USA > New York > Delaware County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Delaware County, New York > Part 94
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ULYSSES DRAKE
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also possesses decided musical talent, in which she resembles her mother, and as a result of her devotion to physical culture car- ried off athletic honors at college. The youngest member of this household is Henry Fanchen Mace, a young man of eighteen years. He is an expert bicycle rider, and has won many races.
Charles H. Mace is an active and enterpris- ing business man, who is rapidly winning his way to an honored position in the mercantile circles of Walton. Though paying close at- tention to his business pursuits, Mr. Mace has always been a great lover of athletics, and is the champion runner of this locality. In the various contests of this kind in which he has taken a part, he has invariably been the win- ner; and he has fourteen badges, five of them gold, all of which he has won as first prizes for running in one hundred and two-hundred-and- twenty yard races. Mr. Mace was united in marriage, July 12, 1893, to Miss Bertha Greenwood, daughter of Dr. E. D. Green- wood. Mrs. Mace is a graduate of the Wal- ton High School, and before her marriage was a valued teacher in the public schools. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mace are members of the Epis- copal church.
OHN J. O'NEILL, a well-known dealer in marble and granite in Roxbury, N. Y., was born in Boston, June 24, 1855. His parents, Michael O'Neill and Ellen Shistell O'Neill, came from Ire- land. Mr. O'Neill's boyhood, youth, and young manhood were spent in Boston, where he received a good education and acquired the outlines of his knowledge of business. When he reached the age of twenty-one years, and was ready to begin life for himself, Mr. O'Neill decided to try his fortune in another part of the country. He came to Roxbury, therefore, in 1876, and has made his home here ever since. During six years he was in the employ of C. A. Noble. Then he worked for T. Richman for four years. Finally, in 1884, Mr. O'Neill established a marble and granite business for himself, with his head- quarters on Main Street. The business has grown rapidly, and is now one of the largest
enterprises of the sort in the country. Mr. O'Neill makes a specialty of the North Brit- ish granite, a very handsome stone, which is quarried in Scotland. In 1892 he made a trip to Scotland on business connected with this granite industry. On this voyage the steam- ship on which he was a passenger was wrecked off the Scotch coast, and those on board placed in great and imminent danger. Mr. O'Neill, however; was rescued and reached the shore in safety.
Mr. O'Neill married Clara Noble, daughter of William Noble and Caroline Denton Noble. Mr. William Noble is a resident of Catskill, in Greene County, where he is largely inter- ested in the marble and granite business.
Mrs. Clara O'Neill is a member of the Presbyterian church. She has a sister Sarah, who married Otis P. Morse.
Mr. John J. O'Neill is now thirty-nine years of age. He is in good circumstances, and owns three houses in the village. In politics he supports the Democratic party.
LYSSES DRAKE is a native of the town of Franklin, Delaware County, N. Y., where he has resided all his life, and engaged in farming, the prevailing occupation of that town. He is descended from an old pioneer family, his father, Abiel Drake, being one of the first settlers in this section of the country.
Abiel Drake was born in Austerlitz, Co- lumbia County, N.Y., in 1789, and began life in the woods at that place, the clearing at that time being less than. an acre. He mar- ried Fanny Maynard, of Austerlitz; and the young couple came to Franklin in I810, soon after their marriage, the husband starting out alone with his ox team for his new home. where he built a log house and barn: and thither he was soon followed by his young wife. They were the possessors of but little capital, buying their farm of one hundred and seventeen acres at five dollars an acre, part of which they were obliged to mortgage. This land belonged to the Bedlington Patent, and required the outlay of much toil and strength to make it in any way productive. The work of clearing it of trees, stumps, and stones was
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begun with a will by this strong, resolute couple; and, after that was accomplished, the mortgage also was raised, to the unbounded satisfaction of these earnest workers.
Here was reared their family of seven chil- dren, three sons and four daughters, the sub- ject of this sketch being the first-born. One son, Francis Drake, lives at Croton village, a daughter Helen is the wife of Albert Payne, who carries on the farm on the old homestead, and another daughter, Amy, is the widow of Colonel Sylvester Wheat in the village of Franklin. Maria, wife of Alanson Knapp, died in 1847, leaving four children; and her sister, Anna Drake, passed away in Bingham- ton, March 1I, 1892, she having been a grad- uate of Cazenovia Seminary, and for many years a successful teacher. Abiel Drake, Jr., died on his farm near the old home in 1890, leaving two sons and two daughters. The parents lie in the Croton cemetery with their three children, the father having died in 1863, and his wife four years later.
Ulysses Drake was born in 1812, and dur- ing his boyhood assisted his father in the care of the farm, attending the district school at the same time. He afterward became a stu- dent at Delhi and Cazenovia, and then taught school four winter terms. October 15, 1844, Mr. Drake married Miss Grace Stewart, bringing his bride to his farmer's home, of which he had been in possession about nine years. His wife was born in Delhi in 1817, daughter of Charles and Isabella (Gordon) Stewart. Mr. Stewart was a native of Scot- land, and died when but forty years of age, while his wife was born in Galway, N. Y., living to reach her seventy-fourth year. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom Mrs. Drake and one brother are the only survivors.
Mr. and Mrs. Drake have been called upon to part with two of their children: Homer Ulysses, who died of diphtheria, September IO, 1861, when but thirteen years old, his death being followed one week later by that of his sister, Mary Jane, aged fifteen years, of the same fatal disease. Their only surviving child is Sanford William Drake, who married on September 4, 1893, Miss Ella Ward, both she and her young babe dying June 4, 1894.
The previous year they had made a pleasant trip to the World's Fair at Chicago. This son now conducts his father's farm of two hundred and thirty acres, which Mr. Drake earned by unwearying, long-continued toil, building his large, pleasant house in 1847, and ten years later a commodious barn. In connection with the other farm work, an ex- tensive dairy is operated, where excellent but- ter is manufactured and sold. Mr. Drake formerly kept a number of fine wool sheep, but after his marriage gave up this industry.
Mr. Drake was reared a Democrat, but was an anti-slavery man, and later joined the Re- publican party. During the anti-rent troubles he was called to Delhi to guard the place, he being then Captain of an artillery company. He has served in a number of town offices, among them that of Commissioner of High- ways. Mr. and Mrs. Drake are active mem- bers of the Methodist Church, which Mr. Drake joined fifty-eight years ago, and where he has served as Steward and Trustee, and also as Recording Steward for twenty years. Mr. Drake has retired from active labor, and leaves much of his business to the manage- ment of his son, taking an interest, however, in all mercantile matters, but enjoys hugely the long-needed and deserved rest, having been an indefatigable worker, performing his daily duties at all times with the utmost care and attention.
As a man of truly noble character, gener- ous, kind-hearted, and liberal-minded, Mr. Drake is held in the highest esteem by all with whom he comes in contact personally, socially, or politically. His portrait on an- other page adds greatly to the interest and value of this brief sketch of his industrial career.
ETER F. HOFFMAN, who keeps a large summer resort at Arkville, was born in Smithville, Ulster County, June 27, 1844, son of Andrew and Lina (Keldar) Hoffman. His grandparents were Peter S. and Anna (George) Hoffman, the former of whom was born in Dutchess County, and when a young man settled in Delaware County. He cleared a tract of land
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in the wilderness, built a log house, and from this humble beginning soon had under culti- vation a good-sized farm, on which he lived nearly all his life. In politics he belonged to the Whig party. He died at the age of seventy, and his wife at the age of seventy- two. They left seven children - George, William, John, Edward, Andrew, Eliza, and Miranda.
Andrew, fifth son of Peter S. Hoffman, was born on the old homestead. Having received his education in the common schools, he learned the carpenter's trade, and soon built a new house on the farm, into which the fam- ily moved, as they had long since outgrown their quarters in the old log house. He was an all-round mechanic, making all the family shoes and many of the tools used on the farm, so that he proved himself to be a very useful member of the family. He married Lina Keldar, whose father was a farmer of Ulster County, and who lived to be about fifty-four years of age, leaving three children - Maria, Martin, and Lina. Andrew and Lina Hoff- man had four children: Martin, who married Gertrude Kettle, and lives in Arkville; Ar- thur, who married Mary Carly, lives at Pine Hill, and has two children; Leonard, who married Rose Bidwell, lives at Catskill, and has two children; and Peter, the subject of this sketch. About the time of his marriage Mr. Hoffman bought a home at Clovesville, where he lived until his death, at fifty-three years of age. His wife died at the age of sixty-four. He was a Republican, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church ..
Peter Hoffman received his education in Middletown, and at the age of sixteen began working on the farm, at which he continued for two years. He then worked with his father at carpentering until 1862, when he enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Forty-fourth New York Regiment, and served as a private until the close of the war. Upon his return, in July, 1865, he engaged in team- ing, his route being from different places in the Catskills to Rondout. He ran a num- ber of teams, and did a good business for three years. After leaving this business, he built and carried on for thirteen years a blacksmith-shop at Arkville. He then sold
out, and at present keeps a fine summer resort in Arkville. It is situated on a fifty-acre lot, a part of the old Cogwin farm, formerly the camp-meeting ground, and also the site of the first church built in Middletown. This church having been destroyed by fire, the place was allowed to grow wild, and, when Mr. Hoffman bought it, was covered with quite a heavy growth of timber. Here he built, in 1886, a fine, commodious house, thirty by sixty feet, the main building being four stories high, and the L three stories. It has accommoda- tions for nearly one hundred guests, and is generally filled in the summer with city boarders, some even staying as long as six months. It is an attractive location, and has fine drives. That Mr. Hoffman has made a success of his undertaking is very apparent, and speaks well for his enterprise and good business management.
Mr. Hoffman's wife, who died in 1894, at the age of fifty, deeply lamented, was Abi- gail, daughter of William and Phœbe (Sloat) Stone. Her father, a successful farmer of Clovesville, a Republican in politics, died when forty years old; and his wife lived to be sixty. They had three children - Theodore, Delia, and Abigail. Mr. Hoffman has four children, one of whom, Alicc, is married to E. C. Rost, of New York, and has one child. Leon, Mary, and Harry are still at home. Mrs. Hoffman was an estimable woman, a member of the Baptist church. Mr. Hoffman is a Republican, is Notary Public, and has served three terms as Postmaster. He is a member of Margarcttville Lodge, No. 389, A. F. & A. M.
HERMAN B. LOOMIS is proprie- tor and manager of the Central House, at Walton, and Commander of the Ben Marvin Post, No. 209. Grand Army of the Republic, of the same town. He is in the prime of lite, having bcen born July 15, 1842, in Madison County, New York, where his grandfather, Samuel Loomis, a native of New Hampshire, settled as a pioneer, and reared four children. His son George lived in North Brookfield. A daughter Eliza died in early womanhood.
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Roxy Loomis married Ezra Rice, and resided in Pennsylvania.
Brockholst Loomis, the other son of Sam- uel, was a life-long resident of Madison County, where he was born in 1 807, and died in 1856. In 1831 he was united in marriage with Clarissa Fuller, who was born in Madi- son County in 1810, and lived in the same locality for sixty-seven years before being called to the realms of the blest. She was a devout member of the Methodist church, and was the descendant of a veteran of the Revo- lution, her grandfather Fuller having served as an officer in the war, under the command of General Washingon. Her father was also prominent in military circles, and was Cap- tain of a company of militia in New Hamp- shire. When a comparatively young man, he removed to this State, and settled in Madison County, where he lived until his decease, at the age of forty-nine years. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Loomis were born eight chil- dren, briefly designated below: Freeman L. died at twenty-two years of age. George S., a resident of Sherburne, Chenango County, was a gallant soldier in the late Civil War, enlisting as a member of the One Hundred and Seventy-sixth New York Volunteer Infan- try, in which he served one year, when he was honorably discharged on account of physical disability. Olive A. married Emory Shep- ardson, of East Hamilton, Madison County, where she died in 1869. William H., born in Hamilton, enlisted in the Tenth New York Cavalry, and served for three years, was de- tailed on staff duty, and was discharged as Orderly Sergeant; he died at the early age of thirty-six years, in 1874, at Frost Lake, Susquehanna County, Pa. Sherman B. is our subject. Henry, born in Madison County, was likewise a soldier during the late Re- bellion, enlisting in 1863, in the One Hun- dred and Sixty-seventh New York Volunteer Infantry, to which he belonged until the time of his death, in Louisiana, from dis- ease contracted in the army. Harriet A. died, aged twenty-two years, at Sherburne, Chenango County, N. Y .; and Lucius L. died in 1862, at the age of nine years.
Sherman B. Loomis was reared to farming pursuits, and received a substantial educa-
tion in the schools of his native town. In- heriting in a large degree the patriotic blood that inspired the breasts of his ancestors, he responded to Lincoln's call for volunteers during the late civil conflict, and enlisted October 15, 1861, in the Sixty-first New York Volunteer Infantry, and the following two months was encamped at Staten Island. He subsequently went with his regiment to Wash- ington, joining the Army of the Potomac, and participated in the many battles of the Peninsular campaign. He also served with bravery in the battles of Antietam, Chancel- lorsville, and Gettysburg. After the trying experiences on the fields of Gettysburg, Mr. Loomis lost his health, and was sent to the Annapolis hospital, and was afterward trans- ferred to the care of the V. R. C., and at the expiration of his term of enlistment was hon- orably discharged, being mustered out of ser- vice October 17, 1864.
Returning from the scene of strife to the county of his birth, Mr. Loomis was ap- pointed Postmaster of East Hamilton, a posi- tion which he retained two years. He also engaged in the hotel business in that village until his removal to Friendsville, Pa., where he was for six years a successful farmer. Re- moving thence to the village of Montrose, Pa., he entered the mercantile business, which he carried on for three years, then going into the hotel business. In 1888 Mr. Loomis came to Walton, and purchased the Central House, now one of the best-patronized places of public entertainment in this part of the county. Mr. Loomis is influential in politi- cal and social circles, being a stanch supporter of the principles of the Republican party, and the present commander of the Ben Marvin Post, No. 209, Grand Army of the Republic. He is a Trustee of Walton Lodge, No. 559, A. F. & A. M., belongs to the Salem Lodge of Perfection in Walton, and is Treasurer of the Order of Red Men.
During his residence in Friendsville, Pa., Mr. Loomis wooed and won for his life com- panion Miss Ellen F. Rice, a daughter of Ezra Rice, of that place; and their union has been blessed by the birth of one child, a son, named William E. Loomis, who was born in Friendsville, September 15, 1871.
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G EORGE W. CRAWFORD, County Clerk of Delaware County, is a member of the enterprising firm of Crawford Brothers, carriage manufacturers in the village of Delhi, of which he is a highly esteemed citizen. He proudly claims Dela- ware as the county of his birth, which oc- curred March 12, 1859, in the town of Davenport. He is of New England antece- dents. His grandfather, Samuel Crawford, emigrating to this State, settled in Cherry Valley, Otsego County, where he conducted a flour-mill and a saw-mill for some years, com- ing from there to Delaware County, and es- tablishing himself in the lumber business in the town of Davenport.
John A. Crawford, son of Samuel, was born in Cherry Valley, where he first trod the pleasant paths of learning, afterward pursuing a further course of study at Franklin Acad- emy. He began his business career as a dealer in lumber in the town of Davenport, where he is the owner of fourteen hundred acres of land, and operates a large steam saw- mill, being the leading manufacturer in this line in the county. Politically, he is a warm supporter of the Republican party, is a man of influence in local and county affairs, and for four years, from 1879 till 1883, served as County Sheriff. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Ten Eyck, is a native of Albany County, and one of a large family of children born to Henry and Nancy (Goodrich) Ten Eyck. Mr. and Mrs. Crawford reared two children - George W. and Henry D. Both parents are active and faithful members of the Presbyterian church.
George W. Crawford was reared beneath the paternal roof, and received his education in the Davenport schools. He worked with his father in the lumber business until the fall of 1888, when he and his brother, H. D. Crawford, came to Delhi, and established their present prosperous business, which they are constantly enlarging and increasing. They are among the foremost manufacturers of carriages and wagons in the county, making traps, surreys, runabouts, for local trade, and making a specialty of an exceptionally fine line of lumber wagons, with tires ranging from two to five inches in width. These sub-
stantial wagons are sold in the Eastern and New York City markets.
Mr. Crawford, on the Ist of January, 1883, led to the altar Ada E. Smith, a daughter of Gilbert Smith, of Davenport Centre. Four children have come to bless this union - Edna, Nellie, Josie, and Mary. Before leav- ing Davenport, Mr. Crawford, who is a stanch Republican, served efficiently as Supervisor for two years. In the fall of 1888 he was elected to the responsible position of County Clerk, entering the office January 1, 1889, and performed its duties with such fidelity that he was re-elected in 1891. Mr. Craw- ford is a Master Mason, belonging to Delhi Lodge, No. 439, A. F. & A. M .; and he and his family attend the Presbyterian church.
EORGE L. SCHAFFER, proprietor of the Schaffer House, and a man of high standing in the town of Rox- bury, N. Y., was born in Schoharie County, July 14, 1843. His grandparents were Peter and Sally J. Schaffer, who emigrated to Amer- ica before the Revolution, and settled in Con- necticut. The grandfather was a native of Germany, while the grandmother was of Scotch birth. So Mr. Schaffer combines the characteristics of both races. Peter Schaffer served valorously as a Captain during the war for independence; and after the disbandment of the army he came to New York and pur- chased three hundred acres of forest land in Schoharie County, on what is now known as Benham Hill. Mr. Schaffer built a log house, and, beginning at once to clear the land, became a very successful farmer. Peter Schaffer lived to the age of eighty-nine years, and his wife was ninety-one at her death. They reared seven children - John, Andrew, James, Betsy, Polly, Margaret, and Sarah. Both lived and died in the faith of the Meth- odist church. Mr. Schaffer was a Democrat, and was identified with politics from the organization of our national government to his death.
Andrew Schaffer, the second son, grew to manhood on the farm, helping his father clear the land, and peeling from the trees the bark, which was sold to pay for it, being the princi-
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pal source of ready money. His education was mostly obtained at the "fireside college," he having very little schooling. He served as a private in the War of 1812. Just before he left home he married Margaret Mulford, the daughter of Ephraim Mulford. After he came back, he bought his father's farm and began to improve the land and put up substan- tial buildings.
When he died, at fifty-one years of age, the farm was free from debt. His wife lived to be sixty-six years old. Both were members of the Methodist church. He was a Demo- crat, and held the offices of Supervisor and Poor Master. He had eight children - Patrick, Catherine, Henry, Jane, Abraham, Almey, Juliet, and George L. Schaffer.
George was but a boy when his father died; and at the age of fourteen he left the farm, and began to work summers and go to school winters on his summer's earnings. His first month's wages were only six dollars; but he got an increase, and soon was earning more than any boy of his age in the neighborhood. When he was twenty years old, he received a license to teach. His first school was a very difficult one, which several teachers had given up as hopeless; but by tact and good judg- ment he was successful, and became very pop- ular with the School Commissioners.
After giving up this school, he worked as a clerk for B. H. Avery, who kept a general merchandise store in Jefferson. At the end of two years he started in business with E. C. Baird; but after one year he sold out to his partner, and travelled with a cart, selling goods on the road. Then for a short time he kept a store at Benham, and subsequently was employed by an Albany grocery firm as a trav- elling salesman. He began hotel-keeping in Jefferson. In 1873 he bought his present hotel, called the Schaffer House, at Grand Gorge. He has remodelled the building and increased its accommodations. Besides doing a large local and commercial business, he takes city boarders during the summer.
At the age of twenty-one he married Jemima Gallop, daughter of Amos and Jemima (Fuller) Gallop, of Jefferson, and grand-daughter of Levi Gallop, one of the earliest settlers of Schoharie County. Mr.
Schaffer has had two children, only one of whom is now living, namely: Myra E., who was born August 1, 1871, and in 1892 mar- ried Seymour N. Murphy, a commercial trav- eller representing the Amsterdam Woollen Manufacturing Company. Miles Schaffer was born August 15, 1872, and died when he was about six months old.
Mr. Schaffer is a Republican, and has held offices in the town. He is a member of Jef- ferson Lodge, No. 554, A. F. & A. M., and is a highly intelligent, popular, and prosper- ous citizen.
R EV. ALBERT W. TERRY, proprie- tor of the Terry stock farm, one of the best-equipped summer resorts near Stamford, was born on this farm, March 19, 1856, in the town of Har- persfield, one mile from the village of Stam- ford. He is a great-grandson of Partial Terry, who went from Long Island and settled on what is now known as the Taylor farm in Jefferson, Schoharie County, which was then a complete wilderness with very few white people near.
David Terry, son of Partial Terry, came over the mountains, and took up a tract of one hundred and thirty-eight acres. There had been a "squatter" on this land before his arrival; but David Terry put up a small house, cleared the land, and took full posses- sion. He became an extensive lumberman, cutting the timber, carrying it to the river below when the freshets came, and rafting it to Philadelphia. By selling this lumber he paid for his farm, and became one of the most prosperous men of his day. During his vari- ous trips to Philadelphia he learned brick- making, and upon his arrival home dug clay from the lake near his house, made bricks, and erected the first brick house in this part of the country, which is standing to-day, a model structure. It is made with marble window-sills, keystone in the arch over the door, with large and elaborate fireplaces in each end room. It is twenty by forty feet, two stories high, and patterned after the Philadelphia houses. Here he lived until his death, at the age of seventy-two; and his wife
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