USA > New York > Madison County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Madison County, New York > Part 49
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Simeon Haskell was one of the first set-
tlers in the town of Nelson, Madison County, then Chenango County. Buying timber land, he built a dwelling-house of logs, and set to work to clear a farm. After a residence here of many years he moved to the town of Fenner, and died at the home of his son Daison in 1846. The maiden name of his wife, grandmother of the subject of this sketch, was Sally Parsons. She was born in Massachusetts, and died on the new farm at Nelson, having reared ten children - Parsons, Thomas, Horace, Daison, Leonard, Jabez, Sally, Sophia, Orpha, and Abigail.
Daison Haskell, born in Granville, Mass., came to Nelson with his parents. At the age of seventeen he went back to New Eng- land, and spent some four or five years in Connecticut, where he married. Returning to Nelson, he bought a farm, after living on which for a few years he removed to a later purchased farm in Fenner.
For many years after the family came to this State there were no railroads; and Albany, more than a hundred miles distant, was the market to which the farmers used to draw their produce, bringing back on their return general merchandise needed to supply the wants of the family. Some of the time while living in Massachusetts he was engaged in teaming between Boston, Albany, Hart- ford, Providence, and other points with a five-horse team. He made one trip from Hartford, Conn., to Charleston, S.C., taking down a load of saddles, and bringing back copper. The last years of his life were spent in Cazenovia, where he died June 9, 1869.
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He married Elsie French, who was born in East Windsor, Hartford County, Conn. Her parents were John and Abigail (Adams) French. John French, a native of East Windsor, inherited a large tract of land on the east bank of the Connecticut River. He was a farmer, and spent his entire life in his native town. Mrs. Daison Haskell, mother of our subject, died in Cazenovia, Janu- ary 17, 1871. Her four children - Emily Agnes, D. Eralzman, Elsie Maronette, and Flavia Abigail - are now living.
The educational advantages enjoyed by D. Eralzman Haskell were those of the district school and of a select school at Cazenovia, and his opportunities were so well improved that at the age of seventeen he was fitted to be a teacher. He taught successively eleven winter terms, in the intervals between work- ing at farming. He served two years as Superintendent of Schools. In 1852 he was elected Justice of the Peace, and began to study law, being admitted to the bar in 1858. Coming to Cazenovia in 1859, he started in business as a dealer in general merchandise, continuing in trade twenty years. Since that time he has been engaged in the insurance business, and now represents the New York Life Insurance Company.
Mr. Haskell married in 1842 Louisa L. Garrett, a native of Nelson, daughter of Rufus and Mary Garrett, pioneers of this place. She died in December, 1874, leav- ing one child, Frances Louisa, a daughter, Mary Josephine, having previously died at the age of seven years. His father being a
Democrat, Mr. Haskell was reared in the political faith of that party; but, disagreeing with some of its principles, he joined the Liberty party, and voted in 1844 for James G. Birney for President, in 1848 for John P. Hale, and in 1852 for Gerrit Smith. He has been a Republican since the organization of that party, in 1855. His fellow-townsmen have shown their confidence in his good judg- ment and integrity by electing him to various offices of public trust. During the war he was one of the committee to raise men to fill the town's quota. On one occasion the Supervisor of the town, going to Washington to secure recruits, was made the victim of spurious vouchers ; and Mr. Haskell was sent there to straighten out the matter. The Pro- vost Marshal turning a deaf ear to his re- monstrances, he made a personal appeal to President Lincoln, the result of which was satisfactory. Mr. Haskell has served on the Village Board, and for twenty-one ycars as a member of the Board of Trustees of Caze- novia Seminary, fourteen years being Secre- tary of the Board.
OSEPH D. SENN, a popular citizen and a successful lawyer of Morris- ville, was born in Verona, Oneida County, N. Y., April 18, 1860. IIe is a son of Frederick Senn, who was born in the Province of Alsace - Lorraine, and whose father, George Senn, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a native of the same province, where he spent his entire life
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on a farm. Three brothers came to the United States; namely, Frederick, Martin, and Jacob. Frederick, the father of our sub- ject, was rcared and educated in his native land, and was twenty years of age at the time of his arrival in this country. He settled in the town of Verona, Oneida County, on a piece of timbered land. At the time of his purchase of this land a log house was already erected, and in this house the family of Mr. Senn lived for some years. He was a very active, industrious, and hard-working man, clearing his land of its timber, and converting it into a productive farm. He married Mary Fessman, who, like himself, was a native of Alsace-Lorraine, but who was brought to this country by her parents when three years of age. To this marriage there were born seven children; namely, Caroline, Margaret, Mary, Frederick, Michael, Samuel, and Joseph D.
Joseph D. Senn received his earlier educa- tion in the district schools, later attended the New London (Oneida County) union schools, and still later the Oswego State Normal School. Being thus well qualified to teach, he commenced that occupation when nineteen years of age, and taught two terms. At the age of twenty-three he began the study of law with Edwin J. Brown, of Oneida, Madison County, N.Y., and was admitted to the bar August 23, 1886, commencing the practice of his profession at Morrisville. He was elected District Attorney in 1892, and still retains that position.
In 1888 he was married to Mabel Dunham, who was born in Stockbridge, Madison
County, and is a daughter of A. S. and Mary Dunham, both natives of the same town. Mr. and Mrs. Senn have two children, Lucy and Elsie. Mr. Senn is strictly devoted to the profession of the law, and, while a Re- publican in his political opinions (casting his first Presidential vote for James G. Blaine in 1884), is not a politician in the usually accepted sense of the term.
HARLES H. WICKS, a successful farmer, residing on his seventy-acre farm in the town of De Ruyter, hav- ing been a resident there for the past thirty- seven years, was born in Truxton, Cortland County, N.Y., in 1818. His father, Benajah Wicks, was born in Saratoga, then known as Charleston, and married Mary Ann Enearl, of Saratoga County, the marriage taking place in that county. He was a blacksmith by occupation, and followed his trade for many years. They moved to Truxton about the year 1813. They reared five sons and one daughter, two of their children dying in infancy: Zophar when a boy, at Truxton; and Betsy. The mother of these children died in middle life, and was followed by her husband within four years, leaving our sub- ject then a boy of twelve. Upon the death of his father he took up his abode with a farmer named Pierce, residing near Truxton, and lived with him until he reached the age of twenty-one, receiving one hundred dollars and being permitted to attend school three months each year. He then learned the shoe-
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maker's trade, at which he worked for some ten years, and was later engaged as a carpen- tei for a short time.
July 3, 1844, he was united in marriage to Hannah Pierce, of Truxton, daughter of Jona- than and Electa (Burtles) Pierce, the former of Colerain, Mass., and the latter of Saratoga County, New York. She was the sixth child in a family of thirteen, five sons and eight daughters, who attained maturity, and of whom three sons and three daughters are still living. When five years of age, Mrs. Wicks went to live with an aunt in Truxton, while her parents went to Kenosha, Wis., where they were among the early settlers. The journey was made by way of the Great Lakes, and they were five weeks on the way. This was about the year 1835. Mr. Pierce was a carpenter by trade, and helped to build the first frame house in Kenosha. His wife died at the age of sixty-six, and he about four years later, in 1865, when seventy-eight years old. Mr. and Mrs. Wicks have lost one son, Henry Otis, who died at the age of seven, June 7, 1856. They have two children now living, namely: Mary, wife of Delancy M. Benjamin, a farmer in this town; and Allen, residing in Cortland, and employed in the marble works. The latter married Helen McCarthy, October 31, 1891 ; and they are the parents of an infant daughter.
Mr. Wicks is now engaged in general farm- ing, but formerly devoted some time to the cultivation of hops. He erected his large, comfortable farm-house in 1884; and this, with his seventy acres of fertile and highly
cultivated land, forms a nice and valuable property. He began life at the foot of the ladder, and has achieved success by energy, perseverance, and honest toil, and with the assistance of his devoted and faithful wife. The latter, although not always in the enjoy- ment of perfect health, has ably performed her part in the duties of life, in the adminis- tration of her household and the bringing up of her children. She and her husband are passing their declining years surrounded by the comforts of life, and secure in the con- sciousness of a well-spent life.
ANIEL HESS was born in the town of Palatine, Montgomery County, N. Y., July 26, 1815. His great- grandfather, John Hess, was born in Ger- many, and came to America with his two brothers in Colonial times, one of them set- tling in Pennsylvania, another on the Hud- son, and John locating in Palatine. He was a thrifty, hard-working man, and followed his trade of blacksmith so industriously that he was soon able to secure a tract of land and build a home, where he resided until his death. His son Daniel, after whom our sub- ject is named, learned the trade of carpentry in the town of Palatine, where he was born and educated, worked at it for a few years, but later bought a farm in his town, and resided there until quite aged, making his home, after the death of his wife, with his son John, in Schuyler, Herkimer County, N. Y., where he died at the age of ninety.
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The maiden name of his wife was Mary Youngs. She was born in Palatine, and there died, leaving five sons and three daughters.
The father of our subject, John D. Hess, was born in Palatinc, and was a prominent resident in that town until 1819, when he went to Schuyler, Herkimer County, bought a farm, and lived there until 1836. Selling his farm in Schuyler, he removed to Verona, Oneida County, N.Y., where he spent his last ycars, dying at the age of sixty-eight. He married Miss Lanny Flanders, who was born in Montgomery County, New York, daughter of John Flanders, and died in Verona, aged seventy - three years. They had eight chil- dren; namely, Daniel, Archibald, William, Lanny A., Catherinc, Margaret, Nancy, and Julia.
Daniel Hess, of this biographical notice, was the eldest of the family, and was brought up and educated in the town of Schuyler. He commenced to learn the trade of tanner and currier when he was seventeen years of age, and followed that occupation for nearly three years, but, being persuaded by his parents to abandon it, turned his attention toward securing contracts on public works. This pursuit was eminently successful, as he obtained contracts on many large railroads in the different States in the Union; also on canals, especially on the Sault Ste. Marie, a leading highway of commerce in America. He was until 1865 engaged as contractor on public works, but in that year started a wholesale business in Oneida, N. Y. He has lately, however, practically retired from ac-
tive participation in its affairs. Mr. Hess has invested largely in real estate, consisting of farms and city property, and has greatly improved the latter.
September 24, 1868, he married Miss Mary Sitterly. She was born in Vienna, Oneida County, N. Y., daughter of Christian 'and Lanny (Cook) Sitterly, who were natives of Montgomery County. Their only child died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Hess are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In the old days of the Whig party Mr. Hess was a stanch adherent of that political organiza- tion; but, when the Republican party was formed, he was among the first to subscribe to its principles, and, while wide-awake to its best interests, is discreet and judicious in his advice in its councils. As a citizen, Mr. Hess stands in the highest regard of the community.
LFRED SEYMOUR, a representative of Madison County and a member of one of its oldest settled families, was born January 8, 1817, in the town of Lebanon. His father, Silas Seymour, was born May 7, 1777, in Hartford, Conn., and was a son of Eleazer and Anna (Merrills) Seymour, both natives of Connecticut. The former was by trade a nail-maker, and fol- lowed that occupation before nail - making machinery had been invented. He and his wife, Anna, were the parents of twelve chil- dren; namely, William, Jesse, Noah, Joel, John, Eleazer, Silas, Lucy, Lydia, Mehit- able, Rhoda, and Elizabeth. Three of the
ALFRED SEYMOUR.
MRS. ALFRED SEYMOUR.
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sons, William. Jesse, and Noah, served their country in the War of the Revolution, and were present at the surrender of Burgoyne, October 16, 1777. Major Moses Seymour, the grandfather of Governor Horatio Seymour, a distant relative of the father of our subject, was present at the same event.
Silas Seymour, the father of our subject, purchased sixty acres of timbered land in the town of Lebanon, on which he built a log house, and engaged in farming and stock- raising. He married Sally Gilbert, who was born April 1, 1779, and was a daughter of Eleazer and Sarah (Weeks) Gilbert. This marriage took place at Stillwater, Saratoga County, N. Y., November 2, 1800. It was in the winter of 1801-2 that they removed to the town of Lebanon, Madison County, and settled on Lot 25, where they lived until their death. He became very prosperous, and added to his landed estate until he was the owner of two hundred acres. In 1828 he erected a substantial and commodious stone house, which is still standing and in good repair. He raised some flax on his farm; and his wife used to card, spin, and weave, and dressed her children in homespun made by her own hands. She and her husband were the parents of eleven children, namely : Fanny, born December 19, 1801; Eleazer, May 3, 1803; Lucy Ann, January 26, 1805; Miranda, September 12, 1806; Henry, April 15, 1808; William, October 19, 1810; Sally, June 3, 1813; Maria, May 3, 1815; Alfred, January 8, 1817; Charlotte, April 14, 1821; and Mary, July 14, 1827.
Silas Seymour was one of the honest, hardy, and industrious pioneers of this county. Upon the organization of the town, in 1807, he was elected the first Town Clerk, and held that office for many years, and, though never an office-seeker, was elected by his fellow-citizens to various other positions of honor and trust. Politically, he was a Whig, and was nominated several times for Assemblyman; but, his party being in the minority, he was uniformly beaten. This, however, did not disturb his serenity or dis- appoint him in any way; for he was emphati- cally a man of a quiet and retiring disposi- tion, and averse to public display, preferring to remain at home and attend to his own pri- vate affairs. The cause of popular education found in him a strong supporter. He was a man of liberal views, and opposed to all intolerance, bigotry, and sectarianism, believ- ing that the highest truth can only be found by striking off all shackles from the human mind; and the principles and rules of conduct enunciated by Christ, as applied to the affairs of every-day life, found in him a practical exemplar. Those in trouble frequently sought his counsel and advice, realizing that in him they had a sympathizing friend and one cap- able of self-sacrifice in behalf of others. He was a foe to all intemperance, and viewed with abhorrence the crime of human slavery. His humanitarianism was of the broadest and truest type; and, when he died, the town in which he had lived for so many years lost one of its purest and noblest citizens.
Alfred Seymour, the subject of this sketch,
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succeeded his father in the ownership of the home farm, and still owns it, having resided thereon until 1892, at which time, leaving his son in charge, he removed to the village of Lebanon, where he now lives, retired from the active duties of life. He stands high among the intelligent and enterprising citi- zens of his town, and well fills the place in the community left vacant by his father's death. In politics he is a Republican, but has never been an aspirant for office. Having an excellent education and being a constant reader, he is well informed on the current events of the day, and is capable of discussing them in an intelligent and convincing man- ner. He has served as Secretary and also as President of the Agricultural Society of the town of Lebanon, and has been a Deacon in the Congregational church for over twelve years. He has always taken a deep interest in whatever tends to promote the material and moral welfare of the town and the intellectual improvement of its inhabitants.
Mr. Seymour's marriage occurred January I, 1846, when he led to the altar Miss Rhoda H. Green, daughter of William and Mercy (Tifft) Green, both natives of Rhode Island. William Green was born April 1, 1779, and was a son of Amos and Elsie Green. His wife was born May 12, 1785, and was a daughter of Jeremiah and Rhoda (Hoxie) Tifft, the former of whom was a native of Rhode Island. He came from there to Madi- son County, and purchased a Chenango River Valley farm in the town of Lebanon, on which he resided until his death. His wife
was also a native of Rhode Island. She sur- vived her husband, and died at the home of a daughter in Brookfield. Mr. Green, the father of Mrs. Seymour, came to Madison County in 1803, making the trip overland. He bought a tract of timber land in the town of Brookfield, and erected a log house in the wilderness. There was no railroad for many years, and the people lived chiefly off the products of their farms. The mother used to card, spin, and weave, and taught her chil- dren the same art. After a few years Mr. Green erected a small frame house, and in 1825 a commodious frame dwelling, that is still standing. After the death of his first wife, the mother of Mrs. Seymour, he sold his farm, and removed to Lebanon, where he purchased another farm, and resided thereon until his death. Both he and his wife were of the Quaker faith, which they always re- tained, and in a measure followed the customs of that sect. He had learned the trade of blacksmith, and had a shop on his farm, where he did all his own work. The mar- riage of himself and wife occurred May 2, 1801; and they became the parents of eleven children, namely: Hoxie, born August 28, 1802; Mary, December 24, 1804; William, January 14, 1807; Eliza, April 5, 1809; Jeremiah T., October 18, 1811; Mercy, Octo- ber 18, 1814; Peleg, April 1, 1817; Levi, June 16, 1819; Amos, August 31, 1821; Martha E., October 15, 1823; and Rhoda H., March 27, 1826. Mr. Green's death occurred in March, 1857, at the age of seventy-eight, and that of his wife September 20, 1839.
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The marriage of our subject and his wife has been blessed with seven children, those living being: Silas, who was born August 2, 1847, and married Amelia Morgan ; Sarah M., who was born February 19, 1849, and married to Albert Morgan in 1866; Arthur W., born October 2, 1854; and Frank D., May 27, 1857. These children were carefully reared, were given as good an education as the times permitted, and were trained to be obedient, honest, pure, and self-respecting. Mr. and Mrs. Seymour took great pains with their bringing up, watched over them with true parental solicitude, and carefully guided and directed the development of their characters. As a result, they have the satisfaction of see- ing them lead noble and useful lives, being a credit and joy to their parents, and a bless- ing to the community in which they live. As it is true that "the child is father to the man," so is it true that the character of the coming generation depends upon the training that the children of to-day receive at the hands of their parents and teachers : and those children may indeed be considered fortunate whose parents, like Mr. and Mrs. Seymour, watch over them in youth, check all evil impulses, and develop and bring out all that is good and noble in their characters. In this way is moulded, not only the character of the individual, but of the community, the State, and the nation ; and the true makers of history are not those who, at the head of con- quering armies, pursue their devastating way through a wasted country and over the ashes of ruined homes to a victors' crown of tri-
umph, but those who, by the cradle's side, in the home circle, and in the school-room, plant in the minds of the young those seeds that shall ripen in due time into the fruit of a well-rounded and perfected character. The morals, character, achievements, and stability of a nation depend upon the character of its home life; and to the happy homes of Amer- ica may be attributed most, if not all, that is great in its past history, present performance, and future prospects. As the builders and authors of one of such homes, rich in happy memories of parental and filial love, we pre- sent this brief sketch of Mr. and Mrs. Seymour, together with their portraits, be- lieving that it will not only afford pleasure and gratification to each and all of their many friends, but to all the readers of this volume.
HARLES BROWN, distinguished in the annals of Cazenovia as the oldest native - born citizen now residing within its limits, is still an active factor of its industrial life, being engaged in the occu- pation of tinsmith, with a large store, well stocked with all goods in his line, which he has carried on in this village for nearly half a century. He was born April 3, 1819, being a son of Seba and Sarah (Webler) Brown, natives, respectively, of North Adams, Mass., and Hebron, Conn.
Seba Brown was reared in the old Bay State, and there among its rugged hills was trained to habits of thrift and industry. When a young man, he left home to seek his
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fortunc in the then Far West, and located in Cazenovia. Having learned the trade of wagon-maker, he established a factory herc, and engaged in the manufacture and general repair of wagons, carriages, etc., the business proving so lucrative that he remained here till his death, in 1837. His widow survived him many years, dying at the age of eighty- nine years, December 22, 1881. Her parents were natives of Germany, and both spent their last ycars in Madison County, the mother dying at the age of one hundred and two. Seba Brown and his wife were the parents of three children - Charles, George C., and Sarah. George learned the trade of tinsmith, and was associated in business with his brother Charles until his death. He married Maria Burton, of Erie, Pa., and they had three children - Charles E., Henry B., and Seymour - all of whom are now deceased. Sarah died when a young woman.
Charles Brown was educated in his native town, and at the age of sixteen years was apprenticed to a tinsmith, with whom he worked four years. He liked this occupation, and, becoming an expert in the business, es- tablished himself in Marcellus, where he met with much success, and remained until 1848. In that year hc returned to Cazenovia, and, forming a partnership with his brother George, opened a store for the sale of stoves, tinware, and hardware, keeping a fine stock constantly on hand, and has continued this occupation till the present time, extending his operations year by year, paying strict attention to the details of its management,
and sending out some very superior specimens of his handiwork.
Mr. Brown was married in August, 1843, to Helen L. White. She was born in Mar- cellus, Onondaga County, being a daughter of Jeremiah and Lois (Richardson) White. Of their marriage two children were born, George H. and Frances E. George H., residing at Upper Montclair, N.J., married Lottie Rice, and has four children living - Helen, Agnes, Bettie, and Charles. Walter, the youngest child, is deceased. Franccs married Walter Goodyear, and they have homes in both New York City and Florida.
Mr. Brown is a man of excellent judgment and good business capacity, and an influential citizen of his native town, in whose develop- ment and growth he takes great pride. In politics he is a steadfast Democrat. Mrs. Brown and her daughter are esteemed mem- bers of the Presbyterian church.
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