USA > New York > Broome County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Broome County, New York. > Part 24
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Nathan Palmer, a son of Jesse, was born September 16, 1783, and moved to Delaware County with his father from their native State, Connecticut. Nathan learned the trade of a miller, and followed this for his occupa- tion in his younger days. He afterward lo- cated in Albany County, near West Troy, where he conducted a farm, dying there July 21, 1864. He married Olive Talmadge, who was born January 25, 1779, and died some years before her husband, in 1857. She was a strict member of the Christian church, while Mr. Palmer was liberal in his religious views. They reared eight chil- dren, of whom two survive, Fletcher and William, residing in Ellen Village, Wash- ington County, N.Y.
The boyhood days of Fletcher Palmer were spent in Delaware County, where he availed himself of the somewhat limited and irregular opportunities afforded by the district school
for his education. At the age of eleven he went to work with a farmer named Nathan Chase, and for his labor received board and clothes and three months' schooling each winter of the four years he remained with him. When he left Mr. Chase, he hired him- self out with several neighboring farmers, getting seven dollars per month wages, and continued at work in this way until he was twenty years old. Then for seven terms he taught school, working out between times.
He was finally able to carry out his, long desired hope of studying law, and for that purpose entered the office of A. & A. J. Parker, Esqs., at Delhi, N.Y. He stayed with them for two years, coming in the fall of 1834 to Deposit, N. Y., where he engaged as a student with the law firm of Lusk & Palmer, remaining there until his admission to the bar about the year 1839. Ile then opened an office, and practised until 1852. In 1854 he formed a partnership with Reuben Root, Esq., and while with him was elected Assembly- man for Delaware County in 1858. Mr. Pal- mer served for a term of two years, and in 1860 received the appointment of Route Agent on the Erie Railway between New York and Dunkirk. He held this position during the administration of President Lin- coln, resigning it in the spring of 1865. At the end of that time he engaged in lumbering in the vicinity of Deposit, Broome County, where he owned about two hundred acres of land. He was in this business for about eight years, and in 1874 practically retired from active work. He is a Justice of the
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Peace, and has held the office for twelve years.
In 1839 Mr. Palmer was married to Miss Naney D. Peters, who was born in the town of Sanford, November 14, 1818. She died January 1, 1874, leaving six children, who are all still living, namely: R. H., residing in Deposit; A. T., General Superintendent of the Union & Pacific Railroad, of Kansas City; Polk, conductor on the Erie Railway, living in Susquehanna, Pa .; Smith T., rail- road agent in Hawley, Pa. ; John P., engineer on the Erie Railway, a resident of Deposit ; and Emily, wife of Charles Race, of Bing- hamton, N.Y. Mr. Palmer married for his second wife Sophia M. Bryant, who was born in the town of Butternuts, Otsego County, January 28, 1840, daughter of Harvey and Jane (Doane) Bryant. Her father was a farmer of Butternuts, but removed to Deposit, where he died April 5, 1884, at the age of eighty-nine years. His wife died March 18, 1873, in Deposit. Of the seven children of Mr. and Mrs. Bryant, four are now living, namely: Mrs. M. J. Freeman, of Grand Rapids, Mich .; Mrs. Sarah M. Van Schaack, of Deposit; Marshall B., of Deposit, and Mrs. Palmer. Mr. and Mrs. Palmer have one daughter, Jessie B., who resides at home. Mrs. Palmer is a member of the Episcopal church.
Mr. Palmer is a Democrat in polities, and, being one of the oldest settlers of Deposit, is well known in the two counties in which it is located - those of Broome and Delaware. As a lawyer and merchant, he has been emi-
nently successful, and, although he has reached his fourscore years, is still an active and vigorous man. . llis long residence in Southern New York makes him deeply inter- ested in its annals, being well acquainted with all the early settlers of the place.
EWIS E. SHUTTS is an enterprising and successful farmer and dairyman of the town of Windsor, N. Y., re- siding on his fine estate of one hundred and ninety acres, which is situated on the banks of the beautiful Susquehanna River. He was born December 18, 1831, son of Morgan and ยท
Esther (Cromwell) Shutts, who were natives of New York State.
The father of Morgan Shutts was born in 1786, and was one of the very first settlers in the vicinity of Maryland, Otsego County, where he carried on farming for many years. Morgan Shutts was born in Otsego County, and in early days learned the trade of a mason. He removed to Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, about 1837, and settled in Oak- land, where he now lives, and where his father died at ninety-four years of age. He has always been a hard-working, laborious man, and is well known and respected in the county. His wife, Esther (Cromwell) Shutts, died in the year 1892, aged eighty-two years. They were married early in the year 1831, and had six children, of whom four are now living, namely: Lewis E., the eldest; Mrs. Margaret J. Norton, residing in Colorado; Mrs. Almira Andrews; and Etta, widow of
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Charles Brova. These two ladies are resi- dents of Oakland, P'a.
Lewis was but six years of age when he went with his parents to Susquehanna County, where he was reared and educated. lle re- mained at home, assisting in the work of the farm, until his marriage, April 27, 1862, to Miss Lucy M. Bushnell. Her parents were residents of Susquehanna County for many years; and she was born there October 1, 1843. Albert Bushnell, her father, was a prominent lawyer, and practised for many years in his county, dying at the age of forty- five years. Ilis wife, Harriett, died when she was but forty-three years old. Of their seven children, six are now living; namely, Newton W., Mrs. Shutts, Payson K., Emily M., Horace A., and Louise J. Hattic A. died at twenty years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis E. Shutts resided in Susquehanna County until 1870, when they removed to Broome County, and bought the large farm where he carries on mixed farming, and con- ducts a dairy of twenty head of Jersey cattle and other fine breeds. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Shutts two children have been born: Albert M., in 1867; and Harriet L., in 1868.
While Mr. Shutts is a true and loyal citi- zen to his town and county, voting consis- tently and faithfully with the Republican party, he has no aspirations for public office, but pursues the even tenor of his way, attend- ing to his daily duties on his farm, which for that reason is one of the finest and best conducted places in the town of Windsor.
IIc is a member of the American Legion of Ilonor. Ilis wife is a most estimable woman, and an earnest and devoted follower of the doctrines of the Methodist church. Her husband, while a firm believer in the Christian faith, is not connected with any particular church. For nearly a quarter of a century Mr. Shutts has resided at his pres- ent home, and is prominently known, having made many friends during that time; and his successful carcer is the result of his own efforts and industrious habits.
RS. HARRIET E. ELY, the widow of the Rev. Isaac Mills Ely, was born at Chenango Forks, May 9, 1843, eldest daughter of Henry A. and Emma (Willard) Rogers. Her father was the eldest son of John B. Rogers, son of Simeon Rogers, one of the pioneers of the town of Barker, and a descendant of John Rogers, the martyr. Iler mother was the youngest daughter of Joseph Willard, who came from Berkshire County, Massachusetts. In 1848 Mr. Henry A. Rogers moved his family to Binghamton, he being interested in the stage line between this place and Utica. Here his daughters were educated. In 1857 the family moved to Scranton, Pa., returning to Chenango Forks in 1862. Mrs. Emma W. Rogers died in Albany, April 17, 1865. Mr. Henry A. Rogers married in 1866 Harriet A. Ells, of Elmira, N. Y. Ile received the appointment of Postmaster at Chenango Forks in 1865, and held that office till his death in 1876.
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Mrs. Ely has two sisters: Helen R., now Mrs. J. B. Landfield, of Binghamton (see sketch); and Grace M., now Mrs. R. D. Jill- son, of Syracuse, N.Y. Mrs. Jillson is a fine elocutionist and Shakespearean reader, also an original humorist and an interesting speaker in the cause of temperance and other Christian work. The sisters have all been teachers in this place. Harriet began teach- ing at the age of eighteen in a young ladies' school at Binghamton, conducted by Mrs. 11. W. Shipman. She also spent several years teaching in Dunkirk, N. Y. She taught music in this place previous to her marriage. In May, 1868, Miss Harriet E. Rogers was married to the Rev. Isaac Mills Ely, who came to Chenango Forks in the winter of 1866, as acting pastor of the First Congregational Church. The Rev. Mr. Ely was born in Fairfield, Conn., January 14, 1819. He was the son of David and Priscilla (Sturges) Ely, and grandson of the Rev. David Ely, D.D., who was a graduate of Yale College in 1769 and a Trustee of that institution thirty-eight years. He was pastor of the First Church in Huntington, Conn., over forty-two years. Mr. Ely's mother was a daughter of the Hon. Jonathan Sturges, LL.D., of Fairfield, and later of New Ilaven, Conn. He graduated from Yale in 1759, was a Justice in the high- est court of his native State, and twice elected to Congress during Washington's administration.
Mr. Ely was one of four brothers, all of whom were graduates of Yale, as was also their father, David Ely. Dr. William Wat-
son Ely, the eldest brother, died in Rochester in 1879. David J. Ely, Priscilla S. Ely, of Rochester, and Jonathan S. Ely, of New York, are the only surviving members of the family. After leaving college in 1843, Isaac Ely entered upon his chosen profession of the ministry, but soon had to give it on ac- count of ill-health. 1Ie was Principal of a boys' school in Shelby, Tenn., for a year, and then resumed his ministerial work, but was never able to become a settled pastor. In the last years of the war Mr. Ely served as Chap- lain in the hospital at Alexandria, Va. Here he performed the burial-service of over three hundred soldiers. The Grand Army of the Republic Post established in Chenango Forks in 1892 is called after him, Isaac M. Ely Post.
After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Ely went to Ellicottsville, Cattaraugus County, N. Y., where Mr. Ely supplied the Presbyterian church for one year. Their daughter, Emma Willard, was born here. The next year they returned to Chenango Forks, and the people .requested Mr. Ely to become their pastor again. In 1872 Mr. and Mrs. Ely opened a . young ladies' school, sparing no pains or ex- pense to make it in every way complete; but after a few years, owing to failing health and a change in the school system of the village, . they were obliged to discontinue their school.
Although no longer able to do pastoral work, Mr. Ely was active and interested in everything pertaining to the welfare of the church and the community, and was 'a close student of all the topics and questions of the day to the close of his life. He died January
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7, 1880, beloved and esteemed by all for the purity of his life and character and his influ- ence as a Christian gentleman. His wife, one daughter, and two sons survive him.
After her father's death in 1876 Mrs. Ely and her family lived with her step-mother, Mrs. Harriet Ells Rogers, who had succeeded her husband in the post-office of Chenango Forks, Mrs. Ely acting as assistant. Mrs. Ely's great-grandfather, Simeon Rogers, was the first Postmaster when the office was estab- lished in the town. Her grandfather, John B. Rogers, succeeded his father, and held the position till, as he said, he was "polked out " for two years by Dr. William Squires. Dur- ing Buchanan's administration the office was held by Dr. R. R. Carr. In 1861 it came back to her uncle, Theodore S. Rogers, who was Postmaster till the appointment of Henry A. Rogers in 1865, as above noted. In 1885 it passed from Mrs. Ilarriet E. Rogers into the hands of Dr. Z. A. Spendley, Mrs. Ely's eldest son acting as clerk. In May, 1889, Mrs. Ely was appointed Postmistress, her daughter Assistant Postmistress, and her son William clerk for two years, then her son Henry took the place. In July, 1893, Mrs. Ely was succeeded in the office by Mr. Barton Harper. Mrs. Ely and her family now reside in Binghamton, where her daughter, Emma Willard Ely, is an accomplished musi- cian and teacher. Her elder son, William Rogers Ely, is a book-keeper in the employ of the Binghamton Trust Company. Henry Sturges Ely, the younger, now eighteen, is a student in the high school of this city.
For twenty-five years Mrs. Ely was more closely identified with the religious, educa- tional, and social interests of Chenango Forks than any other woman of the place, and, occu- pying positions of public trust, showed much executive ability. Mrs. Ely is a ready and effective writer and speaker, and has not hesi- tated to use her voice and pen in the inculca- tion of religious and moral truth and to incite to worthy deeds. For several years she was a regular correspondent of the newspapers. She has given interesting and pointed ad- dresses at meetings of town and county Sun- day-school associations. With the single aim of doing good, with no thought of seek- ing popularity, she has simply used the tal- ents given her for improvement. Having a naturally pleasant voice and manner, she has, by practice, gradually acquired the ability to do what most women have been accustomed to think they cannot do, speak in public. Her influence has always been exerted for the im- provement and progress of church and society work among the young people, in whom she has ever been deeply interested.
FORGE ROGERS, a retired, farmer, living at his pleasant homestead
near Chenango Forks, was born in 1807, and is the last veteran survivor of this honor- able pioneer family. His father, Simeon Rogers, who was born in 1762, came to Broome County when about thirty years of age, a single man, with John Barker, for whom the town of Barker was named.
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Two years later Simeon Rogers married John Barker's daughter Mary, who was then just eighteen. They were the first couple married here; and their first child, Chauncy Rogers, whose birth was in 1794, was the first white child born in Barker. The family experienced the hardships and perils as well as the advantages of frontier life. Mrs. Rogers on two occasions narrowly escaped death at the hands of drunken Indians. The Rogers children were seven in number, five sons and two daughters; and all except one daughter lived to adult age, married, and raised families of their own. John Barker Rogers, the second child, was born May 6, 1796. William was born in 1798, and en- gaged in farming near Chenango Forks. Mary, who became the wife of Lewis Keeler, was born in ISO1, and died when about four- score. Eliza was born in 1804, and died in 1870. George was the sixth child. Charles, the seventh, was born in 1809, and died at the age of sixty-one, leaving one daughter, and having buried one at twenty years of age.
George Rogers, like his brothers and sis- ters, and the children of their neighbors, had only the advantage of the district school, ex- cept for a few months when he attended a subscription school. ITe well remembers the slab seats and rude desks of that old time, which were primitive indeed, contrasting strangely with the elegant school furniture of the present day. When grown, he attended a select school at Greene. Until 1861 he re- mained at home the most of the time, caring for his mother and sisters as they had cared
for him. In that year he married Elizabeth Near, who was born at Rochester in 1830, daughter of Peter and Maria (Van Hoosen) Near, of Mohawk, N.Y. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers have one son, Eber S., a farmer, un- married, living at home with them.
Mr. Rogers's farm consists of one hundred and fifty acres. It is a beautiful place, and its present condition proves that the money and labor expended here were profitably em- ployed. Mr. Rogers makes a specialty of dairying and stock-raising. He has often kept from twenty-five to thirty-five cows, making large quantities of butter. When a young man, he was engaged in the live-stock trade for the Eastern market. In politics Mr. Rogers is Republican, but has not aspired to office, having much that required his attention at home. For the past ten years he has done but little farming. Mrs. Rogers has three sisters and a brother, the latter, William Near, and two of the sisters, Mrs. Caroline Southworth and Mrs. Eliza Lentwiller, living "in Rochester, N. Y., the other sister, Mrs. Joseph Thompson, in Meriden, Conn. Mr. . Rogers's life, though a very busy one, has been full of compensations; and he is now enjoying the fruits of his labor in pleasant retirement.
TON. ORLOW W. CHAPMAN, late Solicitor - General of the United
States, is a lineal descendant of ... " Edward and Elizabeth (Fox) Chapman, who settled in Windsor, Conn., about the year 1660, and were the earliest of the family in
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America. Edward Chapman was a soldier in the Colonial army which was engaged in fighting the Indians in those early days, and died from a wound received in one of the skirmishes, December 19, 1675. His grand- son, Captain Samuel Chapman, lived in the town of Tolland, Conn., and was also a man of military ardor and fighting qualities. He was Captain of the "training band " in 1736, and died in the service of his country during the French war. His son, Samuel Chapman, was a Colonel in the Revolutionary War; and his great-grandson, the Hon. Calvin Chap- man, was the father of the subject of the present sketch. He was a prominent and respected man of his county, and received his title of Honorable when representative of his district in the legislature of the State of Connecticut.
Orlow WV. Chapman was born in the town of Ellington, Conn., January 7, 1832, son of the Ilon. Calvin and Hortensia (Dorman) Chapman. As was the fortune of all farmer- boys, his early education was confined to a few months' study in the winters, the re- mainder of his time being occupied with working in the fields. Later, having finished his preparatory studies in the academy at Ellington and at Monson, Mass., he entered Union College, Schenectady, N.Y., where he received the degree of A. B., and was elected a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, in the class of 1854.
While pursuing his collegiate course, Mr. Chapman cked out a slender income by teach- ing during certain portions of the year; and
after his graduation he taught the classes of languages in the Fergusonville Academy for one year. However, as he had not intended teaching for a profession, he soon gave this up, and in the fall of 1855 entered the law office of Messrs. Parker & Gleason at Delhi, Delaware County, N. Y., and was admitted to the bar at the general term of court at Owego, N. Y., in 1857. In 1858 Mr. Chapman came to Binghamton, where he soon established a fine practice, and in a short time became the acknowledged leader of the bar. In 1868 he formed a partnership with the Hon. C. E. Martin, which lasted till that gentleman was appointed Judge of the Supreme Court. The business connection then formed with Mr. George F. Lyon continued until Mr. Chap- man's death. Mr. Chapman was appointed by Governor Morgan District Attorney of Broome County in 1862, and re-elected in 1865. In 1867 he became State Senator, and returned to the same position in 1869. In 1872 Governor Hoffman made him a member of the Constitutional Commission. He was also nominated as Superintendent of the In- surance Department, and was unanimously confirmed by the State Senate, which was at that time Republican in politics. He re- signed his position as member of the com- mission, but accepted that of Insurance Superintendent. So acceptably did he fill this office that he was earnestly solicited by the department to serve for another term; but this he absolutely refused to do, and resigned January 31, 1876.
Mr. Chapman was a member of the Chicago
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AUSTIN GRIFFIN
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who had so recently gone from us under such hopeful auspices to assume the responsibili- ties of his high office, that he whom all would miss and many mourn, had been snatched away so suddenly from a life fruitful in usefulness and honors beyond the measure of us all? It was, alas! too true. On that sad Sunday morning Orlow W. Chapman, the eminent lawyer, the honored public official, the exemplary citizen, the accomplished gentleman, the genial companion, and the unselfish friend, was lying dead in that pleas- ant and sorely afflicted home in the Federal capital. The blow had fallen swiftly and almost without warning. But yesterday he was brave, hopeful, and cheerful; and to-day the light and life were gone. Yet quickly at that bedside and over that stricken form gath- ered the friends who had known him but a few brief months, yet friends of whom
' None knew him but to love him,
Nor named him but to praise.'"
EV. AUSTIN GRIFFIN, pastor of the Tabernacle Methodist Church of Binghamton, N. Y., was born in Westford, Otsego County, February 1, 1836, son of Augustus and Esther (Skinner) Griffin. Ilis grandfather was a descendant of old Colonial settlers of New England, and was one of the pioneer farmers of Otsego County. Augustus Griffin was born on the home farm, and remained there all of his life, with the exception of fourteen years which were spent in Broome and Delaware Counties. He died
in Westford in 1856. Mrs. Esther S. Griffin was born in Schoharie County in 1813, and is still living. She was the daughter of John and Anna Skinner, they being sterling Quakers of the old school from Massachusetts, belonging to a family of the carliest settlers of that State. At the death of her husband she was left with four children.
Austin, the eldest of the family, was twenty years of age at that time. lle re- ceived a common-school education at West- ford, later pursued his academic studies at the Laurel Bank Seminary at Deposit, Delaware County, after which he engaged in business as a builder at Worcester, Otsego County, N. Y., for three years. At the age of twenty- two he became a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and entered the ministry when he was twenty-four years old. His first appointment was from the Oneida Conference in 1860, at Schuyler's Lake, Otsego County, where he had two very successful years in building up the church. From there he went to Laurens in the same county, and served that church for two years, and thence to Otego, Otsego County, for two years more. During his term at this latter place he super- intended the repairing of the church, leaving it for his successor in excellent condition. After this for three years, the church laws having extended the period of residence of ministers, he did heavy and earnest work in Hartwick and Jacksonville churches, preach- ing in each every Sunday. He repaired these churches, purchased and fitted up a par- sonage, and conducted a successful revival,
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completely transforming the community of Jacksonville, and gaining for the ministry of his church three prominent young men of that town.
The Rev. Mr. Griffin had now become recognized as a worker of such value and importance to the communion that many con- gregations were desirous of his services. He was sent to an adjoining charge, that of Mil- ford, where he repaired the church, his pre- vious experience in building enabling him to make the purchases of material, hire work- men, and superintend the entire work him- self, besides the extra labor of securing the money to pay them. For the last six months of his years there he preached four times each alternate Sunday, and was superintendent of two Sunday - schools, besides leading two classes. Under the pressure of this too ex- cessive labor in his Master's vineyard his health became impaired, and he was sent to Onconta for lighter work, that being the lead- ing appointment in Otsego County. The church was new, and he had there two pleas- ant and prosperous years. Being then invited by the church of Carbondale, Pa., to become their pastor, he labored three years, and had the satisfaction of greatly strengthening the church by a large number of accessions through his zeal. As seemed to be his usual work in a new field, he had to superintend the repairing of the church edifice. At the close of his term in Carbondale, in 1875, he was appointed to the Centenary Church in Bing- hamton, N. Y., where his ministry was a most successful one. His next pastorate, and one
of the most pleasant, was at West Pittston, l'a., in the Wyoming valley.
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