USA > New York > Ontario County > A history of Ontario County, New York and its people, Volume II > Part 27
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(I) Zadock Granger, the great-great-grandfather of Henry Francis Granger, was born in Suffield county, Connecticut ; enlisted in a Massa- chusetts regiment, and served as a colonel during the revolutionary war. Later he removed to Halford's Landing, the present site of Rochester, New York. His younger brother was killed at the battle of Bunker Hill.
(III) Calvin Granger, grandson of the preceding, removed to Hor- nell, Steuben county, New York, where he resided until his death, in 1865.
(IV) Henry Martyn, son of Calvin Granger, was born in Roch- ester, New York, August 13, 1835. He was engaged in the general mer- cantile line and was recognized as a successful and up to date business man. He was a trustee of the church in Hornell, New York, and was a liberal contributor to funds to be devoted to the furtherance of religious matters. He married Sarah, daughter of Deacon Chauncey B. Smith, who was born in 1800, and died in 1879, and who established the First Presbyterian Church in Hornell. Mrs. Granger was a native of Hornell, was a devout worshipper and very active in church work.
(V) Henry Francis, son of Henry Martyn and Sarah (Smith) Granger, was born in Hornell, Steuben county, New York, August 18. 1868. His ancestor Francis Granger was postmaster-general under Pres- ident Harrison, and was the son of Gideon Granger, who held the office of postmaster-general under President Thomas Jefferson. At the con- clusion of his preparatory education Henry Francis Granger matricu- lated at Columbia University, from the Law School of which he was graduated in 1892, and admitted to the bar in the same year. The fol- lowing year he associated himself in a partnership with James Lindsay Gordon, a member of the senate from Virginia, under the firm name of Granger & Gordon, with offices in New York City. This association con- tinued in force seven years, until the death of Mr. Gordon ended it; for the five following years Mr. Granger was engaged in independent prac- tice. At this time he turned his attention to a considerable extent to the commercial and manufacturing world, purchasing an interest in the Hogg Carpet Mills and the Hogg Manufacturing Company. He immediately
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set about putting these on a modern and greatly improved basis; erected new and far better equipped mills, enlarged the plant, and finally consol- idated with the Ettrick Mills, manufacturing carpets and worsted yarns. At this time he was still keeping up his law practice in the city of New York, but finding that the manufacturing interests made constantly in- creasing demands upon his time and that he was unable to give his law practice the amount of attention which the important cases entrusted to him made imperative, he determined to abandon the law altogether and devote himself entirely to his manufacturing interests. During this time he was most frequently at the Ettrick Mills, which were located at Worcester, Massachusetts; he remained there four years and was treas- urer and general manager of the company. In 1907 he sold out his share to Herman A. Metz, comptroller of New York City.
In March of the following year Mr. Granger bought out the May- ettes, of Canisteo, New York, who had patent rights in connection with the manufacturing plant known as the Indian Splint Manufacturing Company. Mr. Granger commenced manufacturing in this enterprise with a force of four men, in November, 1908, and at the present time (1910) is employing upward of sixty men and is constantly increasing his working force. It became necessary to increase their working space, after a few months of manufacturing, as the demand for their output was exceedingly active. They accordingly removed to Geneva, New York, establishing themselves in quarters which they supposed would be suffi- cient for their needs for a considerable length of time; the popularity of their manufacture and the number of orders received by them have increased in so rapid a manner that they are again compelled to increase working capacity and space. Their shipments are made to all parts of the United States, from ocean to ocean, and from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada. Their goods are also in demand in South America, Cuba and Mexico, and they are now finding it necessary to establish agencies all over the world. As stated above, Mr. Granger is the president and man- ager of the company, and is the life and spirit of the enterprise. The com- pany was incorporated in New York, 1908, and F. J. Nelson is the secre- tary and treasurer.
Although the demands made upon the time of Mr. Granger are mani- fold, he nevertheless gives a fair amount of attention to all matters of public interest in the community, and is a staunch supporter of the princi- ples of the Democratic party, and an attendant of the Congregational church of Canandaigua, in which town he has his residence. He is a
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member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of Geneva.
Mr. Granger married, June 2, 1893, Mary Michaelis, born in New York City, August 7, 1873. Children: 1. Henry Calvin, born February 9, 1895, is at present at the Canandaigua high school, and will enter Yale University as soon as he has finished his preparatory studies. 2. Marian, born June 12, 1900.
WILLIAMS.
Arthur Williams, immigrant, was born in England and settled in Windsor, Connecticut, as early as 1640, removing thence to Northamp- ton, Massachusetts, in 1659. He married, November 30, 1647, Catherine Carter, widow of Joshua Carter, of Windsor, and she married (third) February 1I, 1677, William Branch, of Springfield. She died August 8. 1683. The only child of Arthur and Catherine Williams was Zebediah, mentioned below.
(II) Zebediah, son of Arthur Williams, was born in Windsor, in 1649. He came with his father to Northampton and evidently was some- what lacking in Puritanical piety, for he was fined ten shillings at North- ampton, March 8, 1672, "for laughing in meeting, this being unseemly and prophane carriage." He was fined, evidently on general principles, two shillings, sixpence, at Northampton, May 16. 1673, "for mispence of tyme at Mudge his house." He sold his property at Northampton, in 1674 and come to Deerfield. A soldier in King Philip's war he was killed with Captain Lothrop, September 18, 1675. He married. December 18, 1672, Mary Miller, daughter of William Miller. She married ( sec- ond ), November 28, 1677, Godfrey Nims, and she died April 27, 1688. Children : Mary, born December 24, 1673 ; Zebediah, mentioned below.
(III) Zebediah (2), son of Zebediah (1) Williams, was born in 1675 at Deerfield. In 1692 the court ordered his grandmother, Patience Miller, "to take him and educate him or get him out (apprenticed ) for an education." Godfrey Nims, his stepfather, objected and the case was postponed. He was wounded by the Indians in 1695 and was allowed fifteen pounds by the general court for loss of time. The Indians cap- tured him and his half-brother, John Nims, October 8, 1703, at Frary's Bridge and carried them to Canada where he died April 12, 1706. His "house partly finished" was on a two-acre and a-half lot, near the south end. He married, May 2, 1700, Sarah Arms, daughter of William Arms, and
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she married ( second), Samuel Jones. Children of Zebediah and Sarah Williams : Mary, born February 13, 1701, married Joseph Stebbins who removed to Northfield ; Ebenezer, mentioned below
(IV) Ebenezer, son of Zebediah (2) Williams, was the third gen- eration in which but one son had been left to preserve the surname. He was born December 10, 1702, at Deerfield, and removed to Amherst, Massachusetts, an adjacent town, about 1735. He owned land there and a highway by his place was laid out March 18, 1754. His name was on the tax list in 1760 and as late as 1776. He married, May 16, 1728, Mehitable Fowler, daughter of Samuel Fowler, of Westfield. Children, born at Deerfield : I. Zebediah, born September 18, 1729, soldier in company of Captain Moses Porter and believed to have been killed in the Bloody Morning Scout, September 8, 1755. 2. Sarah, August 31, 1730. 3. Priscilla, October II, 1731, died February 6, 1732. 4. Ebenezer, March 16, 1732-33. 5. Justus, mentioned below. 6. John, baptized July 20, 1740, married Hannah Lee and settled in Amherst. 7. Solomon, baptized December 13, 1741. 8. Ruth, baptized June 30, 1741. 9. Mary, baptized April 22, 1744. 10. Stephen (?), 1746-47. 11. Mehitable ( ?). married Barnabas Davidson.
(V) Justus, son of Ebenezer Williams, was born about 1737 in Deerfield and came to Amherst with his father, in infancy, or was born in what is now Amherst. He was a soldier in the French and Indian war in Colonel Williams' regiment, from January 24 to November 30, 1757. He was also a soldier in the revolution on the alarm at New Providence, and served in Lieutenant Noah Dickinson's company. In 1783 he was one of the petitioners for the incorporation of the second parish of Amherst. Both he and his son of the same name were voters in 1802, and he or his son was a member of Pacific Lodge of Free Masons, probably the son. In 1790 the first federal census shows that he had in his family at that time three males over sixteen, four under that age and six females. He mar- ried Abigail Pomeroy. Of their large family of children we have found but two, though doubtless the others or some of them may be found in the vital records of Amherst. Justus Jr. lived at Amherst and engaged in farming, was town clerk in 1813, 1816 and 1820, married January I, 1800, Sarah Warner. The other son, Ebenezer, is mentioned below.
(VI) Ebenezer (2), son of Justus Williams, was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1779 (Amherst history gives 1783). He was educated there in the district schools and followed farming. A prominent and in- fluential citizen for many years, he was selectman of Amherst in 1818, 1823, 1828. 1829, 1832 and 1843, a period of six years and he also rep-
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resented the town in the general court. He married, January 21, 1808, Philomela Dickinson, who was born in Amherst about 1790 and died in 1854. He died in 1860. Children: Elijah; William; Mary ; Margaret ; Enos D.
(VII) Enos D., son of Ebenezer (2) Williams, was born at Amherst, in 1822 and died in October, 1866. He was educated in the public schools and at Amherst Academy. He began life as a merchant in a small way and became a wholesale flour dealer, owning large flour mills. In politics he wasa Republican in his later years, and he represented his district in the general court in 1856 and 1857. He was a director of the First National Bank of Amherst for many years.
He married in 1846, Caroline Ruth Hawley, who was born in Plain- field, Massachusetts, in 1825 and died in 1891. Children: Mary A., born at Amherst, October 11, 1848, married R. L. Bridgeman and had two children : Florence and Percy L. Bridgeman. 2. Elijah H., born at Amherst, September 3, 1850, married Ella D. Pomeroy. 3. William H., mentioned below. 4. Nellie D., born at Amherst, August 3, 1855, died aged six years. 5. Arthur, born 1857. died in infancy. 6. Edward, born 1859, died in infancy. 7. Walter Henry, born in Amherst. April 25, 1863, married Anna E. Waite and had a daughter Cliff, born in 1889, died aged eighteen years.
(VIII) William H., son of Enos D. Williams, was born at Amherst, Massachusetts, October 31, 1853. His early education was received in the public schools of his native town and he was graduated from Amherst College in the class of 1876 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. At once, after completing his course, he entered the employ of a large lumber company in Chicago, Illinois, and a year later embarked in the lumber business on his own account at Springfield, Missouri. After continuing in business in Missouri for thirteen years, he came to Nelsonville, Ohio, and continued in the lumber business for another period of nine years. From 1899 to 1909 he was associated with the R. J. Rogers Lumber Company, at Geneva, New York, as assistant treasurer and later treasurer. Since 1909 he has been in business on his own account, again as the Williams Lumber Company, in the city of Geneva, New York, and within a year his concern was doing the largest business of any in that line in that section of the state. His wide knowledge of the business and high reputation for in- tegrity have served him in good stead in his career and the confidence in which he is held by his customers is a guarantee of the future pros- perity of the concern.
In politics he is a Republican, and for two years he held the office
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of park commissioner of Geneva. He was made a mason in Nelsonville, Ohio, and is now a member of Ark Lodge of Geneva. He was junior warden of the Ohio lodge. He is also a member of the Nelsonville Lodge of Odd Fellows in which he is past noble grand. In religion he is a Pres- byterian.
He married, October 19, 1882, Katharine Ida Roberts, born at Am- herst, August 2, 1855, daughter of Reuben E. and Lydia T. (Endicott) Roberts. Her father was born at Hartford, Connecticut, in 1804, and died in 1877; her mother was born in Newport, New Hampshire, in 1821, died in 1878, a lineal descendant of Governor John Endicott, of Massachu- setts Bay Colony. Reuben Roberts, father of Reuben E. Roberts, was born in Hartford, in 1774, died in 1864; married Esther Grisley ( ?), who was also a native of Hartford, and who died in 1834. Thomas Endicott, father of Lydia T. (Endicott) Roberts, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, and married Mary Trask. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Williams: Elijah Roberts, born in Springfield, Missouri, December 23, 1883, graduated from Amherst College in 1906, and is now secretary of the Williams Lumber Company of Geneva; Frederick Bailey, born at Springfield, Missouri, October 20, 1886, died aged eighteen months : Caroline Ruth, born at Springfield, Missouri, May 27, 1891, now a stu- dent in Vassar College.
WHITNEY.
The name of Whitney belongs to a knightly family of remote Eng- lish antiquity founded by Eustace, living 1086, and styled De Whitney from the lordship of Whitney which he possessed. The present form of the name has been established for about four centuries. The American Whitneys of to-day justly claim the blood of many families whose names are most familiar in English history. The early owners of the land before the days when surnames were used were persons whose Christian names might be, for example, Eustace, or Baldwin or Robert, and these were, as is known in this case, Eustace of Whitney, Baldwin of Whitney and Robert of Whitney, from the name of the place of their abode, which in this instance, was that locality known at present as the parish of Whitney, situated in the county of Hereford, upon the extreme western border of England, adjoining Wales. The earliest mention of the place is a record in the Domesday Book, A. D., 1086. The parish of Whitney is traversed by the river Wye, which gives it its name, Whitney-on the-
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Wye. It is one of the most beautiful spots in old England, its Rhyd- spence Inn reminding one of the description of the old May-pole. The Anglo-Saxon derivation of the name Whitney is evidently from "hewit" white, and "ey" water, the name meaning white water. In the west of England to-day Whit-bourn means white brook; Whit-church, white church; and Whit-on, the white town. De Whitney (de meaning "of") came to be regarded as the family name, and in the course of time this pre- fix was dropped and the name became Whitney as it is to-day.
The line had been established for more than five hundred years at Whitney, and John, the first settler of this name at Watertown, Massa- chusetts, could trace his descent directly to Sir Robert of Whitney, who was living in 1242, and whose father Eustace already mentioned, took the surname of Whitney-on-the-Wye in the Marches of Wales, who through a line of three or four generations which has been ably traced by Henry (Whitney ) Millville, Esq., of New York, in his history of the Whitney family, was a descendant of one "Turstin de Fleming" a follower of Will- iam the Conqueror, who was mentioned in the Domesday Book, A. D., 1086. The line from Sir Robert ( 1) of Whitney living in 1242, passed to another Robert (2) of Whitney and then by Sir Eustace de Whitney (3) to Sir Robert (4), Sir Robert (5), Sir Eustace (6) de Whitney, knight, Robert (7), of Whitney, James (8), of Whitney, Robert (9), of Icond, Sir Robert (10), of Whitney, knight, Robert (11), of Whitney, esquire, Thomas ( 12) of Westminster, gentleman, to John Whitney, who with his wife Elinor and several sons emigrated from London, England. in 1635, and settled in Watertown, Massachusetts, the first of the name in America and the ancestor of a great majority of the Whitneys now liv- ing in this country.
We unfortunately have no space to speak here of the distinguished members of the early Whitney race in England, or to enlarge upon the distinguished careers of many of its modern American members. This has been very fully done in several meritorious genealogies published on this side of the water. Sir Robert Whitney, knight, was sheriff of Herefordshire in the first year of Richard III. ( 1337) and is men- tioned by Thomas Fuller in his famous "History of the Worthies of Eng- land." It is no doubt true that the family were entitled to a coat of armor as long ago as the early crusades and the armorial ensign remained unchanged, certainly until the time of the emigration of John Whitney to New England. As the motto on the shield of the Whitney race transla- ted from the Latin into English is, "Gallantly uphold the Cross," the crusade origin of that object of honor would appear to be substantiated by
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the facts. The Whitney coat-of-arms is a shield with a blue ground, on which is a large cross formed of checker-board squares of gold and red, above which as a crest, is a bull's head cut off at the neck, black, with sil- ver horns tipped with red. A cross on an ancient coat-of-arms indicated that it belonged to a crusader. A family coat-of-arms could not be de- vised where the cross would be more prominent than in the Whitney de- sign. In fact, the cross is the only symbol. The coat-of-arms as described appears on the walls of Hereford Cathedral, England, where a Mrs. Lucy Booth, daughter of Sir Robert Whitney, was buried in 1763. The bull's head is said to have been adopted as a family crest from the fact that Sir Randolph de Whitney, who accompanied Richard the lion-hearted king of England to the crusades, was once attacked by three Saracens, one of them the brother of Saladin. Sir Randolph Whitney, single-handed, de- fended himself with the greatest vigor. but his assailants were gaining upon him when a Spanish bull, feeding nearby, becoming angry at the red dress of the Saracens, joined in the attack against them so furiously that they were put to flight and left the field victorious to Sir Randolph and the bull. In acknowledgment of the services of the bull in time of need, the bull's head was adopted as a crest to the family coat-of-arms. Whether this account be true or not, it is certain that the American de- scendants of the ancient English Whitney family have many times in- dicated a "bull headed" strength of mind and tenacity of purpose in many audable undertakings.
(I) John Whitney, of Watertown, Massachusetts, was born in England, died at Watertown, June 1, 1673, aged eighty-four years. His first wife Elinor died at Watertown, May II, 1659, aged fifty-four years. He married (second), September 29, 1659, Judith Clement, who died before her husband. Although the Whitney family is quite numerous in this country, a very large share of them are descendants of John and Elinor Whitney of Watertown. John Whitney was third son of Thomas Whitney, "gentleman," and dwelt for several years in the parish of Isle- worth, near London, England. He was baptized in the parish church of Saint Margaret, July 20, 1592. At Watertown, he was a highly respected citizen and shared with the schoolmaster and the minister the highly esteemed title of "Mr." He served the town as town clerk, selectman and constable for many years, being the first town clerk to be elected by the town. He owned extensive lots of land, on one of which he resided. His will, dated April 3, 1673, left a large property to his family. Children of the first wife : Mary, baptized at Isleworth, May 23, 1619, died young ; John, born in England, 1624; Richard, born in England, 1626; Nathan-
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iel, born in England, 1627, died young; Thomas, born in England, 1629; Jonathan, born in England, 1634; Joshua, born in Watertown, July 15, 1635; Caleb, born in Watertown, buried July 12, 1640; Benjamin, men- tioned below.
(II) Benjamin, son of John Whitney, was born June 6, 1643, in Watertown, and married (first) probably at York, Maine, Jane -, who died November 14, 1690, and he married (second), April 11, 1695, at Marlborough, Mary Poor. The first record of Benjamin, in York, is in 1662-6-8, when he witnessed an agreement of John Doves. He was at Cocheco, Maine, near Dover, in 1667-68. April 13, 1674, the selectmen of York laid out ten acres of upland to Benjamin, and in 1680 he had a second grant. After the death of his first wife, he returned to Watertown and settled near the Natick town line. After his second marriage, he lived on land belonging to Harvard College, which he leased to Governor Danforth. He died in 1723. Children : Jane, born Watertown, Septem- ber 29, 1669; Timothy, York, in 1703, a member of the company raised in York for defense against the Indians, commanded by Captain Preble ; John, York, about 1678; Nathaniel, York, April 14, 1680; Jonathan, 1681. mentioned below; Benjamin, married Mrs. Esther Maverick ; Joshua, September 21, 1687 ; Mark, about 1700; Isaac, married Elizabeth Bridges.
(III) Jonathan, son of Benjamin Whitney, was born in 1681, and married in 1700, Susanna -, born 1681. In 1721 his name is found on the list of those taxed for the minister's rate in Sherborn, Massachu- setts, at which time he paid one of the largest taxes. In 1723 his name was first on a petition to be set off as a separate town, afterwards called Holliston. In 1727 he was one of a committee in the latter town in rela- tion to land for the minister, and in 1730 he deeded his interest in the land to the first minister. He was selectman in Holliston, 1724-25-26-27-28- 32-36-37. He owned some meadow lands in what is now Milford, and lived there at one time. Children: Susanna, January 20, 1702; Jona- than, October 17, 1704, mentioned below ; Keziah, July 11, 1706; Doro- thy, August 28, 1708; Mary, May 28, 1710; Lydia, March 3, 1712; Elias, November 14, 1716; Mehitable, December 27, 1719; George, August 12, 1721 : Jesse, February 8, 1723; Hannah, February II. 1724.
(IV) Jonathan (2), son of Jonathan ( 1) Whitney, was born Octo- ber 17, 1704, and married, January 26, 1727, Lydia Jones, born Sep- tember 15, 1705, died March 4, 1783. He owned lands in Hopkinton, Holliston and Mendon. He was a prominent citizen and influential mem- ber of the church and assisted in establishing the town of Milford. He
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died intestate, in 1755. Children: Susanna, February 12, 1728; Jona- than, October 18, 1729, died October 19, 1729; Jesse, November 24. 1730; Lydia, November 18, 1732: Jonathan, July 26, 1737, mentioned below : Ruth, baptized April 1I, 1742, died young ; David, baptized Sep- tember 21, 1746; Sarah.
(V) Captain Jonathan (3) Whitney, son of Jonathan (2) Whit- ney, was born July 26, 1737, in Milford, and married (both being then of Mendon), November 7, 1760, Esther Parkhurst, born June 22, 1741, died December 6, 1812, in Milo, New York. Soon after his marriage he removed to Conway, Massachusetts, and in 1789 he went with his son Joel to Ontario county, New York, and settled on the "Old Castle" farm near Geneva. Here he put in four or five acres of wheat, cut a stack of hay, erected a log house eighteen feet square and returned to Conway in the fall of the same year. In 1791 he removed with his family to the above mentioned farm. They travelled by ox teams and were some seventeen days on the road. He served in the revolution, his term of service being as follows: Lexington alarm, sergeant from Conway. served sixteen days in Captain Robert Oliver's company, Colonel Samuel Williams' regiment, April 22, 1775; May 3, 1776, lieutenant, Fifth regi- ment, Hampshire county, Seventh company. Thomas French, captain ; July 10, 1777, to August 12, 1777, lieutenant, Captain Benjamin Phillips' company, Colonel Elisha Porter's regiment; June 19, 1780, captain Seventh company, Fifth regiment, Hampshire county. He died August 22, 1792. Children : I. Nathan, October 18, 1761, mentioned below. 2. Abigail, March 12, 1764; married in Conway, April 2, 1787, Simeon Amsden, born April 20, 1763, died August 16, 1832. 3. Joel, November 13, 1776, married Sybil Whitmore. 4. Esther, December 16, 1769, mar- ried in Conway, August 31, 1789, Solomon Gates, born October 4, 1761. She died August 16, 1848. 5. Experience, June 6, 1772, married in Conway, June 25, 1789, Immer Crittenden, born March 17, 1776, died December 16. 1826. She died February 5, 1826. 6. Jonas, May 12. 1775, married Catherine Parker. 7. Ruth, February 18, 1778, died young. 8. Ammi, January 18, 1781, married Anna Amsden. 9. Park- hurst, September 15, 1784, married Celinda Cowing.
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