USA > New York > Chautauqua County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York : with a historical sketch of the county > Part 57
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of seventy-seven years. She died in 1879 con- soled by her trust in the Lord.
Cyrus House was reared a farmer, and has remained ncar the scene of his birth-place through life. The common schools, that boon of the American youth, furnished him his edu- cation and fitted him for life's active work. His home is but two and one-half miles east of Westfield, and is a comfortable, pleasant place. Grape culture is given considerable attention, and his vines are as productive as the best. Mr. House is a steward in the Methodist Episcopal church, to which he is deeply attached. Hc identifies himself with the Republican party, but differs from them on the liquor question. Believing in practical temperance he advocates prohibition, not as a third party man, but thinks that the Republican party should realize its re- sponsibility and engraft it on its platform. He has never voted for license in any form. Being a public-spirited man he is anxious to see im- provements, in which he is always ready to assist.
D R. ERA M. SCOFIELD was born in the town of Ellery, Chautauqua county, New York, December 23, 1857, and is the son of Seth and Rua E. Scofield, both of whom were born in the town of Ellery. Seth was a sturdy farmer, a democrat politically and a member of the Christian church. He also belonged to the Grange and the Royal Templars of Temperance. He died in Ellery at the age of sixty-four. William Seely Scofield, grand- father of Era M., was of English and Scotch extraction and was born in Westchester county, New York, November 3, 1787. As early as 1821 he migrated into Chautauqua county, New York, town of Ellery, and became a con- joint farmer and hotel-keeper. He was a vig- orous and ardent supporter of the early Dem- ocratic party, and in religion belonged to that body of believers called Universalists. He died at the age of eighty-four.
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Era M. Scofield was reared in the town of Ellery, gained his education from the schools of his native town and prior to his study of medi- cine, worked upon the farm and assisted in operating a chcese factory. In the fall of 1882, after having spent some time under a preceptor, he went to Buffalo and there entered the Buffalo Medical College, from which he was graduated on February 26, 1884, after having pursued a thorough course in theoretical medi- cine and practical clinics. After his graduation he located in Gerry, at which place he has been actively engaged in the practice of his profes- sion, with a very commendable degree of suc- cess for the past seven years. He belongs to the Allopathic school of medicine. In politics he is an enthusiastic democrat and for three years past has been treasurer of the county committee. He has recently been elected health officer for the town of Gerry.
Era M. Scofield, on May 13, 1874, was united in marriage to Louisa M. Brownell, daughter of William O. Brownell of Ellery, to whom has been born one child, Ellis Nelson.
In the fraternal world Dr. Scofield is a prominent Mason, a member of the A. O. U. W., Royal Templars of Temperance, in which he has been an officer for the past seven years, and of the Patrons of Husbandry.
Michigan, settled there and died; Catherine married Silas Wood, a lawyer by profession, a native of Long Island and who served several terms in Congress.
Richard Huyck was educated at the common schools, and, although the course was not thorough nor the instruction advanced, by his deep application he managed to get a knowl- edge that, at the time, was considered superior. He worked with his father until 1831 and then came to Sheridan in wagons and purchased a farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres. He lived upon it and from the money saved he continued buying until he owned six hundred acres, which shows his economy and business tact, as it all came from the products of his original farm.
Richard Huyck married Nancy Chapman, a daughter of Andrew Chapman, of Rensselaer county, and reared to maturity nine children : Andrew C. (dead) ; Louise married Lyman Brownell, a son of Benjamin Brownell, also from one of the old families of the county ; Jane; William, entered the civil war and served for a short time; he is now farming in Michigan ; Ansell (dead) ; Silas (dead) ; Cath- erine married Frank Chapin, a farmer in Nebraska; Elizabeth is the wife of George Eacker, a farmer in Sheridan, this county ; and Susan, who married Philander Warren, a car- penter residing in Silver Creek.
R ICHARD HUYCK, a very prominent man in agricultural and business circles Richard Huyck was an honest, industrious and charitable man, and although never a church member, lie was a liberal contributor | towards their support. Politically he was a republican and an anti-secret society man. throughout the town of Sheridan until his death, was a son of Richard and Catharine (Huyck) Huyck, and was born in Columbia county, this State, in 1789. His family were of Dutch extraction, the paternal grandfather having come from Holland. Richard Huyck, ORATIO G. BROOKS, deceased, late head of the Brooks' Locomotive Works, Dunkirk, New York, was a man of somewhat unusual career and one of the most prominent in the province of manufacturing in the State of New York. Forty years ago the possibilities Sr., was a native of Kinderhook, Columbia county, New York, and was closely related to the Van Rensselaer family, distinguished Hol- landers. Catherine Huyck, a distant relative, became his wife and bore him three children, two sons and one daughter: John went to ; of both the man and the town were as yet un-
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OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
tried and undeveloped. As the town grew in numbers and importance, the man kept pace with it and has impressed upon it an individu- ality of rare energy, business qualities and ex- ecutive ability. Rising rapidly from engineer through the grades of shop foreman to master mechanic, and thence to division superintendent and superintendent of motive power on the Erie Railroad, he, while in the latter position, was confronted in October, 1869, with an order from the president of the road to permanently close up the shops at Dunkirk. Scarcely an hour's thought was necessary to conceive a plan to avert this stunning blow to the interests of Dunkirk, and the proposition was at once made by Mr. Brooks for the lease of the shops. This was accordingly granted, a new company was formed, of which he assumed the presidency and superintendency and work was at once commenced. The capacity of the enterprise in its infancy was but one locomotive per month, but under the wise direction of its founder, it had increased to six per month in 1872. The financial crisis of 1873 caused a great depression in business and it was a half dozen years before the re-action fully set in. When business re- vived Mr. Brooks arranged to increase the out- put and in 1882 over two hundred locomotives were completed and each succeeding year addi- tions have been made in tools, machinery and buildings, with every needed device to simplify and lessen the cost of production in order to compete with older companies.
In 1883 the works were purchased from the Erie Railroad Company and operated as an in- dependent enterprise. The grounds have an area of twenty acres, and with constant additions and improvements in buildings and machinery, it has now attained a capacity of two hundred and fifty engines per year. The superb office buildings were erected about five years ago, have handsome and elaborately fitted apart- ments for the principal officers on the ground floor and a large fire-proof vault and convenient
desks for about fifteen clerks and book-keepers. The second floor is used for draughting rooms, where several mechanical engineers are em- ployed ; and the third story is fully furnished with seats, library &c., as a school-room for ap- prentices.
Several years ago Mr. Brooks organized a technical school for apprentices, where a thorough knowledge of theories can be obtained to fully prepare them for practical application in the shops. The room will accommodate sixty or more students, lias every needful ap- pliance for the successful teaching of the mechanic arts and is in charge of a corps of competent instructors.
The Brooks Works have, in addition to their acres of ponderous machinery, a one hundred and fifty incandescent and sixty arc electric light plant with their intricate connections and subtle agencies to be looked after. The number of men employed is about one thou- sand ; the pay-roll foots up a sum of twelve thousand dollars per week, and the annual output of the plant is valued at about two millions, five hundred thousand dollars. The excellency of workmanship and the general character of the engines as pieces of modern, well-constructed mechanism is unsurpassed by any similar works in the United States.
J OHN HOUSE is one of the reliable citizens and substantial farmers of the town of Westfield. He was born on the farm he now occupies, near the village of Westfield, Chau- tauqua county, New York, November 12, 1821, and is the son of David and Nabby (Saunders) House. His grandfather, John House, was an Englishman by descent, of patrician birth, and was united in marriage to the daughter of an English nobleman. He emigrated to America and settled in Morristown, New Jersey, where John, Sr., grandfather of subject was born. His childhood and infancy were passed in the State of his nativity, where he also acquired an edu-
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cation in the common schools. Upon the out- break of the Revolutionary war, he joined his sympathies with those of his countrymen, entered the colonial army, and served as a teamster under Lafayette. He united in marriage with Joanna Pridden, the daughter of a prominent Revolutionary colonel, and after leading a roving life for several years, he, in 1816, settled in Chautauqua county, where he purchased two hundred acres of land, and upon which his grandson now resides. He continued to improve and cultivate his farm until his death in 1838. He was the father of eight children. David House, Sr. (father), was born in Cortland county, New York, in 1792, and came with his father to Chautauqua county in 1816. He was married to Nabby Saunders, a native of New Jersey, who bore him ten children: Nancy, born August 28, 1817; Julia A., born November 27, 1819; John, born November 12, 1821; Ruth, born October 5, 1827 ; Nabby, born September 27, 1824, and died April, 1839 ; Louisa, born March 11, 1829; David, Jr., born in 1832; Eliza J., born March 24, 1835 ; Edwin, born October 11, 1837; and Indiana, born January 30, 1843.
M ARSHALL BROWN, a well-known man, who for many years of his active life was a farmer and lumberman, is a son of Mar- shall and Lucy (Tower) Brown, and was born in the town of Hanover, Chautauqua county, New York, January 5, 1827. Both grandfathers were natives of New England, the Browns coming from Vermont. Marshall Brown (father) was born in the Green Mountain State, where he married, and started with his family for Chautauqua county, N. Y., in 1812. They came by wagons to Buffalo, and were witnesses of the burning of that city by the British, the head of the family being impressed into the army as a guard. As soon as he was discharged the family continued their journey to this county, bought a tract of fifty acres from the Holland Land company, the site of Silver Creek being
then a forest with only a blind trail through it. He was a carpenter by trade, which he followed in conjunction with his farming. Politically he was a democrat, but refrained from office seek- ing. Mr. Brown was twice married ; first to a lady who bore him two sons that never left Vermont, and after her decease he united with Lucy Tower, who became the mother of two sons and four daughters. Marshall Brown, Sr., died upon his farm which he first made his home in this county.
Marshall Brown (subject) was educated at the common schools, and has followed lumbering and farming throughout his life. He is a pro- nounced democrat and a hard party worker.
He married Susan Van Vlack, a daughter of John and Maria (Teneyck) Van Vlack. Her father was a native of Dutchess county, and came to Chautauqua county in 1855. He took an enthusiastic interest in the politics of his locality, and served a term as sheriff of Dutchess county. He reared a family of four daughters, and his wife was of Dutch extraction.
Marshall Brown is a man of strong character- istics, honorable and upright, and he is recognized as a responsible man in his community.
WILLIAM T. FALCONER. The Falconers who have added to the stability and growth of Jamestown are direct descendants of Robert Falconer, of North Scotland, who, on leaving Oxford university about 1800, came to New York and engaged with William Stewart in shipping cotton between Charleston and Liverpool. He afterwards became a dealer and speculator in real estate in eastern Pennsylvania, finally removing with his family to Warren county, Penna., where he embarked in the banking business and became the first president of the Lumbermen's Bank, of Warren. Robert Falconer was a man of marked intelligence and good business capacity. He was also noted for his uniform kindness, his strict integrity, and his interest in the material and intellectual
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OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
development of his county, which qualities made him one of the foremost citizens and most respected men of Warren county. His death occurred in 1850.
His three sons, Robert, Patrick and William, survived him ; the former lived at Sugar Grove, Penna., and was the father of two sons : Nathan- iel, of Warren, Penna., and Robert, of James- town, New York. Patrick and William were formerly the owners of extensive lumber and mill interests at Kennedy and Falconer, New York, and were numbered among the useful and solid men of their respective towns. Patrick died in 1887, leaving two sons, William and Allen, the former of whom is now carrying on large manufacturing interests at Falconer, New York, while the latter is a clerk in the James- town National Bank. William, Sr., youngest son of Robert Falconer, died at Kennedy, New York, in 1880, leaving two sons, Archie and Frank, both of whom reside in Jamestown, but are at present students in a Michigan col- lege.
JEREMIAH MAHLE, a soldier of the Ar-
my of the Potomac and a grape culturist of the village of Ripley, was born at Fryburg, Clarion county, Pennsylvania, March 17, 1844, and is a son of Helwig and Frances (Recken- brode) Mahle. His paternal grandfather, Hen- ry Mahle, was born in Germany, came about 1816 to Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, which he soon left to settle in that part of Venango which is now in Clarion county, Pennsylvania, where he followed farming and distilling, sup- ported successively the Whig and Republican parties and reared a family of four sons and four daughters. His maternal grandfather, George Reckenbrode, was a native of Germany, which he left to come to Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, but shortly afterwards removed to Clarion county, of the same State, where he tilled his farm, and in political matters was first a democrat and afterwards became a repub-
lican. Helwig Mahle (father) was born in Germany and at four years of age was brought by his parents to Lancaster county, Pennsylva- nia. He afterwards was taken by them to what is now Clarion county, where he followed farming until his death, in 1864. He was a democrat and later a republican in politics, and a Lutheran in religious belief, and married Frances Reckenbrode. They had four sons and seven daughters, of whom Clemmens, of Corry, Pennsylvania, is an inventor of several valua- ble and successful machines ; and Christian, who is engaged in agricultural pursuits in Clar- ion county.
Jeremiah Mahle was reared in Clarion county where he received his education in the common schools. At eighteen years of age, on August 28, 1862, he enlisted in Co. G, 155th Pennsyl- vania Infantry and served in the Army of the Potomac until June 6, 1865, when he was hon- orably discharged from the United States ser- vice. He was in the great battles of Fredericks- burg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, the ter- rific Wilderness fights, the bloody assaults at Spottsylvania Court-house, Cold Harbor and Petersburg and the series of conflicts in front of the Confederate capital which terminated the existence of the Southern Confederacy. Re- turning home in 1865 he managed his father's farm until after his mother's death in June, 1870, when he purchased it. From 1870 to 1875 he followed farming and the lumber busi- ness at Fryburg. In the last named year he came to the town of Ripley, where he resided until 1888 when he removed to the village. He has been engaged in the culture of grapes since 1885 and owns a farm of eighty-two acrcs at Ripley Crossing, on the L. S. & M. S. rail- road, of which thirty acres are in vineyards.
On May 2, 1871, he united in marriage with Elmira Henlen, of Clarion county, Pennsylva- nia, and their union has been blessed with one child, Grace E., born March 17, 1880. Mrs. Mahle was engaged for eight years in teaching
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BIOGRAPHIY AND HISTORY
in which she took great delight and won an en- viable reputation for success as a teacher. Her grandfathers on both sides of the house, Chris- topher Henlen, of French extraction, and George Kapp, of German descent, were natives of Lancaster and became two of the first three settlers of Clarion county, Pennsylvania, where they bought land of the Holland Land com- pany. They and their families crossed the mountains in wagons drawn by oxen. John Heulen, son of Christopher Henlen and father of Mrs. Mahle, was born in Lancaster county, in 1816, removed with his parents when quite young to Clarion county, in 1839, and married Elizabeth Kapp; they reared a family of two sons and four daughters.
Jeremiah Mahle is a republican in politics. He and his wife are members of the Ripley Presbyterian church. He is also a member of Summit Lodge, No. 219, F. & A. M., of West- field, Ripley Grange, No. 65, Patrons of Hus- bandry and William Sackett Post, No. 324, Grand Army of the Republic.
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A. WILSON DODS, M. D., a leading physician of Fredonia, was born at Dingwall, Dumfries county, Scotland, January 27, 1854, and is a son of Thomas P. and Cathe- rine (Wilson) Dods. John Dods, (great-grand- father) was born in the same place about the ycar 1770. His son, Marcus Dods, was born in Dumfries county, about 1800 and was edn- cated at the University of Edinburgh, where he attained the degree of A.M. He removed to Belford, England, and was pastor of the Pres- byterian church until his death, which occurred in 1837. He married Sarah Palliser, between 1817 and 1820, and had three sons and four daughters, five of whom are still living. The maternal grandfather was Abraham Wilson. He tilled the soil and was commander of a company of militia in his native town and married Mary Tod, about 1811, who became the mother of three sons and four daugh-
ters. One of each is dead. Mr. Wilson was a strict member of the Scotch Presbyterian church. Thomas P. Dods was born at Belford, Northumberland county, England, March 2, 1823, and moved to Edinburgh, Scotland and studied at the university and later farmed at Edington Main, Scotland, afterwards going to Wigtonshire, Scotland, and engaging as land agent for an estate. He was married to Kathe- rine Wilson, who was born in Edington Main, Scotland, June 3, 1819, in 1848, and had six children, three sons and three daughters: Mar- cus (dead), A. Wilson, John (dead), Mary Tod (dead), Sarah P. (dead), and Katherine W., at home. Mr. Dods has been engaged as a land- agent, lawyer, valuer and farmer all his life, part of the time having charge of the Aylesby estate at Lincolnshire, England, and now lives at Northumberland, England, politically a lib- eral unionist, and an elder in the Presbyterian church.
A. Wilson Dods came to America when eighteen years old. The first year was spent working on a farm at West Charleston, New York, and in November 1873, he came to Fre- donia and attended the Normal school, doing farm work through vacation. He graduated in June, 1875, and went to the Syracuse Medical University for one year, and in 1876 was a student in Dr. Couch's office. During 1877 he attended the lectures of the New York Homeo- pathic Institute, and graduated at Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago, in Feb., 1878. Dr. Dods then settled at Silver Creek, this county, and practiced nntil 1885, when he went to Scotland and took a post-graduate course in the Edinburgh Medical university, and was assistant to Dr. George S. Woodhead, pathologist of the Royal Infirmary. He returned to Fredonia in June, 1886, where he has since been practicing.
December 12, 1878, Dr. Dods married Aura S. Porter, daughter of John N. Porter, of Brocton, and has four children: Thomas P., dead, born in 1879; John P., born in 1881;
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OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
Katherine W., born in 1883; and Marcus, born in 1890.
Dr. A. W. Dods is a demoerat, a member of the Presbyterian church and is the Worthy Master of Forest Lodge, No. 66, F. & A. M. He is a member of the American Institute of Homeopathy, the Homeopathie Society of west- ern New York, the American Society of Micro- seopists and the Buffalo Mieroseopal Club. He is deeply interested in research of all seientifie matters, is a fine physician, has the confidenee and esteem of his patients, and the respeet and admiration of his professional associates.
SHERMAN S. AVERY, a eitizen and prom-
inent lawyer of Forestville, New York, was the son of Dr. Amos R, and Lucina (Allen) Avery and was born in Forestville, Chautauqua county, New York, November 4th, 1850. His grandfather Avery was a resident of east eentral New York and was a victim of the memorable Wyoming massacre at which his entire family, consisting of eight persons, were taken prisoners by the Indians, but at the expiration of eight days, after having been subjected to the most eruel treatment, were released. The father of Sherman S. Avery was born in Brookville, Madison county, New York, in 1805, of New England parentage. He was a physician by profession and in the year 1833 came to Forest- ville, New York, where he established a resi- denee and pursued his praetiee until his death in 1881. For some years prior to his death he was the oldest praetieing physician in Chautauqua county. Dr. Avery was graduated at Fairfield Medieal College, was learned in the various branches of medieal seienee and enjoyed the high esteem and respeet of all those with whom he eame in eontaet. Religiously he held mem- bership in the Methodist Episcopal church of Forestville, which he warmly supported.
His marriage resulted in the birth of two ehildren : Agnes, wife of J. E. White (de- ceased), who prior to his death was engaged
in the real estate business, and Sherman S. (subjeet).
Sherman S. Avery received his edueation in the public and high sehools and later in the universities of Michigan and Cornell, from the latter of which he was graduated in a elassieal and seientifie eourse. Upon the completion of his academie and collegiate edueation, he went to Franklin, Penna. and entered the law office of Lee & Dodd, with a view to fitting himself for the profession of the law. While he was pursuing his law studies, he was in the employ of C. D. Angel, so that only a part of his time was devoted to his studies. He was admitted to the Venango eounty, Penna. bar, where he opened an office and praetieed until 1872, at which time he formed a law partnership with Hon. George H. Bemus, an ex-member of the Legislature, and opened an office at Fairview, Penna. By this time Mr. Avery had beeome well and favorably known to the business men of the oil regions and H. L. Taylor, the lead- ing operator of Butler eounty, sought his serviees, and tendered him the position of cashier of the Argyle Savings Bank, which he aeeepted and held for about one year. He had now eonvineed his employers, H. L. Taylor & Co., whose busi- ness had beeome very extensive, luerative and complicated, that his serviees would be more valuable to them as their confidential legal ad- viser, than as eashier of their banking honse, and he was aceordingly promoted and soon afterwards admitted as a member of the firm, and continued sueh until his death-which oe- curred July 9, 1879. In the legal world, as well as in the business world, he was regarded as a young man of brillianey and ability. Polit- ieally he allied himself with neither of the great parties, holding it to be a special prerogative to cast his vote and give his support independent of party ereeds. During Horaee Greeley's can- didaey for nomination to the presidency of the United States, he took the stump in his behalf and did very efficient serviee. Mr. Avery was
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
a prominent secret society man, belonging to the ; York on June 6, 1870, and later on before the Free Masons, A. O. U. W. and Knights of Honor.
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