USA > New York > Steuben County > A history of Steuben County, New York, and its people, Vol. II > Part 20
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his personal popularity and of the objective appreciation of his ability as a legist and jurist.
Judge Clark has continued to maintain his home in Wayland from the time he here initiated his efforts as a young lawyer and as a citizen he has exemplified the highest civic ideals, the utmost loyalty and public spirit. He has done much to further the social and material interests of the community and was one of the princi- pal factors in organizing the First National Bank of Wayland, of which he is president. Both he and his wife are active and valued workers in the Methodist Episcopal church in their attractive little home city and are prominent in the best social affiairs of the com- munity. Judge Clark is affiliated with Patchin Lodge No. 883, Free & Accepted Masons; Wayland Lodge No. 176, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and Wayland Camp No. 10,989, Modern Woodmen of America.
On the 18th of September, 1879, was solemnized the marriage of Judge Clark to Miss Hattie M. Hill, who was born at Stetson, Penobscot county, Maine, on the 25th of June, 1857, and who is a daughter of General Jonathan A. and Lucy (Richards) Hill. The former passed the closing years of his life in Towanda, Pennsyl- vania, and was a gallant soldier and officer in the Civil war. Mrs. Clark was graduated in Wyklan Hall Seminary, in the city of Toronto, Canada, and in 1875 she was also graduated in Cazenovia Seminary, at Casenovia, New York. A woman of culture and much social charm, she proves a gracious chatelain of the beauti- ful home of the family in Wayland. Judge and Mrs. Clark be- came the parents of one son, William H., and the great loss and be- reavement of their life came when this noble young man was called from the scene of life's mortal endeavors, on the 20th of February, 1910. A brief tribute to his memory is given in the following sketch.
WILLIAM HILL CLARK was born in the village of Wayland, Steuben county, on the 2d of July, 1880, and after completing the curriculum of the public schools, including the Wayland high school, he continued his higher academic studies at the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, at Lima, this state, and Cazenovia Seminary, at Cazenovia. In 1901 he entered the First National Bank of Wayland, of which institution his father was then, as now, presi- dent, and he eventually became assistant cashier of the institu- tion, a position of which he continued incumbent until the time of his death, in addition to which he was a member of the directorate. He showed marked executive ability and did much to further the success of this substantial and popular financial institution. From an appreciative estimate of his character given in an obituary no- tice in the Wayland Register, under date of February 25, 1910, are taken the following extracts, with but slight paraphrase : "William H. Clark has been known by the older inhabitants from the cradle, and the noble characteristics of his early days were
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steadfast to the end,-intensified and developed with maturity, as God in his wisdom provided. He was a typical American gentle- man,-modest, retiring, courteous, sincere, sympathetic, and straightforward and honest in his dealings. His home life was ideal and resplendent with tenderness, love and sympathy, and all his leisure hours were spent in its enjoyment. His earthly body has been removed, but the memory of his sweet and beautiful life and influence will forever linger." To those nearest and dearest must come a measure of compensation and reconciliation from hav- ing thus known and touched so strong and so lovable a character, and in this sense death loses its sting and the grave its victory. Mr. Clark was identified with representative fraternal, business and social organizations in his home village, and no young man of the community had a more inviolable place in popular confidence and affection. On the 1st of October, 1903, he was united in marriage to Miss Jeanette C. Smith, only daughter of Edward B. Smith, a representative citizen of Cazenovia, and since the death of her husband she has made her home with Judge and Mrs. Clark.
In politics William H. Clark was a stanch supporter of the cause of the Republican party and he was a devout member of the Presbyterian church, as is also his widow. He was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the Modern Woodmen of America, was a charter member of the Wayland Hose Company, and also held membership in the Wayland Board of Trade. When but twenty- one years of age he was elected village treasurer of his native place and he retained this office until the time of his death.
MRS. MELINDA (WHEELER) BENNITT was born in the town of Urbana, February 25, 1831, a daughter of Obediah and Olive (Woodward) Wheeler. Her parents came to Steuben county from Vermont in 1816 and settled in the town of Urbana; where Mr. Wheeler devoted his energies to farming and blacksmithing. The foundation of her education was laid in the common schools and she then entered Clover Street Seminary at Rochester, New York, where she was graduated in 1852. Three years were devoted to teach- ing school. In 1856 she married Benjamin Bennitt, also of the town of Urbana, who became prominent as a lawyer and soldier in the Civil war. On his first enlistment in the Twenty-third New York Volunteers he became a lieutenant and on the expiration of his service in this regiment, he returned home and raised a com- pany for the Twenty-Second New York Cavalry, which he led as captain. He was advanced to the rank of major and was brevetted lieutenant colonel for meritorious service by President Johnson. He died in Hammondsport in 1889.
Colonel Fred Bennitt, elder son of Benjamin and Melinda Bennitt, is a prominent lawyer of Joliet, Illinois, where he is also interested in manufacturing enterprises. Colonel Bennitt was for many years in command of the Third Illinois National Guard and led that regiment to Porto Rico in the war with Spain. Colonel
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Bennitt married Annie E. Reed, a daughter of Samuel B. Reed, a distinguished civil engineer and railroad builder, who was chief engineer in the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad. They have two children, Mrs. Elbert Bates and Fred Dwight Bennitt.
Mark Bennitt, second son of Benjamin and Melinda Bennitt, is also a resident of Joliet. He formerly was engaged in news- paper work in Elmira and Buffalo, New York. He organized the General Press Bureaus of the Pan American and Louisiana Pur- chase Expositions and managed them during the exposition periods. He was editor in chief of a comprehensive history of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. He is now associated with large organiza- tions in the colonization of western irrigated lands. He married Helen Tallett at Elmira, New York, in 1890 and they have two children, Dorman Tallett and Katharine Esther Bennitt.
Mrs. Melinda Bennitt is a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal church and an active Daughter of the American Revolu- tion. She is well known for her literary taste and writings for the county press. In 1873 she joined with Mrs. E. B. Fairchild in establishing the Hammondsport Herald and continued as its editor for some time. She has long been active in the cause of education and was for twelve years a member of the Board of Education of Hammondsport.
JOHN RANSOM SHELDON certainly deserves representation among the men who have been instrumental in promoting the wel- fare of Hornell. He has done much to advance the wheels of progress, aiding materially in the development of business activ- ity and energy, on which the prosperity and growth of the state always depend. He has found in each transition stage opportunity for further effort and broader labor and his enterprise has not only contributed to his individual success but has also been of marked value to the community in which he makes his home. Since 1898 Mr. Sheldon has lived retired from the cares of active busi- ness affiairs. For more than two-score years he was actively en- gaged in the hardware business at Hornell, where he is now en- joying a well deserved leisure, his home being at No. 56 Maple street.
Mr. Sheldon was born in Hornellsville, Steuben county, New York, July 6, 1833, a son of Orson Sheldon, the family being of substantial New England ancestry. His grandfather, John Sheldon, a native of Connecticut, followed the march of civiliza- tion westward when young, settling in the vicinity of Lebanon, Madison county, New York, in the pioneer days, and directing his attention to agricultural pursuits. Orson Sheldon was born, in 1807, in Lebanon, New York, where he grew to adult age. From 1832 until 1836 he resided in Steuben county and thereafter for two years was engaged in mercantile pursuits in Alfred, Allegany county, New York. Returning, in 1838, to his native county, he was in business in Lebanon for some time. In 1851 he established
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his home in Hornellsville, Steuben county, and was here a resi- dent until his death, in 1870, a part of the time being in business as a dry-goods merchant. His wife, whose maiden name was Jane F. Ilartshorn, was born, in 1811, in Lebanon, Madison county, and she was summoned to the life eternal in 1892. Her father, Jacob Hartshorn, a native of Connecticut, was of English lineage and was one of the pioneer settlers of Madison county, New York. Mr. and Mrs. Orson Sheldon became the parents of two children and of the number John Ransom, the oldest member of the parental house- hold, and Frederick M., of Buffalo, New York, the youngest in or- der of birth, are now living.
Until attaining his majority John R. Sheldon remained at home, assisting his father in the store and attending the public schools of Lebanon. When ready to assume the real responsibilities of life he decided upon the hardware busines as a good field for operation and accordingly established himself in business as a hardware merchant at Hornell, in 1858. The firm of Sheldon Brothers, retail and wholesale dealers in hardware, was formed and rapidly built up a large and representative patronage, it having an extended trade in this section of the state, and maintaining a number of traveling salesmen on the road. For fully forty years, from 1858 to 1898, was Mr. Sheldon identified with this line of enterprise and with other important financial ventures in Hornell. In the latter year, however, he withdrew from active participa- tion in the affairs of the business world and he has sinee lived in retirement, in the full enjoyment of former years of earnest toil and endeavor. He has maintained his home in this city for a period of sixty years and is one of the oldest residents in the place. When he first came here, in 1851, Hornellsville was a town of seven hundred inhabitants and it now boasts a population of fourteen thousand. A sound advocate of the principles of the Republican party Mr. Sheldon has been most active in publie af- fairs and served for a number of years as a member of the board of trustees of the village. He is widely known throughout the coun- try and holds a distinctively high place in the confidence and re- gard of his fellow men.
Mr. Sheldon has been twice married, his first union, in 1862, being to Miss Lydia P Canfield, a native of Elmira, New York. She passed to eternal rest in 1905 and is survived by two chil- dren,- William C., who died May 18, 1882, and Mary J., who is now wife of Rev. Thomas Stephenson, residing in Hornell, New York. In 1907 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Sheldon to Miss Agnes A. Doyle, of Syracuse, New York. Mr. Sheldon is a devout and active member of the Baptist church, as was also his first. wife. He affiliated with this church in 1858 and he has since been a most worthy member and a trustee. For three-score years has Mr. Sheldon been connected with the upbuilding of Hornell and he has just reason to be proud of the fact that to his efforts can be traced many a substantial enterprise or advancement con-
George WPratt
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tributing greatly to the growth and prosperity of this section of the state. In every sense of the word he is a representative citizen, whose loyalty and public-spirit have been of the most prominent order. It is to the inherent force of character and commendable ambition and the unremitting diligence of Mr. Sheldon himself that he steadily advanced in the business world until he eventually occupied a leading place among the active and representative men of Hornell.
GEORGE WOLLAGE PRATT .- Among the prominent citizens whom Corning has been called upon to mourn within the past few years none will be more generally missed than the late George Wollage Pratt, whose death, which occurred at his home, No. 138 Cedar street, at a quarter after two o'clock, Wednesday morning, October 3, 1906, was a cause of deep regret not only to his im- mediate family and friends but to the public. Taken desperately ill the preceding May, his death was almost momentarily expected for ten days, but his strong vitality conquered and in a few weeks he was able to sit up a while each day. With increasing strength his desire to once more look after his personal interests caused him to be wheeled to the Corning Journal office, where the greater portion of his business career had been spent, his last visit to the editorial sanctum having been made on September 27. On Sep- tember 30, after retiring for the night, he was seized with an at- tack of acute indigestion, and, unable to recover from the effects of the great suffering and the ensuing prostration he quietly passed to rest in the home in which he had resided since 1860.
Mr. Pratt was born April 17, 1821, at May's Mills, midway between Penn Yan and Dresden, in the town of Milo, then Ontario but now Yates county, New York, a son of Joel B. Pratt. Joel B. Pratt was born in 1795 in Colchester, Connecticut, and in 1819 became a resident of what is now Yates county, New York. In June, 1834, Joel B. Pratt came with his family to Steuben county, locating in the old town of Painted Post, now known as Corning, and for a number of years had a carding and cloth-dress- ing shop at the Mills, in what is now Hammond street, in the first ward of the city of Corning. A man of much intelligence and of strong convictions, he was an earnest advocate of total abstin- ence and one of the few stanch and fearless anti-slavery men of his day to be found in this section of the Empire state. He married Cerinthia Wollage, who died October 10, 1867, in Binghamton, New York, aged seventy-three years. He survived her, passing away in Corning, New York, February 21, 1869.
Prior to coming, on June 20, 1834, with his parents to Corning, George W. Pratt attended school at Dresden, and at Avon, New York. He subsequently worked in his father's carding shop, as chance offered attending the local schools and finally becoming a district school teacher. Entering the Geneva Medical College, at Geneva, New York, in 1842, he was there graduated with the degree
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of M. D. in January, 1845, and the ensuing four years was en- gaged in the practice of his profession at Corning. Going to Michigan in September, 1849, Dr. Pratt continued to practice medi- cine, and in addition embarked in journalistic work, being from February, 1850, until May, 1851, editor of the Statesman, an influential Whig paper at Marshall, Michigan. Returning to Corn- ing, he became, in July, 1851, editor and part owner of the Corn- ing Journal, which had been in existence at that time for four years. In April, 1853, he purchased his partner's interest in the paper, and, with the exception of a brief period when he had a partner, he owned and edited the Corning Journal until his death. In September, 1891, at the age of three score and ten years, he established an afternoon edition of the Journal, and in 1905 the Weekly Journal was merged with the Daily Journal, to save the labor and expense of two newspapers.
In early life Mr. Pratt was a strong anti-slavery man and a stanch adherent of the Whig party, in 1854 joining the ranks of the Republican organization. He was one of two delegates elected from this assembly district of Steuben county to the first Repub- lican state convention held in the state of New York, in Syracuse in 1855, and was one of the eight vice-presidents of that conven- tion. He was afterwards many times a delegate to state conven- tions, being prominent in party affairs. In 1861 Mr. Pratt was appointed a state canal collecter at Corning, a position which he held a number of years. He was appointed in 1872 by President Grant postmaster at Corning, and held the office four years. Be- ing appointed to the same position in 1890 by President Harrison, he served another four years. In 1887, without his previous knowl- edge, Mr. Pratt was appointed by Governor Hill as a member of the first board of managers of a projected state hospital for the insane to be located at Ogdensburg. During the four years that he remained on that board a fine hospital was erected at a large cost.
A man of deep religious convictions, he united with the Pres- byterian church in early life and was ever afterwards an ardent worker, for many years being a Sunday-school and Bible class teacher. Mr. Pratt was a charter member of the New York State Press Association, which was organized in 1853. He was for over fifty years a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons, and was a life member of the Masonic organizations of Corning.
Mr. Pratt married, September 19, 1846, Helen Melvina Hayt, of Patterson, Putnam county, New York. She died April 4, 1880, at the comparatively early age of fifty-five years. Of the six children born of their union, three have passed to the life beyond, as follows: Theodore Steele, died aged twenty-one years, Feb- ruary 3, 1872, at Riverside, California, where the previous year he had embarked in business as an orange grower; Sophie Steele, the youngest child, died November 27, 1889, in Corning, aged
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twenty-three years; Claudius B., the first-born, died May 30, 1850, aged two years. The three children living are George E., of Berke- ley, California, third vice-president of The Realty Syndicate, one of the largest corporations on the Pacific Coast, with offices in Oak- land, California; Ransom, of Berkeley, California, secretary and manager of the San Francisco office of the Bausch & Lomb Optical Company; and Harry Hayt, for many years associated with his father in the management of the Corning Journal, of which he is now the editor. Harry Hayt Pratt is also postmaster of Corning.
George W. Pratt was for more than fifty-five years the editor of the Corning Journal. He had a high sense of the dignity and power of journalism. His convictions of right were positive; his sense of justice was keen. A writer of unusual force and ability he was fearless in the expression of his views and took rank during his long editorial career as one of the strongest individuals on the "country press" of New York state. In private life he was kindly, helpful, generous and broad-minded. He was a man of unblemished integrity and his influence was constantly exerted for the right. He ever sought to be useful, and when he died it was recognized that one of the ablest journalists and one of the best of men had gone hence.
HARRY H. PRATT .- A man of energy and enterprise, brainy and bright, Harry H. Pratt, editor of the Corning Daily Journal and Corning's postmaster, has achieved a large measure of success in his newspaper work, and as a public official, a man and a citizen is influential and popular. He was born in this city November 11, 1864, youngest son of the late George W. Pratt, of whom a brief personal history may be found on another page of this volume.
Brought up in Corning, Harry H. Pratt was graduated from the Free Academy with the class of 1882, and immediately entered the office of the Corning Journal, then a weekly paper of which his father was the proprietor. This paper was established in 1847 and six years later became the property of George W. Pratt, who had previously had an interest in it for two years, and who, in Septem- ber, 1891, began its daily issue. On the death of the proprietor, in October, 1906, the paper passed into the hands of a corporation, and Harry H. Pratt was made president of the company and its editorial manager. Full of personal resources and of undoubted ability, he is enthusiastic in his work, the Journal, which is an in- fluential daily, bearing the marks of his individuality. In 1905 Mr. Pratt was appointed postmaster at Corning by President Roosevelt, and in December, 1909, was reappointed to the same position by President Taft.
Active in public affairs, Mr. Pratt was for five years a member of the Corning Board of Health. He is prominent in Republican ranks, having rendered his party effective service with his pen and as a delegate to district, state, congressional and senatorial conven- tions. Fraternally he has taken the thirty-second degree of Masonry
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and for one term was worshipful master of Painted Post Lodge No. 117, Free and Accepted Masons. For two terms he was exalted ruler in the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
On September 14, 1892, Mr. Pratt was united in marriage with Clarissa Chapman Spencer, a daughter of Hon. George T. Spencer, a prominent citizen of Steuben county, and to them six children have been born, namely: Sophie and George Wollage (twins), Hugh Spencer, Harriet Stacey, Ransom and Ilelen Hayt Pratt.
JAMES S. HARRISON .- A prominent banker and manufacturer of Steuben county, New York, and a citizen whose loyalty and public spirit have done much to advance the progress and develop- ment of Addison is Hon. James S. Harrison. He was born in Woodhull township, this county, on the 15th of February, 1851, his ancestry being of English extraction. His grandfather was long a practicing physican and surgeon in Otsego county, where he resided for a number of years and where his death occurred at an advanced age. James S. is a son of Salmon Harrison, a native of Laurens, Otsego county, whence he removed to Steuben county, settling in Woodhull township, when about thirty-five years of age. He married Miss Amy E. Haight, also of Otsego county, and they became the parents of four children : Charles S. is a resident of Flint, Michigan; L. Adelia is deceased; Howard B. maintains his home in Albany, New York; and James S. is the immediate subject of this review. Salmon Harrison was identified with agricultural pursuits during the major portion of his active business career and he was an influential citizen, filling many important offices of pub- lic trust in the community in which he elected to maintain his home. At the time of the organization of the Republican party, in 1858, he became aligned as a stanch supporter of its principles and policies and he ever contributed in generous measure to all matters projected for the general welfare of the community. For about twelve years he was the efficient incumbent of the office of justice of the peace and for a time he was tax assessor of Wood- hull township. His religious faith was in harmony with the tenets of the Baptist church, in the various departments of whose work he was an active factor. He was summoned to the life eternal at the age of eighty-four years and his cherished aud devoted wife was eighty-two years of age at the time of her demise.
Hon. James S. Harrison was reared to maturity on the old home farm, in the work and management of which he early became associated with his father, and his rudimentary education con- sisted of such advantages as were afforded in the district schools of his native township. Later he attended Alfred University, at Alfred, Allegany county, New York, being enrolled as a student in that institution for two years, at the expiration of which he turned his attention to business affairs. In 1870 he made his advent in Addison, where he began the manufacture of agricultural wood work, continuing in this line of enterprise to the present time and
O. Harrison
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HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY
developing it till he now gives constant employment to about fifteen skilled workmen. In 1902 he became extensively interested in banking pursuits and in that year was elected president of the First National Bank of Addison, being incumbent of this respons- ible office at the present time, in 1910. This substantial financial institution has a capital stock of fifty thousand dollars and a sur- plus of fifty thousand dollars. Its official corps consists of Mr. Harrison, president, as already noted, E. M. Welles, vice-president ; and W. A. Cronk, cashier. Besides the ones mentioned Mr. Har- rison has other important interests in and adjacent to Addison and he is considered one of the ablest and most honorable business men in the county. His helpfulness to all measures for the public good is proverbial. In politics he accords a stanch allegiance to the Re- publican party and in the session of 1905-6 he represented his assembly district in the state legislature, where he was a member of various important committees and took part in the deliberations of the floor of the house, well demonstrating his ability and political integrity. He has filled the office of supervisor of his township and in different ways has had much to do with the public affairs of Addison and of the county. He and his wife are devout members of the Presbyterian church and he is affiliated with various frater- nal and social organizations of representative character.
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