USA > New York > Delaware County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Delaware County, New York > Part 43
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ALEB BRUNDEGE, an intelligent, practical farmer, proprietor of one hundred and eighty well-tilled acres in the town of Tompkins, N. Y., was born May 10, 1842, in the adjoining town of Masonville, son of James D. Brundege, who was a native of Saratoga, N. Y. The first Brundege in this country came from Holland and settled on Long Island before the Revolu- tionary War. He raised a family of thirteen sons. One of his descendants, Daniel Brun- dege, the father of James D., was born in Saratoga, and when but a youth engaged in farming in that town. A few years later he bought land in Coxsackie, Greene County, where he was one of the first settlers, and assisted in the raising of the first frame build- ing by the square rule. The father of Daniel Brundege was a stanch patriot at the time of the Revolution; and a band of Indians and Tories, knowing this, came and plundered his house of all they could find, the family, with the exception of Daniel, who was but a small boy, and his little sister, having fled to the mountains to hide their clothes in the rocks. Mr. Brundege lived to the advanced age of eighty-four years, and died at the home of his son, James D., in Masonville.
James D. Brundege came when a boy with his parents to Coxsackie, where he attended the district schools of the town, afterward assisting his parents on the home farm, and a few years later working in the grist-mill. When twenty-two years of age, he married Hannah Pierce, of Coxsackie; and by this marriage there were eight children, namely : Mary, who married Abraham Teed, of Mason- ville; Levi, who married Fayette Dibble, of
Masonville; Sarah Jane, who married Debias Finch, of Tompkins; James C., who died when twenty-one years of age; Cordelia, who married Edward Pierson, of Masonville; Caleb, the subject of this sketch; Perline, who died when ten years of age; and Fields, who married Abbie Hoag, of Tompkins.
Caleb Brundege received an education such as the farmers' sons of his day obtained at the district schools of the town, and, until he started in life for himself, assisted his father on the home farm. He first purchased fifty acres from his father; and, as he grew in ex- perience and desired a wider field for his labors, he sold this and finally bought one hundred and eighty acres in Tompkins, where he resides at the present day. On November 26, 1855, he married Helen Sutton, daughter of Sherman and Laurana (Folkerson) Sutton, of Hancock. Sherman Sutton's father, Caleb Sutton, was born in Westchester County, New York, was one of the earliest settlers in Han- cock, and a resident and respected citizen of that town until his death. He married Sally Ann Flatenburg, a descendant of one of the earliest settlers of New York State. Sher- man Sutton attended the district school of his native town, and started for himself in farming at an early age. He married Lau- rana Folkerson, daughter of Joseph Folker- son, in the town of Hancock; and, coming from East Branch in 1845, he bought a tract of timber land in Tompkins, where he engaged in the timber business for a few years, and then started a hotel on Trout Creek road. This last was not such a success financially as the former had been; and in a short time he gave it up, and went back to the lumber busi- ness. He now lives at the home of his son, Wallace Sutton, at Cannonsville, practically a retired lumber dealer. His daughter Helen was educated in her native town, and resided with her parents until her marriage.
Mr. and Mrs. Brundege have four children. The eldest, Watson J., who was born in Ma- sonville, December 8, 1866, married Maggie J. Peck, of Tompkins. Sherman, born in Masonville, July 20, 1869, married Alice Scofield, and is engaged in the grocery busi- ness at Granton. Lorena M., their only daughter, was born in Tompkins, December
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5, 1875. Jasper, the youngest son, who lives at home with his parents, was born in Tomp- kins on June 1, 1879. Mr. Brundege is in- terested in all that concerns the welfare of the town, and has held offices of trust. Both he and his estimable wife are descended from early Dutch settlers of New York, and, like their ancestors, are respected and honored members of the community in which they live.
J RANK H. McLEAN, son of John and Eleanor (Burr) McLean, is a note- worthy citizen and merchant of the village of Arena, in Middletown, Delaware County, N. Y., where he was born September 13, 1857. His grandparents, Alexander and Christina McLean, were Scotch, and came to America in 1836, being eight weeks on the voyage.
Soon after landing in New York City, Mr. Alexander McLean came to Arkville, Dela- ware County, and speedily found work as a blacksmith, having learned the trade in the old country. After two years in Arkville he went for a season to Clark's factory, still pur- suing the same calling; but later he bought the hundred - and - eighty - five - acre farm in Arena, still known by his name. There he built the first house and barn, cleared the land, and became a prosperous agriculturist. In politics a Democrat, and in religion a Presbyterian, he lived to the good age of seventy-four, his wife living to be a decade older. Ten children blessed their ingleside: Alexander, named for the father; Isabella; Jeannette; Christina, named for her mother; John, father of Frank H .; James; Andrew; Mary; David; and George. . From farming John McLean naturally drifted into lumber- ing, and for thirty years has been the superin- tendent of the saw-mills near Arena, enabling him to thoroughly prepare the lumber he pur- chases for the market. In politics he is a Democrat. He married Eleanor Burr, a daughter of Cyrus Burr; and they raised two children, of whom Frank H. McLean, the subject of this sketch, is the elder, the other being his sister, Mary Christina McLean, named for her grandmother McLean, and still living at home.
Frank H. McLean was educated in the pub- lic schools. After passing his majority, he began a new career as clerk for Fletcher & Burr, general merchants, the junior member of the firm being his cousin. At the end of a couple of years Mr. Fletcher bought Mr. Burr's share of the business, and for five years he continued in the employ of Mr. Fletcher. Then there was another change, and for two years he was with Fletcher & Ellsworth: In 1891 Mr. McLean purchased the hardware store of Mr. E. Burr, and has since conducted the only store of this kind in the neighbor- hood, dealing in agricultural implements and vehicles of every description. With the store is connected a tin shop, where the trade is daily on the increase. As an energetic and honorable dealer Mr. McLean is highly re- spected in the community.
ESSE O. BURROWS was born March 29, 1830, in Deposit, and was the son of Whitman Burrows, who was born in the same town, then known as Tomp- kins, and was the son of Peris Burrows. Whitman Burrows, the father of the subject of this sketch, received his education at the dis- trict schools of his town, and, being the el- dest son of the family, assisted his father on the farm, remaining at home until his mar- riage with Phobe Whitaker, daughter of Jesse and Chloe (Hecock) Whitaker. He then bought a portion of his father's farm, and there carried on farming, lumbering, and dairying very extensively. Mr. and Mrs. Whitman Burrows had five children: Jeanette, who married Abram Cable, of Deposit; Ed- ward, who married Antoinette Wiest, and set- tled in Deposit; Jesse O .; Deborah; and Sophrona, who married Leonard Walker, of Deposit.
Jesse O. Burrows received much the same education as was given his father, attend- ing the district school, and helping with the work on the farm until he was sixteen years of age. Being a youth of great ambition and more than ordinary ability, he then started in active life for himself, first working in saw- mills for daily wages. But this slow progress did not long satisfy him. He saw the advan-
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tages to be gained in lumbering and farming; and in 1864, having amassed sufficient means, he bought the farm upon which he now re- sides, which contains a homestead lot of sixty- four acres of highly cultivated land and a hill farm of two hundred and thirty-seven acres.
October 2, 1851, Mr. Burrows married Frances C. Peters, daughter of Henry and Almira (Hulce) Peters. Mr. and Mrs. Bur- rows have two children - Cora Belle and Arba G. Cora married George Chamberlin, of Franklin, where they now reside with their three children - Burr B., Ross B., and Lynn. Arba G. married Quintilla Apperson, of Mar- linton, W. Va., a furniture manufacturer and dealer, a prominent man in the affairs of the town ; they have one child, Jessie J.
The grandfather of Mrs. Jesse O. Burrows was John Peters, who married Betsy Smith, of Bushkill, Pa., and removed from that place to Sanford, Broome County. He there estab- lished a grist-mill, and did farming and lum- bering on a very large scale, being successful to such a degree that he retired from business life several years before his death, which oc- curred in Deposit when he was sixty-five years of age. Henry Peters, son of John and the father of Mrs. Burrows, started in business life when a very young man, purchased a farm on the "Jersey side " of the Delaware River in Tompkins, where he had an extensive lum- ber business. He owned his saw-mill, and transformed the lumber into boards, which he sent to the Philadelphia market. Henry Peters married Almira Hulce, daughter of Sylvester and Penninah (Hotchkiss) Hulce, of the town of Deposit.
Mr. and Mrs. Burrows are members of the Presbyterian church, and in politics he is a firm Republican. Mr. Burrows's success in life has been due to his own hard labor and the sound sense which has led him to make good use of his opportunities, to work and not dawdle, to mind his own business and do it well.
ORNELIUS D. REYNOLDS, of Roxbury, N. Y., belongs to a family which came originally from the East, and has since become well known in the annals of Delaware County.
Martin Reynolds was the pioneer of the fam- ily in New York. He secured farming lands in Bovina, and there lived and died. His life was an interesting one, full of those incidents and adventures which characterize the career of a pioneer farmer. William Reynolds, son of Martin Reynolds, was born in Bovina, and lived with his father until he became of age, when he moved away, and settled for a time at New Kingston. He then bought an unde- veloped farm of one hundred and fifty acres in Bovina, and immediately set to work to bring out the resources of the place. He put up new buildings, cleared the land, and improved it generally. Then he sold out, and moved to Andes and bought the Warren Weaver farm. This property was also in need of im- provement. During the twenty years that he lived here he made the estate very valuable by his well-directed efforts in building and in working on the land.
Mr. Reynolds now made a radical change in his policy, and determined to move out West. He accordingly went to Michigan, and settled on a new and very fertile farm of some one hundred and twenty acres. He lived in this new Michigan home till his death, at the age of sixty. He was a Republican, and a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church. Early in life Mr. Reynolds had married Jane De- mond, daughter of Cornelius and Polly (Neapes) Demond, by whom he had ten chil- dren : Cornelius D .; Mary E .; Caleb and Richard, twins; Julia; Libbie; John W .; George W .; William; and Manerina. Mrs. Jane Demond Reynolds is still living (1894) on the Michigan farm, being now eighty-five years old.
Mr. Cornelius D., son of William and Jane Reynolds, was born in Middleton, New Kings- ton, on September 15, 1849. He received his early education at the district school in Bovina. At the age of twelve young Corne- lius went to live with his grandfather De- mond, for whom he worked nine years, until he was twenty-one, and then stayed three years longer, making twelve years in all. At the age of twenty-five Cornelius D. Reynolds married Mary E. Tyler, a daughter of Henry and Deborah Tyler, who lived in New Kings- ton, near the boundary line between that
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village and Roxbury, their farm being in Rox- bury. Mr. Tyler was a Republican in poli- tics, a Methodist in religion; and he lived to the age of seventy-five. Mrs. Reynolds had nine brothers and sisters.
Mr. Reynolds after his marriage bought the Van Dyke farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres. He lived on this estate and worked it for one year, and then sold it and bought a farm of one hundred and twenty- seven acres in Middletown, just above New Kingston. Here he lived four years, and so improved the place that, when he sold it, he was enabled to buy two hundred acres of live land at Manor Kill in Schoharie County. Here Mr. Reynolds met with a sad loss, for Mrs. Reynolds was thrown from a carriage while riding, and died from the effects of the accident in the thirtieth year of her age, leaving one son, George H., who is a physi- cian at Delhi. Mr. Reynolds remaincd only four months at Manor Kill. After a year in Prattsville, he married for his second wife Amanda C. Craft, daughter of Captain Will- ianı H. Craft. Mr. Reynolds afterward pur- chased the Bloomberg farm in Johnson Hol- low. This he kept four years, and then sold it. By his second marriage he has two sons, Charles F., who is in a drug store at Delhi, and William E., who lives at home.
The farm which Mr. Reynolds now owns he bought in 1874. It contains two hundred and twenty-seven acres of land, and lies about two and a half miles from Roxbury, near Stratton Falls. Mr. Reynolds has put upon this farm the results of a long and varied experience in agriculture, and in consequence has one of the finest cstates in the region. He keeps forty cows and a number of sheep. The land, which is nearly all cleared and cultivated, is in first-class condition. In politics Mr. Rey- nolds is a Democrat. As a citizen and neigh- bor he is well known and well liked in Rox- bury and the neighboring country.
ILLIAM HARING, a well-known carpenter of the town of North Walton, Delaware County, N. Y., was born in New York City, December 25, 1828, his parents being John and Mary
(Hall) Haring. John Haring was of English birth, coming to this country when quite a young man, and taking up his residence in Paterson, N.J., where he followed his trade of tinsmith and coppersmith. He continued in business for himself four years, during which time he met with success. Mr. Haring mar- ried Miss Mary Hall, a daughter of Walter Hall, of England, and reared the following family: Ann, married to William Odell, of Jersey City; William, the subject of this sketch; and - Mary Jane, the wife of David Byard, of Paterson, N.J. Mr. Haring died when his son William was six years old. Mrs. Haring spent her last years in Paterson, where she died at the age of sixty-five.
At the age of ten years William Haring went to reside in the town of Walton, spend- ing three years in the employ of Mr. Weed, and then for four years worked for Mr. John Townsend. He afterward went to Paterson, N.J., where he worked as an apprentice at the trade of carpenter, eventually going back to Walton and then to Binghamton, the year 1858 finding him at Franklin, Delaware County. On the 9th of August, 1862, he enlisted in Company K, One Hundred and Twenty-first New York Volunteer Infantry, being attached to the Army of the Potomac, Second Brigade, First Division, Sixth Army Corps, under the command of General Sedg- wick. Mr. Haring was in some of the most severe engagements of the war, among them being the first battle of Cranton Pass, Antie- tam, Fredericksburg, Salem Heights, Salcm Church, Gettysburg, Rappahannock Station, Locust Grove, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spott- sylvania, Myers Hill, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Fishers Hill, Petersburg, and the surrender of Lee at Appomattox. In all the severe fighting in which he took part, he was only wounded once. He was honorably dis- charged from the army, June 25, 1865, at Paul's Hill, near Washington, D.C., retain- ing the rank in which he had entered the army, that of private. Although he was of- fered promotion to a higher grade, he refused to accept it. At the conclusion of the war, he came to his present home, and went to work at his original trade of carpentry, at which he continued for many years, or until
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ill health compelled him to retire from active life.
Mr. Haring was married November 15, 1849, to Nancy M. Wood, a daughter of Ben- jamin and Elsey (Hoyt) Wood, of New Canaan. Of this union one child survives, Willis H., who married Nellie Rowley, and has two children: Maud A. and Annie M. Mr. Haring is a member of Warren Post, No. 209, Grand Army of the Republic. In poli- tics he is a strong supporter of the Republi- can party. In his religious views he is a Congregationalist. He is a man of deep pa- triotism and of unflinching integrity, having the courage of a man blended with the tender- ness of a child.
ARTIN FORSTER, a carpenter of Hancock, and a veteran of the late war, was born in Milford, Luzerne County, Pa., September 16, 1841. His father, Christian Forster, came to America from Germany in 1839, landing in New York after a stormy passage of seven weeks. He worked in that city at his trade as a baker for a time, and later went to Mil- ford, Pa. He there engaged in manufacturing umbrella sticks, the wood for which was cut from the timber near the town. This was worked into the sticks by means of a lathe which was operated by foot power. After a while he returned to New York, whence he moved to Honesdale, Pa., where he died at the age of fifty-seven years. He was a man of upright life, beloved and respected by all who knew him. His wife, Hannah Sheble, was also a native of Germany; and she still survives, residing at the home of her daugh- ter, Hannah Shafer, in Hancock. Mr. and Mrs. Christian Forster were the parents of seven children - Martin, John, Catherine, Christian, Clara, Conrad, Hannah - and three others who died in infancy.
Martin Forster spent his boyhood in Hones- dale, Pa., where he attended school, and as- sisted his father in supporting the family. He first went to work in the umbrella factory, where he received as a salary fifty cents a week. Inheriting from his father a love for fishing, he spent all his leisure at this sport, selling
his fish, and thereby increasing considerably his income. In 1863, when the three months' men were called out to repel General Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania, he volunteered at Honesdale, and was ordered to Harrisburg on the way to Gettysburg. The news then came that the battle of Gettysburg had been fought, and Lee had retreated; and accordingly Mr. Forster returned with his regiment to his home, without participating in any active fighting. He resumed his old occupation, . but in February, 1864, enlisted for three years in the One Hundred and Twelfth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was ordered with them to Philadelphia, where they were detained in crowded barracks without exercise or fresh air, and with but little food. He then joined his regiment at Washington, D.C., and, while there as a raw recruit, was the victim of many laughable experiences. His regiment, being overfilled, was divided, the new men being organized into a section called the second division of the One Hundred and Twelfth Regiment.
· Mr. Forster as a member of this section was ordered with his comrades to Alexandria, Va. This regiment first engaged in active service in the battle of the Wilderness; but owing to some misunderstanding its men were not allowed to draw rations from the government, and accordingly suffered untold privations. They were obliged to raid wagon trains and barnyards to obtain enough food to barely keep them alive. From the Wilder- ness they were ordered to Cold Harbor, where the rebels attacked their rear guard, which gallantly defended their line of march. Food was so scarce that twenty-five cents was offered for a single piece of hard tack and five dollars for a part of a ham. On being with- drawn from Cold Harbor, the company was ordered to Petersburg, Va., where they arrived in time to take part in the assault of June 17. Here they were fifth in line, the regiment los- ing eight hundred men in five minutes, and also their colors, which they fortunately re- captured that evening. The following morn- ing they were complimented by General Grant for the recovery of their colors, and after that they were allowed to draw rations from the government. Mr. Forster was then engaged
WILLIAM FULLER.
MRS ELIZABETH FULLER.
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on pieket duty and in building breastworks until July 30, when the fortifications were blown up, and again his regiment lost heav- ily, there being no officer in his company of higher rank than a sergeant at the elose of the engagement. The regiment was next ordered · to Weldon Railroad, it having been reduced from seventeen hundred to five hundred men; and these survivors were united with the vet- eran One Hundred and Twelfth Regiment. They occupied Butler's Lookout Station, and thenceforth participated in only a few skir- mishes. After the close of the war the com- panies were distributed through the lower counties of Virginia to maintain order. The regiment was mustered out of service in Janu- ary, 1866, and the men were discharged at Philadelphia in February. After two years of active labor in his country's eause Mr. Forster then returned home, and resumed his former occupation.
November 17, 1866, he married Barbra Fischer, daughter of Frederick Fischer, of Texas Township, Pa .; and they were the par- ents of seven children - Minnie, Margaret, Clara, Christian, Dora, Lena, and Louise. Mrs. Forster passed away November 14, 1891, and is buried in Haneoek. Mr. Forster is a carpenter by trade, and has followed that oe- cupation in various towns in the vicinity of Haneoek. His faithful service in the war has been in some measure rewarded by the pension which he receives from the government, and as a man and a soldier he has ever been held in highest regard and esteem by his comrades and fellow-citizens.
ILLIAM FULLER, one of the lead- ing farmers of the town of Mason- ville, Delaware County, was born in Sanford, in the adjoining county of Broome, October 28, 1838, son of Wilder and Sylvia (King) Fuller. His paternal grand- father, Simeon Fuller, who was born in the State of Connecticut, and was a soldier in the War of 1812, settled in Harpersfield, Dela- ware County, in the early days, but spent a large part of his life in Broome County. He was a farmer, and also worked at the trade of a carpenter, and was successful in his pur-
suits. He spent his last days at the home of his son Wilder, where he died when about eighty years of age. He married Naney Bird- sall, a native of Harpersfield; and she also lived to a good old age. They reared three sons and five daughters, all of whom grew to maturity, and were married; but not one of them is now living. Mrs. Simeon Fuller was a Baptist in religion; while her husband was of liberal faith, and in politics was a Democrat.
Wilder Fuller was born in Harpersfield, August 19, 1809, and lived at home with his parents, was educated in the distriet schools, and was reared to habits of useful industry. He continued working with his father till he attained his majority. After his marriage he bought his first land in the town of Sanford, Broome County, a farm of sixty aeres, which he occupied about sixteen years. He re- moved in the spring of 1854 to Masonville, and bought the farm on which his son Will- iam now lives. It then consisted of one hun- dred and twenty acres, about one-half wild and unimproved, and but poorly furnished with buildings. He set to work with a reso- lute will, and by dint of well-directed, per- sistent labor developed an excellent farm. At the time of his death, July 22, 1892, he owned two hundred aeres. He held an official position in the Baptist church, of which he was an earnest and liberal supporter, his wife also being a member. In polities he was a Republican.
Sylvia King, whom he married December 27, 1837, was born in Sanford, Broome County, April 8, 1817. Mrs. Fuller survives her husband, and resides on the old home farm. They reared four children, two of whom are now living, namely: William Ful- ler, in Masonville; and the Rev. Andrew K. Fuller, a Baptist minister in Newburg, N. Y. A daughter, Clarissa M. Fuller, died at nearly thirty years of age, and a son, Jerome B., just before reaching the age of twenty- one.
William was the eldest son of his parents. He spent his childhood and early youth in his native town, Sanford, there receiving his ele- mentary education, and came with his parents to Masonville at fourteen years of age. Here
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he had a little more schooling, and after that worked on the farm, remaining at home till twenty-five years old.
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