Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Delaware County, New York, Part 57

Author: Biographical Review Publishing Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Boston : Biographical Review Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 744

USA > New York > Delaware County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Delaware County, New York > Part 57

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October 27, 1842, he was married by the Rev. James T. Bouton to Miss Adaline S. Earll, who was born in Andes, a daughter of John and Phœbe (Washburn) Earll, carly set- tlers in New York State. Mr. Miner has been called upon to part with his wife, who died January 7, 1894, aged sixty-nine years.

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She was the mother of six children, four of whom are now living: Emily, widow of Sam- uel Davis, residing with her father; Ira E., a farmer in Andes; Colonel E. Miner, of Mid- dletown; Marvin L. Miner, a farmer in his native town. Two children have passed away, namely : an infant; and a son John, aged twenty-two.

Mr. Miner is a Democrat and a natural pol- itician, both his grandfathers and his uncle having been United States Senators. He has served as Notary Public, and held many town offices, taking at all times an active part in politics. He is a member of the Delhi Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is well known and justly popular through- out the county, where he is universally re- spected for his industry, honesty, and practical intelligence.

LBERT D. PEAKE, attorney-at-law, and proprietor of the Walton Novelty Works of Walton, Delaware County, N. Y., was born in Hamden, this county, on November 17, 1846, son of Ira and Celinda (Tiffany) Peake. The family are of good old English ancestry, and came to Amer- ica about 1700, settling in Schenectady County, N. Y.

Roswell Peake, the grandfather of Albert D., married Miss Mary Mason, by whom he had twelve children; namely, Matilda, Maria, Sirissa, Emeline, Sibyl, Julia, Walter C., Ira, Cyrus, Warren L., Augustus, and Eleazer. Matilda Peake married Daniel Pat- terson, of Hamden, and died at the age of twenty-seven, leaving two sons and one daugh- ter - James, Roswell, and Harriett. James Patterson married Miss Wakeman, moved to Wayne County, Pennsylvania, and after her death married Miss Stearns. Roswell Patter- son married Miss Angeline Woodbeck, of Pennsylvania, and had eight children, four sons and four daughters. Maria Peake mar- ried Andrew Andrews, of Hamden; and they are the parents of six children - Joseph, George, Daniel, Harriet, Theodocia, and Adelia. Walter C. Peake married Hannah Tiffany, settling in Hamden; and they had the following children: Ira, Oliver, Andrew

Walter, Lucinda, Jane, Julia, Mary, Celinda, Ellen, and Electa. Sirissa Peake married Caleb Chadwick, of Livingston County, both deceased. They had three children - Caleb, Walter, and Adelia.

Warren L. Peake married Amy Chace, and died at his home in Hamden, leaving four children - Eleazer, Matilda, George, and Emma. Cyrus Peake married Louisa War- dell; and both died at Hancock, leaving twelve children - Walter, William, Henry, Cyrus, Marcus, Ursula, Harriet, Abby, Re- becca, Emma, Marcia, Marion. Emmeline Peake married Henry Dart, locating first in Pennsylvania, and later in California, and had the following children: Albert Cyrus, of the firm of Henry Dart & Sons, of Rock Island, Ill .; and William H., Stewart, Roswell, and Augusta, who settled in the West. Sybil Peake married Albert Dart, settled in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, and later in Illinois, reared two children: Frances, who married Frank Morse, of Chicago; and Clayton, now in Minnesota. Eleazer Peake married Miss Mary Holmes, settling in Colchester; and after the death of his wife he moved to Ne- braska, where he died. His children were: Augustus, Amy, William, Mary, and Samuel. Julia Peake married. Alvin Stearns, and resides at Harford, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. Three children were born to them -- Charles, Albert, and Alice.

Ira, the father of Albert D. Peake, the sub- ject of this sketch, was born in Hamden, March 19, 1806, and died in 1885. He mar- ried in 1826 Celinda Tiffany, born December 2, 1807. She was the daughter of Samuel and Mary Tiffany, of Massachusetts, and of old New England stock. At the time of Mr. and Mrs. Peake's settlement in Hamden they were in extremely moderate circumstances, and bought at first but a small piece of land. Energetic and enterprising, he added to this until at last he owned over five hundred acres, and became one of the largest and wealthiest farmers in the county. At the time he settled in Hamden his nearest trading-post was on the Hudson River, where he hauled his prod- uce and bought his stores. Mr. Peake was a man of more than ordinary ability. He was a close friend of Henry Clay, voting with the

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old Whig party, and was one of the first to espouse the Republican cause. He was a strong Abolitionist, and much opposed to the traffic and use of liquor in any form. Ira and Celinda (Tiffany) Peake were the parents of the following children : -

Anna Eliza Peake, born December 4, 1827, married E. J. Fraser, who settled first at Delhi, and afterward at Hamden, where Mrs. Fraser died. She had seven children - Mary, Elizabeth A., Celinda, Jennie, Emma, Eben- czer B., and Ella. Frances Peake, born Oc- tober 14, 1829, married James H. Arbuckle, and settled in California. They had one child, who died in infancy. Robert B. Peake, born November 3, 1831, settled first in Cali- fornia, afterward moving to Washington. He married Emma Ladd, by whom he had six chil- dren. Warren P. Peake, born July 6, 1833, settled in Nebraska, and is supposed to have been murdered. He married Eunice Bagley, by whom he had three children: Viah and Lillian, both deceased; and Irving, of Rus- sell, Kan. Roswell L. Peake, born June 23, 1835, settled in Hastings, Minn. He mar- ried Adelia Robinson, and had the following children: Millard F .; Roberta; Mary; Cora; Eva; Albert E .; Dewitt and Winifield S., de- ceased. Martha A. Peake, born September 20, 1837, married Joshua B. Brandt, of Walton, and had four children: Douglas D .; Joshua, deceased; Herschel, deceased; and Albert P. Charlotte Peake, born October 14, 1843, mar- ried Daniel Brisack, and died in Walton, leaving one son, Curtis. Albert D. Peakc was the fourth son of his parents. His mother, Mrs. Cclinda T. Peake, died in 1866. Ira Peake married for his second wife Miss Abigail Law, by whom he had five children - Sheridan, Francis, Arthur, Herbert, and Lil- ian. Mrs. Abigail Peake died in 1875; and Mr. Peake married for his third wife Miss Paulinc Law, by whom he had two children - lda and Chester.

Albert D. Pcake received his preparatory education at the district schools of Hamden, and at the Delhi Academy, and was graduated from Union College, and from the Albany Law School in 1873. In 1870 he was Prin- cipal of the high school at Schenectady, and thence went to Delhi, where he embarked

in the practice of his profession. Subse- quently, in 1874, he came to Walton, and here continued his law practice. Upon the failure of the Walton Novelty Works in 1885, Mr. Peake, in conjunction with J. Q. Barlow, purchased the business, which was conducted on those lines until 1890, when he bought out the interest of Mr. Barlow, and has since been the sole proprietor of the works. He makes a specialty of the manufacture of baby-carriages, which have a world-wide reputation, receiving orders from Australia and many distant parts. Mr. Peake is an extremely busy man, having two branch offices in New York, a half-inter- est in the "New York Carriage Company," and being sole proprietor of the business of Gerbracht & Co. of New York City.

Mr. Pcake was united in marriage Septem- ber 10, 1874, to Miss Martha McLaury, a daughter of Dr. J. S. McLaury, of Walton. Mrs. Peake was born in Walton, March II, 1851, receiving her education at the Walton High School and the Normal College of New York City. Five children blessed this union, namely: Laurens, born in March, 1875, died March 10, 1875; James McL., born Decem- ber 29, 1876, now a student at Williams College; Albert D., born August 6, 1878, died at Yonkers in 1881; Evelyn M., born December 6, 1880; and Edwin, born March 3, 1882, who died in infancy. Mrs. Martha Peake died in March, 1882; and Mr. Peake married for his second wife, in April, 1883, Miss Margaret Thomson, by whom he has one child, Charles N., born July 29, 1889.

Mr. Peake's political creed is Republican. He has never sought any office; but his per- sonal popularity was such that he was elected Supervisor of his town and President of the Board of Education. He was chairman of the Building Committee having in charge the erection of the fine school building which now graces the town. Mr. Peake has been an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Walton for many years, and has becn deeply interested in the Sunday-school, of which he is superintendent. He also served as President of the Building Commit- tee in the erection of the church. He is a man of rare intelligence and sound judgment, possessing all the qualifications for a large

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and successful merchant. He is still in the prime of vigorous manhood, and promises many years of usefulness in the community of which he is an honored citizen.

OHN MEYER, a popular citizen of the town of Hancock, in Delaware County, was born in Würtemberg, Germany, October 1I, 1818. His father was John Meyer, Sr., a native of the same town, who was a wheelwright by trade. He married Victoria Ihle, and came to this country about 1833, accompanied by his family. They sailed from Rotterdam, and were one hundred and one days on the water, suffering during this long passage from the scarcity of provi- sions and fuel. This was due to the careless- ness or inhumanity of the captain, who had overcrowded his vessel with passengers, for which offence he was threatened with arrest upon his arrival in New York. After reach- ing this country, Mr. Meyer engaged in the manufacture of paper boxes, being prevented by ill health from following his trade of wheelwright. About 1842 he purchased one hundred acres of land from P. A. Toupinard, an extensive land-owner in the town of Han- cock, and, removing to this thickly wooded, hilly country, proceeded to clear his farm and erect buildings. Much of the land here was at that time a virgin forest, and he was the first to cut a stick of timber in preparing his new home. He lived to be seventy-five years of age, his wife surviving him a number of years. They were the parents of two chil- dren, John and Francis, both of whom still reside on the homestead farm.

John Meyer, the subject of this biography, was educated in Germany; and, after coming here, he served his time as an apprentice to a cabinet-maker in New York City. He fol- lowed that occupation for a time, and then moved with his parents to the town of Han- cock, where he assisted them in establishing the new home near French Woods. He has increased the farm to two hundred and thirty- three acres, nearly all of which is under cultivation.

He married Catherine Bilger, daughter of Peter Bilger, of New York City, a descendant

of a German family of that name. Mr. and Mrs. Meyer have had nine children, namely : John; Mary, who died in infancy; Joseph ; Charles; George; Frank; Victoria; Cather- ine; and a second Mary. George, who mar- ried Mary Holman, of Brooklyn, and Joseph carry on the home farm, the father having retired from active life. Charles is a lumber- man in Delaware County. Catherine, who married Henry Peak, a farmer and proprietor of a saw-mill in the town of Hancock, died in 1893, the mother of ten children - Victoria, Anastasia, Leo, Lawrence, Henry, Walter, Lucian, Katie, and two others who died in infancy. Victoria married James Sullivan, of Bethel, Sullivan County, and since her hus- band's death in 1883 has resided with her father in the town of Hancock. Mary also resides with her father. John, who is a car- penter, and married Miss Near, of Eau Claire, Wis., has a large family. Frank, who married Mary Sullivan, of Bethel, Sulli- van County, N. Y., manages a store at Long Eddy, Sullivan County.

Mr. and Mrs. John Meyer and their family are members of the Catholic church at French Woods. Mr. Meyer is politically a Demo- crat, and has held many offices of trust, among them being that of Commissioner of High- ways, attending to its duties ably and faith- fully, always favoring everything which he thought tended toward the improvement and progress of the town.

NDREW THOMSON RUSSELL, a Delaware County dairyman of Scotch ancestry, occupies the farm in Bo- vina on which he was born, and which includes the tract of land cleared by his paternal grandfather, William Russell, in the early part of the century. William Russell was born near Glasgow, Scotland; and he and his wife, who was also Scotch, emigrated to America in 1800, and settled here in the primeval forest. His first work was to cut down the trees, whose stout trunks were to be fashioned into a rude abode for his wife and children. The game that dwelt about the very threshold of the cabin furnished food for the hungry little mouths. There were at the

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time no roads cut through the woods, still haunted by wolves and bears; and the journey to the mill at South Kortright, now known as Almeda, a distance of five miles, which the sturdy pioneer sometimes made, carrying the grain on his back, the path being indi- cated only by blazed trees, was both toilsome and perilous. William Russell died here June 28, 1828, aged ninety-five years and four months, leaving five sons-John, Stephen, James, William, Matthew - and one daughter. His wife, Janet Pumphry, was born in 1750, and died May 30, 1837.

James Russell, the third of this goodly group, was born in Scotland on June 22, 1790, and was a lad of ten years when he came to this country with his parents. He was edu- cated in the district schools of the locality, and came into possession of the farm at his father's death. He added largely to the es- tate, and became quite a man of property. He married Margaret Bryce, who was born in Scotland, February 5, 1796, a daughter of Thomas and Janet (Gilmore) Bryce, the former of whom died February 25, 1813, and the latter, a daughter of John Gilmore, July II, 1829. The other children of her parents were the following: Agnes, born March 19, 1794; Jean, March 24, 1799; Archibald, August 25, 1801; John, January 26, 1803; Elizabeth, February 20, 1805; Matthew, born January 28, 1807, who died in Libby Prison during the Civil War; Mary, September 2, 1809; Thomas G., April 4, 1812. The wife of Mr. Russell shared his religious faith and creed, both being members of the Reformed Presbyterian church. He had no interest in the political situation of his time, and took no part in national or local issues. His reasons for thus disfranchising himself, as it were, are indicated in the following extract from the Synod's Report on National Reform in 1869: "Because this nation has steadfastly refused any acknowledgment of the authority of God, of his Son, or of his law," and be- cause "A Constitution which ignores the foundations of all political morality cannot be accepted and approved by any Christian people without sin," and because he holds "it to be the duty of every citizen of this nation to maintain an active dissent by refus-

ing to incorporate with a government thus constituted."

James Russell died August 4, 1851. His wife Margaret survived him many years, dying January 15, 1873. Twelve children, all sons, were born to them, eight of whom grew up, and three of whom, Stephen, John, and Andrew, are now living. The record is as follows: William, born December 19, 1814, died February 2, 1892; Thomas B., born August 9, 1816, died April 18, 1881; James G., born April 21, 1818, died January I, 1891 ; an infant, born May 9, 1820, died un- named; Archibald B., born August 18, 1821, died February 18, 1868; Stephen, born Jan- uary 26, 1824; John G., born January 16, 1827; an infant, born and died on December 13, 1829; Matthew, born May 31, 1831, died September 27, 1833; David B., born August 19, 1833, died February 28, 1892; Andrew T., born November 9, 1837; Matthew B., born June 17, 1840, died January 14, 1847.

Andrew T. Russell worked on his father's farm, and hired himself out for several years during his youth, earning one hundred and fifty-five dollars for his first year's wages. He also worked at the carpenter's trade one year. He was married January 12, 1865, and bought the farm in the spring of that year. The young woman who linked her fate with his was Miss Eliza Jane McLaury, who was born in the town of Davenport, April 23, 1845, a daughter of George H. and Nancy

(Cobine) McLaury. George H. McLaury was a native of Kortright, and Mrs. McLaury of Franklin. They reared a family of seven children: George, a farmer in lowa; Thomas, who died in the Civil War; David, who lives in Delhi; Mrs. Russell; John, a farmer in South Dakota; Samuel, also in South Dakota; and Mrs. Sarah A. Terrell, wife of Thomas Terrell, a baggage-master in Oneonta, N.Y. Andrew T. Russell has lived at the home of his birth, surrounded by all the ties of asso- ciation and childhood that make a locality dear. He keeps thirty milch cows, and has one of the best dairies in the county. The new buildings which he has erected have greatly enhanced the value of the property : and the land itself, under intelligent tillage. has been vastly improved.

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Six children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Russell, namely: James J. K., born November 5, 1865, who married Miss Tina L. Doig, and has one daughter, Florence Pearl; George T., born September 19, 1868; Nettie A., born October 18, 1870; Andrew G., born March 22, 1872; Samuel W., born July 25, 1873, a clerk in Oneonta; Mary Jane Eliza, born December 23, 1875, now at the Normal School of Oneonta.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Russell are members of the Reformed Presbyterian church, in which the former has been an Elder for twenty-one years. He is also the superintendent of the Sabbath-school, which latter office he has held for the last five years. Politics seem to have little or no interest for this man, who, for the same reasons stated in regard to his father, serves his country by setting an example of industry, sobriety, and thrift, rather than by taking an active part in State or national affairs.

H. PALMER is a gentleman well known in the business, social, and political circles of Deposit, which is the place of his residence. His acquaintance and reputation extend far beyond his home; for since 1888 he has held the re- sponsible position of State Dairy Expert - an office requiring more than ordinary knowledge and nicety of discernment. His work in- cludes the inspection of milk, cream, butter, lard, oleo oils, stearine, oleomargarine and butterine, and vinegar. There are but few men capable of performing the duties assigned to this position, and among these few Mr. Palmer stands in the front rank. In his work he travels over eleven counties in South-east- ern New York. He is greatly interested in the work; and the people of his part of the State of New York are well protected from "bogus food," foreign mixtures, chemical preparations, and deceitful and alluring imitations.

R. H. Palmer was born in Deposit, Septem- ber 24, 1840. His father is Fletcher Palmer, the "Squire," a lawyer of ability, who has already spent eighty-three years on this earth. His mother, whose name before marriage was

Nancy Peters, was a native of Philadelphia. She died at the age of forty-four years, leav- ing six children, all of whom are living, namely: R. H., the inspector; Arthur T., who is the Assistant Superintendent of the Union Pacific Railroad, and lives at Kansas City, Mo .; James K. Polk, a passenger con- ductor on the Erie line, with headquarters at Susquehanna; Smith, the station agent of the Erie Railroad at Hawley, Pa .; John P., a locomotive engineer, with residence at De- posit; Emily, the wife of William Carpenter, a locomotive engineer of the Erie Railroad, living at Binghamton. The father was mar- ried a second time, from which union was one daughter, Jessie, who is attending the union school of Deposit.

The subject of this sketch was the first-born of these children, and is practically a self- made man. Having had but limited opportu- nity in his youth for obtaining an education in the schools, he has made the most of his natural abilities, and has gathered by reading, observation, and intercourse with the world a large fund of useful information. His wide knowledge of material things and acquaint- ance with men and affairs are worth vastly more to him in actual business than the high- est classical lore of the schools would be. He was engaged for a number of years in the fur business in the counties of Broome and Delaware, and next was in the meat trade; and from that he embarked in the coal busi- ness, which he has successfully managed for many years. He built his present residence on Laurel Bank Avenue in 1880. He was married in 1871 to Chloe J. Merrill, daugh- ter of Henry and Mary Merrill, of Deposit, both of whom are now deceased. They were excellent people, much respected, and quite active in church work and in all things hav- ing a tendency to promote the industrial and moral improvement of the community.

Mr. and Mrs. Palmer have one child -a daughter, Mary. They are members of the Baptist church, and contribute of their means and influence to the support of the gospel of Christ and the dissemination of the principles of religion and morality. Mr. Palmer belongs to the Democratic party, and has served on the Central Committee of Delaware County

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for the past fifteen years. He has also been a delegate to several Democratic State con- ventions, and his advice and counsel are much sought in every campaign. He was appointed to his present position by Governor Hill, who deserves credit for his admirable selection, which seems to meet with universal approval. The integrity and faithfulness of Mr. Palmer are not questioned; and it is unfortunate for the people that inspectors of similar qualifica- tions cannot always be appointed, to the end that there might be more efficient service in this important department. What a happy thing for the country if all the other public of- fices could be held severally by the fittest men !

G EORGE H. LASHER is a prominent resident and inn-keeper at Griffin's Corners, Middletown, Delaware County. He was born at Brush Ridge, in the same town, on May 22, 1853. His grandfather was Conrad Lasher, who married Anna Maria Sagendorf. They came from Dutchess County to Delaware County, where he bought a farm on Brush Ridge of one hun- dred and thirty-five unreclaimed acres. On that land he built a log house and barn. He died at the age of eighty-eight, in the town of Lexington, Greene County; but his wife died at eighty-three, near their old home. Conrad Lasher was a liberal in religion, a Democrat in politics, and the father of eight children Robert, Edward, Frederick, Catherine, Abra- ham, Allen, Maria, and Susan.

His son Frederick was born in Dutchess County in 1816, and he was only fourteen when the family came to Delaware County. He married Anna, the daughter of John Rick- ert. John Rickert and wife had four girls and two boys. One girl died in babyhood; but John, George, Anna, Emeline, and Helen grew up. After marriage Frederick and Anna Lasher lived two years on the farm of a hundred acres across the road from the homestead at Brush Ridge, in an old log house; but subsequently he erected new buildings. In politics Mr. Lasher was a Re- publican. His wife died when she was seventy, and he died at sixty-seven. They had fourteen children, briefly named below.

Margaret Lasher married Marchant Van Val- kenburg, of Halcott, Greene County, and bore three children. Conrad, named for his grand- father Lasher, died at twenty-four. Jane Lasher, deceased, was the wife of Edward Angle, who lives at Brush Ridge. Their fourth and fifth children died young. Philip Lasher, a Delhi farmer, married Jane Town- send, who died, leaving one son, Isaac, two children having died previously. John Lasher married Mary Johnson, is a Middletown farmer, and has six children. Anna K. Lasher is the wife of Avery Boughton; and they now live at the Mountain Star House, in Halcott, Greene County. Isabella Lasher married Philmore Berger, a Rhinebeck farmer in Dutchess County. Frances Lasher, de- ceased, married Francis Enist, of Olive, Ulster County, and had a child, no longer living. Of the eleventh child, George Lasher, more will be said hereafter. Alber- tina Lasher married James Hicks, a black- smith at Fleischmanns. Henrietta Lasher, deceased, was the wife of Daniel Boughton, a farmer, and had one child. Jeannette Lasher married James Gill, of Margarettville, has three children; and they live at the Bird House.

George H. Lasher went to the district school, and worked on the home farm till he was thirty-three years of age. Then he went to Kingston, where he lived awhile, and after- ward came to Griffin's Corners. Here he bought the old hotel of his uncle, Allen Lasher, remodelled the house, and has now become the principal hotel-keeper in this re- gion, at the same time owning the Brush Ridge homestead of one hundred and twenty-five acres and a house and lot across the creek in Fleischmanns. In 1883 George Lasher mar- ried. It is a curious coincidence that grand- father, father, and son should all three marry women with Anna for their first name. Evi- dently they liked it. Mrs. George Lasher was Anna Crawford, daughter of Dr. Craw- ford; and they have three children -- Her- bert, Rose, and Crawford, the latter, of course, bearing his mother's family name. In politics Mr. Lasher is a Republican. Like his progenitors, he is liberal in his religious views.

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Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Delaware County, New York, Part 57

Author: Biographical Review Publishing Company, Boston, pub Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Boston : Biographical Review Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 744

Author: Biographical Review Publishing Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Boston : Biographical Review Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 744