Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Livingston and Wyoming counties, N.Y, Part 58

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 58
USA > New York > Livingston County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Livingston and Wyoming counties, N.Y > Part 58

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of Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, both of whom are deceased. James C., the first-born, died un- married. Silas C., the younger, married Fanny Conkey, who bore him one child, a son named James Craig.

Mr. Roberts, who in his earlier years was a Whig, and cast his first Presidential vote for Henry Clay in 1844, has been an active Re- publican since the formation of the party. Both he and his estimable wife are devout members of the Presbyterian church of Nunda, having united with it many years ago.

OHN D. HELMER, ex-President of the Vacuum Oil Company of Rochester, was born in Canajoharie, Montgomery County, N. Y., on the 4th of March, 1819. His grandfather, John G. Helmer, came from Germany to this country and settled in New York State on a farm, where the last years of his life were passed. John I. Hel- mer, son of John G., was brought up on a farm in the Black River country, and was a teacher for many years during his youth. When he came to the town of Pike, his son, John D., the subject of this memoir, was only three years old. A farm just three miles beyond the village precincts was purchased by the father, and here John D. Helmer has lived for seventy-two years. Mr. John I. Helmer's wife was Miss Betsy Walrath. Of the eleven children to whom she gave birth, only three are now living.

At twenty-one years of age John D. Helmer began to work on his father's farm at a stated rate of wages per month, and earned in three- quarters of a year one hundred dollars. Find- ing his services valuable, his father agreed to give him one hundred and fifty dollars a year for his labor; and at the end of eleven years he, had amassed fifteen hundred dollars. This sum he invested in the homestead, which he purchased from his father, and to which he added one hundred and thirty-five acres after- ward. At thirty-two years of age he was united in marriage to Miss Lemira Everest, a daughter of David Everest, of Pike. Mrs. Helmer, who was one of three children of her parents, was herself the mother of two children

Ella M., who married James A. Jones, a farmer of Pike, and became the mother of three children --- Ernest, Nellie, and Roy, who died at the promising age of seventeen years seven months, having been asphyxiated while attending the World's Fair at Chicago, where he had charge of the Vacuum Oil Company's exhibit ; and Fred D., who married Miss Jennie White, whose father is a real estate dealer in Rochester. One child, Harry, is the issue of this union.

Industrious, prudent, and thrifty from his youth, Mr. John D. Helmer has by sagacious enterprise and close application to business become the wealthiest man in Pike. The salt developments in this county are princi- pally owing to the keen foresight and energetic efforts of himself and his brother-in-law, Hiram Everest, who sank the first well in Wyoming, the germ of the present large works. He owned at one time over three hundred acres of land where he now resides; but he sold some to Mr. Marble, and deeded to his son-in- law, Mr. James A. Jones, about one hundred and nine acres, and now retains only one hun- dred and thirty acres. After more than thirty years of wedded life, Mr. Helmer was called to part with his wife, who died on the 24th of September, 1886; but his daughter, Mrs. Jones, lives on the adjoining farm, and the presence of child and grandchildren do much to cheer the loneliness of a bereaved old age. His son, Frederick Helmer, who is a graduate of Yale College, has the management of the Western department of the Vacuum Oil .Com- pany at Chicago. Mr. Helmer is a loyal Re- publican. A portrait of this valiant "captain of industry, " this indefatigable toiler with hand and brain, is appropriately placed in the "Biographical Review " of Wyoming and Liv- ingston Counties.

IRAM B. RIPPEY, a resident of the town of York, was born in Seneca, Ontario County, N. Y., May 6, 1829. His education was acquired in the district schools and at Temple Hill Academy in Geneseo, where he was sent after having finished the course of study prescribed

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in the schools. He has been actively em- ployed in farm work on the old homestead since he has been able to be thus engaged, and at his father's death bought out his brother James's interest, and became the sole owner. This property consists of one hundred and ninety acres of land; and on it he lives with his sister Priscilla, who keeps house for him, and watches his interests with zealous care.

Their father, Hugh Rippey, was a native- born Pennsylvanian, his father having also been born in that State, and having lived there during his entire life. Hugh Rippey, who was a farmer by education and practical experi- ence, as well as by occupation, left his native State when a young man, and, coming to the State of New York, bought a heavily timbered tract of land near Seneca, Ontario County. After clearing away the dense forest growth, he erected a small frame house, in which he lived for twelve years, and then moved to La Grange, where he purchased one hundred and twenty-six acres, which he materially improved by the erection of new buildings. Twelve years again elapsed before his final move, which was to the town of York, in Livingston County, in 1856, where he remained until his demise in 1861. His wife was Priscilla Bell, of Pennsylvania, who bore him ten children, as follows: Mary A., John, William, Matilda, Joseph N., Hiram B., Hugh, Selina, Priscilla, and James. The mother of this family died at the age of seventy years.

Iliram B. Rippey, whose nature is averse to conspicuous display of any sort, has always preferred to live a life of retirement. His first Presidential vote was cast for Franklin Pierce, in 1852. He is unmarried; and he and his sister live alone on the York farm, where outside and indoors all is well ordered and wisely planned. 9 : 1

REDERIC W. MILLER is intimately connected with the agricultural inter ests of Livingston County, being the possessor of a well-equipped and well-kept farm in the town of West Sparta, where his ability and skill as a farmer are well known, and his merit as a man and a citizen is recog-

nized. He is a native of this State, Wayland, Steuben County, being the place of his birth, which occurred March 2, 1849.

Mr. Miller is of German origin and paren- tage, his father, John George Miller, having been born in Germany, where he grew to man- hood and married. Soon after that important event in his career he emigrated to America, settling at first in one of the Western States, but later spending twelve years in Dansville, this county, working the greater part of the time as a day laborer. Mr. Miller subse- quently bought a farm in the town of Wayland, where he carried on mixed husbandry for more than a quarter of a century. Coming then to West Sparta, he purchased the farm now owned and occupied by his son Frederic, and carried it on until 1882, when he removed to Dansville, his death occurring there two years later, at the good old age of seventy-five years. He married Mary B. Schwingel, a native of Germany, and the ten children born to them were as follows: Catherine, deceased; Mary, the wife of J. A. Schwingel; John; Elizabeth, the wife of G. Strobel; Eva; Barbara, the wife of Martin Striker; Sarah, deceased; Frederic W .; Carrie M. ; and George J. The mother, who still lives in Dansville, is a member of the German Lutheran church, of which her husband was for many years a Trustee and Deacon.

Frederic W. Miller remained with his par- ents until attaining his majority, receiving his literary education in the district schools, and his knowledge of agriculture from his father, who kept him busily employed on the farm when out of school. The following two years he worked for an uncle in Sparta, then re- turned to the farm he now owns, and continued to work for his father until his marriage, when he bought the farm of his parents. This farm contains one hundred and ten acres, well adapted to general farming purposes; and here Mr. Miller carries on a substantial business in agriculture.

On the ist of February, 1881, Mr. Miller formed a matrimonial alliance with Grace A. Kennedy, who was one of three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Kennedy, pioneer settlers of West Sparta. The happy house-

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hold thus established has been enlarged and enlivened by the advent of three bright chil- dren ; namely, J. Arthur, Raymond K., and Luella M. Mr. Miller has ever been a warm advocate of every enterprise tending to promote the moral, social, or material interests of the town or county, and takes an active part in the management of local affairs. Politically, he is a supporter of the Democratic ticket, and has served one term as Assessor and five as Inspector of Elections. Socially, he belongs to Phalanx Lodge, No. 115, A. F. & A. M., of Dansville, and has been Junior Deacon. He is an esteemed member of the Lutheran church.

ENRY SIERK, a prosperous farmer of the town of Bennington, N. Y., was born in Holstein, Germany, December 27, 1823. His father, Jacob Sierk, was a native of the same province, born January 23, 1795, and, receiving a good education, became a schoolmaster, relinquish- ing that profession in order to engage in agri- cultural pursuits, which he successfully con- ducted with profit. His comparatively easy circumstances enabled him to be of valuable assistance to his children.

Henry Sierk's mother, whose maiden name was Wiebke Volkens, bore three sons and three daughters, all of whom attained their majority except one daughter. Of these, three sons and one daughter are living. The parents died in Germany, the mother in 1873, at the age of seventy-two years, and the father in 1886, at the advanced age of ninety years. Jacob Sierk was a man of influence in his community, holding municipal offices. He died leaving not only a good estate, but also an honorable record.

Henry Sierk first married in 1851, previous to emigrating from Germany, Lena Old- schwager, who died, leaving an infant daugh- ter, Wiebke C., who is now the wife of Anthony Geise, a farmer in Bennington. Mr. Sierk came to the United States in 1853, bringing his daughter, and was also accom- panied by his first wife's sister, Elsabe Old- schwager, whom he married in New York

City, February 8, 1853. Mrs. Sierk's parents soon after emigrated from Germany to the United States, where they died, her father, Marcus, in 1886, and her mother in 1890, at eighty-seven. They had two sons and two daughters. Their son, John Oldschwager, a volunteer soldier in the Civil War, was in- stantly killed by being struck with a shell while in active service. He was thirty years of age, and left a widow. Claus Oldschwager is a farmer in Genesee County, Michigan.

Mr. and Mrs. Sierk have been blessed with fifteen children, of whom twelve are living. William died at the age of eight years; John, a young man of twenty-one, died in 1880; and Mary died in March, 1885, at the age of eigh- teen years. The others are: Jacob, a farmer residing in Darien, having two sons and one daughter; Marcus, a farmer residing in At- tica, having three sons; Anna, a widow of Peter Van Valkenburg, having one son, Leon ; Henry, a farmer of Attica, having three sons and one daughter; Claus, a farm laborer, un- married; Ida, wife of John Welker, a farmer of Bennington, having six living children ; George, who resides at home with his parents, having a wife whose maiden name was Edith Maxon; Lena, wife of John Schlenker, a farmer residing in Attica, having one daugh- ter; Augusta; Emma, a young lady at home ; Frederick, also residing at home; and Elsie, wife of Charles Ripstein, residing at Benning- ton, having one son. Mr. Sierk purchased his first farm of one hundred and five acres in 1853. On his arrival in the United States he was possessed of some capital with which to start in life, and now has three good farms, aggregating in all about three hundred and twenty acres. These contain good substan- tial buildings, and are well cultivated. He erected his present residence in 1872 and his large barn in 1874. The latter is forty by eighty feet, with stone basement and wagon- shop attached. Mr. Sierk keeps thirty cows, and ships milk to Buffalo. He formerly paid considerable attention to sheep raising, but at present is doing general farming. Ilis orchard, which consists of some four acres, is mostly the work of his own hands. He is a model farmer in every respect.

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Mr. Sierk received a classical education, but on account of weak eyes was forced to relinquish his intention of entering profes- sional life. He has given his children a good common-school education. Mr. and Mrs. Sierk are well preserved and active in the many cares of life, notwithstanding the fact that the labors of farm life are arduous. The household duties are made light, however, by the assistance of the younger daughters and their widowed sister. Although Mr. Sierk is exceedingly modest, there are few farmers in his locality who are more prosperous, and none who are his superior in successful manage- ment. He is passing his declining years most happily in company with his worthy wife, and enjoys the blessings of twelve living children and twenty-one grandchildren. In politics he is a Democrat, but has never sought office. He and his wife are German Protestants.

ALMON WRIGHT, the much respected Commander of J. E. Lee Post, No. 281, Grand Army of the Republic, was born in West Almond, Allegany County, N. Y., September 14, 1831. His grandfather was born September 4, 1769, either in Wales or in America of Welsh par- ents. From Washington County, the home of his youth, he removed to Allegany County, and traded his farm of one hundred acres in the town of Greenwich for eighteen hundred acres of heavily timbered land in what is now the town of West Almond, where he became one of the pioneer settlers. To each one of a family of seventeen children he gave fifty acres of land, on which they erected a saw-mill, and engaged in the lumber business in addition to farming. He resided at this place until his death, and was buried on the farm.

Zalmon Wright, the father of the subject of this sketch, and the eldest of the family of seventeen, was born in Greenwich, Washing- ton County, N. Y., where he was educated and married. After his marriage he removed to Genesee County, making the removal with teams, and bought a tract of land in Wethers- field. Here he erected a log cabin, in the construction of which no sawed lumber was

used. Blankets were hung for doors, with a log at the bottom to keep them down; while in front of the cabin a continual fire was kept burning to frighten away the wolves. As there were no railroads or canals for a number of years afterward, the inhabitants lived chiefly on the products of the land and the wild game, which was abundant. After a few years Mr. Wright sold his home, moving to Alle- gany County, and locating on land given him by his father, where he lived for over thirty years. He then moved to Allegany, Catta- raugus County, and, having bought a tract of land, lived there for a number of years. He had the misfortune, however, to lose this farm, and after the war came to Livingston County, locating in Mount Morris, where he spent the rest of his days with his son, dying at the age of eighty-seven years. His wife, who died at the age of fifty-seven years, was Mary Carter, a daughter of Stephen Carter, of Greenwich, Washington County, N. Y. Mr. and Mrs. Wright were the parents of six children --- Eliza A., Lorinda, Emery, Laura, Elijah, and Zalmon.

Zalmon Wright, a carpenter and joiner by trade, was educated at West Almond, and lived with his parents until his marriage, following his trade until his enlistment, August 12, 1861, in Company I, Sixty-fourth New York Volunteer Infantry. He served with the reg- ular army until 1863, and during that time bravely did his duty in the following battles : Fair Oaks, seven days' Peninsular campaign, Gaines's Mill, Peach Orchard, White Oak Swamp, Glendale, Malvern Hill, Fredericks burg, and Gettysburg. He was honorably dis- charged in December, 1863, and, coming to Mount Morris soon after, worked at his trade a short time, and then turned his attention to cabinet-making, which he has since followed.

In 1853 Mr. Wright married Lucretia Preice, of Deerfield, Pa., who died in 1866. He was again married in 1867, at Springfield, Mich., to Phiseria A. Green, a daughter of Stephen Kenyon, and widow of Isaac Green, who had one son, S. Ellsworth, who has since been known by the name of Wright, and of whom a sketch appears elsewhere in this work. By his second wife Mr. Wright had two chil-

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dren - Laura M. and Jennie A., the latter now deceased.

Mr. and Mrs. Wright are esteemed members of the Baptist church, and Mr. Wright is a Republican in politics. He was a charter member of J. E. Lee Post, No. 281, Grand Army of the Republic, in which order he has gained much popularity, having most creditably filled all the various offices, and is Aide-de- camp on the staff of John C. Shotts, Depart- ment Commander. He has honorably filled the office of Notary Public for the past five years, and is well deserving of the respect and esteem bestowed upon him by his fellow- citizens.

ON. ORRIN D. LAKE, a highly re- spected citizen of Mount Morris, and a former United States official, was born in the town of Kortright, Delaware County, N. Y., on the HIth of No- vember, 1805. His father, the Rev. Warner Lake, was born in Connecticut, May 7, 1765. After reaching manhood, and having married, he emigrated in 1797 to New York State, ac- complishing the journey with a cart and a pair of steers, and settled upon a tract of land, upon it erecting the house in which the subject of this sketch was born. He was of the Baptist persuasion, and at this time commenced his labors as a preacher. In 1816 he again started westward, and moved his family to Cayuga County; and, it being in the winter season, the journey was made with sleighs. Upon arrival there, he located in that part of the town of Aurelius which is now the town of Springport, upon a tract of land on which were løg buildings. He managed his farm, and also attended to his pastoral duties, residing there until 1830, when he removed to the town of Mount Morris, purchasing about two hun- dred acres of land four miles from the vil- lage. He continued to preach for about seven years, and resided there until his decease, Sep- tember 29, 1848. The maiden name of his first wife, the mother of Orrin D., was Eliza- beth Williams. She was born in January, 1765, and died on the 24th of September, 1834. She reared nine children, as follows :

John, Mary, Annis, David, Huldah, Rhoda, Sally, Orrin D., and Warner.

Orrin D. Lake is the only one of the pa- rental family now living. He was ten years of age when his parents moved to Cayuga County, and remembers well the incidents of the jour- ney. In those early days that section was far removed from a market, and continued so until the Erie Canal was completed. He attended the pioneer schools, and assisted upon the home farm until his marriage, after which he located on a small farm of fifty acres given him by his father. Upon it he resided until 1837, then sold, and purchased the old home- stead of one hundred and fifty acres, which he continued to conduct until 1861, at which time he entered the United States civil service as Assistant Assessor of Internal Revenue for the Twenty-fifth District, comprising the counties of Livingston, Ontario, and Yates. This po- sition he held for six years, when he was appointed Assessor for the same district, con- tinuing in that position for four years, when the office was abolished.

Mr. Lake has been a resident of the village of Mount Morris since 1868, although he still owns the old homestead. He was formerly a Whig in politics, but has supported the Re- publican party since its organization, and has held many positions of public trust. He was Assessor for a number of years, and in 1837 was elected Justice of the Peace, serving twelve years. He was also a member of the County Board of Supervisors for seven years, and in 1851-52 was a member of the legis- lature. In 1831 he married his first wife, whose maiden name was Sarah P. Gunn. She died February 26, 1849; and he married for his second wife Martha B. Gunn, a sister of his first wife. She died November 9, 1877. His third wife was Mrs. Elmira Mead. Mr. Lake has one son by his first marriage, Jerome A., a sketch of whom appears in this work.

Mr. Lake is a representative of that intel- lectual class of American country gentlemen who are always an honor to the community in which they live. He has attained a ripe old age, and enjoys not only a well-earned pros- perity, but also the esteem and confidence of his fellow-townsmen.

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RANGE L. TOZIER, an extensive farmer of Sheldon, Johnsonsburg, post- office, was born at Watertown, Jeffer- son County, N. Y., December 2, 1826, and when two years of age was brought by his parents to Bennington, where they opened a farm on the Holland purchase. His father, Eber Tozier, was born in Roxbury, N. IL., in 1789, and died in the town of Charlotte, Chau- tauqua County, N. Y., in 1864. Mr. Tozier's paternal grandfather was a native of France, who became a refugee during the French Rev- olution, and settled in Roxbury, N. H., where he followed agricultural pursuits. At his death he left a large estate to three sons and three daughters.

About the year 1818 Eber Tozier married Jemima Palmer, a native of Sackett's Harbor, daughter of Captain Elijah Wyatt Palmer, who was made lame for life by a wound received. in a conflict. Her mother's maiden name was Sarah Lee. Mr. and Mrs. Tozier came from Sackett's Harbor to Wyoming County in an ox wagon, and settled on Bennington Hill, Ben- nington, where they purchased sixty-five acres, mostly timbered land, which they cleared and improved. They resided upon this farm until 1840, when they sold, renting a farm for one year, after which they purchased two hundred acres in the valley known as Humphrey Hol- low, thus named for Deacon Theophilus Humphrey, who settled there in 1817 or 1818, the first settler in the hollow having been one Buell. Eber Tozier died in Charlotte, Chau- tauqua County, at the age of seventy-five years. His wife died in 1852, at Wellsburg, Erie County, Pa. They had eleven children, of whom five sons and four daughters attained their majority and married. Of these, two daughters are now deceased.

Orange I .. , the fourth child, was reared to agricultural pursuits and attended the district schools, finishing his education at a select school in Batavia, where he was a classmate of Rear Admiral Chandler, of the United States navy. He had a scholarship at Alleghany College, Meadville, and taught school one winter term. He left his home at the age of sixteen, and was married in his twenty-first year, July 25, 1847, to Miss Harriet H.

Humphrey, daughter of Lester H. Humphrey. After his marriage Mr. Tozier went to Erie County, Pennsylvania, where he farmed and lumbered. In the fall of that year he cast his first vote, and was elected School Director and Inspector of the board. Mr. Tozier's father was a Democrat in politics; but he himself joined the Republican party, having been one of its organizers in his section. He was elected a Justice of the Peace at Orangeville in 1857.

In 1860 he returned to his farm at Sheldon, and in 1861 raised a company of one hundred men, which he took to Westfield, joining the Ninth New York Cavalry as Company G, of which he was Captain, and served until July 8, 1862, when he resigned on account of poor health. His regiment was in the Peninsular campaign under Mcclellan, and later with Pope in Virginia. At the time of his resigna- tion it was serving under General Burnside. After some improvement in his health he was appointed Assistant Provost Marshal of his district, holding that office until the close of the war. In 1864 he was elected Supervisor from Sheldon, serving two years, and has served in the same capacity since. He has served as Justice of the Peace four terms, and in 1878 was elected to the Assembly, where he represented his district two years. He also had the honor of assisting in the nomination of Governor Cornell at Saratoga.

Mr. Tozier has lived in Sheldon most of the time since the spring of 1841. His farm con- sists of about twelve hundred acres, upon which he does general farming, managing it him- self. He has kept as many as one hundred cows, lately having about sixty. He has made a specialty of cheese much of the time, but at present is giving his attention to fine creamery butter, which he produces by the aid of a separator. He keeps grade Jersey cows, own- ing pure blooded males, and also makes a spe- cialty of choice sheep, of which he keeps an average flock of from five hundred to seventeen hundred. Besides his farm in this State Mr. Tozier owns some valuable land in McLean County, Illinois. He is a member of Mount Vernon Lodge, No. 263, A. F. & A. M., and a comrade of the Grand Army of the Republic, Buford Post, Johnsonsburg.

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Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Livingston and Wyoming counties, N.Y, Part 58

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

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