Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York : with a historical sketch of the county, Part 73

Author: Dilley, Butler F; Edson, Obed, 1832-
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Gresham
Number of Pages: 740


USA > New York > Chautauqua County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York : with a historical sketch of the county > Part 73


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Frederick N. Marvin was educated in the Jamestown High school, and after graduation was employed by W. N. Gokey & Son, and for six years had charge of a department there. In August, 1889, he severed his connection with the firm and with C. E. Tucker engaged in the manufacture of shoes, under the firm name of Tucker & Marvin. They are located on Steele street, and make all kinds of ladies and misses' shoes, employing fifty men. Seven active com- mercial travelers and the rapidly extending reputation of the productions are combining to build up a fine business. Mr. Marvin has full charge of the manufacturing department and inspects every shoe before it leaves the factory. He believes in the old axiom, " If you want your business attended to as it should be, do it yourself." Politically he is a republican, and belongs to the Royal Templars of Temperance. He and his wife are members of the First Con- gregational church.


Frederick N. Marvin married Bernice E. Bates, June 16, 1886. She is a daughter of Ira C. Bates, one of the first settlers of James- town. They have one child, a daughter : Bernice E., born June 8, 1887.


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OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.


C LAYTON E. BAILEY. One of the men who assists in distributing the comforts of life to many families in Jamestown, is Clayton E. Bailey, of the firm of Morgan, Maddox & Co. He is a son of Edward C. and Elizabeth (Eddy) Bailey, and was born in Jamestown, November 25, 1865. His paternal grandfather, Putnam Bailey, was a native of Connecticut, of English descent. He was a clock manufacturer. Politically he was an old-line whig and served his party in the legislature of Connecticut. He married a Miss Griswold, and had two sons and two daughters, one of the latter being dead. Edward C. resides in Jamestown; Joseph in New York city, and Jennie in Connecticut. Joseph has retired from business, having accu- mulated a competency. He was a member of the Connecticut legislature one term. The maternal grandfather of Mr. Bailey, Rev. Hiram Eddy, was a native of Jamestown, where he is now living. He is a minister of the Con- gregational denomination, and still preaches occa- sionally. He is a graduate of Oberlin college and has held several important charges. He served in the army during the Rebellion as chaplain of 112th regiment, enlisting in Co. B. He married Elizabeth Hawlez and they had several children. The father of Mr. Bailey was born in Goshen, Connecticut, September, 14, 1839, and emigra- ted to Jamestown in 1862, where he still rcsides. He has engaged in various kinds of business, mainly farming and mercantile. He is at present a member of the firm of Morgan, Maddox & Co., manufacturers of furniture. Politically he is a republican. He married Elizabeth Eddy and they have three children : Edward P., employed by the People's Gas company of Jamestown ; Frances E. and Clay- ton E.


Clayton E. Bailey was educated in the Jamestown High school, and later was employed as clerk for three years in the Chautauqua County Bank in Jamestown. In 1886 he en- tered the firm of Morgan, Maddox & Co.


They occupy a handsome block on Stecle strcet, and in addition a work-room 80 x 40 feet in dimensions, on Second street. The factory is 90 x 50 feet, four stories, and employs one hun- dred men. Eight men represent the firm as traveling salesmen, and the fine grades of furni- ture find a ready market in all parts of the Union, and their business is rapidly and steadily increasing each year. Mr. Bailey has full charge of the financial and correspondence de- partments. Politically, Mr. Bailey adheres to the principles of the republican party.


M AJOR ALONZO C. PICKARD, who has received wounds and won honor on southern battle fields, is a well known member of the Chautauqua county bar, and one of the most successful business men of southwestern New York. He was born at Ellery, Chautauqua county, New York, February 17, 1842, and is the fourth son and sixth child of Major Henry and Maria (Vandework) Pickard. His pater- nal grandfather, John Pickard, was born and reared in Madison county, New York. When the colonies engaged in the Revolutionary struggle, he was one of the first in central New York to enlist in the Continental armies. He was captured by Indians and carried to Canada. After being held prisoner for a long time he was released and returned home. In 1816 he came to Chautauqua county. His wife was Margaret Becket and bore him eight chil- dren: Charity, Maria, Major Henry, Adam, James, John, Peter, who served in the war of 1812; and Abram. Of thesc children Major Henry (father) was born in Madison county, this State, July 9, 1803, and died at Busti in 1882. He was a carpenter and joiner by trade. In early life he was a democrat, then joined the Free-Soil party and afterwards became a repub- lican. He was a man of ability, honesty and honor, and an influential citizen in the commit- nity in which he resided. He was a member of the Christian church, and served as major in


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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY


the New York militia, and was twice married. His first wife was Maria Vandework, a daugh- ter of Adam Vandework (maternal grandfather), who was a native of Madison and an early settler of Chautauqua county, in which he followed farming until his death. By this marriage he had eight children: Lucinda, widow of Henry Lacer; Laura, wife of Phineas S. Weatherby, of Crawford county, Pa. ; Adam, who enlisted in the 13th Pa. Vols., in 1861, and died in December of the same year; Sylvanus, who married Laura Hazzard and died in 1865; Corporal Charles G., enlisted in Co. B, 72nd regiment, N. Y. Infantry (which was the first company to go from Chautauqua county), and served in all the battles of the Army of the Potomac until Second Bull Run, where he was killed; Alonzo C., Maria C., wife of John Bur- ton, of Nebraska; Fannie, married to Richard Starsmeare, of Kane, Pa .; Corporal Melvin E., who served in the same company with his brother Charles G., was wounded at Gettys- burg, married Laura Weatherby, and resides in Crawford county, Pa .; and Abram L., a railroad conductor, who lives in Wheeling, W. Va.


Alonzo C. Pickard received his education in Meadville academy and Allegheny college, Pa. In 1861 he left the college when ready to enter the graduating class of 1862 and enlisted as orderly sergeant in the 10th regiment of Penn- sylvania Reserves, but after six months service was transferred to a Company of U. S. sharp- shooters. He served until the close of the war, was promoted through the lieutenancies to a captaincy and was brevetted major for merito- rious conduct. He participated in the battles of the Army of the Potomac until the Wilder- ness fights, in one of which he was wounded. After partially recovering from his wound he was detailed and kept on court martial duty until he was discharged. Returning home he taught school for eight years, was principal of Busti graded school for several terms, and was


elected county school commissioner for a term of three years. He rendered efficient service as school commissioner, and at the end of his time engaged in the milling business at Busti which he followed for four years. While conducting his mill he took up the study of law under the tuition of Judge Cook, of Jamestown, and in 1878 was admitted to the bar. Since then he has been a resident of Jamestown and engaged in the practice of his profession. Major Pickard while an active republican is not an obtrusive zealot. From time to time he has filled various local offices with credit to himself and benefit to the public. He was town clerk and justice of the peace of Busti, where he also served in several otlier town offices.


On June 16, 1864, he married Rose Flagg, daughter of Madison Flagg, and their union has been blest with three children: Clara A., Ray F., and Fern.


Major Alonzo C. Pickard is a member of Post, No. 285, Grand Army of the Republic, and of the Free and Accepted Masons. He also is a member of the Phi Kappa College Fraternity and the Royal Templars of Temper- ance. He owns a very fine and well-improved farm, and gives some of his time to its super- vision and improvement. He has great energy and talent for organizing and conducting busi- ness affairs, which have given him success in his various enterprises and a very respectable competency. He enjoys a good practice at the bar, and by his natural ability and indomitable perseverance has attained to the prominent posi- tion in life which he now occupies.


ELSON H. HILL is a son of Horatio and Sophia (Weatherby) Hill, and was born September 19, 1834, at Cherry Creek, Chautau- qua county, New York. His paternal grand- father was a native of Connecticut, but emigrated to Vermont where he died. He was a farmer and served as a soldier in the Revolu- tion under Gen. Israel Putnam. Nelson H.


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OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.


Hill's maternal grandfather (Weatherby) was a native of Massachusetts, but removed to Otsego county, New York, where Mr. Hill's mother was born. Afterward her father removed to Chautauqua county and lived with his children until summoned to another world. He was a farmer and in politics a whig. Horatio Hill (father) was born in Vermont about 1798 and died in July, 1890, in Lowell, Michigan, where he was living with a son. He was a : farmer and a whig and republican in politics. He has held the offices of justice of the peace and highway commissioner. His children were : Orton and Oron, living in Lowell, Michigan, the former being a commercial traveller and the latter a farmer ; Lueinda (married), Josephine, Orseba, Mary and Nelson H.


Nelson H. Hill was educated in Ellington and Randolph academies, the former located in Chautauqua and the latter in Cattaraugus county. He began the study of law in the office of Charles B. Green, in Ellington, having been previously engaged in the avocation of school teaching. He eoneluded his legal studies in the office of Thomas Grosvenor, in Dun- kirk and was admitted to the bar in 1861; opening an office in the city of Dunkirk, where he remained until 1867 when he removed to Jamestown. Politically he is a republican and religiously a member of the Presbyterian church. He held the office of special county judge of Chautauqua county during 1865, 1866, 1867, and was also Register of Bankruptcy, at that time an important office. It was abolished by law in 1878. He is a Mason, being a Royal Arch and a member of Irondequoit Lodge, of Dunkirk.


He married Anna M. Wilkinson, a daughter of Elisha Wilkinson, who bore him two children : Mary B., who, while a student at Cornell university, met with a fatal accident, being precipitated into a deep gorge while re- turning from Ithaca to the university, June 12, 1887. She was a special favorite with all who


knew her, being a very brilliant and aeeom- plished young lady ; and Myron H.


JOHN WOODWARD. A distinguished member of Jamestown's legal fraternity is John Woodward, who is a son of Daniel and Cornelia (Lake) Woodward, and was born at Charlotte, this eounty, August 19, 1859. John Woodward carries the blood of two distinctive- ly American families in his veins, both branches being citizens of this government when it saw its birth. John Woodward, the paternal grand- father, was the son of one who bore the same name, the latter served with credit in the war for independence, and at its close came from New England to the Empire State, and finally settled in Chautauqua county, where he died. He was comfortably fixed and reared a large family. His son, John, subject's grandfather, was a prominent whig and seeured the distinc- tion of representing his district in the General Assembly of New York. He was a farmer by occupation and took for his wife, Sarah Eddy, who came from a well-to-do and respectable family. Six children blessed his household, two sons and four daughters, who attained ma- turity and reared families. The maternal grandfather, Calvin Lake, was an influential man, who came from Vermont to Chautauqua county and settled in the town of Charlotte about 1820. Following farming he made a comfortable income and marrying Margaret M. Amcs, reared a family of children. His family were well educated and some of them of the present generation are prominent in politics. Daniel Woodward was born in Ellington, this county, in 1831, and died while yet a young man, in 1870. In 1853 he went to Michigan, and followed mereantile pursuits. In politics he was a republican. He married Cornelia Lake, who bore him six children : Nellie, dead ; Charles D. resides in Kansas, but was formerly a coal operator in the Hocking Valley of Ohio; Mary died young ; John ; Florenee is a popular


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teacher in the public schools of Herkimer coun- ty, this State ; and Henry L. is a law student in the office of Grosvenor & Jones, at Athens, Ohio.


John Woodward married Mary E. Barker, a daughter of Hon. George Barker, and they have one daughter, Mary E.


John Woodward received his early education through the usual channels, and in 1878, when nineteen years of age, he graduated from the State Normal school, and began the study of law with Morris & Lambert, the well-known barristers of Fredonia. Shortly after he en- tered the law department of the New York City University, and graduated from it with honor in 1881, and coming to Fredonia began to prac- tice. Seven months later he came to James- town and practiced in association with Walter L. Sessions, with whom he has since been con- nected. Politically he is a republican, and has served four terms as supervisor of the city of Jamestown, and has been the city attorney for two years. Although comparatively a young man, Mr. Woodward has made his mark and it is conceded that he stands in the front rank of his profession.


H ON. HARVEY S. ELKINS, the son of Abiel A. and Mary (Nevins) Elkins, was born November 26, 1835, in the town of Po- land, Chautauqua county, New York. His pa- ternal grandfather was a native of Vermont, and was a cooper by trade. He died in his native town at the close of a long and useful life. His maternal ancestors were all natives of Ireland. Abiel A. Elkins (father) was born in Vermont and emigrated to the vicinity of Que- bec, Canada. He came to Pennsylvania, and engaged in the lumber business, in which he was very successful. In 1845 he started to Pittsburgh on business and was never heard of afterwards. As he was known to have a large sum of money on his person at the time, it is supposed he was murdered. He married Mary


Nevins, who was a native of Ireland, and by her he had eight children: William and Maria (twins) ; Robert and Ruby (twins); Ed- ward and Edwin (twins) ; Mary and Harvey S. William, Robert and Mary are dead. Maria inarricd Seth Haight and is now living at Ken- nedy, this county ; Ruby is the wife of Eli Shultz and lives in Iowa ; Edwin lives in Wis- consin ; and Edward in Poland, this county. William entered the civil war as a volunteer in Co. G, 49th regiment, New York Infantry, August 1, 1861, took part in all the battles of the Peninsular campaign, and died at Point Lookout, Maryland, in October, 1862. Edwin was also in the civil war as a member of the 14th Wisconsin regiment. He served all through the war and took part in the battle of Pittsburg Landing ; he enlisted as a private, and gradually rose to the rank of first lieuten- ant, serving for a time as brigade quartermaster. Edward entered Co. G, 49th New York regi- ment as a volunteer, but was rejected on ac- count of physical disability.


Harvey S. Elkins received his education in the common schools of his native town. At the time of his father's death the family was living in Jefferson county, Pa., but soon after- wards they went to New York, and the chil- dren were employed by various families in the neighborhood of their home. Harvey S. was taken by a citizen of Randolph, New York. but he became dissatisfied and ran away. When about eleven years of age he went to live with an uncle with whom he remained about four or five years, after which he returned to Pennsyl- vania and worked by the month. His mother came to Kennedy, this county, and he cared for her and other members of the family. He had earned enough money to buy a comfortable home for his mother which she occupied until her death in 1876. He next embarked in the mercantile business at Kennedy for five years, then became overseer of a large farm in the county and also did some farming for himself.


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OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.


Hon. H. S. Elkins is a republican in politics and is at present superintendent of the poor for this county. He first took the office January 1, 1885, serving for a term of three years, when he was re-elected. In 1874 he served liis party faithfully as a member of the General Asseni- bly of New York. His is a striking example of what a man may accomplish by perseverance and industry despite the diseouragements of the environments of his early life.


Mr. Elkins married for his first wife Maria Nichols, of Jefferson county, and after her death he married Jennie Stratton, of Jamestown.


J OSEPH M. WALTER. Among the brave defenders of our country during the late civil war was Joseph M. Walter, a son of Joseph and Susan B. (Coates) Walter, who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 26, 1842. The Walter family is of German descent, one of its members, Joseph Walter, Sr. (great-grand- father), having emigrated from that empire to Pennsylvania, and bought a farm in what is now the heart of Philadelphia. His son, Joseph Walter, Jr., was born on his father's farm in Philadelphia county, owned a farm in the same locality, but afterward sold it. He was an old-time whig and left a family of six children, three sons and three daughters. Joseph Walter, 3d, was born in Philadelphia in 1810, and died there in 1864. He was a copper and steel-plate printer by trade, and for years was in the employ of the United States government as printer of bank notes, in the treasury depart- ment at Washington, and at the time of his death had eliarge of the liydraulic presses. He was a member of the Universalist church, in politics a whig, and a member of the home guards. He married and had eight children : Anna, wife of Harry B. Steele, of Harrisburg ; Hannah ; Harry, who has not been heard from for twenty-six years; Joseph M .; Florence ; Mary, wife of George W. Barber, of Philadel- phia ; Sarah and Susan.


Joseph M. Walter, after attending the publie schools of Philadelphia, learned the trade of a printer, which he followed for a short time, but in 1879 he left it to become a pension agent. In April, 1889, he removed to Jamestown, New York, and formed a partnership with A. H. Stafford, and engaged in business. On April 17, 1861, Joseph M. Walter enlisted in Co. A, 26tlı regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, for three months service, and was in the serimmage in Alexandria, wherein Colonel Ellsworth met his death. In May, 1862, lie enlisted at Brandy- wine in a Pennsylvania regiment, for a period of three years, but was promoted to the rank of a corporal, and was afterward appointed clerk in the quartermaster's department. He partici- pated in the Seven Days fight, and in the battles of Williamsburg, Malvern Hill, Bristoe Station, Fredericksburg and in the second battle of Bull Run, beside numerous petty skirmishes. He was discharged September 2, 1864.


Joseph M. Walter is an attendant of the Methodist Episcopal church, a republican in politics, and a member of Post No. 285, G. A. R., holding the honorable position of post adjutant.


E DWIN DRAKE. Ordinarily the early settlers of this county came from eastern New York, New England or aeross the great waters, but quite the reverse is to be recorded of Mr. Drake. Edwin Drake is a son of William and Keziah (Clay) Drake, who gave him birth March 12, 1827. Grandfather Drake was born in Ohio, near Ashtabula, followed farming and died a large land owner, and, for the times, a wealthy man. William Drake was born in Ashtabula, county, Ohio, in 1796. He heard of the fertility of Chautauqua's soil, and came here and settled in Portland, now Westfield town. He married Keziah Clay, of Vermont, and by her had several children.


His health failed him and while yet a young man, he was ealled to the unknown world in


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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY


1831, aged thirty-five years. From his arrival in the county until his death he had been engaged in clearing a farm and tilling the soil.


Edwin Drake was left without a father when but four years old. He had a mother though whose heart was stout and whose determination and will was strong, and to this may be at- tributed Mr. Drake's present standing. A good mother is of more value to a young man when starting in life, than a pocket full of gold. He was reared on the farm and has never forsaken it. To-day lie has a good place on the main road one and a half miles from Westfield. Like many of his neighbors in north-western Chautauqua, he devotes considerable attention to grape growing, which is the source of a good portion of their income.


Edwin Drake married Eliza Law in 1858. She was a daughter of Thomas Law, a native of Ireland, but living in Westfield town. They have two children living : William and George. Their only daughter, Malinda, died November 21, 1890, aged twenty-eight years.


Edwin Drake is a democrat of unswerving loyalty and conducts his farm in a way that commands the admiration of his neighbors.


E. H. DICKERMAN, one of the energetic and progressive business men of West- field, was born in the city of Milwaukee, Wis- consin, and is a son of Edward B. and Margaret (Hull) Dickerman. The Dickerman family is of New England descent. Edward Dickerman, the father of E. H. Dickerman, was born and reared in the beautiful city of New Haven, Connecticut. Hc married Margaret Hull and left his native city to seek an inviting field of labor in the great west, where he settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He engaged success- fully in the pork packing business on a large scale for many years, acquired considerable wealth and died in 1876.


received his early and academic education in these states and attended Yale College for two years. He then commenced the study of law, and in 1877 entered Columbia Law school from which he was graduated during the same year. Immediately after graduation lie was admitted to the bar in New York city where he practiced until 1878 when he came to Westfield and soon left the active practice of liis profession to engage in manufacturing. He became interested in the Wilson Boiler company of which he was president from 1879 until it went out of existence. When the present company was formed, Mr. Dickerman became a large stock- holder and has taken an active part in its man- agement ever since. The works cover about one and one-half acres of ground and are well cquipped with all necessary machinery and mod- ern appliances. The company employs a regu- lar force of forty men and ship their manu- factured goods to all sections of the State and to different parts of the Union. The prospects for future success of this enterprise are bright and encouraging.


In 1876, he married Kate B. Willey of Brooklyn, who died in 1879 and left two chil- dren : Arthur W. and Mary C.


In 1880, Mr. Dickerman united in marriage with Emily W. Willey, a sister to his first wife.


By his second marriage lie has three children : Harry E., Lucille and Marion.


Mr. Dickerman has been supervisor of the village of Westfield for three years. He is a man of good judgment and business ability as is attested by the success that has attended his different enterprises. He is one of Westfield's substantial and influential citizens.


D WIGHT DICKSON, a man who enjoys the respect and confidence of the citizens of Ripley, is a son of William and Elizabeth (Dickson) Dickson, and was born in Ripley, Chautauqua county, New York, June 5th, 1824.


After six years of age E. H. Dickerman was reared in Connecticut and New York. He Two generations of his ancestry have been


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OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.


native to the United States, while beyond and back of that time the family stock was confined to that little emerald isle across the Atlantic, which has been so prolific in poetry and literature, so unique in the picturesqueness and contrariety of its scenery, so perfectly nondescript in its national life-Ireland. Here in the land of the shamrock, near the town of Londonderry, was born the paternal great-grandfather of our sub- ject. He emigrated to Otsego county, New York, located at Cherry Valley and there, with his family became a victim to those barbarities of Englishman and savage, which, during the Revolutionary war, became an indelible blot upon the escutcheon of martial England. His wife and two children were captured by the Indians and held about a year in captivity, when certain overtures of marriage were made by one of the chiefs. These were promptly re- jected and a short time subsequent the wife and children were released and returned to their friends at Buffalo. Graudfather Robert Dickson was born in Otsego county, New York, aud emigrated to Chautauqua in 1809, locating in the town of Ripley. Here he purchased a farm and made it part and parcel of his cares. Poli- tics claimed considerable of his attention and at one time he was elected and served as associate judge of the county. He dicd in 1832 at the age of seventy years, and now lies buried in the Ripley cemetery. His marriage to a Miss Hungerford resulted in the birth of eight chil- dren-six sons and two daughters. Subject's grandfather on the maternal side was Samuel Dickson, a native of Otsego county, New York, where he also died. He was joined in mar- riage to Miss Eleanor Campbell of an old and distinguished Scotch family connected withı the Duke of Argyle. William Dickson, father of Dwight Dickson, was a native of Otsego county, New York, born July 30th, 1790, and removed to Chautauqua couuty in 1809, where he died December 31st, 1840. He was a life- long farmer by occupation, took an active interest




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