USA > New York > Steuben County > A history of Steuben County, New York, and its people, Vol. II > Part 30
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HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY
Soon after the close of the war General Van Valkenburg was appointed minister to Japan, and Colonel Rumsey went out with him as secretary of the legation. After a sojourn in that country for two years Colonel Rumsey returned to his native state and settled down to the active and serious work of his after life. He studied law in his father's (Judge David Rumsey) law office, a noted feature of which was that it was the training school of five justices of the Supreme Court, namely: The subject of this sketch, General R. B. Van Valkenburg of the Supreme Court of Florida; James M. Barker of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts; Loyd Barber of the Minnesota Circuit Court, and David Rumsey of New York. Colonel Rumsey was admitted to the bar three years thereafter and became a lawyer of executive reputation and large practice. In 1880, Colonel Rumsey was elected a justice of the Supreme Court of the state of New York for the Seventh Judicial District, where he served at special and trial terms and in the Appellate Division of the Fourth Judicial Depart- ment, with noted ability. He was afterward designated by the gov- ernor of the state to serve as one of the seven justices of the Appellate Division, in the First Judicial Department of the Supreme Court, composed of the city and county of New York. The Supreme Court Reports for that period attest his great learning and judicial ability.
Because of his refusal to yield to the dictations of that political tyrant, Senator Thomas C. Platt, the personnel of the bench of the Appellate Division of the First Judicial Department was changed. Shortly following this Judge William Rumsey resigned from the bench of the Supreme Court and returned to the active practice of his profession in the city of New York. Judge Rumsey is the author of an exhaustive and standard work on the practice in the courts of the state of New York. He was appointed by Governor David B. Hill, with Hon. David Dudley Field and Hon. David L. Follett, a commissioner to revise and prepare a code of evidence. He had a large fund of literary and historical acquirements, and frequently upon request delivered addresses upon those subjects with credit and distinction. Notably was his address delivered upon the occasion of the observance of the centennial of the settlement of Hornellsville and the Canisteo Valley in 1890.
Judge Rumsey married Miss Ella Moore and three children blessed their union, a son, David Rumsey, a well known and prom- inent lawyer of the city of New York, and two daughters, Mrs. John S. Sheppard, of the same city, and Mrs. Evans, of London, England.
Judge Rumsey was of untiring energy and ceaseless industry ; he was possessed of a splendid physical system, but his labors in the field, at the bar, on the bench and in his study were too much for his robust constitution, and he died from overwork at his home in the city of New York, on January 16, 1903. His remains were brought to Bath and there deposited in the family lot in Grove cemetery, mourned by all who knew him.
MORRIS E. GREGORY .- Holding high rank among the active and progressive citizens of Steuben county is Morris E. Gregory, pro-
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prietor of the Corning Brick, Terra Cotta and Tile Company. He possesses a natural aptitude for business, being keen and alert to take advantage of opportunities, and broad and bright enough to handle large enterprises, being, in Western parlance, a "hustler." A son of Erwin L. Gregory, he was born in Caton, Steuben county, New York, July 29, 1864. His grandfather, Stephen L. Gregory, a farmer by occupation, was a pioneer settler of this part of the Empire state and actively identified with its early development and growth.
Born and reared in Steuben county, Erwin L. Gregory spent his sixty-six years of life in the county, during his active life being engaged in agricultural pursuits in the town of Caton. He married Laura Hildreth, who was born in Yates county, New York, and died in Steuben county. They reared two children, May and Morris E., the son being the first-born.
Brought up on the home farm in Caton, Morris E. Gregory acquired the rudiments of his education in the district schools, in 1886 being graduated from the Corning Free Academy. He sub- sequently taught four years in the graded schools of New Jersey, from there coming to Corning to establish himself in business. He entered the employ of his predecessors, proprietors of the Corning Brick Company, and continued as bookkeeper until 1896, when he pur- chased the entire business, of which he has since been the sole owner. In its management Mr. Gregory has met with eminent success during the fourteen years of his ownership. Mr. Gregory's business includes the manufacture of architectural terra cotta, paving and common building brick, and besides this he is a large dealer in cement, lime, coal, etc., he is also interested quite extensively in the lumber business. The architectural terra cotta manufactured by this plant is shipped throughout a large territory and Corning terra cotta may be found in many large buildings in the east. Mr. Gregory has made a thorough study of paving brick and the result is that his product ranks among the best made in this country.
Mr. Gregory married Miss Anna Creveling on October 29, 1902, and they have two sons, Morris Creveling and George Erwin. Mr. Gregory has long been a member of the Masonic order, ranks as a Sir Knight, has taken. the thirty-second degree, Scottish Rite, and is a member of the Mystic Shrine and of the Consistory. He is likewise a member and past grand in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and a member of Corning Lodge, No. 1071, B. P. O. E. Politically he is a straightforward Republican.
GEORGE FOSTER of the town of Prattsburg, Steuben county, was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1817, one of the nine children of Ralph Foster, and came to the United States in 1850. Locating in the town of Prattsburg, he engaged in farming, meeting with good success and winning honor as a citizen. In 1867 he married Ann Stevenson, a native of England. They had six children: Frank, John, Mary, Ann, George and William. Of these two are deceased, John and Ann. Frank and Mary live in Rushville, and George and William reside in Prattsburg. The mother of this family died in
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1872. The father later married a Miss Horton. He died November 3, 1899. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, a good citizen, helpful in all the relations of life and as a business man thrifty, industrious and prosperous.
His son George was born January 23, 1860. He was educated in the public schools and brought up as a farmer's boy of all work. At sixteen, he began to work out by the month. He now owns one hundred and twenty-two acres of land a mile and a half northwest of Prattsburg. A lover of good horses he raises some of the best in the county. As a general farmer and stockraiser he ranks with the most successful men in his vicinity.
June 22, 1890, Mr. Foster married Lillie Parks, born June 23, 1863, a daughter of Luther Parks, who was a native of Albany, New York. She was reared on a farm and early in life left home to do for herself and was domiciled with the family of Thomas Hutch- inson until she married. She has borne her husband two daughters: Clara, born February 3, 1897, and Grace I., born April 16, 1901. Mr. and Mrs. Foster are earnest, upright, highly respected people. They are essentially self-made. Both relied on personal resources in youth and made a good and honest start in life. He in his way, she in hers, planned wisely and worked successfully. They are en- joying the rewards of years well spent.
JOHN M. FINCH .- This enterprising business man and prom- inent citizen of Hornell was born in that city January 29, 1841. Nathaniel Finch, his father, came to Steuben county in 1838 and lo- cated at Hornellsville. He was of English descent but of American birth and was a lawyer of ability who practiced his profession about thirty-five years, a part of the time holding the office of justice of the peace and for twenty-five years was the attorney and land agent of the New York & Erie Railroad Company and its successors. He died when he was about sixty-eight years old. His father, a Baptist minister, was a Connecticut man. This family of Finch is descended in the male line from one of four brothers who came over from England in Colonial times. Nathaniel Finch married Samantha Pat- rick, a native of Dutchess county, New York, and of Irish par- entage, who lived to be ninety-one years old. They had nine chil- dren, five daughters and four sons, all but two of whom grew to maturity. Three of the sons were living in 1910. John M. Finch was the third son and seventh child in order of nativity, and he is the only member of his parents' family now living iu Steuben county.
Mr. Finch spent his youth in Hornell and began his education in local public schools. After having been a student for a time at the old Nunda Academy he read law with his father as a preceptor and was admitted to the bar when he was twenty-two years old. He was for eight years assistant to his father and twenty-five years gen- eral land and tax agent for the Erie Railway Company, and he has been from time to time connected with numerous business inter-
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ests. He was one of the chief organizers of the First National Bank of Hornell, and has been its vice-president from its beginning to the present time. He helped to organize and is president of the Hornell Land Company. He was one of the organizers also, in 1886, of the Hornell Electric Company, of which he is president. He was one of the original promoters of the Hope Cemetery Association and has been manager of its business since 1864. He built the present Steuben Sanitarium and was for some years president of the cor- poration controlling it. He was one of the historic twenty men who organized the Hornell Chamber of Commerce and was the first pres- ident of that body. In fact he has been identified for many years with every important public movement in which the citizens of Hornell have been interested. One of the latest is the Hornell and Bath Interurban Electric Road, and he is chairman of the board of directors having this great public improvement in hand. He is the owner of much real estate at and near Hornell.
In 1868 Mr. Finch married Caroline A. Patrick. They have two daughters. One of them is Mrs. Charles A. White, of Chicago, Illinois. Miss Mabel S. Finch is a member of her father's household. Mr. Finch's earliest political alliance was with Republicans. Adher- ing to Horace Greeley in the great editor's hapless fight for the presidency, he became a liberal Republican. Since that campaign he has acted with the Democratic party. As alderman, as school trustee and otherwise he has officially served his fellow citizens of Hornell. In every public relation to which he has been called he has amply proven his public spirit. Indeed there is no proposition looking with any degree of promise to the general good of the city that does not have his cordial and liberal support.
WARREN J. CHENEY .- Noteworthy among the active and prom- inent members of the Steuben county bar is Warren J. Cheney, of Corning, who, as junior member of the well-known law firm of Sebring & Cheney, is carrying on a substantial business, having a large and Incrative practice. He is likewise identified with one of the leading business concerns of the city, being vice-president of the Corning Cut Glass Company. A son of Judson Z. Cheney, he was born April 27, 1862, in Saint Lawrence county, New York.
Judson Z. Cheney was born, bred and educated in Saint Law- rence county, New York. Soon after the breaking out of the Civil war, his patriotic spirit being aroused, he cheerfully offered his serv- ices to his country, enlisting in the Ninety-eighth New York Volun- teer Infantry. With his comrades he took part in many battles, and in September, 1864, at Fort Harrison, during the very last engage- ment of his regiment, he lost his life, being killed on the field of battle when but twenty-eight years of age. He married Thirza M. Blanchard, who was left a widow when young, with one child, War- ren J. Cheney, the special subject of this sketch. She subsequently married for her second husband Charles G. Cheney, and by that marriage had one child, Carroll C. Cheney, of Corning, who is now
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shipping clerk in the wholesale grocery house of the C. R. Maltby Company. The mother died December 14, 1908.
Graduating from the classical department of the Potsdam Nor- mal School with the class of 1881, Warren J. Cheney was principal of the Covington Academy during the following five years, while from 1886 until 1889 he held a similar position in the Brasher and Stockholm Union Free School and Academy. During his pedagogical career Mr. Cheney read law, completing his studies in the office of John & Gilbert at Malone, Franklin county. In September, 1890, at Saratoga, he was admitted to the New York bar, and two months later began the practice of his profession in Corning. In 1897 he formed a partnership with James O. Sebring, of whom a brief per- sonal record is found elsewhere in this volume, and he has since car- ried on a lively and remunerative practice as junior member of the firm of Sebring & Cheney. Successful in his work, Mr. Cheney has acquired valuable business and residential property in city and town, and has large farming interests in the county. He has ever evinced genuine interest in local affairs, and as a loyal adherent of the Republican party served as alderman from 1893 until 1895, and from 1895 until 1899 was city recorder.
On July 3, 1884, Mr. Cheney was united in marriage with Lizzie H. Southwick. She died March 10, 1886, leaving one child, Guy W. Cheney, who was graduated from the classical department of the Syracuse University in 1908 and from its Law School with the class of 1910. He was admitted to the har at Rochester in September, 1910. Mr. Cheney married for his second wife, August 10, 1887, Addie C. Benedict, a daughter of James T. and Celia Benedict, and their only child, Muriel A. Cheney, graduated from the Corning Free Academy in June, 1910.
Fraternally Mr. Cheney is a member and past master of Painted Post Lodge No. 117, F. & A. M., at Corning, New York; a member and past high priest of Corning Chapter No. 130, R. A. M .; a mem- ber of Omers Commandery, K. T., at Elmira, New York; a member of Kalura Temple, at Binghamton, New York; and at present is commander-in-chief of the Corning Consistory. He stands high in the order, being a thirty-second degree Mason. At the meeting of the Supreme Council A. A. S. R., at Detroit in September, 1910, he was elected to receive the thirty-third degree. Mr. Cheney is also a mem- ber of Corning Lodge No. 1071, B. P. O. E. Religiously he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church.
FRANK L. MCCABE .- This successful and widely known citizen of Steuben county is a self-made man whose example should not be lost on the young men of today. He was born at Campbell, July 15, 1861, a son of John McCabe. The latter was born in county Cavan, Ireland, and came to the United States when he was about twenty-one years old. He located in Dutchess county, New York, and went from there to Troy, Bradford county, Pennsylvania, where he married Eliza Patterson, a native of Dublin, Ireland. They
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came to Campbell in 1854. He found work in the tannery there and was killed by the cars when he was about seventy-eight years old. His widow is living, aged about seventy-five. They had ten chil- dren, six sons and four daughters. One of them died in infancy. The others grew to maturity and eight of them are living. All of this large family were born at Campbell. Frank L. was the second son and third child. He spent his boyhood in Campbell, and gained a practical education in the public school of the village. At eighteen he went to Emporium, Pennsylvania, but after working three months there went to Redhouse, Cattaraugus county, New York, where he was a clerk in a store ten years. Then he bought the store and en- gaged in the lumber business. In 1896 he returned to Campbell, leaving his interests in Redhouse to the management of his brother and partner, John B. McCabe. At Campbell he established a flourishing general store, owns the Erie and D. L. & W. coal yards, and has acquired several farms in the country round about. He is a partner in the McCabe Lumber Company, of Warren, Pennsylvania, which is under the management of his brother, Thomas P., the pres- ident of the company.
In 1882 Mr. McCabe married Miss Rilla Fuller, daughter of Howard Fuller, of Redhouse, New York, where she was born in 1860. They have two daughters. Mary L. graduated at the Corning High School and has been a student at the Elmira Female College three years. Elizabeth A. is attending the school at Campbell. Mr. McCabe is a Democrat.
ARDEEN RICHMOND, M. D., of Wayland, one of the most suc- cessful medical and surgical practitioners in Steuben county, was born in Independence, Allegany county, New York, March 11, 1879, a son of William H. and Nettie (Baker) Richmond. His father, who was also born in Independence, is a resident of Wellsville, in that county. After he left school he farmed for some years, then became a traveling salesman and was so employed four years. Later, after ten years in the service of a prominent concern, he took up opti- cal work, studying and practicing for fifteen years in New York, whence he moved to Owego, Tioga county, where he remained a year. From Owego he went to Wellsville, Allegany county, where he has had a successful career. He was born in 1859 and married Miss Nettie Baker, daughter of William and Melissa Baker. They have living two daughters and two sons: Sadie, Harry, Gladys and Ardeen. Sadie is the wife of Professor D. Lowell, principal of schools at Wyoming, New York. Harry, of Wellsville, is a student at Syracuse University. Gladys is a member of her parents' house- hold in Wellsville.
From the time he became of school age until in 1898, Ardeen Richmond attended the public schools. Then he entered Syracuse University, where he was graduated with the A. B. degree in 1902. In 1904 he began the study of medicine in the same institution and in 1908, after a four years' course, was graduated with the medical doctor's degree. He came to Wayland in July of the year last
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mentioned and began the practice of his profession in partnership with Dr. Peabody. Since November 15, 1907, he has been in inde- pendent practice. His preparation for his profession being thor- ough and his devotion to it very great, he has won a success of which any physician and surgeon might well be proud. He is a member of the Phi Beta Pi Medical Fraternity, a national institution; of the Steuben County Medical Society and of other professional bodies and is examining surgeon for the Metropolitan, Prudential, New York Mutual and New York Life Insurance companies.
Dr. Richmond married, January 25, 1903, Miss Martha Knick- erbocker, adopted daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Knickerbocker of Port Allegheny, New York. Mrs. Richmond was born November 15, 1885, in Naples, Ontario county, New York. Her parents died when she was but an infant and she was taken to the home and the hearts of Mr. and Mrs. Knickerbocker when she was three years old. She has borne her husband two sons: Dexter Eugene Richmond, Decem- ber 10, 1906, and Hugh Norris Richmond, July 20, 1909.
GEORGE M. HEMMER, bookkeeper at the First National Bank, Wayland, Steuben county, New York, was born April 5, 1884, at Perkinsville, New York, a son of Valentine and Elizabeth (Ballin- ger) Hemmer, who are now living at Wayland. They became the parents of ten children, of whom the immediate subject of this sketch was the eldest except one. He was educated in the public schools and entered the service of the First National Bank of Way- land as a clerk when little more than a boy and has risen to be bookkeeper and assistant cashier. He is a communicant of the Catholic church of Wayland and is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America. Though he has definite ideas as to the merits and demerits of every economic question before the people and faithfully does his duty as a citizen, he has no liking for prac- tical politics and takes no active part in political work.
Mr. Hemmer married, September 22, 1908, Miss Lillian Hotter, daughter of John Hotter, a farmer at Springwater, Livingston county, New York. Mrs. Hemmer, who was born in March, 1889, bore her husband a son, Kenneth, on March 5, 1910. She, too, is a member of the Roman Catholic church.
To all matters affecting the development and prosperity of Wayland and its tributary territory Mr. Hemmer is thoroughly alive. There is no measure proposed for the benefit of any con- siderable number of his fellow citizens that does not have his hearty and generous support.
ORLANDO W. SUTTON, M. D .- A gentleman whom Bath is happy to term a representative citizen is Dr. Orlando W. Sutton, physician, surgeon and postmaster of the capital of Steuben county and one of the leading Republicans of the county. Dr. Sutton is .amply qualified to enjoy the confidence and esteem of his associates, and several public offices have been bestowed upon him, among them the presidency of the village of Bath. He is a native son of the
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Empire State, his nativity having occurred at Bradford, Steuben county, on Christmas day of the year 1849. His father, Edwin W. Sutton, was a native of New Jersey and of English descent, who pursued the vocation of a merchant tailor with success and who was called to the life eternal in the year 1887, when in his sixty-fourth year. He married Huldah Hopkins, of Bradford, New York, and of their four sons Dr. Sutton was the first in order of birth.
Early in life Orlando W. Sutton found himself in possession of certain natural inclinations toward the medical profession, and accordingly he began his preparation for this high and useful call- ing in the year 1865, when a youth only about sixteen years of age. His preparations were interrupted from time to time, for he found it expedient to engage in other occupations meantime, and after serving eight years as deputy postmaster of Bath and two years in the railway mail service he completed his studies, being graduated from the Eclectic Medical College of the City of New York. He first hung out his shingle at Bath and has ever since remained herc, building up a practice and acting as the kindly friend and doctor of hundreds of families.
As previously suggested, Dr. Sutton is devoted to the interests of the Republican party and is ever ready to do anything, to go anywhere to promote the cause to which he has given his heart ever since he became, by reason of attaining his majority, able to cast his vote. He has been chairman and secretary of the Republican County Committee, president of the village of Bath, trustee of the village, member of the New York State Board of Medical Exam- iners, secretary and treasurer of the Southern Tier Medical Societv and has given efficient service as coroner for a period of three terms. He is public-spirited, progressive, altruistic and ever ready to lend a hand to any measure likely to result in good to the whole body politic. He is a member of the Odd Fellows and of the Masonic fraternity and finds no small amount of pleasure in these fraternal relations.
In 1898 Dr. Sutton was appointed postmaster of Bath, and he has held this office ever since that time, having proven himself one of the most faithful and efficient of Uncle Sam's servants. He still engages in the practice of his profession and keeps in touch with the latest investigations in the science of which he is an exponent. Since his appointment to the postmastership the service has greatlv improved and has proved eminently satisfactory to the people of Bath and the surrounding country.
In 1877 Dr. Sutton laid the foundation of a happy married life by his union with Susan, daughter of Daniel M. Coss, and the issue of the marriage is a son, Frederic C., who resides in Bath, New York, and is at present connected with the Bath postoffice.
LUCIUS A. WALDO .- Another of the native sons of Steuben county who has achieved success in connection with the work of the legal profession in the city of New York is Mr. Waldo, who is attorney for the Excise Reinsurance Association, with headquarters
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at 96 Broadway. He was born in Prattsburg, Steuben county, on the 22nd of February, 1865, and is a son of Daniel D. and Hannah (M.) Waldo. Daniel D. Waldo was born at Edmeston, Otsego county, New York, and he took up his residence in Steuben county about 1860. . He became one of the prominent members of the bar of that county, where he continued in the practice of his profession until his death, which occurred in 1879, at which time he was but forty-two years of age. He was an active and influential factor in public affairs of a local order.
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