USA > New York > Chautauqua County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York : with a historical sketch of the county > Part 79
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In 1817, Zimri Hill, the hero of two wars, settled in Portland where he bought three hun- dred acres, one mile south of Brocton, and where he died in 1844.
Jonas Martin grew to manhood on the farm, and received his education in the common schools and a select school of the town of Port- land. He commenced life for himself by work- ing by the month as a farm hand, and in two years acquired sufficient means to purchase a small farm of fifty acres. After farming for some years he engaged in his present business of grape raising and speculating in real estate. He was among the first grape growers in the town of Portland, has over two hundred acres of bearing vineyards, and buys and ships large quantities of grapes.
In 1852 he married Elvira, daughter of Phil- lip Mericle, of Brocton. Mrs. Martin died in 1887, leaving one child, Jerome P., and in 1889 Mr. Martin united in marriage with Julia E., daughter of William Strasmer, of Buffalo. To this second union has been born one child, a son, William J.
In politics Mr. Martin is a democrat, and has served his town as assessor. He was the first man that ever shipped a full car load of grapes from Brocton. He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and of the Knights of Honor.
G EORGE LE ROY MARTIN, the justice of the peace at Cherry Creek and a thriving merchant, doing business at the same place, a son of George W. and Sophronia (Thompson) Martin, was born in the town of Arkwright, Chautauqua county, New York, December 22, 1851. George W. Martin was born in the town of Arkwright, March 20, 1824 and is a son of Isaiah Martin. He was a farmer by occupation, married Sophronia Thompson, and had the following children: Edgar W., born May 10, 1847, married Cynthia Waite of Cherry Creek, is a farmer and has two daugh- ters; Charles W., born November 22, 1849, married Addie Brown, of this town, is a mer- chant and has two daughters ; George L. ; Ella S., born April 26, 1854, married Dr. Charles
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
A. Beebe, a practicing physician, living at Mar- shall, Wisconsin, and has two sons; Dewrell C., born April 11, 1856, is a cheese maker in this town, married Cora Farnham, of Hamlet and has one son and two daughters ; James E., born in October, 1858, is a butcher, married Effie Fluker and has one daughter ; Annie S., born October 26, 1860, and resides in Arkwright with her mother; Orlin D., born March 8, 1863 (dead) ; Frank E., born April 21, 1865, is a butcher in Villanova and married Dolly King of Cherry Creek ; Hattie E., born April 26, 1867, married Dewitt C. Erwin a farmer of Cherry Creek ; and Otis J., born May 14, 1873, is at home in Arkwright.
George Le Roy Martin was educated at the grad- ed schools at Rushville, Crawford county, Penn- sylvania, where he entered business, remained seven years and then removed to State Line, McKean county, Pa., where he staid five years and then came to Cherry Creek and opened his business . in October of 1883, since which he has carried a good stock of groceries, and being a careful business man and a popular gentleman, is doing probably the most thriving business in town. In politics he is a republican and three years ago was elected town clerk, a posi- tion which he still retains. He is a member of the Methodist church and belongs to Cherry Creek Lodge, No. 463, I. O. O. F., Pocahontas Tent, No. 101, K. of M., and the Equitable Aid Union.
He married Carrie Ricc, a daughter of A. J. and Carrie Rice, of Riceville, Pa., and has a son Earl R., and a daughter Edith M.
C OL. JEFFREY T. MOON, the well-known and popular chief of police, of James- town, was born March 22, 1828, about two and one-half miles north of Jamestown, Chautau- qua county, New York, in what was then and still is known as Moon Hollow. His parents, Augustus and Olive (Clark) Moon, were early settlers of the locality. Charles Moon (paternal
grandfather) was born at Cambridge, Washing- ton county, and was a farmer until his death, which occurred accidentally. He was a captain in the Colonial army during the Revolutionary war, and served until hostilities were suspend- ed. He married and had four children. Grandfather George Clark was a native of what at that time was known as Middlesex, now On- tario county, this State, and died there. Au- gustus Moon, father of our subject, was born in Washington county, N. Y., in 1797, and came to Chautauqua county in 1814, settling in what afterwards took the name of Moon Hollow, a short distance north of Jamestown. He took a tract of land containing six hundred and forty acres, being Section No. 37, Town No. 2, Range No. 11, in Ellicott town, the location being made in August, 1816. This plan Mr. Moon made his home until his death. While practically a farmer he was also a lumberman, and did a great amount of business for the times. Before coming to Chautauqua county he served in the American army when the United States had her second struggle with the mother country and remained fighting until the close of the war. Mr. Moon married Olive Clark and became the father of twelve children, of whom but four reached maturity.
Jeffrey T. Moon was educated in the James- town academy, and began to teach school when eighteen years old. Afterwards he was em- ployed lumbering on the Allegheny river, which work he left for a farm. Mr. Moon came to Jamestown in 1862, where he has since lived, and was constable for the city twenty-seven con- secutive years, and is now serving his second term as chief of police. He is a republican, and a member of the Ancient Order of Uni- ted Workmen.
He married Electa J. Clark, a daughter of Giles Clark. They have been the parents of two children : Fred, a sign painter living in this city ; and a daughter, the wife of C. S. Grant, who resides in St. Louis, Mo.
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OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
JOHN MAHONEY, father of the senior the furniture store belonging to his brother James; and Julia. John Mahoncy is the father of a remarkable family. Every son is a successful man and several of them are at the head of their respective lines of business. It would be a difficult task to find a parallel. partner of the old and reliable firm of Mahoney Brothers, now Mahoney Bro- thers & Burland, is a native of the Emerald Isle, where he was born in July, 1833. His parents were Thomas and Mary (Neville) Ma- honey, who were representative people of the The father of such a family must be a man of Irish race. His grandfather, John Mahoney, will and decision and the mother possessed of extraordinary love and intelligence. Sr., never came to America nor did his son Thomas, the latter dying while our subject was Mr. Mahoney is a democrat politically as are all the male members of his family, and all are members of the Catholic church. . yet young-leaving five children : John, James, Edward, Thomas and Kate. In 1853 John and James came to America and located at James- town and have lived here ever since. At a later JOHN MCCARTHY is another of our well- date they brought over their two brothers and sister, all of whom now reside in this city. Shortly after his arrival John Mahoney bought a five acre tract of land and built the home where lie now lives.
He married Margaret Finnell, a daughter of John Finnell, of Ireland. Their union has been blessed with eight children : John T., mar- ried Ella Quigley, daughter of Andrew Quigley, who is a resident of Jamestown. He is the senior member of the firm, Mahoney Bro's & Burland, contractors and builders, and dealers in quarry stone and building supplies. This long established company is without a superior in their line in western New York. The work they have completed stands a proud monument to their skill. N. W. Gokey's residence, built by them, is said to be without an equal in this section of the country-the Gifford block is without doubt the finest in the city and many others are all specimens of their ability to per- form which has taken the services of seventy men all summer ; Thomas, a twin brother of John T., is also a partner in the firm ; James, is engaged in the furniture business at Reading, Pa., the establishment being one of the largest in the city ; Dana is foreman for the Wright Fire Proof Tile company, of Chicago; Edward is employed as a mason by his brothers ; David works in a foundry; Richard is engaged in
known citizens who early in life came to this country from Ireland. David and Nellie (Bristol) McCarthy were his parents, and he was born on the anniversary of America's inde- pendence, 1840. His grandfather, Florence McCarthy, was a native of Ireland, a carpenter by trade, and was married to Kitty Cahill, who bore him three sons and one daughter. His maternal grandfather Bristol, was a native of England but went over into Ireland, where he was a farmer until his death. David McCar- thy (father) was born in Ireland and came to America in 1831 and first made his home on Long Island, New York, at a place called Greenport, but later went to Erie county, New York, where he died a member of the Roman Catholic church. He was a farmer by occupa- tion and politically independent. He married Nellie Bristol, who is still living and is now eighty-one years old.
John McCarthy received his early education at an academy in Erie county and went to work as a freight shipper in the city of Buffalo which he followed for a time and then began the com- mission business, and later opened a grocery store and securing a good trade, which lic con- tinned for about twelve years, in the meantime going into politics and joining his fortunes with the Republican party. In 1876 the people of the Thirteenth ward, of Buffalo triumphantly
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elected him supervisor of the ward and at the expiration of his term re-elected him. After this the deputy supervisorship of the peniten- tiary was awarded him, which responsible posi- tion he filled for four years. At the expiration of his term, which occurred in 1882, he came to Jamestown and buying the Buffalo house, on Lake street, opened a hotel. The house is a large three-story brick, forty by thirty-six feet, and is conducted in a first-class manner.
He married Catherine McCarthy and their union has been blest with one child : Florence S.
During the late civil war Mr. McCarthy en- listed for service but his father interfered and caused his discharge much against his will. He belongs to the Roman Catholic church in which Mrs. McCarthy is also a member.
S YLVANUS NORTON was born in Sin- clairville, Chautauqua county, New York, November 17, 1842, and is the son of Alphonzo and Betsey Norton. His father was a carpenter by trade and a man of exemplary life and moral worth. He received a common school education, pursued his trade and in the year 1854, moved into the State of Illinois. Here he resided for a period of seven years, when he returned to the State of New York, and passed the remainder of his life, dying at the age of sixty-seven.
Sylvanus Norton spent most of his early life in the State of Illinois, from which State in 1861, at the outbreak of the civil war, he enlisted in Co. H., 12th regiment Illinois Vol- unteer Infantry for a period of three months in pursuance of President Lincoln's first call for volunteers. At the expiration of the three months, he re-enlisted and served three years, the greater part of his service being in the army of the Cumberland and under Gen. Wil- liam T. Sherman, besides considerable special duty as a scout under officers detailed particu- larly for that duty. Mr. Norton took part in the engagements at Belmont, Fort Henry, Fort
Donelson, Pittsburg Landing, where he was wounded, Shiloh, Corinth, Iuka, Vicksburg and Chattanooga. From Chattanooga he started under Gen. Sherman on his far famed and his- toric march to the sea. At Atlanta he received a serious wound from an artillery explosion, by reason of which he was discharged from a longer continuation in service. Upon his return to civil life, he went to Illinois, and for a while took up his residence at Sheffield, shortly afterward making a voyage to Chau- tauqua county, New York. From here he crossed the continent to California, located for a time in Humboldt county and again returned to Chautauqua county, where he engaged in the manufacture of harness. He has been deputy sheriff of Chautauqua county, a member of the excise committee and belongs to the Masons, Royal Arch degree, and G. A. R. In politics he is a republican. Mr. Norton is the patentee of a bridle-bit and also of an over check loop, which has attained a hearty commendation from experienced, practical horsemen.
Sylvanus Norton, on October 21, 1868, was married to Laura Foster of Farmington, Pa., who bore him four children : Leslie D., James H., Newell S. and Lyon F. After the death of his first wife, he married on August 7, 1881, Ida, daughter of Walter Cordot of Charlotte, N. Y., and they have one child, Clara Emma.
EORGE NOBLES, a citizen and business man of good standing in the town of Gerry, was born in Pomfret, Chautauqua county, New York, on April 28, 1826, and is the son of Heziah and Polly (Lorrell) Nobles, his father being a native of Massachusetts and his mother of Connecticut. Heziah Nobles was a tanner by trade, a republican in politics and a Universalist in his religious belief. He first came to Chautauqua county in the year 1814, took up his residence and plied his trade at the village of Milford, at which place he died, aged eighty-one years.
639
OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
George Nobles, his son, has been a life-long resident of Chautauqua county, having been educated in the common schools of the town of Pomfret, in which town he resided for fifty- one years. At the close of his school career, which was at the age of eighteen, he engaged in the tanning business with his father and com- pleted that trade. Shortly afterwards he be- came a partner with his father, the new firm doing a large and profitable business. Upon his retirement from the tannery, somewhat later, he took up the business of growing fruit and manufacturing baskets for its shipment, in which line of business he is now engaged under the firm name of Nobles & Manton. Since 1876, his business interests have been located in the town of Gerry, where he has large orchards and extensive basket factories. Mr. Nobles was the pioneer manufacturer of fruit baskets in Chautauqua county. He is a democrat and a charter member of the Building and Loan association of Sinclairville.
On May 23, 1850, George Nobles was united in marriage to Nancy Cassady Crane, a daugh- ter of Henry Crane, of Fredonia, New York. They have had but one child, a daughter, Mary Crane.
M ILO P. NEVINS, the accommodating and efficient railroad agent at Smith's Mills, is a son of Lyman G. and Bethany (Gallett) Nevins, and was born April 20, 1849, in the town of Hanover, Chautauqua county, New York. His grandfather, Thomas Nevins, was a native of the Green Mountain State and dicd at Smith's Mills, Chautauqua county, New York. Prior to his coming to Smith's Mills, he was a citizen of Forestville, same county. He belonged to that sturdy, courageous force of pioneers to whom the splendid development of Chautauqua county is indirectly due. Upon his first arrival the county was still, practically, in its primitive garb, but, undaunted by all those hardships and privations and nondescript
conditions that surround the pioneer, he steadily fell to work with strong determination and a hopeful heart. Through the joint efforts of himself and his co-laborers, the evidences of civilized life soon began to appear : the process of clearing continued, crops succceded, homes and barns were built, roads laid out, villages arose, industry and education and religion obtained a foot-hold, and finally emerged the Chautauqua county of to-day, with all its machinery of government, its political and educational institutions, its judiciary, its homes and culture. All this he did not live to see, but he did live long enough to be cognizant of the law of progress. During the existence of the old Whig party, Thomas Nevins was one of its most enthusiastic supporters. He was one of those inspired with the spirit of patriotism, and during the soul-stirring and significant campaigns of that early day, his inspiration and feeling burst forth in poetry and song. As in love of country, so in religion he was a man of deep and abiding convictions, whose life was rich in wholesome fruition. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was twice married. His sec- ond wife was Abigail Baxter, who bore him nine children, four sons and five daughters. In the latter part of his life Mr. Nevins became a lay preacher in the Methodist church. His father had been a soldier in the war of 1812, and took part in the engagement at Buffalo, during the siege and burning of that city. The grandfather of Milo P. Nevins on the maternal side, Henry Gallett, was born in New England and emigrated to Ontario county, New York, where he ever afterward lived and died. He was a blacksmith by trade and united in mar- riage with Miss Lydia Martin, by whom he had a family of three girls and one boy. Lyman G. Nevins (father), was born in Forestville, Chau- tauqua county, New York, October 25th, 1814. He has always been a resident of Chautauqua county, and never was outside of the county
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but once, and rarely left his home in Hanover town, where he owned a farm and devoted him- self to its cultivation. His death occurred on July 20, 1890. Lyman G. Nevins was married on July 15, 1824, and is the father of two children : William, born March 2, 1844, mar- ried to Delilah Devinna, and now living in Monroe county, Michigan, where he is a farmer and mechanic; and Milo P.
Milo P. Nevins was educated in the common schools and Eastman's business college, Pough- keepsie, New York, where he was graduated in 1870. After graduation he became a brake- man on the Erie R. R., and in 1871 came to Smith's Mills and received the appointment of station agent and operator, in which capacity he is now employed.
In May of 1872, he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Wilson, daughter of Edward Wilson, an Englishman by birth. Mr. and Mrs. Nevins have four children : George, born November 1, 1873; Jennie, born June 14, 1877 ; Harry, born February 26, 1879; and M. Stan- ley, born August 3, 1890.
In matters of politics, Mr. Nevins is a sup- porter of the Republican party, though he takes anything but an active part in politics. He is a prominent secret society man, and is a mem- ber of the Free and Accepted Masons at Forest- ville, New York, and No. 152, A. O. U. W., at Smith's Mills, New York.
H UGH NEILL, a son of the Emerald Isle, who, by his wit and geniality has made many friends, and by his industry and economy lias accumulated a fortune, is farming and growing grapes in Westfield village, this county. He is a son of Samuel and Sarah (Streau) Neill, and was born in County Down, Ireland, May 20, 1825. His parents never came to America. Grandfather Hugh Neill was a native of Scotland, making our subject of Scotch extraction. Samuel Neill was born in the same county in 1781. He followed farm-
ing and dealing in stock, and made quite a success. He married Saralı Streau, a Scotch girl, and had several children. He was an elder in the Presbyterian church, full of energy and ambition and died in 1848. His wife, also a member of the Presbyterian church, had died nine years previous, a good and noble lady.
Hugh Neill was reared on the farm and taught to work. He staid at home and helped his father until twenty years of age, when that love of adventure so prevalent in the breasts of his countrymen, and which was caused by the knowledge received from the geography studied in the national and private schools, caused him to think of trying his for- tune in the new world. With his father's blessing, a purse in his pocket and a stout heart, he sailed from home in the spring of 1845, and on July 4th of the same year located in the town where he is now living. The first ten years were passed in the lumber business, getting out ties, etc., and then he settled down to farming, and has since given his attention to that. Of his farm, containing one hundred and fifty acres, more than one hundred and twenty-five of them lay inside the limits of Westfield village. He has a fine vineyard of grapes upon the place, which is handsomely located and highly improved.
He was married and had eight children, of whom seven are living: Fred S. died March 24, 1889, aged twenty-six years; Addie A. lives near St. Paul, Minnesota, the wife of James A. Cosgrave; Enima E. married John R. Fay and resides in this village; John H. graduated from a Medical and Dental school; Charles A. is engaged in the harness-making business at Watertown, Dakota; Frank C. is in business, also in Dakota; Alice S. married Frank B. Lamb and lives in Westfield; and Grace C. is unmarried and resides with her parents. Mr. Neill is a republican and a member of the Presbyterian church, as is his entire family.
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OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
He is a good friend, a pleasant old gentleman and a kind neighbor.
R' ICHARD A. OSMER. One wlio occupied a high pedestal in the love, csteem and respect of all who had knowledge of him, who fought his way from a fatherless boyhood to the success of manhood, and who served his country in her hour of need, has obeyed the summons, ' "Come up higher." Richard A: Osmer was born August 28, 1836, in Warren county, Pa., where he lived until 1858. His father died when he was eight years old. At twenty-two years of age he drove an ox-team across' the plains to California, in which State he remained until 1866, excepting a term of service with the 2d California Cavalry, in which he rose to the rank of first lieutenant. While a part of the regiment was stationed in Nevada, Lieut. Osmer distinguished himself during an attack upon a camp of hostile Indians. One who participated in that fight writes ; " You cannot bestow too much praise on Mr. Osmer. He is one of the kind who leads the way and says, 'Come on, boys,' not one of those who mount a horse and keeps out of the way of the buliets." In 1866, satisfied with his accumulations, he returned to this county and engaged in the clothing busi- ness with W. H. Proudfit.
On July 30, 1867, Mr. Osmer united in mar- riage with Amanda Proudfit, who died June 27, 1874. By this first marriage he had two chil- dren : Katie (dead), and William, a book-keeper for W. H. Proudfit, in Jamestown. In April, 1876, Mr. Osmer married for his second wife M. Nellie King, a daughter of John B. King, of Ravenna, Ohio, by whom he had one child : Richard A., born in 1880. Mrs. John B. King's mother, Mary Ann Wells, with her husband lived and died in Ravenna. The grandfather, John Wells, was a soldier in the war of 1812. By occupation he was a tanner, and at one time was in partnership with Jesse Grant, father of Gen. Grant, at Ravenna.
In all his public relations Richard A. Osmer was a leader. He was an active republican, was chairman of the Republican County committee in 1879 and 1880, and presidential elector on " the ticket of 1880 and president of the village of Jamestown in 1876 and 1877. In May, 1875, he was chosen supreme treasurer of the Knights of Honor, which order was established January 1, 1874. He was re-elected five suc- cessive terms and held the office until his death. Over one million dollars passed through his hands while he was supreme treasurer. He was a member of the Royal Arcanum and Empire Order of Mutual Aid. Upon the organization of James Prendergast Hose company, No. 11, in 1873 he was chosen foreman, and unani- mously re-elected each year until his death. He became subject to hemorrhage of the lungs and went to Florida for his health. While at Atlanta he was attacked with a hemorrhage and died. The Knights of Honor there took full charge of the funeral services, escorted the re- mains to the depot, and sent a guard of honor with them to Jamestown. He was greatly honored throughout the order for his honor, in- tegrity and public-spirited character, and no one occupied a higher place in the affections of those who knew him. In all his social relations he made warm friends, by the many admirable qualities he possessed, being singularly generous, faithful and unselfish, reliable, steadfast and kind-hearted in his social life and intercourse with his fellow-men.
E LMER OSBORN. One of the many en- terprising young business men of Silver Creek is Elmer Osborn, a member of one of the leading furniture firms of Osborn Brothers. He was born in Forestville, Chautauqua county, New York, April 14, 1861, and is a son of Philo and Sarah (McDaniels) Osborn. Philo Osborn (father) was a native of Sheri- dan, this county, where he was a farmer, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
a republican in politics. He was a stirring, hard-working man, and died in July, 1885, at fifty years of age. He married Sarah McDan- iels, a native of Silver Creek, where she now resides, in the sixty-first year of her age. She is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
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