USA > New York > Schoharie County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Schenectady, Schoharie and Green counties, New York > Part 22
USA > New York > Schenectady County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Schenectady, Schoharie and Green counties, New York > Part 22
USA > New York > Greene County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Schenectady, Schoharie and Green counties, New York > Part 22
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Having pursued his preliminary studies in the public schools, John A. Griswold became a pupil at the academies in Prattsville and Catskill, concluding his attendance at the lat- ter at the age of sixteen. After teaching for a time, he applied himself to the study of law with his uncle, Addison C. Griswold, and Richard Corning, the latter a brother of Eras- tus Corning, of Albany. Subsequently he continued his preparations in Syracuse, N. Y., and was admitted to the bar as an attorney and counsellor of the State in 1848. Commencing the practice of his profession alone, he was later associated with Addison Griswold until elected District Attorney in 1857, and afterward he was for some time in company with Rufus W. Watson. He ably performed the duties of District Attorney for three years, winning in that capacity a high reputation; and his able handling of several important cases, both as a public and private practitioner, caused his ele- vation in 1864 to the position of Judge and Surrogate of Greene County. His four years' service upon the bench was extremely credita- ble to himself as well as beneficial to the com- munity ; and in 1868 he was elected to a seat in Congress by the Democratic party, defeat-
ing Thomas Cornell, of Rondout, by a major ity of five hundred votes. His work in the national House of Representatives was charac- terized by a thorough understanding of the principles of federal government and a clear conception of the many important questions submitted for legislation ; and, when a conven- tion was decided upon for the purpose of revis- ing the Constitution of the State of New York, he was again called into service as a delegate from his district. In 1876 he was a delegate to the National Convention which nominated Samuel J. Tilden for President. He has also rendered his share of service in town affairs, serving as a Supervisor in 1872; and his inter- est in the welfare of the community in which he lives was not eclipsed by the higher public duties to which he has been called.
In 1857 Judge Griswold married Miss Eliza- beth M. Roberts, a daughter of the late Will- iam Roberts, who was a prosperous farmer of Cliftondale, Ulster County, this State. Mrs. Griswold died November 8, 1896, aged sixty- six years. Judge Griswold resides in what is known as the Cornwall house, situated on an estate commanding a view for twenty miles around of the varied and picturesque scenery for which the Catskill region is noted. He has survived all of his former legal contempo- raries in this section, but is still upon the active list ; and, if not as young in years as his personal appearance would indicate, his mental capacity retains its accustomed vigor, and his strong, manly character is as much appreciated to-day as it was during the period of his public services. He is a Master Mason, and was for-
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merly a member of the Catskill Lodge, No. 468. In his religious belief he is an Epis- copalian.
ILLARD T. RIVENBURG, M.D.,
a well-known medical practitioner of Middleburg, N. Y., was born in the village of Chatham in Ghent, Columbia County, this State, on November 25, 1863, son of J. Mor- gan and Charlotte (Tipple) Rivenburg. As his name indicates, he is of Dutch ancestry, although his family has been settled in New York for many years.
His grandfather, Henry Rivenburg, was born in Columbia County, and there spent his entire life. He helped in clearing a part of the farm which he occupied and carried on. The Doctor's father was an agriculturist, and was a man highly respected in his town. He was killed by the cars at the age of thirty- seven. His wife, who was born in Otsego County, was descended from Revolutionary stock. She was also related to Walter Gunn, who with his wife was in the mission field in India, under the auspices of the Lutheran church. Both parents were members of the Reformed church at Ghent. Of their three children, two grew to maturity. These are the Doctor and John Rivenburg, Superintend- ent of Poor for Columbia County and a coal dealer at Ghent.
Dr. Rivenburg was educated at the Boys' Academy, Troy, the South Berkshire Insti- tute, Mass., and the University of Buffalo, from the last named of which he received the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1885.
While in college he was president of the Alpha Omega Delta Society, and his society sheepskin bears his own official signature as such. le was the founder of the college so- ciety known as the "Secret Seven." Dr. Rivenburg first settled for practice at Blen- heim, but after a short stay there he came, in 1887, to Middleburg, where he has won a po- sition of influence. He covers a wide area in his professional visits, and receives calls for consultation from physicians residing twenty- five miles distant.
The Doctor was married on October 14, 1891, to Belle Stanton, a graduate of the Al- bany Female Academy and a daughter of John Stanton, who was a merchant, and later rail- road station agent of this town. She was born on the homstead of her grandmother, not far from here, and is descended from one of the oldest and most honored families in this region. Among her ancestors was brave Gen- eral James Dana, who was immortalized by Washington in his first general order immedi- ately following the battle of Bunker Hill, where Dana, then Captain, commanded a company of the Connecticut line of Conti- nental troops.
Dr. Rivenburg is a physician of the county almshouse. He has served as president and vice-president of the Medical Society of Scho- harie County, and is now medical examiner for several well-known insurance companies, chief of which are the Mutual Life of New York, the North-western, the Penn, the Brook- lyn, the Nederland, the Manhattan, the Bankers', and the United States Accident.
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In 1886 he took a post-graduate course at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. He is a charter member of the John M. Scribner Hook and Ladder Company, and for five years was in active service, since which time he has been on the reserve list. Fraternally, he is Master of Middleburg Lodge, No. 663, F. & A. M .; and Past Sachem of Oucongena Tribe, No. 240, I. O. R. M. He is treasurer of the Village Corporation ; also a trustee of St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran church, and assistant superintendent of the Sunday-school.
ANIEL W. JENKINS, agent of the D. & H. Railroad at Central Bridge, Schoharie County, N. Y., was born in Glen, Montgomery County, on September 27, 1846, son of Nathaniel and Eleanor (Shannon) Jenkins. His great- grandfather Jenkins, who was a Welshman by birth, came to this country and settled on Long Island, where he died. At the time the British invaded the island he was made a pris- oner of war. After the close of the Revolu- tion the family removed to Duanesburg, Sche- nectady County, this State. William, one of the sons and grandfather of Daniel W. Jen- kins, was born on Long Island, but spent the last years of his life in Montgomery County, where he died in old age.
Nathaniel Jenkins, son of William by his second wife, was born in Montgomery. He was reared on a farm, and received his educa- tion in the public schools. He was one of a
large family of children, only two of whom are now living, both physicians and promi- nent in their professions -namely, Thomas, residing at Vandalia, and George, at Kilbourn City, Wis. Nathaniel was very successful in his farming, and was highly respected by all who knew him. Ile died at the age of eighty- two. His wife, Eleanor, who died at the age of eighty, was born in Prattsville. Both were members of the Society of Friends.
Daniel W. Jenkins received a practical common-school education, and on September 15, 1863, at the age of seventeen years, entered the employ of the Albany & Susquehanna Railroad Company. This road has since be- come a part of the D. & H. C. Company sys- tem. Mr. Jenkins's father was agent at Quaker Street (now Delanson), and at that time the equipments of the ticket office were carried in a tin box, and the way bills were made out on a board that was set up in the embankment. The road then ended at the Schoharie Creek, near the present Schoharie Junction. Mr. Jenkins has since seen it ad- vanced all the distance to Binghamton. There was only one train per day, as against fifty per day at the present time, and most of the modern improvements have been added since then. Mr. Jenkins succeeded his father as agent at Quaker Street, and in 1868 became the agent at Central Bridge, where he has since remained. He has now two assistants. He is the youngest of seven children, the others being: De Witt C., at Syracuse; Zerah and William A., at Delanson; Mrs. Lottie Christman, of Iowa; Mrs. Colonel Coryell,
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whose husband is an ex-paymaster of the D. & II. Road; and Mrs. M. S. Hoag, of Al- bany. In addition to his duties as station agent, Mr. Jenkins does a large business in handling coal, lumber, hay, and straw.
As a business man Mr. Jenkins is known as a "hustler." Whatever he finds to do he does with all his might, and, as a rule, suc- cessfully. Recognizing his superior business qualifications, the Board of Trustees of the Schoharie County Agricultural Society elected him president of the society, which position he has held for the past eight or ten years. As a representative of this organization he has been one of the leading spirits in the State organization of county societies, serving on the Executive Committee; and for the past few years he has been vice-president of the so- ciety, frequently visiting Albany during the legislative sessions in the interests of agri- cultural societies generally.
In politics Mr. Jenkins is a stanch Demo- crat, and has frequently attended county and State conventions as a representative of his party. In the winter of 1889 he accepted the nomination for Supervisor of the town of Schoharie. At the succeeding town meeting he was elected, and he has served the town continuously since then as Supervisor, having been elected three times without opposition. He was chairman of the board for the years 1893, 1896, and 1897, and at the spring meet- ing held May 2, 1899, was again honored by being unanimously elected chairman for the ensuing two years. As Supervisor he has exerted a powerful influence. He was largely
instrumental in effecting a settlement of the suits brought against the county by several towns of the county (including the town of Schoharie), when the law went into effect re- quiring the amount raised by taxation of the railroads in towns having a bonded railroad debt to be deposited with the county treas- urer as a sinking fund with which to meet the bonds when due. In this settlement the town of Schoharie received its full share - in fact, more than she had reason to expect. As a member of the county board he has looked carefully after the interests of the county, be- lieving liberality without extravagance in the care of county property to be a benefit in the long run, and firmly advocating the policy of the county paying its debts instead of paying interest on old claims. He is always fore- most in any movement which contemplates the interests of his town, and more than once has contributed of his means for such a pur- pose.
On September 9, 1869, Mr. Jenkins was united in marriage with Harriet L. Rosekrans, daughter of Charles Rosekrans, of Jonesville, Saratoga County.
Mr. Jenkins is identified with the order of Masonry, being a thirty-second degree Mason ; and he has many social ties in Schoharic County. He belongs to Schoharie Valley Lodge, No. 491; John L. Lewis Chapter of Cobleskill; Temple Commandery of Albany, a noted commandery in the State; to De Witt Clinton Council of Albany; and to Cypress Temple of the Mystic Shrine, of the same city. He is also a member of Wellington
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Lodge, No. 731, I. O. O. F., of Central Bridge. He is an attendant and liberal sup- porter of the Lutheran church.
HARLES FOWLER, proprietor of the Fowler House, l'rattsville, was born in Lexington, Greene County, N. Y., September 15, 1845, son of David S. and Agnes (Muir) Fowler.
The Fowler family is of English origin. There were several immigrants of this name in New England in early Colonial times. It is said that William Fowler, who arrived in Boston in June, 1637, and the next year went to New Haven, was the ancestor of most, if not all, of the Fowlers, of Connecticut.
Silas Fowler, great-grandfather of Charles Fowler, was a native of Connecticut. After his marriage he came to New York State, and settling in Lexington, now Jewett, resided there until his death, which occurred at the age of eighty-four years. He was a Revolu- tionary soldier from this State, and a memento of his services in the shape of a flint-lock gun taken by him at the battle of Bunker Hill is now owned by his grandson, Addison Fowier, of Lexington, N. Y. He reared a family of eight children.
Silas Fowler, second, Charles Fowler's grandfather, was three years old when his par- ents moved to Lexington. He remained at the homestead until after his marriage, when he purchased a farm near by, and tilled the soil industriously for the rest of his life. His wife, whose maiden name was Hannah Mc-
Lane, is a native of Livingston, N. Y., a daughter of George Mclane. Her father fol- lowed the shoemaker's trade in connection with farming. She became the mother of nine children; namely, Charles, Rachel, David S., Louise, Elizabeth, Minerva, Silas, Addison, and Julia. Charles, Rachel, and Silas are no longer living. Elizabeth mar- ried Addison De Yoe. Minerva married Henry Moore, of Milford, Michigan. Silus Fowler, second, died at the age of seventy- four years, and his wife lived to be ninety-six years old. They were both members of the Dutch Reformed church.
David S. Fowler, Charles Fowler's father, was born in Lexington, February 24, 1818. Beginning life for himself upon a leased farm, which he afterward purchased, he resided in his native town until 1875. He then removed to Prattsville, where he bought a farm and carried it on for two years, at the end of which time he retired and purchased a resi- dence in the village where he is still living. Mr. Fowler, who is unusually active, both physically and mentally, for one of his years, remembers when deer roamed fearlessly over the town of Lexington. He has witnessed the growth of Prattsville from a struggling little settlement, and saw its founder, Colo- nel Pratt, set out many of the shade trees that now adorn its main thoroughfare. He was in his younger days interested in military affairs, serving as an officer in a local artillery com- pany. He has a distinct recollection of the days when slavery was permitted in this sec- tion. Later he belonged to the famous
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Know-Nothing party. He has voted the straight Democratic ticket for sixty years. David S. Fowler contracted the first of his two marriages in 1841 with Agnes Muir, a native of Scotland, who died in 1873; and for his second wife he married Laura Goodsell, whose ancestors came from Connecticut. He is the father of three children, all by his first union; namely, Mary, Charles, and Agnes. Mary married A. Beckwith, a prosperous farmer of Lexington. They have one daugh- ter, Ada, who is the wife of George Raeder, and has one son, Charles. Agnes married Alonzo Johnson, of Lexington, and her chil- dren are: Charles, May, and Willie.
Charles Fowler acquired a common-school education in his native town. He was reared to agricultural pursuits, and assisted his father in carrying on the homestead farm until the latter's removal to Prattsville, when he took charge of the property which he managed for five years, or until it was sold. Coming to Prattsville in 1880, he in March of that year bought a half-interest in the Prattsville House, in the management of which he was associated until July, 1882, when he sold out. He immediately purchased his present prop- erty, which, after repairing and refurnishing, he opened as the Fowler House. Here he has ever since entertained the travelling public in a most hospitable manner. The Fowler House provides ample accommodations for fifty guests. It occupies a sightly location on the banks of Schoharie Creek, in a region noted for its beautiful and varied scenery. Its sanitary and other conveniences for the
health and comfort of its patrons arc unsur- passed, and a first-class livery stable con- nected with the house affords excellent facili- ties for driving over the surrounding country.
In 1871 Mr. Fowler was joined in marriage with Mary Coggshall, of this town. She was born in Rensselaerville, daughter of Asa and Mary (Joyce) Coggshall, the former of whom was a native of Gilderland and a schoolmaster by occupation. Asa and Mary Coggshall had a family of ten children, nine of whom are living; namely, Harvey, George, Origen, Sarah, Samuel, Asa, Mary, Julia, and Aletta. Sarah married E. P. Churchill, of Prattsville, and Aletta married Dwight Miller. Mr. and Mrs. Fowler have one daughter, Edith, who completed her education at the Stamford Seminary.
In politics Mr. Fowler is a Democrat. Though frequently solicited to become a can- didate for public office, he invariably de- clines. Mrs. Fowler and her daughter are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
RS. JULIA A. WILSON, one of the best known temperance workers in Jefferson, Schoharie County, N. Y., was born in this town in January, 1828, daughter of John and Laura (Hamilton) Nichols. She is of New England ancestry on both sides. Her great-grandfather Nichols, whose name was Daniel, was a resident of Western Massachusetts. Her grandfather, Ezra Nichols, came to New York from Will- iamstown, Mass., settled as a pioneer at North
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Harpersfield, Delaware County, N. Y., and through energy and perseverance became the owner of a good farm containing about two hundred acres. He resided in that town for the rest of his life. Ezra Nichols married Elizabeth Knapp, of Danbury, Conn., and his children were: Daniel, John, Clemon, Eli, Sarah, and Chloe. Daniel died in Harpers- field; Clemon died in Jefferson, at the age of ninety-four years; Eli died in Madison, Ohio; Sarah became Mrs. Knapp; and Chloe became Mrs. Dixon.
John Nichols, Mrs. Wilson's father, was born on April 18, 1787, and was five years old when his parents removed to Delaware County. During his early years he resided for a while in Dutchess County. He settled in Jefferson in. 1818, having resided with his father for some time previous to coming here. When his farm was ready for permanent occu- paney he went to Connecticut for his bride, with whom he began life in a new house and on a new farm. His industry and thrift enabled him to accumulate a large amount of property, and this he divided among his chil- dren, his real estate alone amounting to twelve hundred acres. John Nichols lived to be ninety-five years old. He was fond of read- ing, and was a good mathematician. He also possessed considerable musical ability, and taught a singing-school in his neighborhood for a number of years. Charitable and affec- tionate in his disposition, he was considerate of the feelings of others. His firm belief in the immortality of the soul was the result of long and patient study of the Bible. In poli-
ties he was a Republican. His wife, Laura, who was a native of Danbury, Conn., became the mother of seven children, namely: Susan, born in 1822; Franklin, born in 1824; Wesley, born in 1826; Julia A., the subject of this sketch, born in January, 1828; Clara E., born in 1832; Cynthia I .. , born in 1834; and George 1I., born in 1836. Susan, who died in 1845, was the wife of Joseph Hallen- beck, a farmer. Franklin, who settled as a farmer in Altona, Knox County, Ill., married Margaret Multer. Their children are: Wal- ter, now residing at the old homestead in Altona, Ill .; George, a farmer of Summit, N. Y .; Nathan and Irving, who live in Illi- nois. Wesley died in 1834. Clara E., who is a graduate of Musicdale Seminary, Salem, Conn., and was for some time engaged as a teacher of music at Level Green Institute, near Suffolk, Va., and at Goldsboro College, N.C., was married in 1857 to the Rev. John Q. Evans, of Harpersfield, N. Y. Mrs. Evans has two children, Thomas D. and Florine, both of whom possess remarkable musical talent. Mr. Evans died in 1895 at Larned, Kan. Cynthia L. Nichols, who is unmarried, resides in Jefferson. George H. married Maria Titus, and has three children - John, Clara E., and Fred, all of whom are married.
Julia A., now Mrs. Wilson, was graduated from the New York Conference Seminary, Charlotteville, in 1852. She studied paint- ing in Cobleskill, N. Y., and, having com- pleted her preparations for educational work, she went to Suffolk, Va., where she taught painting at a young ladies' seminary, and was
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at one time its principal. She afterward taught French and mathematics at the Golds- boro (N.C.) College, remaining there until compelled by failing health to return North, when she relinquished her work with reluc- tance. She married Henry Wilson in 1855, and has resided in Jefferson continuously to the present time. She has had two children, neither of whom is living. Mrs. Wilson is one of the most active members of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union in Jef- ferson, having served as recording secretary and as corresponding secretary, also as a dele- gate to several State and county conventions. She is a charter member of the local lodge, Independent Order of Good Templars, in which she is a Past Vice-Templar, and is its treasurer at the present time. She belongs to the Patrons of Husbandry, and is Chaplain of the local grange. Mrs. Wilson is an active member of the Presbyterian church, and for years has devoted a great deal of her time to Sunday-school and other religious work.
ILLIAM LAUDER CAMPBELL, Chief of Police, Schenectady, N. Y., was born near Gatehouse, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, February 2, 1844, son of William and Susan (Lauder) Campbell. The family for many preceding generations consisted of indus- trious farming people, and some of its repre- sentatives were overseers on large estates. The grandfather, also named William Campbell, was a native of Perthshire, and spent the greater part of his life as a farm overseer in
Kirkcudbrightshire, in the south of Scotland. lle married a Miss Campbell, who, though not a near relative, belonged to Clan Campbell, and in all probability was a descendant of the same stock. The grandparents reared four sons and four daughters. Two of the latter married well-to-do husbands, and were left widows with means. Coming to America with their children in 1855, they purchased fine farms in Prescott, Canada, opposite Ogdens- burg, N. Y., and became affluent. One was the widow of William Black, and the other of David Mckinnon.
In 1857 William Campbell, the father of William Lauder, sailed from Wigton with his wife and six of his children, for Liverpool, where he embarked for the United States on board the ship "William Tapscott," Captain William Bell. Arriving at New York, August 17, 1858, after an eight weeks' passage, they were met at Castle Garden by two other mem- bers of their family, James and Mary, who had preceded them a year before. The parents set- tled first at Bay Side, Long Island. They had ten children, two of whom died in Scotland; and Charles, aged nine, and Robert, aged one year and six months, died of scarlet fever while on the passage over, and were buried at sea. The living are : James, a farmer and landscape gardener, who married a Miss Palmer, and re- sides at Hartford, Conn. ; Mary, who married John Dillen, a farmer, and resides at Chop- tauk, Caroline County, Md. ; William L., the subject of this sketch; Susan, who married Robert Hemmens, an Englishman, and a moulder by trade, residing in Schenectady ;
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Jessie, wife of James Myers, a contractor and builder at Schenectady, N. Y. ; and Mar- garet, who is the widow of James Mac- gregor, late Paymaster's Clerk in the United States navy, is now living in Baltimore, Md., and has one daughter. James Campbell, who is now residing at Hartford, Conn., was super- vising agent and landscape gardener for the Morgans of New York for seventeen years, and was employed in the same capacity by the Garretts of Baltimore, Md., having charge of their entire estate, amounting to three thou- sand acres, with several assistant superintend- ents under him. The father died in 1894, aged nearly eighty-three years, surviving the mother, who died in 1890, aged seventy-seven.
William L. Campbell obtained his elemen- tary education in Scotland, where (as well as in the United States, after his arrival here) he attended both the day and night schools. Hav- ing acquired a good knowledge of landscape gardening from his father, and receiving from the latter his full liberty some years previous to his majority, he entered the employ of Andrew Boardman, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he re- mained seven years, supervising the laying out of that gentleman's gardens, roads, lawns, and pleasure-grounds, having previously attended school and worked with his father, at Flushing, Long Island. He followed landscape garden- ing until joining the Schenectady police force in 1869, and during his residence in Poughkeep- sie he drove the first stake in laying out the grounds of Vassar College. From his boy- hood he has taken a lively interest in out-door games, and he was known in his youth as a
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