USA > New York > Chautauqua County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York : with a historical sketch of the county > Part 41
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YMAN F. WEEDEN. The leading drug- gist and stationer of the village of Ken- nedy was born at Randolph, Cattaraugus county, September 19, 1837, and is a son of Joseph E. and Margaret (Waite) Weeden. The State of Connecticut gave to the world subject's paternal grandparents, while the Waites were natives of Vermont. Caleb Weeden came from his early home and settled at Pike, Wyoming county, New York, about the year 1816, where he followed farming until his death. He took an enthusiastic interest in the local militia, and was captain of a company. The Baptist church numbered him among its most valued members, for his example of Christian devotion and generous liberality were worthy of emula- tion. He was twice married and reared a family of six children. Gresham Waite was a member of the family of that name which has become distinguished for legal learning. He was born about 1777 and married Miriam Lakin in 1803, soon after coming to Livingston county, this State. His wife bore him a family of six chil- dren, all of whom grew to man and womanhood. He was a farmer. Joseph E. Weeden was born in the old town of Norwich, Connecticut, July 27, 1809, and from there his parents went to
Chelsea, Vermont, where they stayed four years, and again loading their personal effects into the cumbersome wagons, they drove across the country to western New York and settled at Pike, Wyoming county, New York. He studied law with Luther Peck, of that village, and was admitted to practice in the courts of that district in May, 1836, when he established a law office at Randolph, and is still living there, aged eighty-two years. Mr. Weeden was a member of the assembly during the term of 1846-47, having been elected upon the whig ticket, and has been justice of the peace and held other local offices. September 27, 1836, he married Margaret Waite, who bore him five children, four sons and one daughter. Joseph E. Weeden was one of the projectors and first trustees of Randolph acad- emy, an institution that has gained prominence and popularity from its excellent and thorough course of instruction, and some of the most eminent men of the section call it their alma mater with pride. Mr. Weeden was a candidate for judge of Cattaraugus county, is temperate in his habits, philanthropic in his nature, and a broad, liberal-minded man.
Lyman F. Weeden spent his early days in Randolph and was educated in the academy. He began business life as a druggist and phar- macist in 1862, and conducted the business until 1867, and then for a number of succeeding years farmed and taught school in the winter. At present he is engaged in the drug and station- ery business in Kennedy, Chautauqua county, N. Y., and through using the best and freshest goods in filling them, has secured a large pre- scription trade. Mr. Weeden is a democrat, and his popularity is best shown by the fact of his having been elected constable, road commis- sioner and assessor in the republican town of Randolph. He is now the supervisor of Poland town, which is also a republican district.
On the 6th day of May, 1863, he married Mary C. Benson, a daughter of David and Catherine (Pier) Benson, and they have a son
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and a daughter : the former, Austin E., was born January 14, 1869, and the latter, Louise A., was born March 12, 1871. Austin E. Weeden was educated at the public schools of Kennedy and the Jamestown business college, from which he graduated in June, 1889, and is now in the drug business with his father. Miss Louise attended the public schools and then entered the Jamestown high school. She is now a student of stenography and typewriting. Con- siderable attention has been given to her musical education.
Lyman F. Weeden was postmaster of Ken- nedy during the Cleveland administration, but partisanship caused his removal when the new President assumed control. He is an active democrat, and a potent factor in all political campaigns.
w ILLIAM O. STRONG. On November 3, 1809, in Columbia county, New York, was born William O. Strong, son of Asa and Loranie (Griswold) Strong. His childhood and youth were characterized by the same ex- periences and changes that are incident to human nature generally ; the same cloud and sunshine, the same enthusiasm and depression, the same hope and disappointment which are a part of every life. He was not educated in the broad curriculum of our present day system of schools but gathered his knowledge from the fecble torch of the pioneer school and under the guidance of the hard, slow master of exper- ience. Nor did he take up the occupation of his father as many do, but turned his attention to farming, to which business he has since devoted his life. By his own industry and un- tiring efforts he has acquired a good farm and a comfortable income ; but better than all, he has the confidence, the respect and the good will of all who know him. His political creed has always been that of a democrat and his party have shown their true appreciation of his worth by electing -him to every office within the gift
of the town. He has served two terms as supervisor and was twice elected justice of the peace. At the age of about twenty he became a member of the Congregational church and re- mained such until its dissolution, since which time he has not been connected with any church. He has always been a liberal and hearty sup- porter of the church in its various fields of work.
William O. Strong married Jane A. Howe, formerly a resident of Otsego county, New York, but for a number of years past a citizen of the town of Sheridan, Chautauqua county. To them were born three children : Henry, who died at the age of nineteen years ; Celestia, married Albert J. Homan of the town of Han- over, Chautauqua county, to whom she bore five children-Jennie married to Mr. Patterson ; Emma, married to Orville Osborn ; Henry ; Edgar ;- and Albert. Mrs. Homan died at the age of forty-seven ; and Lorinda, now dead, married to Abram S. Johnson, by whom she had one child, May Celestia.
The maternal grandfather of our subject, Jonathan Griswold, belonged to one of the earliest families of New England and was born in the State of Connecticut, but came to Sheri- dan in 1891 where he died at an advanced age. The father, Asa Strong, was also a native of Connecticut, but removed to the town of Sheridan, Chautauqua county, New York, in the year 1811, locating near the centre of the town. By occupation he was a carpenter and joiner ; in politics a democrat and in religion a non-professor. He was married to Loranie Griswold and had eight children, of whom William O. was the oldest. Asa Strong was a good father and husband, strictly honest in his dealings with his fellow-men, and took the highest interest in the well being of the family. He was generons, warm-hearted and liberal- minded ; his predominating qualities being of the heart rather than of the intellect.
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J AMES LYMAN VAN BUREN, the lead- ing insurance agent of Dunkirk, who comes from one of Chautauqua's old families, is a son of James Henry and Lydia (Coleman) Van Buren. He was born in that city, Chau- tauqua county, New York, April 8, 1867, and now, although thoroughly identified with the leading insurance companies of the country, is but twenty-four years of age. The Van Burens originally came from Holland our sub- ject representing the fourth American genera- tion. Henry Broadhead Van Buren (paternal grandfather) was a native of Pompey, N. Y., and came to Dunkirk in 1825, beginning as a merchant. He was one of the pioneers in the mercantile business and opened probably the first insurance agency in the town. He died in 1872, aged sixty-nine years, cousoled by his faith in the Presbyterian religion. James Henry Van Buren was born in Dunkirk in 1831. He entered the insurance business when quite young and soon became general agent for one of the leading companies of New York and at the time of his death, August 9, 1889, was general agent for the Connecticut Fire Insurance Co., of Hartford, for New York State. He was one of the oldest general agents in the State having held such a position nearly twenty-six consecutive years. In connection with the general agency business he conducted a local agency at Dunkirk, which is now car- ried on by James Lyman Van Buren. Mr. Van Buren was an elder in the Presbyterian church and a republican. He married Lydia Coleman, a daughter of Truman R. Coleman, of Ellicottsville, Cattaraugus county, in 1856, and had six children. Mrs. Van Buren was a member of the Episcopal church and died in 1871, aged 35 years.
James Lyman Van Buren was reared in Dunkirk and educated in the academy. When nineteen years of age he entered his father's of- fice as a clerk and in 1888 was admitted to partnership in the firm. This traiuing gave
him an acquaintance with the business so that when his father died he was euabled to continue it without confusion. He has a fine business representing eighteen companies: American Fire, Pennsylvania ; Commercial Union, Eng- land ; Springfield Fire and Marine, Springfield, Massachusetts ; Franklin Fire, Pennsylvania ; Germania Fire, New York ; Hanover Fire, New York; Connecticut Fire, Hartford ; In- surance Company of North America, Pennsyl- vania ; Home, New York ; Phoenix, Brooklyn ; Phoenix Assurance Company, London, Eng- land ; Queen, England ; North British and Mercantile, England ; Hartford Fire, Hart- ford, Connecticut ; Guardian Assurance Com- pany, London, England ; Niagara Fire, New York ; and Imperial Fire, England.
On June 11, 1890, J. Lyman Van Buren married Julia Nelson, a daughter of Joseph Nelson, who is an old resident of this city.
D' R. ORRIN C. SHAW was born in Groton, Tompkins county, New York, May 2, 1848. He has two brothers living, viz. ; Dr. M. B. Shaw, of Edeu, Erie county, N. Y., and L. B. Shaw, formerly a druggist of Ripley, this county, now residing in Chicago. He had one brother, Heston O., who died in 1867, and oue sister, Helen Jane, who married William B. Perry, of Ripley ; she died in 1879.
Dr. O. C. Shaw followed the peregrinations of his father in his youth, received his educa- tion in the public and High schools of Ripley, followed teaching one or two terms and during vacations read medicine in his brother's office at Eden. He entered Buffalo Medical college in the latter part of 1870, from which he grad- uated in 1873. The latter part of 1873 was spent in practice with his brother, Dr. M. B. Shaw, and in 1874 he commenced independent practice at Hamburg. He went to Cherry Creck, stayed there a year and then came to Kennedy where he has since resided. He is a skillful physician and has met with such re-
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markable success with difficult cases that his reputation is more than local. Politically he is a republican, has served on the county commit- tee and has taken a deep interest in promoting the success of the party. He belongs to the Baptist church and is connected with the Masons, Odd Fellows, United Workmen and Royal Templars of Temperance.
On September 2, 1875, he married Annie C. Dieffenbeck, a daughter of John Dieffenbeck. Two children have been born to Dr. and Mrs. Shaw : Ocie M. and Beula M., aged respectively eleven and nine years. Mrs. Shaw was edu- cated at Eden and Hamburg and before her marriage to Dr. Shaw was a teacher in the public schools and was considered possessed of superior skill and tact. She was secretary of the Political Equality club and has been active · in organizing branches of that society through- out the county.
Dr. O. C. Shaw is a son of Dr. S. H. and Eleanora (Woodruff ) Shaw, the former a native of Groton, Tompkins county, N. Y., born November 29, 1817. Dr. S. H. Shaw was educated in the common schools and academy at Groton and finished at the Oneida institute in the county of the same name. He followed teaching some eighteen years, commencing when sixteen years of age. During these years, in his vacations, he studied medicine with an older brother, Dr. Isaac Shaw, of Cayuga, and later with Dr. John H. Thorp of Whitesville, Allegany county, this State, where he began practice ; since then he has been in practice in Ripley, this county, and North Collins, Erie county, until December, 1889, when from the infirmities of age, he abandoned active practice and removed to Kennedy with his youngest son, Dr. O. C., where he now resides, having been in active practice some forty years. He is a member of the Congregational church and has actively identified himself with its work. He was a pioneer teacher in Chautauqua county and served on the board of examiners and has
been elected to several local offices, now serving as justice of the peace for the village of Ken- nedy. Politically he is a republican, having cast his first presidential vote for " Tippecanoe and Tyler too." Grandfather, George Shaw, (father of S. H. Shaw), was born in Ware, Mass., the year that the American Colonies proclaimed their independence, and died in Steuben county in 1860. He married Jane Hopkins, daughter of Isaac Hopkins, a native of Salem, N. Y., and bad ten children-but two now living : Dr. S. H. Shaw and Dr. George R. Shaw, of Antigo, Wisconsin. He served in the war of 1812 as a private in Col. Mahan's regiment and witnessed the burning of Buffalo
Politically he was a whig. He was a man of strong, healthy constitution, never having been sick a day of his life, and the sum- mer he was eighty-two he mowed fifty acres with a scythe. That fall he broke both bones of his leg below the knee and was told by his son, Dr. S. H. Shaw, who dressed it, that he prob- ably would never be able to walk on that limb again but here the prognosis was a failure for the next summer he walked twelve miles one day and back the next.
H ENRY J. MAGINNIS is a wide-awake Irish-American farmer living in the town of Ripley, where he has made his home since 1848. Henry J. Maginnis is a son of John and Mary (Henry) Maginnis, and was born in County Down, Ireland, April 12, 1847. The grandparents on both sides were born, bred and died on the Emerald Isle and lived there when she was suffering the affliction of the world- renowned famine. John Maginnis was born in County Down, where he married Mary Henry, but soon after left her a widow, and having been a farmer there was not much left for the family. In 1848 she came to America, bring- ing with her six children, four sons and two daughters, and went at once to Ripley. Soon
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after she met Alexander McHenry and married him (for extended notice see below).
Henry J. Maginnis was educated in the com- mon schools of this town, and as soon as he conld hold a hoe was tanght to work. Tilling the soil being congenial to his disposition he has followed it and now has ninety-two acres of land.
On March 1, 1876, he married Ella Wood- ruff, a daughter of Herman Woodruff, of this town. Mr. and Mrs. Maginnis have three children : Alexander, Herbert and Lottie.
In polities he affiliates with the Republican party. He is a good business man and an intelligent farmer who knows how to handle his fields to the best advantage.
Alexander McHenry, who was the step- father of Henry J. Maginnis, was born in Northumberland county, Pa., in 1796. His father, Edward McHenry, with Col. McMahan were the acknowledged first settlers in Chau- tauqua county. They located on adjoining tracts within the present limits of Westfield. They began to snbdne the forests in 1802, near where the village of Westfield now stands. Edward McHenry bnilt a house in which he kept an inn for the accommodation of emigrants going to the settlements in Ohio. A few months after this his son John was born, the first white child to see the light in Chautauqua county. After Col. McMahan and Edward McHenry made their settlement others flocked rapidly in and before this child was ten years old Westfield town and Chautauqua county had a considerable population. Mrs. McHenry died October 21, 1864.
A MOS PARKER was born ucar Triangle, Broome connty, New York, June 13, 1833. He is a son of Chester and Mary A. (Clinton) Parker. The Parker family dates its arrival upon the soil of the new world in 1640, when William Parker came to New Haven, Connecticut. He had three children, of whom,
the youngest, Jolin, married and had two sons and two daughters. One of these called Jolin, was born in Wallingford in 1648. He had a son John, who was followed by one Isaac. Isaac Parker (great-grandfather) was born in 1720, and his son, John Parker (grandfather), was born in Connecticut, in 1762, and, although a stripling of a boy, he joined a company com- posed of lads about his own age and fought the British in the Revolutionary war. His wife was Merab Parker, a distant consin, who bore him eleven children. Chester Parker (father) was born in Broome county, in 1804, and upon reaching manhood married Mary A. Clinton, a daughter of John Clinton, who came from Ver- mont to Broome connty. Chester Parker spent his short life farming in the northern part of the county mentioned and died when thirty-two years of age. He had a family of seven chil- dren. Mrs. Parker died in 1888, when in her eighty-third year.
Amos Parker was educated in the public schools, and while secnring a higher education and preparing for college at the Lockport Union school, the Rebellion swept like a dark cloud over the land. He left school and enlisted in the 23d N. Y. Independent Battery, Angust, 1862, and served to the close of the war. His battery was stationed in North Carolina and he took part in all of its engagements, his discharge being accompaned with a lientenant's commis- sion dated March 5, 1865, and bearing the sig- nature of Gov. R. E. Fenton. Upon returning from the army he located in Niagara county and worked at carpentering until 1871 and then came to Ripley, where he engaged in farming.
Amos Parker, on November 21, 1865, mar- ried Weltha E. Pierce, a daughter of Horace and Lydia A. (Palmer) Picrec. Mr. Pierce was a native of Otsego county, from whence he came to Niagara county and died. He was a me- chanie and farmer, and voted with the Republi- can party. Amos and Mrs. Parker were made happy by the birth of two children : Horace
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married Gertie Eddy, and is a farmer and grape culturist in Ripley. He has two daughters- Bessie L. and Lula; and Lydia E. still remains with her parents.
Amos Parker has been the incumbent of the office of justice of the peace from 1876 to 1888. He is also interested in fraternal and beneficial affairs, belonging to the Farmers' Alliance, Grange and formerly the Masons, He is a Cliristian gentleman, actively engaged in relig- ious work and takes especial pleasure in the Sunday-school in his district of which he has been superintendent for several years.
Amos Parker, an uncle of the subject's, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war and was the tallest man in his regiment. He served with La Fayette, whose life he was instrumental in saving. When the latter made his triumphal tour and visit to America in 1824, he had not forgotten the incident and publicly thanked the gentleman.
A LEXANDER MORIAN, a gentleman of varied experience, who by indefatigable efforts has risen from a modest early condition to a comfortable competence in his declining years, is a son of Jacob and Lydie (Van Scoter) Morian, and was born in Steuben county, New York, on April 10, 1816. The family was of German origin; subject's paternal grandfather having been born under the banner of King Wilhelm, the river Rhine being daily within his vision. The maternal ancestor, Anthony Van Scoter, was a native of Delaware, but of German de- scent. Mr. Van Scoter removed from the "Dia- mond State " to a point near Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and thence, in 1808, to Steuben county, New York, where his son-in-law, subject's father, had preceded him the year previous. He bought a farm and tilled its soil throughout his life, being renowned in his immediate locality for industry and thrift. His business ability ranked much above the average farmer and he died the pos- sessor of a good property. He lived a quiet
home-life, the fireside being his greatest source of pleasure, where, from his genial disposition, many friends were attracted. He married a Miss Decker and had twelve children, seven of whom reached maturity. Solomon, Elias, Cornelius, Thomas, Betsy (Mrs. Hallister), Mary (Mrs. Day), Valentine and Lydia (Mrs. Morian). Mr. Van Scoter died in 1824 aged about seventy years, and was followed by his wife, who had reached eighty years, in 1830. Jacob Morian was born in Germany March 22, 1782, and served in the army of his country in the war against Napoleon, suffering defeat. He then fought under the Bonaparte banner in the Ital- ian canıpaign, finally, with fourteen others, de- serting, and at a favorable opportunity fled to America, where he arrived in 1801 or 1802. The first year was spent in Philadelphia and then he removed [to the Lackawanna valley, Pa., where, in 1803, he was married to Lydia Van Scoter. In 1807, with his wife and his two children, he came to Dansville, New York, and for a number of years conducted the village butcher-shop. It was during his residence here that America had her second struggle with Eng- land, and he proved his devotion to the land of his adoption by shouldering a musket and giv- ing two years time in her defense, being engaged in the battles of Lundy's Lane and Put-in-Bay. A part of the service was rendered as quarter- master. At the close of the war he was the re- cipient of one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he sold for one hundred and thirty dol- lars. In 1826 Mr. Morian came to Chautau- qua, living successively in Hanover, Sheridan and Dunkirk, and finally, in 1831, he bought a farm in the northwest portion of Pomfret town, which is still owned by his son Alexander. Jacob Morian had nine children-six sons and three daughters : William, died aged five years; Catharine, born in 1807 and never married ; Margaret, also unmarried; Anthony, born in 1809, first married Julia Ann Becker and had eleven children, and afterwards wedded Mar-
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OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
garet H. Ketchum, and died on January 13, 1888. He was a farmer, living at Cherry Creek ; John, for twenty years a sailor, is now a carpenter, living in Fredonia. He too was twice married, first to Nancy McGrath and later to Jane Pier, both Ohio ladies; Alexander ; Thomas V. S., a merchant and oil producer, living at Enterprise, Pa., married Clarinda Wood, and had six living children ; Lydia be- came the wife of Asa Whitney, died in 1887- she lived in Yates Center, Woodson county, Kansas; and Jacob, Jr., died unmarried in March, 1849, aged twenty-two years. Jacob Morian was a member of the Dansville Lodge of Masons. He died December 7, 1862, and with his wife who followed him April 4, 1869, is buried in the cemetery at Fredonia.
Alexander Morian was the son upon whom the father relied. He remained at home until eighteen years of age, attending the few months of winter school, when the farm-work would permit. The next four years were passed in farm labor during the summer and such em- ployment as could be secured in winter. After much deliberation it was decided that more op- portunities for advancement would be found away from home, so in 1838, with twenty-five cents in his pocket, he started for Toledo, where a job of firing a locomotive was soon secured. The next spring he received the position of mail- carrier on the Erie and Kalamazoo, now the L. S. and M. S. R. R., and everything looked en- couraging for future advancement, but he gave up the prospects of a bright life and returned to the farm. This changed his life's work and caused him to abandon the idea of going out into the world. The next forty years, as the seasons came round, he cultivated the farm, saved money, and in 1880 he bought a house and lot, and in the fall of 1881 moved into the village of Fredonia.
On February 24, 1841, he married Marietta McIntyre, a daughter of Nathaniel McIntyre, who was a farmer and shoemaker in Delaware
county, this State. They had seven children : Dana A., a conductor on the L. S. and M. S. R. R. married Lena Simons, and was killed in the Buffalo yards September 15, 1886 ; James died aged five; Miranda married F. H. Koch, a cigar manufacturer of Bradford, Pa .; Ben W. is a conductor in the passenger service on the L. S. and M. S. R. R., and married Adalaide Wid- ner ; Alexander T. married Hattie Dodge, and is a baggage-master on a branch of the Northern Pacific R. R. in Oregon ; Catherine is the wife of Thomas Goodwin, a merchant in Kansas City, Missouri ; Caroline C. died an infant. Mr. Morian suffered the loss of his wife, who died September 29, 1869, and two years later, October 18, 1871, he married Rachel E. Wooden, a widow, and daughter of James and Eliza Gates. James Wooden was a farmer in the town of Chili, Monroe county, New York, and died on the farm, which he cut out of the virgin forest, at the ripe old age of eighty-nine years. His father was among the earliest settlers of that county.
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