USA > New York > Niagara County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Niagara County, New York > Part 46
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William A. Williams, the second son, removed to Lockport in 1862, and in 1868 formed a copartnership with J. E. Serch in the dry goods business. This firm was dis- solved in 1879, and Mr. Williams entered into partnership that year with his younger brother, Albert E. Williams, who had come
to Lockport ten years previous. The firm name is Williams Brothers, and their trade has increased until they do a large and important business.
William A. Williams, the senior member of this well known firm, is a thorough business man, and was married to Emily Hutzel, of Niagara Falls, in 1877. To them have been born four children, of whom two are living: Eri and Catherine. He has been a member of the board of education and vestryman in the Episcopal church. He is trustee of Glenwood cemetery and a director in Niagara county savings bank.
Albert E. Williams, junior partner, was four years old when he came with his parents to America. He was educated in the common schools, attending both the German and English schools. He is what is generally termed a self-made man. He and his brother have one of the finest dry goods stores in Lockport and carry a stock ranging in the neighborhood of $60,000, and are headquarters in this section for dry goods, cloaks, etc. Their business requires about sixteen employes.
Albert E. Williams was married in 1890 to Emma Damerow, of Lockport. He is a member of Grace Episcopal church.
W ILLIAM SHEPARD, an excellent citizen of the county, and a leading stone-mason, contractor, and supply dealer of Niagara Falls, is a son of James and Mary (Gibson) Shepard, and was born November 2, 1832, in the city of Lockport, Niagara county, New York. The Shepards are of English descent. James Shepard (grandfather) was born, lived, and died in England. The maternal grandfather of William Shepard was a Methodist minister,
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named George Gibson, also a native of that country, where he died. James Shepard (father) was born in England during the first year of the present century, and when nearly thirty-two years of age, left that country and came to America, locating in the city of Lockport in 1832. In 1851 he removed to Niagara Falls, where he lived until his death, in 1876. He was a contractor and builder by occupation, and a whig and republican in politics. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and married Mary Gibson, by whom he had a family of three sons and two daughters, all born in Niagara county : William, the lead- ing subject of this sketch ; Jane, who married Thomas Tugby, of Niagara Falls; Mary, who married J. T. Brundage, of the same village, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume; James G., to whom a separate paragraph is devoted further along ; and George M., engaged for some time in the fancy goods business at Niagara Falls, but now a traveler.
William Shepard was educated in the schools of Lockport, and at the age of fif- teen began learning the trade of stone-mason. He worked with and for his father until after his marriage, and then began business on his own account as a mason and con- tractor. He has always worked in this line since coming to Niagara Falls, and has achieved a good reputation and built up a large business. In connection with his mason and contracting business he keeps supplies of all kinds of masons' building material.
In 1856 Mr. Shepard was united in mar- riage with Annabella Livingstone, daughter of Lachlain J. Livingstone, a native of Scotland. By this union they had a family of five children: James L., who married
Laura Pierce, and is now a railroad en- gineer, residing in Chicago, Illinois; Jen- nie, deceased at the age of twenty-four; John, who died in infancy; George G., married to Edith Pfieffer, and is teller in the Niagara bank, at Niagara Falls ; William A., engaged in business with his father; and Charles T., living with his parents.
In politics William Shepard is a republi- can, and keeps well posted on the political questions of the day, always giving his party an active support, but is not a bitter partisan. He is a member of International Lodge, No. 6, Ancient Order of United Workmen, and of the Royal Templars.
James G. Shepard, a brother of William, and son of James and Mary ( Gibson ) Shep- ard, was born March 19, 1839, in Lockport, New York, and was educated in his native city and at Niagara Falls. He worked with his father as a stone-mason until the breaking out of the civil war, and then, September, 1861, enlisted in Company I, of the 44th New York infantry, where he served as sergeant. In July, 1862; he was wounded at Malvern Hill, came home, and engaged in recruiting for the 8th New York in- fantry, but was not able to go with it to the front. He afterward served as recruiting officer for Company B, 151st New York infantry, and was made second lieutenant of this company, and later promoted to be first lieutenant. He served with this com- pany for seven months, when he was dis- charged on account of his old wound not healing. On the 1st of October he was appointed first lieutenant of the veteran reserve corps, and was assigned to duty as adjutant of the 4th Veteran reserve corps, serving chiefly at Rock Island, until he was mustered out, July 1, 1866. From the time of his enlistinent to the date of his
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final discharge he was only out of service about five months, and while at the front served with the historic Army of the Potomac. About 1869 he embarked in the fancy goods business at Niagara Falls, and has been engaged in that line more or less ever since. He is also a manufacturer of fancy goods in connection with his store. In politics Mr. Shepard is a stanch repub- lican, and served as deputy collector and inspector of customs at Suspension Bridge from 1880 to 1884. He is a member of Niagara Frontier Lodge, No. 132, Free and Accepted Masons; Niagara Chapter, No. 200, Royal Arch Masons; and Genesee Commandery, No. 10, Knights Templar. He is also a member of Dudley Donnelly Post, No. 133, Grand Army of the Republic, at Suspension Bridge, and of the Royal Templars.
In 1873 James G. Shepard was wedded to Elizabeth B. Rees, a daughter of Harry Rees, and to them have been born two children : George R., and Mary G. Harry Rees was a native of England, and served as captain of the Royal engineers. He died at Cape Town, Africa, being one of the volunteers who went into that country in the employ of the British government.
WILLIAM B. GOULD, M. D., the oldest physician in active practice in the city of Lockport and Niagara county, is a son of Hon. John and Marenda (Bridge) Gould, and was born in Cambria, Niagara county, New York, October 28, 1821. Jolm Gould, Sr. (grandfather), was a native of Elizabethtown, New Jersey, but removed to Canada, and thence to Niagara county, where he died at Pekin. His father served as sur- geon in the Revolutionary war, and when called into service, was practicing his profes-
sion on the island of Cuba. In his younger days John Gould, Sr., was a blacksmith, but later became a farmer. He married, and had a family of six children : Hon. John, David, William, Polly, Malinda, and Betsey. Hon. John Gould, the eldest of the family, was born November 13, 1797, and died in October, 1864. He was a farmer by occu- pation, but became a business man. On account of his honesty and his being a man in whom the people had great confidence, he had been frequently called upon to serve as guardian, conveyancer, and administrator of estates. In politics he was a democrat, but when the Republican party was organ- ized he became one of its supporters, and for two years served as a member of the legislature of the State of New York, repre- senting the second district. He also served as loan commissioner and supervisor of his native town. He was a member of the Congregational church at Cambria for a number of years, and married Marenda Bridge, who was born November 19, 1800. They had ten children : Aaron M. (dead), born in 1819, was engaged in teaching and farming in Missouri; William B .; George W., born June 18, 1824, a prominent busi- ness man in Niagara county, and was a member of the firm of Dunlap & Gould for a number of years; Fanny B., born Febru- ary 2, 1827, married J. W. Underdonk, and is now dead; James, born in February, 1830, went to California in 1849, where he is now living, and possesses large shares in several large and prosperous mining com- panies ; John A., born May 28, 1833, becanie a victim of the yellow fever, and died near Vicksburg, where he was running a cotton plantation ; Jane, born in May, 1836, mar- ried James Beach, and lives at Englewood, Kansas; Mariun Elizabeth, died when quite
It m. B. Gould, M. D
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young; Charles, born in February, 1842, is a farmer of Cambria, New York; and Ed- win D., born July 30, 1845, also enjoyed the life of a farmer in the town of Cambria, where he died at forty-six years of age.
William B. Gould, during his boyhood, attended the common and select schools of Niagara county, and afterward entered the academy at Millville, Orleans county, this State. In 1844 he began the study of medicine in the office of Dr. John S. Shuler, of Lockport, and remained with him five years. He attended three courses of lec- tures : one at Cleveland, Ohio, and two at the Medical university of Buffalo, New York, from which he was graduated in 1848. He practiced one year with his pre- ceptor, in Lockport, where he has been in the continuous and successful practice of his profession ever since. He is the oldest practitioner in the county, and is a member of Niagara County Medical society, in which he takes an active part. He owns a fine orchard near Lockport, and raises some o' the finest fruits in Niagara county.
On December 24, 1851, Dr. Gould mar- ried Julia Fitch, daughter of Joseph Fitch, of Niagara county, but formerly of New Canaan, Connecticut. She died January 23, 1889. Immediately after her death the Lockport Journal said :
"Mrs. Gould was the daughter of Joseph Fitch, and was born at New Canaan, Con- necticut. The family moved to Royalton, in this county, a number of years ago, and Dr. Gould first met his wife at Buffalo, while attending medical lectures there, she being a teacher. She was of a literary turn of mind, and very highly educated, being very fond of French, painting, and music. She was, perhaps, one of the best French scholars in the city. Dr. Gould was
married some thirty-eight years ago, and has always resided here in his residence on the corner of Transit street and Niagara avenue. It was here that Mrs. Gould has endcared herself to so many of Lock- port's residents, the poor and rich alike. Both are loud in their praise of her good- ness, and the liberality of her purse-string. No one necdy or in trouble ever came to her in vain. In her church relations she was a faithful and devoted Christian, and her influence in all circles was felt for good at all times. At one time of her life, while the doctor was practicing in the country, in his early married life, Mrs. Gould conducted a private home school for young girls, and it constituted one of the most pleasant features of her life. Some years ago she made a trip to Europe, which she enjoyed very much. She visited England, Scot- land, France, Switzerland, and other places. She visited all the noted art galleries, and it proved the dream of her life. Her loss is most severe upon her honored husband. She was in his life an essential part, and associated closely in his business affairs. He cannot help but miss her kindly aid and assistance, and the blow falls only too kcenly."
In politics he is a republican, and has always been an enthusiastic supporter of the principles of his party. He was appointed one of the commissoners for locating the asylum for the insane in the city of Buffalo, New York, and was afterwards appointed one of the managers of that institution, and served as such for several years. He is a member of the Congregational church, and takes an active part in church affairs, as well as in political matters, and in the line of his profession, in which he has labored suc- cessfully for nearly half a century.
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M YRON H. KINSLEY, a real estate dealer of Niagara Falls, who is also connected with many other business inter- ests here and elsewhere, and is among the most prominent and substantial citizens of Niagara county, is a son of Albert and Maria (Ellsworth ) Kinsley, and was born July 3, 1836, in the town of Fletcher, Frank- lin county, Vermont. His grandfather, John Kinsley, was a native of New Hampshire, but removed to Vermont, and died in that State. He was a farmer by occupation, and married Sarah Boyler, by whom he had five children, two sons and three daughters. One of these sons was Albert Kinsley (father), who was born in Vermont in 1801, and removed to the town of Lenox, Madison county, this State, in 1847, where he con- tinued to reside until 1881, when he came to this county, where he died in 1882, aged eighty-one years. He was a republican in politics, and served as justice of the peace for nine years in Vermont, and for one term as sheriff of Franklin county, that State. He married Maria Ellsworth, daugh- ter of Joseph Ellsworth, of Bennington, Vermont, by whom he had five children : Marion, died at the age of fourteen months ; Sarah, married Dr. L. F. Dunn, of Lenox, Madison county; Jane A .; Martin E., a farmer and republican of Vernon, Oneida county, where he is serving as justice of the peace; and Myron H. After the death of his first wife, in 1871, Mr. Kinsley married Mrs. Olive Conant.
Myron H. Kinsley received his education in the common schools of the Green Moun- tain State, where he was born, and at the early age of eighteen years came to Oneida, Madison county, New York, and began life for himself as a traveling salesman. With occasional vacations, he continued in this
line of occupation for twenty-two years. In 1872 he became superintendent of a large manufacturing business in the town of Vernon, Oneida county, though he re- sided in the town of Lenox, Madison county. In 1875 he assumed charge of a large fancy stock and fruit farm of six hun- dred acres, lying partly in Madison and partly in Oneida county. He is still a stock- holder in this business, which is under the control of the Oneida community (limited), of which Mr. Kinsley is also a shareholder. In 1877 the community built the Oneida Community Silver Plating works at Wal- lingford, New Haven county, Connecticut, and Mr. Kinsley removed to that point as superintendent. In 1881 he built the pres- ent factories at Niagara Falls, which are among the most extensive in the State, and require over two hundred and fifty em- ployees. He became general superintendent of these works, and of their business in Niagara county, and continued as such until January 1, 1890, when he resigned to ac- cept the management of the Yakima Irri- gation & Improvement Company, of the State of Washington, of which he was one of the promoters and organizers. He is now also engaged in dealing in real estate quite extensively, and has made some im- portant sales. It is credited to Mr. Kins- ley that, acting on a suggestion of Engineer Evershed, he called the first meeting of eight persons and started the agitation which finally developed the public sentiment that led to the great tunnel enterprise. He was active in the formation of the tunnel company, and was secretary for the first year of its organization, being also a trustee and director. He is a member and ex- ecutive officer of the Business Men's asso- ciation, which, among other things, has for
m . 1. Kinsley
RESIDENCE OF M. H. KINSLEY, NIAGARA FALLS.
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OF NIAGARA COUNTY.
its objeet the consolidation of the two vil- lages of Niagara Falls and Suspension Bridge under one municipal government.
On February 28, 1880, Mr. Kinsley was united in marriage, at New Haven, Con- neetieut, with Jessie C. Baker, daughter of James Baker, of Putney, Vermont, and they have one son and three daughters: Josephine F., Edith M., Albert M., and Jessie C.
In political belief Mr. Kinsley is a repub- liean, but has been too much engrossed by the many cares of an active business life to ยท engage in practical politics. Whatever will best subserve the true interests of his fellow citizens, satisfies him, though he keeps in touch with the political movements of the day, and is remarkably well posted on pass- ing events. He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and very pop- ular alike in business and in social eireles.
H' ENRY T. ALLEN, a resident of Ni- agara Falls since 1849, is a son of Horatio and Hannah (Terrell) Allen, and was born August 30, 1826, in the town of Cambria, Niagara county, New York. His grandfather, Amasa Allen, was in all probability a native of Connecticut, as he removed from that State when lie settled in Genesee county, New York, where he lived until his death. He was a farmer by occu- pation, and served in the Continental army during the great struggle for American independence. He married and reared a family of five sons and two daughters. One of these sons was Horatio Allen (father), who was born in Conncetieut, in the summer of 1799, but removed to Niagara connty about 1821, and purchased a farm from the Hol- land Land Company, in the town of Cam-
bria, on which he resided until his death, in 1839, when about forty years of age. In polities he was a whig, but later became a republican. He married Hannah Terrell, and to them were born three sons and one daughter, the daughter and one son dying in early life. Daniel, their second son, is a farmer, living in Orleans county, this State. After the death of his first wife, Horatio Allen married Adaline Freeman, and by her had three daughters: Matilda, still living, and Elizabeth and Candace, deccased.
Henry T. Allen was educated in the con- mon and select schools of his day, and after completing his studies, learned the trade of house and sign painter. He worked at his . trade with good suecess for nearly a decade, and then embarked in the book and sta- tionery business at Niagara Falls-having located in this village in 1849. He con- tinued to deal in books and stationery until 1888, when he sold out and retired.
In 1854 Mr. Allen was united in marriage with Louisa Dutcher, daughter of Matthew Dutcher, of the town of Somerset, this county. To their union has been born a family of two sons and one daughter: Arthur, engaged in the dry goods business at Niagara Falls; Matthew, educated at Cornell university, who is now a mechanical engineer at Niagara Falls ; and Sadic, living at home with her parents.
In political affiliations Mr. Allen is a re- publiean, and keeps well posted on current questions affecting public policy. He gives steady support to his party, but is inelined to be too broad and liberal in his views ever to become a bitter partisan. In business he is shrewd and successful, and is an affable, pleasant, entertaining talker, very popular among his friends, but unassuming and modest to a marked degrec.
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
E DWARD EVANS, a prominent busi- ness man of the "Lumber City," and one of the most active National reformers of the State, was born in Haldiman county, Province of Ontario, Canada, September 14, 1830, and is a son of Edward and Eliza- beth (Steele) Evans. The Evans family, as the name implies, is of Welsh origin, and Ed- ward Evans, the paternal grandfather of Edward Evans, though born in Ireland, was by descent a Welshman. He was born in the County of Wicklow, and married there, and with his young family embarked from Belfast, in the ship " Ajax," for America, and landed at Quebec in the beginning of the century, settling first at York (now Toronto), then in the township of Rainham, in the county of Haldiman, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was a cousin of Christmas Evans, the celebrated Welsh divine, whose fame has gone all over the world. Mr. Evans' great-grandmother, Steele, was a sister of Edmund Burke. He belonged to the heavy dragoons, and took part in the Irish Rebellion of 1798, being on the side of Protestantism and the Crown, in that great struggle.
He purchased a large tract of land in Haldiman county, Canada, and at the time of his death was the second wealthiest man in that county. He had stood once as a candidate for parliament in Haldiman, and was appointed justice of the peace by the Government, which office he held as long as he lived. This office then, in Can- ada, was equivalent to that of county judge now. He was prominent in military as well as civil affairs, and served as captain in and commander of two battallions of infan- try. He died in 1846, aged seventy years. His son, Edward Evans, father of the sub-
ject of this sketch, was born in County Wicklow, Ireland, and at twelve years of age came with his father to Canada, where he followed farming until his death in 1868. He owned and cultivated several valuable farms, was a member of the Protestant Episcopal church of England, and took part in the Mckenzie rebellion in Canada, in behalf of the government. He was first a tory and afterwards a reformer in Canadian politics, and married Elizabeth Steele, a native of Norfolk county, and of German extraction on her mother's side, and of Welsh-Irish on her father's side. The mother of Mr. Evans was the grand niece of Edmund Burke, the great Irish orator. She died in 1847, at thirty-six years of age, and left a family of eleven children, all of whom, except the eldest, are living.
Edward Evans received a good common school education, and at sixteen years of age left his Canadian home to try his for- tunes on the great lakes. He went on board a vessel as a " hand before the mast ;" was promoted to mate the second year, and three years was captain of several sailing vessels as well as owner of several large steam tugs. In 1851 he left the lakes and was engaged in Canada until 1861, in building grist and saw-mills. In 1860 he had formed a partnership with H. J. and B. Killmaster, of Norfolk county, Canada, for the purpose of dealing in timber, and the next year after quitting the mill build- ing business, he gave his entire time to getting out large quantities of timber which the firm sold at North Tonawanda. They had their headquarters at Port Rowan, Canada, and continued in the timber busi- ness until 1877. In 1872 they opened a banking house at North Tonawanda, which they conducted until 1877, when H. J.
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Killmaster died, and the firm name of Evans, Killmaster & Co., was changed to that of Evans, Schwinger & Co. The new firm continued successfully until 1883, when their bank was organized as a State bank, of which Mr. Evans was vice-president for three years. In 1886 he was one of the incorporators of the Lumber Exchange bank and was elected as its president, which office he held until 1890, when he disposed of his banking interests in order to embark exclusively in his present timber business. He is also largely interested in real estate in the states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and in Duluth, Minnesota.
On December 28, 1851, Mr. Evans mar- ried Nancy C. Bissett, of the town of Trafalgar, near Toronto, Canada. Their children are: Emily J., Henry H., James E., Mary C., Francis E., Eunice E., (twins) ; George W., Edward R., Charlotte E., and Harriett Josephine, ten in all, six of whom are now living.
Mr. Evans is a member of the Royal Templars of Temperance, and of the Christian church, in North Tonawanda. In politics he was a republican up to 1880, when he became a National reformer and has been active ever since in advancing the cause of National reform. At his call in July, 1887, the first National reform con- vention met in Buffalo, New York. He also called, with others, a State conference of his party on August 24, 1887, at Syra- cuse, New York, where he was appointed chairman of the State Committee-a posi- tion he filled with credit to himself and advantage to the cause. Active in the committee room and in the field, and effective as a speaker on the stump, in presenting the principles and measures of his party, Mr. Evans has become well known throughout
the State as a reformer of weight and influ- ence with the masses of the people, who have confidence in his integrity, sincerity and truthfulness. As a citizen he is ever awake to the interests of his adopted coun- try. As a business man, he rapidly but accurately weighs the chances and possi- bilities of any enterprise which attracts his attention, and as a neighbor and friend he is ever ready to accommodate or assist. He is not one of those who linger with the sunshine and hasten away at the approach of the storm, but is one of those who stand firm to their friends and their cause when adversity overtakes the one or threatens the other. Mr. Evans was honored with an invitation to attend the recent Reform conference, held at the Sherman House, Chicago, January 27, 1892, and was one of a committee of seven to draft the famous " agreement" which proposes to unite the People's party, the Prohibition party and the National Reform party into one great political party for 1892.
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