A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 61

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 61

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*Contributed.

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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

Chamberlain, of Belfast, had purchased a large tract of timber land. He lived there during the succeeding eight years, engaged in manufacturing the timber into lumber, and getting the product to the Pittsburgh and Cin- cinnati markets, by "rafting " it on the Allegany and Ohio rivers. It was during his residence at Bradford that the Civil War was begun and closed. Ever ready to proclaim his convictions, he did not hesitate to declare his belief that the Southern states were fighting for constitutional rights, and, in consequence, his mills became known far and near as the "Secession mills." He declared that he would resist being forced into the Union army, and, as he was drafted just before the close of the war, the cessation of hos- tilities left the closing chapter of his connection with those troublesome times open to conjecture. While living at Bradford he associated others with himself in drilling a test well for oil in that vicinity. Considerable oil was found, but, because of their unfamiliarity with the work of operating oil wells, the well was abandoned. The fact that eleven years afterward the famous Bradford oil-field was developed, attests the reliability of his belief that oil existed there in large quantity. In 1868 he became interested in farming land in the vicinity of Belmont, in this county, and moved there, where he engaged in farming, and, later, in the drug-and-grocery business. He retained a large part of the land near Bradford which he had cleared of timber, and, as later prospecting for oil by others in this vicinity had met with success, he removed thither and commenced operations to develop his holdings. He was very successful, every acre of the land he owned there proved to be valuable oil territory. He pursued his operations into the Allegany oil field, and, later, in 1886. he invested largely in oil territory in Washington county, Pa., and met with success. He continued in the oil business up to the time of his death, and, at one time, enjoyed the distinction of being the largest individual oil-producer in the world; his production amounting to over 5,000 barrels per day. In 1880 he removed to Belmont and made large investments in real estate in its vicinity, and at the time of his death he was the largest land owner in Allegany county. He died at the family residence in Belmont, May 20, 1892, in the 67th year of his age. His character can best be summed up in the words of a local paper which at the time of his death said: "He was an active, energetic man, exhibiting in a marked degree those traits of character that gave him influence and power over his fellowmen. He was impetuous and impulsive, quick to approve of what he thought was right and swift to condemn forcibly what he thought was wrong." Two children were born of his marriage: Elmore Abram and Henrietta, now the wife of Dr. William K. Paul of Belmont.

LEONARD FROST WILLETS.

Leonard Frost Willets, oldest son of Abram and Henrietta (Frost) Willets, was born at Westbury, L. I., Oct. 24, 1823, and died at Belmont, N. Y., Jan. 29, 1890. Coming from Long Island to Cayuga county when only six months old, he attained manhood under circumstances that made him familiar with

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pioneer life and fitted him to successfully cope with the peculiar conditions existing in a new country. He was a " birthright " member of the Society of Friends, but his marriage, Jan. 9, 1851, to Miss Helen M. Culver, an Epis- copalian, severed his connection with that sect. although its principles and belief were his guides throughout his life. In 1853 he came to Oramel in this county, and with his brother Isaac engaged in lumbering. From that time until his death he became pleasantly and familiarly known to a great number of people in the course of his extensive business operations, and it is perhaps safe to say that in all cases " where'er he met a stranger, there he left a friend." In 1856 the brothers moved their seat of operations to Transit Bridge, there associating Edward F. Willets* and Charles Youngs with them. Their operations grew in magnitude, and in 1861 another move- ment of their base of business was made to Belmont, which was Mr. Willets, home thereafter. For years a large lumbering business was conducted, not only in Allegany county but extensively in Pennsylvania, where a tract of their land later proved to be rich oil producing territory. In 1876 Mr. Wil- lets and Charles Youngs became partners to develop this territory. They drilled the first two wells in the Little Washington, Pa., field, one of them, the Cameron well, proving to be the largest "staying " producer ever drilled. From this time Mr. Willets conducted large operations in oil and oil territory and met with success commensurate to his efforts. Mrs. Willets died December 29, 1882. Their only child, Julia, is now Mrs. David T. Williams, of Belmont.t March 10, 1885, Mr. Willets married Gertrude S., daughter of Alexander Black. of Belmont. At the time of his death he was also car- rying on quite extensive farming operations. This is a mere synopsis of the more important events of a busy and a useful life. It gives no hint of his character, of the rare qualities that won and kept as his friends all who came to know the manly and generous nature worn so unostentatiously by him. His fund of pleasant and humorous conversation was exhaustless, and his quaint comments and wise sayings have become part and parcel of the speech of many of the people. Always bright and cheery, he was never more happy than when conferring pleasure on others. It has been said of him: "His associates felt him to be a living, personal, present factor; yet in

his heart he was as kind as a child. When he knew himself to be right he was as unyielding as the hills which stand unshaken about the town he loved and the beautiful home where he lived. And yet, when the right he cher- ished had prevailed, he turned to those who had been wrong, and gilded all over with sunshine their disappointments and made the vanquished feel themselves to be the victors. He was a man, a splendid man, a manly man, and the religion of his life 'Do unto others as ye would have them do unto you.' He wore no mask. A mask would never have fitted such a frank nature. He was the friend of the friendless. I never heard him speak of

* Later a prominent business man of Hornellsville and mayor of that city.

+ The children of Mr. and Mrs. Williams are Leonard W., and L. Lloyd.

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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

what he had done for the poor, but I have heard them speak of what he had done for the poor. In his presence the swollen tongue of slander was silenced. Because of this rare trait of character no one could be persuaded that he would asperse or vilify any one, though one should rise from the dead and swear that he did. His word was his bond and his life was back of it to make it good. He was a brother to every man that honestly earned his bread by the sweat of his brow. No biography of Leonard F. Willets would be correct were it not written in the language of eulogy. He lived his life well and the world was the better for it."

HON. WOLCOTT HATCH.

Hon. Walcott Hatch was born in Norwich, Vt., April 3, 1811. He came to Allegany county and settled at Cuba in 1834, engaging in the practice of law and filling the office of justice of the peace for a protracted period, as Hon. A. N. Cole remarked in an obituary notice, "a quarter of a century, holding evenly the scales of justice as the village squire. His neighbors, those who had known him an ordinary lifetime, made him judge and surro- gate, nor will Allegany ever look upon a nobler and better. Long and honor- ably did he serve the people, nor has left behind memories other than those of duty well and nobly done." He was elected judge of Allegany county in 1859, and re-elected each subsequent term until 1871. He was married first at Hartford, Vt., in 1836, to Mary Gillette, who died young, after a wedded life of six years, leaving a daughter. The second marriage was to Maria T. Bartlett, who survived him. They had four children. Judge Hatch lived a useful and honored life and died at his residence in Belmont, Oct. 6, 1878. He was of that quiet class of men who keep the straightforward tenor of their way without any attempt at glittering pyrotechnics and yet are the solid substratum of our national existence. It is the crowning characteristic of our American life, that among "the plain people " are ever found those who rise to the height of every emergency confronting them, and demonstrate the fitness of the American system to cope successfully with the represent- atives of hereditary monarchical governments. Perhaps no citizen of this county ever exhibited these qualities in a more marked degree than did Judge Hatch. It is to be hoped that the young men of this county now at- taining the responsible years of life's activity may as truly live honest lives and be as ready to fill with modesty such situations of trust and responsi- bility as come to them.

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ARCHIBALD MORRIS, M. D.

The name Morris is of great antiquity and variously spelled, Morys, Moris, Morriss, Morres, Morice, Morrice and Maurice being some of the forms. It is composed of the Welsh words Mawr-rwyce, in English. " War- like, powerful in war," This knightly family has been a most notable one in both hemispheres, and the New York family, to which Dr. Morris belongs, is readily traced to Elystan Glodrydd, a powerful British chieftain, founder of the IV Royal Tribe of Wales, born in 933, who derived his name Elystan, or Athelstane, from his god-father, the Saxon king Athelstane. Caroeloc, lord of Hereford, Knight of King Arthur's Round Table, existing about 700 A. D., was the ancestor 8 generations back, of Elystan Glodrydd. The arms are described in Burke's Peerage as " Arms. Quarterly: 1st and 4th qu., a lion, rampant, regardant, or; 2d and 3d, ar. 3 boars' heads, couped, sa. Crest -a lion, rampant, regardant, or." There are several mottoes, the leading one is Marte et mari faventibus. Roger Morris, born in England, when but 17 was, with George Washington and Roger Orme, one of the three aides-de- camp of Gen. Braddock at the bloody retreat where the general was killed. He was distinguished in war and in peace, married in New York Mary Philipse (for whom George Washington had a violent but unreturned passion. See National Encyclopedia of American Biography Vol. IV. page 43.) and, ac- cording to Burke, through her acquired title to the landed estate of her father Frederick (whose father, also Frederick Philipse, came from Holland to New Amsterdam with Peter Stuyvesant in 1658). The present valueof this is incal- culable, as it included most of Westchester county as a portion, and nearly the whole of New York City is built on one corner of it. In the original preface to the " Water Witch, " Cooper speaks of the family as the " Bohemian Felipses," and in that of a later edition, of its being regranted the manor of Philipsbourg. Roger Morris before the Revolution was one of the Executive Council of the Province of New York and was colonel in the British Army when the Revo- lution commenced, and from his position was forced to adhere to the Crown. In consequence thereof the immense estates were confiscated and Mrs. Mor- ris was attainted and rendered incapable of inheriting .* The name Morris has been borne by many Englishmen, men of distinction eminent in science, in literature, and in public honors. Other branches of the family, as well as near kinsfolks of the children of Roger and Mary Morris, have been resi- dent in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania to this day. Some dis- tinguished ones were Lewis Morris, signer of the Declaration of Independ- ence, son of Lewis, chief justice of New York and New Jersey and governor of New Jersey. The father of Gov. Lewis was Richard, an officer of Crom- well's army, who settled on a farm of 3,000 acres at Morrisania and gave it its name. Of his distinguished sons were Gouverneur Morris, so eminent in public life, and Robert Hunter Morris, chief justice of New Jersey, for 26 years member of the Executive Council and also lieutenant governor of

* For fuller account see Burke's Landed Gentry and page of Encyclopedia cited above.

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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

Pennsylvania. Robert Morris, the Revolutionary financier, is called "cousin" of the above. His son Thomas was long a resident of New York City. Both Robert Treat Paine and Thomas Paine, the celebrated author of "The Age of Reason," and of patriotic papers favoring the Revolution, ap- pear to be kinsmen of the Morrises. The family has been quite prolific, and its representatives along the Hudson and in New York City have been numerous from the time of the Revolution. One of the family, Archibald Morris, in the last century won the affections of a daughter of an aristocratic family named Reynolds. They disregarded the commands of her parents, who forbade their union, and after an elopement and marriage, left the val- ley of the Hudson and made their home in the new town of Scipio in Cayuga Co., then just formed from Ontario Co., which stretched for miles along the shores of Owasco and Cayuga lakes. Here they reared a family and lived until about 1830 when they removed to Western New York. Their children were Hezekiah, George, William, Edward, Archibald, Martha, Ann, (Mrs. Dr. Fay), Phebe (1st Mrs. Dr. Westover, 2d Mrs. Dr. Hewitt), Eliza (Mrs. Dr. Hewitt) and Melvina. Their fifth son and child, Dr. Archibald Morris, was born in Scipio, May 7, 1819. He remained with his parents until he was of age, when, in obedience to proclivities formed in early life, he began the study of medicine with Dr. Abijah B. Case in Howard, Steuben Co., at that time a flourishing center of business and education. His studious habits and excellent natural endowments rendered him an apt scholar and he made rapid progress in the realms of materia medica. In the spring of 1843 he began medical practice at Burns as a partner of the eminent Dr. Charles D. Robinson, whose wife, Miranda (Welch) Robinson, was also a native of Scipio. In the fall of 1843, however, Dr. Morris located at Philipsville (Belmont) where he acquired an extensive practice. He attended medical lectures reg- ularly at able medical schools and was graduated at Castleton, Vt., Medical College in 1846. September 24, 1846, he married Frances Evelyn, daughter of Alvan E. Parker, Esq., of Belmont. (See page 473.) For twenty years thereafter he was the untiring and highly-beloved physician of a large extent of country, until his death, Jan. 24, 1866. He was well equipped for profes- sional success. He had great natural powers of diagnosis, was possessed of the latest learning of the schools, had a calm, cautious and deliberate judg- ment, met his professional calls with promptness, carried to the bedside of the suffering an atmosphere of cheer and hope which inspired the confidence that he was a vigilant friend who would relieve their ills, and became one of the most honored and successful physicians of Western New York. His social life was eminently pleasant. His long and active practice won for him hosts of friends who loved him for his blameless and most useful life. As a Christian he was quiet and unostentatious, possessing however in an emi- nent degree a sublime faith that caused him to view life from the elevation of an exalted Christian character and to submit with cheerfulness to all dis- pensations of Providence. At the time of his death he was a vestryman of St. Philips (Episcopal) church. In all the relations of life he was a courteous,

. Ferousson B .

Geo. A. Green

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kindly Christian gentleman, who as a citizen acted promptly and wisely in the discharge of all obligations and responsibilities. He was a true represent- ative of the knightly house of Morris. Mrs. Morris survives her husband in her pleasant home in Belmont. Their children are Henrietta F. (Mrs. Frederick A. Hyland) who has a daughter, Evelyn, and Clara Agnes (Mrs. Emile Gustave Steinburg). The latter died March 5, 1891, leaving one child, Victor Morris Steinburg, who died Aug. 27, 1891.

GEORGE A. GREEN.

George A. Green, Allegany's popular county clerk, comes of good, old, sturdy New England stock. His paternal grandsire, Luther Green, one of the pioneers of Allegany county, was born in Rhode Island in 1796, and came to Independence, this county, from Madison county in 1820, where he settled and lived on the same farm that he first occupied, for the remarkably long period of seventy-two years, dying there at the age of ninety-six in 1892. Mr. Green's maternal grandsire, John C. Bassett, was a native of Vermont, who emigrated to Independence in this county, about 1826, where he resided until his death in 1859. Elisha B. Green, eldest son of Luther Green and father of George A. Green, was born in Madison county in 1818 and came to Allegany county with his parents two years later, where he re- sided until his death in 1887. In 1841 he married Miss Maria C. Bassett, who died in 1861. Mr. Green was a militia captain in Col. Wilson's regiment, supervisor of his town, justiceof the peace for twenty-four consecutive years and justice of sessions for two terms, one of nature's noblemen, respected and esteemed by all who knew him. George A. Green, eldest child of the above, was born in Independence, N. Y., May 21, 1843. He received a com- mon school education and four terms at Alfred University. In 1861 he en- listed in Co. C, 85th Regt. N. Y. V., participated in several skirmishes and in battle of Fair Oaks, Va., May 30, 1862, and was honorably discharged on account of sickness, from Douglas Hospital, Washington, D. C., in the sum- mer following. He remained at home till spring of 1863, then re-entered the government service as clerk in office of Gen. Geo. Crook's chief quarter- master, Captain John R. Craig, then stationed at Cumberland, Md., in which position he remained about a year, returning home in the spring of 1864. He engaged in business in the village of Andover, N. Y., in the fall of 1865, of which place he was postmaster from 1869 to 1885, sixteen years. Mr. Green stands high in Masonic circles, having been an active member of the mystic order for more than a quarter of a century, four times W. M. of Andover Lodge, No. 558, F. & A. M., twice D. D. G. M. of the 23d Masonic District of the state of New York., comprising the counties of Allegany and Steuben, a member and Past H. P. of Wellsville Chapter No. 143, R. A. M. and member of DeMolay Commandery No. 22, Knights Templar, Hornells- 'ville, N. Y. He is also a prominent member of the G. A. R., having been four times commander of Seaman Post No. 481, Andover, and for three terms, aid-de-camp on the staff of the department commander of the state

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of New York. Mr. Green was for four consecutive terms supervisor of the town of Andover, and was chairman of the board of supervisors in 1887. In politics Mr. Green has always been a Republican, casting his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. He was nominated by the Republican party and elected county clerk of Allegany county in 1888, again in 1891 and nomi- nated by acclamation, for the third time, in 1894 and elected by a very com- plimentary vote. November 29, 1866, he was united in marriage to Miss Nora Livermore of Independence. This union has been blessed by four children, two of whom are now living, Mrs. E. A. Sweet of Wellsville and Miss Mary E. Green, residing with her parents at Belmont, N. Y. The simple record of Mr. Green's life impresses this fact, that he is a man of sterling and popular qualities, inherited from his sturdy, honorable and capable ancestors. In public life he has always been courteous, faithful, and competent in every trust. In private life he is a most genial companion, of optimistic disposition, always looking on the bright side of life, with ever an attentive ear and a warm heart for the unfortunate and generous to a fault. His domestic life has ever been of the pleasantest and one to be envied, and it is the universal wish of his host of friends, uncircumscribed by creeds or parties, that both himself and his estimable wife, may be spared to a ripe old age.

Francis N. Whitcomb, son of Jeriah, was born March 13, 1831, in Granville, N. Y. When 19 years old he commenced dealing in real estate, which business he still follows. He has also been a large dealer in lumber and in oil and oil lands, and is an oil producer in addition. He and D. Rawson invented and patented several improvements in sawmill machinery. He is also a farmer and breeder of a fine strain of trotting horses. In 1864 he was elected highway com- missioner, and is a Freemason. His first wife, Elizabeth Horne, married Sept. 10, 1830, died April 10, 1880. By his second wife, Mary McMannus, married Jan. 25, 1883, he has two chil- dren, Philip F., Margaret E.

Russell A. Whitcomb, son of Jeriah Whitcomb, was born July 25, 1845, on the old home- stead farm, where he has always resided and which he owns. He is an agriculturist, deals in real estate, live stock, etc. He married Ann E., daughter of Caleb Cornwell, and has four chil- dren, Hattie, Maggie, Jessie and Fred.

Charles Youngs was born in Ogdensburg, June 7, 1822. When he was 18 months old his mother died, and he went to Lysander to live with his grandfather, John P. Schuyler. In 1851, Mr. Youngs married Caroline Tator, and went to Oramel and was employed by J. H. Bissell in the lumber business for several years. In 1857, in company with Willetts Brothers, he bought a large tract of timber, which they cut into lumber. In 1859, Mr. Youngs went to Mckean county, Pa., and was engaged in lumbering about 15 years, when he came to Belmont, where he owns an extensive farm of 780 acres, and has the two largest barns In the county, each 150 by 128 feet. His three children are James H., Fred J., a merchant in Bradford, Pa., and Charles, Jr. He is a member of Bradford Lodge, F. & A. M.

James H. Youngs, D. V. S., son of Charles Youngs, Sr., was born March 27, 1856, in Caneadea, N. Y. In 1890 he attended the Ontario Veterinary College at Toronto, Canada; and in 1891 and 1892 attended the Ohio Veterinary College at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was graduated with honors, winning a prize medal for being at the head of his class in surgery. He settled at Belvidere, N. Y., where he now is in practice. He is also a farmer. He married Daisy M., daughter of Frank Bement. He is a 32d degree Freemason.

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SCIO.

SCIO .*

CHAPTER XLII.

THIS town was early the southern half of Angelica, from which it was T taken Jan. 31, 1823, the name it is said coming from the island of Scio, in the Mediterranean Sea. Public attention had been drawn to this island by an eloquent speech made by Daniel Webster on a recent massacre of Christians there, and his admirers here commemorated his masterly effort in naming the new town Scio. It retained its regular form until Willing was taken off Nov. 19, 1851, and. after portions had been made into and added to Wellsville and Amity, in 1868 it presented its present very irregular out- line. It lies entirely in the Genesee valley, Genesee river running in a northwest direction across its territory, two of its tributaries, Vandermark Creek from the northeast and Knight's Creek from the southwest, emptying into the river in this town. The towns of Amity and Ward lie on the north, Wellsville on the east, Alma on the south and Wirt on the west. Scio has 22,289 acres of land and in 1894 had an "equalized" value of real estate of $579,- 898, personal property assessed at $28,950 and "assessed to corporations " $46.825. Population 1830. 602; 1840, 1,150; 1850, 1,922; 1855, 3,184; 1860. 1,631; 1870, 1,652; 1880, 1.555; 1890, 1,391.

Pioneers were early attracted here. The valleys were filled with a massive growth of pine furnishing enormous prospective wealth, while the hills of gentle slope gave promise of easily cleared land and productive homesteads. Joseph Knight, a thrifty New Englander, brought his family and located in 1805 upon the place where his granddaughter, Mrs. Celestia Whitcomb, now resides, and gave his name to the stream in whose valley he settled. He died in 1829, but great changes were wrought in the forest wil- derness during the quarter of a century he had his home here. "Mr. Knight was obliged to cut his way into the town, and the passage he opened from Belmont was the first road within its boundaries; and for some time after- wards there were no roads but sled roads." There was for several years no gristmill nearer than Caneadea, no postoffice nearer than Angelica, where the postrider brought a scanty packet of letters once in two weeks, or, per- haps, once in each week, and advancing civilization on the east could be reached at Dike's settlement at Elm Valley by a winding, uncertain trail through the mighty forests. The productive capabilities of the new soil is shown by the crop of 300 bushels of corn planted in 1807 on land from which the trees had just been felled and among stumps so thick that no plow could be used. The Knights were ever good citizens, steady industrious workers. They have filled an honorable place in the local annals. Bradley Knight now lives on the homestead of his father, Samuel Knight, and Mrs. Whitcomb is the only

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A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 61

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