USA > New York > Delaware County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Delaware County, New York > Part 40
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In the spring of 1852 Mr. Mein was united in marriage with Maria Lewis, the daughter of the late John Lewis and his estimable wife, Anna Wakeley Lewis. Mr. Lewis was a vet- eran of the Revolutionary War, and for many years received a pension. He settled in the town of Delhi, where he carried on a success- ful business as a miller. Of his seven chil- dren three daughters and two sons are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Mein have buried one infant daughter. Three daughters and one son still remain to them, who may here be briefly named: Mary, who married John Young, a farmer in Franklin, has onc son ; Euphemia, a well - known and successful teacher, began her professional career at the early age of sixteen years; Jessie lives at home; Robert L., who lives with his parents, has operated and managed the home farm for the past nine years, continuing the improve- ments already begun, and meeting with unquestioned prosperity in his various under- takings. He is a thorough-going agricultu- rist, and inherits in a marked degree those sterling qualities of character that constitute a good and loyal citizen. He is a strong Re- publican in politics, and takes a warm inter- est in the common weal. He is now serving his second term as Assessor. He has also filled many of the minor offices of the town. Mr. Mein and his family are people of strong religious convictions, and worthy members of the Reformed Presbyterian church. Like his
son, he is an ardent supporter of the Republi- can party, and forwards to the best of his ability the interests of the town.
ILLIAM LEONARD RUFF, a well- known farmer and the leading cat- tle breeder in Bovina, Delaware County, was born in the adjoining town of Roxbury on February 21, 1855. His father, John Gottlieb Ruff, was born in Germany, and married Rosa Leonard before emigrating to America in 1853. He belonged to an old and rich family, had been trained a farmer, and was far from penniless when he crossed the seas. For a year the new-comers stayed in New York City, and then went to Greene County, where they hired a farm in Pratts- ville. Not feeling satisfied there, they left the place before the birth of their second child, William L., and settled in Roxbury, where they purchased two hundred acres, whereon they remained till recently, when they moved into the village, in retirement from hard work, and where they are now in the enjoyment of comfort and good health, and of religion, also, as members of the United Presbyterian church. Mr. Ruff is especially active in religious matters, and is a Republi- can in politics. There were born into the homestead seven children, all now living and thriving. John Ruff, the eldest, born in 1853, is a farmer in Andcs. Next comes William L. Ruff, of Bovina. The eldest daughter, Kate, born in 1858, is now the wife of Lewis Van Aken, a Roxbury farmer. Car- rie Ruff, born in 1868, married Albert Craft, of Roxbury. George Howard and Edward Ruff, born in 1863 and 1867, live in the same county, the former in Stamford and the latter in Middletown. Henry Ruff, born in 1871, remains on the parental estate, and is largely engaged in land speculation.
William L. Ruff grew to manhood in the usual way of a farmer's son, working on the land and attending the district school. In 1872, at the age of seventeen, he started for himself, and for nine years worked on other farms for about fifteen dollars a month. By this time he was twenty-six; and, being very economical in disposition, he had accumulated
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a goodly sum of money. He therefore felt justified, on March 10, 1881, in marrying Anna Melissa White, daughter of John White, an early settler in Kortright, where he still lives, a representative farmer, an earnest Democrat, and in sympathy with the religious opinions of his wife, who belongs to the Methodist society in Hobart.
After his marriage William L. Ruff bought the Rutherford farm, of three hundred acres, in Bovina, where he has continued to live and work hard ever since. Of course, he has to engage more or less in general agriculture, but gives his special attention to his dairy and to cattle breeding, keeping seventy-one cows, including the young stock. His milch cows yield each two hundred and eighty-five pounds of butter yearly for market, and the average has sometimes reached three hundred pounds a head. He is justly proud of his high breed of cattle, registered, full-blooded Jerseys. If you wish to see it, he will show you a neatly printed chart, giving the pedigree of the head of the herd, Ida Meridale's Angelo, No. 28,013, dropped March 23, 1891, and described as having a solid color, black tongue and switch. This superb creature he bought of the Meridale farm at Meredith, Ayer & McKinney proprietors, for a hundred and twenty-five dollars, when the beast was only three months old. His majesty can be traccd back four generations, through Ida of St. Lambert's bull, 19, 169, and Angela Grande, 32,607. Among his progenitors were the famous imported Stoke Pogis, 1,259, and Michael Angelo, 10, 116, the latter sold to Miller & Sibley for twelve thousand five hun- dred dollars each, when only a calf six months old. The cattle raised on Mr. Ruff's farm are sold into Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and especially into Wayne and the adjacent counties, the calves always commanding two hundred dollars apiece, and sometimes twice that sum. For ten calves, now grown into cows, he refused two thousand dollars. All this successful work has not been carried on in the old buildings which were on the place when Mr. Ruff bought it of W. L. Ruther- ford. There is a new barn, measuring eighty by fifty-six feet. The other structures have all been remodelled, and thoroughly piped
with water. There is stabling for some eighty cattle, and the Buckley water device is used in the dairy process. The Ruff farm is anything but a rough farm, being under fertile cultivation. The proprietor gives himself strictly to business, and keeps two or three men constantly employed over his stock.
Two children have blessed the family board - Minnie Bell and Lula May, born respec- tively in 1883 and 1886, and both gracing the home with the promise of fair womanhood.
Mrs. Ruff is a member of the Methodist society in Bovina Centre; but her husband belongs to the United Presbyterian church in New Kingston, both following the parental lead. He is a Republican, but is best known as the leading cattle breeder of the vicinity.
Though barely forty years of age, Mr. Ruff is a hustler; yet he has won his way by strict integrity. The home is provided with every modern attachment for health and comfort.
HARLES C. TOBEY, one of the most enterprising representatives of the industrial interests of Delaware County, is, with his partner, J. A. Warner, carrying on a substantial business as a tanner in the town of Walton. He comes of excellent New England ancestry, and is himself a native of the old Bay State, having been born in the town of Monson, Hampden County, December 31, 1831. His father, Stephen Tobey, was born in Tolland County, Conn., where, after completing his school life, he learned the trade of a tanner and cur- rier, continuing in business some years. Hc subsequently removed to Monson, Mass., where he erected a tannery, one of the largest in the vicinity, and there carried on an ex- tensive business. Later in life, in addition to that industry, he also established a coun- try store, which he conducted with profit until his death, at the ripe age of seventy-cight years. He married Rebekah Fenton, of Will- ington, Conn., who bore him the following- named children: Warren, a tanner, residing in Canada; Anna F., the wife of Rufus Chand- ler, of Monson; S. H., who graduated from Yale College in the class of 1853, and is now a broker in New York City, doing business at
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No. 4 Broad Street; Charles C .; and Mary E., the wife of H. F. Wing, of Grafton, Mass. The mother spent the declining years of her life in Monson, passing away at the venerable agc of eighty-five years. She was a sincere Christian, pure in heart and spirit, and a faithful member of the Congregational church.
Charles C. Tobey was educated in the schools of his New England home, first at- tending the district schools of Monson, and subsequently taking a thorough course of study in Monson Academy, an institution of learning that ranked among the best of any in New England. He later worked in his father's tannery, learning the trade of a tan- ner and currier, and, after becoming of age, went into business with his eldest brother, who had purchased his father's interest in the tannery. In 1857, his brother deciding to re- move to Canada, Mr. Tobey, in company with R. O. Fenton, purchased his interest in the tannery; and they carried on a successful business for two years. In 1859, buying out his partner, Mr. Tobey carried on the busi- ness alone, continuing until 1871, when he closed out there, and came to Walton. Pur- chasing the plant of Mead, North & Co., he formed a copartnership with J. A. Warner, his present partner; and for a quarter of a century they have conducted a flourishing trade, their upright and honorable methods winning for them the esteem and confidence of all with whom they come in contact.
Mr. Tobey was united in marriage in 1858 to Maria B. Barrows, a native of Willimantic, Conn., and one of five children born to Will- iam and Betsey Barrows, the others being: Julia, who married John Atwood; Dwight ; Jane; and Charles H. By this marriage therc have been born six children, the follow- ing being their record: Henry C., who is in the grocery business, and who married Hattie Guild, a daughter of Truman Guild, of the firm of Guild & Son, druggists, of Walton, and has three children - Anna, Martha, and Truman; Herbert E., who is engaged as a dealer in coal and lumber in Walton, and married May Dayton, of Stamford, this county; Fred S., who is a hardware merchant in Sherburne, Chenango County, and who
married Ada Berry, of that place, they having one child, Marjorie; Frank W., a twin brother of Fred S., and in the coal business with his brother Herbert, who' married Linda Holmes, a daughter of Ephraim Holmes; Carrie M., a graduate of Walton Academy, in the class of 1893; and Emma L. Frank Tobey was also graduated from Walton Acad- emy, and later from the New York School of Pharmacy, being the third in rank in a class of one hundred and thirty. He practised pharmacy two years, being with Imgarde & Co., of New York City, and was later em- ployed for a year in a drug store in Erie.
Politically, Mr. Tobey affiliates with the Republican party. He takes a deep interest in local affairs, and is a strong and earnest advocate of all enterprises tending toward the advancement of his adopted town and county. For threc years he has been President of the Board of Education. He and his family are devout members of the Congregational church, of which he has been chorister for many years. Mrs. Tobey, who is an active worker in the church, is also a teacher in the Sunday- school, and President of the Missionary Society.
AMUEL DECKER, M.D., is a phy- sician in the village of Griffin's Corners in Middletown, where he has a large practice. He was born in Schoharie County on July 21, 1839, son of Cornelius and Sally (Hallock) Decker. His grandfather, John C. Decker, son of Corne- lius, of Columbia County, went to school and worked on a farm in youth; but, arriving at manhood, he bought eighty acres in Broome, Schoharie County, whither he had to journey afoot. A log house and barn soon made the new country seem more like home, and the wilderness began to blossom like the rose. Grandfather Decker was a Democrat and a Methodist. He was the father of four chil- dren, two by each wife; for he married two Shaver sisters. The first wife died young, leaving a boy and a girl - Cornelius and Mar- garet. This daughter married Freeman Whit- beck, and now resides in Rensselaer, Albany County. Of the second wife's two children,
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one died in middle age, and the other, David Decker, lives in Binghamton. The grand- father died at the age of seventy-five.
His son Cornelius, father of the Doctor, was born in 1808, and grew up a farmer and cooper. He married Sally Hallock, daughter of Samuel Hallock, whose wife died young, but not before she had borne four girls and three boys - Sally, Betsy, Nancy, John, Cornelius, Samuel, and Deborah Hallock. Cornelius Decker leased eighty acres in Scho- harie County, where he passed his life. He was a Democrat, and held the office for some time of Highway Commissioner; and he won- derfully improved his land. He died at the age of seventy, and his wife at sixty-eight. They had five children. The eldest, Wesley Decker, died in 1860, just before the Civil War. The second child, Samuel Decker, is the special subject of this sketch. Levi Decker married Mary Vaughn, lives in South Dakota, and has one child. Daniel Decker married Eva Case, and died in Mackey. Mary Decker became Mrs. Minor Hagerdorn, of Middleburg, and has one child.
Samuel Decker went to the district school. Besides working on the farm in his early man- hood, he taught school till he was twenty- four. Then he studied medicine, graduating in 1867, at the age of twenty-eight, from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, in New York City. He at once began practice at Griffin's Corners, where he still continues. He did not marry till he had been nearly a decade in practice; but in the centennial year he became the husband of Mary Lasher, be- longing to a family of which more is recorded under the proper heading. She was born October 3, 1857, was the daughter of Allen and Eliza (Crosby) Lasher, and the grand- daughter of Conrad and Anna C. (Sagendorf) Lasher. Grandfather Lasher was born in Columbia County, and was reared a farmer. He came to Delaware County, and lived here till the great age of ninety; but his wife died young, though the mother of the following children : Robert, Frederick, Edward, Abra- ham, Allen, Betsey, Marietta, Catherine, none of whom are now living.
The fifth child, Allen Lasher, was born in Columbia County, and came with the others
to Delaware County. At first he did business as an insurance agent, and then bought a farm, turning his atention especially to lum- ber. By degrees he became an extensive speculator in real estate, buying and selling constantly. He had seven children. Edward C. Lasher married first Henrietta Kelley, and second Jennie Ferow. He lives at the hotel in Fleischmanns village, and has one child. Emmet Lasher married Allison Vandermark, and lives on the farm belonging to her fam- ily, in the same village, and has one child. Mary Eliza Lasher became Dr. Decker's wife. Viola Lasher married T. B. Floyd, an insur- ance agent in Syracuse. Huldah Lasher married William Whispwell, a New York salesman, and has two children, another hav- ing died young. Charles Lasher also lives in New York City. James Lasher is a student at the Annandale College on the Hudson River. Their father died at Griffin's Corners, aged sixty-nine, and their mother at sixty-two. In religion they were Methodists; and he was a Democrat, holding three terms the office of Assessor.
Dr. and Mrs. Decker have three children, all living at home in the pleasant house which their father built in 1879. Lucy Maud was born on the first day of August, 1877. Mary Edith was born March 26, 1880. Harvey was born August 24, 1887. The Doctor is, like his progenitors, a Democrat, and has held several offices. In religion he holds very liberal opinions, and would say, with a man whom he admires -as did his grandfather, who supported that man for President - Thomas Jefferson, -
"Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it."
J OHN C. CHAMBERLIN, a highly in- telligent resident of Tompkins, comes of good ancestry on both his father's and mother's side. His great-grand- father Chamberlin, who, with three brothers, was in the Revolutionary War, fought at the battle of Bennington. When peace was de- clared, he returned to his home at Brattle- boro, Vt., and resumed a farmer's life, remaining there until his death. Four of his
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sons settled in New York State in the latter part of the last century. One of them, Calven Chamberlin, born at Brattleboro in February, 1773, made the journey on horseback, carry- ing all his earthly possessions on pack horses. He built a log cabin, and for six years em- ployed himself in lumbering and rafting. In June, 1799, he bought one hundred and thirty acres of land in Rapalyee's Patent, which is still in possession of the family, and on which he built the second frame house in the town. February 7, 1805, he married Polly M. Clune, whose one child, Mary, married and moved to Connecticut. Calven Cham- berlin's second wife was Bersheba Judd, daughter of the Rev. Benjamin Judd, of Penn Yan; and she became the mother of these children - Eliza M., Benjamin J., Nancy Ann, Harriet, Nelson, Daniel D., Emeline, and James. After a long and useful life, the father died in January, 1853, aged eighty years, at the home of his son Daniel, which is one of the most beautiful in that section of the country.
Daniel D. Chamberlin, son of Calven, and the father of the subject of this biography, was born on the old homestead, April 23, 1819, and, after attending the district school, entered the Franklin Academy, receiving an education far superior to that usually consid- ered sufficient for a farmer's son of that time. Upon leaving school, he engaged extensively in farming, lumbering, and operating a dairy, and for a time was a steersman on the river. For some years he was associated in business with William B. Ogden, the Chicago million- aire, who endeavored to persuade him to enter the Western speculations in which Mr. Ogden later made his fortune. However, his love for his native State and his many business interests prevented him from adopting any Western ventures. He built the residence now occupied by his son, John C. He died March 29, 1881. Mr. Chamberlin married November 16, 1853, Miss Elizabeth Foulds, daughter of John S. and Elizabeth (Wheaton) Foulds.
John S. Foulds was a native of Scotland, being born in Greenock on the Clyde. At the age of eleven he ran away from home to go to sea, and was taken on board the clip-
per "Fannie," which was commanded by his brother-in-law, Captain Black, and was said to be the fastest ship then afloat. His first voyage was to New York; and he later sailed to the West Indies, returning home at the age of sixteen, when he was pressed into the Eng- lish navy. He participated in three naval engagements with the French, and carried away the scars of the wounds made by pike and cutlass on his face and body. For twenty-eight months this poor boy served his country without pay, throughout all that time never being allowed to land. Is it to be wondered at that he imbibed a hatred for the English which he could never overcome? He finally made his escape from the English ship while she lay off the island of Barbadoes, by dropping overboard, and swimming a mile through water notoriously infested with man- eating sharks. After reaching the shore, he lay in hiding for a time, and then secured passage back to Scotland in a ship commanded by an old acquaintance. Upon landing once more on his native shore, he hid himself for three days, fearing discovery, as the govern- ment had offered five pounds as a reward for information of deserters. Poor, unfortunate John Foulds was then placed in a hogshead, which was headed up and sent on board his old ship "Fannie," still in command of his brother-in-law, Captain Black; and for three days food and water were passed to him in his hogshead in the hold, as he did not dare to be seen till well out at sea. On his arrival in America, being an expert machinist, he went to New London, Conn., and engaged in the cotton manufacture. Later he moved to New Berlin, and there engaged, as one of the first manufacturers of cotton print in this country, with Colonel Williams, President of the Canal Bank of Albany. On the death of his wife he went to the northern part of Illinois, where he lived for a time, but returned to Cannonsville, and took up his residence with his son-in-law, dying there of pneumonia in 1881, at the age of eighty-seven. John S. Foulds was a Democrat until 1846, when he joined the Whigs, and later the Republicans. He fought in the War of 1812, taking part under General Scott in the battles at Lundy's Lane and Sackett's Harbor. He stood high
WARREN G. WILLIS.
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among the Masons, being a member of the Royal Arch Grand Lodge. During the fa- mous Morgan trial he was asked by the judge when he last saw Morgan, and replied, "I last saw Morgan sailing down Unadilla River in a potash kettle, with a crowbar for a paddle "; and this witty answer is still quoted in that section of the country. Throughout his life he was a firm friend of the negro, often at- tacking roughs whom he saw abusing them.
John C. Chamberlin, son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Foulds) Chamberlin, was born Au- gust 19, 1859, on the old homestead at Tomp- kins. He attended the district school, and at the age of thirteen entered the Walton Acad- emy, from which he went to Cornell Univer- sity as a member of the class of 1880. When he was twenty-one, his father died, leaving in his care his invalid mother, who died January 27, 1887, and the management of the estate. In the discharge of the duties which devolved upon him he proved thoroughly conscientious and competent. He now holds the position as Railway Postal Clerk on the N.Y., O. & W. R.R. Mr. Chamberlin is very popular in his native town, possessing the admiration and respect of a host of friends, and has served in several positions of trust.
ARREN GALLUP WILLIS, a wealthy land-owner and attorney, residing in the town of Masonville, was born in the same place on March II, 1827. His grandfather, Solomon Willis -or Wyllys, and then Wyllis, as it was for- merly spelled - was born in Connecticut; and the grandmother's maiden name was Betsey Lathrop. Solomon Willis was old enough to fight in the French and Indian wars; and his commission from George II., dated March 31, 1758, is still in the possession of the family, and highly prized. He was an Ensign, and served in the company of which Phineas Lyman was the Captain.
When the Revolution broke out, Ensign Willis enlisted for the entire war, and was on duty seven years, serving first as Captain. Being the oldest officer in the regiment, he was raised to the rank of Colonel at the battle of Bunker Hill, and held his regiment
through the hard-fought battle of Long Island, August 27, 1776. He was soon after sent on the expedition against Canada, in which he and his men suffered severely in battle and from the privations and hardships incident to that ill-fated invasion. He always cherished a great admiration for the bravery of Benedict Arnold, under whom he served in the arduous march to Quebec, and in the heroic fights there in 1775-76, exploits which won for Arnold the rank of Brigadier-general. Colo- nel Willis was fortunate in never receiving a single wound. Before the wars he had owned considerable property, but came penniless out of the Revolution. The pay due from the British government for the earlier contest was never paid, because Ensign Willis was rightly suspected of rebellious sympathies; and the Continental currency received from the Colonial Congress sank in value till it was practically worthless. After the war was over Colonel Willis returned to Connecti- cut, where he died at the age of fourscore, firm in the Presbyterian faith, having reared nine children, who have long since passed away.
Among the veteran's sons was Wearam Wil- lis, who was born in Tolland, Conn., on July 27, 1780, while his father was still serving in the patriotic contest; and he married Hannah Gallup, of Stonington, who was born July 17, 1790. Wearam grew up on the home farm, and received a fair education at the district school. Arrived at his freedom age, he went to Albany as clerk, but in 1808 came to Masonville, where he bought sixty acres of land. After a short time, in 1810, he sold this farm, and bought two hundred and thir- teen acres of forest land, wherefrom he cut the first tree and built the first frame house in the region - the place now known as the old Willis homestead. Deer abounded, wolves could be heard howling at night, so that the live stock had to be sedulously protected, and bears made occasional visits. While build- ing his house, Mr. Willis saw one prowling near, and walked toward him, thinking the animal would be frightened away; but Bruin stood on his hind legs for a tussle, and then the settler was the more frightened of the two, and was relieved when at last the grim
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intruder concluded to sidle away. The near- est market was sixty miles off, among the Catskills, though later Utica grew to be an important centre. Father Willis was a hard- working and progressive farmer, acquiring a large property for those days. He was Super- visor, held other town offices, and was practi- cally, as well as theoretically, interested in the welfare of the town. Though not a pro- fessor of religion, he was a Trustee in the local Presbyterian society, which he helped to organize. In politics he was a Whig, till the Whig party vanished and Republicans came into power. He was the father of nine chil- dren. The first died in infancy, unnamed. Hannah Willis died at fourteen. George Wearam Washington Willis lived to be seventy-six. Melissent Emeline Willis mar- ried Lyman Witter, and died in 1866. Nancy R. Willis died unmarried, at the age of twenty-four. Deidamia D. Willis became the wife of Stephen Thatcher, and died at seventy-two. Joshua S. S. Willis was born April 20, 1822, and is a Masonville farmer. John M. Willis lived to be sixty-three. The youngest of the nine is the subject of this sketch. Their father died April 6, 1860, aged fourscore, and the mother four years earlier, on the last day of November, 1856.
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