USA > New York > Wyoming County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Livingston and Wyoming counties, N.Y > Part 84
USA > New York > Livingston County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Livingston and Wyoming counties, N.Y > Part 84
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On March 16, 1853, Mr. Edward G. Mat- thews was united in marriage to Mary Lapham, who was born February 15, 1830, at Scipio, Cayuga County, daughter of Sidney and Jane (Macomber) Lapham. Her parents were early settlers in that county, but removed to Perry soon after her birth, and resided there till Mr. Lapham's death, February 16, 1851. Mrs. Lapham is now living. She was born Sep- tember 12, 1806, daughter of Zebediah and Rebecca Macomber. Her father was born Octo- ber 8, 1785, and her mother August 10, 1787. They came from Dutchess County, were pros- perous farmers in Cayuga County, where they lived to an advanced age. They reared a fam- ily of fourteen children - Jane, Egbert, Al- bert, William, Smith, Betsey A., Oscar, Norman, Herman, Eunice, Jerome, Hannah, Dewitt C., and Emery Macomber. Of these but three are now living. Zebediah Macom- ber was a Republican in politics, and a mem- ber of the Society of Friends. Mr. and Mrs. Edward G. Matthews have had three children, as follows: Sidney, born May 15, 1854, died September 23, 1887. Luella, born November 16, 1856, is the wife of Joseph E. Cole, resid- ing in Perry; and they have three children. Flora, born November 19, 1859, married John Higgins, also residing in Perry ; and they have two children.
He is a Republican in politics, has served as Assessor, and is now Supervisor, having held that office for three years. Mr. Matthews was for some time interested in the Silver Lake Railroad, of which he was superintend- ent for six years. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews are members of the Baptist church, their daugh- ters of the Presbyterian.
RA T. WHEELOCK is an influential farmer and a life-long resident in Leices- ter township, Livingston County, N. Y., where he was born September 29, 1833, about the time of the attempted secession of the "Palmetto State," during the Presidential term of Andrew Jackson. Royal Wheelock, his grandfather, was an Ontario County pio- neer; and more of the family history may be found in our sketch of Austin W. Wheelock, a brother of our present subject.
The father of Austin and Ira was Harry Wheelock, born in Connecticut, on October 20, 1792, in the middle of General Washing- ton's Presidential term. Mr. Harry Wheelock came to this section of New York with his parents when only a child. He grew up in Bloomfield, Ontario County, and fought in the War of 1812, marching from Buffalo. In 1819 he came to Leicester and purchased a hundred and twenty acres of land, whereon a patch of clearing and a log house were the only signs of civilization. As his heart had already been given to a rosy Bloomfield dam- sel, he went back there after her; and they began their housekeeping in the humblest sort of way, their two eldest children being born in the cabin. Rochester was the nearest market town, railways were unknown, and for a long time, both for farm work and travel, the set- tlers were dependent on their patient oxen. In due time Mr. Harry Wheelock erected bet- ter buildings; but he did not quit the old estate till summoned by the Death Angel, on June 13, 1873, when over fourscore. His marriage took place December 12, 1819, when he was twenty-seven years old, the bride being Judith Gillete, who was born February 4, 1797, and died January 28, 1867, something over six years prior to the death of her hus- band. Their four children were: Charles, Austin, Martha, and Ira T.
The youngest, who is our special subject, obtained what education he could at the dis- trict school and in the Burkbit Collegiate In- stitute, and helped his father on the farm. After marriage he went to Bureau County, Illi- nois, made arrangements to settle there, and returned home for his wife. Finding that family affairs demanded his presence, he
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yielded to his father's importunity, gave up his Western projects, and decided to remain on the homestead, whereof he eventually be- came sole proprietor, so that this has been his life-long home. Mr. Wheelock is a Republi- can, has served one term as Overseer of the Poor and six years as Supervisor. Ile is a member of the Presbyterian church; and his life illustrates the words of that eminent story- writer, George MacDonald: "I do not think that the road to contentment lies in despising what we have not. Let us acknowledge all good, all delight that the world holds, and yet be content without it." Mr. Wheelock's mar- riage to Marcia Fidelia Crosby took place on August 27, 1856, shortly after the election of Buchanan as President of the United States, and just before the famous year of "hard times." She was a Leicester girl, born in the same town with her husband, on No- vember 29, 1838, the daughter of Hiram Crosby, who was born in Hartland, Hartford County, Conn., on February 27, 1811. Hiram Crosby's father was Jeduthun Crosby, also a native of Connecticut, who there married Nancy Buel, of the same State. In Connecti- cut the Crosby's remained till 1819, and then came to New York State, settling in what is now the township of Leicester, buying land, on which they erected buildings, whereon Mr. Jeduthun Crosby lived till his death. By un- remitting industry he cleared a good farm, and became a forehanded man, furnishing his home so handsomely and taking such care of the grounds that it was one of the most attractive estates in this section of the county. Hiram Crosby, Mrs. Wheelock's father, was but a boy of eight when the family came to Leicester ; and he played with the children of the Indians, who had by no means wholly disappeared from the forest. Needless to say that Hiram grew up a farmer - a vocation he never forsook. Before marriage he bought the farm where his widow still resides. At first it was small, but he added thereto till he owned two hundred and sixty-five acres. There he died May 4, 1881. Mr. Crosby was an upright and con- scientious man, and a life-long member of the Presbyterian church. The maiden name of Mrs. Wheelock's mother was Rachel F. Under-
wood. She was born in the town of York, on June 15, 1813, and was married on February 8, 1837, at the age of twenty-three. Her father was Timothy Underwood, a Connecticut man, who came to New York State, and for a time lived in Watertown. Thence he went to Rochester, then only a hamlet, with no prom- ise of its rapid growth. Securing a tract of land near the Rapids, he laid the foundations of a home; but the children were stricken with fever, so he decided to move farther south, and chose a tract of timber land in what soon be- came the town of York, in Livingston County, though then included in Genesee County. Here he built the usual primitive dwelling of logs, but in the course of years his ambition was gratified by having a well-tilled farm and a group of frame buildings. Though not calling his house a tavern, he nevertheless entertained all sorts of wayfarers. Not only did new- comers find a home there while building their own cabins, but travelling preachers (and there were none other at that time) were always wel- come. While rowing with a load of lumber he was accidentally thrown into the river, re- ceiving injuries from which he eventually died in 1820. The maiden name of Timothy Un- derwood's wife, Mrs. Wheelock's grandmother, was Rachel Orris. She was a Connecticut woman, and outlived her husband many years, dying at the age of eighty-six; but her daugh- ter, Mrs. Wheelock's mother, is still alive, a vigorous woman of eighty-one, stanch in her loyalty to the Presbyterian church, which she joined in her nineteenth year, and of which she has been a member for over sixty years. Mrs. Crosby is a bright old lady, sound in mind and body.
Mr. and Mrs. Ira T. Wheelock have two children --- Arthur, born in 1857; and Ger- trude, born in 1860. Gertrude Wheelock mar- ried Thomas P. Wooster, and has two children - Irene E. and John Carl Wooster.
ONATHAN MILLER, one of the most enterprising and progressive representa- tives of the stock-raising interests of this section of Livingston County, is pleasantly located in the town of Nunda, where
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he is paying especial attention to the raising of fancy trotting horses and thoroughbred Hol- stein cattle. He is a native of this county, having been born in the town of Mount Mor- ris, in the month of August, 1829.
Mr. Miller comes of English antecedents, his grandfather, Jonathan Miller, having emi- grated from England to America, locating in Connecticut, where he was pastor of a Metho- dist church for many years. His son, Jona- than, the father of the subject of this biogra- phy, was born in the Nutmeg State, and there reared to maturity. He was a tiller of the soil, and, realizing that the prospects for ac- quiring land were better in a new country, removed with his family to this State, and set- tled in Livingston County, traversing the en- tire distance from the place of his birth to this county with ox teams. He took up a tract of land one mile south of the River Road Forks, at Mount Morris, and, after clearing a space, erected a log house for himself and family. The nearest mill was at Rochester, and the only way of reaching that place was by a nar- row path marked by blazed trees. . In addition to raising all the food for the family, he raised fax from which the material for their clothing was made, the deft and busy fingers of the wife and mother fashioning the garments for the entire family. He was an industrious and hard-working man, succeeding well in his efforts to reclaim a farm from the heavily tim- bered land, and in the course of years erected a substantial frame house in place of the rude log cabin, placed the larger portion of his land under cultivation, set out a fine orchard, and made improvements equal to any in the vicin- ity. This valuable estate was until recently in possession of the Miller family. He was a remarkably intelligent and influential man, in politics a Whig, and afterward a Republi- can when the old party changed its name, and a strict Methodist in his religious views. He married Emeline Smith, of New Amsterdam, N. Y. ; and they reared a family of several children, as follows: Cynthia, Fanny, Heman, Ann, Olive, Eli, Jonathan, Charles, and Mar- tha. Eli is now a noted physician and a well- known political writer of New York City.
The subject of this brief personal narrative
received his rudimentary education in the dis- trict schools, and afterward attended the col- lege at Lima. He began his career as a teacher in the public schools of Mount Morris and Nunda, and subsequently learned the jew- eller's trade, at which he worked for ten years. Returning then to the home of his childhood, Mr. Miller assisted his father on the paternal homestead for a few years, remaining there until 1867, when he bought his present prop- erty in the town of Nunda, where he has since resided. He is meeting with excellent suc- cess in his undertakings, and has attained a more than local reputation as a breeder of fine horses and cattle, and is regarded as authority on all questions concerning his line of busi- ness. Mr. Miller is a strong Republican, and cast his first Presidential vote in 1852 for General Scott. He is a member of the Ma- sonic fraternity, and is in good standing in the Methodist church.
In 1852 Mr. Miller was united in marriage with Miss Phobe Roberts, the daughter of Wilson and Mary (Davis) Roberts, natives of New Jersey. Mrs. Miller, who was an es- teemed member of the Methodist church, crossed the river of death in 1881, being then fifty-two years old. She left three children - Estelle, Mary, and Myrtie. Mary, who mar- ried Charles Wheeler, of Cuba, has two chil- dren - Ralph and Lelia. Myrtie, the wife of Mr. LaRue, of Bay City, Mich., has two sons - Robert and Walter. Estelle is filling the place left vacant by her mother's death.
HARLES PRENTICE, the owner of a well-appointed and well-conducted farm, lying in Joint District No. 13, in the town of Orangeville, Wy- oming County, N. Y., is a native of the Em- pire State, and first opened his eyes to the light of this world in Saratoga County, March 2, 1823. He is a son of Charles Prentice, Sr., who was born in Eastern New York in 1790. Nathaniel Prentice, the paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was for many years a farmer in the town of Attica, where he settled when the place was in its original wild- ness. In 1835 he again followed the tide of
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migration westward, and located in Indiana, where he died at a good old age. He was a most patriotic and loyal man, and for his brave service in the Revolution received a pension. He was twice married; and his first wife, who died before he moved to this county, bore him three children, of whom Charles was the el- dest. Of his second union five children were born, three sons and two daughters.
Charles Prentice, Sr., a shoemaker by trade, was married while a resident of New Jersey, to Margaret Hayden, their nuptials being cele- brated in 1821. He afterward worked at his chosen occupation in Galway, Saratoga County, this State, coming thence to Orangeville in 1832, and the following year moved to Barre, Orleans County, where he lived two years. In 1835 he bought ten acres of land, a little south of the centre of Attica, and, taking resi- dence there, worked at shoemaking for five years. Selling that property, he subsequently bought forty acres near by, and in a few years purchased thirty-six acres of adjacent land, the whole making him a good farm. On this es- tate he lived, a hale and hearty man, until his decease, August 30, 1877. His devoted wife, with whom he had lived in pleasant companion- ship for upward of half a century, passed to the higher state of existence the spring prior to his death.
Of the seven children born of their union we record the following : Abial N., who died in 1851, left three children. George C. died in 1853, leaving a widow and two children. Josiah B. departed this life in Feb- ruary, 1893, leaving four children. Charles is the subject of this biography. Samuel, a farmer, lives on the old homestead in Attica. Archibald lives near Bliss station. Betsey J., the wife of Hiram Carpenter, resides in North Java.
Charles Prentice has followed the indepen- dent calling of a farmer since arriving at years of discretion, and has been the architect of his . own fortune, having accumulated by hard and persistent labor his present snug property. He began working for himself on a small farm in Attica, where he lived until 1864, when he bought the one hundred and eighty acres con- stituting his present estate, which he has since
managed with undoubted skill and ability, carrying on general farming. In his political views Mr. Prentice is a stanch advocate of the principles promulgated by the Republican party, and he is content to let others perform the duties of public office.
Mr. Prentice was wedded March 18, 1846, to Phobe Anna Burdick, of Kortright, Dela- ware County, where she was born in 1824. Her parents, William G. and Abigail (Dibbe) Burdick, removed from Kortright to Orleans County when Mrs. Prentice was but five months old, and in 1831 came to this county, and engaged in farming in Attica for some years. Removing to Michigan, they settled in Allegan County, and there spent their de- clining years, the mother dying in 1885, and her husband some three years later. Of their eleven children, four daughters and two sons are now living, all being residents of Michi- gan excepting Mrs. Prentice and one sister, Mrs. Delight Hayes, of Cattaraugus County. Mr. Burdick was a soldier of the War of 1812, and for many years was a pensioner. Mrs. Prentice is an active member of the Church of the United Brethren.
Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Prentice; and of these Emma, who mar- ried Edgar Wilcox, of Perry, died in that vil- lage, in September, 1885, aged thirty-four years, leaving two sons and two daughters, one of whom, Alfred S., is married, and has a bright little girl named Edith. Walter E., a resident of Orangeville, is a widower, with two children. William B. has a wife and four children, two of them being twin sons.
ELSON SLOCUM, a prosperous farmer and one of the oldest citizens in Warsaw, was born in Washington County, Rhode Island, May 13,
1814. He was the son of Peleg and Cathe- rine (Hoxie) Slocum. His grandfather, also named Peleg Slocum, was one of the earliest settlers of Rhode Island; and, though he was a weaver by trade, he owned a small farm, where he spent the greater part of his life. He lived to be over eighty years of age, and reared five sons and four daughters, none of
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whom are now living. The younger Peleg Slocum, father of Nelson Slocum, was born in Newport Bay, R. I. In 1830 he removed to Wyoming County, New York, at that time Genesee County, travelling by boat to Albany, thence by canal to Brockport, and from there by stage and teams to his destination, the jour- ney occupying fifteen days. This was shortly after the completion of the Erie Canal, called in derision "De Witt Clinton's ditch," but now acknowledged as one of the greatest com- mercial thoroughfares in the world. It then opened for settlement a region of great fertil- ity ; and Mr. Slocum, though a carpenter and joiner by trade, purchased a farm of ninety- three acres, which was under but little cultiva- tion, and had several log houses built upon it. He was a hard worker; and his enterprise is shown by his success, as he increased his farm from ninety-three acres to two hundred and fifty acres. The last years of his life were spent with his daughter, Mrs. Hannah Lewis, in Michigan ; and he lived to be over eighty-six years old. He voted with the Whigs, and was liberal in his religious views. His wife was born in Exeter, R. I., and died in Warsaw, N. Y., at the age of sixty-eight years. They had seven children, three of whom are now living - Nelson, the oldest; Phobe Ann, in Michigan, now Mrs. Bartlett; and Benjamin, who resides in Pennsylvania.
Nelson Slocum, the subject of our sketch, was educated in his native town, and came to Warsaw with his father when he was sixteen years old. At the age of twenty-one he started out for himself, accepting a position as clerk in Dansville, Livingston County. H afterward went into the grocery and provision business for himself, where he remained for three years. In 1843 he bought the farm which he now cultivates; and, although he has given his attention to various enterprises since then, he has still kept up his agricultural pur- suits. His present estate comprises seventy- five acres, and is one of the best farms in this vicinity, forming a pleasing setting for his comfortable home. In politics Mr. Slocum is a Republican, and he at one time held the office of Constable in Warsaw. He is a prom- inent member of the Congregational church.
He has been twice married. His first wife, to whom he was married May 17, 1843, was Rosanna C. Roe, daughter of Harvey and Can- dace (King) Roe, of Perry, Wyoming County. She died January 12, 1888; and in Septem- ber, 1890, he married Lucy, daughter of Wal- ter Hatch, of Warsaw. Mr. Slocum has no children.
OHN HANBY, for many years a promi- nent and very successful farmer of Geneseo, Livingston County, N. Y., was born in this town, March 15,
1805. His father, William Hanby, who was a native of England, on coming to America settled in the State of Pennsylvania, where he married and resided for a number of years, and then returned to England, where he died. His wife's maiden name was Mary McNeil. She was a native of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, and daughter of Robert Mc- Neil, who was born in County Antrim, Ire- land, and who upon his arrival in America settled in Pennsylvania. After residing there for some length of time he removed to Liv- ingston County, New York, and became one of the first settlers of the town of Geneseo. His wife was also a native of County Antrim. They both spent their last days in Livingston County. Mrs. Mary McNeil Hanby, after the death of her first husband, married Mr. Isaac Hall, father of the late J. Thompson Hall, a well-known and highly esteemed civil engineer.
John Hanby was reared to agricultural pur- suits, and spent his entire life in close appli- cation to this branch of industry. Previous to his marriage he had purchased a farm of fifty acres, situated about two miles from Genesco, upon which he began his career in a log house. Here he brought his wife after marriage, and here most of his children were born. From time to time, as the fruits of his labor began to ripen, he added to his first pur- chase little by little, until his acres broadened to such an extent that he was designated as one of the largest landholders in the county. At the time of his decease, February 3, 1884, he was in possession of five hundred and forty
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acres of land, all under good cultivation, together with spacious and convenient buildings.
In the year 1830 Mr. Hanby was married to Miss Margaret M. Begole, daughter of Samuel and Margaret (Schull) Begole, pioneers of Livingston County. They reared in all seven children, as follows: William Henry, Nancy C., John R., Hannah C., Mary S., Margaret C., and Helen L. Mr. and Mrs. Hanby were members of the Presbyterian church upward of half a century. Mr. Hanby was entirely a self-made man, commencing life with nothing but his own energy and natural abilities, and ending it with a goodly share of labor's fruits, as a reward for his patient, unwearying dili- gence and sagacious thrift. He was always an exceedingly liberal contributor to the needs of the church, as well as to all other worthy objects, and died a true and faithful Christian, respected and beloved by all who knew him.
On a neighboring page may be seen a por- trait of the representative agriculturist whose life history is here briefly given, and whose worth and long-continued usefulness entitle him to be held in honored remembrance.
RCHIBALD C. McCALL, a prominent lawyer of Arcade, was born in Eagle, Wyoming County, January 19, 1862. His grandfather, John Mc- Call, was a native of the Highlands of Scot- land, and there spent the greater part of his life, tending his flocks, that browsed among the heather. About forty years ago he came to America, and died in the village of Pike, leaving a large family, of which the youngest- born, Ronald, was the father of Archibald.
Ronald McCall was born at Lismore, Scot- land, and was about twenty-five years of age when he came to America. In his native land he followed the occupation of coast pilot, but upon coming to the Western world he be- came a farmer. From Caledonia, N.Y., he came to Eagle, where he purchased land, which he cultivated until his death, which occurred in his fifty-sixth year. His wife was born in Airdrie, Scotland. Her maiden
name was Margaret Liddell; and she was the only child of her parents, William and Mar- garet Liddell. Nine of the ten children born to Ronald and Margaret McCall are still liv- ing - Archibald; John; William; Annie, who married Frank R. Wilson, of Eagle; Guy; James; Charles; Oliver; and Lucy. The mother of this large family is still living on the old homestead at Eagle.
Archibald C. McCall spent his boyhood days in the towns of Eagle and Pike, and was educated in the district schools and at Pike Seminary. At the age of eighteen he com- menced the study of law with Bartlett & Bart- lett, of Warsaw, and was admitted to the bar at Syracuse at the age of twenty-one. Dur- ing said term he also read law in the offices of M. E. & E. M. Bartlett, Augustus Harrington, of Warsaw, and the Hon. John N. Beckley, of Rochester, all prominent members of the legal profession of Western New York. Mr. McCall came to Arcade in April, 1884, and opened a law office, where he still continues in active practice. Mr. McCall was married in May, 1887, to Miss Etta A. Beebe, a daughter of Dewitt C. Beebe, who was for many years a prominent merchant and banker at Arcade and one of the leading citizens of Wyoming County, but is now deceased. Mrs. McCall's mother is still living. Three chil- dren gladden the home of Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Call - Hazel, Ronald, and Carlton.
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