USA > New York > Broome County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Broome County, New York. > Part 34
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there December 16, 1883; and his widow and son still reside on the farm.
On March 30, 1862, Mr. Ralph R. Ritter was married to Miss Mary E. Guernsey. She was born in Middleburg, Schoharie County, N.Y., June 1, 1837, daughter of Jacob and Elinor (Snook) Guernsey. Her father re- moved to Broome County in the early years of its settlement, and was a farmer here. He was seventy-six years of age at his death. His wife died at thirty-seven. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Guernsey was a Democrat in politics. "Their three children are: Mrs. Ritter; M. M. Guernsey, of Whitney's Point, N. Y .; and James W., of the city of Binghamton, N. Y.
Mrs. Mary E. Ritter rents the home farm to a tenant, but still lives there. She owns · besides a great deal of real estate in Great Bend, Pa. She is a faithful, active member of the Christian church. Her husband was an honorable and popular man, and his men- ory is held in deserved respect.
HARLES F. O'BRIEN, ex-City Attor- ney of Binghamton, N. Y., one of the younger members of the Broome County bar, was born in Ireland, December 17, 1861, son of Daniel and Julia (Dwyer) ()'Brien. The parents landed in New York City in 1864, and moved to Cortland County in 1868, where the father died in 1869. The widow with her children came to the village of l'ort Dickinson, a suburb of Binghamton, N.Y., in 1875.
Charles F., having attended the district school of Cortland, finished his preparatory education at the St. James Parochial School of Binghamton, and then worked in a large cigar factory, acting as foreman from 1879 till 1885, saving his money, and living eco- nomically until he had accumulated enough to afford spending his time in reading law. He entered the office of the Hon. Edmund O'Connor, now State Senator, with whom he remained until admitted to the bar at the general term of court held in Binghamton September, 1888. Ile formed a partnership with Mr. James HI. Roberts for the practice of his profession. In 1890 Mr. O'Brien re- ceived the appointment of City Attorney, which position he held for two years. He and his partner make a specialty of corpora- tion law. They are the legal advisers of the Binghamton General Electric Company, and have also managed special suits for various corporations. Not to every young man does the flower of promise mature into the fruit of success, but it is a pleasure to record in this sketch that energy and industry have accom- plished the aims desired. These gentlemen have worked up an extensive practice.
Mr. O'Brien owns the Columbia Brewery, and has made several other valuable invest- ments in real estate. He exerted his ener- gies and abilities greatly in the introduction of the electric light plant into the city of Binghamton, N.Y. Ile is a member of the Roman Catholic church, being one of the ris- ing young men of St. Patrick's Parish in Binghamton, ever foremost in its interests,
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and a devoted adherent to his faith. In so- ciał life he is a member of the Binghamton Club.
ORACE TREADWELL, an educated farmer, and one of the representative men of Broome County, has lived on his present place since 1854, and has nearly all these years been actively engaged in agri- culture. In addition to his farm work, his advice and counsel being considered of value, he has held the office of Justice of the Peace and Notary Public, and has been an influen- tial worker in all enterprises calculated to advance the best interests of the community. Ile was born in Schoharie County in 1823, a son of Humphrey Treadwell, who was born in Delaware County, January 1, 1799, and died in September, 1847, at Jefferson, Schoharie County. He was a minister of the gospel, and was connected with the Methodist Episco- pał church.
The subject of this sketch was brought up on the home farm, and early in life became accustomed to agricultural labors. His father was necessarily away from home a great por- tion of the time, attending to the duties of his profession, so that the work of the place devolved upon him and his brothers. He secured a fairly good education, and for about twenty-six years taught school during the winter season, thus adding to his knowledge, and obtaining a practical benefit from his carly instruction. He was married to Dian- tha. Clarke, who was born in Worcester, Otsego County, in 1825, a daughter of Calvin
and Francis (Fuller) Clarke. Her father was from Massachusetts, and her mother from New York State. The former died in this county in 1873, at the age of seventy-three years, and the latter in 1881, when eighty- eight years old, and in the full possession of her mental faculties. Of this Clarke family, four children are now living, namely: Dian- tha, who before her marriage was a successful teacher for ten terms; John, a farmer in Peoria County, Ilinois; Dickinson, a me- chanie in Allegany County, New York; and Barney F., who lives in Sanford, Broome County.
Mr. and Mrs. Horace Treadwell began life together on the old farm, and subsequently purchased their present place of one hundred and fifty-two acres. He has usually kept from ten to twenty cows and a flock of sheep, and has raised some horses. They have buried two daughters: Ella, who died at thir- teen years of age; and Hattie, who died when three years old. The six living children are the following: Frank L., wife of Edwin In- gerson, a farmer in Broome County; Calvin II., a farmer; Wellington L., living on a part , of the old farm, of the whole of which he now .. takes the principal care, also teaching school winters; Mary L., wife of Frank Shaffer, of Binghamton; Jennie, wife of Wilber J. Place, living near the old home; and Burton E., a widower, living in the town of Maine, Broome County.
Mr. Treadwell is a Republican in politics. Hle has served for sixteen years as a Justice of the Peace, and is at the present time a Notary
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Public. Mr. and Mrs. Treadwell are mem- bers of the Glen Castle Methodist Episcopal church, and have been influential in every good work connected therewith, assisting materially in the building of a house of wor- ship four years ago, and contributing of their means generally for the cause. Their chil- dren are of the same faith.
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ENJAMIN F. BRADLEY, of Bing- hamton, N. Y., for several years an inspector of banks and walls on the Erie Canal, was born in the town of Wood- bridge, New Haven County, Ct., October 31, 1818. The same State was the birthplace and lifelong residence of Abner Bradley, grandfather of Benjamin, who died there at the age of seventy - seven years. Samuel Bradley, son of Abner, was born in Connecti- cut, and received the best educational advan- tages afforded in the country towns in those days. He improved his opportunities for reading and study, and became a well-in- formed man of his time. lle removed to . Oneida County, New York, when his son Benjamin was eleven years old, and bought a farm, being one of the very earliest settlers of that place. His land cost him seventeen dol- lars and twenty-five cents per acre; and upon it were two good log cabins, the tract having been a part of the Brothertown Reservation granted to the Indians of the Oneida tribe. He built a frame dwelling-house' and other necessary buildings, improving the land and greatly increasing its value. In addition to
farming, Mr. Bradley followed the trade of cooper. Later in life he removed to Illinois, and died in Batavia, Kane County, at the age of seventy-one years. Ile married Miss Arena Riggs; and they reared a family of seven children, namely: Mabel, Mrs. Benja- min Bishop, of Connecticut; Henry; Benja-' min F .; Samuel; George; John; and Isaac. The mother died in Clinton, Oneida County, N. Y.
At twenty-one years of age Benjamin F. Bradley joined the engineer corps of the Erie Canal, who were then engaged in the work of enlarging it. After three years spent at that labor he returned to the home farm, where he worked for his father for one year, at the end of which time he married Miss Nancy L., daughter of John and Ruth Raymond, natives of Connecticut, who were parents of nine children, seven daughters and two sons. For the ensuing six years he worked on the farm of his father-in-law, and then went again on the Erie Canal, as inspector of banks and walls, which position he occupied for fifteen years. In 1864 he came to Binghamton, N. Y., and was employed on the Chenango extension of the same canal. In the year 1865 he bought a small house in the vicinity of the city of Binghamton, and settled here with his family. Selling that place later, he moved to Port Dickinson, in the same county of Broome, where he resided eleven years, and then, in company with his only surviving son, bought the dwelling which is his present home.
Mr. and Mrs. Bradley reared a family of
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three boys. A son Charles married Miss Agnes Vedder, of Schenectady, N.Y., and lived and died in Binghamton, N. Y. An- other son, Waring, died at the home of his father in 1885, leaving a widow and three boys - Raymond, Harry, and Charles B. This good and devoted daughter-in-law still resides with Mr. Bradley, and by her thought- ful, kindly care comforts his declining years, he having been called some time since to part with his wife, who died at the age of sixty- nine. In his religious convictions Mr. Brad- ley adheres to the Congregational church, of which he is a member in good standing, faith- fully contributing to the support of its various activities and continuing to take a deep inter- est in the Bible class. Politically, he is a strong supporter of the Republican party. In his long life he has won popular esteem for his upright, Christian character as a man and a good citizen.
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DWARD F. RICH, a farmer of the town of Barker, has long been engaged in that occupation, and has no desire to change from a quiet country life to the busy scenes of the city. Ilis father, John W. Rich, was born in Schoharie County in 1822, and came to Broome County, a single man, when eighteen years old. He was by trade a shoe- maker, and followed that business for about fifteen years at Triangle, employing a number of workmen, and having a considerable trade. He was twice married, first to Sally Eggles- ton, of Triangle, by which union were three
children, one of whom, Marion F., is now living in Tioga County. Ilis second wife was Mary Ann Johnson, of Broome County, who became mother of Edward F. and of four other children, namely: Lewis, N., of Greene, Chenango County; Eva, wife of Fred Pratt, at Harpursville, Broome County; Morris I., a farmer of this county; and Elmer E., of Greene, Chenango County.
The mother of these children was a dangh- ter of Edward Johnson, a pioneer from Con- neticut, who came here when the country was new, the nearest mill being at Owego, and bears and Indians were plenty. Mrs. Rich is still living, at the age of seventy years, ac- tive, intelligent, and having a good recollec- tion of the early days. ller husband died here on his fifty-acre farm in 1887. They were both members of the Congregational church at Triangle. He was not bigoted or unreasonable, and not strictly bound to any creed other than the New Testament and the word of the Divine Master. He was a Con- gregationalist because, to his mind, that church more nearly than any other followed . the apostolic pattern, that of the early churches of the New Testament. He was a man having an opinion and will of his own, and not easily influenced. lIe was a Demo- crat, but not an unreasoning partisan.
Edward F. Rich was born in Triangle in 1853. llc was brought up on the home farm, and attended the district school, acquiring a fair education, although, perhaps, as has usu- ally been the case, not improving the oppor- tunity so well as he might. He was married.
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in 1890 to Ellen Alexander, daughter of Rufus Alexander, who was a farmer of this county. Edward F. Rich is an independent thinker on all subjects, and exercises his own judgment in business, in social affairs, poli- tics, and religion, uninfluenced by what any one else may say or think. He is not bound by any creed, party, or doctrine, but is the sole arbiter of his own action, and has a fixed determination to suit his own ideas of fitness and right in all these matters. His idea of true manhood is embodied in the life and teaching of the best Master the world ever knew.
ARL B. SMITH, M.D., a resident physician of Binghamton, came to this place from Buffalo in 1889. Hle is a native of Painted Post, Steuben County, N. Y., where he was born in 1859, a son of E. H. and Ellen (Bronson) Smith. His father still lives at that place, where he is a man of considerable prominence, dealing in lumber, which has for years been his occu- pation, and holding various town offices to which he has been chosen by the people.
In his early youth Carl attended the schools at l'ainted Post, and subsequently finished his preparatory education at Corning Academy, graduating in the class of 1876. He then read medicine with Dr. Graves, the leading surgeon of Steuben County, as his preceptor. lIe was a close student, and had the faculty of retaining what he learned, so that he made rapid progress, attended medical lectures in Buffalo, and was graduated in 1880. Then,
after a practice of one year in the country, he settled in Buffalo; and, having there con- tinued for eight years, in 1889 he removed to Binghamton, first having his office on Susque- hanna Street. His business increased beyond his expectations; and, more commodious and central quarters becoming a necessity, he re- moved to 37 Court Street, where he may now be found.
Dr. Smith gives his whole attention to the study and practice of his chosen profession, seeking and finding improved methods of treatment for different diseases, notably that of pulmonary consumption, to which he has given a great deal of thought, so much so as to make it a specialty; and he has discovered what appears to be a wonderful medicine for the treatment of this dreaded malady. The efficacy of this cure has already passed its first experimental stage, having been the means of curing fully fifty per cent. of the cases he has treated, including all stages of the disease, among them many given up by reputable phy- sicians. The Doctor believes in the germ theory, and his researches have been mainly with a view to the discovery of a medicine capable of destroying those germs without injury to the patient. It is said that in the course of a few months, dating from January 1, 1893, he has cured twenty cases and pro- longed the lives of others. He is still pur- suing his investigations, aiming at the per- fection of his remedy, which, if brought about, should cause him to rank among the leading benefactors of the human race. The Doctor is a member of Binghamton Lodge,
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No. 177, A. F. & A. M., stands high in his profession, and is a gentleman of culture and scholarly attainments.
HOMAS CONGDON, proprietor of the Congdon House, No. So Lewis Street, in Binghamton, N. Y., was born in New York City, May 12, 1846, son of Michael and Mar- garet (Walsh) Congdon. The father was born in County Waterford, Ireland, and was mar- ried there before coming to this country. He went from New York to Susquehanna, Pa., where he was engaged in the machine shops, and there died, October 25, 1892. The mother still survives.
After having finished his studies in the public schools of Susquehanna, young Cong- don learned the trade of machinist, at which he worked in that place until May of 1868, when he came to Binghamton, N. Y. ; and here he entered the employ of Shapley & Hopkins. He remained there for one year, and returned to Susquehanna for a little. while, but came back to work again in the Binghamton Iron Works, the firm having now become Shapley & Wells. Sixteen years later, in 1881, he bought the property now known as the Hotel Congdon, and fitted it up in good style. There are thirty rooms for guests, having steam heat throughout, baths and all kept in a clean and tasteful manner, making it one of the best hotels for the price (one dollar and a half per day) to be found in the city. It is the aim and ambition of Mr. Congdon to make it a homelike place, and he
has a good and increasing patronage. His hotel is situated in an excellent location, being opposite to the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad depot, and one block from the Erie Railway.
Mr. Congdon was married September II, 1893, to Miss Elizabeth Pembroke, daughter of James and Margaret Pembroke, of Bing- hamton. They have two sons, Martin P. and Thomas J. The family are members of St. Mary's Catholic Church. Mr. Congdon has been a member of the Board of Education for two years, representing the Tenth Ward, and was Chairman of Committee on Finance from 1889 to 1891. Ile is an enterprising and progressive citizen, having attained a merited success, and is esteemed by all as an honora- ble member of the community of Binghamton.
DWARD FORKER, a well-known agri- culturist of the town of Vestal, was born on his present farm, November 13, 1859. Ilis father Josiah, a native of East Union, was a son of George Forker, a carpenter by trade, who was a resident of Binghamton for many years. lIe finally removed to East Union, where he remained until his death.
Josiah Forker left home at the early age of . nine years, and started out to take care of himself, working at various occupations, and contriving to pick up in the mean time a fair amount of education, which was chiefly of a practical character. He followed farming and lumbering, and was also employed for some time at the carpenter's trade. He purchased
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forty acres of timbered land on Bend Hill. This he cleared and sold, and then bought the farm upon which his son Edward now resides, erecting the fine barns and commodious dwell- ing, and also building a cider-mill. He was an intelligent and broad-minded man, and was liberal in his religious views. In politics he was a Democrat, and held various town offices, among them that of Overseer of the Poor.
Ile married Miss Jennie Tighe, of Phila- delphia; and they reared five children, four of whom still survive, namely: Rose; Edward, the subject of this sketch; Frederick L., now a prominent physician in Binghamton, N. Y .; and Jennie May. The mother of these chil- dren is still living, and makes her home with her elder son, Edward. The father died August 16, 1893, at seventy-six years of age.
Edward Forker was reared to agricultural pursuits from his youth, and received his edu- cation in the district school. He assisted his father in the management of the home farm, and, when his father died, assumed control under his mother's direction. He is thus engaged at the present time, and has met with a high degree of success. He is a wide- awake young man, well informed on current events, and is looked upon by all as an up- right and useful citizen. In politics he sup- ports the Democratic party, but does not aspire to public office, being content to per- form the ordinary duties of citizenship. The family are attendants at the Catholic church, and are highly respected by their neighbors and acquaintances as people of sterling char-
acter, true of purpose and upright in their dealings with all.
AMES HAZLEY has been a resident of Binghamton for over forty years, having made that city his home in 1853. He is now living at 289 Front Street, retired from the active business cares of life. He was born at Newburg, Orange County, N. Y., August 15, 1828, son of Arbuckle and Ellen (Coy) Hazley. llis paternal grand- father, William Hazley, was a light-house- keeper on the Isle of Wight, where Arbuckle, the father of James ITazley of this notice, was born. He married when quite young, and in 1826 went to Newburg, where he was Water Commissioner for fifty years, and where he died in 1885. He was a man of good busi- ness qualifications, a gentleman in social life, a member of the Masonic order, and con- nected with the Methodist Episcopal church. Ellen Coy, the mother of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Ireland, and survived her husband but a few years. They had seven children, namely: Margaret, wife of Henry Schidgel; James; Grace, who married Thomas Grover; Mary, deceased, who became the wife of William Nixon, a Chief of the Fire Department in Newburg for many years; Elizabeth, wife of David Twillinger; Jane, now Mrs. Sherman; and Martha, deceased.
James Hazley was educated in the common schools and in the high school at Newburg. Ile came to Binghamton, and engaged in the butchering business, having a market on
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Court Street, and continuing thus employed until the call to arms in defence of our coun- try was made, when, filled with patriotic enthusiasm, he made answer by enlisting in Company B, Eighty-ninth New York Regi- ment, Volunteer Infantry. He entered the service as Captain in December, 1861. They went to Washington, and remained until the following January, when they were assigned to General Burnside's division, and went to Roanoke Island and Newbern, N.C. Mr. llazley saw a good deal of hard service, and participated in seventeen battles, among them being Antictam, Fredericksburg, Suffolk, Cold Harbor, Hanover Court - house, and others. Although many times in the thick of the fight, he escaped without serious injury, but once had one of his ears shot through by a passing ball. At Fredericksburg he was among the two hundred men constituting the forlorn hope at the centre bridge. Ile was in the service three years and six months, then, returning to Binghamton, engaged again in the meat business till 1867, when he became the proprietor of the HIazley House at Port Dickinson, and so remained for five years or more. Then for over eighteen years he was the proprietor of the Hazley House in Bing- hamton, retiring from business in April, 1892, being one of the oldest hotel men in the city. lIe still owns the hotel property, and also some residence property on Front Street. Ile is a member of Watrous l'ost, Grand Army of the Republic. Mr. Hazley's wife was formerly Maria Treadwell, of Ilar- persfield, Delaware County, their marriage
occurring March 29, 1866. Mrs. Hazley's father, Humphry Treadwell, was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, and among the older residents of Harpersfield.
AMES F. ALLEN, an intelligent and well-known farmer of the town of Tri- angle, is a man of some experience in the business affairs of life, having been variously engaged before giving his attention fully to his present occupation. He has oc- cupied his present place for the past fifteen years. He was born in what is known as the Fuller settlement in the town of Lisle (now Barker), September 20, 1823, son of Squire Allen, who was born in the same place and in the same house, December 28, 1802. His grandfather, John Allen, a brother of Ethan Allen, of Revolutionary fame, when a boy of sixteen years, ran away from home and joined the Continental army, and was 'with hls brother at Ticonderoga. He came to. New York State with his wife and six of his nine children about 1796. They had some means, and made the journey with horse teams. Mr. Allen purchased large tracts of land, most of which were heavily timbered, and from which he subsequently sold farms and smaller tracts to his pecuniary advantage. His wife, who was by maiden name Rachel Hendricks, fully shared "with him the hardships and responsi- bilities of frontier life. He died in 1826, when sixty-five years old, and she' in 1838, at the age of seventy-eight. They had three sons born to them in their new home, Tru-
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man, Eli, and Squire, of whom the former was the first white child born in the old town of Lisle. Squire Allen married Betsey Underwood, who was born in Greene, Che- nango County, May 16, 1801, the marriage occurring about 1821. They had a family of eight children, all of whom are now living, are farmers by occupation, are the heads of families, and reside in Broome County. The father of these children died on the farm in the town of Barker when seventy-three years old, the mother dying near the same place in 1878. They were hard-working, honest peo- ple, benevolent and kind, dispensing their sympathy and hospitality to all in need according to their means.
James F. was brought up on the farm, and early accustomed to agricultural work. He obtained a fair education, first in the district schools in the vicinity of his home, and later in the school at Itaska. October 31, 1842, when but nineteen years of age, he led to the marriage altar Miss Lydia Cady, daughter of Willard and Elizabeth (Yarnes) Cady, of But- ternuts, Otsego County, N.Y. Mr. Allen commenced tending saw-mill when sixteen years old, and, after becoming familiar with that business, followed it, together with the management of a grist-mill, for twenty-five years. lle moved to Millville in 1854, and some fourteen years later engaged in the lum- ber and bark trade, and speculated to some extent in land. Mr. and Mrs. Allen lost two sons and two daughters in infancy, and have nine living children, as follows: Carlisle, married, and living at home on the farm;
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