Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Delaware County, New York, Part 76

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 76

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JOHN CLARK.

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three miles up the creek on the location of Mr. Reed's residence. When failing health would no longer allow him to engage in active business, he left his son in charge of his ex- tensive trade, and now lives a retired life in Union Grove, enjoying the fruits of his early toil. He and his wife are Presbyterians, and in politics he has been an active worker for the Republican party. He has held many town offices, among them being Justice of the Peace and Supervisor. He is a charter mem- ber of the Downsville Lodge, No. 464, A. F. & A. M. The wife of Robert M. Hanmer was Margaret Lown, and they were married December 17, 1833. She was the daughter of Herman D. and Harriet (Hart) Lown. Her father was a farmer, and had a family of five children - Sandy, David, Margaret, Julia, and Maria. Mr. Lown lived to be seventy years old, and his wife seventy-five. Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Hanmer were the parents of six children: Isaac, the subject of this sketch; Herman D., born June 24, 1838, who married Electa Hoffman, deceased, and is a farmer and lumberman in Virginia, having a family of nine children; also Robert R., Ann Maria, Julia M., and Adah M., all of whom now re- side near Union Grove, Delaware County, N. Y.

Isaac Hanmer was born on Campbell Moun- tain; and, after receiving his education in the common schools, he taught school for eighteen years, and then settled at Union Grove, where in connection with his father he en- gaged in the lumber business, carrying on the saw-mills, and piloting the rafts down the river. He was for four years in Virginia, engaged in lumber business, and, after return- ing home, started a cooperage on the Barker- boom Creek in Union Grove, and since that time has manufactured about two thousand firkins a year.

In 1862 Mr. Hanmer married Jane Gregory, who died in the following year. She left one child, Jennie, born April 12, 1863, who is now the wife of E. Laidlaw, of Middletown, and the mother of three children. In Febru- ary, 1864, Mr. Hanmer married Josephine Burhans, daughter of Philip and Helen ( Wal- lace) Burhans, of Flatbush, Ulster County. Mr. Burhans carried on the fish business and

farming, and was the father of six children - George, Margaret, Cornelia, Serena, Joseph- ine, and Francis. The present Mrs. Hanmer is the mother of the following children : Mag- gie, born May 29, 1866, who died May 26, 1867; White G., born November 29, 1867, a cooper and carpenter at Union Grove; Bertha, born July 19, 1870, who died October 17, 1876; Dora, born August 27, 1873, and Hamilton B., born April 12, 1880, both liv- ing at home.

Isaac Hanmer responded to the call of his country in 1861, enlisting in the One Hun- dred and First Regiment, and was enrolled First Sergeant of Company E, being in ser- vice a year, when he was overtaken by a con- tagious disease, and was sent home to recover. His brother, Herman D., enlisted in the Third New York Cavalry in July, 1861, and was enrolled August 10, as First Lieutenant of Company E. Four years he served faithfully for the Union, during which time he went through some thrilling experiences, and en- gaged in some of the bloodiest battles of the war. He is a member of the Phil Kearney Post, No. 10, Richmond, Va.

Isaac Hanmer has for many years been a member of Downsville Lodge, No. 464, A. F. & A. M., and is also a member of Arena Lodge, No. 589, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He has been Justice of Sessions, and has held the office of Justice of the Peace for more than twenty years, being still acting in that capacity. Through his vigorous ef- forts for the welfare of his town many im- provements have been brought about, and he has the respect of his fellow-citizens.

LDER JOHN CLARK, a regularly or- dained minister of the old - school Baptist churches of the Lexington Association of Delaware, Schoharie, Greene, and Ulster Counties, New York, is a highly respected resident of the village of Halcotts- ville. He was born in Gilboa, Schoharie County, March 9, 1838. His grandfather was John B. Clark, of English descent, who came to Schoharie County from the town of Coey- mans, Albany County, and settled in Gilboa on the place now owned by Willis Baker.

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He finished clearing the land, and erected buildings thereon, but subsequently sold this farm, and moved to North-western Pennsyl- vania, near the present city of Meadville, where he resided until his death, at the ad- vanced age of fourscore, his wife, Eve, dying at about the same age, leaving three sons - Reuben, Alva, and Ira.

The eldest son, Reuben, the father of the special subject of this sketch, was born in Gilboa, October 24, 1804. His wife, Eliza, the daughter of Simeon and Esther Wright, was born November 19, 1807. Reuben Clark resembled his father in his early life, and began farming on the farm which the grand- father first settled. After a few years, how- ever, he disposed of this place, and purchased a small farm near by. He was not confined to farming, but was also a mechanic. He died November 29, 1870, his wife surviving him only a short time, dying May 1, 1873. They had four children, - Lucy, Mary, Cyrus, and John. Lucy married M. D. L. Fox, and lives near Gilboa; issue, two children. Cyrus married Mary Tygctt, living in Columbia County ; issue, five children.

John, the youngest, attended the common school, and on his twenty-fourth birthday, 1863, was married to Jennie E. Hannah, daughter of Thomas and Sally Hannah, of Grand Gorge. He began farming on his father-in-law's farm, where he remained three years, and next bought a farm in Gilboa, which, however, he directly sold, and, buying one of M. A. Losa, near Broome Centre, Schoharic County, lived there three years. He then sold out, and purchased a farm of William Hagadorn, near by, where he lived five years, selling in 1875 on account of the sad death of his wife, Jennie, which occurred August 10, 1875. The issue of this marriage was one child, Ella, who was born July 24, 1869, and died December 15, 1871. On Oc- tober 22, 1876, Mr. Clark married Julia M. Webb, widow of Linus Webb, and daughter of Joshua and Huldah Roberts, of Halcotts- ville. She had one son, Victor Webb, who is a teacher, and is now attending the Oneonta Normal School. From this marriage there have been three children: Foster Roberts Clark, born April II, 1883, died in baby-

hood; Isaac La Verne Clark, born March 22, 1885; and Scott Hay Clark, born July 13, 1 889.

After his second marriage Mr. Clark rented for two years the farm belonging to the Orrin Hewitt estate, near Halcottsville, and then moved to Halcottsville, where he lived one year. He next bought and occupied for fourteen years and one day a farm of two hun- dred and twenty acres on Sunny Side, which he still owns and rents. In the spring of 1894 he moved to Halcottsville, and has built a neat cottage, intending to make it his per- manent residence, and devote his entire time to his ministerial duties. Both he and his wife are members of the primitive, or old- school Baptist, church.

Mr. Clark was licensed in September, 1880, to preach in the church at Gilboa, was ordained in June, 1884, and is now pastor of Gilboa, second Roxbury, Schoharie, Middle- burg, Oliver, and Hurley churches. Elder Clark became a church member when twenty- six years old, but did not become a minister until over forty, his labors being, however, none the less effective, for, as Thomas Fuller has pithily remarked, "Surely that preaching which comes from the soul most works on the soul."

HESTER BEERS is skilfully carry- ing on mixed husbandry on his fine farm in the town of Walton. On this homestead, where he was born December 22, 1842, he has spent his entire life, and, since he assumed its care, has added greatly to its improvement. He has placed the buildings in good repair, and in 1893 erected a new barn at a cost of eighteen hundred dollars, which for convenience and comeliness is not excelled in this vicinity. It is very capacious, being forty feet by sixty feet, with an L twenty feet by thirty-eight feet, and having twenty-two-feet posts above the large stone basement, wherein his horses and cattle are kept, the driveway for the hay and grain being fourteen feet above. Mr. Beers excels in making fine dairy butter and maple sugar, also in raising nice vegetables.

Mr. Beers is of New England parentage,

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his father, Aaron Beers, having been born in Newtown, Conn., August 7, 1808, being a son of Zalmon Beers, also a native of that State. Zalmon was born in 1778, and was the only child of a patriot soldier who served in the Revolutionary War under General Washing- ton, and died from sickness at Valley Forge. Zalmon Beers came to Delaware County in 1815, bringing with him his wife and all of his children excepting Lyman, who remained with his uncle. He took up one hundred acres of timbered land in the town of Walton, near East Brook. He was a stone-mason by trade, therefore did not give all his attention to farming. He died in old age at the house of his son, Albert G., at Rock Rift; and Hannah, his wife, died on East Brook at the house of her daughter, Sarah A., a few years later.

Zalmon Beers married Hannah M. Banks, and seven children were born to them; namely, Lyman, Albert G., Hiram, Adelia, Drusilla, Sarah A., and Aaron. Lyman, the eldest, was a hatter in Danbury, Conn., and had quite a family of children, nearly all now deceased. Albert G. was a farmer and lum- berman at Rock Rift. He reared seven chil- dren, of whom one daughter and two sons are now living. Hiram was engaged in farming near Walton in his younger days, but after- ward removed to Pennsylvania. He reared two daughters and one son, and one of his grand-daughters has served with acceptance as School Commissioner. Adelia, who married James Goldsmith, a farmer, in South Frank- lin, died at the age of thirty-six years, leav- ing two children. Drusilla, who died in 1850, married Milton Sawyer, and they reared eight children. Sarah A., the only child now living, is eighty-three years of age, and draws a pension, her husband, Alfred Brad- ley, a brother of Mrs. Aaron Beers, having been a faithful soldier in the War of 1812.

In regard to his uncle, Milton Sawyer, the following incident was told to Mr. Beers by an early settler a short time since: Fifty years ago dairymen in the neighborhood of East Brook used to take their butter in the fall to Catskill to market, always carrying provision for the . journey. Thomas Jamie- son on one occasion was about to start for

Catskill with his butter, but had no meat to carry with him. Milton Sawyer, a great hunter, told him that if his son Robert would take his oxen and sled and go back into the woods, near where William Tweedie now lives, he could have all the meat he would need. Robert accordingly went as directed, and in less than six hours returned with three fine deer. .

Aaron Beers chose the independent life of a farmer after his marriage, settling on a tract of wild land, containing one hundred and eight acres of timber, which, after many years of incessant toil, strict economy, and judi- cious management, he placed in a good state of cultivation. He was also enabled to pur- chase more land, so that his homestead, which is now in the possession of his son Chester, contains one hundred and eighty-three acres of as fine and productive land as can be found in this region. Before marriage he returned to Connecticut to learn practical comb-mak- ing, which business was profitable only for a short time, when he came again to Walton. The maiden name of his wife was Paulina Bradley. She was a daughter of Nehemiah and Esther (Cable) Bradley, natives of Con- necticut and pioneer settlers of this county. Their union was solemnized December 4, 1841, at the residence of her brother on Ham- den Hill. A slip from a contemporary news- paper, recently found on the ceiling of an old building, contains a notice of the event, giv- ing the name of the officiating clergyman, "Elder Wm. Cumings." Paulina Bradley Beers was one of six children born to her par- ents, the remaining children being Alfred, who died at East Brook; Gershom H., who died in the prime of life, near Pinesville; William, who died in 1881, aged seventy-five years, leaving a widow, now an octogenarian, living in Walton; Charlotte, Mrs. Charles N. Hart, who died a widow in Minneapolis, Minn., June 4, 1893, at the venerable age of ninety years; and Sally, who died when near- ing the age of threescore and ten years, the widow of Hezekiah Cable. Of the marriage of Aaron Beers and his wife two children only were born - Charles and Chester. Charles Beers was born February 22, 1845, married Mariett Soper in early manhood, followed the

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occupation of farming on Dunk Hill in the town of Walton for a few years, then went to Ida Grove, Ia., then to Rome, la., where he now lives. The father departed this life on September 29, 1887; and his widow, an un- usually bright and active woman of eighty- seven years, resides on the homestead with her son Chester.

Chester Beers, who was always fond of his books, received a liberal amount of schooling, and, having completed his education at the Delaware Literary Institute, of Franklin, ob- tained a first-grade certificate, taught school in the winter, and worked on the farm in the summer season for twelve years, teaching one summer in Deposit. He is a farmer by choice, and on the parental homestead is con- ducting his agricultural interests with a wise and skilful hand and brain, being unusually prosperous in all of his enterprises, and has acquired a high rank among the thrifty farmers and representative citizens of the town. He was first married November 10, 1873, to Janet R. Nichols, who lived less than two short years, dying August 13, 1875, without issue. On January 8, 1884, Mr. Beers was again married, his bride being Ida M. Taggart, of Beerston, being the daughter of the late Joseph Taggart, and his wife, Elizabeth (Orr) Taggart. Mr. and Mrs. Tag- gart were the parents of ten children, briefly named below: Nancy Jane, the wife of Her- bert Oles, mother of six children; Ida (Mrs. Beers); Joseph; Cora B .; Charles; Emma, the wife of William Costello, mother of two chil- dren; John; and James. The four sons are unmarried, and make their home with their mother in Beerston. Two daughters, who grew to womanhood, are deceased, namely : Ella, who died at the age of twenty-two years ; and Anna, the wife of Clement Northrup, who died in Littleton, Col., when but twenty- four years old, leaving two children. Mr. Taggart gave up the cares and burdens of this life and was gathered to his eternal rest in 1884, being then seventy-three years of age. One child only has come to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Beers - Clara Janet, who was born September II, 1887.

Mr. Beers is a man of strict integrity and strong convictions, and is held in high con-

sideration in the neighborhood where he has spent his life. He is a man of large phy- sique and fine presence, being six feet four and one-half inches tall, and weighing two hundred and forty pounds, exceeding his father, who was a stalwart man, in height by one and one-half inches. He is a prominent member of the Grange, and, having been rocked in a Democratic cradle, still clings to the principles of the party to which he was born and bred.

J OHN P. BLAKELY, a prominent farmer of Kortright, was born in this town, June 18, 1845, son of James G. and Susan (McAuley) Blakely, both of whom were natives of the town. The father was born January 12, 1810, and the mother, July 23, 1813. James G. Blakely was a son of William, who was born in Wash- ington County, and moved to the town of Kortright in 1808, when quite a young man, purchasing a farm of about nine hundred acres. At the time of his advent in the town it was in a very primitive state, most of the land being covered with timber, requiring the expenditure of much energy and time to bring it under cultivation. This Mr. Blakely successfully accomplished. In addition to his -farm he also kept a tavern, which was the first one in the town. He raised a family of nine children, all of whom grew to maturity, one, Mrs. Sarah Mitchell, being alive at this time. William Blakely died on the home- stead, aged seventy-four. In politics he was a Democrat. James G. Blakely was educated in the district schools of Kortright. He was a successful farmer and dairyman, owning a farm of three hundred acres, part of the old homestead. He and his wife, Susan, had eight children, five of whom are now liv- ing, namely: Mrs. Agnes Thomas, widow of John Thomas, residing in the town of Stam- ford; William, Jennie M., and John P., all of Kortright; and Rebecca S., who resides at home. Mr. James G. Blakely died April 15, 1882.

John P. Blakely was educated in the dis- trict schools of Kortright and at the Stamford Academy, and then engaged in teaching for

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two terms. He afterward devoted his atten- tion to general farming, also making a spe- cialty of dairying, owning fifty head of cattle. Mr. Blakely is a man of progressive ideas, and has remodelled and improved the farm buildings until the estate is second to none in the county. He is a member of the West Kortright Presbyterian Church, and in poli- tics is a Democrat. He has never been prom- inent in politics, neither has he ever sought any public office. He is a man of great popu- larity with his fellows, and the type of an honest, intelligent, industrious, and well- to-do farmer.

G EORGE WIGHT, who is engaged in general farming and dairying near DeLancey station, is one of the sub- stantial and trustworthy citizens of the town of Hamden. He is the offspring of an an- cient Scotch family, and was born in the town of Delhi on Scotch Mountain, where his parents settled on their arrival in this country.

John Wight, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Roxburghshire, Scotland, where he spent many years of his long life in herding sheep. He married Eleanor Middlemist, who bore him five sons and several daughters. Of the five sons, three - Matthew, Thomas, and George - emi- grated to America, and became useful and respected citizens. The mother of these chil- dren, outliving her husband several years, died in the town of Delhi, at the ripe old age of ninety-eight years, and was buried in the church-yard cemetery of the first Presbyterian church.

George Wight, Sr., was born in Roxburgh- shire, Scotland, in March, 1790. His wife was a native of Northumberland County, Eng- land, where their marriage was solemnized in 1817. The following year they with their first-born sailed from Liverpool for America, via Halifax, at which port the vessel was to load, thence to Boston, arriving at New York City, their point of destination, after a voy- age of six weeks. They came to Delaware County, where they bought one hundred and sixty acres of scantily improved land on

Scotch Mountain from Widow Cameron, whose husband was one of Graham's victims. By persevering and toil and brave endurance they cleared their farm, and subsequently bought two hundred and forty acres more, making in all four hundred acres. The father was a man of more than ordinary intelligence and ability, and exercised great influence in the community where he lived. He was also an honored Elder in the Presbyterian church for many years. He and his good wife spent a most happy wedded life, and in their death were not separated, both being buried on the same day, in the year 1876, the mother being in her eightieth year, and the day of their burial being the eighty-sixth anniversary of the birth of the father. Eleven children were born to them.

The eldest, John L., a retired farmer living in Andes, has been twice married, and of his nine children only three are living; the sec- ond, Betsy, who for many years took care of her parents, is still in the parental home- stead; the third, a daughter, died in infancy ; the fourth, Robert, died March 7, 1876, aged fifty-one years, leaving two sons and two daughters; the fifth, Eleanor, married John Holmes, of Colchester, and has had six sons and three daughters, six of whom are living; the sixth, William, a graduate of Jefferson College, Pa., and for many years thereafter a successful teacher, is living in Bernardston, Mass., on a farm, and has one son and one daughter, another daughter having died in in- fancy; the seventh, Margaret Ann, wife of William Hymers, of Hamden, has five sons and two daughters living, an infant having died; the eighth, Isabella, died at eighteen ; the ninth, Jane, widow of John W. Smith, of Walton, has two sons and one daughter living, having lost four children; the tenth is George, the subject of this sketch; the eleventh, Thomas, a practising physician of Andes, has one son and three daughters liv- ing, and has lost two sons.

In 1869 were solemnized the marriage vows of Mr. George Wight and Miss Emma A. Knowles, daughter of W. H. and Jane ( Mc- Farlane) Knowles, both natives of Hamden. Her father is a farmer ; her mother is of Scotch parentage.

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ENRY G. CARTWRIGHT, editor and proprietor of the Roxbury Times, and a popular and influential citi- zen of this town, is descended from a well-known family of the name. His father was Dr. Cartwright, for many years a success- ful and prominent physician of Roxbury, who married Mary Mead.

Mr. Cartwright was born in Roxbury, No- vember 13, 1869. He was educated in the schools of this town and at Fort Edward In- stitute, later attending the Cortland Normal School, from which he graduated in 1887. In 1889 he was page in the Assembly, and began corresponding for the Albany papers. He was later assistant in the post-office at Hunter, Greene County, N.Y., but, having a taste for journalism, he purchased the Hunter Phenix, a weekly paper of that town. This he edited for some time, and then sold it, being then employed by the Prudential Insur- ance Company. In April, 1891, he accepted a position as clerk with A. Cartwright, a leading merchant of Roxbury. Not being content with mercantile life, and wishing to return to his literary work, in April, 1892, he purchased of R. R. Hazard the Roxbury Times, whose circulation of six hundred has increased, under his able management, to over eleven hundred. Mr. Cartwright is a stanch Republican, and was a delegate to the State Convention at Syracuse, being the youngest member. He is very active in all enterprises pertaining to the improvement and welfare of the village of Roxbury, and takes especial interest in educational matters.

OHN C. CARPENTER, a prosperous farmer and dairyman of Tompkins, N. Y., was born in Broome County, July 4, 1841. His father, Benjamin L. Carpenter, was a native of the same county, and resided there until 1856, when he removed to Delaware County, and purchased a tract of eighty-six acres of land, now included in the farm owned and occupied by the sub- ject of this biography. At the time of his purchase it contained a small plank house and a log barn. Buying interest in a saw-mill, Mr, Carpenter engaged in the lumber business

in connection with agricultural pursuits. Here he lived until his death, at the age of sixty-one years. His wife was Sarah Hoag, daughter of Ezra and Charlotte Hoag; and she died when fifty-seven years of age, having reared five children - Nancy Russell, John C., and Charles W. Theressa, Mrs. Abram Moore, died February 9, 1863; George L. died January 14, 1864.

John C. Carpenter attended the district school in his boyhood, and assisted his father in the care of the farm. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Forty-fourth New York Volunteer Infantry, and served in the various campaigns in which this regiment was active. At the battle of Honey Hill he was wounded in the left arm; and, as this accident caused him to be unfit for service, he was honorably discharged March 30, 1865. He returned to his home, and in 1866 purchased the old farm, and leased a saw-mill, engaging in lumbering and farming.

April 1I, 1867, Mr. Carpenter married Miss Mary C. Wood, and they are the parents of five children -- Willie A., Lewis G., Francis L., Adelbert, and Annie E.

Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter and four of their children are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church, in which organization they are active workers. Mr. Carpenter is a Republi- can in politics, is a member of the Plasket Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of Han- cock, and is highly respected in the town where he resides.

A® LEXANDER NEISH, attorney-at-law, residing in the village of Walton, is a gentleman whose talent and cult- ure has gained him an honorable position in the legal profession, and placed him among the leading and influential citizens of Delaware County. Andes is the town of his birth, which occurred December 1I, 1846. He is a descendant of respected pioneer set- tlers of this region, being a grandson of Alex- ander Neish, who was born in Crieff, Scotland, in 1779, and his wife, Jeannette (Drummond) Neish, also a native of Scotland.

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Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Delaware County, New York, Part 76

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