Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Livingston and Wyoming counties, N.Y, Part 92

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 92
USA > New York > Livingston County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Livingston and Wyoming counties, N.Y > Part 92

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John H. Brown was bred to the life of a farmer, and received from his parents many a lesson in diligence, honesty, and thrift, which have been his guiding principles through life. He came to Mount Morris when but a youth, and entered the employ of Edward L. Ament, whose daughter he afterward married. He remained in the service of Mr. Ament two years, and then took charge of the farm, which he has since successfully managed. In 1882 he turned his attention to the growing of choice fruits; and this branch of his industry he has gradually enlarged, until he now has a magnificent orchard, containing six thou-

sand peach-trees, three hundred pear-trees, besides an abundance of apple, plum, and cherry trees, and the various small fruits, the whole embracing forty-four acres of land and netting him a handsome annual income.

On September 22, 1872, was solemnized the marriage of John H. Brown and Henrietta Ament, a daughter of Edward L. and Mary (Barnhart) Ament, a sketch of whose lives may be found on another page of this volume. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Brown has been brightened and blessed by the birth of two children -- Mary Ament and Edward A. Politically, Mr. Brown is a solid Republican, and supports the principles of that party by voice and vote. Socially, he is a member of Belwood Lodge, No. 315, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of Mount Morris Tent of Maccabees. Both Mr. and Mrs. Brown are conscientious and sincere members of the Presbyterian church, and hold a high place in the esteem of their numerous friends and acquaintances.

DWARD LEWIS AMENT was for many years an important and useful citizen of Mount Morris, where he was extensively engaged in general farming. He was born in Schenectady, N. Y., on De- cember 12, 1795. His father, Eldrit Ament, was, as far as known, a life-long resident of the Empire State.

Mr. Ament was reared and educated in Schenectady, living there until sixteen years old, when he came to this county, locating in Dansville at a time when the country was in its primitive condition. He had much native mechanical ability, and learned the cabinet- maker's trade, which he followed for several years, carrying on a profitable business. He subsequently bought a farm in Steuben County, where he engaged in cultivating the soil until 1854. Disposing of his interests in that place, Mr. Ament then visited Living- ston County with a view to making a perma- nent settlement here, and in the town of Mount Morris bought a farm, a portion of which is included in the limits of the present village of this name. With the energy and

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sagacity that had characterized his previous efforts in agriculture, Mr. Ament began the cultivation of his land. He continued pros- perously engaged in this occupation until his decease in November, 1877.

The wife of Mr. Ament was Mary Barnhart, a native of Dansville and the daughter of Frederick Barnhart. She died in 1872, five years before her husband, at an advanced age. Six children were born of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Ament, the following being a brief mention - Nelson B. died at the age of forty- three years; Chandler W. died when forty-one years old; Cornelia; Henrietta A. became the wife of John H. Brown, of whom a sketch appears elsewhere in this biographical volume ; Rhoda died at the age of twelve years; and Frances had a short earthly life of nine years. Mr. Ament was a well-read and intelligent man, and took a warm interest in the enter- prises calculated to build up his township, and in political matters uniformly cast his vote with the Republican party. Both he and his wife were valued members of the Pres- byterian church, and they are remembered as having been held in deserved respect and esteem.

A UGUSTUS FRANK, a banker in War- saw, whose financial acumen is recog- nized throughout the county, was born in that village, July 7, 1826. His paternal grandfather, Andrew Frank, was of German birth, and came to America in 1756 with his widowed mother and an elder sister. The Frank family had been noted for many generations for learning and philan- thropy, and many of this name had been eminent professors and men of position. The sister, Catherine, married Mr. Oliver Mildeburger, of New York; and Mrs. Frank made her home with her during the latter part of her life. Andrew, who grew up under the Colonial gov- ernment of Connecticut, became an agricultu- rist and manufacturer in that State, which occupation he followed with increasing pros- perity. He married Miss Elizabeth Shipman, of Norwich, Conn., whose family was then, as now, distinguished in that State; and for many

years they lived in Canaan, where Mr. Frank died, leaving four sons and two daughters. The whole care and responsibility of the fam- ily devolved now upon the widowed mother, who discharged faithfully and conscientiously the sacred duties of maternity. She lived until the maturity of her son, Augustus Frank, father of the subject of this sketch, who was a child of eight years at the time of his father's death. Throughout the long period of his successful life he remembered the early training of his mother with grateful commendation. Four years after the father's death the Franks moved to Granville, Wash- ington County, New York, where the older sons engaged in business and where the younger members of the family pursued their studies. Augustus taught for a short time after completing his education. Having de- cided upon medicine as a profession, he en- tered the medical college of Dorset, Vt., from which he graduated. It was during these years that he fought in the War of 1812. In 1814 he moved to Victor, Ontario County, where for three years he practised his profession, and from thence came to Warsaw (then in Genesee County), and formed a part- nership in professional practice with Dr. Chauncey Sheldon. Dr. Frank was the sec- ond physician in Warsaw, and their practice extended over long distances and necessitated long and lonely rides through the wild terri- tory of the surrounding country. The whole country was thinly settled at that time. Rochester was a hamlet and Buffalo a small village. The dwellings were plain and the roads rough, and there were few school-houses or churches. The first church west of the Genesee was erected in Warsaw in 1817, and no one took a deeper or more active interest in its building than Dr. Frank.

Soon after the professional partnership of Doctors Sheldon and Frank, they also en- gaged in a mercantile venture; and the firm became widely known throughout the country, where there were very few stores. This con- nection was dissolved in 1822, from which time Dr. Frank gradually discontinued his practice, and devoted himself entirely to mer- cantile transactions. He purchased real es-

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tate, erected buildings for sale; and probably so large an amount of village property passed through the hands of no other citizen. He was identified with the Whig party from its organization, except at the time that he sup- ported the Free Soil candidate in 1848. Through the appointment of his personal friend, Governor Seward, he became Associate Judge of Wyoming County, which office he filled until its abolition by the Constitution in 1846. Dr. Frank was a strong and effi- cient opponent of American slavery, and took a prominent part in the Warsaw antislavery society formed in 1834. He was a delegate to the first meeting of the State society, which was held in Utica and was dispersed by an enraged mob; and the first meeting of the antislavery Society received similar treatment. At Warsaw in 1836 a series of resolutions were adopted, together with a "Declaration of Sentiments," for the informa- tion of those who were ignorant of the princi- ples of the society ; and one thousand dollars were pledged for the establishment of a free press for the dissemination of the same. Dr. Frank aided largely in furnishing these funds. He was a strong advocate of temperance at a time when drinking was fearfully prevalent. In 1827 he became a member of the Presbyte- rian church; but his charities were not re- stricted to it, and his contributions were liberal toward the support of religious and benevolent institutions in general.

His first wife, to whom he was married September 12, 1816, was Miss Jerusha H. Baldwin, of Dorset, Vt. They had three chil- dren, two sons, who died young, and one daughter, Henriette, who outlived the mother. This daughter was born September 12, 1817, and was educated at Ingham University, LeRoy, and married Edward A. McKay, a law- yer, who was for many years connected with the National Bank Department at Washing- ton, D.C. Mrs. McKay died in 1877.

Dr. Frank's second marriage was with Miss Jane Patterson, of Londonderry, N.H., Au- gust 25, 1825. She was the youngest daugh- ter of Deacon Thomas Patterson, and was born August 30, 1795. She was a woman of deep piety and a most lovable personality, and few

who experienced her cordial and graceful hos- pitality have ever forgotten the charm of her presence. Her death on February 19, 1867, made a long-felt void in church and commu- nity. Her children were: George W., born November 29, 1830, an energetic business man; Elizabeth W., the wife of the Rev. Joseph E. Nassau, pastor of the Presbyte- rian church in Warsaw for many years; and Augustus Frank, the eldest child, born July 17, 1826, the original of this memoir.

Mr. Augustus Frank's early life was spent in mercantile pursuits, but for some years past he has been engaged in the banking busi- ness. He married Agnes, the daughter of Mr. William W. McNair, of Groveland, Liv- ingston County, N. Y. The only son of this marriage died in 1871. They have one daughter, Mary L. Frank.

Mr. Augustus Frank as banker holds a posi- tion of influence and trust in the community in which he lives, and his sound judgment as a financier is universally acknowledged.

ILLIAM ELLIOTT, who was for many years a well-known resident of the town of Leicester, was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1799, and was the son of James Elliott, a native of the same country, but of Scotch ancestry. James El- liott learned the trade of linen weaving, and worked at a hand loom. He was also some of the time engaged in farming, and spent his entire life in his native land. He married Nancy Knox, who was also of Scotch descent and a life-long resident of County Antrim, where both she and her husband were mem- bers of the Presbyterian church. Mr. and Mrs. James Elliott had three children - James, Nancy, and William. Nancy spent her entire life in Ireland. James emigrated and settled in Maine, where he reared his family, and spent the remainder of his days.

William Elliott received his education in his native country, where he lived until 1828, when with his wife and three children he came to America, embarking at Belfast in a small sailing-vessel, and after a voyage of eight weeks and three days landing at Quebec,

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where they remained for four months, whence they came to Livingston County. Mr. Elliott entered the employ of Esquire Wadsworth as a gardener, and there remained three years. He then purchased a farm in Nunda, which he occupied four years. At the end of that time he sold out, and moved to the town of Groveland and later to Geneseo, in each place living on a rented farm. In 1853 he pur- chased a farm in the town of Leicester, and there spent the remainder of his days, passing away when eighty-five years old. Mr. Elliott was a great reader, making the most of his opportunities to secure a good education, and in young manhood was a member of a society known as the Book Club. He was exceed- ingly careful in the selection of his books, and consequently was more than usually well informed.

William Elliott married Jane McLain, who was born in the same county as her husband, and was the daughter of James and Nancy McLain. Her parents were natives of Ire- land and of Scotch extraction. Mrs. Elliott was the mother of ten children - James; Thomas; Nancy; Jane, who married James Chalmers, of the town of York; Nancy ; William, who is a resident of Green Lake County, Wisconsin; John; Maria; Adam; and Sarah A. Thomas, John, and Sarah A. Elliott now reside on the old homestead. Thomas, the eldest now living, was born in County Antrim, September 12, 1825, and was in his third year when he came with his par- ents to America. Until his father's death he assisted him on the farm, and since that time he has been associated with his brother John. He has never been married. John Elliott was born in Nunda, September 16, 1835, and was married August 19, 1872, to Sophia Mc- Laughlin, who was born in Vergennes, Vt., and was the daughter of Alexander and Nancy (Elliott) Mclaughlin, natives respectively of Scotland and Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. John Elliott have two children - Mary, who is the wife of Henry McLain, of Tecumseh, Mich. ; and Helena. Mr. William Elliott and his wife were honored members of the Presbyte- rian church, and reared their children in the same faith.

EREMIAH BECKWITH, a retired farmer and a successful breeder of blooded stock at Avon, Livingston County, N. Y., was born on May 6, 1833, his birthplace being the very farm that he now owns and occupies. But, although he is a native and a life-long resident of the Em- pire State, he is of Connecticut ancestry; for both his father, Seth Beckwith, and his grandfather were natives of the "Land of Steady Habits," or, to use a less complimen- tary but more familiar nickname, the "Nut- meg State." Grandfather Beckwith spent all his days in Connecticut ; and perhaps his son Seth would have done the same, but he learned the shoemaker's trade at an early age, and, being thus provided with the means of earning a living in any civilized community, he was encouraged to roam about and "see the country." After some wandering he penetrated the wilds of the Genesee country, and brought up at Lima, where he followed his trade for some years, and finally decided that this region was good enough for him; so he bought an extensive tract of timber land, which included the farm now owned and occu- pied by the subject of our sketch. From shoe- making to farming was an easy transition in those days - in fact, every shoemaker was a far- mer, although every farmer could not be a shoe- maker; and so Seth Beckwith went manfully and skilfully to work to clear and otherwise improve the vast tract which he had purchased.

At that time the farmers of this region not only had to do a good deal of work before their lands were made fit for cultivation, but they had to go a good way to find a market for their produce when they were able to raise more than was required for home use. There were no railroads, no canals, and mighty poor highways. Hence it took a good deal of time, and required a good deal of power to travel about the country, as may be imagined from the fact that ox teams were used in going to church. Mr. Beckwith cleared a large proportion of his land, erected good frame buildings, and passed the rest of his days on the farm which he had taken from the wilderness. The maiden name of his wife was Thankful Seymour. It is hardly neces-

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sary to add that she was of good old New England stock. Her native place was Con - necticut. She died in 1846, when her son Jeremiah was thirteen years of age. The lad received his education in the district schools, and was a farmer from boyhood until he re- tired from active labors in the field about ten years ago. The success he has met with in agriculture may be cited as one more example of the important fact, which is being generally recognized nowadays, that it pays to concen- trate your attention upon one business at an carly age and stick to it, not wander around, trying at everything and not succeeding at anything. Jeremiah Beckwith has made a record as a farmer and as a raiser of live stock of which he may well be proud; for he has not only proved his ability to "hold his own in any company," as the saying is, but has been awarded many premiums, which furnish convincing proof that he could not only equal but surpass the best of his friendly competi- tors when given "a fair field and no favor." He retired from active farming in 1885, and since then has had the farm worked on shares, but has continued to raise live stock, although now in a comparatively small way; and at the present writing he owns a small herd of Jer- seys, which is acknowledged to be one of the finest herds of that breed in this section of the country.

Mr. Beckwith is a man who knows how to "enjoy life " in a very worthy sense of that much abused term. He is a great reader, is thoroughly informed on the important sub- jects of the day, and is one whose opinion is of value, because it is the opinion of an experienced, intelligent, and unprejudiced man, who appreciates the fact that there are two sides to every question, and is not to be guided entirely by "hearsay " evidence. Being a life-long resident of the town and ranking among the most successful of its farmers, of course he is very widely known, and it is hardly necessary to add that he is equally widely respected; for a man of fixed convictions, who has the courage to act on them, no matter what the circumstances may be, is bound to be well thought of in any civ- ilized community.

EORGE B. CHASE, a resident of Arcade, is an enterprising journal- ist, and is the editor, proprietor, and founder of the Wyoming County Herald, a lively and well-conducted newspaper. He was born at Pavilion, Genesce County, July 23, 1867; and both his father and grandfather were natives of Allegany County, where the latter was reared to agricultural life. From there he moved to Genesee County, and pur- chased a farm of James Sheldon, which was a part of the great Holland tract. Here he labored diligently among the other carly set- tlers of that section, whose persistent efforts in opening these vast and fertile districts have produced such marvellous results; and after a long and useful life he died in 1869. His wife, whose maiden name was Rebecca Winne, was born at Guilden, Albany County, and died at the old homestead, leaving five children, as follows: Elizabeth, now deceased, who married Ebenezer Towner for her first husband and for her second Plumley Strout ; Emeline, also deceased, who was the wife of William Harris; Mary, who died young; Alida, who resides at LeRoy, and is the wife of James Lawrence; and Henry Chase, the father of George R.

Henry Chase was born at Grove, in Alle- gany County, and obtained all the education possible at the district schools. He came into possession of the home farm at the death of his father, and successfully conducted it until his decease, which occurred when he was forty-three years old. He married Jen- nie, daughter of Norman and Hannah ( Haw- ley) Meldrum, the former of Caledonia, Livingston County, the latter from Allegany County. Mr. Meldrum was a stone-mason by trade, but on his removal from Allegany County to Caledonia bought a farm, and passed the remainder of his life in agricultural pursuits. He reared the following children : Jennie, who became the mother of the subject of this sketch; Norman, a captain in the Civil War, whose son John was also a Lieutenant of artillery; Cornelia, who now resides at Rush, Monroe County, the wife of James S. Warren; Maggie; and George. Another son, Gideon, also a soldier in the Civil War, was

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taken prisoner at the age of sixteen years, and died while in captivity. George B. Chase's uncle Norman was City Treasurer of Denver, Col., where he became very prominent in pol- itics, afterward being appointed Secretary of State, which office he held for nine years, when he was elected Lieutenant Governor and re-elected to the same position, and on retir- ing was appointed Surveyor-general, and is at present Receiver of Public Moneys in that State. The grandmother still resides at the old homestead in Genesee County, and is a member of the Presbyterian church.

Mr. Chase's parents reared a family of six children, namely: George B .; James; Norris; Henry; Charles, who died young; Louise; and John.

George B. Chase made the most of the pos- sibilities offered him for an education in the common schools, and whatever he learned was carefully retained in his well-trained memory for future use. Labor became a part of his life at an early age; and when but thirteen he began to learn the carpenter's trade, at which he worked until the death of his father. That sad event occurred when he was but fourteen years old; and though so young he carried on the farm for a time, until he commenced to learn the printer's trade at the age of sixteen, in the office of the LeRoy Gasette, where he worked one year. From there he went to Caledonia, where he was employed as a jour- neyman on the Advertiser, remaining only a short time, an advantageous opening having presented itself in the purchase of the Scotts- ville Union, then a monthly. This he ad- vanced to the dignity of a weekly journal, conducting it for two years, gaining valuable experience, if not a great amount of profit. His next move was to Rochester, where as a journeyman printer he worked on various newspapers, going from there to Buffalo, where he was employed on the News in the same capacity for one year, thence to a job printing-office as foreman for six months, from which place he went to Perry, remaining with the News of that town for eighteen months. Finally, in April, 1891, he embarked in busi- ness for himself once more, starting the Bliss Herald, a four-page paper, which he conducted

until October of that year, when he estab- lished the Silver Springs Herald, also a four- page sheet; and in 1892 he enlarged them both to eight-page papers, later consolidating them under the name of the Wyoming County Herald, which he has brought to a successful footing. The Herald was first published in this consolidated form at Bliss upon a hand press; but after a few months the business warranted the expense of improvement, and he put in a large Cottrell job and book press, which greatly facilitated the publication of the Herald, besides giving opportunities for attending to job work. In 1894 he moved part of his plant to Arcade, adding more machinery, and has now the largest and best job printing establishment in Wyoming County. Under Mr. Chase's management the Herald has developed from a four-page sheet, with a circulation of less than two hundred, to a well-arranged and handsomely printed eight-page journal, with a regular circulation of fifteen hundred, besides having a large local sale; and as an advertising medium its facilities are unequalled in that section. He makes a specialty of furnishing law supple- ments to other journals, and does an extensive job printing business. Mr. Chase is a Re- publican in politics, and has been a Notary Public for some time. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Maccabees, and other societies. He is a hard worker, and is strictly honest in all business transactions, treating with kindness and cour- tesy all with whom he comes in contact.

On November 25, 1891, Mr. Chase was united in marriage to Miss Addie M., daugh- ter of William McKenzie, of Perry, where she was born. Her father is now superintendent of a street car line in Cleveland, Ohio. She was one of two children, and is now the mother of one child, Mildred, and is a mem- ber of the Baptist church.

ON. JAMES H. LOOMIS, banker, a prominent resident of Attica, Wy- oming County, N. Y., was born in this village, June 4, 1823. He was a son of Timothy Loomis, a native of

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Windsor, Conn., and a grandson of George Loomis, a farmer of the same locality. In the year 1816 Timothy Loomis, then being in his twenty-seventh year, set out with his young wife for the wilds of Western New York. This journey was in reality their wed- ding trip, as Mr. Loomis had but just married Miss Sophronia Collar; and there was a very original flavor of enjoyment in the expedition which was to bring them to a new home.

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Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Livingston and Wyoming counties, N.Y, Part 92

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

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