USA > New York > Schoharie County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Schenectady, Schoharie and Green counties, New York > Part 14
USA > New York > Schenectady County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Schenectady, Schoharie and Green counties, New York > Part 14
USA > New York > Greene County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Schenectady, Schoharie and Green counties, New York > Part 14
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Adam 1 .. Mattice was born September 15, 1803, in Middleburg. Following in the footsteps of his ancestors, he became a tiller of
the soil. On coming of age he purchased a farm not far from the old home, and in the log house that stood in the clearing began life for himself, poor in pocket, but rich in energy, courage, and ambition. By dint of industry and economy he succeeded in pay- ing for his land, besides which he laid up a small sum. On April 5, 1849, having sold his first estate, he took possession of the farm now occupied by his son, Garret W., and here resided until his death, July 5, 1888. A man of sound judgment and good financial ability, he became prominent in the town, and served as Highway Commissioner and Assessor for a number of years. Both he and his wife were active members of the Baptist church. He married Dinah Mattice, who was born in the town of Blenheim, a daughter of David Mattice, a prosperous farmer. They had a family of five children, three of whom survive, namely : Garret W. ; Dinah, wife of Josiah Mann; and Elizabeth, wife of l'eter Shaffer.
Garret W. Mattice was born in the log cabin in which his parents settled soon after mar- riage, and during his earlier years he assisted in the pioneer labor of redeeming a farm from the wilderness. In 1849 he came with them to his present farm, which he and a brother who died in 1877 helped to improve. From that time until the death of his father, in 1888, Mr. Mattice had the general oversight of the property, which is now in his posses- sion. This farm contains one hundred and seventy acres of land, and he also owns a farm of one hundred acres on the road to Cobleskill.
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Skilful and progressive, he has met with success as a general farmer. He raises hay, grain, and hops, is an extensive dealer in cattle, and from his small herd of cows makes a choice grade of butter, which he ships to Al- bany. He has made many of the most impor- tant improvements on the place, including the erection of the present commodious dwelling- house and the substantial barns and farm buildings.
In politics Mr. Mattice affiliates with the Democratic party, and besides serving as Com- missioner of Highways he was Supervisor from 1896 until 1898. He is a regular attendant of the Baptist church, and in the building of the new edifice of that denomination gave material financial assistance.
On March 24, 1866, Mr. Mattice married Rachel Cowan, a daughter of James Cowan, well known in Fulton as an able farmer and lawyer. Mr. Cowan married Emeline Cary, of Schoharie, who passed to the life immortal at the age of sixty-eight years, while he at- tained the age of fourscore years. Mr. and Mrs. Mattice have one child living, a son, Paul B., and they have been bereft of two, namely : Eli G., who died aged three years, six months; and Ira C., who died aged four years and seven months. Paul B. Mattice after his graduation at the Middleburg High School entered Cornell University, class of 1901, intending there to fit himself for the bar. During the Spanish War he enlisted, July 17, 1898, in Company K, Two Hundred and Third New York Volunteers, and served until March 25, 1899, when he was mustered
out as Corporal. On his return he again took up his studies at Cornell.
HARLES E. NICHOLS, counsellor- at-law, and District Attorney of Greene County, and one of the best-known and most respected residents of Catskill, was born in Athens, Greene County, March 20, 1854. His father is General George Sylvester Nichols, and his mother in maidenhood was Ann Netterville Foster.
His paternal grandfather was Judge Sylves- ter Nichols, a native and prominent citizen of Athens. Besides carrying on a farm, the grandfather was a manufacturer of brick and lime, was also engaged in freighting on a large scale, being the owner of several vessels. He was also County Judge of Greene County for several years. He married Lucy E. Hamilton, who also was a native of Athens. She died in 1891, at the age of ninety. Seven of their children grew to maturity; namely, George Sylvester, Samuel Hamilton, William T., El- bridge, Charles P., Henry O., and Sarah.
George Sylvester Nichols, the first-named son, was born in Athens, N. Y., January 12, 1820. He attended private schools in Athens until twelve years old; and in 1832 he entered Lenox Academy, Mass., where he remained one year. In 1834 he went to Fairfield Acad- emy, Herkimer County, N. Y., for a year; and during the year 1837 he studied at the acad- emy in Kinderhook, N. Y., which was estab- lished by his grandfather. From 1838 to 1846 he was captain of the sloop "Science,"
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owned by his father, carrying brick, lime, hay, and produce from Athens to New York. Hle was appointed Brigade Quartermaster of the Thirty-seventh Brigade of New York State Militia, and commissioned by Governor Will- iam C. Bouck on September 14, 1843; and he was appointed Brigadier-general of the Thirty- seventh Brigade by Governor Silas Wright on March 3, 1845. In 1847 and 1848 he was employed in Troy, N. Y., as superintendent of Colonel J. Hooker's docks, barges and canal boats, and general manager of his transporta- tion line to New York. He started for Cali- fornia in 1849, sailing from New York on February 5 in the steamer "Crescent City " for San Francisco. After staying a month on the isthmus, in Gorgona and Panama, he left the last-named place on the steamer "Oregon " on her first trip up the coast, and, arriving at San Francisco on the first day of April, 1849, went directly to Sutter's Mill, Coloma, where he was engaged nearly two years in packing and trading. He left San Francisco for home about December 1, 1850, by steamer, going to Panama, from there crossing the isthmus to Chagres by mule and bungo, as on the trip out, and thence reaching New York by steamer about the first of January, 1851. In the spring of 1851 he was elected Supervisor of the town of Athens, and two years later was nominated by the Democratic party for State Senator for the Tenth District, which includes Greene and Ulster Counties, but was defeated by the Prohibition candidate. In 1855 he was again nominated for State Senator, this time by the American party, was elected, and
served one term. On June 8, 1860, he was appointed one of the Board of Commissioners of Excise for Greene County for three years.
When hostilities began between the South and the North, he felt that his former military training would be of value to his country, and decided to offer himself as a volunteer. On November 23, 1861, having received an ap- pointment as Major in the Ninth New York Cavalry, and having been given his commis- sion by Governor Morgan, he left Albany on the same day for the national capital. Upon going into active service, his bravery and abil- ity at once became conspicuous, and his pro- motion was rapid. On May 30, 1863, he was made Lieutenant Colonel of his regiment, and on June 14, 1864, was commissioned Colonel by Governor Seymour. He was mustered out with the regiment at Buffalo, N. Y., on July 17, 1865. On March 13, 1865, "for gallant and meritorious services in all the cavalry en- gagements under General Sheridan," he was brevetted Brigadier-general of United States Volunteers.
On June 25, 1867, he was appointed by Collector H. A. Smythe Inspector of Customs in the New York Custom House, and on No- vember 8, 1875, he was appointed, by Collec- tor Chester A. Arthur, Deputy Collector of Customs. In 1879 he was nominated for member of Congress by the Republican party in the Fifteenth Congressional District (Ul- ster, Greene, and Schoharie Counties), but was defeated. In 1882 he was appointed by Secretary of the Interior, the Hon. HI. M. Teller, Special Examiner in the pension office ;
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and in this capacity he served three years. For three years also subsequent to 1885 he held the office of County Clerk of Greene County, having been elected by the Republican party. Since 1889 General Nichols has retired from active life.
On October 7, 1845, he married Ann Net- terville Foster, daughter of Captain James G. and Ann E. Foster. Mrs. Nichols was born in Athens, N. Y., and died there at the age of eighty. Her father was a sea captain, and commanded a ship that ran from New York to Liverpool, England. During the embargo placed upon American vessels by the French, he anchored his vessel in the river, a few miles below Athens, to get it in fresh water, and while there met Ann Colson, with whom he fell in love at sight. He made only one more voyage, and then married and settled in Athens, where he went into the brick-making business. This he gave up after a time, and subsequently carried on a store until his death, at the age of seventy-six. He owned a fine farm. His wife died at the age of seventy-eight, having been the mother of six children. Five chil- dren were born to General George S. and Ann N. Nichols, and four of them are living; namely, Mary, Foster, Charles E., and Ar- thur. Mary married Frank N. Howland, who is a member of the firm of Smith & Candee, the oldest and leading firm of dealers in lime, brick, and builders' supplies in New York City. Foster Nichols is purchasing agent for M. Guggenheim's Sons, who are among the largest smelters and refiners in the United States. Arthur Nichols is a mining operator
in Leadville, Col. Mrs. Nichols was a devout Episcopalian, as is also the general; and he was formerly a member of a Masonic organiza- tion. He resides in "The Old Nest" in Athens, which has been his home for half a century.
Charles E. Nichols spent his early years in his native town of Athens, and received his early education in the district schools. Sub- sequently he attended the high school at Englewood, N. J., the Fairfield Seminary at Fairfield, N. Y., and the Fort Edward Collegi- ate Institute. Then, following the memorable advice of Horace Greeley, he went West, and was employed in the general office of the Colo- rado Central Railroad at Golden, Col., for about four years. Having decided to enter the legal profession, he gave his mind with ardor to the necessary studies, and was admitted to the bar in Colorado in 1880. He practised his profession in that State for about two years, during which time he also engaged to some extent in mining. Then, returning East, he was admitted to the bar in the State of New York in 1882, after which he practised law in Athens for some three years. In 1885 he was appointed Deputy County Clerk under his father, which position he held until 1889. He was then appointed Clerk to the Surro- gate's Court by the present surrogate, and served until December, 1898, a period of ten years in all, when he resigned, having been elected District Attorney in the fall of that year. He still has three years to serve in this office.
Mr. Nichols was married in 1890 to Mrs.
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Mary B. Willis, who was born in Connecticut, the daughter of the Rev. H. H. Bates, an Episcopalian clergyman. Her mother's maiden name was E. Samanthe Bascom. Both parents were natives of Vermont. They had three children. Mr. Bates was rector of a church in Glens Falls, N. Y., at the breaking out of the Civil War; and, when one of his wardens had enlisted as a Colonel and another as a Major, he resigned his charge at their request, and went to the front as chaplain of their regiment. Hle remained with his regiment throughout the war, and subsequently, his health being im- paired, took a small charge in Oak Hill, this county. There he died in 1868. He was an active Mason, and was buried with Masonic rites. The lodge of which he was a member erected a monument to his memory at Oak Hill, N. Y., where he was buried.
Mr. Nichols is Vice-Chancellor in the Knights of Pythias Lodge in Catskill, and Junior Sagamore of the Red Men. In 1882 he was a member of the Lodge of Knights of Pythias in Athens. He has resided in Catskill since 1890, when he removed here from Athens. lle and his wife are members of the Episcopal church, which has recently erected a beautiful new church edifice. While in Athens Mr. Nichols was a lay-reader in the church there, and for three years superintendent of the Sun- day-school.
R ICHARD WINEGARD, a well-known miller of Hyndsville, Schoharie County, was born near this village September 19, 1845, a son of George and
Eliza A. (Isham) Winegard. Ile is of Ger- man ancestry, and a grandson of one of the earliest settlers of this section of Schoharie County - Richard Winegard, first, who came here from Schodack, Rensselaer County.
There being no roads across the country in those early days, Grandfather Winegard made the journey hither through the unbroken woods on horseback; and, having secured a tract of land in the heart of the forest, he felled trees, and thus made an opening in which he put up a small log cabin of rude construction, with no windows, and only a blanket for a door. He was a tailor; and, in connection with clearing a farın, he worked at his trade whenever he had an opportunity. He succeeded finely at both occupations, and in the course of a few years had cleared and placed under cultivation a number of acres of land. Prudent, thriftful, and a good manager, he at length found that he was warranted in replacing the log-cabin with a substantial frame house, and in building a com- fortable barn and a shed for his new wagon and farming implements. A man of intelligence and sound judgment, he became influential in the community and a leader in religious circles. He was a devout Methodist, and a regular attendant at the prayer-meetings held seven miles away, a journey that he took on horseback. He far outlived the allotted span of human life, his pilgrimage on earth extend- ing over a period of one hundred and two years. His wife, Charity Rickart, was also of German descent. She proved herself a true helpmeet, assisting him in their carly days of labor while living in the log-cabin, and train-
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ing their seven children to habits of industry and usefulness. She preceded him to the better world, passing away at the age of eighty- five years.
George Winegard assisted his father in his pioneer labors, and after reaching man's estate purchased the old Peter Markle farm near by, in the town of Seward, and spent many years in improving it. He built a new dwelling, a barn, and other farm buildings, and was there engaged in agricultural pursuits several years. Subsequently coming to Hyndsville, he bought land, rebuilt the saw-mill and built a grist- mill, and during the remainder of his life was prominently identified with the highest and best interests of this little village, and was largely instrumental in its development. In politics he was, in early manhood, a stanch Whig, and later a Republican. A man of eminent piety, deeply interested in advancing the cause of religion, he was very active in the Methodist church, with which he united when young, and was for many years a class leader and one of the trustees. When its present house of worship was erected he was one of the foremost in hastening the work, and contrib- uted fourteen hundred dollars toward the building fund. He died at the age of seventy- two years, leaving a host of friends who sym- pathized with the family in their great loss. His wife, whose maiden name was Eliza A. Isham, was born in this town. Her father, Benjamin Isham, was a prominent citizen and a pioneer merchant of Hyndsville. She was a woman of culture, having been educated at a New York City - boarding-school. She was a
distant relation of John Quincy Adams. Mrs. Winegard survived her husband, dying at the age of eighty-two years. They reared five children, namely : Emily, wife of Rector Fos- ter; Phebe, deceased ; George, deceased; Rich- ard ; and Albert.
Richard Winegard was educated in the dis- trict schools, and until he was thirty-five years old he worked with his father on the farm and in the mill. Since the death of the father he and his brother Albert have devoted their attention to the grist-mill, and, in addition to dealing somewhat in grain and feed, have car- ried on a very extensive business in custom grinding of corn, flour, and feed. The nine acres of land included in the original property they utilize by raising on it hay, grain, and potatoes.
Politically, Mr. Winegard is a steadfast Re- publican, and takes an active interest in local and county affairs. Fraternally, he is an Odd Fellow, belonging to Richmondville Lodge. True to the religious faith in which he was reared, he is a faithful member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church, which he has served for many years as trustee, steward, class leader, and church recorder, having taken up the work laid down by his father and success- fully carried it on.
On December 23, 1874, Mr. Winegard was united in marriage to Miss Maggie J. Weid- man, daughter of Nicholas and Ann (Starkins) Weidman, of Schoharie County. Mr. and Mrs. Winegard have one child, a daughter, Lottie E., wife of Benjamin F. Empie, a mer- chant of Hyndsville and Town Clerk of
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Seward. Mr. and Mrs. Empie are the proud parents of a bright baby girl, Bernice I .. , born on February 2, 1899.
B ARTHOLOMEW IL. CLUTE, one of the representative dairymen of Glenville, N. Y., was born in Sche- nectady, June 21, 1831, son of Henry and Cathaline T. (Haverley) Clute. His grand- father, Bartholomew Clute, served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Ile was for some time a boatman on the Mohawk River; and on one occasion he had for a passenger the British commander, Sir Henry Clinton. The maiden name of Grandfather Clute's wife was Margaret Peters.
Their son, Henry Clute, above named, was a native of Schenectady. When a young man, he engaged in the grocery business, which he followed for the rest of his life. He died about 1835. His wife, Cathaline, was a na- tive of Glenville. Her paternal grandfather was John Haverley, a large land-owner of this town in his day. His death occurred the same night that the subject of this sketch was born. John Haverley married Anna Adams, a repre- sentative, it is thought, of the noted Massachu- setts family which has given two Presidents - John and John Quincy Adams - to the United States. Henry and Cathaline T. Clute reared four children; namely, Susan H., Christian H., Bartholomew HI., and John II. B. Clute, all of whom, except Bartholomew H., are re- siding in Rotterdam. The mother died May,
1882. The parents were members of the Re- formed church.
Bartholomew 11. Clute passed his boyhood and youth in Schenectady and Glenville, and attended school in these places. His father's death threw him upon his own resources at an early age, and he began life as a workman in the broom factories of Schenectady at eleven dollars per month. In 1850 he went to Illi- nois, where he engaged in raising broom-corn on leased land. He also established a factory, and manufactured the first lot of Western-made brooms ever sold in Chicago. Although this enterprise proved quite successful, the gold fever soon caused him to sell out, in order to try his fortune in California. Going there by the overland route, he followed various occupa- tions on the Pacific Coast for four years. Re- turning then to Schenectady County, he leased land in Glenville until 1863, since which year he has resided upon his present farm of one hundred and ten acres. He has a valuable piece of agricultural property, with good build- ings and modern improvements. He keeps from twenty to twenty-five cows, and derives considerable profit from the sale of milk.
On October 20, 1858, Mr. Clute was joined in marriage with Agnes Swart, who was born in Glenville, April 13, 1832, daughter of Josias and Catharine (Vedder) Swart. Her parents belonged to highly reputable families of this county. Mrs. Clute is the mother of three children, namely: Kitte V., who is now Mrs. McCullum; Elma, who is now Mrs. Dick; and Clarence Clute.
In politics Mr. Clute is a Democrat. To
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the energy and perseverance which served him so well in his boyhood days is due in a great measure the prosperity he now enjoys, his activity continuing unabated. Mr. and Mrs. Clute are members of the Reformed church.
J OHN S. CARY, a well-known resident of Braman, in the town of Cobleskill, and proprietor of one of the oldest mills in this section of the county, was born in Schoharie, in a house on the road to Howes Cave, on July 19, 1827, son of Sam- uel and Mercy (Swan) Cary.
His father, who was born in Stonington, Conn., was brought up in Sprakers Basin, Montgomery County, N. Y., on a farm. He also worked somewhat during boyhood at raft- ing on the Mohawk River, but eventually came to the farm of George Lawyer in Schoharie Court House, and during the re- mainder of his life was engaged in farm labor, either there or on other farms in this county, working on shares. His wife, Mercy, was the daughter of a pioneer of Knox, Albany County, who built the first mill in that region. He was a stanch patriot in Revolu- tionary times, and was in active service in the army throughout the war, being eleven times wounded. His wife lived to the surprising age of one hundred and three years. On her one hundred and third birthday she rode twenty miles on horseback, but the exertion was too much for her, and she died from its effects. Mrs. Mercy Cary was the youngest of quite a large family of children. Of her
own children, seven in number, John S. was the youngest, and is now the only one living.
Mr. John S. Cary spent his early years at Barnerville, where he attended the public schools. After leaving school he was en- gaged for a time in selling dry goods and small wares along the canal, but later settled in Orleans County, where he worked for six months in a wagon-building shop. At the end of that time he came to Barnerville, and opened a wagon-maker's shop in company with Henderson Pollock. After working there for some time he hired a shop near by, and carried on wagon-making and painting and some cabinet work. Going then to Schoharie, he worked at carriage-building in the winter and at painting in the summer for a few years, and then began working as a millwright along Cobleskill Creek and the Schoharie River Valley. He built a large number of grist and saw mills, and invented a water-wheel of which he afterward constructed and put in place about two hundred in this and adjoining counties. In 1875 he came to his present mill. This he had repaired dur- ing his early millwright work, it having been built by his wife's grandfather, Peter Low- meyers in 1790. A part of the original structure is in use yet, and is in well-pre- served condition. The mill has two stories and a half. The lower floor is devoted to cus- tom and merchant work, principally to the manufacture of rye and buckwheat flour, which is marketed in New York and in other States. There are three mill-runs, besides a "pony stone." The second floor is devoted to puri-
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fying and storing the grain, while the top floor is used for scouring and cleaning grain and for storage. This is one of the oldest mills in the section, as well as one of the largest run by water power. Mr. Cary has now been connected with milling interests for nearly half a century, probably longer than any other man now living in this region.
On the last day of January, 1849, Mr. Cary was united in marriage with Phoebe Gordon, a native of Carlisle and daughter of John Gor- don, a farmer of that town, who died at the age of sixty years. Mrs. Cary was one of a family of ten children, and has herself been the mother of eight, of whom five are living. These are: Alice, Andrew, Laura, Rosalie, and Walter. The three deceased are: Har- riet, who died at the age of nine years of diphtheria; Retta, who died at the age of eighteen months; and Lyman H., who died at the age of six months. Alice, who married Henry Holmes McDonald, a carpenter and contractor of bridges, has three children - Frank, John P., and Rhoda. Andrew mar- ried Cynderilla Severson, and has four chil- dren - Hattie, Foster, Daisy, and Florence. The son, Foster, is a painter and decorator in Cobleskill. Laura married Thomas Chick- ering, a merchant of Lawyersville. Rosalie, who married Judd Bassett, a farmer, has one child, Ralph C. Walter Cary, an engineer, married Jennie Merchant, and has two sons - Olin and Emery P.
Mr. Cary is Republican in politics. He takes a warm interest in all public matters, but has never cared to hold public office. He
is a member of the Masonic lodge at Coble- skill, of De Witt Council at Albany, and of John L. Lewis Chapter at Cobleskill. Ile built the house in which he now resides, and two others near by which are rented to ten- ants; also one with a store adjoining, and owns more houses than any other man in town. In religious views Mr. Cary is a Methodist. He is connected with the Meth- odist church here, has been steward in the so- ciety for many years, and an active worker in the Sunday-school. Mrs. Cary likewise has been a member of the church since her early girlhood. Mr. Cary is a progressive man. He has been keenly alive to every plan pro- mulgated for the improvement of the town, and has kept his own property in unexcelled con- dition. Down at the mill he has built a large wall eleven feet high, containing boulders weighing a ton, to keep the water from over- flowing. His other real estate property also shows that it is constantly looked out for and never allowed to lack repairs.
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