McCrary, 24th Ind .; Abraham Jew- ell, Ist N. Y. Dragoons ; A. D. Balthasar, Ist N. Y. Dragoons; P. W. Moran, regiment un- known; Luther Bray, 85th N. Y. ; James Addison, regiment unknown; Alonzo Fosha, Ist N. Y. Dragoons ; Michael Henry, regiment unknown; Shaderick W. Moore, regiment unknown ; Mather Cornelius, regiment unknown; Benjamin McElhany, regiment unknown ; Caleb Far- num, War of 1812; James Gilmore, regiment unknown; Victor D. Smith, 5th N. Y. Cav. ; Francis G. Fiske, 5th N. Y. Cav. ; Christian Arnold, 64th N. Y. ; George Burk, 64th N. Y. ; H. Lewis Boss, leader 64th reg. band ; Edward A. Armstrong, 93d N. Y .; Judson Oliver, 5th N. Y. Cav. ; Wm. Meek, 64th N. Y .; Wesley Tompkins, 35th N. Y. ; Charles L. Madison, 69th N. Y. ; Ole Klingenberg, 29th Ill. ; Daniel West, 5th N. Y. H. A. ; Nelson Mosher, 156th N. Y. ; Norman Hills, 67th N. Y. ; Manny Hills, 65th N. Y. ; R. S. McClure, 193d Pa. ; Thomas Bradford, 106th N. Y. ; George Elwell, Ist Brigade, Ist Div., 2d Corps, Band ; Newell Judd, 93d N. Y. ; Edward Kinney, 64th N. Y. ; Jacob Arnold, 64th N. Y .; Henry Tibbetts, regiment unknown ; George Howe, 64th N. Y. ; Charles Wells, 189th N. Y. ; Milton Ripenbark, 64th N. Y. ; William Johnson, 64th N. Y.
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WELLSVILLE.
W. C. T. U .- Previous to 1875 an organization was in active existence for some years, but interest abated and, although work of a similar character was done by other societies and by the same ladies, among whom were Mrs. B. C. Rude, Mrs. Joanna Coats, Mrs. L. S, Anderson, Mrs. Moses Stevens, Mrs. Julius Hoyt, it was not until 1881 that a reorganization was effected. This Union still is in active and useful life, holds meetings semi-monthly in the chapel of the Congregational Church and now has 30 members. The first officers (in 1881) were Mrs. Joanna Coats, president; Mrs. L. S. Anderson, Mrs. H. York, Mrs. L. Sweet, Mrs. Emily Smith, vice presidents; Mrs. Julius Hoyt, treasurer; Mrs. B. C. Rude, secretary. In 1882 four ladies who have been most useful and devoted to the cause became members, Mrs. C. G. Stevens, Mrs. J. R. Freeland, Miss Emma Ross and Mrs. Reuben Doty. The officers elected in 1895 were Mrs. Sarah. E. Rosa, president; Mrs. E. E. Crandall, Mrs. A. J. Applebee, Mrs. Sidney Frisbie, Miss Emma Ross, vice presidents; Mrs. Carrie A. Jones, recording secretary and treasurer; Mrs. E. E. Crandall is in charge of the department of temperance instruction; Mrs. Fulmer that of press work ;. Mrs. Israel Dildine that of narcotics; Mrs. Joanna Coats that of suffrage; Miss Emma Ross that of evangelistic work.
The progress and prosperity of Wellsville and its manifold advantages are shown by its manufacturing industries, its solid banks, its railroad facil- ities, its water works, telegraph, telephone, gas and electric light systems, its beautiful city hall, park and school buildings, its splendid churches, its magnificent free library, its many and well-equipped business establish- ments, its numerous public houses (the Fassett House and Commercial House standing in the front), and its fine residences, among which conspicu- ous for beauty and elegance are those of Gen. Rufus Scott, Hon. W. L. Jones, Alfred S. Brown, E. B. Hall, the Dukes and many others. Yet it may be of interest to future generations to know that in this centennial year of grace, 1895, with all of our prosperity, there was not a foot of paved street in the town, and that cows continue to be driven along the Main street in summer
to and from their pasturage. But village improvement marches on, and another decade should see Main street fully paved and a thorough system of sewerage completed. The purchase of the park, the building of the brick union schoolhouse, and the erection of the city hall, by taxing property owners to the amount of $50,000, have delayed the other no less worthy objects of public improvement. A Board of Trade, long in existence here, is officered by "live " business men, who lend hearty aid to any worthy enter- prise desiring to locate here. Our citizens are progressive, and gladly wel- come and generously support any new enterprise coming to them in good faith and honesty. With all of these many advantages, the future of Wells- ville cannot fail to be happy and prosperous, as they combine all the elements which conduce to a healthy and hearty growth.
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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.
SOMETHING ABOUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE .-- Baldwin Brothers. William A. Baldwin, born at Ithaca, N. Y .. Dec. 10, 1830, married, 1858, Minerva J. Hamilton, and had two children, Herbert E. and Dr. Evelyn Baldwin, both now residents of Rochester, and died March 15, 1895. He was trustee of the Congregational church many years, W. M. of the Masonic Lodge, H. P. of the Chapter and Commander of St. Johns . Commandery of Olean. Hon. Sumner Baldwin, born Ithaca, N. Y., in 1833, was supervisor of Wellsville seven years, member of Assembly in 1876-7 and state senator in 1882-3. William A. Baldwin came from Seneca county to Hornellsville in 1853, and, in 1854, with Major Sam Alley started a grocery and provision store in Wellsville. In 1855 Sumner Baldwin came and joined the firm, which, in 1856, became Baldwin & Brother. In 1866 engaging in tanning, they sold the store to James D. Rathbone. In 1869 Bush & Howard purchased their tanning plant, and Baldwin Bros. conducted banking operations as the Bank of Wellsville until its suspension in January, 1894. For many years Baldwin Bros. were representative business men. They built the Baldwin Opera House and the beautiful Baldwin Block.
William Bellamy, son of Silas and Betsey (Knight) Bellamy, was born in Scio in 1826. He married Jane, daughter of Bartholomew Coats, and in 1849 settled on Niles Hill, where he pur- chased land, made the first clearing and assisted in cutting the first road from the village of Wellsville to his farm, which he made one of the finest in the county. His children were Irwin S. and William H. Mrs. Bellamy died Oct. 5. 1892. Mr. Bellamy's death occurred July 28, 1894. "He was an esteemed and respected citizen and his name was a synonym of honesty and integrity." Irwin S. resides in Genesee. William H. Bellamy, born in 1856, married Myra Hotchkiss of Pennsylvania. They have one child, Ella. Mr. Bellamy is an oil producer.
Alexander M. Boyd, son of Joseph, was born Oct. 9, 1844, in Italy, N. Y. In 1860 his peo- ple settled in Canton, and, in 1861, Alexander went there to live, and Sept. 2d he enlisted in Co. H, 106th Reg't Pa. Vols., and was mustered out of service June 30, 1865. He was in 24 regular battles besides many skirmishes. He was sergeant of his company. The original regi- ment was discharged in 1864, and the soldiers formed themselves into a battalion. Mr. Boyd is a member of the Wellsville police. In 1867 he settled in Wellsville, and engaged in con- tracting and building, employing several men. In 1866 he married Theoda A., daughter of John Moore of Angelica. They had 4 sons. Mrs. Boyd died in 1882. In 1884 Mr. Boyd married Mrs. Rosella H. Fisk. His children are Herbert G., Fred J., a graduate of Elmira Commercial College, Charles A. and Walter F. Mr. Boyd is a member of Dexter Post, G. A. R., No. 336, he was elected commander in 1892-3-4, was president of Allegany County G. A. R. Association in 1893. and takes an active part in the G. A. R. affairs of the county.
Alfred Steward Brown, son of David Brown, was born in West Almond, June 20, 1832. Went to Angelica in 1840. Served as clerk several years in Bradley Sherman's store. In 1855 he came from Angelica to Wellsville, and entered actively into the social and business life of the town. For a few years he was employed as a clerk, then engaged in merchandising, which he discontinued in 1873 to engage in lumbering. Mr. Brown has also been a large oil producer. In 1872. when Horace Greeley received the presidential nomination and the Republican paper, the Genesee Valley Free Press, endorsed his candidacy, Mr. Brown was largely instrumental in establishing the Wellsville Times, with George Howe as publisher. In 1873 an association was formed and the Angelica Reporter and the Wellsville Times were consolidated, Mr. Brown was chosen president, which position he held until the plant was sold to the late E. W. Barnes. He has served as president of the village three terms, was appointed postmaster by President Arthur, and served nearly five years. He has been a member of the school board from 1891 to the present. He erected Lincoln block and also remodeled the postoffice block and other old buildings, thus adding much to the appearance of Main street. In 1866 he married Louise, daughter of E. J. Farnum. Their son, Edward Carlton Brown, is teller in the Citizen's National Bank and is also an oil producer. The son of the latter, James Farnum Brown, is but at the beginning of his career.
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WELLSVILLE.
E. C. Bradley was born Dec. 21, 1833, in Cussewago township, Crawford county, Pa. Educated at Meadville Academy he was a farmer in his native town until 1861 when he went to the Canada oil field and from that time has been exclusively an oil and gas operator. After 3 years in Canada, Oil City and vicinity 15 years, Bradford 6 years, he made his home in Wells- ville in 1885. He is president of the Empire Gas and Fuel Company. He married Marian L. Whiting of Crawford county. Their son, Harry, is connected with his father in business. E. C. Bradley and J. B. Bradley, his brother, of Bolivar, have operated in the Allegany oil fields for 14 years, have a large oil business in Ohio, own the Wellsville gas works, formed the Cuba Gas Company, and with W. J. Penny are owners of the Mutual Gas Company of Ando- ver. Here they have 9,000 acres in one body under lease and supply gas to Andover, Green- wood and Whitesville. Their lines run to about 80 farmhouses which they furnish with gas for lights and fuel as a condition to their lease of their land. They have a production of 75 barrels of oil daily from their Andover lines.
George E. Brown, born in Stamford, Conn., Nov. 13, 1844, came to Wellsville in 1866 and began work in the A. R. Hill tannery, which business he has since followed. In 1868 he was made superintendent of the works, in which capacity he continued until 1875, when he went to Gouldsboro, Pa., to take charge of Hoyt Bros. tannery. In 1881 he went to Hoytville for this firm in the same capacity, and in 1884 was transferred to Limestone. One year later he returned to Wellsville to assume the general management of the combined tanneries of A
Healy & Sons of New York, which position he has since filled efficiently and faithfully. Mr. Brown has held the office of excise commissioner. He married Jan. 27, 1870, Elizabeth Mad- dock of Wellsville. They have three children, E. Elizabeth, M. Maude and Charles H.
The Church Brothers, Luther S. and Frank S., are sons of William Wallace Church, who was born at Bainbridge, N. Y., Nov. 7, 1831 ; his father, Rufus Church, came to Orleans county when W. W. Church was a lad. In 1851 W. W. Church married Electa, daughter of Asa Sprague. They had 4 sons and a daughter. Mr. Church owned a canal boat and was on the canal for 6 years. He was in Holley for a few years where he was the proprietor of a livery stable, and then bought a farm in Bergen, N. Y. In 1872 he purchased the Church House in Livonia and was its landlord for 8 years ; after a year at the Nunda House and 18 months at Duke Centre, he went to Belfast and was owner and landlord of the Belfast House until his death, Aug. 4, 1893. Mrs. Church conducted the hotel until September, 1894, when she sold the property and removed to Rochester. Of their children, Harry and Helen reside in Roch- ester, Lewis G. in Medina, and Luther S. and Frank S. are proprietors of the Comm ercia House, Wellsville. Luther S. Church married Ada Warner in February, 1886. Their children are Walter S., Daisy A. and Georgia L.
Dickinson Clark, son of Calvin, was born in Clarksville, Otsego Co., July 19, 1832, attended common schools and Charlotteville Seminary. When 16 years old he went to learn the carpen- ter's trade and served 7 years. In 1858 he came to Wellsville where he has been engaged in contracting and building. His saw and planing mill was burned May 19, 1867, and June 20 he located in the building which he has since occupied. He has built over 30 houses and 2 churches in this town, and many other public and private houses in this vicinity, also the large public school building at Bradford, Pa. He married Mary E. Easton and has 4 children. Mr. Clark was supervisor of Wellsville in 1877, 1878 and 1879. He is a member of the " blue lodge " and chapter of the Masonic order, and was High Priest of the chapter 4 years. He served two years on the village corporation board, and one year as chief engineer of the fire department.
Hon. Asahel N. Cole, born in Freedom, Cattaraugus county, Oct. 21, 1821, was one of the noted journalists of this county. After a youth passed in contest with poverty he educated himself for a teacher, and won high reputation as one before he was of age. Radically anti- slavery in sentiment he for a time entered the ministry of the Free Methodist church, and mar- ried in 1843 Margaret M. Wildman, a lady of education and culture, who exercised a great in- fluence over him. Mr. Cole was too strongly radical in his views to keep in peace with his
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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.
brother ministers and soon relinquished preaching for lumbering. A natural politician he was the chief organizer of the noted Friendship convention called in 1852 to organize the Free Democratic party in Allegany. This convention was so ridiculed by its opponents that Mr. Cole in self-defense started the Genesee Valley Free Press at Belfast in 1853 to promulgate his opinions and answer misrepresentations. From this time until his death he was a man of mark among the journalists of the state. He was an intimate friend of Horace Greeley for 25 years. He called the first "Republican " convention ever held and presented its nominations in his paper as " Republican Nominations." The name was suggested to Mr. Cole by Mr. Greeley in a letter written in the summer of 1854. Mr. Cole later made his home in Wellsville, remov- ing the office of the Free Press thither. In 1867 he became a lawyer but never engaged in practice. He contributed articles to the Elmira Advertiser for years under the heading " Our Easy Chair." " A man of strong will, opinionated, hot-blooded, with not a little of temper," he was a vigorous writer and a dealer of hard blows to his opponents, but his heart was as tender as an infant's and a deep well of poetic sympathy was hidden amid the thick under- brush of harshness in his nature. In his residence at " Our Home on the Hillside" in Wells- ville, he developed a "New Agriculture," which under his manipulation produced wonderful results. Many inquiries are yet received by his children concerning this.
Bartholomew Coats was born in Butternuts, Otsego Co., in 1804. His father, Rev. Am- brose Coats, was a Baptist minister who came to Alfred in 1818 where he preached and had a shoeshop. Bartholomew and family came to Wellsville in 1826 being guided by marked trees on the forest path in their winter journey and bringing fire with them in a caldron kettle. He made the first clearing on the land where he settled, and there was then but one house in Wells- ville. He was for some time the popular captain of an independent rifle company. He died in August, 1890. By his first wife, a Miss Beebe, he had 2 children, William and Jane. By his second wife, Betsy, widow of Enos M. Shepard, he had 6 children. His son Bartholomew lives in Kansas, William in Wellsville, where his daughter Betsy E. also resides.
Ambrose G. Coats, son of Bartholemew, was born March 31, 1835, in Wellsville. He com- menced to handle lumber when but 15 years old and to keep tally for lumber shippers. From 1852-55 he was employed by J. Langdon & Co., was inspector of lumber from 1855-68, then went to Troy, N. Y., as an inspector. Coming from Troy in April, 1882, to Wellsville, he bought a sawmill and after manufacturing lumber for four years became a farmer. He has been pres- ident of the board of education since 1886. He married Ellen E. Russell of Olean in 1862.
Welcome H. Coats, born in Otsego county in 1811, came to Wellsville in 1836 and built a furniture factory, the first erected in Wellsville. He conducted the furniture business until 1872. He married Joanna Burrows. They had 5 children. They were members of the Bap- tist church. Mr. Coats held the office of justice of the peace for many years. Walter B. Coats, second son of Welcome H., was born in Wellsville in 1833. He was in business with his father from 1861 until 1866, when, with his brother Hiram, he established the firm of Coats Bros., and since the death of Hiram in 1884, he has continued in the furniture trade under the firm name of Coats Bro. Mr. Coats has been village trustee and a member of the school board He married Ida, daughter of Lorenzo Dow Davis. They have I son, Hiram. The family are members of the Baptist church, and in 1894 Mrs. Coats gave to the church a lot worth $1,200. on which a fine parsonage has been erected.
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