Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Delaware County, New York, Part 75

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 75

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January 22, 1863, Mr. Gould was married to Helen Day Miller, of New York, daughter of Daniel S. Miller, descendant of an English family which settled at Easthampton, L. I., in early Colonial days. The children of this union are : George Jay Gould, born in 1864; Edwin Gould, born in 1866; Helen Miller Gould, born in 1868; Howard Gould, born in 1871 ; Anna Gould, born in 1875; and Frank Jay Gould, born in 1877. Mrs. Gould died January 13, 1889; and Mr. Gould survived her but a few years, his death occurring De- cember 2, 1892.

Mr. Gould had promised to assist the con- gregation of the Reformed church of Roxbury in rebuilding their church, which had been burned to the ground with all its furnishing. This society is the oldest of the Reformed Church in Delaware County. Jay Gould's mother had been a member of it; and, as a boy, he had attended its services. But his death occurred before any plans for rebuilding had been matured. To fulfil his promise and to erect a desirable memorial, his children built at the expense of about $100,000, and deeded to the church, a house of worship which is the pride of the village. The corner-stone was laid September 20, 1893 ; and the services of dedication were held on October 13 of the following year. The infinite care and loving thought bestowed upon every detail has re- sulted in making this church not only an ob- ject of great beauty, but one most perfectly adapted to all its uses. It stands on a slight eminence, surrounded by a well-turfed lawn, in the most attractive part of the village, and is built of St. Lawrence marble, the interior being finished in Indiana limestone and quar- tered oak. The tiled aisles, the mosaic floor of the pulpit, the six large windows of stained

glass, add to its beauty. The minister's study and the church parlor and kitchen are also supplied to the minutest detail. The church throughout is lighted with gas, to which convenience are added a good water sup- ply and perfect drainage. In one transept is the pipe organ. The other is arranged for a Sunday-school room, with all appropriate fur- nishings.

EV. JULIUS S. PATTENGILL, of Walton, Delaware County, N. Y., was born in the town of Canterbury, Conn., February 20, 1810. His father, Horatio, who was born in Lisbon, Conn., in October, 1777, was a son of Lemuel Pattengill, a native of the same town. Three of his sons - John, Benjamin, and William - were soldiers in the Continental army, serving all through the war. John settled in Lawrence County, New York, and was nearly one hun- dred years old when he died. He was one of the last eleven pensioners of the Revolutionary War, all of whom passed away within one year of his death. Benjamin went South, where all trace of him was lost. William settled on the Green Mountains, dying there at an advanced age. Lemuel was a Captain in the War of 1812, and was wounded and taken prisoner at the battle of Queenstown, Canada, and was soon afterward paroled.

Horatio Pattengill was married to Miss Thankful Cady, who was born February 24, 1783, at Stephentown, Washington County, N. Y. She was the mother of six children, namely : Evan, died, aged eight months; Horatio, died at Corning, N. Y., in his eighty- seventh year; William, died at New Lisbon, in his eighty-sixth year; Pauline, wife of Parker Scott, died in Milford, Otsego County, 1842, aged twenty-eight years; Eliza, wife of D. de Forest, died at Oberlin, Ohio, in 1873, aged fifty-six years.

Julius Seneca Pattengill, the fourth member of the family, was engaged on the home farm until he arrived at his twentieth year, when he taught school for some ten or more terms. In 1838 he graduated from the Oneida Insti- tute and commenced the study of theology with the Rev. A. E. Campbell, of Cooperstown,

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N. Y. He was ordained in 1840 at New Berlin, where he was engaged in pastoral work for nine years. Coming to Walton in 1848, he remained as pastor of the Congregational church for twenty years. He next went to Homer, N. Y., where he was employed by the State Temperance Society for one year, and from there went to Bainbridge, and was after- ward two years at Holland, Oneida County. Returning to Walton in 1883, he was for seven years pastor of the Cannonsville Presbyterian church, and from that time has not been in con- tinuous active work, but has preached as an oc- casional supply, having been a servant in the vineyard of the Lord for fifty-six years. He. was instrumental in establishing the academy at New Berlin, and obtained every one of the pledges for the erection of the Walton Acad- emy, which school is one of the best of its kind in the State.

Rev. Mr. Pattengill was married on Oc- tober 8, 1839, to Miss Phoebe H. Mosher, of Laurens, Otsego County, N. Y. Four chil- dren were the fruit of the union, namely : Frances A., wife of George O. Mead; Cather- ine E., who died, aged eighteen years; Mary M., wife of Charles Nolton, died in 1881, aged thirty, leaving two children; William H., a resident of Walton.

Mr. Pattengill is possessed of a physical and mental vigor which years have not seriously. impaired. He has been indefatigable in his labors as a sower of precious seed, having on occasion preached the word four times in a long summer day, and three times in winter days. Full of years and meekly wise, he is justly venerated as one who has led many in the way of righteousness.

ILLIAM BRINKMAN, the compe- tent Postmaster of Franklin, N. Y., is one of the best known and most highly esteemed citizens of this place. His father, Dedrick Brinkman, was a native of Prussia, where he was born in 1806, and learned the trade of cabinet-maker, at which he worked for seven years near the family homc. In 1830, with no fortune except his own willing hands, he sailed for America, the voyage being an unusually quick and pleasant one. He

married in this country Elizabeth Vareschorst, of Germany; and until 1844 they resided in Catskill, after which they removed with their three children to Roxbury, Delaware County.

Here for eight years Mr. Brinkman followed his trade, and then purchased a small farm in that town, which he sold at the expiration of two years to buy a larger one of three hundred acres near by. This the family. occupied until the fall of 1865, disposing of it then, to re- move to their new home of one hundred and sixty acres, about two miles above Franklin village. This, also, was sold two and a half years later, when Mr. Brinkman bought the farm on which he resided until his death, resulting from an accident with a runaway horse in 1880. His widow now lives with her daughter in Roxbury. Mr. and Mrs. Brinkman buried an infant, and reared ten children to maturity, seven sons and three daughters, of whom six sons and two daughters still survive. They are: Lewis, Otis, George H., and William in Franklin; Edward and Charles in the West; Mary, wife of George Silvernail, in Florida; and Eliza, wife of Joseph Dart, at Roxbury. One of the sons, Henry C. Brinkman, was a volunteer in the Civil War, enlisting in the Eighth Indepen- dent New York Battery, and dying of malarial fever at Whitehouse Landing, June, 1862, when but twenty-one years of age. A daugh- ter, Clara, for many years a successful teacher, died in the prime of life.

William Brinkman was born in Catskill, Greene County, July 8, 1840, and received his early education at the district school and the Roxbury Academy. In October, 1861, he enlisted in the same company with his brother Henry as a private, re-enlisting November 21, 1863, and serving to the close of the war, when he was discharged, in June, 1865. Al- though he was in active service throughout the terrible struggle, with the exception of three months during which he was a patient at the Chesapeake Hospital, a victim to malarial fever, he escaped shot, shell, and prison, and, after peace again reigned in the land, returned to Roxbury, later removing to Franklin, where he was engaged on his father's farm. Mr. Brinkman then spent six months sight-seeing in Nebraska and the West ; but, as this was at

SHERMAN S. GREGORY.

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the time of the great grasshopper scourge, his impressions of that extensive region were not as favorable as they would have been under different circumstances.

October 5, 1869, he married Miss Marion E. Kingsley, of Franklin, who received her education at the Delaware Institute, and taught seven terms previous to her marriage. Mrs. Brinkman was the daughter of Bradford Kings- ley, of Franklin, who died in 1877, aged seventy-three years, his father, Bradford Kingsley, Sr., having moved from Connecticut and settled on a farm in Franklin over ninety years ago. Her mother, Mary A. Greene, of Saratoga, passed away when seventy-eight years of age at the old homestead in Franklin, which passed out of the possession of the family only a few years ago. Mrs. Brinkman has two sisters and one brother, George B. Kings- ley, of Coventry, now living. Her maternal grandfather was Roger Able, the first white person to be buried in the town of Franklin. He died at twenty-eight years of age, soon after settling here; and his remains were drawn on an ox sled to Bartlett Hollow, where it was then supposed the town would be built. The wife of Roger Able experienced an exciting adventure in the early pioneer days. She was riding her horse along the bridle-path just over the hill from Franklin, when a panther sprang before her with flashing eyes and open jaws. The screams of the frightened woman drove the ferocious creature from the path, and brought to her rescue a workman from the neighboring forest. In the excitement Mrs. Able had lost her saddle, but had clung to her horse. After her husband's death she removed to Saratoga County, where she died at an advanced age.

In 1873 Mr. Brinkman sold his farm and, with his family, removed to Franklin, of which town he was appointed Postmaster in 1885, serving four years, being reappointed in Octo- ber, 1893, and still serving in that capacity. He is a charter member and First Adjutant of the Grand Army of the Republic, Post 132, of Franklin, of which he has been Commander for six years. He is an enthusiastic Mason, hav- ing belonged to that organization for the last twenty-nine years, and having served as Master of the Lodge at Franklin for five years. He is

a Royal Arch Mason, being a member of Una- dilla Chapter, No. 178, and also is a member of the Susquehanna Lodge, of the Scottish Rites degree. About thirteen years ago Mr. Brinkman purchased his present home in the village, where all are sure of a cordial welcome from him and his estimable wife, who is a valued member of the Congregational church. Mr. Brinkman is a modest, retiring man, who performs his duties in a strictly honorable, conscientious manner ; and his bravery in the long service for his country, although never re- ferred to by himself, will long live in the memory of his comrades and friends.

HERMAN S. GREGORY, of Can- nonsville in the town of Tompkins, bears a name well known throughout this section of the State; and the history of his family, which has long been prominent in all town and county affairs, is peculiarly interesting.

Timothy Gregory, great-grandfather of Sher- man, was born in Dutchess County, and, when very young, came westward to the east branch of the Delaware, and was one of the pioneers of these parts. The country bordering on the river was at that time a complete wilder- ness ; and for one year this sturdy goodman worked at his land and lived alone, with his own hands erecting the log cabin that was his first shelter, and in all that time seeing no human creature except an occasional Indian. At length he brought his family, and for some years lived peacefully; but at the breaking- out of the Revolutionary War, having received news that the Indians and Tories were going to plunder the valley and massacre the inhabi- tants, he started off his family on horseback down the valley, and, taking with him all the valuables possible, set fire to his stacks and buildings, and went back to Dutchess County. After the war he returned to the valley and settled a few miles farther down than formerly, on the site of the villige which was afterward named in his honor Gregorytown. He raised a large family, and lived to an advanced age. His ancestors came from Eastern Massachu- setts; and one branch of the family have resided for generations in the quaint old

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town of Marblehead, where they have engaged extensively in the shoe manufacture. A fa- mous seedsman is also of their number.

Josiah, son of Timothy, and grandfather of Sherman S. Gregory, was brought up on the farm of his father, and followed the pursuit of farmer and lumberman. He married Sally Fuller, of Colchester, and had two children - Josiah, Jr., and Thomas. He was in early manhood fatally injured, and died while yet very young. His son, Josiah, Jr., was born at the old homestead, and received an educa- tion from the district school, after which he followed the river as lumberman, and assisted in the farm work. Later Josiah Gregory bought a farm in Colchester, and married Lottie Sutton, daughter of Caleb Sutton, of Hancock, by whom he had nine children - Sally A., Jeremiah, Sherman S., Charlotte, John, Edwin R., Peter, Jane, and James. In May, 1840, Josiah removed from Colchester to Tompkins, and bought his father's farm, where his son James J. still lives; and there he spent the last days of his life.

Sherman S., second son of Josiah Gregory, Jr., attended the district school and assisted about the farm until he was twenty-one, when he bought from his father the farm where he still lives. On November 1I, 1848, he mar- ried Emily Jane Alverson, daughter of John and Jennie (Frazier) Alverson, of Tompkins. The father of John was Jeremiah Alverson, one of the pioneer settlers of Delaware County, and a noted pilot on the Delaware. He was of English descent, and came from Dutchess County to the town of Walton while it was yet a wilderness. Mr. and Mrs. Gregory have two children, Adalinda and Dewitt C. The latter has been twice married, his first wife having been Rosy Squires, daughter of Henry and Nancy (Soules) Squires, by whom he had one child, Robert C. The second wife of Dewitt C. Gregory was Nellie Jockett, daughter of William Jockett, of Cannonsville. She died, leaving one child, Nellie.

Mr. Sherman S. Gregory and his wife are members of the Baptist church of Cannons- ville, and prominent in church affairs. He is now serving his fifth term as Commissioner of Highways, and is largely engaged in farming and in dairying on an enormous scale, all his

work being carried on by means of the most improved machinery. Mr. Gregory is a man of the times, interested in what is going on in the world to-day, progressive and enthusiastic, always ready to adopt new measures which shall improve the condition of nature or of man. On a neighboring page may be seen a very good likeness of this worthy citizen.

ASHINGTON M. IVES, a prosper- ous farmer in Johnson Hollow, was born March 2, 1819, in that part of the town of Windham, Greene County, N. Y., now known as Prattsville. His grandfather, Samuel Ives, was born in Wallingsford, Conn., and was descended from two of the "Mayflower's " passengers. He was engaged in farming in Connecticut, whence he re- moved to Greene County, settling at Lexing- ton, which was formed from Windham in 1813. He was a minute-man in the Revolu- tion, a Whig in politics, and a member of the Reformed church. He lived to a good old age, as did also his wife, Julia. Their chil- dren were: Samuel; Romie R .; Daniel; Caleb; Julia, who became Mrs. Baldwin; Catherine, who married Mr. Ringe; Lola, who married John Ives; Betsey, who married Mr. Steele; Ann, who became Mrs. Page; Keziah, who married C. Mattoon; and Ahna, who married a Mr. Crooker.

The eldest son, Samuel, was born in Con- necticut. He bought the farm in Prattsville now owned by D. W. Hyatt; and in 1826 he moved to Johnson Hollow, Delaware County. Here he engaged extensively in farming and lumbering, and lived until his death, at the age of eighty-four years. He was a Whig in politics, and was drafted in the War of 1812. His wife was Betsey Fairchild, daughter of one of the early settlers; and she died when forty-six years of age, a member of the Re- formed church. Their children were: Jona- than R., Samuel P., Washington M., Calista M., Nancy M., Alma C., Betsy A., Helen M.

Washington M. Ives attended the district school, and worked on the farm until twenty- five years of age. After the death of his father he purchased the interests of the other heirs in the old homestead, which comprised

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one hundred and fifty-six acres. In 1843 he married Harriet N. Meeker, who was born May 28, 1822, daughter of Philo and Gertrude (Scott) Meeker, residents of Roxbury. Mr. and Mrs. Ives had six children, namely : William, who was born July 18, 1845, and died February 22, 1851; Philo, who was born February 18, 1847, and whose first wife, Alida Stevens, died, leaving one child, after which he married Alida Laverick, by whom he had three children; Mary S., born Septem- ber 6, 1849, now the widow of William F. Fenn, of Prattsville, who died, leaving five children; Homer M., who was born December 7, 1851, married Lucy Morgan, resides at Ohio, and has lost his wife and one child; John W., born November 5, 1853, who mar- ried Adella Chalfield, and is a machinist in Ohio; S. Parker, born November 3, 1858, who married Alma Tuttle, and lives at the old homestead with his wife and three chil- dren. Mrs. Ives died October 1, 1890, a member of the Reformed church.

Mr. Ives continued the industry of farming, and erected the buildings now on his farm, which is situated in Johnson Hollow, and was the first to be settled in this section of the country. He has two hundred acres of land and twenty-five grade cows. He was Captain of the State militia, and is a Republican in politics. Mr. Ives is an energetic and indus- trious man, and his flourishing and well-man- aged farm shows the thrift and prosperity of its owner.

CHUYLER E. WOOD, a native of Sidney, is onc of the young men of his town who has already, before he has reached the prime of life, shown much promise as a successful man in his chosen vocation, and a useful and influen- tial citizen. He is of the fifth generation in descent from Joseph Wood, who was born January 25, 1755, and married March 16, 1780, Mary St. John. They lived to a good old age, and had nine children, namely: Jo- seph, Jr., born February 22, 1781, who died 1836; Caleb, born February 25, 1783, who died April 12 of the same year; Caleb, born July 29, 1784; Mary W., born January 14,

1787; Elizabeth, born July 8, 1791: Lavinia, born March 17, 1795; Benjamin, born August 13, 1798; Sarah, born December 8, 1799; Seely, born January 12, 1801.

Caleb married Abigail Bookhout, born July 8, 1782. They raised a family of seven chil- dren, namely: Jessie L., born July 9, 1807, died at an advanced age. Paulina A., born February 28, 1804, was the wife of A. Patton ; and both she and her husband have passed away. Mary St. John, born August 27, 1811, was the wife of the late Solomon Robbins, and is no longer living. Belinda A., born Feb- ruary 25, 1816, died May 18, 1863, wife of Seba Beach. Sarah K., born July 2, 1818, died October 1, 1880, wife of Collins Brown. Seely K., born July 2, 1822, resides in Galesburg, Ill. Joseph R., born September 22, 1813, died November 23, 1892.

Caleb Wood came to Delaware County from Connecticut early in the century, and bought land near Walton, the country then being new and unsettled, and so primitive that the road was marked by notches cut in the trees, the wagons which passed being so few in number that they did not make a sufficient track to direct the traveller. After clearing the greater part of his land, he sold it, and bought one hundred acres of timbered land near Sid- ney Centre; and here he spent the rest of his life with his wife and numerous family. He was a member of the ancient Whig party, and a man of liberal religious views, far beyond his time.

Joseph R. Wood, the second son of Caleb, spent his early manhood on the home farm until he had saved a sufficient amount of wealth to enable him to buy a farm of his own. On October 1, 1840, he married Laura Lawrence, daughter of John B. and Anna (Cook) Lawrence. Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence were married November 15, 1815, and came to this county about that time from the East- crn States. Mr. Lawrence was a great reader and somewhat of a scholar, being what is called a self-made man, and accumulating during his life considerable wealth. He was born May 18, 1794, and died February 22, 1869. Mrs. Lawrence was born September 9, 1795, and died in 1875. Joseph R. Wood and his wife were the parents of eight chil-

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dren: Spencer L., born June 26, 1841, who died September 2, 1844; Clark A., born Oc- tober 5, 1842, dying December 23, 1877; Victor D., born April 21, 1844, who died September 24, 1863; John M., born March 4, 1846, who died August 6, 1847; Bloomer C., born April 12, 1848, dying January 6, 1863 ; Francesca S., born January 25, 1850, who died November 7, 1865; Theron, born Jan- uary 5, 1852, who died October 20, 1865; Emery E., born January 27, 1857, who died January 4, 1863. Mr. Wood was a Republi- can, and was a Christian citizen much re- spected by all. His wife was a member of the Baptist church.

Clark A. Wood, the second son of Joseph R., was born in the town of Sidney, and grew to manhood on the farm. Never having en- joyed good health, he was unable to leave the ways of his father and start in a new line of life, but was obliged to content himself with a district-school education. He was married at the age of twenty-one, on July 3, 1864, to Sarah A. Beach, daughter of Seba and Belinda (Wood) Beach. Seba Beach was born in 1804, and all his life was spent in faithful and satisfactory manual labor in the factories of his native State, Connecticut, where he died in 1874.

The three children of Clark A. and Sarah A. Wood were: Schuyler E., born April 10, 1868; Flora, born November 26, 1870, still at home; and John Merchant, who was born May 26, 1874, and died August 24, 1887. Clark Wood resided on his father's farm until in 1876 he inherited the John B. Lawrence farm, which was originally a part of the fam- ily farm. After removing to this new home, he lived but two years; and on January 23, 1877, his wife passed away at the old home- stead. He was a Republican and an attendant at the Baptist church, of which his wife was a member.

Schuyler E. Wood was born at his grand- father's house, where so many members of this well-known family have been sheltered and nurtured. At the death of his parents he came into possession, together with his sister, of one hundred and sixty acres of excellent farm land, furnished with barns of recent build and a most comfortable house, which he

now occupies. All this is known as the Joseph Wood and John Lawrence farm, and on it are kept twenty-two cows, besides much stock, dairying being the principal industry. Mr. Wood is a man of marked intelligence, and well read in all matters of daily interest. He is a stanch Republican, and one who it is hoped will do much in the interest of the principles he upholds. He is a member of the Baptist church, and is an active partici- pant in all the good works of his town.

SAAC HANMER was born January 24, 1836, and has spent the greater part of his life in Delaware County, in the towns of Colchester and Andes, in the vicinity of Campbell Mountain. The grand- father of Mr. Hanmer was Isaac Hanmer, whose parents were natives of Wales. He was a ship-builder; and, while engaged in working at his trade on Lake Champlain, he met with his death when about thirty years old, leaving but one child, Robert M., the father of the subject of this sketch. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Isaac Hanmer married Henry Johnson, a native of Ireland, and with him came to the town of Colchester, Delaware County, in 1822. They bought a farm on Campbell Mountain, near the Camp- bell homestead, and lived to a good old age, at their death leaving eight children - John, Edward, Jane, Kate, Barna, Abbie, Mary, and Henry B.

Robert M., when but ten years old, removed with his mother to Delaware County from Dutchess County, where he was born, near Red Hook. He received a common-school educa- tion, and then started for himself on a farm on Campbell Mountain. After clearing the land, he put up substantial buildings, and continued throughout his residence on the mountain one of the most prosperous farmers in the vicinity. In 1856 he sold his first farm, and went to Pepacton, where he engaged in mercantile business on the present site of the Tiffany Hotel. Five years later he moved to Union Grove, where he engaged in lumbering, running the lumber down the river to Philadelphia. He built a mill where Jen- kins's mill is now situated, and another one

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Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Delaware County, New York, Part 75

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