USA > New York > Niagara County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Niagara County, New York > Part 15
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tending to build in the near future. The lots and buildings, too, are generally owned or under contract by the tenant, so that the Lumber City is rapidly becoming a place of homes; of neatly built cottages, sur- rounded with handsome grass plats, rather than tumble down tenement structures, where workmen only stay until they ean get away. This section of the place enjoys all the city conveniences of the older por- tion.
James Sweeney, Jr., manager of his father's real estate interests at North Ton- awanda, was born in the city of Buffalo, New York, October 28, 1867. He received his early training at a elassical school in his native city, and subsequently went to Eu- rope, where he completed his education. His attention is chicfly devoted to looking after the real estate interests of his father, who is one of the largest owners of that kind of property in North Tonawanda. IIc is now engaged in the study of real estate law, in the offices of Sprague, Morey, Sprague & Brownell, in Buffalo.
Mr. Sweeney's real estate office is located in an enclosure containing about forty acres of beautiful woodland, with convenient drive-ways and other improvements. This handsome enclosure is known as Sweeney park. A portion of it will be reserved by Mr. Sweeney for a residence of his own, while the remainder will be sold when needed.
H' EZEKIAH SEELEY, a prominent produce dealer of Wilson, who is largely interested in other lines of business also, and has long been identified with the growth and prosperity of the village, is the son of Hezekiah and Charlotte (Cole) Seeley, and was born at Ovid, Seneca county, New York,
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August 17, 1832. His grandfather, John Seeley, was a native of Saratoga, New York, but removed from there to the village of Ovid, where he resided until his death, at the age of fifty-five years. He was a farmer and hotel keeper, and conducted a public house at Ovid for several years. He was a whig in politics, and served in the war of 1812. He married and reared a family of six sons and two daughters. Hezekiah Seeley (father) was born at Ovid, Seneca county, in 1796, and after attaining man- hood removed to Wilson, this county, where he died in June, 1876. He was a farmer by occupation, conducting extensive oper- ations and acquiring considerable property while in his native county, but living a re- tired life after coming to this county. In politics he was a whig until the advent of the Republican party, and then identified himself with that organization. He was active and influential in political circles in his day, and was honored by the citizens of Seneca county with a seat in the State as- sembly. He was a prominent and active niember of the Methodist Episcopal church, held various offices in the church, and his home was always headquarters for the itin- erant ministers of that denomination. He contributed freely of time and means toward the support of church interests. In 1814 he married Charlotte Cole, and to them was born a family of three sons and two daughi- ters. Mrs. Seeley was born at Ovid, this State, in 1798, and died in the town of Wil- son, this county, in 1870. She was a de- voted and earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal church nearly all her life. Three years after her death Mr. Seeley was niar- ried to Mrs. Mary Kent.
Hezekiah Seeley attended the public schools of Ovid during his boyhood days,
and afterward entered the academy at Wil- son, Niagara county, where he remained four years, and then spent a year and one- half in the Genesee Wesleyan seminary at Lima, Livingston county. He was now, in 1854, nearly prepared for college, but in- stead of entering such an institution he de- cided to go to California and seek liis for- tune in the gold fields near the Pacific coast. Having made the trip by steamer by way of Nicaragua, he engaged in mining for the precious metal in Calaveras and Sierra counties, California, and continued to share the trials and triumphs of a miner's life for three years. He then became pro- prietor of a "ranch" near San Francisco, and was thus engaged for two years, when he left the Pacific slope and returned to New York, locating first in Seneca county, and later in the town of Wilson. Here he engaged in farming for some six years, and then moved into the village of Wilson, where he has since resided. During the first two years of his residence in the village he was in the lumber business, a member of the firm of H. Seeley, Brother & Co. He then embarked in the general merchandise busi- ness at Wilson, in partnership with William D. Johnson, under the firm name of John- son & Seeley. This copartnership existed for three years, when Mr. Johnson disposed of his interest to Benjamin Dearborn, and the firm name was changed to Dearborn & Seeley. Under this name the business was conducted for about four years, when Mr. Seeley withdrew and engaged in the general produce trade, which he has ever since man- aged with varied success. In 1879 he began the manufacture of cider and vinegar and the evaporation of fruit at Wilson. This business also has been very prosperous and increased rapidly, so that it now gives em-
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ployment to not less than eighty people during the busy season.
On November 23, 1860, Mr. Seeley mar- ried Amanda H., daughter of Peter and Martha Hess. She was born March 3, 1834, at Somerset, this county, and was educated at the Union school at Lockport, graduat- ing from that institution in 1860. Her father, Peter Hess, is the son of Peter and Eunice (Nash) Hess, and was born at Mil- ton, Saratoga county, this State, November 17, 1800. He came to Niagara county in 1821, and was a prosperous farmer. In politics he was first a whig, and later be- came a stanch democrat. He was of Ger- man descent, a member of the Presbyterian church, and lived at Wilson until his death, which occurred in 1862, at the age of nearly eighty-three years.
Hezekiah Seeley is a republican in his political affiliations, and has always been active in his support of that party. He has served as a member of the board of cduca- tion for a decade, and was president of the board for six years. He is a member of Ontario Lodge, No. 376, Free and Accepted Masons, at Wilson, and has held all the offices in the lodge except master, which distinction he declined. He is also a mem- ber of Genesee Commandery, No. 10, Knights Templar, of Lockport.
ENRY C. HOWARD. Very few per- sons of middle age, by their own indi- vidual exertion, acquire such a prominent and enviable position in the business world as Henry C. Howard, whose success in life is the result of energy, intelligent applica- tion, and sterling integrity, combined with a pleasant and agreeable manner. He is the son of Ethan H. and Caroline H. (Cogswell)
Howard, and was born September 20, 1847, in the city of Buffalo, New York. The paternal great-grandfather was of English extraction, and was the descendant of one of three brothers who came to America in an early day, and settled in Vermont. He was an old Revolutionary soldier, and fought in the battle of Bennington. Ethan Howard (grandfather) was born in Vermont, but removed to near Buffalo, New York. He was a miller by occupation. He married, and reared a family of children. His ma- ternal grandfather, Henry F. Cogswell, was a native of Massachusetts, but spent a part of his life in New Hampshire, where he was engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods. He came to Buffalo about 1847, where he lived a retired life, and died in 1881. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and afterwards a captain in the Massachu- setts nilitia. He married Rebecca P. Hos- mer, of Massachusetts, by whom he had six children, all of whom are now deccased except two : Saralı, wife of J. M. Whitcomb, of New York city ; and Caroline H. Howard. Ethan H. Howard (father) was born in Boston, Erie county, this State, February 13, 1812. He was educated in Erie county, and largely acquired his business learning by his own exertions. He engaged in the mercantile business in the city of Buffalo about the year 1836, and continued in this line until 1869, since which time he has been looking after his varied interests. He married Caroline H. Cogswell in 1846, who is still living at the age of sixty-eight years, and had one child, Henry C.
Henry C. Howard was educated in the city of Buffalo, and after leaving school engaged in the mercantile business with his father, in which he continued until about 1868, when he purchased a fruit farm near
J.MANK & CO.
A. C. Howard,
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Niagara Falls, giving it his attention during the summer season for twenty years. In 1882 he and others organized the bank of Niagara, at Niagara Falls, of which he has been president from the organization to thic present time. The career of this bank has been remarkably successful. The bank has always enjoyed the highest confidence of the people, having over one thousand cus- tomers, and now has ten times more deposits than capital stock. The bank known as the Columbia National bank is now being or- ganized in Buffalo, of which Mr. Howard has been selected as vice president. At one time Mr. Howard was interested in narrow gauge railroads in Pennsylvania, which proved very successful and profitable. Hc was also interested in the organization of the Suspension Bridge bank, in 1886, of which he is vice president ; but his largest business interests are at Buffalo, where he spends his winters, and in summer lives at his resi- dence, "Oakleigh," on the Niagara river, below Lewiston, which is said to be very handsome, having all the modern conven- iences and beautiful grounds, and where he secks repose and rest from all business cares.
On January 4, 1869, Mr. Howard married Jennie M. Jewett, daughter of Sherman S. Jewett, of Buffalo. This union has been blest with five children, two sons and three daughters: Caroline, wife of Charles C. Harding, of Boston, Massachusetts; George 'Jewett, who is a clerk in the bank with his father; Ethan II., who is still attending school; Emma A., who died at the carly age of eight years; and Jennie Jewett, now eight years of age.
In politics Mr. Howard is a republican, and takes an active interest in party affairs. He is a member of the Protestant Episcopal church, in which he is a vestryman. His
business career has been eminently success- ful, and being founded on the corner stones of strict honesty, spotless integrity, great ability, and a determination to do thoroughly and well whatever he undertakes, his life furnishes a good example for the emulation of young business men who desire financial success and an honored name among their fellow citizens.
M ATTHEW WITBECK. The pro- gress of every city depends largely upon the number of its well conducted hotels. Matthew Witbeck, who has become one of the leading hotel proprietors of Lock- port, is a son of Webster and Harriet (Shib- ley) Witbeck, and was born in Lockport, Niagara county, New York, April 2, 1838. John Witbeck, his paternal grandfather, was a native of Rensselaer county, and early in life moved to near the city of Lockport, where he purchased a farm in the town of Cambria. For a time he lived upon this farm, engaged in agricultural pursuits, and then, in company with his son, Matthew, came to Lockport. Here he became pro- prietor of the American hotel, on the corner of Main and Locust streets. Afterward he sold his interest in the hotel and removed to a farm adjoining High street, where he died at an advanced age. In politics he was a democrat, and always took a deep interest in his party. Webster Witbeck (father) spent the greater part of his life in the hotel business. He was proprietor of the Exchange hotel in the city of Rochester, and died at the American house in Lockport. He married Harriet Shibley, of Rensselaer county, by whom he had a family of three sons and two daughters: Mary, married Thomas Sevey, a hardware merchant of
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Chieago, Illinois; Anna, married William Scovell, who died, and she then married Charles Van Dusen, who is in the pension department in Washington city, where he resides; Charles, was a prominent hotel keeper, and beeame proprietor of the Rus- sell house in Detroit, Michigan, where he died seven years ago; John died when quite young; and Matthew.
Matthew Witbeck was educated in the common schools, and leaving school, he was employed as a elerk in the hotel, and in. 1868 he became proprietor of the Franklin house in the city of Buffalo, New York. He remained in charge of that house for fourteen years, and at the end of that time retired from business for one year. He then became proprietor of the Bensler house, which he conducted for about four years, after which he came to Lockport and took charge of the Commercial house. After two years of a successful run, he became proprietor, on March 1, 1891, of the Grand hotel, which he has conducted successfully ever sinee. This hotel is a large brick structure, con- taining eighty rooms, with all modern equipments. It is one of the leading hotels in the city, is well conducted, and is admir- ably arranged for the accommodation of the public.
On May 31, 1866, he married Sarah R. Reynolds, daughter of James H. and Ange- line (Dix) Reynolds, of Westehester county. Her grandfather, John Reynolds, was an officer in the war of 1812, and removed near the village of Olcott, this county, where he resided until 1824, when he was thrown from his horse and killed. He married Elizabeth Newman, who died at the resi- dence of her son, at Olcott, at the age of eighty-nine years. His son, James H. Rey- nolds, was born in Westehester county, and
some time during his life came with his father to this county. He entered Yates' academy, in Yates county, from which in- stitution he was graduated. After his graduation he served as principal in the Loekport Union school for several years, and died in that city in 1886. He was a good scholar, and became one of the found- ers of the Baptist church in Lockport.
W ARREN C. WOOD, M. D., a graduate of Middlebury college, and a suecess- ful physician of the city of Lockport, is a son of Elijah and Phoebe (Corban) Wood, and was born at Brasher Falls, St. Law- rence eounty, New York, November 2, 1838. The Wood family is of English origin, and were among those New England families that came from England prior to the com- mencement of the present century. Simeon Wood, the paternal grandfather of Dr. Wood, was a native of Vermont, and re- sided for many years near Plattsburg, New York, where he died in 1845, aged sixty- seven years. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, and served in one of the United States armies that operated along the Cana- dian border between 1812 and 1814. One of his sons, Elijah Wood (father), was born at Shoreham, Vermont, in 1807, and in early life removed from Clinton county to St. Lawrence county, New York, where he purehased a large farm, which he cleared up, and upon which he resided until his death, in 1887, with an exception of a five years' residence in Illinois, where he re- moved in 1864. He died in the eightieth year of his age. He was a prosperous farmer, a benevolent man, and a well respected citizen in the community in which he re- sided. He was strongly opposed to slavery,
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was one of the early abolitionists of north- ern New York, and had been prominently connected for several years before his death with the underground railroad, an organ- ization in the free States which aided and assisted runaway slaves from the south in reaching the Dominion of Canada. He married Phœbe Corban, a native of Grand Isle, Vermont, who passed away in 1885, at four score years of age. She was a mem- ber of the society of Friends (Quakers).
Warren C. Wood was reared on his father's St. Lawrence county farm, and re- ceived his education at Middlebury college, Vermont, from which he was graduated in the class of 1865. He had studied medi- cine to some extent prior to entering col- lege, and after graduation he resumed his medical studies, and by one year of close reading qualified himself for admission to the Berkshire Medical college, of Berk- shire, Massachusetts, from which institution he was graduated in 1866. In the same year he located at Brasher Falls, in St. Law- rence county, where he practiced for twelve years. He then, in 1878, came to Niagara county, and practiced in the town of Cam- bria until the fall of 1888, when he came to the city of Lockport, where he has been in practice ever since.
May 5, 1870, he united in marriage with Caroline A. Carpenter, daughter of John F. Carpenter, M. D., of Lawrenceville, New York.
In political sentiment Dr. Wood is a re- publican. He is a member of Lodge No. 541, Free and Accepted Masons, of Brasher Falls, New York. In the line of his pro- fession he has always aimed and worked to keep to the front. He is a member of the Niagara County Medical society, and de- votes his time principally to the study and
practice of his profession. Dr. Wood is affable and polite, repels no one by want of courtesy, and has the confidence of his pa- tients and the respect of all who know him.
SAMUEL TOMPKINS, for many years an influential and honored citizen of the town and county of Niagara, was the son of Samuel and Mary (Angevine ) Tomp- kins, natives of Westchester county, New York, and was born in Belleville, Ontario, March 9, 1808. Samuel Tompkins, Sr. (father), was an own cousin and early play- mate of Daniel D. Tompkins, for eight years Vice-President with President Mon- roe. He emigrated to Belleville, Canada, and later settled at Niagara-in-the-Lake. When the war of 1812 was declared, his sympathies were naturally with the people of his native country, but living on Cana- dian soil, the British endeavored to compel him to enter their service. He resisted, and as a result was held a prisoner of war at Fort George, Niagara.
During his captivity his property was confiscated or destroyed, and his wife en- dured many dangers and hardships while providing for her children, and they fled to the American side for protection. Through the intercession of Colonel Dearborn he was released in six months, and joined his family, and took up a tract of land three miles above the Falls, where he resided till his death in 1833. His wife survived until 1860. They had seven children: Susan, (Mrs. William Murray); James, Rachel, (Mrs. Shelden C. Townsend) ; Elijah ; Anna, (Mrs. H. H. Hill), and Lewis, the youngest.
Samuel Tompkins, Jr., settled at La Salle, near the old home. He married twice, first to Cornelia A. Waggoner, who was born
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near Montreal, March 15, 1809, and died in 1846. She bore five children : F. Jeannette, (Mrs. S. V. Saleno ); Eugene, deceased in infancy; Cornelia M., (Mrs. W. N. Stanley) ; Anna H., (Mrs. George P. Smith ), deceased in 1866; Susan S., (Mrs. Arthur J. Ayer), deceased in 1876. For his second wife Mr. Tompkins married Louisa A. Danforth, who was born in Skeneatlas, New York, July 4, 1819, and died in 1884. To this union were born five children: Henry S., who married Maria Vogt, daughter of J. J. Vogt, and is engaged in the manufacture of brick at La Salle, where he is also serving as jus- tice of the peace; Ella, deceased in 1883; Charles, deceased in 1860; Marcia L., and Charlotte E., (Mrs. W. J. Clark), who both reside in Buffalo, New York. Mr. Tomp- kins was active and energetic, and had the welfare of the community at heart, as many bridges and highways of the township will attest. He was principal founder of the first church built at La Salle, Methodist, in connection with Mr. A. M. Chesbrough, one of its trustees and building committee. He was intensely patriotic, and during the civil war he contributed largely of time and means to promote the cause of his country. His one regret was that he had no sons old enough to go to the war. His second daughter, Cornelia, the eldest then at home, offered her services to the "Department of the West," where nurses were most needed, but being too young, was not accepted under a year, when she was ordered to report in person in five days at Benton barracks, St. Louis, Missouri. She also served at Jeffer- son barracks, and Memphis, till the war closed, thus giving expression to her father's spirit of patriotism.
Mr. Tompkins when young delighted in athletic sports, and in boating and swim-
ming, and by his intrepid courage and hardi- hood he saved many lives on both the Ni- agara river and while engaged in the Mack- inaw fisheries. He was always a sports- man and expert even in old age. His leis- ure he spent hunting the deer and large game in the primeval forests of Niagara, and he helped to turn those forests into productive fields. When but eight and ten years old he drove teams over the "Portage road." At that time, all goods and supplies going west had to be transported on wagons around Niagara Falls, from boats at Lewis- ton to boats at Schlosser, thence up the lakes to Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit, Mack- inaw, Milwaukee, and Chicago, which were about the only lake ports.
Mr. Tompkins was many years engaged in lumbering in Canada, associated with his brothers, Elijah and Lewis, and also at one time with Van Valkenburg & Mack, of Lockport. Later he gave his attention to farming and fruit growing, besides other enterprises. He was vigorous and active, and his faculties never forsook him. At the advanced age of eighty he passed away at the homestead, July 19, 1888, surrounded by his family.
S TEPHEN VINCENT SALENO was
the son of Stephen Sachlenon, of Mon- treal, Canada, and Amelia Vincent Sachle- non, of France. He was born at Beauhar- mais, near Montreal, November 22, 1833. He came to La Salle in 1849, and later at- tended the Genesee Wesleyan seminary, at Lima. From there he went to Buffalo, and was a member of the first class that was graduated in the Bryant & Stratton Business college. He engaged as book-keeper with the hardware firm of Pratt & Allen. In 1855, Mr. Saleno married F. Jeannette, eld-
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est daughter of Samuel Tompkins, of La Salle. During the great financial depres- sion of 1856 and '57, the firm failed, and they removed to Niagara Falls, where he went into the groeery business with S. T. Murray. From 1858 he was for twenty-five years a leading hardware merchant, and sold out to George S. Hanes in 1883, sinec which time he has been connected with the Michigan Pipe Company, of Bay City, Mieliigan. Mr. Saleno was one of the trus- tees and building committee of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal church, and for many years its steward and Sunday school super- intendent. He was a charter member of the Good Templars, and eaptain of eom- pany D, 66th regiment New York State national guards.
Mr. and Mrs. Saleno are the parents of four children. The eldest, Gertrude, is the wife of James M. Courtright, a native of Philadelphia, and is residing in Inwood, Lambton county, Ontario; Agnes, who mar- ried Charles F. Warner, a son of Rev. Frank Warner and Mary Cannon Warner, resides in Buffalo; Cornelia, married I. J. Areher, of Shenandoah, Iowa, and resides in Chieago; Samuel H., the youngest, has business interests and residence in Chicago.
E LIJAH TOMPKINS was born in the district of Niagara, Upper Canada, in 1811. He was the son of Samuel Tomp- kins, Sr., and Mary Angevine Tompkins. His boyhood was spent at the homestead, three miles above Niagara Falls. In early manhood he spent several winters in New York city, traveling by packet on the Erie canal, which was then the only means of making the journey, excepting by stage. He also spent some time in Michigan, where
he owned a traet of land; and also in Can- ada, associated with his brothers, Samuel and Lewis, in lumbering. In 1858 he set- tled on the banks of the Niagara, in the town of Wheatfield, on a farm which now lies within the present corporate limits of Tonawanda. He married Margaret Sweeny, who died in 1876. He died September 2, 1889, at the advaneed age of seventy-eight years. Their only child was William, who was born February 4, 1860, and who still resides at the home. William Tompkins is engaged in farming, and also deals to some extent in real estate.
H ENRY H. HILL, at one time a well known and prominent woolen manu- facturer and real estate dealer of Niagara county, was born in New Hampshire, July 4, 1807. He grew to manhood in that State, and received a good, practical Eng- lish edueation in the public schools there. This he afterward amplified by a wide range of reading, and that careful thought which marks a studious nature. Soon after leav- ing school, while yet a young man, lie learned the business of manufacturing and fulling cloth. He went into the manufacture of woolen goods at Streets mills, Niagara Falls, Upper Canada, and later engaged in the same business at Niagara Falls, New York. He continued this enterprise until the open- ing of the Erie canal. About that time he sold out and embarked in the real estate business-engaging in what was known as the Rathburn speculation, which afterward failed and left a large quantity of land in his possession. He continued dealing in real estate and disposing of his land until his death, which occurred in June, 1856, at the age of forty-nine years.
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