USA > New York > Chautauqua County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York : with a historical sketch of the county > Part 67
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On May 20, 1852, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth A. Dorner, who bore him two sons and three daughters: Florence, a graduate of the Fredonia Normal school, who was a leading teacher for ten years, and was principal of the Middletown school, when she married Stoddard Draper, a real estate dealer of San Bernardina, California ; Minnie, who was graduated from the Forestville High school, and is the wife of T. A. Riley, of Cleveland, Ohio ; Charles, who was furnishing beef to the United States troops in Idaho, where he was drowned in the Snake river at twenty-one years of age ; Jolin, a bnilder and contractor of Cleveland, Ohio, who married Carrie Ross; and Elizabeth, a teacher in the public schools.
JOHN SMILEY, one of the old and highly respected citizens of the town of Ellery, is a son of Joseph and Sarah (Lewis) Smiley, and was born in the town of Norwich, Chenango connty, New York, April 2, 1808. His pater- nal great-grandfather, William Smiley, Sr., was born in Ireland, and was pressed into the Brit- ish naval service for a term of seven years. When his vessel anchored in Long Island Sound, on a trip to New York, he and two of his cousins escaped by swimming to the Connecticut shorc. He settled at Farmington, in that State, where he married one year later and afterwards went
to Savannah, Georgia, in which city he died. His son, William Smiley (grandfather), was born at Farmington, to which he returned from Georgia, after the death of his parents, and was engaged on a farm nntil the opening of the Rev- olntionary war, in which he served as a soldier. After the declaration of peace he went to Ex- eter, Rhode Island, where he married Hannah Wilcox. He then resided successively in Ver- mont, and Broome, Chenango and Chautauqua counties, New York. He was the third settler, in 1796, in the town of Norwich, Chenango coun- ty, whichi place he left in 1810 to come to the town of Ellery. He died in 1825, and his widow survived him until March, 1831, when she too passed away. Their children were Joseph, William and Lucy. Joseph Smiley (father) was born in Vermont in 1781, and died in the town of Ellery November 8, 1862. He was a farmer, a whig and republican and a inember of the Christian church. He married Saralı (Lewis) Groton, widow of a Mr. Groton, who bore him one child, the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Smiley at the time of her mar- riage to Mr. Smiley had a family of three sons and eight daughters.
John Smiley came with his father and grand- father to the town of Ellery, whicre he received his education in the rural schools of that day. He has always followed farming for a livelihood and owns thirty-two acres of land three miles south of Bemus Point, where he and E. P. Young are the owners of a valuable flour and feed mill. He is a republican in politics, and served his town as assessor for four consecutive terms. He has also held the office of justice of the peace for thirteen years.
On September 10, 1853, lie married E. Minerva Briggs, a daughter of Col. Stephen Briggs, a farmer and active whiig of Otsego county. Mr. and Mrs. Smiley have one child, a daughter, R. Belle, who was born November 10, 1856, and on November 14, 1857, mar- ried E. P. Young, of Bemus Point, who is in
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charge of the mill owned by him and his father-in-law. Mr. and Mrs. Young have two children : Carrie M., born July 4, 1882, and one born June 3, 1891.
J JOHN SHEARER, JR., an enterprising farmer and substantial citizen of the town of Hanover, is a son of Johu Shearer, Sr., and Philena (French) Shearer, and was ushered into life in the town of Milton, Saratoga county, New York, August 31, 1817. His paternal grandfather, Robert Shearer, was a native of Scotland, town of Paisley, and emigrated to America just prior to the Revolutionary war. His first stopping place was in the town of Mil- ton, Saratoga county, New York, where, upon the commencement of hostilities, he was ar- rested as a spy and conveyed to Boston, Massa- chusetts. He was, however, after a hearing before the martial courts of the colonies, dis- missed, as there could be no convicting evidence found against him. After this incident he re- turned to Milton, where the remainder of his life was passed in peace and security. By occu- pation he was a weaver, but in America there was very little demand for his vocation, so he was compelled to become a tiller of the soil. Robert Shearer was a member of the Presby- teriau church, married and reared a family of five children, four sons and one dangliter. Grandfather French was a native of Connecti- cut, a typical Yankee, and removed to the town of Milton, New York, where he spent lis latter days and passed away in peace. By occupation he was a scaman and made numerous voyages to the West Indies. He reared a large family, and in the latter part of his life became a farm- er. Jolin Shearer (father) was born in Amer- ica in the year 1779, and when his parents em- igrated to New York, was about ten years of age. He died July 15, 1859. He was a farmer by occupation and a whig in politics. His mar- riage with Philena French resulted in the birth of nine childreu, six sons and three daughters.
John Shearer, Jr., gained his education in the common schools, became a farmer in his youth and has always pursued that business. In his political bent he is a democrat.
He was united in marriage on August 21, 1842, to Asenath B. Cowen, daughter of Ezekiel Cowen, of the town of Hanover, Chautauqua county, New York, but formerly of Rhode Island. Mr. and Mrs. Shearer are the parents of six children, four living : Nancy A., wife of Lee Hiller (dead), now living at Smith's Mills ; Henry C., married to Evalina Eastling, at pres- ent a resident of Taylor county, Wisconsin, a farmer ; Alvin A., dead ; Charles M., married to Parmelia Prouse, a telegraph operator at West Olive station, Michigan, on the Chicago & West Michigan R. R. ; Mason A., married to Ella Horton, living one-half mile west of Smith's Mills, Hanover town, New York ; and Leslie J., dead.
John Shearer, Jr., is a man of usefulness and weight in the community iu which he lives, realizing that friends and a good name arc of more value and conducive to greater happiness than all the iridescent splendor of the world combined.
A BEL S. GILES, a successful farmer, an active worker in the Baptist church and a prominent Prohibitionist in the town of Han- over, was born in New London county, Con- necticut, September 3, 1818, and is a son of John and Betsey (Abel) Giles. His paternal grandfather, Thomas Giles, was a native of England, where he learned the trade of weaver. He came to Connecticut about the middle of the eighteenth century and was a soldier in the French and Indiau war. He settled in New London county, where he followed weaving until his death. He married Bathsheba Harris, of Connecticut, by whom he had three sous and two daughters, one of which, Bathsheba, mar- ried a Mr. Staunton. One of the sons, Thomas, settled in Susquehanna, Pa., while another one
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
was John Giles, the father of Abel S. Giles. John Giles was born in New London county, Connecticut, April 5, 1780, and died in Chau- tauqua county, New York, December 31, 1880. He was a farmer by occupation, a democrat in politics and a free-thinker in religious matters. He removed in June, 1823, to Delaware county where his wife, Betsey (Abel) Giles, died in 1844. They had three children : Edwin, a farmer, who resides with his son, Edward, iu Nebraska ; Austin, who with all his family is now dead ; and Abel S.
Abel S. Giles received his education in the carly common schools of Delaware county, and in 1844, came to the town of Sheridan, Chau- tanqua county, where he purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty-five acres of land which he cultivated until 1857, when he dis- posed of it and bought a farm of one hundred acres in the town of Hanover.
On the 1st of April, 1839, he united with the Baptist church, in which he has been a deacon thirty years, and has always been an influential member and active worker. He has been suc- cessively in politics, a democrat, abolitionist, republican and prohibitionist. He has always had the courage of his convictions and dared to stand with the minority during the last years of African slavery ; while to-day he stands courageously for prohibition as he ever did for the abolition of liuman servitude.
On April 10, 1844, he married Sarah Ann Stilson, a daughter of Amos Stilson, of Dela- ware county, N. Y. To Mr. and Mrs. Giles have been born six children, two sons aud four daughters : Mary, wife of Edwin Downer, a farmer of Hanover; Nancy, (dead) ; Seymour, who resides in Dunkirk and is working in the Brooks Locomotive works ; Julia, who married Hiram Calhoun, lives at Forestville, where he is engaged in farming; a daughter who married S. C. Albratt and Frank Giles liv- ing in Sheridan.
RINALDO I. CURTIS, M.D., a prominent
practicing physician of Mayville, N. Y., of the Homoeopathic school, is the son of Minor and Amanda (Ingoldsby) Curtis, and was born in Warren, Pa., March 27, 1837. His grand- father, Asa Curtis, emigrated to Warren, Pa., from the New England States, but afterwards removed west to the State of Illinois, where he died. Minor Curtis, father of Rinaldo I., was a native of the State of Vermont, removed for a short time to Warren, Pa., and thence to Chau- tauqua county, New York, where he died in 1882. In early life he learned the trade of a shoemaker, afterwards became a shoe merchant and during the latter part of his life retired from active occupation. He was a republican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, for all of whose interests he had an earnest solicitude. His marriage to Amanda Ingoldsby was fruitful in the birth of the fol- lowiug children : Wilson P., married to Tirzah Thompson, at present living at North Warren, Pa. At the outbreak of the civil war he entered the Union army and served a long period of enlistment, taking part in numerous battles and engagements ; Minor A., married to Miss Carpenter, now living in Rogers, Arkan- sas, where he is a practicing physician and sur- geon, graduating from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Chicago, Illinois; and Ri- naldo I.
On October 1, 1861, Rinaldo I. Curtis was united in marriage to Helen M. Bemus, a daughter of Matthew P. Bemus of Chau- tauqua county, New York, by whom he has three children : Matthew, married and now living at Mayville, New York, a painter by trade and father of one child, Raymond ; Charles, married to Anna Henhiran of James- town, New York, an electrician ; and George W.
Rinaldo I. Curtis received his education through the common and high schools of War- ren, Pa., at the completion of which he entered upon the study of medicine under the preceptor-
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ship of Drs. Robinson and Kise. He after- wards taught school for a time, continued the study of medicine at St. Lonis, Missouri, and afterwards entered the Hahncmauu Medical College of Chicago, Illinois, from which he graduated in the spring of 1861. Upon his graduation he went to Warreu, Pa., and prac- ticed with his old preceptor, Dr. Kise, about three months, when he removed to Mayville, New York, where he has continued his prac- tice with extraordinary success. Upon his arrival at Mayville, it devolved upon him to overcome the prejudices of the people in favor of the old schools of medicine, but being well versed in the principles of homeopathy and its claims, lic was not long in demonstrating by successful practice and treatment, the scientific principles of the school which he represented. Dr. Curtis is an active supporter of the Repub- lican cause and, although he lias been solicited upon various occasions to present himself for official preferment, has steadily refused. He belongs to Lodge, No. 284, of the I. O. O. F., at Mayville, New York, of which he is treas- urer, and also to the Knights of Honor, in which he holds the office of dictator. Dr. Curtis's father-in-law, Hon. Matthew Bemus, was one of the prominent and highly respected citizens of Chautauqua county. He served a number of years as a member of the New York Legislature, was instrumental in the build- ing of the C. C. R. R., now a part of the B. & N. W. R. R., and was also foremost in any movement which tended to the industrial, edu- cational or philanthropic development of the county. He died in 1882.
RLANDO BOND is a son of Minor T. and Mary A. (Blood) Bond, and was born in Mayville, Chautauqua county, New York, November 28, 1835. His grandfather, Beth- uel Boud, was a uative of Scotland, cmigrated to America and settled in the town of Ripley, Chautauqua county, New York, in 1807. He
continued his residence here until 1813, when lie removed to Mayville, lived out his days and died. By occupation he was a fariner and owned a large tract of land between Mayville and Westfield, which at his death became the heritage of his children. When but a merc boy he entered the Revolutionary struggle, served throughout that memorable contest and finally returned to civil life. He was uni- ted in marriage to Lydia A. Dolph, who bore him ten children, five sons and five daughters. Grandfather Blood, during his life time, resi- ded in the vicinity of Mayville, New York, and died near the city of Buffalo. He was a far- mer and had four children. Minor T. Bond, father of Orlando, was born in Chautauqua county, town of Chautauqua, in the year 1809 and died in the year 1859. He was a farmer, a large land owuer, a democrat in politics and served a number of years as justice of the peace. He also at one time filled the office of deputy sheriff and warden for the county of Chautau- qua. His marriage resulted in the birth of eight children: Charlotte, Bethuel (deceased), Orlando, Francis, Fernando, Phoebe, Silas W. aud Mary S.
Orlaudo Boud was united iu marriage to Allie M., daughter of George W. Newell, and has the following children: Frank C., married to Kitty M. Hovey, now living with his father at Mayville, New York, in the mercantile busi- mess; M. Gertrude; and Fred (deceased).
Orlando Bond was educated in the common schools and commenced life as a clerk in the store of W. W. Crafts of Mayville, whom he succeeded iu business as proprietor. He tried farming for a while, but iu 1867 returned to the mercantile business, and in partnership with Mr. Godard embarked in the grocery business, which he still pursues. In politics he is a democrat and served as justice of the peace for the borough of Mayville a term of four years. Mr. Bond is a member of the Royal Arcanum, Council No. 111 of Mayville.
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He is a good business man, stands high in the estimation of his fellow townsmen and besides his mercantile interests, is a large owner of real estate.
D ELOS G. TENNANT, a prosperous farmer of the town of Ripley, and a descendant of an old and highly respected New England family, is a son of Moses A. and Delinda (Ten- nant) Tennant, and was born in the town of Springfield, Otsego county, New York, July 2, 1823. His paternal great-grandfather Tennant came from England to New England. His son, Moses Tennant (paternal grandfather), was a native of New England, and came from Con- necticut to the town of Springfield, Otsego county, where he followed farming until his death. He was a federalist in politics, and a deacon of the Baptist church, and married Sarah Selden Jewett, by whom he had one son and four daughters. The son, Moses A. Tennant (father), was born in the town of Springfield, Otsego county, December 23, 1801, and died in Ripley, November 7, 1876. In 1833 he settled two miles south of Quincy, and afterwards removed to near the village of Ripley, where he followed farming until his death. He was a democrat in politics, had served several terms as justice of the peace and supervisor of his town from 1846 to 1853. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, had been for twenty years before his death a deacon of the Baptist church, and was a useful and public-spirited citizen. Moses A. Tennant married Delinda Tennant, who was born April 18, 1802, and still survives him. They were the parents of five sons and five daughters : Alvin J. (sec his sketch); Delos G., Moses S., born August 2, 1824, and died August 19, 1847 ; Olive Eliza, born August 5, 1827, and married Henry W. Shaffer, who is now deceased ; Julia E., married David Shaffer, who died a few years ago; Wealthy A., born Angust 24, 1830, and wife of Erbin C. Wattles, of Buffalo, New York ;
Rev. Albert M., of Westfield, who was born August 9, 1834; Ellen D., born October 26, 1826, and died in infancy ; Fannie O., born February 28, 1838, who married George Mason and after his death became the wife of Eugene Huff, now a resident of Fredonia ; and John A. (see his sketch). Mrs. Delinda Tenuant, now in her ninetieth year, is a granddaughter of John and Mary (Crandall) Tennant, natives of Connecticut, who removed to Springfield, Otsego county, where they reared a family of two sons and four daughters. One of these sons, John Tennant, Jr., was the father of Mrs. Delinda Tennant, and came from Connecticut with his father to Springfield. He was a Free Mason, served in the war of 1812, during which he was wounded in the thigh, and married Betsey Loomis.
Delos G. Tennant grew to manhood on his father's farm. As one of the older children of the family he had to assist in clearing out the Ripley farm, and could only be spared to attend school during a part of the short winter terms. After his marriage he engaged in farming, which has been his main business ever since. He has also at one time been engaged in butchering. His farm lies two miles from the village of Ripley. Mr. Tennant is a democrat, was high- way commissioner for some time, and served six years as assessor.
On March 1, 1843, he married Eliza Sawin, a member of the Presbyterian church, and is one of five children born to Ethan and Eleanor (Anise) Sawin. Ethan Sawin, a democrat in politics and a farmer and mechanic by occupation and trade, was drafted in the war of 1812, came in 1832 from his native State of Connecti- cut to the town of Ripley, where he died in July, 1886, aged seventy-four years. He served a number of years as commissioner of highways and supervisor of his town, and married for his second wife Sallie Osterman. To Delos G. and Eliza (Sawin) Tennant have been born three children : Carric E., who married Ahira Cran-
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dall, and died, leaving one child, Asa J. ; Mary L., who died in infancy ; and Moses D.
Moses D. Tennant was born December 3, 1849, received a good education and attended the Buffalo school from which he was graduated. He was admitted to the bar, and is now engaged in the practice of his profession at Westfield. While at school he took a course of surveying, and sometimes attends to work in that line. He is a republican, has served as notary public and justice of the peace, and has always been active in political matters. He married Helen, daugh- ter of Austin Smith, of Westfield, and they have one child, Arthur S.
C LARENCE P. CIPPERLY, the present popular and efficient cashier of the bank- ing house of Skinner & Minton, was born in Albany, Albany connty, New York, November 14, 1862, and is the son and only child of Hiram and Susan L. (Mayer) Cipperly. His paternal ancestors were natives of Holland, but his paternal grandfather Cipperly was born at Sand Lake, Rensselaer county, this State, and was a farmer and manufacturer of woolen goods. His wife was of English descent, by whom he had a family of four children, two sons and two daughters. He was a representa- tive man of his county. His maternal grand- father Mayer, who was a resident of Albany, married a woman of French extraction, named Miss Yonng and had a family of cight children. Hiram Cipperly (father) was born at Sand Lake, this State, in 1832, and died in Albany, in 1865, at the age of thirty-three years. He was a self-made man, a graduate of tlic Albany law school and practiced law in Albany until his death. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, in politics was a democrat and mar- ried Susan L. Mayer, of Albany, who bore him one child, a son-Clarence P. After her hus- band's death, Mrs. Cipperly married Charles A. Kimberly, who had entered the civil war in 1861, and served until the battle of Chapin's
Farm, where he lost his foot. He went out as a sergeant of Co. E., 112th regiment, New York Volunteers, and for meritorious services was steadily promoted until he was brevetted captain. He was wonnded several times and was honorably discharged in 1865.
Clarence P. Cipperly was educated in the Union school at Mayville, and in 1879 entered the banking house of Skinner & Minton, in Mayville, as office boy and clerk and has been promoted step by step until in 1884 he was appointed cashier, which position he now occu- pies. He stands high, not only in the estima- tion of the business public, but also has the confidence of his employers. In politics he is a republican, is secretary of Peacock Lodge, No. 696, F. and A. M., and is the first charter member of Chautauqua Mutual Life association, of which he is treasurer and a director.
On October 30, 1888, Mr. Cipperly united in marriage with Carrie Juliana Bly, a daugli- ter of J. Frank Bly, a resident of Mayville. To this marriage has been born one child, a dangliter : Genevieve.
G USTAV BAUMGART is a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Weitzel) Baumgart, and was born in Bavaria, Germany, March 1, 1804. His grandfather, Peter Baumgart, was also a native of Bavaria, and a carpenter by trade. He married Miss Sauer, and had four children, three sons and one daughter, none of whom came to America. Joseph Baumgart (father) was a native of Bavaria, was also a carpenter by ocenpation, and in religion a member of the Catholic church, He married Elizabeth Weitzel and had six children, two sons and four dauglı- ters.
Gustav Baumgart was reared in Germany, and received his education in the excellent schools of his native country. He learned the trade of a shoemaker and came to America in 1868, locating in Buffalo, this State, wlicre he remained two years. He then came to Mayville,
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
and engaged in the boot and shoe business, pursuing his trade in connection therewith, and has a very comfortable patronage. Politically he is independent, and is a member of the Catholic church. He, according to the laws and customs of Germany, served his time in the regular army of that kingdom.
Mr. Baumgart was married to Josephiue Ernst, a daughter of Michacl Ernst, a native of Seine. To their urion have been born five children, four sons and one daughter, three of whom are living : Frank (deccased); Louisa L., Carl G., Edward (deceased) ; and Herman.
A LVIN J. TENNANT, the oldest living representative of the old New England Tennant family in Chautauqua county and a well respected citizen of the village of Ripley, is the eldest son of Moses A. and Delinda (Ten- nant) Tennant, and was boru iu the town of Springfield, Otsego county, New York, Sep- tember 13, 1821. His paternal great-grand- father Tennant came from England to New England from which his son Moses Teunant (graudfather), removed to Otsego county where he was an important and influential man in political and religious affairs. He married Sarah Selden Jewett, by whom he had five children. Their only son, Moses A. Ten- nant (fatlier), came to Ripley where he was a leading citizen and prominent public man dur- ing his life. His wife was born in 1802 and is still living. They had ten children : Alvin J., Delos G., Moses S. (dead), O. Eliza, Julia E., Wealthy A., Rev. Albert M., Ellen D. (dead), Fannie O. and John A. Mrs. Delinda Tennant is a daughter of John Tennant, Jr., who was a son of John and Mary (Crandall) Tenuant, of New England descent. (For a full account of the Tennant families see sketches of Delos G. and John A. Tennant).
Alvin J. Tennant came with his father in 1833 to the town of Ripley where he was reared to manhood on the farm and where he
attended the common schools of that day. He assisted his father in clearing up his farm which was two miles south of Ripley and then engaged in farming near Quincy where he remained until 1860 when he removed to the village of Ripley. He there bought a farm which he tilled until 1890 when he retired from active business life. He now resides in a com- fortable home where he enjoys the fruits of a long life of honcst labor. He is a democrat in politics and is a member of the Baptist church and the Equitable Aid Union.
September 26, 1847, Mr. Tennant marricd Emorett Wattles who was born January 23, 1827. They are the parents of one child, Jewett G. Mrs. Tennant is a daughter of Gurdon H. and Lucretia (Phelps) Wattles. Gurdon Wattles was born in the town of Sidney, Delaware county, in 1796. He and his brother William came in 1818 from Otsego county to the town of Ripley and two years later re- moved to and cleared up a farm three miles south of the village of Ripley where William resided until 1846 when he went to Springfield, Ohio, in which city he resided until his death. Gurdou Wattles remained upon the farm until 1859 and then removed to the village of Ripley where he died November 15, 1880. He was a democrat in politics and held the office of super- visor of his town for two ternis. Mr. Wattles was one of the founders of the First Baptist church of Ripley in which he was an active worker during many years and of which he was church clerk for a quarter of a century. He married Lucretia Phelps and reared a family of two sous and two daughters : Glover P. (deceased), Erbin C., Emorett and Sarah L. (deceased).
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