Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Livingston and Wyoming counties, N.Y, Part 52

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Boston : Biographical Review
Number of Pages: 1256

USA > New York > Wyoming County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Livingston and Wyoming counties, N.Y > Part 52
USA > New York > Livingston County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Livingston and Wyoming counties, N.Y > Part 52

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Joseph M. Duncan was educated at the pub- lic schools of Syracuse, and learned the trade of a cooper, which he followed for three years. He was then employed four years in the printing-office of the Syracuse Standard, after which he engaged in book-keeping for six years for the Syracuse Woollen Company and one year with J. W. Barker. In March, 1870, Mr. Duncan first became connected with the industry which has been the chief business of his life. The Ashton Salt Company, with which he gained his first experience, he re- mained with thirteen years, or till May, 1883, when he went to Warsaw with the Warsaw Salt Company, and, erecting their plant, occu- pied the position of general manager to Au- gust, 1885. He then, in company with Mr.

William . Morgan, a sketch of whom ap- pears elsewhere in this work, removed to Silver Springs, and purchased the present plant, which was then the Silver Springs Salt Works. It was incorporated under the name of the Duncan Salt Company, with a capital of two hundred thousand dollars, and is the best- equipped salt manufactory in the world.

Mr. Duncan erected nearly all of the present buildings, and they have increased the output from three hundred barrels to thirteen hundred barrels per day. In place of the original two wells, there are now six. Their boilers were four of eighty horse-power each ; and now they have twenty-three boilers of one hundred and sixty horse-power each, which shows the rapid advance the new concern has made. While at Warsaw Mr. Duncan introduced the vacuum evaporation process, and was the first to apply this in the manufacture of salt. He now has this process in operation, with a capacity of twelve hundred barrels per day. The vacuum salt is sold under the brand and trade-mark of Worcester Salt.

In October, 1881, Mr. Duncan was united in marriage to Addie M. Pharis, daughter of Charles E. Pharis, of Syracuse, a salt manu- facturer in the then village of Geddes, now incorporated within the city of Syracuse. Mr. and Mrs. Duncan have two adopted daughters, twins - Mary and Carolyn. Mr. Duncan is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having taken thirty-two degrees; a member of Royal Arch Chapter, Central City, of Syracuse; and of Central City Commandery, Knights Tem- plars, of the same place. He was Senior Warden in the Blue Lodge, and has filled the chair of Thrice Potent Grand Master of the Lodge of Perfection. He is also a member of the Royal Arcanum of Syracuse, and of the Maccabees at Silver Springs. He is a Re- publican in politics. Mr. and Mrs. Duncan are members of the Methodist church, and he is superintendent of the Sabbath-school.

Mr. Duncan has exhibited a remarkable amount of industry and enterprise from the very commencement of his business career, applying his uttermost energies to whatever he has undertaken. During his residence in Silver Springs he has, by his activity in busi-

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ness, raised it from a small hamlet to a thriv- ing village, and has devoted much of his time to forwarding the general interests of the com- munity.

REEMAN F. COVERT, a substantial and well-to-do agriculturist of Ossian, is the descendant of an honored pioneer of this part of Livingston County, and one of its most respected and valued citizens. He resides within the limits of the town of Ossian, about three miles west of Dansville, and only a mile from the place of his birth, which occurred July 18, 1835. His father, Frederick Covert, was also a native of this part of Livingston County, and was a son of Frederick Covert, Sr., who came from New Jersey to this county during the latter part of the past century, and was one of the first, if not the first settler of Ossian. In the midst of the dense wilderness he reared his humble log cabin, and, with the characteristic energy of the courageous pioneer, began the arduous work of transforming the forest-covered tract which he bought from the government into a productive farm. He succeeded in his efforts, and after a few years built a plank house, this being in turn superseded by a commodious frame house, in which he spent his last days, enjoying the comforts to which his years of persevering toil entitled him. He reared a family of ten children, who ably assisted him in his agricultural labors.

The father of Freeman F. Covert was reared to a farmer's life, and after attaining his ma- jority purchased the farm now owned by his son Freeman; and this he managed with a skill and wisdom that produced excellent re- sults, until his sons, Freeman and Nathaniel, assumed control, thus relieving him of all care. Here he departed this life, at the age of sixty-seven years. He married Ann Porter, who was born on this farm, and upon it spent her long life of seventy-four years, this being the homestead which her father, Nathaniel Porter, redeemed from the wilderness. He was a native of New Jersey, and when a young man migrated to this part of the Empire State, locating first in Dansville, then coming to this

town, where he bought the two hundred acres of woodland from which the present farm was evolved. Here he and his good wife, who bore him a large family of children, passed the remaining years of their lives. Both were members of the Presbyterian church, and con- tributed liberally toward its support.

Freeman F. Covert was one of two children born to his parents, the other being Nathaniel, now a resident of Dansville. Freeman re- ceived the rudiments of his education in the district school, and afterward attended the seminary in Rogersville. Upon leaving school, he engaged in the management of the home farm, of which he and his brother had full control for some time; and after the death of his father he bought the interest of his brother in the estate, which he has since car- ried on with skill and ability, bringing it to a high state of culture and productiveness.

The marriage ceremony uniting the desti- nies of Freeman F. Covert and Minerva Lemon was solemnized in 1865. Mrs. Covert was born in Ossian, of which place her father was a very early settler. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Covert, as follows : Fred, Arthur, May, Jennie, and Carrie. The two sons are extensive dealers in hay. Across this happy household Death cast his shadow, the devoted wife and affectionate mother hav- ing passed to the higher life on the 13th of October, 1891, at the age of forty-nine years. She was a woman of most exemplary character, deeply beloved by all who knew her, and was a faithful member of the Presbyterian church.

Mr. Covert, who takes an active interest in promoting the welfare of the place of his nativ- ity, is a stanch supporter of the Republican party. He served as Supervisor in 1890, and has been Assessor for nine years. He is a man of sterling integrity, well informed on the current topics of the day, and takes espe- cial interest in the preservation of the family genealogy.

DWARD L. DIEFFENBACHER, who carries on a large cooperage business, and is also a farmer and a manufact- urer of staves, was born in the town of Gen-

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esco, N. Y., July 24, 1862. His paternal grandfather, who was of German ancestry, was born in Pennsylvania, but came to Livingston County when a young man. Here he felled the trees on the timber land which he bought, clearing a space for the log cabin in which he first lived. He soon cultivated a farm, and erected frame buildings, and here made his home the remainder of his life, departing from earthly scenes at a ripe old age. Soon after coming to Livingston County he married Mary Price, who was a native of Maryland, and came from Pennsylvania to the State of New York on horseback. Mr. and Mrs. Dieffen- bacher were the parents of seven children - Betsy, Katie, Susan, Samuel, William, John, and Leonard. Mrs. Dieffenbacher died at the age of seventy-five years.

John Dieffenbacher, the father of Edward, was born in the town of Geneseo in 1812. He was instructed in agricultural pursuits, and, having inherited land from his father, added to it by purchase, until at the time of his death he owned two hundred and twenty-five acres. In the month of June, 1846, he mar- ried Martha Cordelia Knight, who was born December 3, 1821, and is still living at the old homestead in Geneseo. She is a daughter of Asahel Clark Knight, a New Englander by birth, who came to Livingston County when a young man, locating in Livonia, where he lived for a time, then moved to Wyoming County, residing there until 1830, when he bought a farm in Geneseo, upon it passing the rest of his life, his death taking place at the age of sixty-six. He married Patience, a daughter of Stephen Heath, of Berkshire County, Massachusetts. She died at the age of seventy-five. John and Martha (Knight) Dieffenbacher were the parents of five chil- dren - Mary, Martha, Frank, Olivia, and Ed- ward.

Edward L. Dieffenbacher studied at the State normal school in Geneseo, and later was graduated from the Rochester Business College. After graduation he engaged in business with his brother, who was a manu- facturer of barrel-heads for about four years. In addition to this he has also been in busi- ness for himself, and managed the old home-

stead. In 1885 he married Dollie T. Weeks, who was born in Geneseo. Her grandfather, Cornelius Weeks, made the journey on foot and without money from Massachusetts, his birthplace, to his new home, where he rented land, successfully raising tobacco and hemp, and in due season was enabled to buy land and make a home for himself, living there until his death. He married Betsey Chaptell, of Connecticut, who came to New York State in 1806. Cornelius P. Weeks, the father of Mrs. Dieffenbacher, was born in Geneseo, and mar- ried Mary Clark, a native of the same place.

Mr. and Mrs. Dieffenbacher are earnest workers in the Presbyterian church, to which they both belong. In his active life Mr. Diefenbacher has won the respect of all with whom he has been associated in business trans- actions, and has also gained many sincere friends in private life; for, although much of his time is occupied with work, he is never too busy to assist others.

UMAN A. DAVIS, a leading resident of Arcade, carries on a very extensive and prosperous mercantile business, besides being largely interested in agriculture, and is, in fact, one of the solid men of Wyoming County. He is a native of the town in which he was born October 11, 1853, and where he now resides. His father, William W. Davis, was born at Freedom, Cat- taraugus County, September 24, 1825, where his father, Sardis Davis, was an agriculturist, moving from there to Oakland County, Michi- gan, where he passed the remainder of his life. William W. Davis was eight years of age when his parents moved West; and he resided with them in the above-named State ten years, when he returned to the Empire State, engaging in the livery business at Arcade, in 1851. He conducted business at Arcade for six years, but, with a view of more rapidly improving his circumstances, sought a new home in the West, settling on a farm in Whiteside County, Illinois, which he operated for three years, then returned to his native State, and established himself in Arcade, where he, in partnership with. A. A. Spencer,

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commenced running a line of stages from the latter town to Buffalo, also one from Arcade to Attica, following this successfully for some years, when in 1867 he was elected Sheriff of Wyoming County. He resided in Warsaw three years, finally settling down at Arcade for the last time, where his widow now resides, and where he continued to reside until his de- cease, which occurred November 10, 1889, at the age of sixty-four years.

On July 6, 1851, he was united in marriage to Miss Julia Ann Maynard, born at Sheldon in 1831, daughter of Thomas J. Maynard, a native of Massachusetts, where his father, William Maynard, a farmer, lived, although he spent his latter years in the State of Illinois, where he died. Thomas J. Maynard was reared to agricultural pursuits, but later be- came a stone-mason, and also died in Illinois, at the age of seventy-three years. The mater- nal grandmother of Luman A. Davis was be- fore marriage Julia Godfrey, who was born in Brutus, Cayuga County, the daughter of Mol- bone Godfrey, a pioneer in that section, and she was the mother of eight children, six of whom are still living, namely : Julia Ann, the subject's mother; Chauncey, now living in South Dakota; Frank M. ; Almeda L., who married Daniel Van Antwerp, and resides in Illinois; Mrs. Martha A. Wescott, now resid- ing in Chicago; and Julius E., now residing in Sterling, Ill. She died in Illinois, at the age of fifty-five years, both herself and hus- band having been members of the Free Will Baptist church. Julia Ann, their second child, was well educated at the schools of Arcade, and attended the academy of that town, residing with her parents until her mar- riage. She is a member of the Congrega- tional church society, of which Mr. Luman A. Davis is a Trustee. Their daughter Lillian was born October 19, 1873, and died July 14, 1874.

Luman A. Davis commenced to be of valua- ble assistance to his father at a very early age. He received a very careful education, graduat- ing from Temple Hill Academy at Geneseo in 1872, and entering Bryant & Stratton's Busi- ness College at Buffalo, where he pursued a thorough course of mercantile instruction.

He was called to assist his father, who at this time conducted a very extensive express busi. ness under the firm name of Spencer & Davis, and was also engaged in closing up his father's livery business, acting, in fact, as his pri- vate secretary, manager, and book-keeper, which he continued to do until his father's death, when he was necessarily called upon to adjust his late parent's affairs. The latter, in 1878, had purchased the present mercantile business now carried on by his son, and also did a very extensive business in pressed hay.

June 30, 1885, he married Hattie D., the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Rich- ardson, of Arcade, N. Y. Mrs. Davis was born in Arcade, October 1, 1858, was one of the many favorite girls of the community, and was organist of the Congregational church for many years. They have three children - one son, W. S., and two daughters, Florence and Olive Jane.

Sidney Richardson was a native of Arcade, and married Harriet E., only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Colton, who moved here from Vermont. He was very active in business, serving in many positions of trust, and was Deputy Sheriff of the county at the time of his death, May 23, 1881, at the age of forty- six. His father, W. E. Richardson, was born in Livonia, and was one of the pioneers in this section. He married a daughter of Silas Parker, of this town, and died in March, 1884, his wife surviving him, and dying May 29, 1885. His connections with the Congrega- tional church are of the most earnest nature as a member; and he has been superintendent of the Sabbath-school for a period of twenty years.

RANGE SACKETT, Postmaster of Avon, N. Y., has represented this place most ably, not only in the ca- pacity of Village Trustee and in other civil offices, but also on the field of battle; for he saw three years of service during the Re- bellion, service so active that less than half of the company in which he was a commis- sioned officer survived the war. He was born in the same county, Livingston, in the town

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of York, July 11, 1837. He comes of New England ancestry, his grandfather, Homer Sackett, having been a native and life-long resident of Connecticut, in which State he followed the occupation of farmer.

Colonel Orange Sackett, the father of the subject of this sketch, was also a native of Con- necticut, and for a number of years he taught school there; but he came to New York State at a comparatively early age, and for some time settled in Monroe County. He was an active, enterprising, and industrious man, and engaged in different occupations, carrying on a general store and a pottery for a considerable period, until he finally removed to York, and began the improvement of a six-hundred-acre farm which he had bought there. He had no light task before him, as but twenty of the six hundred acres were cleared; and he had to build a log house to live in. But hard work evidently agreed with him; for he lived to a ripe old age, dying in 1877, at the age of eighty-one, just forty-four years after he had begun to improve the farm. He was married in 1822 to Amanda Minerva Sheldon, of Shef- field, Berkshire County, Mass. ; and they had eight children, four of each sex, their names being as follows - Homer, James, Sarah, Frances, Samuel, Cornelia, Orange, and Mi- nerva.

Orange was the youngest son. He was edu- cated at Lima and at Canandaigua, and did farm work until he attained his majority, when he removed to Avon, and became identified with the butcher's and grocer's business. But a much more important undertaking was soon to occupy his energies, the task of helping to preserve the Union; for in August, 1862, he enlisted for three years in the One Hundred and Thirty-sixth New York . Volunteer Infan- try. He held a commission as First Lieuten- ant at the time of enlistment, but did not hold it long; for in six months he was promoted to the rank of Captain. The first battle in which he participated was at Chancellorsville. This was followed by engagements at Fred- ericksburg, Gettysburg, Wohachie, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Knoxville, At- lanta, Savannah, Bentonville, and other points. Lieutenant Sackett went out with

one hundred men: Captain Sackett returned with but forty-four, eleven being lost at Get- tysburg alone. He was mustered out in June, 1865, and, on returning to Avon, re-entered the line of business in which he had been en- gaged before he went to the front. After a few years he bought a hotel at Avon Springs, and carried it on for three years, when he sold out and removed to Youngstown, Ohio. He there also carried on a hotel for three years, at the end of which time he returned to Avon, where he has since remained. Farming has been his chief business; but he has also en- gaged in the improvement and handling of real estate, in the fire insurance business, and in the construction of cement sidewalks. Cap- tain Sackett has served as Village Trustee and Clerk, has held the position of School Trus- tee, and was appointed Postmaster of Avon, January, 1892. He is a charter member of the Avon Hook and Ladder Company, and has been Chief of the Fire Department. He is connected with the Free Masons, and is a prominent member of the Grand Army.

Orange Sackett was married in 1867 to Cor- nelia U. Van Zandt, daughter of Jesse Van Zandt, who at the present writing is one of the oldest men in the county, he being ninety- four years of age. His parents were Garret and Hannah (Doble) Van Zandt, who came from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, at an early period, and were among the pioneer settlers in this section of New York State. Two sons have resulted from this union - William V., who is now in the office of the railroad super- intendent at Rochester; and John S., who officiates as Assistant Postmaster at Avon. The mother was removed by death in January, 1893.

Now in the prime of life, and holding re- sponsible and important positions, Captain Orange Sackett is a prominent and most useful member of the community in which he has lived so long. He has had a busy and a varied career, has worked hard and diligently to advance the best interests of the town, has proved his devotion to his country as a whole as well as to that section of it in which he lives, and is an honored citizen, who well deserves the popularity he enjoys.

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ERA J. LUSK, M. D., now a resident physician in Warsaw, Wyoming County, N. Y., was born in Erie County in 1852. The paternal grandfather of Dr. Lusk was William Lusk, a native of Vermont, who emigrated from Rut- land to New York, and selected six hundred acres of land near Batavia, on which he deter- mined to locate. Returning to Vermont for his family and for the money which was to purchase the New York farm, he made all nec- essary arrangements, packed his effects in wagons, and set forth upon the long journey to the new home. At one of the various inns at which the travellers stopped for a night's lodging there befell to them a sad misfortune. Mr. Lusk, being wearied from the day's driv- ing over a rough road, slept heavily, and awoke next morning to find that the trunk con- taining his money, which was in specie, had disappeared. After a vigorous search the missing trunk was discovered half a mile from the town, entirely rifled of its contents. With heavy hearts and diminished means, the family resumed their journey. Ill luck, it would seem, did not pursue them farther. William Lusk became a prosperous contractor and builder. He met his death by an accident, while building a bridge at Akron, N. Y.

His wife, formerly Miss Elizabeth Sanford, became the mother of four sons and three daughters. Of this family only two are now living - S. B. Lusk, of Batavia, N. Y. ; and the Doctor's father, William H. Lusk, who was the first-born. William H. Lusk, who was born in August, 1813, in Vermont, is now a resident of Clarence, Erie County, N. Y., and retains a remarkable vigor of mind and body. Although eighty-two years of age, he still looks after his estate and is interested in cur- rent events. His wife, who was Miss Lavinia Johnson, daughter of Zera Johnson, of Erie County, is also still living. She is seventy years old, and has two sisters and two brothers. Mr. and Mrs. William H. Lusk reared three children, the Doctor being an only son. The daughters are: Adele, the widow of George J. Farrand, who lives with her parents at Clar- ence; and Jennie I .. , the wife of Harris A. Corell, a lawyer of note in Tacoma, Wash.

Zera J. Lusk pursued his elementary studies in the public schools of Clarence, and later attended the State normal school of Brock- port. His medical education began at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York City. He graduated from the Buffalo Univer- sity afterward, and began to practise his pro- fession in the village of Eagle, Wyoming County, where he was located for four years. Sixteen years ago he came to Warsaw and en- tered into a partnership with Dr. O. B. Adams, which continued for about four years, since which time Dr. Lusk has conducted his large practice alone. He is a member of the American Medical Association and the Na- tional Association of Railway Surgeons, and ex-Vice-President of the New York State Medical Association, and also a member of the Wyoming County Medical Association. He was for a period of twelve years United States Examining Surgeon. Besides his professional interests, he has outside duties which com- pletely fill the days of a busy life. He is a Knight Templar, and holds the office of High Priest of the Wyoming Chapter, No. 181, Royal Arch Masons.

Dr. Lusk has been married twice. His first wife was Miss Ida M. Rice, of Clarence, to whom he was married in October, 1875. She died in the summer of 1882, leaving two chil- dren - William Rice, a boy of sixteen; and Minnie Edith, a bright and attractive girl of thirteen. His second matrimonial alliance was with Miss Jennie Frank Nassau, a daugh- ter of the late Joseph E. Nassau, D. D., who was pastor of the Presbyterian church in War- saw for thirty-five years. They have buried an infant son, who was the namesake of his maternal grandfather. Dr. Lusk is Vice-Pres- ident of the Pearl Salt Company, and was one of the promoters of the Gas and Electric Light Company, in which he owns stock.

DELBERT A. SMITH, a native and well-known resident of the flourishing town of Portage, Livingston County, N. Y., was born July 12, 1842. He is of New England ancestry, his great- grandfather, Abel Smith, who was a Revolu-

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tionary soldier, having been a native of Connecticut and a prosperous farmer of that State. Both of Mr. Smith's great-grandpar- ents lived to reach a very unusual age, Abel dying at ninety-three and his wife at ninety- seven. They lived in one house as husband and wife seventy-one years.

Their son, Levi Smith, grandfather of Adel- bert A., was born in Fairfield, Conn., and was a cloth-maker by trade. He came to North Salem, Westchester County, N. Y., where he established a mill for the manufact- ure of cloth, and died at the age of sixty-nine years. He married Ann Dibble, and they reared eight children. Ammon, the father of our subject, was born at North Salem. Hav- ing grown to manhood, he and his brother Lyman each took up forty acres of wild land in what was then the town of Nunda, now Portage. From their home in Westchester County, they had travelled to Albany by the only railway at that time running, and from there to Rochester by canal, completing the journey to their destination in a wagon. They remained a year at Nunda, then went to Connecticut, where they stayed three years, after which they returned to their new home, paid for their first purchase, and bought fifty acres more. This was in 1837. They worked diligently together in order to clear their property of all encumbrances, and not only succeeded in doing this, but added fifty- seven acres more to their possessions. This they then divided, Lyman retaining his origi- nal purchase of forty acres, while Ammon had one hundred and seven acres. He afterward purchased thirty-seven more acres, making one hundred and forty-four acres. He re- mained upon this farm throughout the rest of his life, continuing to improve it, and stead- ily increased in prosperity. He married Julia R. Nash, of Connecticut, daughter of Alonzo Nash; and the subject of this sketch was their only child.

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Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Livingston and Wyoming counties, N.Y, Part 52

Author: Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Boston : Biographical Review Number of Pages: 1256

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Boston : Biographical Review
Number of Pages: 1256