A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 48

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 48

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George J. Osborn, son of Sheldon, was born at Owego, N. Y., in 1828. He came to An- dover when a boy and subsequently kept the hotel at " Shoemaker's Corners." In '71 he pur- chased a farm in Wellsville where he resided until '88 when he moved to the village. He died in February, 1892. He married Marcia Hincher. They had 9 children. His widow resides with her oldest son, Edwin A., who was born in Andover, June 7, 1857. He married Belle Proctor in '80 and has one daughter, Maude. Mr. Osborn is the leading music dealer in this part of the county, engaged in the business in Wellsville in '85. He was supervisor here in '86-7. He is a member of the Wellsville Lodge F. & A. M .. No. 230, Wellsville Chapter, No. 143, De Molay Commandery of Hornellsville, and Ishmalia Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Buffalo.

Theron P. Otis was born in Bath, N. Y., Feb. 13, 1839. He was educated principally at Oberlin, and at the raid of Kirby Smith into Ohio, he and 200 students responded to the call of the governor for troops for the campaign and Mr. Otis contracted typhoid fever and for some years was unfitted for study or labor and abandoned the idea of a collegiate education. In 1867 he was a clerk in a store at Kanona, near Bath and in '68 when the firm of L. S. Anderson & Co., of Wellsville was formed, Mr. Otis came on salary to represent the interests of Mr. Cham- berlain of Bath, the silent partner of this firm. He continued in this relation until 1871 when he became a member of the new firm of Anderson, Otis & Co., which was succeeded in Sep- tember, 1883, by Otis & Day. The firm since 1891 is Otis, Day & Co. Mr. Otis has been a member of the school board, and was elected president of the Citizens National Bank on its organization ; he is a Republican in politics, a Congregationalist in religion and has been deacon for several years. He married Laura J. Day, of Sheffield, Ohio. They have one son, Norman D., a sophomore in Yale.

Joshua S. Pittenger, son of Daniel S. and Patience (Thomas) Pittenger, was born Nov. 25. 1823, in Ontario Co. When he wae 16 years old his father " bound him out" to a gunsmith. The first year he received $25, the second $50, the third $85, and the fourth year $100. When

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Joshua was 21 he went to Nunda, and commenced business on his own account, and continued there 8 years, when he moved to Angelica, was there one year, then went to Belfast. In 1853 he came to Wellsville and carried on gunsmithing until 1861, when, Aug. 25th, he enlisted as a private in Co. G. 64th Reg. N. Y. S. V. He enlisted his full company, 101 men, and was com- missioned captain. This was done without any expense to the town. Captain Pittenger was with the regiment until 1864 when on account of ill health he resigned his commission. Mr. Pit- tenger is a member of J. H. Mullen Post, No 356, G. A. R. Dept. of Pa. He was formerly a lieutenant in the state militia. In 1848 he married Sarah A. Chandler. His sons are Frank H. of Kansas City, and William E., cashier of a Hornellsville bank. Mrs. Pittenger died March 15, 1891. Mr. Pittenger married Jan. 20, 1896, Mrs. Alfreta Walsh.

William W. Plants, son of Edward H. and Lydia (Coller) Plants, was born May 17, 1845, in Genesee, Pa. In '64 he came to Willing. He married Ethelana, daughter of Truman Bur- ritt. In '64 he enlisted in Co. I. 189th Reg. N. Y. V., was discharged in '65 on account of disability, having contracted heart disease and rheumatism. He returned to Willing, resided there until '80, when he moved to the town of Wellsville and has resided in the village since 1892. He is a member of Wesley Rolfe Post, No. 332, of Stanard. He has two children, Marion and Aldine.

Horace E. Purdy was born in Canisteo in 1815, and had little school education. In 1831 he entered the Angelica Republican office, thus commencing his long and important newspaper career in our county. After ten years passed in various offices east and west, in December, 1841, he purchased the Angelica Reporter which he published in company with Charles Horton for three years. In '46 he established the Rushford Era, a Democratic paper, which, in '48, was removed to Angelica and published until '51 when it was removed to Oramel. Here Mr. Purdy was postmaster under Franklin Pierce and supervisor of Caneadea. In '57 he removed to Ohio, and, in '59, to Minneapolis where he founded the Plain Dealer. Three years later he came to Belmont, connected himself with the Southern Tier, and, in '62, revived the Era at Belmont. In '65 he took charge of the Port Huron (Mich.) Commercial, and in '67 joined the editorial staff of the Detroit Free Press. In'72 he became managing editor of the Albany Times, and in '73 founded the Free Press at Horseheads which he soon removed to Elmira, and was its manag- ing editor until his death, when it was merged with the Elmira Gazette. A plain man of the people, possessing rare integrity and great ability with much kindness of heart, his memory is cherished. Democratic always, " money never controlled an article he wrote, a word he uttered, or a vote he cast," and had he been a fixed star of journalism instead of a wandering planet honors of high value would have lightly settled down and rested gracefully upon him.

Arnon, son of David Rathbone, was born in Scipio, N. Y., in 1790. He was married at that place in 1815, to Martha Ballard. In '37 they removed and settled near Whitesville, where Mr. Rathbone engaged in farming. Of their eight children, but three survive. James D. Rathbone was born Feb. 16, 1830. He was educated at Whitesville Academy and Alfred University. In '55 he went to Mobile, La., and opened a general store. During the Civil War he was employed in the navy yard at that place. At the close of the war he returned north and came to Wells- ville and since that time has been engaged in the mercantile business. He was married in '67 to Isadore D. Baldwin. Their children are Edmund A., Rhoda N. (Mrs. H. J. Glenn) and Anah B. (Mrs. Paul B. Hanks), Mr. Rathbone is also an oil operator and owns 700 acres of land.

Jacob Rauber, son of Jacob, was born Nov. 20, 1840, in Prussia, and came in '52 to America. In '61 he enlisted in the regimental band of the 64th N. Y. Vols. and later was a member of the band of the Twenty-second Army Corps, and was discharged in June, 1865. He returned to Wells- ville and engaged in farming. In '68 he began work in the oil country, sharpening tools, etc., and in the spring of '79 became an oil producer. He has been three terms a highway commis- sioner and three years a member of the excise board. He married Catherine O'Connell of In- dependence. His family consists of three children, and all are members of the Church of the Im- maculate Conception.

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Nicholas Rauber was born in 1842 in Prussia. When he was 10 years of age, he came with his father, Jacob Rauber, to America, and in 1854 they came to Wellsville. Jacob died in September, 1891. When Nicholas was 15 he went to learn the cabinet-makers' trade. In '61 he enlisted in the regimental band of the 64th Regt. In '62 he was discharged, and in '64 he joined the First Brigade band, and remained until the close of the war. In '69 he married Mary Hartman, and has 8 children. Mr. Rauber continued to work at his trade for some years after the war. In '87 he opened a furniture store, and in '90 engaged in the undertaking business. He is a member of Dexter Post, G. A. R. The Rauber family are members of the Church of the Immaculate Conception.

Rev. Edward Alexander Rice, born in Winchester, N. H., July 17, 18to, entered the min- istry of the Methodist Episcopal church when only 19, and, while riding on his "circuits" studied incessantly, "graduating in the saddle among the Green Mountains." Coming to Western New York in '60 he preached in Brockport, Leroy, Perry and Albion, and, in 1866, came to Rushford. He has been in this county most of the time since then, preaching in Rush- ford, Andover, Belmont, Scio, Willing, Wellsville, etc. From 1870-4 he was presiding elder of Olean District. His home has been in Wellsville since '78. He has two children, both residing here, Edward P. and Clara L.

Fred D. Rice was born in Gaines, Pa., in 1856. His father Rufus moved to Wellsville in '61 and was landlord of the Genesee Hotel for seven years and since then a farmer. Fred D. was employed at the Erie railroad station 11 1/2 years, 412 of them as ticket agent. In '91 he opened a livery stable and now has two stables and keeps from 20 to 25 horses. He married Clara Kendall. Two children, Jennie and William.

Alexander L. Robertson was born in 1840 in Washington Co., and in '47 came to live with his uncle William McDougall, who, also a native of Washington Co., was a merchant at Oswayo, Pa., for many years, and was agent for the Bingham estate, engineer of public works and canals in that state and also the owner of 35,000 acres of land. He died in Willing in Feb- ruary, 1882. A. L.Robertson served in the Civil War in Co. B. 7th N. Y. Cav. For many years he has been an oil producer. He married Anna N. Beechlain of Madison, Wis. They have two children, Alexander B. and Elinor G.

Joseph B. Schreiner was born in Rochester in 1864, where he learned the trade of tailor and cutter. In '85 he located at Wellsville where he has carried on merchant tailoring. In '64 he married Maggie Carroll of Wellsville. They have had 5 children. The family are members of the Church of the Immaculate Conception.

Dr. Harvey M. Sheerar, born in Virgil, N. Y., Feb. 22, 1828, attended school in Cortland and Homer, and the famed academy at the latter place. In early life he was a successful teacher of district and select schools and his interest in education has ever continued. He was also a lecturer on quite a range of subjects, education, phonetics, temperance, etc. He possessed rare mechanical ability, studied dentistry in Cortland, and became a dextrous dentist. He located in Wellsville in '55, and has had an uninterrupted career of prosperity in his profession. Dr, Sheerar has done good service on the board of education of the village, has been for years a member of the Congregational church and active in church and Sunday school work, and in- troduced the systems of blackboard illustration and uniform lessons into the Sunday schools of the county. He is an original thinker, a delicate, accurate and discerning critic, and an acute and discriminating student of men. He has been for years the " village annalist," and has preserved many things of historical value from oblivion. He married Miss Sarah J. Purvis. Their children are : Edith (organist for the Congregationalist church for an extended period), Edward (deceased), E. Vinton (in partnership with his father, a graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery, and one of the leading dentists of the county).

William Steffy, son of William and Elizabeth Steffy, was born at Dansville, N. Y., July 4, 1846. His father died when William was but 18 months old and he was adopted by Ezria Woodruff and lived with him until the commencement of the war. In '61 he enlisted in Co.

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B, 13th N. Y. Vols., and served 2 years and was honorably discharged. He then enlisted in Co. D, 14th N. Y. H. A. and served during the war. He participated in first Bull Run, siege of Yorktown, Gaines Mills, Malvern Hill, Harrison's Landing, second Bull Run, Antietam, Brandy Station, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, siege of Petersburgh, Fredericksburg and many others of less importance. He had his left leg injured by a fall from the fort at Sandy Hook Harbor, and was wounded at Cold Harbor June 2, 1864, through palm of left hand. He made his home in Wellsville in '67, married Frances Tanner and has been engaged in trucking. He has carried the mail to and from the railroad station since '72, is a member of Dexter Post G. A. R., 336, and also of the K. of H. and has filled offices of trust in the village to which he belongs. He had two children, Kate, now residing in Hornellsville, and Frank, who died July 18, '72. Frank Tanner, son of Matthew, born in Ireland, married Bridget Coleman, daughter of Michael, and died about '54. Mrs. Tanner came to Willing, where her husband's brother, Patrick, was a large farmer, in '57, bringing her three small children, Frances (Mrs. Wm. Steffy), Mary J. (Mrs. Wm. Signor) and Frank. The last two reside in Hornellsville. Mrs. Tanner died April 28, '91.

William Swain came from Lincolnshire, England, to Pittsford, N. Y. in '38, and in '40 removed to Wellsville. In '49 he made his residence in Andover where he died. He mar- ried Marv Parr. They had 6 children. Their son, Edward S. Swain, was born in '39. He married Sophronia F., daughter of Stephen A. Davis of Andover. Mr. Swain is a contractor and builder of Wellsville and employs from 8 to 10 workmen.

Frank A. Taylor, son of Henry G. and Jane (VanBuren) Taylor, was born Jan. 6, '61. He acquired his school education at the Wellsville High School. Since '78 he has been in the employ of the Wellsville tannery, and since '88 has been foreman of the tannery. He married Frankie, daughter of George Pooler.

James Thornton was born in Dublin, Ireland, Feb. 15, 1840. His family were Episcopal- ians who many generations before had removed from England. Henry Thornton, the father, came to this country Sept. 14, '46. March 14, '48 the mother and children followed. From Kingston, Canada, successive removals were made to Attica and Angelica, N. Y. Here Mr. Thornton passed his boyhood, learning the harness trade. His educational advantages were very meager. He served 3 years in Co. G. Ist N. Y. Dragoons, volunteering as a private in '62 and serving at length as an orderly sergeant. In '66 he started a harness shop in Wellsville which in 10 years he pushed into a factory employing 10 men. He made more than a score of improvements in saddlery hardware and patented Thornton's patent trace buckle, and improved whip socket, hundreds of thousands of which are in daily use. In '91 he retired from the har- ness business, giving his attention to the duties of postmaster from September, '90, to October, 95. He is now engaged in the production of oil. He married Miss Lydia Dobbins in September, '67, and has three children, Lewis Henry, Miriam Eager and Gertrude Eloise, all of Wellsville.

Charles Smith, son of Ephraim A. and grandson of Stephen, was born Oct. 1, 1834, at Angelica. He married Sarah T. Thompson and has two children, Ella M. and Lulu C. He was express messenger on the Erie railway from Hornellsville to Akron for about three years. Ephraim A. Smith came to Angelica when a boy, and later owned several stage lines and be- came well-known and popular throughout this section. He was also one of the early merchants of Wellsville, and owned a sawmill and was prominent in other lines of business. He married Janet D'Autremont, daughter of the celedrated French emigrant so long a hotel keeper in An- gelica, and died Jan. 31, '77, surviving his wife about one month. They had five children attaining maturity.

Hiram J. Torrey was born in Mt. Morris, July 26, '33. He was educated at Kenosha, Wis., and was graduated there in '52. In '52 he commenced to learn the jewelers' trade with John Elkins at Kenosha, and remained with him 2 years. He then married Sarah, daughter of Sel- den Carpenter, at Mt. Morris, N. Y., and was in business in Marengo, Ill., for 3 years from '54. He and his wife came east to visit her parents and she was taken ill necessitating the closing

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of his business. She died in '57, leaving one son Frank, now in business at Osceola, Pa. Mr. Torrey was in business in Mt. Morris until '59. In November, '59, he married Malvina E., daughter of Porter Hanks of Centerville, went west immediately and was in the jewelry busi- ness at Dubuque, Iowa, until '62, when he transferred his residence and business to Wellsville, and, in '85, was succeeded in trade by his son Porter H. who still remains in business. Since '85 Mr. Torrey has been engaged as an oil producer. He was elected trustee of the village for 4 years, elected police justice in '91 and re-elected in '94, also elected justice of the peace in '92 for 4 years. He had 4 children by his second wife, Fred H. (dec.), Kirk S. (dec.), Sarah C., wife of W. F. Melhuish, of Allegheny, Pa., Porter H. who married Mary, daughter of Capt. Wheeler Hakes.

Dan Tremaine was born in 1803 in Trumansburg. He came to Belfast in '34. He was a millwright by trade. He married Catharine Byrnes and had 6 children. Russell Tremaine, son of Dan, was born at Belfast. In '61 he enlisted in 4th Battery Indiana Vols., was wounded at Perryville, Ky., Pittsburg Landing and Fort Donelson, and was discharged in '63 for disabilities. He is a member of Dexter Post No. 336. He married Sylvia Burrell. They have one child, Elizabeth M. Mr. Tremaine has been an oil-producer since '82, and has 12 wells in Alma. He has been trustee of the village of Wellsville 4 years.

James K. Voorhees was born in Avoca, N. Y., Nov. 8, 1840. When 16 years old he began to learn the painter's trade and carried on that business in Avoca until '62 when he enlisted in Co. G. 107 N. Y. Inf., and was in the battles of South Mountain, Antietam, Chancellorsville, etc. He was wounded at Chancellorsville, was taken prisoner and during the 14 days he was in cap- tivity his leg was amputated. He was honorably discharged in Oct. '63, returned to Avoca and followed his trade there until '70 and later in Wellsville.

Charles F. Weinhauer was born in North Germany in '54. He learned the trade of a tailor and in '73 came to America and settled in Wisconsin. In '74 he came to Wellsville and was employed by Charles Simmons for about 1 year, when he engaged in business for himself as a dealer in gent's furnishing goods, etc., and has carried on merchant tailoring since then in connection with his store. He married Louise Schwartzcop in '76, and has 3 children, Eda, Carl and Fannie. The family are members of the German Lutheran Church.

Michael Wetherby, father of John Wetherby, was born in Germany in 1741 and removed to Massachusetts in 1784. John Wetherby, born in Haverhill in Massachusetts, Aug. 23. 1796, came to Wirt from Vermont in 1826 and passed his life in farming. He was a soldier in the war of 1812 and died Apr. 9, 1865. His wife, Lucinda, daughter of Stephen Maybee, is still living in West Clarksville. Their children were Orin, Nicholas, Serina, Henrietta, Clarinda, Elizabeth (dec.), Phebe (dec.), Stephen, Josephine, William, James and John A. Mr. Weth- erby was prominent in town affairs. serving some time as supervisor, and made the second arrest in Allegany county. John A. Wetherby, born in Wirt, Nov. 22, 1857, taught school 18 terms and in '83 came to Wellsville, where he has since been engaged in mercantile business under various firm names, his own always being at the head. He married Dec. 31, '83, Nettie L. Jordan, of West Clarksville.

Clark Wilcox, son of Simeon, was born in Willing in 1831. In '59 he was united in mar- riage with Sarah V. Sparks, and they settled in Horton, Pa., where Mr. Wilcox engaged in mer- chandising and lumbering. He held the office of justice of the peace. His death occurred Dec. 17, '74. In '80 his widow located in Wellsville where she has since resided. Of her 4 children only one survives. George B. Wilcox, son of Clark and Sarah V. (Sparks) Wilcox, was born Nov. 2, '70, he was graduated from the public school in '88, then entered Cornell University and was a member of the class of '92. He is clerk in the First National Bank of Wellsville, and treas- urer of the Empire Novelty Co.

Dr. J. G. Wilson was born in Lodi, Seneca Co., in 1850, studied dentistry with Sellew & Spencer, and commenced practice in '72 at Wellsboro, Pa. In'73 he located at Wellsville, where he continues to practice dentistry in all of its branches. He is the discoverer and inventor of

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Dr. J. W. Wilson's local anaesthetic for the painless extraction of teeth, which is in large de- mand among his professional brethren throughout the Union, and is a member of the manufac- turing firm entitled Central Chemical Co. Dr. Wilson married in '77 Jettie Grover, daughter of B. H. Grover. Four children.

John H. Wolverton, son of Charles J., was born in Tyrone, N. Y., Dec. 13, '44. When 15 years old he began to learn the carpenters' trade, and when 18 went to Coopers Plains to learn the millers' trade. On becoming of age he took charge of the Forest Mills at Dansville, and has been in the milling business since. He came to Wellsville in '87, and has been from that time connected with the Genesee Mills. He has been overseer of the poor and village trustee, and was commissioned postmaster of Wellsville in '94 by Grover Cleveland. Mr. Wolverton married, in '75, Ida C. Palmer. They have one child, Nellie. Her great-grandfather, John Wolverton, came from England to New Jersey about '25, and later made a permanent home in Tyrone, where he cleared a fine farm.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

EDWARD JUDSON FARNUM.

Edward Judson Farnum, son of Caleb Farnum, was born at Uxbridge, Mass., March 16, 1809. Of New England birth and parentage, his heritage was integrity, an indomitable will and perseverance which scarcely recog- nized the possibility of failure. His educational advantages were good, and appreciated because earned by himself. In childhood he was employed in a cotton factory at Slatersville, of which his father was superintendent; re- moving thence to Jewett City, Conn., where his father superintended a fac- tory for the Slaters, he obtained a clerkship in a store. In 1827 he obtained a similar position in Rochester, N. Y. Here he made the acquaintance of Lucy L. Goff and their marriage followed in February, 1829. From Roch- ester he went to Bath, Steuben Co., his father having in the meantime pur- chased a farm in that vicinity. He had early determined to become a civil engineer and employed all the time which was his own to the furtherance of that object. In Steuben county he was a clerk or a teacher winters, and sum- mers he devoted himself to the practice of his profession, in which he soon at. tained to prominence, having been employed upon various railroads of this coun- try and Canada. In 1837 and a part of 1838 he was resident engineer in Indiana on what was then called the Buffalo & Mississippi R. R. In the fall of 1838 he was appointed resident engineer of the Erie R. R. for Steuben county. Later he filled the same position on the Susquehanna division. In the mean time he had purchased a farm in Bath near the present Soldiers' Home, Mrs. Farnum assuming the management during his surveying expeditions. While engaged in preliminary work upon the Erie R. R. he became convinced of the great value of the dense pine forests in Allegany county, and made purchase of large tracts there. He eventually became one of the largest

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land owners of that section, owning at one time upwards of three thousand acres in the town of Wellsville, and more in adjacent townships. He, with his family, removed to Wellsville in 1847, engaging extensively in lumbering. He was the poor man's friend, affording him the best possible aid, by put- ting him in the way to help himself. Many are they who owe the comfortable homes which they possess to the encouragement which he gave them when they were striving to win them. He was a great lover of nature and caused two thousand shade trees to be planted along the highways of the town; both sides of West Main street from the river bridge to a point above Duke's mill were lined with these trees, as were also a considerable portion of State street and the southern extremity of Main street. He was a member of the Con- stitutional Convention of 1867-8, having won the gratitude of the women of his country by identifying himself with the small minority who voted in favor of Woman's Suffrage. Mr. Farnum was president of the First Na- tional Bank of Wellsville from 1886 to 1891, after which he was vice presi- dent and director until his death, which occurred July 11, 1894, when he had attained to the age of four score and five years.

Mrs. Lucy L. Farnum died Oct. 12, 1876. Of their seven children two died in infancy, their daughter Frances died in 1857, the four remaining reside in Wellsville; Antoinette, who married Edwin B. Hall, a druggist. (They have one daughter, Fannie Louise, who married J. Milton Carpenter.) William Carlton, a bachelor, is engaged in lumbering, milling and farming. Louise married Alfred S. Brown (they have one son, Edward Carlton, who married Mary Elizabeth Browning, and has one son, James Farnum Brown) and Sylvania Allen Farnum. Mr. Farnum married in 1881, Miss Loretta Wildman, who is still a resident of Wellsville. Of Mr. Farnum's five sisters and five brothers, but one, his brother Carlton Lee Farnum, remains.

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A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 48

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