USA > New York > Schoharie County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Schenectady, Schoharie and Green counties, New York > Part 18
USA > New York > Schenectady County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Schenectady, Schoharie and Green counties, New York > Part 18
USA > New York > Greene County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Schenectady, Schoharie and Green counties, New York > Part 18
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41
190
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
plates, the history of which is connected with the Revolution, is still preserved in Mr. Decker's family. They were thrown into a well by the wife of Captain llagar just before the house was burned by Brant's Indians and Tor- ies, and they were taken from the well at the close of the war. Mrs. Betsy Ann Decker died at eighty years of age, on March 12, 1894. She was the mother of the following- named children : Marietta; S. Amelia; Martha A .; Francelia; Rozella; Almira, who died at the age of six years; Helen, who died young ; William 11. ; and two elder sons, who died young. Marietta married David Simonson, and resides in Hobart, N. Y. Amelia married Dr. R. Hubbell, of Jefferson, N. Y., and died in 1889. Francelia is the wife of William R. Ladd, of Bangor, Me. Rozella is the second wife of Dr. R. Hubbell, of Jefferson, N. Y.
William Henry Decker is a man of fine phy- sique, and in his prime was known as the strongest and most active man in this section. He has been known to lift twelve hundred pounds dead weight. He carly engaged in blacksmithing, for which he seemed so well adapted by nature, and in wood working and repairing. His motto was, "Do it right and you won't have to do it over again"; and, as this sentiment found constant expression in all work that he did, he had no difficulty in secur- ing the best trade in his line in this vicinity. But after twenty years of mechanical labor he was attacked by rheumatism, and it became necessary for him to make a change in this business. He therefore confined himself to farming on his two hundred and thirty eight
acres, devoting his attention chiefly to dairying and fruit-growing. llis dairy of sixty milch cows is one of the largest in town, and is com- posed of excellent stock. lle has about six hundred apple-trees. He is one of the five directors in the creamery company at South Gilboa, and previous to its incorporation was one of the committee that built the creamery and carried on the business. This creamery, which is one of the most expensive in this vicinity, cost, with buildings and equipment, seven thousand dollars.
Politically, Mr. Decker is a strong Repub- lican. lle has attended many conventions, and every year since he became a voter has taken an active part in election and nomina- tion of officials. With the exception of one year, when he was sick, he has always been present at town elections. Ile has held the offices of Collector, Road Commissioner, l'oor- master, Assessor, Constable, and, indeed, every office in the town except those of Town Clerk and Justice of the Peace. If he lives till the end of his present term he will have been Supervisor of his town five years. Every nomination has come to him unsolicited. While he was serving as Road Commissioner thirty bridges were repaired in one season, but expenses were kept at a minimum. In 1896 he was elected Supervisor for two years; in 1898 he was re-elected, for one year, as the unanimous choice of both parties; and in the early part of the present year, 1899, he was re- elected for two years. His opponent at his first election was Stephen Wildsey, who had been on the board twice before.
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
Mr. Decker has been twice married, his wives being sisters, daughters of Hiram Brown, of Dutch descent. Mr. Brown is liv- ing, but his wife died in April, 1896. They were the parents of two sons and three daugh- ters, namely : Eliza; Reuben; Jacob, who re- sides in Gilboa; Addie; and Angie. Addie Brown, to whom Mr. Decker was married first, died in her thirty-fourth year, on November 21, 1889. She was the mother of five chil- dren, and is survived by three; namely, Lizzie E., Zanah, and Arthur B. Willie J. died at two years of age, on November 2, 1880; and Inza died at four years of age, on October 22, 1884. Mr. Decker's present wife was before marriage Angie Brown. Mr. Decker is a member of the Shew Hollow Methodist Epis- copal Church. He has always been a temper- ate man in every way, using neither tobacco nor intoxicants of any kind. His genial tem- per and hearty good humor make him a gen- eral favorite, and his jovial laugh is a pleasant sound to hear.
ILLIAM D. SHAFER, M.D., a rising young physician of Oak Hill, town of Durham, N. Y., was born in Coble- skill, Schoharie County, March 16, 1870, son of Daniel G. and Mary J. (Van Volkenberg) Shafer. His paternal grandfather, Daniel Shafer, was a lifelong resident of Cobleskill, where he cultivated a farm during his active period, and died at the age of eighty years.
Daniel G. Shafer, Dr. Shafer's father, ac- quired a good education in the common schools
and at Charlotte Academy. For many years he was associated with his brother-in-law. lle finally purchased a piece of agricultural prop- erty of one hundred and thirty acres, situated near Mineral Springs, upon which he spent his last years, and where his widow, Mrs. Mary J. Shafer, still resides. In politics he was a Democrat. Mrs. Shafer's father, Hiram Van Volkenberg, was a farmer of Schoharie County. She is the mother of two children : William D., the subject of this sketch; and Mary, wife of Jesse Shafer of Mineral Springs.
After attending the common schools and the high school of Cobleskill, William D. Shafer began the study of medicine with Dr. Allen of that town, and later attended the New York Eclectic College, from which he was graduated in 1892. He began the practice of his profes- sion in New York City, and went from there to Livingstonville. Since July, 1896, he has been the only physician at Oak Hill, and his practice, which has already assumed large proportions, extends into Schoharie and Al- bany Counties, necessitating long tedious rides in all kinds of weather.
In 1892 Dr. Shafer was united in marriage with Jessie Dillenbeck, daughter of Jonas Dil- lenbeck, a druggist of Cobleskill. They have one son, Rudolph.
Politically, Dr. Shafer acts with the Demo- cratic party. He served as Coroner in Scho- harie County, resigning that office when he re- moved from Livingstonville. He is treasurer of the Lyman Tremaine Lodge, No. 265, I. O. O. F., Oak Hill, and a member of the Middleburg Encampment. He is medical ex-
192
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
aminer for the New York Life and Prudential Insurance Companies; also for the Masonic Life Association of Western New York, and formerly belonged to the New York Eclectic Society. Hle attends the Episcopal church, of which Mrs. Shafer is a member.
EV. HUGH O'NEIL, pastor of St. Mary's Church, Ilunter, N. Y., and of St. Francis de Sales Church, Plater- kill, was born in Dungarvan, County Water- ford, Ireland, May 18, 1838, son of Patrick and Ellen (McSweeney) O'Neil.
The first of the family to settle in Waterford was his great-grandfather, Hugh O'Neil, who went there from Shaw's Castle, County Ty- rone. Edward O'Neil, his grandfather, was born in Kilkenny, and was a farmer. Patrick O'Neil, his father, who was born in Water- ford and was a farmer in early life, later engaged in the bakery business in Dungar- van. lle was also a spirits merchant, and before the advent of railroads he ran a line of carriages known as post coaches. He was a great admirer of Daniel O'Connell, and while taking an active part in electing a mem- ber of parliament he contracted an illness which caused his death at the age of fifty-two years.
Patrick O'Neil was a highly respected citi- zen and an able supporter of the church. His wife, Ellen, was born in Tipperary in 1796, daughter of Thomas McSweeney. During the Rebellion of 1798 her parents took refuge in a town in the county of Waterford. She was
the mother of eight children, of whom the sub- ject of this sketch and his sister Margaret are the only survivors. Margaret, now Mrs. O'Callahan, resides with her brother in Hun- ter She has a daughter who is the Assistant Reverend Mother in the convent at West Troy. One of Father O'Neil's brothers, Edward, was educated in St. John's College, Waterford, from which he was graduated in 1852. lle was ordained to the priesthood, and sent to Manchester, England, where he became a Canon, and served in that capacity until his death, which occurred in 1892, at the age of sixty-seven.
Hugh O'Neil began his education in a classical school, prepared for college under private tutors, and in 1858 went to Allhallows College, where he was graduated in 1860. Ilis theological studies were pursued at Water- ford and at St. Mary's College, Oscott, Eng- land, where he was a fellow-student with the late King Alphonso of Spain and with the father of the late General Garcia, the Cuban leader. He was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Church, February 9, 1867, and his first appointment was to St. Barnabas Cathedral, Nottingham, England, where he re- mained nine months. His next charge was at the village of Ilkeston, now a city, where his duties required him to cover a circuit of forty- five miles ; and during his labors there, which extended through a period of eleven years, he erected a church and a school building and de- veloped the parish into a highly prosperous condition. The routine work which he accom- plished unaided is now performed by eight
193
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
priests. At his own request he was trans- ferred to the village of Hathersage, Peak of Derbyshire, famous as the home of Robin Ilood, and with the assistance of the Duke of Norfolk he repaired and opened an ancient church built previous to the Reformation.
At the expiration of four and one-half years he came to the United States on a leave of ab- sence, arriving in New York in 1882, and, subsequently deciding to remain this country, he severed his connection with his English parish and accepted an assignment to a mission church in Philadelphia. At the request of the bishop of Indianapolis he went to St. Patrick's Church in that city. After that he was again stationed in Philadelphia for a short time, and then became attached to the diocese of Albany, and was assigned to St. Mary's Church in Troy. In 1887 he came to Hunter as pastor of St. Mary's Church.
The arduous duties of a widely distributed district, which included villages and settle- ments within a radius of fifty miles, were zeal- ously and energetically performed by him for five years, or until his circuit was divided, since which time the concentration of his labors has enabled him to accomplish results far more visible in their effects. Beside effect- ing the enlargement and improvement of St. Mary's Church, he erected St. Francis de Sales Church in Platerkill in 1891. At both of these churches he officiates the year round, celebrating two masses each Sunday during the summer season, besides holding week-day ser- vices whenever occasion demands. He for- merly conducted service regularly at the hotel
Kaaterskill during the season, but these he was obliged to relinquish on account of his in- creasing labors elsewhere. Ile has earnestly endeavored to promote the spiritual welfare of his widely-scattered flock, and the zeal he dis- plays in conducting the affairs of his pastorate has gained for him the good will of the entire community. He organized the Sacred Heart and Rosary societies, and he takes a lively in- terest in the work of the town improvement so- ciety, of which he is a member. At the ear- nest request of the people of Lexington he aided in securing the erection of a church in that village; and he has also repaired St. Henry's Church, located between Ashland and Prattsville.
Father O'Neil began to interest himself in political affairs shortly after his arrival in this country, and in 1884 he headed a commit- tee who, at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, New- York City, presented the late Hon. James G. Blaine with a gold-headed cane. He is a nat- uralized citizen of the United States, and sup- ports the Democratic party.
OHN G. EMPIE, who has been actively identified with the agricultural interests of the town of Seward, Schoharie County, for more than thirty years, is the owner of a well-improved farm lying about one mile from the village of Hyndsville. He was born in Sharon, N. Y., January 5, 1836, a son of Peter Empie, Jr. He is of French and German ancestry, and the descendant of one of the earliest settlers of Schoharie County - his
194
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
great-grandfather, John Empie, having re- moved in early manhood from Stone Arabia, Montgomery County, to the town of Sharon. A hard-working pioneer, John Empie cleared a farm from the wilderness, and there passed the remainder of his life.
Peter Empie, Sr., grandfather of John G., spent his seventy-seven years of life on the old homestead in Sharon, Schoharie County, work- ing as a farmer through boyhood, early man- hood, and old age. Ile cleared off wood, cul- tivated the soil, and in course of time erected substantial frame buildings in place of the original log house and barn. His wife, Katie Lehman, was born in Sharon. She was a daughter of John Lehman, whose father was one of the original settlers of that place. Of their eight children, none survive.
Peter Empie, Jr., son of Peter, Sr., was born and brought up on the old farm in Sharon, and received his education in the pio- neer schools of his day and generation. Fol- lowing in the footsteps of his ancestors, he chose farming as his life occupation, and on reaching manhood purchased land near the parental estate, and was there successfully en- gaged in his independent calling until his de- cease, at the venerable age of eighty-three years. He was a Democrat in politics, greatly interested in public affairs, and served his fel- low-townsmen as Assessor for a number of years. Both he and his wife were members of the Reformed church. He married Maria Empie, who was born in Sharon, a daughter of a later John Empie than the pioneer. l'eter and Maria Empie had seven children ; namely,
Norman D., Jane E., John G., Peter 11., Anna S., Harvey I .. , and Dewitt C.
John G. Empie acquired a practical educa- tion in the common schools of Sharon and at the Carlisle Seminary. He subsequently taught school several terms, both in Sharon and Seward, but in 1867 gave up his position at the teacher's desk to take possession of his present fine estate of one hundred acres, which was formerly known as the Falk farm. From year to year he has made marked improvements on the place, having erected within the last quarter of a century all the buildings that are now on it and cleared off much of the wood. HIe has a large part of the land under cultiva- tion. He carries on general farming in all its branches, and in past times he raised vast quantities of hops, which proved a valuable crop.
In politics Mr. Empie affiliates with the Democratic party. He has served acceptably in various local offices, including those of Su- pervisor, Commissioner of Highways, and trustee of his school district. He has also been secretary and trustee of the People's Cemetery Association of Sharon ever since its organization in 1867.
On June 30, 1858, Mr. Empie married Miss Nancy C. Borst, who was also born in Sharon, as was her father, Peter G. Borst, a lifelong farmer of that place. Mr. and Mrs. Empie have two children - the Rev. Alfred R. and Edward J. The Rev. Alfred R. Empie was graduated from Hartwick Seminary, and is now preaching in Maryland, Otsego County, N. Y. He married Miss Anna Skinner, and they have
ALONZO WAKEMAN.
197
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
one child, Lillian. Edward J. Empie married Miss Anna Nellis, and is the father of two children -- Everett and Nancy Ella. Mr. and Mrs. John G. Empie are members of the Lu- theran church, in which he has been Deacon, Elder, and secretary.
LONZO WAKEMAN, for many years one of the leading farmers of Lawyers- ville, Schoharie County, was born October 23, 1810, in this town, and here spent his entire life of nearly seventy-eight years, his death occurring on August 31, 1888. He was of patriotic Revolutionary stock, his pa- ternal grandfather, Gershom Wakeman, a na- tive of Fairfield, Conn., having served as an officer in the war for American independence.
Gershom Wakeman was a farmer by occupa- tion. He was among the very first to enlist in the Colonial forces, and was killed in one of the early battles of the war. His wife, Eliza- beth Downs, was born in Fairfield County, Connecticut, daughter of David Downs and the descendant of one of the earliest settled families of that county. She died not very long after her husband's death, leaving seven children : namely, Abigail, Abel, Gershom, Dolly, Amelia, Isaac, and Seth B., the latter of whom was the father of Alonzo Wakeman.
Seth B. Wakeman was brought up on a farm. In early manhood he learned the car- penter's trade, which he subsequently followed many years in Lawyersville, where he was one of the first settlers. He erected the house now occupied by his son Alonzo's widow, the resi-
dence of Stanton Courter, of Cobleskill, and several business houses of this locality. Ile bought a farm of two hundred acres near the village and also other land in town; and for some years prior to his death, at the age of eighty-two years, was successfully engaged in general farming. He likewise carried on an extensive business as a manufacturer of lum- ber, being the owner of a saw-mill. His first wife, Clara Nichols, a native of Fairfield County, Connecticut, died in early womanhood, leaving him five children, namely : Horace; Alonzo, the special subject of this sketch; Horatio; Maria; and Charles. In religion, both parents were of the Universalist faith. After the death of his first wife Seth B. Wakeman married Sarah Wheeler, also of Fairfield County, Connecticut.
Alonzo Wakeman in 1878 bought the valu- able farm of two hundred acres, on which his daughter Emma now resides, and until his death, as above mentioned, was recognized in the community as one of its foremost agricult- urists. Strictly honest and upright, he was influential in the neighborhood, and, as a Notary Public, for many years transacted a good deal of business. In politics, he was an ardent supporter of the principles of the Re- publican party, but persistently refused to ac- cept all offices, even that of president of the National Bank, of which he was one of the founders and for many years a director.
Mr. Alonzo Wakeman's first wife was Miss Catharine Stall, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Stall, of Sharon, Schoharie County, N. Y. ; she lived ten months after their mar-
198
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
riage, her death occurring in 1834 at the age of nineteen years and eleven months. In June, 1838, Mr. Wakeman married Mary O'Dell, who was born September 26, 1815, in Redding, Conn., daughter of Dr. Joseph ()'Dell. Mrs. Wakeman is of French ances- try, her great-grandfather O'Dell, one of the first settlers of Norwalk, Conn., having emi- grated to that town from France in Colonial clays. Nathan O'Dell, her grandfather, was a prosperous farmer and a lifelong resident of Norwalk, Conn. His wife, Mary Burritt, bore him fourteen children, all of whom grew to maturity and married. Joseph O'Dell, having received his early education in the common schools, pursued the study of medi- cine, at first with one of the local physicians, Dr. Jesse Shepard, and afterward in New York City. On graduating, he located first as a practitioner in Dover, Conn., whence he re- moved to Redding, Conn., where he continued actively engaged in the practice of his profes- sion. At the age of thirty one years he died in Charleston, S.C., while there for the bene- fit of his health. His wife, Lucy Wakeman, was born in Fairfield, Conn., a daughter of Gershom Wakeman, second, who was an uncle of Alonzo Wakeman. Gershom Wakeman, second, married Sibbell Bradley, of Fairfield, Conn., and Lucy was their only daughter. They were very prominent members of the Congregational church.
Mr. Alonzo Wakeman is survived by his wife and four children; namely, Emma, Clara A., Ella, and Sarah W. Emma J. married Solomon Larkin, a farmer, who died in 1897,
leaving her with one child, Charles W. Larkin; Clara A. is the wife of Romeyn Brown, a hardware merchant of Oneonta, and the mother of three children - Wakeman, Floyd, and an infant (deceased) ; Ella is the wife of George Story, a carpenter; and Sarah WV. is the wife of Daniel J. Gannon, who is her third husband. Mrs. Wakeman and all her family except one are valued members of the Lutheran church.
A NDREW J. KLINE, proprietor of a well-stocked general store in Patter- sonville, Schenectady County, N. Y., was born in this place, November 1, 1850, son of Joseph and Janet (Staley) Kline. His father was born in Aiken, Montgomery County, in 1818, and his mother was born in Princetown, this county, in 1823. Grand- father Kline was an early settler in Montgom- ery County, and there carried on general farm- ing for the rest of his active period.
Joseph Kline was reared on his father's farm. At the age of eighteen he came to l'at- tersonville, then called Hoffman's Ferry, and for a number of years he kept a grocery store. Removing to Swartztown, N. Y., he carried on the same business in connection with a hotel, and also cultivated a farm. His activity con- tinued until a few years prior to his death, which occurred at the age of seventy-five years. Ilis wife died at seventy. She was the mother of six children, namely : Geroe G., who died at the age of forty-six years; Andrew J., the subject of this sketch; Oliver S. ; Jen-
199
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
nie M., who is now Mrs. Herrick ; Harriet A. ; and Ella, who is now Mrs. Gregg. Mrs. Janet Kline was a member of the Reformed church.
Andrew J. Kline was reared and educated in Swartztown. When a young man he began business as a dealer in farm produce along the Erie Canal, and was thus engaged for twelve years. Since 1886 he has been located at his present place of business in Pattersonville. His store, which is one of the leading sources of supply in this section, is well stocked with agricultural implements, fertilizers, and gen- eral merchandise.
In 1877 Mr. Kline was united in marriage with Henrietta Sterling, of Florida, N. Y., daughter of Winslow Sterling. Mrs. Kline is the mother of three children; namely, Jessie R., Bertha H., and Boyd J.
Politically, Mr. Kline is a Democrat. Able, energetic, and conscientious, he has se- cured a firm foothold in business through his own exertions, and he fully merits the high esteem accorded him by his fellow-townsmen.
J OHN ROE, senior partner in the firm of J. & E. Roe, general merchants of Greenville, N. Y., was born in Wiscon- sin on October 16, 1849, son of William P. and Marietta (Newman) Roe. His paternal grandfather, William Roe, was a farmer by occupation. He liked to go from place to place, and lived successively in Athens, Greenville, and Cairo, owning farms at differ- ent times in each of these places in Greene
County. He died at Cairo at the age of eighty-four. His wife Jane, who was before her marriage a Barker, was born in Greenville, and belonged to one of the old pioneer families.
William P. Roe, son of William and Jane, was born in Athens, N. Y., and reared to farm life. Ile lived for a time in Wisconsin, where he was interested in speculating and in farming, and held the office of Town Supervi- sor. Later he returned to New York State, settled in Greenville, and died here at the age of seventy-eight. He was County Superinten- cent of the Poor for three years. In politics he was a Democrat. His wife, Marietta, was a native of this place, and died here at the age of fifty-two. She was the daughter of Alva Newman, and one of a family of six children. Her father was a Greenville farmer, but he re- moved from Greenville to Wisconsin, and died there at the age of seventy. Mrs. Marietta N. Roe was the mother of six children. Of these five are living, namely : John, the subject of this sketch; Jasper, a farmer; Annis, who married Charles Roe; Ella, who married Charles Coonley; and Edgar, who is a member of the firm of Roe Brothers. Both parents were Baptists.
John Roe came with his father and mother to this town when eight years old, and worked with his father until twenty-six years of age. In the winters of 1871, 1872, and 1873 he taught school in Greenville, and one winter he attended the Poughkeepsie Business College. Then, at the age of twenty-six, he formed a partnership with M. P. Blenis, which con- tinued for twelve years, or until the time of
200
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
Mr. Blenis's death. For the first year they operated a general store located opposite Mr. Roe's present stand, moving across the street at the end of that time. Upon the death of Mr. Blenis, Mr. Edgar Roe bought out his in- terests, and the firm assumed its present name. There is only one store in town larger than this. A full line of general merchandise is carried, including dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, crockery and glass ware, carpets and oil-cloths, hats and caps. One clerk is employed. Mr. Roe has now been in business over twenty-three years, and is one of the old- est merchants here. He is known through all the country side, and enjoys the esteem of every one.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.