USA > New York > Niagara County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Niagara County, New York > Part 48
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The father of Mrs. David Porter Rosen- müller, the Hon. Daniel Sheffer, M. D., was a prominent member of the Democratic party, and for thirty years associate judge of Adams county, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the twenty-fifth congress, and an elector on the Pennsylvania State ticket in 1824. In 1828 he declined the use of his name, which was prominently mentioned,
as candidate for governor of Pennsylvania. He was born in York, Pennsylvania, May 24, 1783, and died at York Springs, that State, February 16, 1880, having come within three years of being a centenarian. On November 6, 1806, he married Naomi Wireman, of York Springs, Pennsylvania, who was of an old Quaker family of German extraction and of local distinction, her great- grandfather, William Wireman, M. D., being a native of Germany, and his wife the Conn- tess Gertrude Stateman, of Holland, who emigrated to this country about the year 1730.
Rev. George Frederick Rosenmüller, M. A., was gradnated from the high school at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and entering Frank- lin and Marshall college, of Lancaster, was graduated from that institution in 1869, in his twenty-first year. He then entered "The Divinity school," at Philadelphia, from which he was graduated in 1872. In June of that year he was created deacon by the Right Reverend William Bacon Stevens, D. D., LL. D., S. T. D., bishop of Pennsylvania (Protestant Episcopal), and the following year, at Reading, he was made a priest by the Right Reverend M. A. De Wolf Howe, D. D., LL. D., bishop of central Pennsyl- vania. His first work was at Montoursville, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, and " parts adjacent." Here he remained five years, and then removed to Sayre, same State, where he passed another term of five years in successful and important work. On No- vember 1, 1882, he became reetor of the very important and prominent parish of St. Peter's ( Protestant Episcopal) church at Niagara Falls, and is extremely popular with his people, and an eloquent and forci- ble speaker.
On December 3, 1879, Rev. Rosenmüller
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was united in marriage with Helen Mercur, oldest child of Mahlon Mahr Mercur, of To- wanda, Pennsylvania. To them have been born four daughters: Anna Walker, born April 14, 1881, at Sayre, Pennsylvania; Mary Knowlton, born November 7, 1882, at same place; Helen, born April 27, 1885, at Niagara Falls; and Dorothea, born July 27, 1890, at Niagara Falls. Mrs. Rosenmüller's father, Mahlon M. Mercur, was a prominent business man in his locality, and brother of Ulysses Mercur, chief justice of Pennsyl- vania, who died in office. He married Anna Jewett, a descendant of Judge Smith, one of the signers of the Declaration of Inde- pendence.
JACOB GAUNT was born in Juniata township, Perry county, Pennsylvania, June 13, 1803. He traces the record of his ancestry back over a period of three hundred and fifty years, when the Gaunts came from the Netherlands to England. Not long after the close of the war of the Revolution three families of the Gaunts came to this country, one settling in New Jersey, near Philadelphia, one in Pennsylvania, and the third finally reaching Kentucky. A descend- ant of the latter family, General E. W. Gaunt, served on the southern side during the late civil war. In 1830 Jacob Gaunt married Eleanor Bosserman, a resident of Perry county, Pennsylvania, and soon after emigrated to Niagara county, New York, settling upon a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in the town of Lockport, three miles east of the city, where they resided until their death. Mr. Gaunt was a man of strong character, physically and men- tally. His educational advantages were limited in carly life, but he developed a strong taste for reading, and thus became a
man of much more than average intelli- gence. He was also a man of great energy, untiring industry, and of irreproachable life and character. He and his wife united with the Methodist church soon after they estab- lished their home in Niagara county, and remained earnest and consistent Christians during their lives.
Jacob Gaunt's honesty and sound business judgment gained him the esteem of his fel- low citizens, which was indicated in a marked manner by his frequent selection as the executor or administrator in the settle- ment of estates. He was also chosen supervisor of his town for several terms. He died June 29, 1884, surviving his es- teemed wife about eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Gaunt left four children : Dr. E. W. Gantt, of the city of Lockport; Mrs. Mary J. Johnston, and Mrs. Ellen E. Hagerman, both residing upon the old homestead; and Watson L., a resident of Canada.
Dr. Ephraim W. Gantt -the spelling changed from Gaunt to conform with all members of the family now residing in America-was born in Lockport, Niagara county, New York, May 26, 1831. He re- ceived his education at our common schools and the Lockport Union school. Until he was about twenty years of age his summers were passed upon the farm, and he was made familiar with every department of agricultural work. After this time he took a course of medical study in the New York Hydropathic institute, which flourished at that time, including with it the instruction to be acquired by attending the clinics of the city hospitals. He subsequently con- ducted a home for invalids in Illinois for several years, and in 1861 returned to Lock- port, where, in 1876, he became connected with the Lockport Daily Union, as political
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editor, and, with the exeeption of about six months, has held that position ever since.
Dr. Gantt has been married twice. His first wife was Vincy E. Flagler, daughter of Sylvester and Abigail Flagler, and the mother of his family of twelve children, nine of whom are still living. His second wife was Mary E. Buckley, who for several years was principal of the High street ward sehool, in the city of Lockport.
WILLIAM J. JACKMAN, the genial and popular proprietor of " The Ni- agara " hotel, at Lockport, and a veteran railroad eonduetor and prominent secret society man, is a son of James R. and Gracia E. (Beardsley) Jackman, and was born at Alexander, Genesee county, New York, on the eleventh day of August, 1835. The Jackmans are descended from old English stock, and trace their lineage in America back to ( 1) James and Joanna Jack- man, who came from Exeter, England, in 1635, and settled at Newburyport, Massa- ehusetts. The line descends in regular order through their son (2) Richard Jack- man, born February 6, 1659; (3) James Jackman, born September, 5, 1686; (4) Moses French Jackman (grandfather), born in 1757; (5) James R Jackman (father), born April 7, 1793; to (6) William J. Jackman, the subject of this sketch. Moses French Jackman (grandfather), married Elizabeth Carr, by whom he had tive sons. He was killed by the fall of a tree at Chel- sea, Vermont, July 7, 1797, and she died at Alexander, New York, September 20, 1819, having removed to that place with her five sons in 1808. On June 23, 1816, James R. Jackman (father), married Gracia Elizabeth Beardsley, daughter of Najah
and Rachel (Woodin ) Beardsley. She was born April 28, 1803, and died April 14, 1887. By this marriage he had a family of three sons and three daughters : Augustus W., born February 26, 1819, and died No- vember 14, 1819; Warren, born March 20, 1822, and has been twice married, first to Malinda Blodgett, by whom he had two children -Aliee J., and Julia-and then to Julia A. Harris, and is a farmer, surveyor, and fruit grower now, at Elma, Erie county, where he has served as justice of the peace and town clerk; Rachel, born July 11, 1824, and died February 15, 1826; Rachel Elizabeth, born February 12, 1827, married Joseph F. Clark, November 18, 1845, and after his death wedded Darius W. Orton; Louisa S., born August 28, 1832, married John C. Humphrey, a Presbyterian minis- ter, and after he died was married to Dr. Paul Gregory, who was an army surgeon during the civil war, by whom she had three children-John, Gracia, and Paul ; and William J. John C. Humphrey died September 16, 1859.
James R. Jackman (father) was one of the pioneers of. Genesee county, eoming from Vermont with an ox team, as was cus- tomary with the early settlers. He lived in Genesee county for many years, thenee he removed to Elma, but finally removed to Murilla, Erie county, where he died in 1864. His was an active, stirring life, and he was noted for benevolence. In politics he was a whig and later a republican. He served about thirty years as justice of the peaee and as judge of the county of Genesee, and his services were frequently in demand for the settlement of estates and in conveyan- eing. He was one of the founders of the Genesee Wesleyan seminary.
William J. Jackman received a good ac-
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ademic education, attending the Genesee Wesleyan academy, and later taking a course at the academy in Lima, Livingston county. At the age of sixteen he started in life for himself as a laborer, but soon afterward embarked in the lumber business at what is now Elma, Erie county, where he was married, and where all his children were born. In 1860 he entered the service of the Erie railroad, which later became the New York, Lake Erie & Western railroad. He served as brakeman on that road for nearly a year, when he was promoted to be conductor, and held that position until July, 1887-a period of twenty-seven years. He ran the first train over that road between Lockport and Buffalo, which road was opened for traffic July 15, 1879, and at which time he removed with his family to Lockport from the city of Buffalo, having been a resident of the latter city for about twenty years. He served as conductor on this road until July, 1887, when he pur- chased and remodeled " The Niagara," and nas since devoted his time to the care- ful and successful management of this popular hotel. The building is a large stone structure, containing thirty-four rooms.
On September 20, 1854, Mr. Jackman married Frances O. Markham, daughter of Stephen and Lovina Markham, of Onon- daga county. Mr. Markham died at Elma, Erie county, where he was engaged in the lumber business. His death occurred April 1, 1879; and Mrs. Markham died October 7, 1890. By this marriage Mr. Jackman had a family of four children : James R., now a conductor on the Lehigh Valley railroad, who married Anna Hull, by whom he had one child-Ethel-and after her death married Rena Burt, of Hannibal, Oswego county; Joseph C., who
married Emelia Spann, by whom he has one child-Robert-and is now traveling for the Altman clothing house, of Buffalo ; Frances, married Milton Thomas, and has two daughters - Emma and Olive, and resides in Chicago, her husband being the agent of the New York Safety Steam Power Company, of New York; and Eliz- abeth, the wife of Charles L. Dole, the well - known florist of Lockport - (see sketch).
In the field of politics Mr. Jackman is a stanch republican, but the busy bee of polit- ical ambition has never buzzed in his vicinity. He is connected with quite a number of fraternal, industrial and benev- olent organizations, and is very popular in secret society circles. The first he joined was the Ancient Order of United Workmen, of which he has been a member for over thirteen years. He was a charter member of the Buffalo division of the Conductor's Brotherhood, now called the Order of Rail- way Conductors, and was chief conductor of the division for four years, and secretary and treasurer for a period of eight years. He was also a charter member of LaFayette Lodge, Knights of Pythias, of Buffalo, and is a member of the Empire Order of Mutual Aid, and a Knight of Honor. In Masonic circles he is also prominent, being past master of Niagara Lodge, No. 375, Free and Accepted Masons; past high priest of Ames Chapter, No. 88, Royal Arch Masons ; thrice illustrious master of Bruce Council, No. 15, Royal and Select Masters; is at the present time generalissimo of Genesee Commandery, No. 10, Knights Templar; and past thrice potent grand master of Lock City Lodge of Perfection, Ancient and Ac- cepted Scottish Rite Masons. He is also a member of the Rochester Consistory, and
Edward- a Milli man.
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OF NIAGARA COUNTY.
of Ishmalia Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Buffalo. Mr. Jackman's two sons-James R. and Joseph C .- are also Royal Arch Masons.
E DWARD A. MILLIMAN. Among the many prominent and successful business men of Tonawanda, none are more modest and unassuming and yet more con- scientious and useful than Edward A. Milli- man. He is the son of Stewart and Susan (Curtice) Milliman, and was born at Wheat- field, New York, April 16, 1832. Stewart Milliman, his father, was a native of Mas- sachusetts, and migrated from that State to Livingston county, New York, and later removed to the town of Wheatfield, where he engaged in farming, which occupation he pursued until his death in 1865. His wife, Susan Curtice, was born in Livingston county, New York. In politics he was an ardent whig, and later became a republican. His views on political matters were always positive, as they were on all other questions, but at the same time broad and liberal. No man, to his mind, deserved the admiration and devotion of the American people so inuch as Abraham Lincoln, and when the question of slavery was made an issue he forsook his affiliations with the Whig party and became a soldier under the flag of his country, with the avowed purpose of help- ing to blot out the stain which slavery had made on her escutcheon. He was twice elected tax collector of Wheatfield. Ed- ward's paternal grandfather, Bryant Milli- man, was a captain of marines in the United States navy, and was in active service when the gallant Perry astounded the world by the electrical words: "We have met the enemy, and they are ours." He died in
Livingston county, New York. He was of English descent.
Edward A. Milliman was reared on his father's farm, and was one of the rugged and stalwart country boys that have risen to prominence and identified themselves with their country's prosperity. His edu- cation was received in the common schools of his native town, and while the classics to him were unknown, yet the rudimentary principles of life were grasped, and his education was a practical one. Soon after reaching man's estate, he engaged in rail- road contracting on the Buffalo and Phila- delphia railroad, and also the Erie branch, now known as the Buffalo and Southwest railroad. In 1872 he was appointed deputy collector of customs at Tonawanda, and was also elected supervisor. He was again ap- pointed deputy collector in 1882, continuing in office for two years. In 1890 he was re- appointed to the same position, and is the present incumbent of that office, making a total of seven years he has served as deputy collector of customs. Mr. Milliman owns a farm in the town of Wheatfield, on the Niagara river, upon which he resides. This farm is well improved, and contains one hundred and thirty acres of valuable land. He has served as commissioner of highways in the town of Wheatfield for three years, and as collector of taxes for one term. He has twice been married, his first wife being Susan, daughter of William Teel, to whom he was married in 1864. She died in 1876, leaving seven children, three sons and four daughters : Emily, George, Anna, William, Francis, Nellie, and Carrie, all of whom are now living. In 1883 lie was married to Lucy J., daughter of William Smith, of Jersey county, Illinois. They have one child, Jennie B.
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In politics Mr. Milliman follows in the footsteps of his illustrious father, being a republican purely and solely from instinct. He is a member of the Republican county committee. In men like Mr. Milliman is reposed the confidence and esteem of his friends, and it can and will be said that that confidence has never been betrayed. He is a gentleman of pleasing manners, strict in- tegrity, unquestionable business ability, and enjoys the confidence and respect of not only his friends and acquaintances, but of the whole surrounding country as well.
C HAUNCEY J. WEATHERWAX, an
insurance broker and real estate dealer of Loekport, who is widely known and highly respected, is a son of Zachariah S. and Mary (Fowler) Weatherwax, and was born Feb- ruary 17, 1845, near the city of Lockport, Niagara county, New York. His grand- father, Lawrence Weatherwax, was a native of Rensselaer county, this State, but removed to Olcott, Niagara county, and from there to the State of Iowa, where he died at the ad- vanced age of eighty-five years. During most of his active life he engaged in the occupation of farming, but for several years previous to his death he lived a retired life. He married Lena Fellows, of Irish descent, and reared a family of five children. One of his sons was A. Theodore, who for a number of years was a merchant in Niagara county, but removed to Waterloo, Iowa. He was very successful in business, and took an active part in politics, serving as alderman, and member of the State assembly. He was a director of the First National bank of Waterloo, and vice-president of the Water- loo Insurance Company, and died at that place about 1886, aged fifty-five years.
Nicholas, the second son, died in Rensselaer county, when twenty years old, and the next, John Wesley, was a farmer in Orleans county, and died at the age of forty. Wil- liam Henry, next younger than A. Theodore, is a stock dealer and meat merchant at Waterloo, Iowa. Their eldest son, Zach- ariah S. Weatherwax (father), was born November 28, 1821, in Greenbush, Rens- selaer county, New York, but removed to Niagara county about 1841, locating at Ol- cott. He has always been engaged in farming and fruit raising, and now owns a fine farm in Orleans county, adjoining the Niagara county line, where he lives in the enjoyment of the fruits of an active and well-spent life. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Middleport, and married Mary Fowler, by whom he had a family of nine children : Mary Cecelia, born November 23, 1843, married Ephraim Campbell, a farmer of Adam's Basin, Monroe county; Chauncey J., the subject of this sketch ; Elizabeth, born September 15, 1846, married Albert Kenyon, one of the early settlers, and resides near Middleport ; Elmer, born September 13, 1848, and lives with his father on the farm; Alfred, born May 25, 1850, and died June 6, 1878-a carpenter and joiner by trade; Ada F., born April 2, 1853, and died in infancy ; Frank R., born June 20, 1858, and deceased March 30, 1875 ; Emma L., born November 6, 1859, married Willet Henderson, of Orleans county, and passed away March 11, 1885; and Ella M., born March 4, 1867, married to B. J. Whit- well, who is engaged in the agricultural implement business at Lockport. The mother of these children, Mrs. Mary (Fow- ler) Weatherwax, was born May 6, 1824, in the town of York, Westchester county, New York, and is still hale and hearty at
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OF NIAGARA COUNTY.
the age of sixty-eight. She is the daughter of William Fowler, who was of French- English descent, and was a native of West- chester county, but removed to and died in Genesee county. He married, and had seven sons and six daughters.
In his youth Chauncey J. Weatherwax received a good common school education, and has added thereto by wide reading and careful study. In August, 1862, when little over seventeen years of age, he enlisted in Company G, 151st New York infantry, and served until the close of the war. In all that time he was absent from his regiment only three days. He participated in a number of the fiercest contests of the war, and was wounded once in battle at Win- chester, Virginia, and twice in the battle of the Wilderness. He witnessed every battle and was on every march in which his regi- ment engaged during its entire term of service. When the storm of war had sub- sided, Mr. Weatherwax returned to the peaceful pursuits of civil life, and after working one year on his father's farm, he learned the trade of carpenter at Water- loo, Iowa, and followed that occupation three years. He then came to Lockport, and for several years was employed as a pat- tern maker in the Holly Manufacturing Com- pany's machine shops in the city of Lock- port, Niagara county, New York. In 1873 he embarked in the fire insurance and real estate business, and for two years was State agent of the Lorillard Insurance Company. His transactions are quite extensive, and his reputation among business men is first- class.
On May 17, 1874, Mr. Weatherwax was united in matrimony with Emma Shultz, a daughter of Milton Shultz, of Potter Center, Yates county, New York. By this union
they have two daughters: Maud, born Oc- tober 17, 1877; and Martha Theodora, born November 17, 1881.
In politics Mr. Weatherwax is a democrat, and has always taken an active part in local politics. In 1873 he was elected as alder- man for the fourth ward of Lockport and served two years, and in 1874 was a delegate to the assembly convention from the first district of Niagara county. He was elected a county committeeman by his party in 1888, and has served continuously in that capacity ever since, being secretary of the committee in 1890-91. In April, 1891, he was chairman of the city convention of Lockport, and by it was made chairman of the city committee. In 1890 he was nom- inated for mayor of the city, but declined to run. He is a member of Lockport Lodge, No. 73, Free and Accepted Masons; Ames Chapter, No. 88, Royal Arch Masons; Bruce Council, No. 15, Royal and Select Masters ; Genesee Commandery, No. 10, Knights Templar; and Lock City Lodge, A. and A. Scottish Rite, Valley of Niagara. He is also a member of the Independent Order of Foresters, No. 608, of Lockport, and of Sprout Post, No. 76, Grand Army of the Republic, and also of John Hodge Lodge, No. 69, Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is a stockholder in the Moser & Heiden- heimer Malting Company, of No. 13 Stone street, New York city, and has acted as ad- juster in nearly all the large fires of his city for the past fifteen years. These facts indi- cate his prominence, and leave nothing to be added.
F RANK E. JOHNSON, cashier of the bank of Suspension Bridge, is a well- known and prominent business man of Niagara county, and resides at Niagara
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Falls, where he is connected with several leading business enterprises. He is the son of Oramel G. and Jane A. ( Symonds ) Johnson, and was born at the village of Niagara Falls, November 27, 1846. His paternal grandfather was William Johnson, a native of Norwich, Vermont, who married Lucinda Waterman, of that place. He was a farmer by occupation, and frequently taught school during the winter season, having what was regarded as a good edu- cation in that early day. The maternal grandfather of Frank E. Johnson was Jesse Symonds, a prominent and successful paper manufacturer of the State of New York, in which he spent most of his active and useful life. Oramel G. Johnson (father) was born in the village of Norwich, Vermont, June 21, 1813, but removed to Niagara county, New York, in 1834, and located at Niagara Falls, where he died April 21, 1878. He was a contractor and builder, and to his architectural skill many of the finest build- ings and residences in that village owe their symmetry and stability. He was a promi- nent and influential member of the Repub- lican party, and was ever alert in the inter- ests of that political organization. H labored for the spread of its principles among the people, and was equally active in his efforts to secure its success at the polls, but at no time had political ambitions of his own to gratify. All his activity was directed solely to securing good government and advancing the interests of the masses of the people. He married Jane A. Sy- monds on February 9, 1843, and to their union was born a family of five sons and two daughters: Edward A., married Addie M. Ford, a niece of Judge Ranney, of Cleveland, and resides in New York city ; Frank E .; William Albert, who lives at
Niagara Falls; Jennie S. and Jessie W., both at home with their parents; and two sons who died in infancy.
Frank E. Johnson received a good Eng- lish education in the public schools of Ni- agara Falls, and after completing his studies there, entered Bryant and Stratton's Busi- ness college at Buffalo, graduating from that institution in 1866. He then became book-keeper for the firm of Howes, Bab- cock & Co., at Silver Creek, Chautauqua county, this State, and remained with them for some time. Later he became connected with some of the prominent hotels in the village of Niagara, in the capacity of clerk, and in 1871 entered the custom house at Suspension Bridge as deputy collector and clerk, and afterwards as cashier. In June of 1885 he resigned this position and re- moved to New York city, where he was in business for about one year. On the organ- ization of the bank of Suspension Bridge, he became its cashier, and has acted in that capacity ever since. Through the energetic and zealous management of President Ben- jamin Flagler, supplemented by the efficient and able efforts of Mr. Johnson as cashier, this has become one of the leading banking houses of Niagara county -an institution the correct methods and financial standing of which no one questions.
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