USA > New York > Niagara County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Niagara County, New York > Part 41
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71
-
Geo C. Herschell
357
OF NIAGARA COUNTY.
bers of the present Armitage-Herschell Company.
George C. Herschell received his educa- tion in public and private schools of his neighborhood, and then served a full apprenticeship to the trade of machinist, which he followed continuously at different places in Scotland until 1869, when he crossed the Atlantic ocean to become a citizen of the United States. After pur- suing liis trade at various villages and eities for three years, he came, in 1872, to North Tonawanda, where he went into partnership with his brother Allan and James Armitage, and they founded the present prosperous and highly successful firm of Armitage- Herschell Company. He is treasurer of this company, whose steam engines, boilers, and various kinds of milling and agricultural machinery are used throughout a wide ex- tent of territory in New York and adjacent States, as well as in the west and in the Dominion of Canada. The plant of the company is on Oliver street, where its office, sales-rooms, machine-shops, and other buildings, occupy an area of nearly an acre of ground. They have special facilities for all kinds of brass work and iron castings. The industries of North Tonawanda are many in number and increasing in im- portance every year, and cover nearly every branch of skilled activity, yet it is doubtful if there is one requiring a higher trained experience and ability than that of engine building and the construction of the more intricate milling and agricultural machinery of this wonderful nineteenth century. And this trained experience and ability is indi- vidually possessed in a very high degree by each of the members of this well-known firm, who are practical and skilled machin- ists. A further account of their plant will
be found in the sketches of Allan Herschell and James Armitage, which appear else- where in this volume.
George C. Herschell is a member of Ton- awanda Lodge, No. 247, Free and Accepted Masons, and a member and trustee of the North Tonawanda Presbyterian church. Hc was one of the organizers and is treasurer of the Tonawanda Natural Gas Company, which will undoubtedly in a few years be one of the most potent factors in the pros- perity of the village, most likely then to have aspired to the honors of a city. He, with his partners, are prominent in the improvement and the up-building of Tonawanda. They have a great deal invested in real estate. Mr. Herschell is also treasurer of the North Tonawanda Street Railway Company. He is a republican in political matters, and gives considerable attention to the in- portant issues of the day, on which the Republican and Democratic parties are di- vided. In business affairs he has always been straightforward and unswerving to what was right and just, while he has never failed to turn out first-elass work from his shops or give requisite attention to the interests of his patrons, and by this careful supervision and conscientious manner of conducting the business of the company, has succeeded in giving the products of their factories a reputation that is almost world- wide. Indeed, their name on any article is a guarantee of its superiority.
On July 20, 1882, George C. Herschell married Charlotte B., youngest danghter of James Wilson, a contractor and builder of the city of Buffalo, New York. Mr. and Mrs. Herschell have three children : Jessic C., born June 3, 1883; James W., born January 23, 1885; and Walter G., born May 17, 1888.
22
358
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
A LLAN HERSCHELL, one of the act- ive and leading business men of North Tonawanda, and vice-president of the well known manufacturing firm of Armitage- Herschell Company, was born in Ar- breath, Forfarshire, Scotland, April 27, 1851, and is a son of John and Jessie (Christie ) Herschell. His parents were na- tives of Forfarshire, Scotland, and in 1870 came to the city of Buffalo, New York, where they resided for two years. They then removed to North Tonawanda, where Mrs. Herschell, whose birth year was 1809, died in 1880, and sleeps in the Sweeney cemetery. John Herschell, who still resides in North Tonawanda, was born in 1813, and was a successful coal merchant and general contractor for many years while a resident of the old world. To John and Jessie (Christic ) Herschell, in their Scottish home, were born thirteen children, of whom seven sons and three daughters are living: Mary Ann, wife of James White, now resident of Lambertville, New Jersey; Matilda, who married Frederick Hanover, of Trenton, New Jersey ; Agnes, wife of David Wallace, of North Tonawanda; James, a wealthy wholesale grocer of Melbourne, Australia, who owns and successfully conducts five large wholesale grocery houses in the great island zone of the south Pacific ocean ; Richard, who also resides in Australia, where he is actively engaged in the boot and shoe business in Sandhurst ; Alexander, now superintendent of a tannery in the "dark continent" of Africa; William, a coal merchant and general contractor in Dundee, Scotland; John, who is foreman of the railroad shops at Huntingburgh, Indi- ana; Allan, and George C., a member of the firm of Armitage-Herschell Company, whose sketch appears in this volume.
Allan Herschell was reared -in his native country, where he left the common schools at an early age to learn the trade of molder, which he followed in Scotland until.1870. In that year he came to Buffalo, New York, and during the next two years worked at his trade in Canada and various places in the United States. In 1872 he came to North Tonawanda, where, in connection with James Armitage and his brother, George C., he established the Tonawanda Engine and Machine Comany, and erected extensive shops on Oliver street, in the rear of the Erie railway depot. He subse- quently retired from the firm, but in 1890, when the firm was rcorganized under the firm name of the Armitage-Herschell Com- pany, with an incorporated capital of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, he be- came a member of it again and was elected vice-president, while Mr. Armitage became president, and George C. Herschell seere- tary and treasurer. These three officers are all practical engineers and skilled machin- ists. The plant has an area of three-fourths of an acre, upon which are erected a ma- chine shop 50 x 125 feet in dimensions, with a wing 25 x 30 feet, beside other buildings and shops needed in the manufacture of their various kinds of machinery. Their various departments are well equipped with modern tools and appliances, while their machinery is driven with steam power, and all work turned out recommends itself for quality of material and first-class workman- ship. From ninety to one hundred work- men are employed, and the company manu- factures steam engines and boilers of all kinds, mill and agricultural machinery, and fine brass work and iron castings. They have a large trade throughout New York and Pennsylvania and the western States.
allen Herschell.
361
OF NIAGARA COUNTY.
They also manufacture a steam riding gal- lery, which they sell throughout the United States, in which their sales for 1891 will aggregate two hundred thousand dollars. In addition to their manufacturing business, they are interested in agricultural pursuits and city property, as they own valuable real estate in Lockport, and have several farms in the county. The firm started with but little capital, yet it had plenty of energy, honesty, and good judgment, and has achieved abundant financial success.
On April 12, 1882, Allan Herschell united in marriage with Ida M. Spilman, who was born October 15, 1859. She is a daughter of John Spilman, of Tonawanda, whose sketch appears in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Herschell have two children, one son and one daughter: Buelah Corinda, born January 1, 1884, and Raymond Leroy, born November 25, 1886.
In politics Mr. Herschell is a democrat, and while no aspirant for office yet has served as a member of the city council at a time when he thought he could be of service in the material development of North Ton- awanda. He has always been among thie foremost in advocating those protective and progressive measures calculated to make his one of the richest and most prosperous cities in the State. He helped to organize the first fire company of North Tonawanda, of which he is still an honorary member, and, with the other members of his firm, helped to organize, and are directors of the Standard Natural Gas Company, of Tonawanda. Mr. Herschell attends the Presbyterian church, to which he contributes liberally. He is a member of Tonawanda Lodge, No. 247, Free and Accepted Masons, and of Centennial Lodge, No. 14, Ancient Order of United Workmen.
Allan Herschell started in life with notli- ing to assist him but willing hands, a clear head, and an honest heart. Honesty, indus- try, and frugality are among his marked characteristics, and these, when combined, rarely fail to bring success to the man who has the rare good fortune to possess them.
E DGAR C. McDONALD, one of the proprietors of the well-known North Tonawanda flouring mills, is a son of Charles C. and Sarah E. (Crane ) McDon- ald, and was born in the city of Buffalo, Erie county, New York, October 2, 1857. Charles C. McDonald was born in 1831, in Toronto, Canada, and came when but a boy to Buffalo, New York, where he died in 1886. He followed the business of mer- chant miller, and was engaged in the flour- ing mill business in Buffalo and Tonawanda until his death. He was a republican, a member of the Unitarian church, and married Sarah E. Crane, who was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1835. She was brought, when a child, to Buffalo, where she still resides, and has been a member of the Unitarian church for many years.
Edgar C. McDonald was reared in Buffalo. " The Queen City of the Lakes," and at- tended the public schools of that city. He then entered the Buffalo State Normal school, from which he was graduated in 1877. Immediately after graduation he became associated with his father in the milling business in Buffalo, in which he continued until 1884. when he came to North Tonawanda and purchased the Tona- wanda roller mills. Having made some repairs and improvements upon this mill property, he put his mill into operation and
363
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
has been running it ever since. The capacity of the mill is two hundred barrels of flour per day. Mr. McDonald buys large quantities of spring and winter wheat, in the best wheat raising districts of New York and the great northwest states and territories of the United States, and manu- factures several standard grades of flour which have a ready sale at home and are in demand in many places outside of the State. His mill is thoroughly fitted up with the latest and most improved of modern milling machinery, as well as with every invention and appliance calculated to facilitate the production of the highest grades of flour. Everything about the plant is kept in perfect order by skilled machinists. The mill is a substantial build- ing, situated on Mechanic street and con- venient to the business part of the village and the railroads, which carry its products to so many different places. Its different departments have been specially arranged for convenience, comfort, and ready dispatch of business. Among the enterprises which form the basis of commercial wealth and importance of a city or village, is the mod- ern flouring mill, and in this respect Mr. McDonald has, by years of labor, placed North Tonawanda in line with all the places so highly favored with first-class flouring mills.
On April 19, 1881, he united in marriage with Lois E. Abbey, daughter of E. C. Abbey, of Buffalo, New York.
Edgar C. MeDonald has given some at- tention to music, and in addition to being an active member of Arion male quartette, he has directed, at different times, the music in a couple of the churches of North Tonawanda. IIe is a republican in poli- ties, was a trustee of the village of North
Tonawanda for two years, and served one term as assessor of the town of Wheatfield. He is a member of the Christian church of North Tonawanda. He is prominent in the Masonic fraternity, of which he has been a member for several years. He is a member and the worshipful master of Tonawanda Lodge, No. 247, Free and Accepted Masons, and has served as an officer of Tonawanda Chapter, No. 278, Royal Areh Masons. He is also a member and officer of Eureka Council, No. 6, Empire Knights of Relief. Long and patient labor is the condition of success in every department of business or sphere of life, and the lives of the successful have been lives of persistent labor. Results are not accomplished in a day, especially in the important enterprises in any field of human labor. Mr. MeDonald has labored untir- ingly in building up an important industry of his village, and the results of his patient labor are to be seen in his present large and flourishing business.
D' R. WILLIAM M. KIRK resides at Niagara Falls, and is a leading veter- inary surgeon of Niagara county, and a man who is regarded as authority on the diseases of domestic animals. He is a son of William and Grace ( Tucker) Kirk, and was born in Elizabethville, Ontario, Canada, on November 5, 1861. His grand- father, William Kirk, was a native of Scot- land, but emigrated to Canada and settled in the province of Ontario, where he died at an advanced age. His main business was the importation of horses, and to him is due, in a large degree, the improvement of that class of animals in various sections of the dominion. He was a conservative in pol-
363
OF NIAGARA COUNTY.
itics, and married and reared a family of three sons and two daughters. One of these sons was William Kirk (father), who was born in Scotland, but came to Canada with his parents when fifteen years of age. After attaining manhood he married Grace Tucker, and to them was born a family of thirteen children, of whom eight are yet living-four sons and four daughters. He died at Garden Hill, in the province of Ontario, Canada, in 1888, at the age of fifty-nine years. His widow still survives him and resides at Garden Hill.
Dr. William M. Kirk received a high school education at Port Hope, Canada, and then commenced the study of his profession at the Ontario Veterinary college at To- ronto. He was graduated from that insti- tution in the spring of 1886, and soon after located at Garden Hill, Canada, where he practiced for three years, and then removed to Tonawanda, this State. He remained at that place some eight months, and then, in 1889, came to Niagara Falls, where he has been busily engaged in his profession ever since. He has given much careful study to the diseases and ailments of horses and other domestic animals, and is one of the best posted men in his line in western New York. He has a wide reputation among men who handle fine horses, and is the special physician of the large stables of Miller & Brundage, beside having a very large general practice.
Dr. Kirk is a member of the Veterinary Medical society of Canada, and also of the State Veterinary society of New York. In politics he is a democrat, giving that party an active support on all State and national issues, but is inclined to exercise his own judgment and personal preferences in local politics.
M
ARTIN J. WATTENGEL, of North
Tonawanda, is the son of Andrew and Susan Wattengel, and was born in Germany, on September 6, 1848. His father and mother were both natives of Germany, and came to the United States in the year 1852, and located in Niagara county. His father is a shoemaker by occupation, and resides at La Salle, in the county of Niagara, at the advanced age of seventy-four years. Mrs. Susan Wattengel, wife of Andrew, and mother of Martin J., died in 1881, at the age of sixty-one years. She was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and found great consolation in church ser- vices, and clearly felt the presence of the Divine Spirit before she passed through the valley of the shadow of death. Andrew Wattengel ( father) is a democrat in politics, and believes that the principles of this party are deeply grounded in the constitution. He came from the Fatherland because he thought there was a surer guarantee of re- ligious and civil liberty here than anywhere else. About the period he came to this country the old whig party had dissolved, and most of its membership had joined a newly-organized party called the Know Nothing party, the ostensible object of which was to discourage foreigners from coming to this country, and especially to prevent them from holding office. Great excitement followed the organization of this party, and for a brief period it looked as if this new organization would be the ruling party, but its days were brief and inglorious. Mr. Wattengel saw enough of it during its brief reign to lead him to ally himself to the Democratic party, that soon drove its new opponent from the political field, the assailing elements forming what is now known as the Republican party. In religion
364
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
he was a member of the German Lutheran church, founded by Martin Luther, the great reformer, who organized the reformed Christian church all over the north of Ger- many.
Martin J. Wattengel was brought up at La Salle, county of Niagara, and was edu- cated in the common schools of La Salle and at Bryant & Stratton's business college. After leaving school he learned the trade of tinsmith, in the city of Buffalo, and con- tinued at this occupation until the year 1876, when he engaged in the hardware, stove and tin business for himself at North Tonawanda, which business he has carried on successfully from that to this date. He has made money, and now has a thriving trade, and keeps on hand a large stock of goods. In September, 1890, he added the livery business to the mercantile business, and has his stables located in Tonawanda, where he keeps a fine stock of everything pertaining to that branch, and has what is called a first-class livery stable.
He was married in the year 1872 to Lottie, daughter of Christian Reck, of South Tona- wanda. From this marriage nine children have been born: Christian, William, Ada, Cora, Lulu, Alfred, Mabel, Edna, and Nor- man.
He is a member of the Evangelical Lu- theran church, also a member of the An- cient Order of United Workmen, and of Tonawanda Lodge, No. 247, Free and Ac- cepted Masons. He has served as chief of the fire department two years and treas- urer of the city for five years, and is a re- publican in politics. He differs from his father politically, and finds much to be proud of in the brief history of the Republi- can party and its distinguished heroes and statesmen. The fact that in this country
families differ politically, and take deep in- terest in their respective parties, but illus- trates the fact that party is subordinate to country. It has been found that political parties are necessary to the proper admin- istration of this government, and that they hold each other in check, but the experi- ment of organizing a third party, and mak- ing it successful, has been often tried, but has always failed. There seems to be but two sides to all questions of governmental policy. It is, perhaps, a matter of regret that a third party can not grow large enough to keep the others on their good behavior, but so far every such attempt has failed.
Mr. Wattengel has the confidence and esteem of his friends and acquaintances, and is popular and has an enviable reputation as a fraternal brother, a man, and a citizen. It is to be hoped that the older the republic becomes, the more we may have of such men to constitute its citizenship and swell its army of defenders. It is a great honor to be a citizen of this republic, but it is a greater distinction to have helped in laying the broad and deep foundations on which this and later generations will build.
D R. CONRAD BACKER is known in
many places and by many people. Hc has at different periods of his life been a student of Æsculapius, but is not now en- gaged in the practice of his profession. Hc is the son of Nicholas and Barbara Backer, and was born at Ensdorf, Prussia, on the 26th day October, 1819. His father and mother were both natives of Prussia, and they are now both deceased, but lived to an advanced age. His father was a farmer by choice, and followed it during his whole
J. J. Brundager
365
OF NIAGARA COUNTY.
life. He had two brothers in the French army under Napoleon, and when the empire fell they were released from further mili- tary duty.
Dr. Conrad Baeker was brought up in his native country and was educated in the common and select schools, receiving mueh more than the ordinary schooling, which fully equipped him for all the struggles of life. When through with school, he began to read medicine in his native country, but the talk of the new land of law, liberty, and money, reached hin and filled him with an intense desire to see America, and he came to the United States in the year 1838, loeating in the growing city of New York, where he again took up the study of medieine. After a brief period he removed to the city of Rochester, in the year 1839, and began the practice of medieine, which he continued until 1842; he then moved to Pennsylvania and took up his residence at Pottsville, where he practiced until 1849, but not content with the place, moved to Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, and praetieed until the year 1851. He then removed to Burgan, Genesee county, New York, where he practiced medieine until 1852, when he changed his residenee to South Byron, Gene- see county, and continued to practice until the year 1857, when he moved to Batavia, New York, and continued the practiec there until 1867, when he returned to Tonawanda, and on March 18, 1867, moved into the Backer hotel. The house is known by this name the county over, and it has a first-class name, being elegantly prepared to entertain the traveling public. He has not practiced medicine sinee 1867, exeept among his per- sonal friends and acquaintances, but during the winters of 1878-79 and 1880-81, he attended lectures at the Buffalo Medical
college, not with a view to practieing medi- cine, but to acquire a knowledge of the varied improvements constantly being made by the profession, which knowledge ean best be obtained in the modern medical college. He is in no sense in regular practice, but would attend to poor or needy people, or friends, if ealled upon.
Dr. Conrad Baeker was married to Ester Schreck, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in 1845. This union was blessed with four children, one daughter and three sons. Of these, Henry B. and Josephine are living. Josephine is married to William B. Dimick, of Buffalo, New York. Dr. Backer is a republican, and had the honor of training the first company at Batavia, in the late civil war. He has been honored by his fellow citizens at different times and places. He was trustee of Tonawanda for six years, assessor of the village for a period of six years, and of the town of Wheatfield for three years, and president of Tonawanda for one term. He has had quite a varied experience, with ample opportunity to study the American character. The author of the adage, " The rolling stone gathers no moss," does not always tell the truth. He is a clever, jovial, good-natured gentleman, always ready to do a kindness or wait upon a friend. We have room for any number of men who possess these traits of eharaeter, in this modern world. To love your neighbor, to visit the sick, to assist the needy, are christian virtues worthy of all emulation.
J AMES THEOPHILUS BRUN-
DAGE, a prominent liveryman and real estate dealer at Niagara Falls, is a son of Theophilus and Jane (Badgley) Brundage, and was born July 30, 1835, in
366
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Homer, Ontario, Dominion of Canada. The grandfather and father of J. T. Brundage were both natives of Connecticut, the father removing to Canada about 1815, where he died in 1845. He was a contractor and builder, and something of a navigator as well. Ile owned and was captain of the steamer Caroline, which was set on fire and sent over Niagara Falls during the civil war. In politics he was a Jacksonian dem- oerat, and was a member of the Episcopal church. He married Jane Badgley, by whom he had a family of two sons and five daughters. The maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was Joseph Badg- ley, a native of New Jersey, a farmer by occupation, who emigrated to Canada, where he died.
James Theophilus Brundage received his education at the academy in Wilson village, and when done with school duties he started in life for himself by opening a boot and shoe store in the village of Niagara Falls. He met with such great encouragement that he continued in this line for eight or ten years, and then engaged in the fancy goods busi- ness, and later added a well-equipped livery stable to his other enterprises. He is still engaged in the latter business, and in the winter of 1889, in partnership with a Mr. Miller, built what is known as the Miller & Brundage stables, which are 132x 400 feet in dimensions. During the summer season he keeps about one hundred and fifty head of horses, and does a very large and lucrative business. Some years ago he began dealing in real estate, and this business has also grown in volume and importance until it now absorbs the greater part of his time and attention. He has made some im- portant deals.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.