A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 50

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 50

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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

Derbyshire, belonging to William Duke the American emigrant, some par- cels of which were advertised for sale in the Derby Mercury and Reporter. William Duke, the emigrant, was born in Derbyshire, Eng., in August, 1796, and died in Scio, N. Y., Dec. 7, 1847. His brothers and sisters were John, Mary (Mrs. Joseph Parker) and Ann (Mrs. Charles Brentnal), all of Derby. He married Elizabeth Cockayne, born March 1, 1808, died Oct. 17, 1888. Their children, all born in America, were William, born April 26, 1830; John, April 14, 1832; Thomas (dec.), March 4, 1834; Joseph (dec.), April 23, 1836; Ann P. (Mrs. Alonzo Crowner), Jan. 31, 1838; Charles, born Jan. 11, 1840; Mary E (Mrs. A. J. Applebee). Feb. 28, 1842; Violet (Mrs. Henry Fitzsimmons), Sept. 23, 1844; Emmer D. (Mrs. Lucius Norton) June 8, 1847. Mr. Duke conducted in England the making of handmade lace, a business presumably handed down from his father, but the introduction of lace-making machines caused the ruin of the hand industry about 1820. Mr. Duke not long after came to America, again returned to England, and between 1825 and 1830 made his home in Bing- hamton. The report of the fine lumbering facilities of Southern Allegany brought him to Scio in 1838. where the pine timber was plenty and luxuriant. He located on Knight's Creek where he owned and operated a saw-mill. At his death his oldest son, William, became the head, not only of this American family but also the head of the line, and to-day he is the oldest male member of both the English and American families. He inherited the help- ful English characteristics of persistent industry, untiring energy and frank honesty and at once assumed the care of the family and the management of the business. As his brothers grew older they displayed the same traits of character and all worked in harmony to advance their mutual interests, al- ways however considering their elder brother as their counselor and guide. During all the many and large business operations which they successfully transacted together in a long period of years there was never a jarring word or unpleasant thought connected with their intercourse. William's strict integrity, business capacity, and straightforward way of doing things inspired confidence in the minds of business men of means and they were ready to aid both him and his brothers. That confidence was never betrayed, and it has been truly said that " A Duke remembers the other man's side of the contract as well as his own." For more than half a century William Duke has been connected with the lumber manufacture of southern Allegany and for many years the Dukes were the leading operators. During this period William Duke has been constantly identified with the material interests of the county and a leading factor in the development of not only this section but of portions of Pennsylvania. Under his observation many towns have been wholly built up and his name is intimately connected with many of them. When he first knew this section much of it was a dense forest of pine, oak and hemlock. That its almost impenetrable shades have given way to sun- light has been in no small measure due to the unflagging industry and the indomitable perseverance of William Duke, his brothers and their associates. Commencing in 1848 with the small watermill on Knight's Creek, their busi-

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ness rapidly expanded until their operations required many mills and em - ployed many workmen. It is well to note in passing that Mr. Duke shipped the first carload of lumber sent to New York on the Erie railroad from Alle- gany county. Mr. Duke married, Jan. 1, 1855, Samantha E., daughter of George and Maria (Smith) Blackman .* They lived in Scio until 1882, when they made a permanent residence in Wellsville. Mr. Duke possesses posi- tive character, independent thought and close reasoning powers, does not follow the lead of any one, but is original and must satisfy himself that his course is right. He is strong and loyal in his friendships and occupies a high place in public esteem. Thoroughly honest himself, he opposes everything like hypocrisy, prevarication and deceit. He has been a diligent and persis- tent worker in his chosen sphere, and has met with a good reward, finan- cially and otherwise. Mr. and Mrs. William Duke have six children. 1st, Emmer E. (Mrs. H. M. Browning) of Wellsville. Her children are William W., Bessie S., Horace, Amy and Fanny. 2d, William, of Wellsville, an ex- tensive operator in the Ohio oil field. He married Carrie S. Black, and has children William, Ella M., C. Martin and Victoria. 3d, Ella M. (Mrs. H. A. Higbie) of Wellsville. Her children are Onnolee, Anita and Greta. 4th, Grant, an extensive oil operator, the energetic and popular centennial presi- dent of Wellsville village, married Anna B. Taylor. His children are Helen, Joseph and James. 5th, Oak, also of Wellsville, an operator in oil, lumber, etc., married Florence Elwell. 6th, Rebea S. (Mrs. W. T. Gridley) resides in Syracuse.

SAMUEL A. EARLEY.

Samuel A. Earley, son of William and Lorana (Sortore) Earley, was born in Scio, May 9, 1829. He attended district school in the log school house about two months each summer after attaining suitable age until he was 12 years old when he commenced to work by the month during the summer, receiving at first $4 a month for wages. He then for two months each winter attended school, and made such use of his opportunities that his teachers encouraged him to become a teacher, which he did, teaching his first term at Centerville, Pa., in 1847, when 18 years of age. He gave such satisfaction that he taught there for three years. In 1852, when he was 23 years old, he married Miss Melissa Applebee, a sister of A. J. and T. J. Applebee. She was educated at Alfred and was known as one of the most successful lady teachers of this section. They then together followed teaching until Mrs. Earley had concluded her 70th term and Mr. Earley his 72d. They taught in most of the Scio districts, in Scio village Union School, 13 years in the "Brooklyn " school at Wellsville, where they had 150 scholars, and for 10 years from 1871 conducted teacher's classes there that furnished each sum-

* Mrs. Duke descends from the Connecticut family of Blackman whose first American ancestor was Rev. Adam Blakeman, born in Staffordshire, England, in 1599, and matriculated at Christ's College, Oxford, May 28, 1617. He was a preacher for some years in Leicestershire and Derbyshire, and in 1638 came to New Eng- land, in 1639-40 was one of the original settlers of Stratford, Conn., and the first and beloved minister of the church until his death, Sept. 7, 1665. The name was early changed to Blackman.

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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

mer and winter from 10 to 20 teachers for the district schools. They also taught 3 years in Allentown. In 1885 Mrs. Earley met with an accident which made her permanently lame and she retired from the rank of teach- ers. During all their years of teaching Mrs. Earley never whipped a pupil nor did Mr. Earley find but two occasions where use of the rod seemed necessary. To supplement the slight school privileges of his early years and to properly fit himself to do his work as he desired to do it, for 15 years Mr. Earley devoted at least one hour each day to study, thus mastering sur- veying, algebra, and other necessary branches of education. He early acquired a good knowledge of the principles of law and the forms of legal documents, and has from that time drafted many legal papers and has done much probate business. He was too much devoted to teaching however to forsake it for law and has made it his life work. His first home was on Middaugh Hill, where he was born; in 1866 he moved to Scio village and in 1871 made a permanent home in Wellsville. Mr. Earley has been given many offices and positions of honor and trust. He was president of the Teachers' Association of his district for 7 or 8 years, was chairman of the County Teachers' Institute in 1874, 1875 and 1876, has been a member of the Wellsville Board of Education for five years and its president for four years. He held all of the important offices of the old town of Scio and has held many in Wellsville. Although belonging to the minority party, the Democratic, (and an uncompromising supporter of its doctrines) his peculiar fitness for various positions has been often acknowledged by the voters. He was elected in March, 1895, justice of the peace for the sixth consecutive term of four years each, and was earlier session justice for four terms, in which office he sat with Judge Daniels as a members of the court before which was tried the two notable cases of The People vs. John McCarthy for the murder of Patrick Markey at Richburg, and that of The People vs. Whipple, for murder in shooting a man in a bowling alley in Richburg. In 1867 he was elected one of the then three county superintendents of the poor, but owing to peculiar complications did not take office. In 1865 he was candidate for member of assembly and defeated by 1,052 votes, the normal Republican majority in the district being 2,000. He has been referee in many important cases, and was one of a special commission appointed by the supreme court in 1882 to appraise the damages caused by the occupation of the lands along its route by the railroad running from Angelica to Swains, the other members being Hon. E. D. Loveridge of Cuba and Fay Miller of Canaseraga. He has been a Mason for over twenty years and is now a Royal Arch Mason. These are some of the exhibits of an active and useful life, but the results of his kindly thought and careful teachings are found in the lives of many citizens made wiser and better by his salutary and kind instructions in the days of their youth. The advancing years of life have brought no acidity to his genial temperament, for he has kept in touch with the spirit of youth, and among the many who prize his sterling friendship there are none who give him a more hearty greeting than the groups of children who always meet him with a

Af applebee

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smile. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Early are Charles F., who has been the popular agent of the Wells-Fargo Express Co. in Wellsville for the last 17 years, and Nettie E. (Mrs. E. D. Clark) of Wellsville.

ANDREW J. APPLEBEE.

Levi Applebee was a pioneer settler of Onondago county, making his home in the wilds of the town of Spafford probably before the township re- ceived its name, and as early as 1790. He and his three sons, Stephen. Philip and Thomas were all soldiers in the War of 1812. Thomas Applebee was born in Spafford, Feb. 22, 1795. He had but three months attendance at school and that of the pioneer order, but by his indomitable industry secured a good business education. He early showed business energy and in the winter of 1814-15 was engaged in drawing salt from Syracuse to Olean where it was to be shipped down the Allegany, Ohio and Mississippi on flat boats to New Orleans as soon as the river was free from ice in the spring, to supply the army of General Jackson, then occupying that place. This enterprise came to naught through the close of the war and the splendid victory of the American troops over Gen. Packenham. This occurred Jan. 15, 1815, a day when Mr. Applebee was at Olean with a load of salt. He did not hear of the battle however until his return to Syracuse. These trips to Olean gave him knowledge of the possibilities of Allegany county, and after two years residence in Spafford, subsequent to his marriage in 1820 to Miss Melissa Foster, in company with his father and mother he came to the wildwoods section of Wirt he had selected as his future home, making the entire journey with a yoke of oxen and wagon. When they arrived at Daniel Willard's place, a mile above Nile, Thomas and his father cut out the road to his location in the east part of Wirt for four miles through the primitive forest. Here his industry developed a splendid farm on which he lived nearly sixty years to enjoy the fruits of his labors and the society of his reverential family and neighbors. He died in 1881, aged 87, leaving three sons, Thomas J., Andrew J., James M. and two daughters, Lydia Ann (Mrs. B. F. Perkins) and Melissa (Mrs. S. A. Earley). Of these now (1896) survive Thomas J., Andrew J. and Mrs. Earley. It has been said that Thom- as Applebee, although in moderate circumstances, never caused a creditor to come after his money. If he could not pay at maturity of the claim he went to the creditors and made all satisfactory before hand. His attach- ment to his family and friends was only measured by his strong character. The unfortunate always found him ready and willing to the extent of his means to do all in his power to alleviate their sufferings. He was conservative in forecasting events, and cool and deliberative in giving advice. His wife had wise judgment and practical common sense, and their children sought and followed the advice of both parents until the last. The characteristics of the father were largely inherited by Andrew J, and in fact by all of the children. Andrew J. Applebee, an ex-president of Wellsville village, son of Thomas and Melissa (Foster) Applebee, was born in Wirt, Dec. 21, 1835, and

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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

went to school in summer until he was eight and in winter until he was 17, attended the fall terms of Richburg Academy in 1853 and 1854 and com- menced teaching in December, 1853, before he was 18. He went to Wiscon- sin and Illinois in fall of 1856, taught school the next winter and the succeed- ing one in Barrington, Ill., in the spring of 1858 went to Kansas, where he passed the summer near Emporia, and located 160 acres of government land with a soldier's land warrant given to his father for his services in 1812. Returning to New York in November, 1858, he commenced farming the next spring, and June 9, 1862, was married to Mary E., daughter of William and Elizabeth (Cockayne) Duke of Scio. In April, 1867, he opened a general store in Scio and from that time to the close of 1895 was continuously and extensively engaged in merchandising, in April, 1876. establishing a grocery store in Bradford and others soon thereafter in Tarport and other places in Pennsylvania under firm name of Applebee & Rogers, Applebee & Fisher, etc. These were largely remunerative for many years. In 1877 he first became interested in oil production and from that time has been an ex- tensive operator and producer. He removed from Scio to Bradford in May, 1881, and in August, 1883, to Wellsville, where he built an elegant resi- dence which he first occupied July 1, 1884. In 1883 in company with his brother, Thomas J., he opened a store in Wellsville and was in trade here until 1895. Beside his oil operations in this county and Pennsylvaina he is a large owner of Southern and Western oil and timber lands and is en- gaged in extensive coal operations in Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Applebee have four surviving children, Minnie (Mrs. W. O Taylor), Jennie, Fitch P. and William D. Thomas J. Applebee, elder brother of Andrew J. Applebee, was born in Wirt Aug. 1, 1832. married in 1855 Amanda Kenyon and now resides in Wellsville. He has been for years connected in business with A. J. Applebee and is now identified with him in oil producing and other large business undertakings. He has four children, Kenyon (of Clarksville), M. Lina (Mrs. R. G. Wells), Libbie (Mrs. Charles V. Kerr of Fayetteville, Ark.) and Melissa (Mrs. F. E. Davis). Andrew J. Applebee and his brother and sisters have always lived in harmony, never an unkind thought entered the mind of any of them. His sympathy, time and money was theirs if needed. In fact his heart responded to suffering everywhere. One instance is in point. In Wellsville, April, 1891, in the early morning, the house of widow Calkins burned, containing herself and five children, one of whom was cre mated. She and the other four were burned nigh unto death. The second child died the following night. The scene was heartrending. Hundreds of people were present, and no one knew what to do. No place could be found where they could be cared for. A. J. Applebee was present. Speaking to his hired man he said: "Go to my house, tell Mary (his wife) to get some quilts and come up with you. Hitch the horses to the platform wagon, take the seats out and bring her here as quickly as you can." In a short time the team came with Mrs. Applebee. The sufferers were placed in the wagon and taken to his fine residence where they were cared for until able to be

D. l. Ackermann

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moved which was many weeks. His noble wife cared for these people as tenderly as possible. As the team drove away with its load of sufferers, Dr. H. H. Nye remarked: "Where is another such man? If A. J. Applebee does not go to heaven, there is no use of having a heaven." The extensive business relations between him and his brother T. J. have ever been of that confidential nature that knows no distrust. The word of either is fully con- fided in by the other. A. J. Applebee is a born leader, his force and solidity of character would overcome all obstacles, and furnishes the key to his success.

DEWITT CLINTON ACKERMAN.

Dewitt Clinton Ackerman, son of Elisha and Betsey (Brundage) Acker- man, was born July 23, 1825, in the town of Pitcher, Chenango Co., N. Y. The Ackerman family is of German origin, which, however, has been four generations domiciled on American soil. About 1833 Elisha Ackerman moved his family to Owego where he purchased a tract of the primitive pine forest then standing on the site of the village. He engaged in lumbering, cleared off the timber from his land and developed a fine farm which he sold about 1847 and changed his residence to Allegany county, where he located on the farm on which Mapes Station on the Buffalo and Susquehanna rail- road has been established. He remained here only three years, moving in 1850 to Iowa where he died. Of his nine children attaining maturity four became residents of this county. These were Eleanor (Mrs. Benjamin Gleason), Betsey J. (Mrs. Reuben Burrow), Oliver and Dewitt C. The latter did not accompany his parents to Wellsville as he had entered the employ of a large hardware establishment at Union in Tioga county, which did an extensive business in selling stoves by traveling salesmen over a large extent of country. In the service of this company Mr. Ackerman came to Wellsville for the first time in 1850, and was conveyed hither on the first regular passenger train that ran from Hornellsville to Cuba. In 1855 he engaged in business in Wellsville as a manufacturer of " shook," employing several men, and from that time has been a resident of the county. He mar- ried on March 1, 1858, one of Wellsville's fair young ladies, Thankful A., daughter of Zelotus and Lorinda (York) Bronson, whose father was an early settler. Their home, a small frame house, occupied the present site of the First National Bank, and was built by Mr. Bronson over 53 years ago. It

is still standing on Madison street and is the third building of the four count- ing from the bank to the railroad. Mr. Ackerman made his home in Willing for some years on the farm now owned by Byron Ackerman, which he pur- chased and sold after clearing 40 acres of the forest covering it. He then passed several years at Oil Creek, Pa., and Jamestown, N. Y., engaged in operations connected with the shipping and the selling of petroleum. In 1863 he removed his residence from Wellsville to Richburg in the town of Bolivar and engaged in farming. He possessed the necessary qualities for success in whatever field of business he engaged in and was therefore a

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successful farmer. In 1872 he purchased the farm of 330 acres in Bolivar adjoining the town line of Wirt on which stands the Baptist church of Richburg and was living the active life of a representative farmer when the oil excitement of 1881 made him a wealthy man by the developement of the fact that his farm was rich oil-producing territory. He sold his land at a satisfactory price, engaged somewhat in oil operations, was elected justice of the peace, not knowing of his nomination until after his election, opened an office in the Keating block and filled the office with great credit until his removal to Wellsville in 1882 caused him to resign the office. "Mr. Ackerman entered heart and soul into the organization of a hose com- pany for Richburg. He not only purchased the cart, but donated the lot for the Fireman's Hall, and at the organization of the company by an unanimous vote it was named the D. C. Ackerman Hose Company, and at the formal ded- ication of the hose house Mr. Ackerman was presented with a $100 gold badge, the gift of the members of the company as a token of the esteem in which they held their benefactor." He made further donations to the com- pany, all unsolicited, until he had given it $800. This company did honor to his name as it acquired high reputation as a "running team " and was a " crack " organization of Richburg in its palmy days. From 1882 Mr. Ack- erman's home has been in Wellsville and he has ever been a foremost citi. zen. From a most unpromising site of rocks and springholes he has created an almost ideal home that is an ornament to the village. He was elected president of the village in 1883, 1884, 1888 and 1889. During 1884 the enlarge- ment of the village corporation was brought about mainly through his sagacious and persistent efforts. He was the first to perceive the possibili- ties of and the first to move in securing for Wellsville her beautiful " Island Park," and himself revised the plans and improvements. This project meeting strong opposition it was made an issue at the village election in 1888 and Mr. Ackerman was again elected village president by a flattering vote, and carried the creation of the park to completion. He was also one of the foremost in giving Wellsville its waterworks system. He was one of the promoters and has been from its incorporation in 1887 the president of the Wellsville Fair Association. In these and in many other ways Mr. Ackerman has proven himself a valuable citizen. He is a thorough man of the people and has always made the public interest his own. Democrat in political sentiment he numbers among his strongest friends members of the opposite political faith, who esteem him for his rectitude of character, his cool and calm adminis- tration of public affairs and his admirable persistency in the advocacy of a good cause. He takes great interest in a good horse, and on his farm a short distance from Wellsville can be seen some fine specimens of blooded stock. Mrs. Ackerman died Sept. 21, 1893, and his household is pleasantly presided over by his wife's sister, Miss Alice Bronson, who has made her home with the family for years.

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ANGELICA.

BY JOHN S. MINARD.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

A S THE OLDEST, and for a time the only town in the county, for a half century and more the sole county seat, and about whose early history cluster so many interesting associations and pleasant memories, Angelica is entitled to a prominent place in this history. The town was formed by an act of the Legislature, passed Feb. 25, 1805, and described as " being in width twelve miles," just that of the Morris Reserve, and in length "from south to north extending thirty-four miles from the Pennsylvania line," tak- ing in about two-thirds of the towns of Granger and Grove. It was taken from Leicester, and when erected was a part of Genesee county. (The vil- lage had been founded three or four years before, and named by Capt. Philip Church for his mother, Angelica, the eldest daughter of Gen. Philip Schuyler.)

While a part of Genesee Angelica was represented upon the board of supervisors by Benjamin Riggs and Luke Goodspeed. To get from Angelica to Batavia to attend a meeting was an arduous undertaking, requiring a journey of about two and one-half days, with the chances in favor of a rest at night on the ground, the only roads being the primitive paths of the pioneers and the trails of the red men. In 1803 the board had "Resolved unanimously that twenty miles be considered a day's journey, to be com- puted going and returning, and that each supervisor be entitled to $2 for 20 miles." From the erection of Allegany, April 7. 1806, Angelica was the only town in the county until March. 1808. Then by act of the legislature the three western ranges of townships were set back to Genesee, and a range of townships on the east taken from Steuben and added, thus making Angel- ica village, which had by the act of 1806 been designated as the county seat, exactly in the center east and west, and almost exactly in the geographical center of the county. By this act (1808) the several towns of Alfred, Ossian, Nunda and Caneadea were created, the two latter towns said to have been taken from Angelica; but how Caneadea and the north and west parts of Nunda ever came to be a part of Angelica the writer has never been able to learn. At this time (1808) Angelica took the form and size shown in the map at the close of the first decade.

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A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 50

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