USA > New York > Niagara County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Niagara County, New York > Part 53
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In Marelı, 1879, Mr. Keyes was united in marriage to Aliee J. Dana, daughter of William Dana, and to their union have been born two children : Will Forrest, and Maude Dana, both living at home with their parents. The father of Mrs. Keyes, Willian Dana, was a native of New Hamp- shire, born in 1824, and died in 1876. He was a farmer by oeeupation, and in polities a demoerat. He married Margaret Farmer, and their only child who lived to reach maturity was Aliee J., now Mrs. Keyes.
In polities Mr. Keyes has been indentified with the Demoeratie party, but is inelined toward independence in political action, especially in regard to local affairs. He is a member of Mt. Vernon Lodge, No. 15, Free and Accepted Masons, at Newport,
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OF NIAGARA COUNTY.
New Hampshire. His various inventions have given him prominence in that line, and his large business ability is recognized where- ever he is known.
JOHN W. BICKFORD, M. D., a resi-
dent physician of Lockport, who is act- ive and successful in, the practice of his pro- fession, was born in the town of Keene, Iona county, central Michigan, May 20, 1846, and is a son of Samuel E. and Ann ( Stisser) Bickford. His paternal great- grandfather, Amos Bickford, was of English descent, and served as a soldier in the Rev- olutionary war. Of his grandsons, one is Samuel E. Bickford (father), who was born in the city of Rutland, Vermont, in 1813. He went west when a young man and set- tled in Michigan, but soon returned cast and became a resident of the town of Carl- ton, Orleans county, this State, where he re- mained a few years. At the end of that time he returned to Michigan, where he now resides in the southeastern part of that State, in Washtenaw county. He is a far- iner by occupation and a republican in poli- tics, and has served as supervisor of his town. He married Ann Stisser, of Orleans county. She was born in Oneida county in 1822, died in Michigan in 1859, and her re- mains lie entombed in the cemetery at Al- bion, in that State.
John W. Bickford, although born in Mich- igan, was reared principally in Orleans county, this State, and received his educa- tion at Albion academy. Leaving school, he made choice of medicine for a life vo- cation, and after a careful course of read- ing, took three courses of lectures in the medical department of the University of Buffalo successively in the years 1873 and
1875. In 1881 he returned to the univer- sity, and in that year was graduated from the medical department. IIe commenced the practice of his profession in Orleans county in 1875, but two years later removed to the town of Somerset, this county, where he practiced until he was graduated in 1881. In the spring of 1882 he came to Lockport, where he has continued in the practice of his chosen profession up to the present time.
On March 24, 1875, Dr. Bickford united in marriage with Lucy Emeline, daughter of Christopher Arnold, of Providence, Rhode Island.
Dr. Bickford is a republican and a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church. In 1888 he was elected county coroner, which office he is still holding. He is a member of the Ni- agara County Medical society, and served as city physician of Lockport from the spring of 1889 to the 1st of August, 1891. He has been prominent in Masonry for several years, and is a member of Red Jacket Lodge, No. 646, Free and Accepted Masons; Ames Chapter, No. 88, Royal Arch Masons; and Genesec Commandery, No. 10, Knights Templar. He is also a member of John Hodge Lodge, No. 69, Ancient Order of United Workmen. The secret of one's suc- cess is largely contained in the answer to the question, How earnest and persevering is he ? This earnestness and perseverance, so indicative of a successful career, is largely possessed by Dr. Bickford, who has labored persistently to attain his advanced rank in his profession, and to continually widen the field of his medical knowledge.
F LETCHER S. WHITTAKER, a well
known citizen, and one of the young and enterprising business men of Lewiston,
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is a son of John L. and Emeline ( Hunting- ton ) Whittaker, and was born in the town of Porter, Niagara county, New York, Sep- tember 29, 1858. Lyman Whittaker (grand- father) was a native of New Hampshire, came to Niagara county in 1840, and set- tled in the town of Porter, where he lived until his death, being sixty-four years of age. He was a carpenter by trade, and a farmer by occupation. He married Per- melia Smith, who was a native of the White Mountain State, and lived to be eighty - four years of age. John L. Whit- taker (father) was born in Manchester city, New Hampshire, and also came to Niagara county in 1840. He located in the town of Porter, where he remained thirty years. At the expiration of that time he removed to the village of Youngstown, where he lived for five years, and died in 1881, at the age of fifty-two years. His death occurred when he was visiting his son Elbert, who was living in Cleveland, Ohio. While liv- ing in Porter he was a farmer, and held some of the town offices. Of these, one was that of constable, which office he held for twenty years. He married Emeline Hunt- ington, who was born at Sharon, Vermont, and died November 12, 1891, in the sixty- first year of her age. In religious senti- ment she was a Presbyterian, and ever re- mained true to the church of her choice, in whose interests she was a humble but ac- tive and sincere worker.
Fletcher S. Whittaker was reared upon a farm in the town of Porter, and received his education in the district and Lockport Union schools. Leaving school, he was for two years employed as a clerk in a dry goods store in Lockport. For the next seven years he served as a clerk in the mercantile business, under the employ of
John Fleming, of Lewiston. In 1885 he began the mercantile business for himself, which he has followed until the present time. He gives close attention to his busi- ness, and now owns a large stock, and com- mands an extensive trade.
In 1880 he married Esther Bale, daugh- ter of William H. Bale, of Lewiston village.
He is a strict member of the First Pres- byterian church at Lockport, and in poli- tics he has always been a stanch supporter of the Republican party, and a strong advo- cate of its cardinal principles. He has been treasurer of the village of Lewiston, and is now president of the Board of Health. Ever since he began life for himself his march has been steadily onward in the line of business, until he has attained a promi- nent place among the business men of Lew- iston. His stock of goods is carefully selected to meet the numerous and varied re- quirements of his community, and to this and his uniform courtesy and efforts to ac- commodate his patrons, are due the rapid increase and substantial character of his patronage, as well as his deserving popular- ity with the public.
WILLIAM HAMBLIN, now a prosper- ous farmer and fruit grower of the town of Wilson, who for many years was a popular merchant in the village of that name, is the son of Enos and Susan (Smith ) Hamblin, and was born at Cornwall, Addi- son county, Vermont, on May 6, 1821. The Hamblins are of original Welsh descent, and were early settlers in Connecticut and Dutchess county, New York. John Ham- blin (grandfather) was a native of that county, and came to Niagara county, New York, in 1836. He was an extensive farmer
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in Vermont, but only lived a month or two after coming to Niagara county, dying at the age of eighty-four years. He was a sol- dier in the Revolutionary war, and was taken prisoner and sent to Montreal, Can- ada, and placed on board a man-of-war until exchanged. After the war he drew a pen- sion for his services. His son, Enos Ham- blin (father), was born in Addison county, Vermont, and removed to this county in 1834 and located in the town of Wilson, on what is now the Randall road, where he took up one hundred acres of fine land and cleared up a farm, on which he resided until 1854. He then removed to the town of New Fane, where he died in 1870, in his seventy-ninth year. He was a member of the Presbyterian church, and a republican in politics. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and received a land warrant after that war. He was of a stirring, energetic dispo- sition, and it is said he had not an enemy in the world. He married Susan Smith, and by her had a family of four children. She was a native of Addison county, Vermont, a member of the Presbyterian church, and died in 1853, aged fifty-six years.
William Hamblin came to Niagara county with his parents in 1834, was reared on the farm, and received his education in the pub- lic schools of this county. After leaving school he engaged in farming, and continued that ocenpation until 1854, when he opened a general merchandise store in the village of Wilson, which he successfully conducted for nearly eighteen years. At the end of that time he removed to his farm on the Youngstown road, one and a half miles west of the village of Wilson. This farm con- sists of three hundred and thirty-five acres of fine land, all well improved, and supplied with comfortable and commodious farm
buildings. There is a large apple orchard upon this farm, and another large section is devoted to peach growing, besides consider- able space given to various other fruits.
In October, 1842, he united in marriage with Annic, daughter of Otis Tower, of the town of Wilson. She died in 1854, leaving three children, two sons and a daughter: Eli N., George O., and Mary A. The two sons are farmers by occupation, and both reside in the town of Wilson. The daugh- ter died in 1879, in her thirty-first year. In 1856 Mr. Hamblin was again married, this time wedding Amoretta E. Wood, a daugh- ter of Silas Wood, of the town of Wilson. To this union was born one child, a son named Frank W., who has been engaged in teaching for some time, but is now a farmer of the town of Wilson.
In the political world Mr. Hamblin was a democrat till 1864. Since that time he has been a republican, and has taken an active part in the support of the principles and general policy of that party. He served three terms as supervisor of the town of Wilson, and has also served as assessor and railroad commissioner, and during the war was appointed by the town authorities to aid in the enlistment of soldiers. He owns one of the largest farms in the town of Wil- son, and his farm operations are on an ex- tensive scale. IIc takes rank among the most prosperous, substantial, and highly esteemed citizens of Niagara county.
M YRON L. BURRELL. One of the most honorable, important, and useful professions is that of jurisprudence, and one who has attained commendable standing in its ranks as a lawyer and counselor is Myron L. Burrell, of Lockport. He was born in
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Sheffield, Massachusetts, January 21, 1816, and is a son of Warren and Polly (Schelenger) Burrell. The ancestral history of the Bur- rell family extends back into England, where it is traced to the days of William the Con- queror. The American branch of the family was planted in New England in an early day in its history, and from it have descended the numerous Burrell families of to-day in the various north and middle Atlantic States. David Burrell (paternal grandfather) was a wagon maker and farmer, and one of the most successful as well as one of the wealth- iest men of Sheffield. Although his business ventures in every instance were remarkably fortunate, yet he confined the field of his commercial operations to his own and ad- joining counties. His son, Warren Burrell (father), was born in Sheffield, and in 1836 came to Lockport, where he resided until 1838, when he removed to Kalamazoo, Michigan, at which place he died in 1864, aged seventy-six years. He was a wagon maker by trade, a democrat in politics, and a skillful workman. He was a good citizen and an honest man, and married Polly Schelenger, of Sheffield, Massachusetts, who was three years his junior in age, and died in 1864. Her two eldest brothers entered the American army during the Revolution- ary war, were captured by the British, and starved to death in one of the old Jersey prison ships that are a lasting disgrace to the English generals then in command of New York city.
Myron L. Burrell, at fourteen years of age, went with his parents from Sheffield, Massachusetts, to Rochester, New York, where they resided for four years before coming to Lockport. He received his edu- cation in the common and select schools of Sheffield and Rochester. In 1833 he com-
menced the study of law, and after several interruptions in his reading, completed the required course, and was admitted to prac- tice in the courts of New York in January, 1839. He then opened an office in Loek- port, where he has been engaged in eon- tinuous, active, and successful practice until the present time, exeepting two years, from 1871 to 1873, which he spent near St. Louis, Missouri.
On May 20, 1840, he married Mary Jones, of Sheffield, Massachusetts, who died in 1869, leaving three children, two sons and one daughter: George L., who is employed in the auditor's office of the Pacific railroad at St. Louis, Missouri; Arthur S., engaged in farming thirty miles south of St. Louis ; and Ellen L., a teacher in the the Wellesley Female college, near Boston, Massachusetts. On October 2, 1879, Mr. Burrell united in marriage with Angeline Goodrich, formerly of Catskill, New York. Mrs. Burrell is an amiable woman, and has been, since its organization, one of the active members of East Avenue Congregational church, of Lockport, in which Mr. Burrell is a deacon, having been for twelve years previous to that time a deacon in the First Congrega- tional church of Lockport.
From 1855 to 1860 he was interested in the Lockport Nursery, having withdrawn from his profession for a time on account of ill health. He is a strong supporter of the Republican party, was justice of the peace for four years, and served during the late civil war as deputy collector of United States internal revenue for Niagara county. He is a member of Niagara Lodge, No. 375, Free and Accepted Masons, and takes a due and proper interest in all the proceedings of his lodge and fraternity. Myron L. Burrell is a pleasant and courteous gentle-
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OF NIAGARA COUNTY.
man of the old school, who has so conducted himself through life as to gain the respect and good-will of his fellow citizens.
C HARLES E. HONEYWELL, editor and proprietor of the Star, at Wilson, and a journalist of wide experience, who wields a trenchant pen, was born in Chip- pewa, Ontario, March 2, 1852. When less thian a year old he removed with his parents to Toronto, Ontario, where he resided until manhood. He received a liberal education in the public and private schools of the city. After leaving school he learned the printers' trade, and was employed on the principal newspapers in Toronto until 1877, when he came to the United States. In 1878 he settled in Wilson, Niagara county, New York, and founded the Star, an eight- page paper, independent in politics, and mainly devoted to local and general news. It is published weekly, in Masonic block, Main street, Wilson. In addition to his newspaper business, Mr. Honeywell is en- gaged in photo-engraving, and in printing and selling memorial cards, some of which cannot be rivaled as artistic productions.
On March 3, 1879, he was married to Sarah Myers, daughter of Charles Myers, of Wilson. He is a member of Ontario Lodge, No. 376, Free and Accepted Masons ; Ontario Lodge, No. 112, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and is also connected with the Sexennial League, Knights of Pythias, and Red Men. In all these benevolent and fraternal organizations he is very popular, and has held a number of offices in the various lodges. In politics he maintains an independent attitude, both as a citizen and as an editor, concerned chiefly in assist- ing to advance such men and measures as
in his judgment are best calculated to sub- serve the public welfare. He is well posted in political history, but practical politics lias reached a phase in which he considers the highest duty of the patriotic citizen to be honest independence. Mr. Honeywell takes rank with the best and most intelligent citizens of Niagara county. His parents arc of English descent, his mother's parents being the earliest settlers in Toronto, On- tario. On both his father's and mother's sides his relatives have long been foremost in military and governmental circles.
₿ YRON B. YOUNG, of Niagara Falls, is a son of Philip and Nancy ( Chrys- ler) Young, and was born July 10, 1855, at Port Huron, Michigan. The family is of Scotch-English extraction. Philip Young (father) was born in Schoharie, New York, January 1, 1794, and died November 15, 1880. He went to Canada and from there to Michigan, but returned to Niagara Falls about 1868, where he died. He was a farmer, a democrat, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He served in the army in the war of 1812, taking part in the battles of Lundy's Lane, Chippewa, and Queenstown Heights. He was twice married.
Byron B. Young was educated at La Salle and Lockport, was a farmer in his early years, and came to Lockport in 1878 to take charge of the packing and shipping department of Schoellkopf & Matthews' mill-the largest of its kind in western New York-and has been in their employ ever since. He is a democrat, and has been clerk of the village for nine years. He is a member of Frontier Lodge, No. 132, Free and Accepted Masons, and also of the An-
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
cient Order of United Workmen. He mar- ried Martha E. Dedrick, of La Salle, New York, and to them have been born four children : Mabel, Flora, Anna, and George.
W ASHINGTON H. CROSS, a promi- nent young real estate dealer of Ni- agara county, is a native of Lockport, this county, and was born July 22, 1858. ITis parents were Sydney S. and Anna (Ballou) Cross, the former born in Niagara county, New York, and the latter in the State of New Hampshire. Sydney S. Cross ( father) was one of the first trustees of the village of Lockport, and for twenty years conducted a grocery business there, part of that time running three stores. Later he became a dealer in real estate, and for two decades has been prominently identificd with real estate interests in the city. For a dozen years last past his son, Washington H., has been interested with him in this business.
Washington II. Cross received a fine English education in the Lockport Union school, and afterwards became local editor of the Lockport Daily Union and Niagara Democrat for two years. He then entered the law office of E. C. Hart, and read law for three years, but does not seem to have become enamored with the beauties of Blackstone, as lie never applied for admis- sion to the bar. Indeed, he admits that he always preferred the real estate business, and at an early age began operations in that line. He is now associated with M. O. O'Conner, of Lockport. In February, 1891, these gentlemen purchased a block of forty- two acres of land at Suspension Bridge, adjoining the De Veaux college property, and dividing it into town lots, formed an addition to that village. These lots were at once
put upon the market, and so energetic was the management of this young firm that the last lot was sold in less than a year. Mr. Cross took an active part in organizing and establishing the Westerman Natural Gas and Iron Company at Marion, Indiana, in which company, with others, he has large interests. He was secretary and treasurer for companies at Marion, aggregating half a million dollars, and handled these large interests with marked ability. He has some fifty or sixty thousand dollars invested in real estate at Suspension Bridge, having made these investments before the tunnel was commenced. Of course the value of his property is greatly enhanced since its purchase. In company with others, he is largely interested in the new banking house at Suspension Bridge, to be known as the Frontier bank of Niagara county. He has been elected one of its directors. Mr. Cross is a stockholder in a number of other enter- prises, and owns considerable real estate, among which are several residence properties in Lockport and at Niagara Falls.
In the Masonic circles of Niagara county Mr. Cross is also prominent. He is a mem- ber of Red Jacket Lodge, No. 646, Free and Accepted Masons; Ames Chapter, No. 88, Royal Arch Masons; and Genesee Com- mandery, No. 10, Knights Templar. He is also a member of Cataract Lodge, No. 54, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and an officer in the John Hodge Council, No. 69, Ancient Order of United Workmen. For five years he was secretary of the Niagara County Anglers Club, which club he assisted to build up until it reached a membership of nearly two hundred.
On December 16, 1885, Mr. Cross was united in marriage to Hattie I., daughter of Charles H. Carpenter, of Utica, New York.
Wash. Ar Cross. rosa.
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OF NIAGARA COUNTY.
To this union have been born two children : Neil C. and Sydney.
In politics Mr. Cross has always been a republican, and has given his party a uni- form support, but the fascinations of a con- genial business have been greater with him than the allurements of active politics, and he has never beconie entangled in the net- work of political anibition, though some of his party friends have tried to tempt him in that direction.
P RANK E. SMITH, one of the substan- tial citizens and industrious artisans of Niagara Falls, is a son of Frank A. and Theresa (Binderknecht) Smith, and was born at Louisville, Ohio, on November 28, 1846. His parents were natives of France, coming to America about 1844, and locating in Ohio. They afterward removed to Indiana, where they lived for some years, but in 1855 they removed to Buffalo, New York, where the mother still resides. The father was a butcher by trade, and in politics an ardent democrat. Eight children were born to them, seven of whom are still living: Frank A., who is a cooper by trade, and lives at Erie, Pennsylvania; Nicholas, also a cooper, who lives at Niagara Falls, and who served in the navy during the civil war, under Ad- miral Porter-part of the time as captain of a gun-and received injuries while thus defending his country which resulted in the loss of his hearing; Lena, widow of Joseph Newhouse, who lives in the city of Buffalo; Theresa, married to John Getz, a furniture finisher in Buffalo; Sebastian, who also lives in Buffalo, and is engaged as finisher in a furniture establishment; Mary, mar- ried to Jolin Ramstein, a molder, living in Buffalo; and Frank E.
Frank E. Smith was educated in the com- mon schools of Buffalo, and learned the trade of a cooper in that city, working there for a number of years. In 1880 he came to Niagara Falls and secured work in the shops where he became superintendent. After he had worked about six months lie was offered the position of foreman, and had general charge of the work until 1891, when he resigned and opened the Parlor meat market at 198 Niagara street.
On December 23, 1882, Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Charlotte Cooper, nee Petricken, and one child, Sebastian, born August 30, 1883, has blest this union. Two stepsons, Augustus P. and George S. Cowper, are also members of his family.
In addition to his other business, Mr. Smith is a director in the Niagara Falls Safe and Loan Association, and owns stock in the Suspension Bridge Bottling works. He is a democrat of positive convictions, thus holding fast to his father's political faith, but has never taken any very active inter- est in the contests of the political arena, though he has been elected and is now ser- ving as one of the village trustees. In re- ligion he is a devout Catholic, while his wife and sons are communicants in the Presbyterian church.
OSEPH MONTGOMERY, deceased,
was born in the north of Ireland, of Scotcli-Irish parentage, October 10, 1837. He emigrated to Canada when fourteen years of age, and in 1863 removed to Lock- port, this county. He became a photogra- pher, and followed that occupation until his death in 1888. In 1863 he married Sarah Margaret Massey, daughter of I. F. Massey, one of the early merchants of Lockport.
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
To this union two sons and one daughter were born : Frederick Dorsey, now a mem- ber of the engraving firm of Manz & Co., of Chicago, Illinois; Arthur Massey, an employee of that company; and Aleen Josephine.
At the time of his death Mr. Montgomery was treasurer of the Niagara Methodist Episcopal church, a member of Red Jacket Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He was also a member of the Royal Tem- plars, and of the Legion of Honor.
Dr. Clark said of Mr. Montgomery, in an obituary notice : " If ever a man strictly exemplified the Christian spirit in his life and death, this man has done so. Sober, temperate, chaste, honest; adding to his temperance faith, to faith knowledge, to knowledge brotherly love and charity, he lived a constant example to such Christians as with the mouth make professions of godliness, but in their lives bring dishonor to the faith they defend."
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