USA > New York > Ontario County > A history of Ontario County, New York and its people, Volume II > Part 22
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Dr. Young married in Eldred, Pennsylvania, June 12, 1887, Ada B., born in Coldwater, Michigan, March 5, 1865, daughter of Ingham B. and Sarah M. (Dillenbach) Roberts. She is a Daughter of the American Revolution. She is the great-great-granddaughter of John Dillenbach, who served throughout the war of the revolution in the Tryon county Militia, and he was the grandson of Martin Dillenbach, who came to America in 1710, almost immediately after his arrival in this country joined an expedition to Canada to fight against the Indians and finally settled in Canajoharie, 1725. Mrs. Young was the great- great-great-granddaughter of George Spraker, who with his four sons served in the revolutionary war. There is a village on the Mohawk river which was settled by the Sprakers and still bears the name. Dr. and Mrs. Young have had children : Pauline M., born June 27, 1890; Paula L., twin of Pauline M., studying in the Boston Conservatory.
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YOUNG.
In 1859 Samuel Young, who was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1829, emigrated to the United States, accompanied by his family, and settled in Geneva, New York. He was a carpenter by trade, an able mechanic, and possessing the requisite amount of energy and business ability, his services as a building contractor were in constant demand. He was a thoroughly reliable business man, winning and maintaining the confidence of all with whom he had dealings, and he was identified with building operations in Geneva until his death, which occurred February 1I, 1899. In politics he was a Democrat. He attended Trinity church. He was married in England in 1853 to Jane Arnott, born in Yorkshire, January 6, 1834, died in Geneva, November 16, 1908. Children: I. George, see forward. 2. William, born in Eng- land, died at the age of twenty years. 3. Elizabeth born in England, April 1, 1859, married Thomas Beard, of Geneva, September 19, 1888, died in Corning, New York, January 20, 1909. Her only child, Lucile L., born July 17, 1889, is now a student at the Syracuse University. 4. Mary, born in Geneva, December 26, 1860, died November 21, 1907. 5. Anna, born in Geneva, resides in Corning, New York. 6. Cornelia, born in Geneva, is now an efficient school teacher.
George, eldest child of Samuel and Jane (Arnott) Young, was born in Yorkshire, England, July 10, 1854. Coming to America when a lad of five years he attended school in Geneva, and having graduated from the high school at the age of nineteen he proceeded to familiarize himself with the carpenter's trade and the contracting business. He was associated with his father until the latter's decease, and his death occurred ten days later, February 21, 1899. Politically he was a Demo- crat. His religious affiliations were with Trinity church. Mr. Young married, November 28, 1889, Emma M. Beard. Children: I. Ruth Arnott, born August 20, 1890, was awarded the Sweet Memorial Prize at the Geneva high school, and is now attending Smith College for Girls in that city. 2. Helen Elizabeth, born September 4, 1891, is also a graduate of the high school and a student at Smith College for Girls, Geneva.
Mrs. Emma M. (Beard) Young was born in Detroit, Michigan, July 12, 1855. Her father, Thomas Beard, who was born in Kingston, England, October 12, 1831, learned the baker's trade with his father in the old country and emigrating to the United States he followed that calling for a few years in Mount Clemens, Michigan. He later re-
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Andrew Privee
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turned to England, where he spent three years and then returned to the United States and settled in Geneva, New York, and engaged in the trucking business; later added the coal business with his son, John. He served three years in the civil war under Captain Gates. He died July 29, 1898. He was a member of the Baptist church and a Repub- lican. He married, in Detroit, Michigan, November 24, 1852, Dinah W. Cole, born November 24, 1830, daughter of William Cole. She was born in England and came to America with her parents when three years of age. Their children: 1. Sarah E., wife of William Peck, re- sides in San Francisco, California. 2. Infant son. 3. Emma M., widow of George, referred to above. 4. John, coal dealer, Geneva, New York. 5. Thomas, yard master at Corning, New York. 6. In- fant son. 7. Charles, trucker, Geneva, New York. 8. Robert, with the American Express Company, Buffalo, New York. 9. Infant son. IO. Benjamin F., with the National Express Company, Buffalo, New York. II. George, deceased. In 1856, when twelve months old, Mrs. Young accompanied her parents to England, remaining three years and returning in 1859.
PEIRCE.
Among the most honored residents of Clifton Springs during the last quarter of a century must be numbered the late Andrew Peirce, who after a long and honorable business career sought for himself and those dear to him needed rest and refreshment in our health-giving climate, and dwelt among us for many years, becoming prominently identified with our financial and philanthropic interests.
John Pers (as the name was then spelled), founder of that branch of the family of which Andrew Peirce was a representative, in April, 1637, left Norwich, county of Norfolk, England, and settled in Water- town, Massachusetts. His son Anthony (II) had a son Joseph (III), who was the father of Benjamin (IV), whose son Benjamin (V) was the father of Ensign Andrew Peirce (VI).
(VII) Andrew (2), son of Ensign Andrew (1) Peirce, lived in Dover, New Hampshire, when it was an important centre of trade. He was a man of remarkable energy and sound judgment in all business management, represented Dover with ability in the state senate and held other positions of trust. His moral character was above reproach and was transmitted to his son. He married, August 11, 1811, Betsey,
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daughter of Thomas Wentworth, granddaughter of Colonel Jonathan Wentworth, an officer in the revolutionary army, and a descendant of Elder William Wentworth, one of the founders of Exeter, New Hamp- shire.
(VIII) Andrew (3), son of Andrew (2) and Betsey (Went- worth) Peirce, was born July 31, 1812, in Dover, New Hampshire, and began his business career at the age of twelve by becoming for a time clerk in a country store. He afterward resumed his studies at the Stratford Academy, but found soon that his inclination was for business. This youthful ambition was heartily approved by his father, who took him to Boston in one of his packets and purchased a small stock of goods on four months' credit becoming responsible for the payment, April 22, 1831. He thus inaugurated his mercantile career, and in the short space of four years had an extensive business, whole- sale as well as retail, and had thoroughly established his credit. Up to 1834 the business had been carried on in the name of his father, but in that year the son placed his own name at the head, turned over to his father one-half of the accrued profits and assumed the entire re- sponsibility. In 1837 he erected a large, commodious warehouse. During subsequent years several partners were, from time to time, associated with him, none of whom put in any capital though all drew from the profits. During his business career in Dover Mr. Peirce conducted, in connection with his father, an extensive shipping enterprise, dispatch- ing vessels to Thomaston, Maine, New York, Philadelphia and south- ern ports. They were pioneers in the shipment of merchandise to Texas prior to its admission to the Union, and they furnished iron for the first railroad constructed in that state. Several vessels were built for them, one of them being a brig chartered by the United States gov- ernment during the Mexican war which was wrecked near Vera Cruz.
In 1840, under the "Individual Liability Act," Mr. Peirce became a prominent figure by successfully organizing the Dover Bank which succeeded an older institution whose charter was about to expire, he and his father subscribing one-fifth of the capital stock. Later Mr. Peirce secured a charter for the Langdon Bank and was chosen its president. He was largely instrumental in organizing a Five Cent Sav- ings Bank, of which he was president. Early in 1851 Mr. Peirce re- moved from Dover to Boston to become a partner in the firm of Peirce & Bacon. This firm acquired an extensive trade in the south, particu- larly in Texas, which proved an excellent field for mercantile develop- ment. Their facilities for the shipment of goods were ample, consist-
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ing of a large fleet of vessels constantly plying between New York and Galveston, carrying goods and returning with cotton to be sold to large manufacturers. The breaking out of the civil war completely paralyzed this business and caused the firm severe losses. In 1866 the partnership was dissolved and Mr. Peirce's attention was gradually drawn into other channels. Before coming to Boston he had been one of the original stockholders of the Cocheco railway and for a number of years had charge of its operating department. He took a conspicu- ous part in its lease to the Boston & Maine railroad in which he had been interested. In 1856 or 1857 he acted as reform director for the Boston & Maine railroad and was asked if he would become its president, but his business interests at that time made it impossible for him to consider the question. About two years after the failure of Fremont in the Southwest Pacific railway, Mr. Peirce, having been a promoter and a bondholder, he and his associates, called "The Boston Party," went to Jefferson City and secured the railroad charter, a company being formed of which Mr. Peirce was elected general manager with power to continue the contruction of the railroad. The Southwest Company were to control the Atlantic & Pacific charter by which they could con- nect with any road going to San Francisco, provided the railroad was extended to Springfield within a specified time. This was accomplished and under Mr. Peirce's management the line was pushed forward from Arlington, Missouri, to Vinita, Indian Territory, a distance of two hundred and thirty-seven miles. During the process of constructing it, he many times passed over every mile of the way, either in the saddle or on foot, before putting it in the hands of contractors. The name was subsequently changed to the St. Louis & San Francisco railway. Commissioners from San Francisco had begun to consider commencing a road from that end to connect with this road, but financial pressure all over the country interfered with their plans. In 1872 Mr. Peirce was elected president and moved with his family to New York City, where he held that office or that of general manager until July, 1877, when he resigned.
On February 22, 1877, he had taken his family to The Clifton Springs Sanitarium, thinking that a sojourn there might restore his wife's health which had become impaired. After his long and arduous business career he himself felt the need of rest and for this reason de- cided to resign his position and make the Sanitarium a temporary home. He became deeply interested in Dr. Foster and the work in which he was engaged, and desired to do something to aid in his grand plans
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for the benefit of the weary and sick. In 1880 he had a pavilion built over the largest Sulphur Springs, then he caused to be filled in and graded, from a foot and a half to two feet in depth-twenty-five acres of the Sanitarium's grounds. Walks were made and other improve- ments by the construction of masonry and by setting out trees, shrubs and flowers. All this work he superintended-constantly, through sum- mer's heat and winter's cold. He expended of his own means fifteen thousand dollars. For several years he served with ability as a trustee of the institution and as chairman of the executive committee. Nor was his benevolence confined to the Sanitarium. He was a promoter of the Peirce Library Association, connected with the Young Men's Chris- tian Association, donating for the purchase of books the sum of fifteen hundred dollars.
In 1885, after residing nearly nine years at the Sanitarium, he took his family to Boston where they remained for a year and a half. He held a mortgage on the Clifton House and when it was to be sold was obliged to purchase the property in order to realize his investment. This made it necessary for him to return to Clifton Springs in order to renovate the building which was destroyed by fire during the bliz- zard of March, 1888. He immediately began building the Peirce Block, which is on the site of the hotel. Having now decided to make Clifton Springs a permanent home, Mr. Peirce purchased a house on the corner of Kendall street and Hibbard avenue. This he remodeled and enlarged, occupying it until his death, which occurred December 19, 1891.
Mr. Peirce was twice married, and is survived by his widow, Mary Frances (Gilman) Peirce, and three daughters. Mrs. Peirce continues to reside in Clifton Springs.
OAKS.
The founder of this family, Nathaniel Oak (e) must not be con- founded with Thomas and Edward Oak (e)s, the founders of the Cam- bridge-Malden family, or with the Welsh William, who founded the Worcester county family. As Nathaniel wrote his name, it was origi- nally Oak or Oake. His son Jonathan added a final "s" and descendants of the fourth and fifth generations are about equally divided between the spellings Oaks and Oakes. Nathaniel Oak (e) was born about 1645, and died at Westboro, February 17, 1721. The following account of
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his immigration is inscribed in the family Bible of one of his great- grandchildren :
"The grandfather of my mother, was a cabin boy on an English vessel bound to Boston. Nine miles from land the vessel foundered. All the ship's crew, except the boy whose name was Oaks, were lost. He, being a good swimmer, swam ashore. In his distress he solemnly prom- ised the Lord if He would preserve him to get to land, he would never go onto the water again. This promise he sacredly kept. His wife, my great-grandmother, could never persuade him even to cross Charles River in a boat to Boston, he would always go around upon the neck. Thus he reached his after-home, poor and penniless, without even clothes to cover him, and as was then the custom, having no friends in America, he was bound out to earn his own living. His master sat him to work in a pitch-pine forest to pick up pine knots. In this employ he was attacked by a catamount, or wild cat, which he slew with a large pine knot. His master gave him the bounty the State paid for the pelt of this furious beast, with which he bought a sheep or two, which he let out to double. These sheep were all the property he began the world with when he became of age. He often said that while swimming to land he suffered more from hunger than anything else. When tired he would turn on his back and rest. The above account I have often heard my mother and uncle relate."
He married (first), December 14, 1686, Mehitable, daughter of John and Ann Rediat, who was born in Sudbury, Massachusetts, in 1646, and died without issue, November 25, 1702. He married ( sec- ond), May 20, 1703, Mary, daughter of Adam and Hannah ( Hay- ward) Halloway and widow of Jacob Farrar, who was killed in King Philip's war in 1676. She was born February 25, 1682, and died after 1733. She survived her second husband, and married ( third), July 2, 1722, Thomas Rice, by whom she had two children. Children of Na- thaniel and Mary ( Holloway-Farrar) Oak: I. Nathaniel, June 7, 1704, died, probably June 5, 1783 ; married (first), February 20, 1727, Tabitha Rice, and (second), June 7, 1736, Keziah Maynard. 2. Will- iam, born February 18, 1706, died August 8, 1723, unmarried. 3. Han- nah, born December 27, 1707, died March 3, 1807; married about 1728, Gershom Fay Jr. 4. Mary, born March 31, 1710, died April 4, 1805; married, February 20, 1735, Daniel Maynard. 5. Ann, born September 9, 1712, married about 1735, David Maynard. 6. John, born March 16, 1715, died in September, 1752; married, November 2 or 3, 1742, Susanna Allen. 7. Jonathan, referred to below. 8. George, born Feb- ruary 15, 1720, died after 1777; married (first), October 23 or 26,
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1744, Lydia Eagar, and (second), June 12 or 13, 1765, Mary Bartlett. He settled in Rutland, and was one of the Lexington minute-men.
(II) Jonathan, son of Nathaniel and Mary ( Holloway-Farrar) Oak, was born in Marlboro, Massachusetts, August 21, 1717, and died between December 2, 1784 and March 12, 1785. He was the first to adopt the spelling Oaks, in his surname. He lived for a few years each, in Westboro, Boston and Storr, and settled on the Oak Hill farm in Harvard, Massachusetts, where he built his home, which was still stand- ing in 1896. From his title of "Captain" on the old records he was probably captain of the training band, may have served in the French and Indian war, and in fact, it is a family tradition that he fought under Wolfe at Quebec. In 1772 he settled finally in Canaan, Maine, his land being part of the site of the present city of Skowhegan, and including an island in the Kennebec river that still bears his name. According to tradition, he had twenty-four children, but he names only sixteen in his will. He married (first ) about 1740, Rebecca, daughter of Robert and Rebecca (Osgood) Banard, who was born September 10, 1725 or July 17, 1727, died before 1748. He married (second) (intention dated January 19, 1749) Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Whee- ler, who was born February 15, 1727, died November 23, 1750. Her mother was a descendant of Captain Thomas, who led the Concord company in King Philip's war. He married (third) about 1751, Sarah Wheeler, sister to his second wife, who was born August 23, 1733, died May 22, 1761. He married (fourth), April 23 or 26, 1762, Abigail, daughter of John and Abigail (Whitney) Rand, who was born Novem- ber 14, 1736, died in Sangerville, Maine, in 1813. Children of record : I. Mary, born July 16, 1741, died September 13, 1794; married, March 14, 1758, Jonathan Sampson, a descendant of Captain Miles Standish of the "Mayflower." 2. Lydia, born June 6, 1743, died January 2 or 4, 1802; married, November 29, 1766 or November 19, 1767. Ebenezer Conant. 3. Elizabeth, baptized November 25, 1752; married, Septem- ber II, 1770, Nathan Bigelow. 4. A son, died in infancy. 5. Sarah, born January 12, 1752, married, 1771, William Blackden. 6. Jona- than, referred to below. 7. Rebecca, born about 1756. 8. John, born October 22, 1757 or 1758, died June 25, 1842; married about 1780, Abigail Lambert. 9. Daniel, born about 1760 or 1761, died perhaps in 1845; married (first), September 9, 1788, Morning Blin Flagg, ( sec- ond) before 1787, Susan -, and (third) before 1801, Deborah Dorcas (Albee) Fletcher. 10. Lois, baptized October 23, 1763, died May 12, 1815 ; married about 1793, Dr. William Sears. II. Levi, bap-
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tized October 23, 1763, died in 1831 ; married in 1788, Lydia Brown. 12. Millie, baptized September 11, 1768, died January 16, 1845; mar- ried (intention dated July 20, 1787) Sherebiah Lambert. 13. Solo- mon, born May 9, 1769, died January 24, 1857, married in 1786, Suz- anna Clark. 14. Sybil, baptized November 19, 1769, died about 1845; married about 1796, Daniel Homsted. 15. Abel, born April 10, 1771, died December 21, 1856; married, November 23, 1792, Betsy Hamlin. 16. William, born August, 1773 or June 7, 1774, died June 12 or De- cember 28, 1851 ; married (first) (intention dated September 5, 1793) Susan Orr, and ( second ) about 1836, Martha Morgridge. 17. Lucy, born December 22 or 27, 1776, died December 27, 1852; married, Oc- tober 7, 1797, David Douty.
(III) Jonathan (2), son of Jonathan ( 1) and Sarah ( Wheeler) Oaks, was born in Harvard, Massachusetts, died in Oaks Corners, On- tario county, New York, in 1802. He is named in his father's will in 1784 as the oldest son, with a legacy of ten shillings "if he ever comes back to this place." He was in Sunderland, Massachusetts, in 1767, in Deerfield, in 1770, and in Conway, Massachusetts, in 1773. In 1789 he settled in what is now Oaks Corners, New York, preempting six hun- dred acres of land on which he erected the Oaks Corners tavern. Here the first town-meeting was held, and Mr. Oaks was elected the first su- pervisor of the district of Sullivan, now the town of Phelps. He mar- ried Martha, daughter of Nathaniel Hawks, who died in 1816. Children as far as known : Lucius, Samuel, Thaddeus, referred to below.
(IV) Thaddeus, son of Jonathan (2) and Martha ( Hawks) Oaks, was born in Conway, Massachusetts, and came to Phelps, with his father in 1790 and died there. He married Fanny Dickinson, also of Conway, Massachusetts. Children: Nathan, referred to below; Mary Lucretia, who married L. B. Hotchkiss, of Phelps, New York.
(V) Nathan, son of Thaddeus and Fanny (Dickinson) Oaks, was born in Oaks Corners, Ontario county, New York, November 9, 1821, and died in 1905. He took an active part in the affairs of his native town and the Democratic party had in him an earnest member. He was twice nominated by his party for the state assembly and was supervisor of the town of Phelps from 1861 to 1865. He married, October 18, 1848, Susan, daughter of Truman and Mary ( Aldrich) Hemingway, of Palmyra, New York. Children: Thaddeus, living in Geneva, New York; Albert T., died aged four; William A., referred to below; Ed- ward P .; Mary L., died, 1876, aged 20; Fannie S., died, 1879, aged 20; Nathan, referred to below.
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(VI) William A., son of Nathan ( I) and Susan (Hemingway) Oaks, was born in Oaks Corners, Ontario county, New York, July 29, 1853, and is now living there. He received his education in the public schools and the Carey Seminary and then engaged in farming, mak- ing a specialty of hop growing. He is a trustee of the Protestant Epis- copal church of Phelps and trustee of the school at Oaks Corners. He is a member of Sincerity Lodge, No. 200, Free and Accepted Masons, and of the Grange. At one time he was master of, delegate to, the state grange. He married Jessie A., daughter of Thomas and Sarah Cooke, of Neenah, Wisconsin; no children, but adopted two: Frank ; Madeleine.
(VI) Nathan (2), son of Nathan (I) and Susan ( Hemingway) Oaks, was born in Oaks Corners, Ontario county, New York, March 25, 1860, and is now living there. He received his education in the public schools of Phelps and Geneva, New York, and in 1886, engaged in the lumber, coal, grain and elevator business near Sheldrake Station, Seneca county, New York. Thirteen years later he gave this business up and engaged for four years in farming and then, on the death of his father in 1905, he sold his farm and returned to Oaks Corners, where he purchased the interest of the other heirs in the old home- stead, which he now owns and manages. In 1910 he purchased the Hotchkiss farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres. He has been justice of the peace since 1907, is a trustee of the school at Oaks Cor- ners, and of the union religious society of Oaks Corners. Mr. Oaks is a member of Sincerity Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Enterprise Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and is now ( 19II) serving as its mas- ter. He married in 1889, Margaret A., daughter of William H. and Charlotte A. (Sheldon) Van Valkenberg, of Phelps, New York. Chil- dren : Albert Sheldon, born February 1, 1891 ; Nathan Hemingway, born June 22, 1895; Carlton Van Valkenberg, born October 22, 1897.
BURT.
William Matthews Burt, the first member of this family of whom we have definite information, lived at Maiden Earleigh, county Berks, England. At one time he served as member of Parliament for Reading, and later he was appointed captain-general and governor of the Lee- ward Islands. His daughter Louisa, married Sir Richard Massey Han- sard of Merkin House.
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(I) Jonathan Burt, a descendant of William Matthews Burt, and the founder of the family at present under consideration, was born in county Berks, England, August 25, 1768 and died in Brattleboro, Vermont. For the greater part of his life, he was an English sea-captain. He married Bathsheba - - -, who was born August 10, 1773. Children : Erastus, born January 7, 1795 ; Ebenezer, born August 23, 1796; David W., born July 31, 1800; Susanna, born April 7, 1802; Jonathan, re- ferred to below; Hollis, born March 24, 1809; Abigail, born March 14, 1815.
(II) Jonathan (2), son of Jonathan (I) and Bathsheba Burt, was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, October 4, 1804, and died in Phelps, Ontario county, New York, January 14, 1885. He received his early education in the public schools of Brattleboro, and then determining to study medicine, he earned the money to pay for his professional edu- cation by teaching school and acting as clerk in the office of a stage- coach company. He graduated from the Geneva Medical College and then settled down to the practice of his profession in Phelps, New York, where he became one of the representative men of the town, and for over half a century was known as one of the best medical practitioners of that region of the state. For many years he was a member of the offi- cial board of the Methodist Episcopal church of Phelps. He married, February 28, 1832, Mary Ann, daughter of Ziba and Orinda ( Howe) Harris, who was born in Newtown, Connecticut, August 11, 1812. She was a niece of Colonel Samuel Howe. Children: George M., born February 22, 1833, died February 4, 1834; Erasmus D., born February 2, 1835, died February 20, 1879; Emily Jane, born March 20, 1838, died January 21, 1908; Sarah Maria, born June 17, 1843; Charles Harris, referred to below.
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