USA > New York > Warren County > Queensbury > A history of the town of Queensbury, in the state of New York : with biographical sketches of many of its distinguished men, and some account of the aborigines of northern New York > Part 6
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In 1862, having acquired something of a competence, he removed to Oneida, N. Y., where he continued to reside until the time of his death. Here he was appointed president of the Oneida Savings Bank, a director in the Oneida Valley National Bank and in the Rome and Clinton Rail Road. He also, about this time, re-embarked with his younger brother, David, in the lumber business at Rome, N. Y. In 1864, and again in 1868 he was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention. In 1865 and '66, he was elected supervisor of his town by flattering majorities. In 1867 was nominated for senator and ran largely ahead of his ticket. Was elected to the assembly in 1866, and to the senate of "70-"71, in both of which positions he very ably represented his constituents; and was always found high minded, courteous, industrious and true to the best interests of the
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50
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
MEMBERS OF ASSEMBLY.1
ALDEN, SETH, (a) -, 1800- 1. CHENEY, ALBERT
BURNHAM, CYRUS, -, 1850. N., (b)
-, 1848.
BUTLER, BENJAMIN C.,-, 1860.
CLARK, BILLY J., , 1820.
Elected from Saratoga county.
people. While his honors were clustering thickly around him, he was stricken down suddenly with an insidious disease, and died at his residence, on the 29th of November, 1871, being the third member of the senate of 1870-1, smitten down by the hand of death during their term of service.
(a)" Dr. SETH ALDEN, son of Seth, was born probably at Shaftsbury, Vt., in 1749, died at Caldwell (head of Lake George) 30th July, 1809. We have no account of his early life, but that he was a man of some note in his profession, is evident from the fact, that in 1783 he was requested by Col. Ethan Allen to visit his daughter in consultation with Dr. Hutton, his family physician, at the distance of some forty miles. From Shaftsbury he removed to Caldwell, N. Y., where he continued to reside until the time of his death." In a letter from Judge Hay, I find the follow- ing : "I have heard old James Caldwell speak of clearing and laying out the site for Lake House Caldwell; the first occupant I knew was Dr. Alden. Before the Lake House was erected, the old hospital, or long house, had been used for a tavern." See Sketch of John Vernor.
He married 1st, Priscilla Cole, who died 20th November, 1798, and 2d, Keziah Beach on the 1st March, 1800, who died 10th October, 1810, æt 51. His two eldest daughters were married successively to John A. Ferriss, a prominent merchant and business man of this place. Dr. Alden was of the fifth generation in direct descent from John Alden of May Flower memory, and was the grandfather of Hon. O. Ferriss, our late representative in congress, a sketch of whom appears in this work. The late Mr. Ralph Stebbins, of Caldwell, informed me that Dr. Alden removed from Lake George to Fort Edward in 1809, and died the same year or the year following. Caldwell was not erected as a township until 1810. In the old parchment bound Records of Queensbury will be found the following entry : At a town meeting held in Queensbury, 26th day of January, 1784, it was "voted that the inhabitants of Fort George be annexed to the district of Queensbury." Also in 1806, -" By order of Henry Spencer and Moses Harris jr., commissioners, etc., District No. 4 is to extend as far north as the south line of Bolton."- Vide Alden Memorial, p. 144.
(b) ALBERT NELSON CHENEY, son of Hiram and Joanna (Hawkins) Cheney, was born at Rutland, Vt., on the 17th of November, 1813. In the early records, the name is found variously recorded, Cheeney, Cheny, and Cheiney. The family were of English origin, and among the earliest immigrants to this country.
The ancestor of the family is understood to have settled in the town of Concord, Mass., from whence the descendants migrated westwardly, with the drift of colonization. The name occurs in the history of Watertown, Mass., as early as 1650. The grand-father of Albert N. Cheney was one of the earliest pioneers to the town of Rutland, which, according to Thompson's Gazetteer of Vermont,
1 Prior to the erection of Warren county in 1813, and indeed, as late as 1822, the assembly district which embraced Warren and Washington counties, was represented by from three to six mem- bers, according to the ratio of representation.
It will be seen by the list that this portion of the district always had its full proportion of members.
ESTERN BANK NOTE & ENG. - CHICAGO.
Vous affectionate father
51
CIVIL LIST.
FAXON, WALTER A., -, 1861. GEER, WALTER JR., (a)-, 1837. Fox, NORMAN, -, 1819-20-6-30. GRAY, THOMAS S., -, 1856-62.
was first settled in 1770, and family tradition states that he erected the first brick house in the town.
His son Hiram was born in Rutland, where he married Lucy Barney, daughter. of Capt. Barney of that place, by whom he had one son. After her death, he re- moved to Castleton, Vt., where he married Joanna Hawkins, who had four children, all of whom, excepting the subject of this sketch, still survive; the mother, at the advanced age of 82, living with one of her children at Homer in the state of Michigan. Hiram was a cabinet maker by trade, and carried on that business in Castleton, where he was accidentally killed by the discharge of a gun on the 23d of January, 1819.
Soon after this event, Albert was bound out, to one Deacon Harlow of Castleton, with whom he remained until he was fourteen years of age, when he broke his bonds, hard work, and harder fare becoming too intolerable for longer endurance. He next went to live with the eminent medical practitioner, after- wards president of the Vermont Medical College, where he met with the greatest kindness and consideration, and where he remained about two years. He next came to Sandy Hill, N. Y., where he remained a few months, and then removed to Glen's Falls. This was about the year 1830, while the enlargement of the Glen's Falls' Feeder was in progress, and business of every kind was receiving a fresh impetus, with the opening up of a channel of transit to tide-water. He at first found employment with David Johnson, a forwarder and merchant. The following year he commenced business on his own account by opening a grocery under the hill, which in two or three years was removed to the old Tontine block. His interest in this concern was shortly afterward disposed of to the late James Morgan, Esq.
A short time after this event he was united in marriage to Miss Annah H., daughter of the late Josiah L. Arms. Establishing a partnership with his brother- in-law, Mr. Lewis L. Arms, he embarked in the lumbering business, to which was added soon after a large mercantile establishment, and later on, a grist-mill.
For these varied pursuits Mr. Cheney exhibited a remarkable aptitude and forecast. The grasp of his comprehensive mind deduced possible fortunes in a range of business, hitherto chaotic, and whose details needed his executive ability to perfect.
Year by year the extent of the manufacture increased, new timber lands were bought, new mills erected, new facilities added, larger results produced, until the Cheney Mills became the most important industrial interest here. He was also largely concerned in the purchase of lands, in the Adirondack wilder- ness, which were afterwards advantageously disposed of to the Adirondack Rail- way Company. He continued the lumber manufacturing business here until within a short time of his death, when it was disposed of to Morgan, Adsit & Co.
He died on the first of October, 1866, prematurely, no doubt, through care and anxiety resulting from his many responsibilities.
Mr. Cheney was a man of great public spirit and energy, a leading man in the affairs of the place, affable, courteous and courtly in his demeanor, he always commanded troops of friends in every station of life. He represented Warren county in the legislature of 1848, and no doubt might have held other official positions, had he not rather shunned than courted political preferment.
As a kind friend to the poor, his name will be long held in grateful regard, and as a public benefactor his hand was free, his purse was ever open.
(a) WALTER GEER, JR., son of Walter and Lucy (Wilson) Geer, was born in
52
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
HAY, WILLIAM JR., -, 1827. ROBARDS, WILLIAM, -, 1807.
HOLDEN, AUSTIN W., -, 1874. ROCKWELL, WILLIAM
LAPHAM, JEROME, -, 1865. W., -, 1849. Elected from Saratoga county. - 1840.
MCDONALD, WILLIAM, -, 1822. RUSSELL, JOSEPH,
3-9.
SANFORD, GEORGE,(a) -, 1841.
PETTIT, MICAJAH, -, 1800- 2. SANFORD, GEORGE H., -, 1867.
Elected from 3d District, Oneida county.
Charlestown, N. H., 9th January, 1792. His boyhood and early youth were passed with his parents in Salem, Washington county, N. Y. About the time he reached his majority, he removed to Union Village, where he was drafted, and went with the militia of our eastern border, to repel the British advance at Plattsburgh, during the last war. Married in Northumberland, on the 2d of November, 1815, to Hen- rietta Van Buren, of Easton, N. Y., a near relative of the late president of that name. He removed in February, 1816, to Schaghticoke, where he commenced business as a tanner and currier. At this time he appears to have been the associate and peer of such men as William L. Marcy, Jonas C. Heartt, Job Pierson, Moses Warren, James Livingston and B. P. Staats ; men that for a generation exercised a controlling influence over the politics of eastern New York, and all of whom left their mark upon the dial plate of the world's progress. In March, 1820, he came to Glen's Falls, and resumed the business pursued at Schaghticoke. He soon afterward embarked in trade with Abraham Wing, and L. L. Pixley. Was after- ward a partner with George Sanford in the mercantile business. At the time of the enlargement of the Glen's Falls feeder, of which he was an active promoter, he had a contract with the state for some portion of the excavation, and also built the locks at Fort Edward. Not far from this time he went into the lumbering business with the late James D. Weston and John J. Harris. Their investments and ventures were so judiciously made, and the business so ably looked after, and managed, that all these acquired a handsome competency. He was a magistrate in this town from 1821 to 1826, and member of assembly in 1837, a year memora- ble in politics for its financial crisis, and the secession of the conservatives from the dominant party. He was one of the principal originators and founders of the Glen's Falls Academy; and was instrumental in forwarding the erection of the Second Presbyterian church building, which was destroyed in the great fire of 1864. He was a promoter of educational and religious enterprises, an active and influential politician, a man of indomitable will, and inflexible purpose. He died on the 16th of July, 1855, and was among the first whose remains were deposited in the new cemetery, where a handsome and conspicuous monument has since been erected to his memory.
(a) DAVID SANFORD, son of Zachariah and Rachel Sanford, was born on the 14th of November, 1769, at New Milford, Conn. He married Amy Hartwell, and removed to Sanford's ridge in the town of Queensbury, in 1795.1 His sister Mary was the mother of the late Hon. William McDonald of Glen's Falls, a sketch of whom appears in this volume.
GEORGE SANFORD, son of David and Amy Sanford, was born at Sanford's ridge in 1805. His father died when George was but seven years old. With a widowed mother, and a large family of sisters, at an early age he assumed the entire man- agement of the paternal farm, and maintained the charge of the same, and the care of the family until he became of age. He soon after entered into a copartner-
1 Lot No. 12 of the original survey was deeded to David Sanford by George Southwick and Justus Brown.
53
CIVIL LIST.
SHERWOOD, WINFIELD
TEARSE, PETER B.,(a) -, 1786-7- SCOTT,
-- , 1846. 8-9.
SICKLES, DANIEL E.,
-, 1847. Then a resident of Fort Edward.
Elected from New York city.
ship with his brother-in-law, Orlin Mead, Esq., in the lumber business, which at that time in northern New York was still in its infancy. In connection with this interest, the firm carried on for a number of years a flourishing mercantile busi- ness, on the site afterwards occupied by the late Noble Peck. The lumber trade in its various branches absorbed the greater portion of the active business life of Mr. Sanford in the unsettled parts of New York and Pennsylvania ; and later as a wholesale lumber dealer in Albany.
In 1834, he was married to Louisa, daughter of Dr. Leonard Gibbs of Granville, Washington county, N. Y. She died in 1856. For a brief period, about the year 1836, he moved back to the home farm, otherwise known as the Folger place, but was at the same time heavily engaged in extensive lumber operations, with the late Hon. Walter Geer jr., with whom he was for some time associated in business.
In 1837, he formed a copartnership to carry on the mercantile business with Orlin Mead, Esq., which was conducted on the site now occupied by J. L. Ken- worthy as a hardware and variety store.
During the notable financial crisis of that year, when so many banks suspended, and specie suddenly disappeared from circulation, this firm issued a form of paper currency, upon which the name of shinplaster, it is believed, was then first conferred.
This currency was of the denomination of twenty-five cents, redeemable in amounts of five dollars in " current bank bills, or in goods at our store."
These obtained a wide circulation, and for considerable amounts, but were all subsequently redeemed. Gradually retiring from business, Mr. Sanford removed in 1850 to Ballston Spa, and a few years later to Syracuse, where, for several years, he had investments in the manufacture of salt. Here he died in 1862, leaving seven children still surviving. He was twice elected supervisor of his native town, and represented Warren county, as may be seen by the above list, in the legisla- ture of 1841.
He was an active partisan in political life, taking a strong interest in the stirring topics of the time- a man of the people, the soul of honor, and irreproachable in his social relations. He possessed more than an ordinary degree of public spirit, having, principally of his own means, founded and built a private select school house for the education of children. He was one of the founders and earliest trustees of the Glen's Falls Academy, and one of the first corporators and vestrymen of the Protestant Episcopal church in this village in 1840. By an odd coincidence, his name appears in the following year as one of the trustees of the Presbyterian church. In the changing population of a large and flourishing village, few have done more towards leaving the impress of their energies upon its institutions, or in giving an impetus to its progress than the late George Sanford.
Ot Tarty. 1
(a) The name is variously written Tearce, Tears, Tearse, Tierce and Turse. The New York branch of the family, following the French orthography, have dropped the two terminal letters, and write the name Tear.
54
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
LIST OF TOWN OFFICERS.1
MODERATORS.2
FERRISS, WARREN, 1793, 7, 8, 1803, ODELL, AUGUSTINE, 1789.
ROBARDS, WILLIAM, 1796, 9, 1800. 4.
The ancestor of this family, was one of the few Huguenots, who escaped the terrible massacre of St. Bartholomew's day at Paris, 26th August, 1572.
At the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, large numbers of these fugi- tives from religious persecution, fled to England and the English colonies.
Many of them made their way to New York, and from thence to Westchester and adjacent counties, and planted settlements of French Protestants, among whose descendants may be included some of the most illustrious and influential names of our country.
Peter Bailey Tearse, is believed to have been born in New York city, or vicinity, about the year 1753. In the Calendar of New York Land Papers, mention is made of the " petition of Peter B. Tearce, for a grant of 1,500 acres of bounty lands in lieu of his services as captain in Col. Willet's regiment."
He is recorded in the State Revolutionary Papers, as adjutant in Col. Goose Van Schaick's (Albany) regiment, with 1st lieutenant's commission dating from March 1st, 1776. He is endorsed in a report in the same volume, as a " good adjutant." The family tradition remembers him as Adjutant Tearse, while stationed at Fort Edward during Burgoyne's advance, and as Major Tearse, at Fort Stanwix, where, it is a matter of history, that Col. Marinus Willet was ordered with his regiment in July, 1777, and by his gallant conduct, seconded by the unflinching bravery of his command in that noted action, retrieved the fortunes of one of the fiercest and most momentous conflicts of the Revolution.
In Wilson's Life of Jane McCrea, he says, " Miss Hunter was the grand-daughter of Mrs. McNiel, a cousin of Jenny, and at this time (i. e. 1777) resided with the former. Miss Hunter afterwards married a Mr. Tierce," the subject of this sketch.
Soon after the war of the Revolution,3 Major Tearse settled at Fort Edward, in which vicinity, and extending as far north as Lake George, Mrs. McNiel possessed an immense landed property valued even in those days, at upwards of eighty thousand dollars.
He subsequently removed to Queensbury, where he erected an addition to a dwelling on the site of the old Mallory place, near the toll gate, and here for a few years kept a small wayside inn. From the town records, it appears that in 1795, he was chosen town moderator, an officer whose duty it was to pre- side at town meetings. In 1798 he was elected one of the assessors of the town, and overseer of the highways on several occasions. He was for a number of years one of the assistant justices of the general sessions of Washington county,
1 The compiler of these lists has encountered incredible difficulties in rendering them com- plete, from the fact that a great portion of the town records from the year 1806 to 1832 is missing having been cut out of the record book by some evil disposed person probably for some selfish or sinister purpose. The register has been completed only through great trouble and care in consulting other books and papers, both in the town and county clerk's offices. It is believed to be as full and accurate as it can be made with existing data.
2The duty of the moderator appears to have been, to preside at town meetings, preserve order, submit questions and motions, and decide doubtful votes.
3 Peter B. Tearse, after his marriage with Polly Hunter, builded and occupied the Walter Rod- gers house (nearly opposite the Episcopal church) at Fort Edward. He was once sheriff of Wash- ington county. He failed in mercantile business, and removed to the Mallory place .- Extract of letter from Judge Hay, February 6th, 1869.
55
CIVIL LIST.
TEARSE, PETER B., 1795. VERNOR, JOHN, 1801, 2. WRIGHT, JOB, 1770, 1.
WING, ABRAHAM, (a) 1766, 7, 8, 9, 72, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 80, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 1790, 1, 2, 4.
and his name appears 6th June, 1794, as one of the signers to the noted mani- festo, for the observance of the Sabbath.
About the beginning of the present century, he removed to the head of Lake George, and erected the first building on the site now occupied by the stone store in Caldwell. Here he carried on a trade in general merchandise. He also owned an ashery for the manufacture of potash at the foot of the hill near his store and on the bank of the lake at the north side of the brook. His success was not commensurate with his enterprise, which was at least half a century in advance of the age, in which he lived. Attracted by the newly discovered mineral waters of Ballston, he removed thither, where he soon after died (in the year 1802), and where his remains now lie buried in an unknown and unhonored grave.
Abraham Wing.
(a) Family traditions state that the ancestry of the Wing family immigrated to this country from Wales, the name being originally spelled Winge. Like many other eastern families they claim that three brothers came over together, and divided their destinies at different points of settlement in New England. So far as traced in this connection, the. Wings of this country are descended from John, who, with his father-in-law, the Rev. Stephen Batchelder, sailed from London, England, on the 9th of March, O. S., 1632, on board the ship William and Francis ; and landed on the sixth of June following, at Lynn, Mass.
In the cold winter of 1637, he, with others, walked from Lynn to Yarmouth, in company with that aged minister, seeking to establish a settlement, but the under- taking was abandoned. John, who was doubtless a puritan in sentiment, accom- panied by Deborah his wife, afterwards settled in Sandwich, where by existing records it appears that iu 1643, he had three sons, namely, Daniel, John, and Stephen.
These all became Friends or Quakers, and their descendants are scattered literally through every state in the Union.
Daniel,1 the eldest son, was born in England, and married Hannah Swift of Sandwich, Mass, on the fifth of September, 1642. He had a numerous family. His son Daniel 2 was born on the 28th of November, 1664, who married Deborah Dillingham of Sandwich, in 1686. His oldest son Edward was born on the tenth of July, 1687. He had three wives, first, Desire Smith, Nov., 1713, of Dartmouth, whither he removed ; second, Sarah Tucker, daughter of Abraham and Hannah Tucker on the first of June, 1714. She died in 1727. And third, Patience Ellis, October, 1728.
1 The name of Daniel Winge is found in the records of the town of Sandwich, for the years 1653-7-8. From these entries it appears that he was a man of substance, a Quaker, " refused to take the oath of fidelity," and, that by reason of his religious belief, he was, after some vexations and persecutions, finally " excluded from Sandwich," and "his estate distributed."- Plymouth Record, vol. 30, p. 130, 138.
2 May 13th, 1717. Daniel Wing, of the town of Sandwich, in the county of Barnstable, in the Pro- vince of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, deeds half his undivided interest in his lands in Dartmouth, in the county of Bristol, colony aforesaid, to his son, Edward Wing. In this instru- ment, Daniel is spoken of as a cooper, and Edward as a husbandman. Deborah is also named as the wife of Daniel. Edward is also mentioned in other conveyances as an inn holder and as a weaver .- Wing Manuscripts.
56
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
TREASURER.
WING, ABRAHAM, 1770 to 1790, inclusive.
Abraham Wing,1 the subject of this sketch, was the son of Edward and Sarah (Tucker) Wing, and was born at Dartmouth, Bristol county, Province of Massa- chusetts Bay on the fourth of August, 1721.
The precise period of his marriage and removal to the Oblong, in Dutchess Co., N. Y., we have no means of at present determining. In a conveyance exe- cuted by William Wood of Dartmouth (supposed to be his father-in-law), to Abraham Wing, 6th July, 1745, it speaks of the latter as a tailor of Oblong, etc. His wife's maiden name was Anstis Wood, she was born on the 7th of September, 1723; their oldest child Phebe, according to the family record, was born 5th of March, 1742, and therefore it is inferred that they were married about the year 1740 or 41, and removed to the Oblong about the year 1744. The fruit of the union was ten children, all daughters but two; and all but two, namely, Phebe the eldest, and Hannah the third, became residents of this town. These two married brothers by the name of Merritt and remained behind, in Dutchess county. The family record is given below as copied from the Family Bible supplemented by other records.
ABRAHAM WING, b. 4th of 8th month, 1721, d. 3d of 5th month, 1795. ANSTIS WING, b. 7th of 9th month, 1723, d. 29th of 5th month, 1807.
CHILDREN.
Phebe, b. 5th of 3d month, 1742, m. Nehemiah Merritt jr. )
Sarah, b. 7th of 12th month, 1743, m. Ichabod Merritt,2 brothers.
Hannah, b. 28th of 12th month, 1745, m. Daniel Merritt, Benjamin, b. 18th of 9th month, 1748, m. Thankful Lockwood, d. 19th June, 1824. Deborah, b. 6th of 7th month, 1750, m. Daniel Jones.
Patience, b. 6th of 9th month, 1751, m. Phineas Babcock.
Content, b. 11th of 4th month, 1755, m. ( James Higson. ¿ Jacob Hicks.
Abraham, b. 29th of 6th month, 1757, m. Mary McKie.
Mary, b. 9th of 11th month, 1760, m. Andrew Lewis.
On the 29th of May, 1762, the patent of Queensbury was granted to 23 peti- tioners. In the month of June, following, Mr. Abraham Wing, of the Oblong, in Dutchess county purchased of several of the patentees, and for a nominal sum, all their right, title and interest in the grant. In August, following, the official survey of the town was made by Zaccheus Towner and divided into sections. These were distributed by lot, at a meeting of the proprietors, and subsequently deeds of partition were executed, giving to each one a title to his individual claim. In this allotment Abraham Wing came into possession of two of the sections upon which the principal portion of the village of Glen's Falls is now built. He was subsequently granted by the proprietors, as a free gift, a lot of ten acres contain- ing the valuable water privileges on the left bank of the river, in consideration of his erecting a grist mill and saw mill at that point. In 1765 he removed with his dependents and laborers and commenced a settlement, three log houses being put up that fall and winter, one of which stood back of the old McDonald mansion, near the rail road, the second at the old Buckbee place on the Sandy Hill road, and the third near Mr. Duncan McGregor's residence. In the spring
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