Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Livingston and Wyoming counties, N.Y, Part 53

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 53
USA > New York > Livingston County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Livingston and Wyoming counties, N.Y > Part 53

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Adelbert A. Smith received his elementary education in the district schools of Portage, and followed this with an advanced course at the Nunda Academy. He was an exceedingly apt scholar, and after thus providing himself with knowledge of the higher branches of

learning taught school one term in his native town. While yet a young man he left home to learn the trade of a machinist, but was obliged to return to his parental roof, called there by the dangerous illness of his father. This caused him to relinquish his intention of following mechanical pursuits as a means of livelihood, and he decided to remain at home. His father was seventy-six years old when he died, and had been Supervisor of the town nine years.

Mr. Smith was married to Miss Eliza S. Jennings, daughter of James and Mary (Gallo- way) Jennings; and they have three children - Carrie A., Everett A., and Eva E. Like his father, Mr. Smith has found time aside from his private affairs to attend to public business, having held with credit the office of Collector of the town of Portage. He con- tinues to successfully carry on the farm which his diligent and persevering parent reclaimed from the wilderness, and his present prosper- ity is the natural result of persistent industry and good management. In politics he is a Republican, having cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln.

1 RA PATCHIN was born in the town of Scipio, now Venice, Cayuga County, N. Y., February 24, 1814. His grand- father, Jesse Patchin, came to America from Hesse-Cassel, Germany, as a member of the Hessian troops, to fight against the colo- nies, but deserted the ranks of the foe, and remained in this country, settling in Ballston Spa, Saratoga County, N. Y., where he died.

Azor Fatchin, son of Jesse, was a native of Ballston Spa, and was there educated. He learned the hatter's trade in Schenectady, and followed that occupation during the greater part of his active life. He emigrated to Wis- consin in later years, and passed the last years of his life with his son. He was married to Electa Wanzer; and of this marriage eight children were born, two of whom died in infancy. The others were: Ira, Willard B., Smith, Ann Eliza, William, and Daniel, all of whom, except William, are still living. After attending the district schools and the

4 de mod . ent Ale air

at cuid commend asfor youal que duct floss name.I

382

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

Genesee Wesleyan Seminary of Lima, Mr. Ira Patchin became a teacher in the schools of Monroe and Livingston Counties, in which he taught for almost four years. He then became school superintendent of Livingston County, and was afterward interested for several years in a publishing house in New York City. For the last twenty-six years, he has been engaged in that most independent of lives, a farmer's. He married Miss Clarissa A. Dix- son, a daughter of Captain Robert Dixson, of Livonia. She has borne him two children Robert A. and Charles Arthur. Mr. Patchin belongs to the Masonic Lodge of Lima, is a member of the Methodist church, and is a stanch Republican in political faith. He voted for William Henry Harrison in 1840.

AVID O. BATTERSON, Cashier of the Merchants' and Farmers' Na- tional Bank of Dansville, was born in Nunda, Livingston County, N. Y., May 23, 1860. His ancestors were from Connecticut, and settled near Elmira,

N. Y. His grandfather, David Batterson, came from there in an early day, and settled near Nunda Village. The site upon which the village now stands was offered to him, but a location three and one-half miles from this spot was chosen. Here the young farmer began life. The dense aboriginal growth was cleared away, and he built one of the first white houses ever seen in that section. He married Sallie De Witt for his first wife; and four sons and four daughters were born to them, the youngest, Orlando, being the father of the original of this sketch. Sallie De Witt died at the age of thirty-seven; and Mr. Bat- terson married afterward Lucretia Murry, a resident of Springville, N.Y. Orlando re- mained with his father until his marriage with Emily Powers, of Tuscarora, after which he purchased a farm near his father. Here his two children - David O. and Nelson E .- were born.

David O. Batterson attended the district school with the other farmer boys of the neighborhood, and was a pupil of the Nunda

Academy. He also attended the Riverside Seminary at Wellsville, N. Y.

At the age of seventeen he entered the em- ployment of A. R. Hill, who was an exten- sive tanner at Wellsville. He remained with him for three years as book-keeper, and left him to become book-keeper for Hoyt & Lewis, bankers of Wellsville.

He afterward was book-keeper and teller of the First National Bank of Wellsville, hold- ing this position for nine years, at the expira- tion of which time he came to Dansville, and was elected in December, 1890, Cashier of the Merchants' and Farmers' National Bank. Mr. Batterson is a Director of this bank and also a Director of the E. M. Parmelee Medical Company of Dansville.

Mr. Batterson married in August, 1881, Lillian A. Russell, daughter of George W. Russell, of Wellsville, N.Y. She lived but a short time; and he married in October, 1885, Sarah Palmer York, daughter of Hiram York, also of Wellsville.

To David and Sarah York Batterson two children have been born - Emily Louise and Harriet York.

Mr. David O. Batterson, who came an absolute stranger to the locality in which he has risen by his own unaided efforts to a posi- tion of influence, is a proof of what a man may make of himself by application to his business and an unswerving determination of purpose.

He has the gift of attracting friends, and is a very popular man in Dansville. He is a Vestryman in St. Peter's Church, of which his wife is a communicant. His political creed is the Republican platform, upon which he stands firm and unshaken.

R ONALD McLEOD, a clear-headed oc- togenarian, the original of the por- trait on the opposite page, is now living quite retired at the home of his son in Attica, Wyoming County, N.Y. His father was Allen McLeod, born in 1777, in the town of Stone Arabia, Montgomery County, and was brought up at Johnstown, in Fulton County. His grandfather was Will- iam Norman McLeod, a Scotch Highlander,

FollivelisV) je wionimo2 | Jo

THETENA A ko juemyoly ommood world oft Reme mof Iaomimi

viserthrows Jack ouff soll

lo anaal imolt

! jorrit adi lo poo alind or bito vous boysolo

if used grow ano daush wot bas ador mot

FRAF

See interessent chile Salire Moet RONALD MCLEOD. happy (lack of the band at 1

385

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

who was married twice, the second wife being the grandmother of Ronald. Her family name was Mckenzie; and she was sister of the celebrated Sir Alexander McKenzie, who was knighted for his daring explorations. Allen McLeod was her only son, but he found himself the possessor of three half- brothers by his father's former marriage. These three half-brothers joined the United States army during the War of 1812; and one of them, Neal McLeod, was killed by the Ind- ians. The others escaped with their lives, and served to the close of the war, when they were discharged at Charleston, S.C. Mur- dock remained at the South; but Norman came North, and later was the father of the noted Episcopal clergyman, Dr. William Nor- man McLeod. The grandfather, William N. McLeod, died three months before his son Allen was born. The grandmother died, and was buried near her husband in Johnstown.

Allen McLeod married Miss Jane Lough- ley, a daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth (Magee) Loughley. Her parents came over from the old country when she was but seven years old, landing in Philadelphia after a six weeks' voyage in the "Lady Washington." These maternal grandparents were plain farmers, and lived to be very old. Their re- mains now rest in the cemetery of Louisville, they having removed to St. Lawrence County in 1801. Allen McLeod took his family to Canada when his son Ronald was quite a young boy, and settled there, living in a log cabin, and with two hundred acres of land to clear and cultivate, the land having been given to him by his uncle, Dr. Mckenzie. The year that followed was the memorable one when snow fell in June, and the seasons seemed to have mistaken their order of succes- sion. It was a hard year for the agriculturist, and especially for the settler in an unculti- vated locality, when he had no previous year's crops to help him tide over the strain.

Allen and Jane McLeod were blessed with ten children, of whom Ronald was the eldest. The second son, John, was called from the happy flock at the age of nine years. The others grew up and raised families. Only three are now living, namely: Ronald, our

subject ; John Raymond McLeod, who is a farmer and a fisherman on the shores of Lake Michigan, and carries on quite an extensive traffic in fish, though in his sixty-eighth year; and a sister, Isabella, widow of J. HI. Robin- son, living in Massena, St. Lawrence County, N. Y. Mr. Allen McLeod lived to the age of ninety-one. His wife died at eighty-four.

Ronald McLeod was born June 15, 1810, in Stormont County, now Ontario County, Upper Canada. He lived a boy's life on his father's farm, learning the sweet lessons of nature and acquiring those habits of industry which fitted him for the activities of manhood. At the age of twenty years he left home to take a share in his brother Alexander's busi- ness, which was chiefly trade in lumber and stone, but also included some manufacturing. He was with his brother three full years; and then, having a fancy for the water, he went into the employ of a steamboat company as captain of the steamer "Black Hawk," making trips from Ogdensburg to Kingston, Ontario, and to Sackett's Harbor, his home at that time being in Clayton, Jefferson County. After his brother went West, Ronald joined him in Northern Michigan, where they en- gaged in the lumber business, having also an- other station in Wisconsin, until the death of his brother after twenty-five years' copartner- ship. Alexander McLeod's grave is on Mack- inaw Island. In 1841 Ronald McLeod went from Wisconsin to Chicago, where he re- mained two years, and during that time built the toll-bridge across the Des Plaines River.

Mr. McLeod was united in marriage at Aurora, Ill., to Emeline Wilder, of Antwerp, Jefferson County, N. Y. Mrs. Emeline Mc- Leod died in 1854, at Aurora, after about five years of wedded life, leaving one son, named for his father. The second marriage of Mr. Mcleod was in Chicago, in 1856, to Eliza- beth G., widow of Mr. Michael Dousman. They had one daughter, Jennie, who died at seventeen years of age, in 1877. Eight years later, August 11, 1885, Mr. McLeod was called to part with his second wife. Only those who know a similar loss in their own experience can understand the extent of such a bereavement. Ronald McLeod, Jr., worthy

Mfles bos : moistolavo primo aid not boldsind ac

Mit Hoamid bruol

£ 590W ACW 941 10 801. 501 of bovisa bus

all sinted andnow Sos both Just

enived bil 500 sterilus bac

ioatolio[ Felderestoin sas asw bwoffot joris inog off 10 21657 1 -250002 30 tobio thall medman and of bomber

1.1 .

386

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

son of a worthy father, is now conducting a farm of one hundred and two acres, which is known through all this section as the most productive and well-kept farm of its size. Ronald, Jr., moved here in 1871, from Mack- inaw Island, where he had been for eleven years the proprietor of the McLeod House. He had sold the establishment to Mr. James F. Cable, for the satisfactory sum of six thou- sand dollars, and then he purchased this fine piece of property for twelve thousand six hundred dollars. Ronald McLeod, Jr., mar- ried Elizabeth G. Corey; and they have one daughter, Emeline, who attends school in Attica.

Mr. Ronald McLeod, who is in politics a firm Republican, served as Internal Revenue Assessor in the Sixth Congressional District of Michigan, the Ninth Division, for three years. He is a communicant of the Episcopal church. His career has been a very useful one, as well as active and somewhat eventful. The infirmities of age are drawing nigh, but his mind is clear and vigorous; and after his arduous labors in the past he now has leisure to enjoy the interests of the farm without its cares, the peace of the fireside, and the com- pany of his beautiful little grand-daughter.

HELBY BAKER, a Livonia mer- chant, whose birth date was the 21st of November, 1826, is of a New Hampshire family, his father, Timothy Baker, having been a native of that State. Mr. Timothy Baker came from Aure- lius, Cayuga County, N. Y., to Livingston County in 1815, conveying his effects by way of Rochester. The farm purchased by him in Livonia, and on which the remaining years of his life were passed, is now the site of a Baptist church. Mr. Baker died at the age of eighty-five years. He married Philena Powell, and from this marriage four children were born, namely : Orange P .; Lusina; Phi- lena E .; and Shelby, who is the original of this biographical sketch. Both husband and wife had been previously married, and each had a family of children by the former marriage.

Shelby Baker was educated in the district school of his neighborhood and at Temple Hill Academy, finishing both courses of study by the time he had attained his majority. He was just twenty-one years of age when he em- barked on a whaling-vessel bound for the Sandwich Islands and San Francisco, and started on his first voyage, which occupied eighteen months. The homeward journey was made by way of the Isthmus of Panama; and the adventurous farmer lad saw the wonders of distant lands and foreign people, and had the vista of a new world of life and manners pre- sented to his youthful eyes. An early attack of the "gold fever" led him to California. He was one of the "forty-niners," and re- mained there for six years. With a cool judgment and determination of purpose that evidenced strong character, he then shook off the illusive spell, broke from the shackles of visionary expectation, and returned home, after a second trip to the Sandwich Islands in 1855. He here went back to the old simple farm life, and engaged also in mercantile business, in which he has continued for twenty-six years. In 1862, when the tran- quillity of the United States was disturbed by the dreadful struggle between the North and South, Shelby Baker entered the Federal army. On the rith of August of that year, he enlisted at Geneseo in the One Hundred and Thirty-sixth New York Infantry as a pri- vate, and was promoted to be Sergeant and later First Sergeant, and was on active duty for nearly three years. He was in the memo- rable and bloody engagements of Chancel- lorsville, Gettysburg, Chattanooga, Mission Ridge, and a severe midnight battle previous to that.

Following General Bragg to Knoxville, he encountered the perils and hardships which attend an invading army in the enemy's coun- try, and had many a stirring tale to tell when he returned to his old quarters. He was one of the soldiers who made the march to At- lanta with General Sheridan, and bore the phenomenal record of never being off duty for a single day. On the march to Goldsboro Mr. Baker received his commission as First Lieutenant, and on the march from Goldsboro

101

7.4518*

1 30. 6Jte ori won.ar .bozand prow olif aid To molido bolton off terasy svil-grigio notblido wor oggiriem attis mnont bas Hewol

1 to Jenighto odt at odwarddøde bas sil | has hnedand soft ".dojude Bidastuoid air

387

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

to Washington he had command of the com- pany as Captain. In 1865 he was mustered out at Rochester.

Mr. Baker was married to Miss Marietta S. Sharp, a daughter of Timothy and Alpha (Hartshorn) Sharp, of Livonia, whose family were among the earliest settlers of that place. The one child of this marriage is a daughter, Eleanor, who is a student at the normal school of Geneseo. Mr. Baker is a member of the E. S. Gilbert Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of Livonia. He has been loyal to the Republican party since it came into exist- ence. His first Presidential vote was cast for General Winfield Scott in 1852.

ILLIAM R. McNAIR, a foremost farmer and ex-Supervisor of Lima, Livingston County, N. Y., was born in Groveland, in the same county, on Septem- ber 23, 1823, during the second Monroe ad- ministration. He is a grandson of William McNair, who was born in Ireland, but at the age of nine came with his parents to America, settling at once upon what is still the family homestead at Groveland. In 1795 Grand- father McNair bought two hundred and sixty- two acres of uncleared land in Livingston County, and erected a log house, with later a frame addition. His remaining days were spent there in active labor until his ninety- sixth year, when he died. Ilis first wife was Margaret Wilson; and his second was Jane Horner, of Pennsylvania.

Robert McNair, father of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania, but spent all his active life in Groveland. His education was of a practical character. Although his entire schooling was limited, being self-educated,

he became one of the leading business men of the county. As a farmer and stock dealer he was very successful, acquiring twenty-two hundred acres of good land in Livingston County. His wife was Amelia Warner, daughter of Captain William Warner, of Lima. They had six boys and four girls - William R. ; Sarah A. H. ; Henry W. ; Augus- tus, who died in infancy; Charles B .; Miles B. ; Mary Jane; Amanda W .; Emma; and

Augustus C. Mr. McNair died in Grove- land, at the age of seventy.

William R., son of Robert and Amelia (Warner) McNair, was educated at the district schools and at Canandaigua Academy, after- ward teaching one term in Groveland, where he then engaged in farming. He came to Lima in April, 1851, at the age of twenty- seven, and still remains on the farm of his mother's ancestors, in the house his grand- father Warner built. His wife, whom he married in December, 1850, just before com- ing to Lima, was Mary Williamson, daughter of Samuel M. and Susannah ( Burrows) Will- iamson, of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Mrs. McNair was a member of the Presbyte- rian church. She died March 25, 1890, leav- ing four children - Henry H., Willis, Anna I .. , and Clara A. Henry McNair is in mercan- tile business in Portland, N. Dak. Willis Mc- Nair lives in Livonia Centre. Anna resides at home with her father. Clara married Alex- ander McCune, and resides in Minneapolis, Minn. Mr. McNair served the town as Su- pervisor for three successive years, from 1870 to 1872. His first vote was cast in 1844 for James K. Polk, but he has been a Republican since the formation of the party. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and is much respected.

"Life's evening, we may rest assured, will take its character from the day which has preceded it."

WEN BENNION, a retired hardware merchant and insurance agent of Stry- kersville, in the town of Sheldon, N. Y., was born in Cheshire, England, February 14, 1843, and at the age of fifteen months was brought by his parents to the United States. His father, Thomas Bennion, son of Thomas, Sr., and grandson of Joseph, has been a resident farmer in Sheldon for nearly forty years. Joseph Bennion, who was a native of Cheshire and a tenant farmer upon the estates of Lord Cumbermarle, died at the age of eighty-four years, having reared a fam- ily of eight sons and three daughters, all of whom attained their majority and married.

Godt

1 : 1 90100 20 2mil 3198

ـنت

wwwwwwwwof lo Momtoli

to not aashland enilsof ant to one ommood orl

003-VInow's mitimpon Erasome of all

brody To autistes only e botour ent and atury wool-virgin In ogs

--- altin mol brus good zia bad yod P .comi.l

asliMi :. & sefiedlo gyousini an norm on

388

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

Thomas Bennion, Sr., son of Joseph, was also a tenant farmer upon the estates of the above-named nobleman, and occupied but two farms during his whole life. The maiden

name of his wife was Sarah Cook. They reared two daughters, Mary and Ann, and one son, Thomas Bennion, of Sheldon. Mary, now a widow, is nearly eighty years of age, a resident of England. Ann, unmarried, also lives in England. Grandfather Bennion died in 1838, at about fifty years of age.

Thomas Bennion, son of Thomas, Sr., and Sarah (Cook) Bennion, was born in Cheshire, England, August 17, 1819, and was reared to pursuits of agriculture upon the estates of Lord Cumbermarle. On September 14, 1841, he married Ellen Davis, daughter of David and Ellen ( Baker) Davis. Her father was a native of Cheshire, and a small farmer, own- ing his farm, which was entailed. In May, 1844, Mr. and Mrs. Bennion emigrated to the United States, sailing from Liverpool on board an American ship, and having a very rough passage of forty-one days to New York. They had no capital with which to start; and for the first two years Thomas Bennion worked for a farmer in Fairfield County, Connecticut, for two hundred dollars per year, with a house and garden free. In the fall of 1845 they moved to Wales, Erie County, N. Y., but on account of homesickness returned in the fol- lowing spring to Connecticut, where Mr. Ben- nion continued to work for the same wages as before, with many privileges, and spent five very pleasant years as farm superintendent. He then purchased a small farm of thirty- eight acres in Connecticut, paying the sum of three thousand dollars; and, in order to effect this trade, he was obliged to incur quite a heavy debt for those days. He later sold the property, and in June, 1856, removed with his family to Sheldon, where he purchased his present farm of one hundred and one acres, for which he paid the sum of three thousand dol- lars, one-half at the time of purchase, and the remainder to be paid in the future. Upon this farm he and his faithful wife, a patient help- mate, dwelt happily for many years, she dying July 1, 1893, after a wedded life of fifty-two years.

Thomas Bennion is still toiling on the farm, although now well advanced in years, being, like many of his active temperament, unable to remain idle while he has strength sufficient to keep busy. He has deeded one-half of his property to his son Henry, who resides near him. He has lost two infant children, and has seven children living, three sons and four daughters. All of these are married, and he has several grandchildren. He is an Episco- palian, as was his wife. A Democrat in poli- tics, he has served as Assessor for twenty years. His children are as follows: Owen, the subject of this sketch ; William, a farmer in Erie County ; Mary, wife of Peter Foldin, a resident of that section; Sara, who married John Cole, now a farmer in Illinois; Henry, who resides upon the old farm, having a wife and eight children, seven of whom are sons; Jane, wife of E. Warner, of Strykersville; and Emma, wife of James French, of West Falls, N. Y.

Owen Bennion came to Sheldon at about the age of twelve years, and attended the district schools. At the age of seventeen he left his home and worked for monthly wages as a farmer. At the age of twenty-one years he opened a fire insurance office at Strykersville, which he conducted with both energy and suc- cess for thirty years, retiring in 1894. At the age of twenty-five he engaged in the hard- ware business, which he also successfully car- ried on until 1893, when he sold out his busi- ness and purchased his pleasantly situated home in the lower part of the village. This property contains about fifty acres of fertile land fronting upon the main thoroughfare, and is under high cultivation, as Mr. Bennion does general farming as a sort of recreation after many years of active and profitable mercantile business.

On November 20, 1862, Mr. Owen Bennion was united in marriage to Miss Amarette D. Dunbar, born at Varysburg, daughter of Chauncey B. and Eliza (Spencer) Dunbar, who were early settlers in that section, and are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Bennion have two sons and one daughter, namely : Miles, who succeeded to his father's insurance business, and is unmarried; Howard B., also unmarried,

bromua sdrbrodw obloues of ylimet

Trciob becenodi

lo mun odd binu od doide

389

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

and a resident of Strykersville; and Maud E., wife of Adelbert F. Getty, a salesman in the dry-goods house of Burt, Fitzsimmons, Hone & Co. at Rochester, having one son, Owen B. Getty.

Mr. Bennion is a Democrat in politics. He was a Magistrate for twenty years, and is now serving his third term as Postmaster. Mrs. Bennion is a lady possessing many accomplish- ments, having been thoroughly educated at Attica, and having taught school several terms previous to her marriage. She has one sister, the wife of Burton F. French, of Attica, and had the misfortune to lose her only brother, Jerome Dunbar. Mr. Bennion is a Master Mason. He takes a great interest in all pub- lic affairs of importance, having an intelligent understanding of matters relating to the wel- fare of his community.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Livingston and Wyoming counties, N.Y, Part 53

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

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