USA > New York > Chautauqua County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York : with a historical sketch of the county > Part 59
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H ARRY J. NEWMAN, senior partner in the manufacturing firm of H. J. Newman & Co., was born in Franklin, Venango county, Pennsylvania, January 31, 1865, and is the son of Jared R. and Harriet A. (Pike) Newman and grandson of James Newman, a native of Vermont, who was one of the early farmer set- tlers of Cattaraugus county, New York. He married, reared a family of eight children and died in Cattaraugus county in 1857. Jared R. New- man, the father of subject, was born in Cat- taraugus county in 1832, and while still a young man traveled through the north-west. Among other places visited was Fon du Lac, Wisconsin, when it was a very small village, and the In- dians were more numerous than the whites. He- returned from his western trip and finally located in Franklin, Pa., where, embarking in the fur- niture business, he conducted it successfully until 1876, when, disposing of it, he came to James- town. Soon after this he began furniture manufacturing, which was continued to the time of his death, when a company, of which his son is the head, succeeded him. He married Harriet A. Pike, who bore him one son, the subject of this sketch. A republican in politics and a member
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OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
of the Methodist church, he also had the dis- tinction of being among the first members of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the fourth on the charter of the third lodge in Pennsylvania. He died May 19, 1887, the funeral being largely attended by the lodge and his many friends.
Harry J. Newman received a good early education, and was taught the principles of bu- siness by his father, whom he succeeded at his death. Beginning in 1887, the business grew until at present it requires a building 112x48, two stories high, located on Holmes street, to do the work. At the death of his father he asso- eiated others with him, and the business requires now about forty men. He united in marriage, July 5, 1886, with Mary Eva Fisher, a daughter of Z. W. Fisher, who was one of the earliest settlers of Mckean county, Pa., where he lived until the oil exeitement, finally locating in James- town, where he now lives a quiet life. Mr. and Mrs. Newman have one child, Mary M.
In polities Mr. Newman is like his father, identified with the republicans, and is a Mason, being a member of Mount Moriah Lodge, No. 145, of Jamestown, and is enthusiastic in their work. He is recognized as a sagacious business man, proof of which is plainly shown by the suecess of the business house of which he is the head. With a large circle of friends Mr. and Mrs. Newman have a pleasant future in view.
C LAYTON D. LEONARD is a gentleman
who has seeured and is now maintaining an excellent reputation for the quality of the cheese he manufactures. He is a son of James P. and Clarinda (Scribner) Leonard, and was born at Gowanda, Cattaraugus county, New York, Mareh 3, 1852. Simeon Leonard, the paternal grandfather, was born in Oneida county, this State, in 1791. He was a farmer, and moved to Gowanda, N. Y., and from thence to Angola; then to Tidioute, Pa., where he died in 1873, leaving four daughters.
James P. Leonard was born at Gowanda iu 1826 ; he was a shoemaker, and married Cla- rinda Scribner in 1847, by whom he had one son, our subject, and one daughter, Ella, born at Gowanda in 1849; she married Lorenzo E. Avery, a bookkeeper of Angola, Erie county, N. Y., and has a son, Guy L., born in 1874, and an infant daughter. James P. Leonard died in 1855, and his wife followed him in 1860.
Clayton D. Leonard was educated in the common schools and at the Griffith academy in Springville. His father died when he was but three years of age, and he lost the counsels and love of his mother when but eight. In 1867, when but fifteen years of age, he began to learn cheese-making at East Otto, Cattaraugus county, and remained there two years. He then went to West Otto and Collins, where he followed the same business. He came to Cherry Creek in February, 1879, and since that date has been engaged in making full cream cheese. He is sole proprietor of the Linwood combination of cheese factories. The average production has been six thousand boxes or about four hundred thousand pounds per year, and the market has been found in the New York wholesale houses. Mr. Leonard also handles a great deal of cheese on commis- sion, and is considered one of the best buyers in the State. His cheese is made from milk furnished by farmers. Mr. Leonard keeps the books, each farmer's account being separate, sells the cheese, and receives one dollar and twelve and a half cents per hundred pounds for his work. He has taken care of himself since he was fourteen years of age, and is known as a hustler in business circles. Politically he is a democrat, and has served on the County Democratie Committee since 1887; is the Wor- shipful Master of Cherry Creek Lodge, No. 384, F. & A. M., and also holds membership in the Equitable Aid Union and I. O. O. F.
On July 9, 1874, he was united in marriage
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with Harriet L. Peck, a daughter of Reuben and Mary Eleanor (Raynor) Peck, of Warren county, Pa., and has had four sons : Harley L., born December 10, 1875; Harry L. (dead) ; Roger L., born June 24, 1886; and Morris M., born July 29, 1888. Mr. Leonard is a generous-hearted, companionable gentleman, a number-onc business man and a good citizen.
L ESTER R. DEWEY, a comfortably situ- ated farmer and successful dairyman of the town of Sherman, is a son of Capt. Lester R. and Fanny (Patterson) Dewey, and was born in the old homestead house, in the town of Sherman, Chautauqua county, New York, in May, 1837. His paternal grandfather, David Dewey, was a native and farmer of New Hamp- shire, who came to Herkimer county and sub- sequently removed to Madison county where he died. His son, Capt. Lester R. Dewey (father), was born in Herkimer county, July 24, 1802, and in 1832 settled on lot No. 39, in the town of Sherman, but subsequently removed to the village where he died, December 5, 1872. He was a whig, and a member of the Universalist Church, and served his town several times as assessor, highway commissioner and supervisor. He commanded a company of militia for some years and on March 23, 1825, as mentioned by both " Young's History" and the New York State Gazeteer, he married Fanny Patterson, who was born in Pompey, N. Y., October 6, 1802. This was the first marriage in the town and was solemnized by Otis Skinner, the first justice of the peace of the town. Mr. and Mrs. Dewey were the parents of eight children, six sons and two daughters : Calista A., wife of Charles Hall ; Talcott P., who married Mary Benson, by whom he had three pair of twin daughters, and died in Iowa in 1874; Perry C., of Nebraska, who married Sarah Gill, and after her death, Matilda Goldsmith, and served in the Union army in the southwest ; Alfred B., who married Maria Hubbard, who died in
1880, and in 1881 he married Mrs. Marcia Paddock ; Margaretta K., wife of Merritt Wol- cott ; Lester R .; Chauncey M., who died in infancy ; and Tyler T., who married Ellen Wil- cox, served in Co. E, 9th New York Cavalry, was captured at Bull Run, spent twenty-two days in Libby prison, and now lives in Sherman.
Lester R. Dewey attended the common schools of his day, and has always been en- gaged in farming on the old homestead except two years spent in the oil regions and two years during which he was in the West. He owns a farm of one hundred and ninety acres of land, which is five-eighths of a mile from the village of Sherman. He is now making a specialty of dairying, keeps twenty-five Jersey cows, and makes butter by the Cooley system.
On December 25, 1860, he married Laura Benson, a daughter of Caleb Benson, who mar- ried a Miss Pntnam, and came to the town of Westfield about 1825. Mr. and Mrs. Dewey have had four children, one son and three daughters : Jerushia A., who died young ; Mary E., wife of W. B. Whitney, who has been a butter-maker at Sherman for the last eight years ; Edwin C., assistant cashier of the Sher- man bank ; and Effie B.
In politics Mr. Dewey is a republican, and has held several offices of his town.
J AMES TAYLOR, who was a noted hunter, came from Greenbriar county, Va., to Greenfield, Erie county, Pa., in the year 1803, and from there to the town of Ripley in 1812. He subsequently took up one hundred acres of land at State Line, and was engaged in agricul- ture till the time of his death, which occurred in 1840. He had a family of six children, four sons and two daughters. Of the sons, Jolın and Daniel owned adjoining farms at the State Line; Daniel removing to North East but a few years previous to his death, and John re- siding on his farm until the time of his death, in 1881.
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OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
John Taylor was nine months old when his father came from Virginia, and the coun- try being new, and the roads few and poor, his mother brought him on horseback. The saddle on which she rode is still in existence and in a very good state of preservation. It was given by him to Olive M. Taylor, wife of his son Seymour. He was both farmer and merchant, and for many years post-master at State Line. He was an honest, upright man, and respected by all who knew him. He was twice married. His first wife, Delia Stetson, daughter of Oliver Stetson, descended from an old and highly respected family of Scotch ex- traction. By her he had four children, three sons and one daughter: James, Seymour, George and Rhoda. His second wife was Almaretta Morey, by whom he had two children, Har- court and Etta. James, Seymour and George engaged in farming. Harcourt is freight agent at Dunkirk. Rhoda married Thomas Coveney, present post-master at Sherman, New York. Etta married Clinton Gulick, superintendent of construction for the Western Union Telegraph company, and resides at Minneapolis, Minn.
Seymour A. Taylor, son of John and Delia (Stetson) Taylor, was born at State Line, town of Ripley, Chautauqua county, New York, in 1833. He was educated in the schools of his day, and spent the first nine years of his manhood farming in the State of Illinois. He then came back to State Line and engaged in agriculture, which pursuit he followed dur- ing life. He was the owner of two farms, was a man of large acquaintance and of unques- tioned character and probity. His death, which occurred in 1884, left many truc friends to mourn his loss.
In 1864 he was married to Olive M. Pull- man, daughter of David and Ann (Bailey) Pull- man, of North East, Pa., formerly of Washing- ton county, New York. Of this union there was one child, a son, Edgar S. Taylor.
Edgar S. Taylor is a graduate of the West-
field Academy, and is at present superintendent of the farm, and engaged in viticulture. He married Emily B. Tracy, of Ripley.
TULIUS L. SNYDER was born February J 14, 1850, on the Atlantic Occan. He was the son of Captain Lewis L. and Jane R. Snyder. His father was a sea captain and sailed for many years between New York and Liver- pool, being accompanied on all his voyages by his wife until his children were large enough to attend school when they resided in Brooklyn, N. Y., until the year 1865. Captain Snyder then left the sea and with his family removed to West Pithole, Venango county, Pa., where he began operating in the oil business. In 1867 Captain Snyder died, leaving Julius L., the eldest of six children, and the main support of his mother.
Julius began operating for himself at once and was very successful, so much so that at the age of twenty-one he had acquired quite a com- petency. April 10, 1871, he was married to Jennie, daughter of the late Wm. Gorman, of West Hickory, Pa.
September 4, 1872, his house caught fire from natural gas and burned to the ground, his wife perishing in the flames and Mr. Snyder was burned so badly that his life was despaired of. After recovering from his burns he left Venango county and went to Clarion county, where he mnet with good success; from there he went to Karns City, Butler county, Pa. April 20, 1874, he was married to Lillic M., daughter of the late Jeoffrey Thornton, of Charlotte Centre, N. Y. The following autumn he lost every dollar he had in the world through the raseality of a business partner. He then went to con- tracting for other parties and soon accumulated enough to buy a small interest in a well in But- ler county, which he sold in 1879 and went to Bradford, Mckean county, Pa., and began operating again for himself. He met with good success in the Bradford field. In 1881 Mr.
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Snyder went to Sinclairville, Chautauqua county, N. Y., and purchased a place, where his family have resided more or less ever since. In 1887 Mr. Snyder left Bradford and went back to Ve- nango county to operate in the same place that he had operated in fifteen years before, and where he is at present operating with very good success.
Mr. Snyder is of German-English descent, and is the father of two sons, George M. and Julius L., Jr. In politics he is a republican, and is a Freemason, as was his father before him.
J OSEPH A. M'GINNIES is one of the most
prominent young Irish-Americans living in the village of Ripley. He is a son of William and Eliza Ann (Lightbody) McGin- nies, and was born in County Down, Ireland, November 7, 1861. His ancestors were prom- inent in Irish and Scotch history, the pater- nal great-grandfather being a nativeof Scotland. During the political uprising which occurred in the latter place about 1740, he emigrated into Ireland, where he followed farming until he died. Grandfather, Daniel McGinnies, also took a prominent part in this affair. The maternal grandfather, John Lightbody, was of Scotch-Irish stock, and died in Ireland at the advanced age of ninety-five years. He was coachman and superintendent for Lord Kier, of Ireland, and performed the duties of those positions until the infirmities of age compelled him to relinquish them. William McGinnies was born in 1840, and removed to America in 1862, locating in the town of Ripley, Chautauqua county, New York, where he still lives, and has followed the vocation of railroading ever since coming to America. He married Eliza Ann Lightbody, who is yet living, aged fifty-five years. They had three children : Subject is the oldest ; William, mar- ried Ina D. Grow and is now in the mercan- tile business at Gunnison, Colorado; and Sam- uel E.
Joseph A. McGinnies was educated at the common schools, and at the Ripley High school, the curriculum of the latter being in every respect, equal, excepting languages, to a college prepara- tory course. In 1876 he embarked in the drug business at the village of Ripley, and has fol- lowed it continuously to the present time; he also owns a vineyard of six acres adjoining the village.
J. A. McGinnies married Anna B. Brock- way, a daughter of Henry Brockway, coming from one of the oldest families of Chautauqua county. Politically Mr. McGinnies is a dem- ocrat, and has held some of the town offices ; from August, 1885, to August, 1889, he served under the Cleveland administration as post- master of Ripley. He takes an active interest in the politics of this locality and the success of his party, and is very popular in it, as is at- tested by the fact that in the campaign of 1890 he was nominated by his party as its choice to represent this district in the Assembly, and al- though the district is usually republican by twenty-six hundred majority, he succeeded in reducing his opponent's plurality to five hun- dred and one, a very flattering cxposition of his friends' appreciation. The McGinnies are Presbyterians, and he has always affiliated with that church, is an attendant of it and contrib- utes to its support. In addition to this he is a member of the Knights of Honor, and for four years was reporter of the Ripley Lodge.
AFAYETTE NEAR, a life-long resident and comfortably situated farmer of the town of Ellicott, is a son of John C. and Fan- nie (Lownsberry) Near, and was born on the old Near homestead, in the town of Ellicott, Chautauqua county, New York, April 7, 1843. At the opening of the great Revolutionary struggle the paternal great-grandfather of La- fayette Near came from Germany to the new world with the intention of entering the British army, but after having the situation of the col-
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OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
onies explained to him by some of his country- men then residing in New York, he enlisted in one of the Continental armies and was killed in a battle on the Mohawk river, while bravely fighting in the cause of this fair land of civil and religious freedom. His son, Conrad Near (grandfather), was seven years of age at the time of his father's death, and was captured along the Mohawk river by seven Indians, who carried him to Montreal, Canada, where he was held as a prisoner until the close of the Revolu- tionary war. Hc then returned to New York, and in 1833 came to the town of Ellery, which he afterwards left to settle in Livingston coun- ty, where he followed farming until his death. He was an old-line whig, and married a Miss Fox, by whom he had two sons and seven daughters. One of these sons, John C. Near (father), was born in the town of Palatine Bridge, Montgomery county, and, after residing at various places, came, in the year 1833, to the town of Ellicott, where he bought from the Holland Land company a farm of sixty-three aeres of land, which he afterwards increased by purehase to eighty acres. He was a republican and a member of the Christian church. He married Fannie Lownsberry, who bore him two sons and seven daughters.
Lafayette Near grew to manhood on the farm, and, after attending the common sehools, eu- gaged in farming, which he has made his life- work. He now owns a farm of three hundred acres of land, and is comfortably situated to en- joy life. In 1869 he married Lucinda B., daughter of Henry Shaw, to which union have been born five children, three sons and two daughters : Hereules L., born March 17, 1871; Nellie F., born May 10, 1873; Ora M., born September 16, 1877 ; Charlotte, born March 23, 1881 ; and Hilda J., who was born June 20, 1888.
In polities Mr. Near was formerly a republi- can, but of late years lias been an independent, and now favors the principles of the Farmers'
Allianee. He is interested in the improvement of the farming classes, and has been for several years a member of the Patrons of Husbandry.
TUSTIN WATROUS, the proprictor and manager of the popular Smith's Mills J House, is the son of Austin and Ann (Christy) Watrous, and was born in the town of Hano- ver, Chautauqua county, New York, September 23, 1850. Arehibald Watrous, the paternal grandfather of Justin Watrous, was born in Clinton county about 1795, and came to the town of Hanover about 1820, where he died in 1870 at the age of seventy-five years. He served as a baggage-master in the war of 1812, was au ardent Baptist, and purchased two hun- dred aeres of land from the Holland Land company. He was a wlig and republican in polities, and married Sallie Watrous, widow of his brother Ezra, by whom he had thirteen children, eight sons and five daughters. His son, Austin Watrons (father), was born in Clinton eounty, March 27, 1819, aud was brought by his parents to the town of Hanover, where he died. He owned a farm of one hun- dred and thirty-five acres, was a republican in politics, and served for many years as deaeon in the Baptist church. On April 20, 1833, he married Ann Christy, and reared a family of three children: Francis H., deceased ; Hen- rietta, also deceased ; and Justin. Mrs. Watrous is a granddaughter of John Christy, a whig and Quaker of English descent, who followed farm- ing in Dutchess county, New York. His son, Leonard Christy, the father of Mrs. Watrous, was born in Dutchess county, where he owned a farm of one hundred acres. He died in 1865 at the age of seventy-five years, was a republi- can and married Ruth Hall, by whom he had ten ehildren.
Justin Watrous received his education in the common schools, and commenced life for him- self by engaging in farming, which he lias followed ever sinee.
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
September 17, 1874, he united in marriage with Melva, daughter of Benjamin Hiller. They have four children, three sons and one daughter: Arthur D., George W., Lizzie M. and Benjamin A.
Justin Watrous is an active republican, and has served as assessor of his town for three years. He has an interest in a valuable farm, situated one-lialf mile from Smith's Mills, where he owns and conducts the well-known hotel. Mr. Watrous has had good success as a farmer, and well understands keeping a first- class hotel and holding a large patronage.
A NDREW LOWN is a substantial and pro- gressive farmer living in the town of Ellery, who has risen to a position of affluence by industry and good management. He is a son of John and Mary (Tompkins) Lown and was born in the town of Gerry, Chautauqua county, New York, June 13, 1830, and is now in the sixty-second year of his age. The fam- ily, as the name implies, was of German extrac- tion and his grandfather was Robert Lown. John Lown was a native of Lyons, Wayne county, New York, and came to Chautauqua county, settling in Gerry, in 1820. He pur- chased a tract of one hundred acres from the Holland Land company and resided upon it until his death. Politically he was a whig ; and married Mary Tompkins, who became the mother of three sons and five daughters-all of the former and one of the latter are yet living: Sebastian, married Phobe Hollenbeck and now lives in the town of Gerry, a retired farmer; Robert, first married Mary A. Hollenbeck, and afterwards Susan Mason, and is now a farmer living in the town of Ellery, this county ; Jane, united with Elisha Pickard, who is a farmer residing in the town of Ellicot; and Andrew.
Andrew Lown was educated in the common schools and followed farming from boyhood. He has amassed a fine property, consisting of one hundred acres in the town of Gerry and
seventy acres in Ellery, and is in very good cir- cumstances. Politically he is a republican and is a representative of the best class in his party.
In 1857 he united in marriage with Fannie Rhodes, and is now the father of three children : Charles, lives with his father and owns and operates a creamery with financial success-a difficult thing to do where much competition is encountered ; Bertha; and John.
Andrew Lown is a man who realizes that the sure road to success is strict attention to busi- ness and feeling that the Grange Association is improving the welfare of the farmers, he has associated himself with it.
C HARLES G. MAPLES was the son of Josiah and Esther (Hedges) Maples and was born in the town of Milo, Yates county, New York, on February 20, 1818, and died May 29, 1886. His grandfather, Stephen Maples, was a native of New London, Connec- ticut and served throughout the old Revolu- tionary war. His son, Josiah (father of Charles G.) emigrated to Yates county, New York and afterwards to the town of Ellery, Chautauqua county, where he pursued the occupation of farmning. He was successively a whig and democrat in politics, a member of the Baptist church and was twice married ; first to Diadama Comstock, by whom he had seven children; by his marriage to Esther Hedges, he had eleven children, all of whom grew to manhood and womanhood.
Charles G. Maples was married to Ruth Bar- ney, a daughter of Luther and Ruth (Garrison) Barney, an old soldier of the Revolutionary war. Their union was blessed with the birth of seven children : Mary A., (died young); By- ron, (deceased) ; Frank L., (deceased); Florella, (dead); Florence, married to Samuel M. Whit- cher (deceased). He entered the Civil war in the 9th New York Cavalry and served three years and one month, with the rank of lieutenant. His death occurred at Corry, Pennsylvania;
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OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
Charles M., a student of Cornell university at Ithaca, New York ; Florelle; and Frank L.
Charles G. Maples was educated in the com- mon schools and Aurora academy, commenced life as a farmer in the town of Ellery in 1838, and has since been mainly engaged in agricul- tural pursuits. He was elected a justice of the peace in 1848, which office lie filled for a num- ber of terms, obtaining at the same time a practical legal knowledge, which he utilized in i settling up estates and making distribution of funds that were thereby placed in his hands. He received the appointment of United States assistant assessor of internal revenue and for a number of years prior to 1870, satisfactorily discharged the duties of that office. Later he was elected surrogate of Chautauqua county, in which capacity he served for twelve years, mov- ing to Mayville in 1871, where he lived until the time of his death. He was a republican in politics, a member of the county committee and of the State Board of health. He also belonged to the Ellicott Lodge, I. O. O. F., of James- town and was a member of the Baptist church. Mr. Maples was a man well known, by reason of his public career, throughout the county. His life was a busy one and all the years of his long life were fully taken up in what he and operates a shop in the village of Ellery, conceived to be his public and private duty. He was a man of unblemished character, hon- est in his business transactions, and generous in disposition, with a wide charity for the dis- tresses and wrongs of mankind.
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