USA > New York > Broome County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Broome County, New York. > Part 39
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A, Fifty-second Pennsylvania Volunteer In- fantry, and went at once to the Peninsula, where he was in all the campaigns under Gen- cral Mcclellan, participating in the hottest fights. For gallantry on the field he was promoted to the second Lieutenancy, and then was ordered to Charleston, S.C., where he received an appointment from the Secretary of War as Assistant Commissary, the duties of which divided his time between Charles- ton, S.C., and Jacksonville and St. Augus- tine, Fla. In this position he remained until his regiment was mustered out, at which time he made an application for his own discharge; but, the Secretary of War not granting his request, he remained in the United States service six months longer, making his whole time three years and nine months.
Mr. Waters then returned to Wilkesbarre, and became engaged in the fire insurance business, which he carried on for four years. In 1879 he moved to Binghamton, N. Y., and took charge of the agency of Paige, Chaffee & Co., remaining with them until the com- pany dissolved. Before coming to Bingham- ton to reside, he had lived for a few years in Scranton, Pa., and for one year was a mem- ber of the City Council there.
Mr. Waters married Miss Anna Bessecker of Scranton, l'a .; and three children have been born to them, of whom only two are living - Hattie (Mrs. B. M. Palmatier) of New Berlin, N. Y., and Ida, wife of W. C. Eldridge, of Binghamton The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Waters is a strong adherent of the
Republican party, but is not an aspirant for political honors. IIe is devotedly attached to the cause of the veterans, and is a member of the Joseph J. Bartlett Post, No. 668, Grand Army of the Republic, of which he is Adju- tant. He is also Adjutant of Dickinson Com- mand No. 10, Union Veterans' Union. He is recording scribe of Palestine Castle, Mys- tic Chain, and, while interested in Masonic circles and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having been through all the chairs, is not active in those societies at the present time. Being fully competent to the duties of his position on the Board of Street Commis- sioners, he is the right man in the right place.
OHN LA GRANGE, of Binghamton, who is in the real estate business, is of Huguenot, or French Protestant, descent, and can trace his lineage back for eleven generations to ancestors who moved from France to Holland, whence some of the family came to the United States. He was born at Vestal, Broome County, December 8, 1858, a son of William A. and Deborah (Reed) La Grange. His great-great-grand- father, who had before him borne the name John La Grange, was a patriotic soldier in the war of the American Revolution, and had many of the experiences of army life and hardship incident to that struggle. He came to Binghamton from Elizabeth, N.J., when the country was new, assisted in the organiza- tion of its social and political life, was the I President of one of the first banking institu-
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tions here, and did his full share of work in the development of the city and county at that early day. Halsey La Grange, the grandfather of the subject of the present sketch, was also born in Vestal, and made his settlement in the town of Vestal, on what is now known as the Phelps farm, in which vicinity he purchased about three thousand acres of land. He married Miss Experience Stoddard, a daughter of Judge Stoddard, who was a prominent man here years ago, and will be remembered in connection with the politi- cal affairs of the county at an early date. Halsey La Grange continued in this county through life, engaged in farming, dealing in lumber and in general merchandise. He was a good business man, and had the respect and confidence of the community.
William A., the father of the younger John, spent his early days in the town of Vestal, coming to Binghamton in 1868, where he engaged in contracting and building in the city and country, remaining here till his death, which occurred March 1, 1886. His wife, Deborah Reed, was also born in the town of Vestal, a daughter of Ransom Reed.
John La Grange came to Binghamton when ten years old, and, having received his ele- mentary education in this city, profited by a course of study in the famous Phillips Acad- emy at Andover, Mass. He then obtained a situation as commercial traveller for a man- ufacturer of furniture, in which business he continued for a number of years and until about ten years ago, when he established the Real Estate Agency which now occupies his
attention, his office being in the Ackerman Building. He possesses good business abil- ity, was a director of the West Side Street Railway, and Secretary of the same until its consolidation with the Court Street line. He has been a School Commissioner for the city, representing the Third and Fourth Wards. His wife was formerly Miss Grace Butterfield, of Schultzville, l'a. They are attendants and supporters of the First Presbyterian Church. Mr. La Grange is connected with the Masonic Order, being a member of Otseningo Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and of Binghamton Chapter.
HOMAS B. MERCHANT, a prominent and rising young attorney of Bingham- ton, N. Y., was born in De Ruyter, Madison County, N. Y., July 3, 1857, son of Joseph W. and Delala II. (Taber) Merchant. Mr. Joseph Merchant, who is a descendant of one of the old Scotch pioneer families of Madison County, New York, was for some years en- gaged as a dealer in general merchandise. At the time of the construction of the Mid- land Railroad he became a Director and one of the active men in the building of the road. IIe was also the agent empowered to buy all of the right of way for this railway. He was member of Assembly for Madison County for one year, and was a prominent and represen- tative citizen during his residence there.
In his boyhood Thomas pursued his cle- mentary studies at the seminary of De Ruyter, and then attended the Military Academy at Chester, Pa., for three years, going from
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there to a boarding-school at Stockbridge, Mass., where he went through an excellent classical course. lle read law with D. S. Richards, Esq., of Binghamton, N. Y., re- maining in his office from October 14, 1877, until January 20, 1879, and next going into the office of the Hon. D. S. Curran of the same city, where he studied until his admis- sion to the bar as an attorney, January 28, 1881. January 27, 1882, he received the title of Counsellor, and immediately opened an office at the corner of Court and State Streets in Binghamton, where he practised alone until the admission of his brother to the bar, when the present partnership of T. B. and L. M. Merchant was formed. Their business takes them before all the courts, and they have been eminently successful since starting in their profession. Mr. Thomas B. Merchant is unmarried, and re- sides in his father's home, No. 92 Main Street.
A brief sketch of Mr. Leslie M. Merchant, his brother and associate partner, will not be out of place here. Leslie was born at De Ruyter, October 10, 1860, and received his early education at the De Ruyter Seminary and at different private schools. He read law with his brother Thomas, and was admitted to the bar on examination at Syracuse, N. Y., May 3, 1889, and immediately formed the partnership now existing for the practice of law in Binghamton. On October 30, 1890, Mr. Leslie M. Merchant married Miss Hattie M., daughter of Harvey Wescott, a promi- nent and wealthy merchant of Binghamton.
The brothers had the misfortune in IS91 to lose their estimable mother, who was a truly good Christian woman, and deeply interested in all charities, the City Hospital, of which she was one of the original managers, finding in her a great benefactress. Since her death Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Merchant have resided with Mr. Joseph W. Merchant, the father, over whose household Mrs. Merchant grace- fully and capably presides. The family are. prominent attendants and supporters of the First Presbyterian Church of Binghamton.
ARVIN R. LATHROP was born February 1, 1813, in the town of Amenia, Dutchess County, N. Y., son of Daniel and Lydia (Stevens) Lathrop, both natives of that town and county. His paternal grandfather moved from Massachu- setts to Dutchess County, New York, and was among its first settlers. IIe was a wagon- maker by trade, which occupation he followed through life. He died at the age of eighty, having reared five children, as follows: Wal- ter, Daniel, Anore, David, and Silas. This grandfather Lathrop was a deacon in the Pres- byterian church, and in his politics was a Democrat.
Daniel Lathrop grew to manhood in the town of Amenia, where he owned a farm. IIe followed carpentering and wagon-making for his livelihood. IIere his ten children were reared, of whom three are now living - Marvin, the cklest; Euphemia, widow of Stephen D. Pratt, residing in Lisle, Broome
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County, N. Y. ; and Amy, Mrs. Clark, who re- sides in Binghamton, N.Y. Mr. Lathrop's father died at about the age of seventy. He was an elder in the Methodist church, and he and his wife were sincere and devoted dis- ciples of that faith.
Marvin R. was reared in the town of Amenia, and received a good education in the district schools, although at the age of thirteen he began working on a farm, where he received five dollars a month for his first work, continuing at this until he was eighteen years old, when he learned the wagon-maker's trade in the. town of Sharon, Conn. He afterwards moved back to the town of Ame- nia, and there carried on his trade for some five years, in connection with carpentering, which he followed until 1840. At that time he came to Broome County; and, after re- maining in Binghamton for one year, he moved to Conklin, and bought the farm where he now resides. This land was then a wil- derness, and he vigorously set to work to clear and make a farm. He had to cut a road to his place, the sound of the woodman's axe being a novelty to the wild birds and beasts, which were plentiful in the forests. He was a hard-working man, and the greater part of the farm on which he now resides in case and comfort was cleared by himself. He once sold this place, and owned other farms in the town of Conklin; but the old associations were too strong for him, and he bought the old homestead back again, and will here spend the rest of his days. He and his good wife are among the oldest and most venerated
settlers, not only in the town of Conklin, but in the county.
In August of 1834 Marvin R. Lathrop was married to Miss Eliza Darling, who was born in Amenia, October 25, 1813. Her parents were David and Lovina (Benton) Darling, and the families on both sides were among the most prominent of Dutchess County. They had ten children, of whom three are now living - George in Ohio, Andrew in the town of Conklin, and Eliza, Mrs. Lathrop.
Mr. and Mrs. Lathrop have been blessed with four children, all of whom are living; namely, Sanford, a railroad surveyor in Cali- fornia; Daniel, a machinist at Binghamton ; Francis, at home; and Josephine, wife of Haviland Lester, Superintendent of the Crandall, Stone & Co. Works of Binghamton.
Mr. Lathrop has been a successful and prosperous farmer, and in his beautiful home is peacefully spending his last days. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace for twenty years successively, and in the Metho- dist Episcopal church, of which he and his estimable wife are true and carnest members, has been an officer for over thirty-five years. Since the organization of the Republican party, Mr. Lathrop has been one of its most active workers, and is a stanch adherent of its principles.
HAUNCEY W. GOODRICH, the old- est settler now living in the town of Sanford, Broome County, was born in Pompey, Onondaga County, N.Y., Febru- ary 26, 1821. His grandfather, a scion of
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one of the old Puritan families of New Eng- land, removed to Onondaga County, and settled near l'ompey Hill, buying land of the Onondaga Indians at his own price. He and his wife died when nearly eighty years of age, and were buried in the same grave. They were devoted and excellent members of the Presbyterian church. Of their eight children, none are living.
Archibald Goodrich, father of Chauncey, was born in Onondaga County, and grew to manhood in the town of Pompey. He fol- lowed the trade of blacksmith, and in his last years moved to Michigan, settling in Lenawee County, where he remained until his death, at the age of seventy-eight years. His wife, Mabel Beebe, who was also a native of Onon- daga County, was about seventy-eight years of age when she died in Michigan. They were members of the Methodist church, and Archibald was a Republican in politics. Six of their nine children are now living; namely, Mary, (Mrs. Galusha), of Cortland County; Electa, of Ohio; Archibald, of Steu- ben County, New York; Louis, of Onondaga County; John, a County Judge in Ottawa, Michigan County; and Chauncey W. The three who died were Mary," at five years, Sarah, at twenty-five, and Harvey, at thirty.
Chauncey W. Goodrich, the eldest of these children, lived in Onondaga County with his parents until his twenty-third year. He had attended the district schools in Onondaga County, and received a good practical educa- tion. In 1845 he removed to Broome County, and settled in the town of Sanford. Here he
was engaged by the Eric Railway Company, and cut down the first tree that was to clear the way for the great Erie Railroad through that section. Ile worked for them one year, and then removed to Tioga County, where he was for three years employed in lumbering.
January 27, 1847, Mr. Goodrich married Miss Sarah M. McClure, who was born in the town of Sanford, April 29, 1822, daughter of David and Hannah (Springstien) McClure. David was the son of William McClure, an emigrant, who came to the town of Sanford in 1787, and was one of the very first white set- tlers here. The MeClure Settlement is named after him. When William McClure first ar- rived in New York State, he taught school in the counties of Dutchess and Orange; but, having learned surveying, he started out in the employment of Fisher & Newton, to sur- vey their tracts of land situated near Deposit. The log cabin which he built, because of its superior workmanship and size, was called the Castle. Ile lived here about three seasons, with no companion but a faithful dog, and surveyed the large tract of his employers (Fisher & Newton) into lots of one square mile each. An incident of the sagacity of his dog is worth relating here. Mr. McClure was taken very ill with fever, and would have died, had not this intelligent animal made his way to the nearest settlement, and by his signs of evident distress compelled an Indian trader there, named Hynback, to accompany him to the Castle. By careful nursing he was brought to recovery. Mr. McClure re- turned to Orange County, and there married
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Miss Sarah Farnham in February of 1791. Hitching a light sled to his horse, he brought his wife and a few articles of household furni- ture through the trackless forest in this in- clement season, a journey of over one hundred miles. After his marriage he bought land for about one shilling an acre till he owned about two thousand acres. He was one of the lead- ing men of this vicinity, and died after a life of usefulness at the age of one hundred years. His wife died when thirty-eight years old. There were nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. McClure, all of whom grew to maturity. One of his last testamentary acts was to will to the McClure Settlement the ground for the cemetery at that place. He had served not only during the Revolutionary War, but also in the French and Indian struggle.
David McClure, the father of Mrs. Good- rich, was born at the McClure Settlement, and was a farmer and lumberman. This lat- ter business was the main industry, as the country was yet heavily covered with timber, which was cut into logs and rafted down the Delaware to Philadelphia, where it found a ready market. He owned over one hundred and seventy acres where he lived, besides other lots in the town of Sanford. David was a hard-working and enterprising man, and in addition to his farming and lumbering inter- ests carried on the business of a miller. He and his wife, who was a Miss Springstien, died at advanced ages. They reared a family of nine children, of whom seven are now liv- ing; namely, Jacob, in Binghamton; Sarah M., wife of Mr. Goodrich; Eliza, widow of
Peter Alexander, residing in Spokane, Wash. ; Edgar, living in Sanford; Ilannah (Mrs. Edward Atwell), of Tuscarora; George W., living in Windsor; and William II., whose biography appears in connection with his sister, Mrs. Goodrich's, in this sketch.
William H. McClure grew to manhood in. the town of Sanford, where he was born Feb- ruary 1, 1817. The first school he attended was in an old log house, where the course of study was limited to the most rudimentary rules of reading, writing, and spelling. Other educational advantages came to him later, but he still looks back with pleasure to these early days of his struggle for learn- ing. When he was twenty years of age, he started to earn his own living, and, having learned the trade of carpenter, went about the country, building saw-mills. He was besides a great hunter, and his record as a deer-slayer is second to none in his part of the State. He has killed about eight hundred deer in his life, having followed hunting as a regular 'business for a number of weeks every winter, and averaging as many as four in a day. In connection with his brother he bought four hundred and twenty-five acres of land in Pennsylvania, where he resided for a few years, having a saw-mill there and dealing in lumber. Returning to Sanford, he has re- sided until the present day on his farm, which consists of eighty-four acres.
Mr. McClure was married July 12,' 1846, to Miss Catherine Wheeler. She was born in 1823 on the farm afterward owned by her hus- band. Her parents, Levi and Martha (Spen-
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cer) Wheeler, were natives of New York State, he born in Sanford, and she in Kort- right, and were among the early settlers in the vicinity of Sanford. Mrs. McClure died September 27, 1891, aged sixty-eight years. Mr. and Mrs. William McClure have had seven children, of whom six are living : Eleanora, born June 7, 1847- she is the widow of T. Nicholson, and resides in Sara- toga, N. Y .; Maria H., born April 2, 1849, wife 'of Samuel Moore, living on the home farm; Grace A., born June 7, 1851, wife of S. Cleves, residing in the State of Maine; David C., born September 19, 1855, living at home; Eugene, born August 6, 1858, living in Sanford; Alexander H., born September 26, 1860, residence in Montana; Alice, born 1853, and died 1857. The wife of Mr. Mc- Clure was a Baptist, and in his religious views Mr. McClure is liberal. He is a vet- eran of the late Civil War, having enlisted August 11, 1862, in Company A, One Hun- dred and Thirty-seventh Regiment, New York State Volunteers, under the command of Cap- tain Stannard and Lieutenant Owens. Ile was in the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, and in the latter engagement was seriously wounded in the left leg, which had to be amputated. He was honorably dis- charged May 13, 1864. He is a member of Eggleston Post, Grand Army Republic, of Deposit. On the farm he now manages Mr. McClure has a large and remunerative dairy.
Chauncey W. Goodrich returned to the town of Sanford from Tioga County in 1851, and has resided in his present home for over
thirty years. For the past eleven years he has been employed as purchaser of wood for the acid works. September 2, 1864, he en- listed in Company A, One Hundred and Forty-fourth Regiment, New York State Vol- unteers, under Colonel Tracy. ITe was hon- orably discharged January 16, 1865. There were seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Goodrich, three of whom are living, namely : William W., farmer, born December 5, 1851, residing with his father; Sarah E., Mrs. Edgar Cheeseman, born November 26, 1849, who resides in Summit; Hannah A., Mrs. Clark Hall, born May 21, 1854, also of Sum- mit. Francis O. died in infancy, Mary J. at the age of twenty-one, and an infant at the age of a few months. Mrs. Goodrich died November 13, 1892. She was a member of the Methodist church for many years. Mr. Goodrich is a Republican in his politics, and a Baptist in his religious profession. He is also a member of Lodge No. 109, Improved Order of Red Men, of Deposit and of Eggles- ton Post, No. 184, Grand Army of the Repub- lic. He has had a successful career, and is one of the leading and popular men in his native town.
HIARLES WALES, a respected resi- dent of Binghamton, N. Y., was born in Schoharie County, New York, April 30, 1836, son of Levi S. and Lauretta (Brewer) Wales. Levi S. Wales, who was a farmer of Schoharie County for some years, moved out to La Salle County, Illinois, where he carried on the same occupation until his
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, death, at the age of fifty-six. His wife still resides in that county. Of their seven chil- dren, only six are now living, one son, Ira, having been killed on the battlefield during the late war. The father and mother were of the Methodist faith, and Mr. Wales was a Republican in politics.
Charles was reared and educated in Tioga County, New York, and received the best advantages in public schools of that place. When he reached his twenty-first year, he commenced farming and lumbering, and in 1861 came to the city of Binghamton, where he engaged in boating, carrying it on in con- nection with his business in Tioga.
Afterwards settling permanently in this city, he dealt in real estate, and crected many buildings, among them the North Side Hotel, which is now managed by his sons, Augustus and Charles S. He also owns business lots and residence property, but, owing to failing health, does not any longer devote himself to active business affairs.
When he was twenty-one years of age, he married Miss Emeline Wales, a native of Tioga County. They have had five children, only three of whom are now living -- Augus- tus G., Charles S., and Byron R., the latter residing with his parents. The two who died were Gordon, an infant, and Frederick, aged twelve years. The family live in a comfort- able residence, No. 229 Chenango Street. Mrs. Wales is a strict and consistent Metho- dist; while Mr. Wales, while appreciating the good in all religions, has not as yet con- nected himself with any one church.
Mr. Wales is a public-spirited and valued citizen of Binghamton, having devoted his best energies to building up and improving that portion of the city which lies north of the railroad. Ile has been largely instru- mental in giving the impetus which has made that locality become so thickly populated in the last few years. He is faithful in his duties as a citizen, and votes with the Repub- lican party.
ORNELIUS VAN SCHOYK is among the older citizens of Deposit, Broome County; and no one in the village is held in higher esteem or more universally respected. Through his paternal grandfather, Cornelius Van Schaick, he traces his lineage back to ancestors who came from Holland. Stephen Van Schoyk, the father of Cornelius, was a native of Coxsackie, Greene County, and was brought, when a lad of nine years, by his grandmother into the town of Tompkins, Delaware County. He there grew to man- hood, and changed the spelling of his name to the present form. Ile was a prominent citizen, and quite active in the affairs of the town and community, being Assessor for some years, and holding the responsible position of Justice of the Peace for a long time. _ He married Nancy Eggleston; and they were the parents of seven children, namely: Stephen, who died at the age of twenty-one years; James B. and Jane, deceased; Cornelius; Ruth, deceased; Mariette, the wife of Ed- ward Jewell, living in Deposit; and Carrie, wife of David Axtelo, also of Deposit.
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Cornelius was born in the town of Tomp- kins (now Deposit), January 22, 1824. He was brought up on the farm, and early accus- tomed to work. He attended the district schools and a select school at Bennettsville one winter, and later spent two years in study at Deposit. He made a specialty of survey- ing and kindred studies, and became a practi- cal civil engineer. He subsequently engaged in farming, and at the same time dealt in real estate, which has been his business all his life. He was married in 1863 to Sarah M. Bryant, of Barbersville, in the town of De- posit, a daughter of Harvey Bryant, who was a relative of the distinguished poet, William Cullen Bryant. There were seven children in the family of Harvey Bryant, namely : Sanford F., who died when twenty-one years old; Minerva J., widow of Charles E. Free- man, living at Grand Rapids, Mich .; Susanna and William P., deceased; Sarah M .; Mar- shall B., a resident of Deposit ; and Sophia M., wife of Fletcher Palmer, a Justice of the Peace.
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