USA > New York > Madison County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Madison County, New York > Part 59
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Your friend,
GERRIT SMITH.
Mr. Downer has not engaged in teaching since 1890, having taught that year in a dis- trict where he had taught three terms previ- ously. Three of his children -William W., Charles E., and Flora C .- have also taught three or more terms, respectively. His poet- ical compositions have been written on a great variety of topics. Some of them have been published in papers and otherwise. His last one will appropriately close this narrative : -
To-day returns the solemn hour
When Death our loved one snatched away, And by his own resistless power
Bore her to realms of endless day.
In sadness, yet with sacred joy,
The wife and mother comes in view;
Our thoughts of her find now employ, As we the past in thought renew.
We think of her in youthful days, When life's brief race had just begun ;
Or, later, when more sober ways Had told of conflicts fought and won.
Life's battles must be ever fought By those who would life's victories win : We gain life's prize by triumphs wrought In earnest strife 'gainst self and sin.
Thus fought the wife and mother dear, The glorious victory to obtain ; And thus she left us mourning here, Forevermore with Christ to reign.
UGUSTUS STISSER, a resident farmer in Wampsville, town of Lenox, for over a quarter of a cen- tury, was born in this town, on Cole Hill, in 1826. He is of German descent, his grand- father, Dr. John H. C. Stisser, having been born in Brunswick, Germany, in 1745. When seventeen years old, young Stisser came to America, and some years afterward served in the patriot army of the Revolution as a sur- geon. In one of the skirmishes of the war he was, with two other comrades, captured by the Indians. His two friends were killed; and only his medical ability, which he had occasion to prove, saved him from sharing their fate. For six weeks he was a prisoner, watched night and day, and subjected to many indignities; but, fortunately, finding his guard very drunk one night, he stole away, and once again reached the camp of his
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friends. He came with his family to Madi- son County in 1820. Solomon Stisser, last of the nine children of Dr. Stisser, died in Orleans County in 1888, at a very old age. The grandfather died at the house of his son, John Stisser, at Cole Hill, at the age of ninety-six. The grandmother was eighty years of age when she died, in 1828.
John Stisser, the father of the subject of the present sketch, was born in Amsterdam, N. Y., in 18oo. He married in 1822, at Lenox Furnace, Delilah Buyea, of Lenox. The early years of their wedded life on the farm at Cole Hill were years of toil and privation. They were poor, and had to save and economize in every way to bring up their nine children, of whom three sons and two daughters are living, namely: Jacob, of Can- astota, aged sixty-seven; Augustus; Maria, wife of John Davis, a farmer, living near the old home; John, living on the old homestead, where the grandfather and father died; and Nancy, widow of William Davis, of the town ot Smithfield. The father died at Cole Hill in March, ISSI, within two days of his eighty - first birthday. He was Road Com- missioner for three years, and Assessor for nine years. His wife, Delilah, died in May, 1886, at eighty-three years of age. He left about five hundred acres of land, four hun- dred of which were in one farm.
Augustus Stisser was reared on the farm, early learning to help in the farm work, and receiving a good education in the district school, which was an excellent one, three miles away. He remained with his parents
until his marriage, January 12, 1853, to Miss Asenath Clement, of Stockbridge, Madison County, N. Y., daughter of Lewis and Doro- thea (Vedder) Clement, both of Oppenheim, Montgomery County, now Fulton County. Mr. Clement, the father, was a farmer at Stockbridge, N.Y., where he died, aged seventy-five years, and his wife six years later, in 1884, at the age of eighty-one. Mr. and Mrs. Stisser have seven children, namely : Charles A., of Tacoma, unmarried, aged thirty-nine, a carpenter by trade; Lewis J., unmarried, at home; Ellen M., wife of Franklin Pine, farmer, of Oneida County, who has one daughter; Albert E., living with his wife and one daughter on the home farm; Andrew J., farmer in the town of Lenox, who is married, and has two sons and two daugh- ters; William H., unmarried, living at home ; and Adelia, wife of Robert Tuft, farmer in the town of Lenox. They have one child, Myron, eighteen months old, the pride and joy of the whole family.
Our subject is closely allied with the Democratic party in politics, but has never sought for or held any office in its preferment, his farm and the business therewith connected occupying all his time. He has one hundred and twelve acres in the farm he lives on; in another, near Canastota, one hundred and eleven ; on Cole Hill, the old homestead, one hundred and fifty-one; and sixty-five in one other, aggregating four hundred and forty acres in his possession. He makes a spe- cialty of stock-raising, having twenty-seven horses, including two stock horses, besides
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running a large dairy of thirty-five cows. He also does general farming, and takes a com- mendable pride in producing the best results in every department of labor in which he is engaged. Mr. Stisser is a man highly re- spected and esteemed in his town and county. His wife, a valued member of the Methodist church and a true Christian, has been an admirable helpmate to him through the many years of their wedded life.
ON. LAMBERT B. KERN, attorney- at-law, resident in De Ruyter, is a native of Eaton, Madison County. Skilled in legal and in political law, quick- witted, keen, an able pleader at the bar, he is one of the most popular and successful lawyers of the county. His father, George Kern, and his grandfather, John Kern, were natives of Ireland, whence they came to America in 1806. Sailing up the Hudson in a keel-boat to Albany, they there took teams for Madison County, then mostly a forest-cov- ered wilderness with a few scattered inhabi- tants. Uncleared land was for sale at ten shillings per acre. The family cainped in the pine woods while the elder Kern prospected for a farm. He finally secured a tract of timber-covered land in the north-east part of what is now the town of Eaton, and built a log cabin as a temporary home for his wife and children. Like other pioneer farmers, he cleared the land for the plough by cutting and burning timber, and then raised flax, as well as a variety of food products, and kept cattle
and sheep; while the good house-mother, equally diligent in well-doing, cooked and carded, spun and wove, made butter and cheese, and attended to other domestic details.
The Kerns came from the north of Ireland with other families of Irish Protestants, so well known to history as a self-reliant, lib- erty-loving, law-abiding, thriftful people, mainly of Scotch descent, than whom no better class of immigrants has ever set foot on American soil. Having cleared his land, John Kern erected substantial and commodi- ous frame buildings, and resided there until he was called from the scene of his earthly labors. After his death the homestead passed into the hands of his son George, who bought out the interest of the other heirs, and occu- pied it as long as he lived, having added thereto other land in the vicinity. He mar- ried Hester Tooke, who was born in the town of Eaton, and died on the home farm.
Lambert B. Kern was one of the ten chil- dren of George and Hester (Tooke) Kern. Fond of his books, he early determined to have a liberal education. From the district school he went on to the Free Academy and to Madison University, now Colgate Univer- sity, paying his way, as many another student of limited means has done, by teaching. He was graduated from the academy in 1854, and from the university in 1857. After reading law in the office of Hon. Sidney T. Holmes, of Morrisville, he was admitted to the bar in 1862. He continued in the work of his pro- fession in Morrisville till 1865, when he
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came to De Ruyter, where he has since re- mained in active practice. In 1867 he mar- ried Phebe Arnold, a native of De Ruyter, daughter of Ephraim Arnold. They have two daughters: Gertrude, wife of Frederick Schellenger, Postmaster at De Ruyter; and Mary, wife of Clarence E. Coan, of Syracuse. Mrs. Kern was reared in the Quaker faith, and has many of the quiet Quaker graces of manner and character. In politics Mr. Kern is a devoted Republican, and stands high in the counsels of the party. He was elected District Attorney in 1867, and Member of the Assembly in 1878. In 1893, when the great tidal wave of Republicanism swept over the State, he participated in his party's triumph, and was again elected a Member of the As- sembly. He is a valued member of De Ruy- ter Lodge, No. 629, A. F. & A. M.
ILLIAM LEWIS, a descendant of one of the earliest of the pioneers, and a prominent citizen of the town of Leba- non, was born in this town, October 30, 1812. His father, Samuel Lewis, a native of Con- necticut, removed from that State to the town of Lebanon at an early day, purchased a tract of timbered land, and upon it erected a log house in the woods. After partially clearing his farm, he sold it in 1815, and purchased another tract of forest land, containing one hundred and forty acres, some three miles distant from his first selection, but in the same town, the second tract being now occu- pied by his son, the subject of this sketch.
The greater part of this land was cleared by Mr. Samuel Lewis, who resided upon it until his death. Before removing to Madison County, he married Miss Esther Gibbons, a native of Connecticut. Twelve of their four- teen children grew to maturity; namely, Nathan, Ann, Lucinda, John, George, Esther, Benjamin, Edwin, William, Matilda, Mary, and Charles.
William Lewis is one of the oldest of the native-born citizens of his county, and re- members many of the incidents of his early pioneer life. Most of the country was then covered with timber, with only small clear- ings here and there. For years after his father settled in this county there were no railroads and but few markets, and the people lived off the products of their farms. Money was very scarce, and more difficult to obtain than at the present time. His father cleared twenty acres of timbered land for one hun- dred dollars and the ashes obtained from the burned logs, much timber that would now be valuable being burned up merely to get it out of the way. His mother used to spin and weave the cloth of which she made the cloth- ing for her family, the clothing, because of its being home-made and of strong material, wearing for a number of years. The educa- tion of the subject was obtained in the dis- trict school, which he attended in the winter season, going barefoot through the snow, very few children of these large pioneer families then having shoes.
When ten years of age, young Lewis worked for a neighbor for three dollars per
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month. Later in his youth he worked alter- natc wceks for each of two neighbors, earning in this way ten dollars and a half per month. He was thus engaged six months during one summer, losing but three days in that time, two of them being occupied in military duty, the other being spent for his own pleasure. At the end of his six months he gave to his father sixty dollars in money. After the hay- ing on the home farm was finishcd, he used to mow for the neighbors for fifty cents per day, and in this way earned considerable money. He married Elizabeth Francis Powell, daugh- ter of John and Elizabeth Powell, the former of whom was born in Wales, and came to the United States when forty years of age. Upon reaching this country, he came direct to Madison County, and for a time worked in the town of Madison, but soon removed to the town of Lebanon, where he purchased land, cleared a part of it, and took to Albany the wheat he there raised, together with a tub or so of butter. The wheat he sold for a dollar per bushel, and the butter for a shilling per pound. Upon this farm which he reclaimed from the wilderness he lived until his death.
William Lewis has five children living; namely, Sidney M., Lucinda M., Mary M., Charles S., and Jessie. Three of his chil- dren have died; namely, Edward, Sarah, and Kittie.
Politically, Mr. Lewis was an Abolitionist and a coworker with Gerrit Smith and other prominent men, until the organization of the Republican party, since which time he has been a Republican. He is a well-rcad man,
familiar with the civil and also the political history of the country, and is thus qualified to intelligently consider the political questions of the day -a duty incumbent on the citi- zens of a republic who would not be domi- nated by irresponsible party leaders, whose rule is even more mischievous in a democratic than in a monarchical form of government, for the reason, perhaps, that rulers in mon- archies are under no necessity of resorting to corrupt practices in order to gain or to main- tain their power, being installed and kept in place by the polity of their realms.
OHN LAMB, a native of Madison County, and in the last part of his life one of the oldest residents, after being for many years successfully engaged as a farmer within its precincts, was for some time retired from active business, and died at his pleasant home in the village of Hamilton, August 17, 1893. Madison was his birth- place, and April 26, 1821, the date of his birth. He was of New England antecedents, his father, Jacob Lamb, having been born in the town of Charlton, Worcester County, Mass. His father, Ebenezer Lamb, lived in that town for many years, carrying on his occupation as a farmer, and there died.
Jacob Lamb came from Massachusetts to New York in early manhood, and, settling in Madison County, was married in due time, and began the upbuilding of a home on a.tract of timbered land in the town of Madison, said land comprising two hundred and twenty-five
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acres, for which he paid seven dollars an acre. He erected a small house in the wilderness, and bravely began the struggle by which the pioneers of this section conquered their forest domain. He had none of the advantages that aid the farmer of to-day, as his tools were of the most primitive sort, and there were no railways or canals to facilitate the transporta- tion of his produce, while a good market was many miles distant. He had to carry what- ever he wished to sell from his farm all the way to Albany with teams, where he secured necessary supplies, though living mostly on what he produced from his land by hard toil. He kept sheep and raised flax; and his wife used to make cloth from the wool and linen, which she spun and wove with her own deft hands, and then fashioned into garments for the members of her family. He was a hard worker, and improved a fine farm in the course of years, clearing off the land and erecting good buildings, and continuing to reside thereon until his demise. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Clara Thomp- son, was reared in this county, and likewise died on the old homestead. Her father, John Thompson, who is supposed to have been a Pennsylvanian, was one of the pioneers of the town of Hamilton, where he followed the trade of millwright. They reared five children.
John Lamb received his education in the district school, and on his father's farm acquired a thorough knowledge of agricultural pursuits. After his father's death a share of the old homestead fell to him; and he was
actively and successfully engaged in farming until 1888, acquiring a competence thereby. In the year just spoken of he removed to Hamilton, and purchased a home, in which he lived surrounded by the comforts and luxuries that were the fruits of his early labors. Hav- ing always lived in Madison County, he was well known; and respect and esteem were accorded to him on every side for those sterl- ing traits that marked him as an upright, just, and candid man, and a good neighbor and citizen. In him the Democratic party had a sturdy supporter.
September 21, 1847, he was united in mar- riage with Miss Phebe Manchester; and to them were born these ten children : Minerva, Clara, William, Amos, George, Eveline, Amillius, Ada, and Ida (twins), and Le Roy. Mrs. Lamb was born in the town of Madison, May 21, 1827, and died in Hamilton, October 26, 1893. Her father, William Manchester, was a native of Little Compton, R.I., and a son of Job and Zilpha Manchester. Job Man- chester migrated from Rhode Island, his native State, to New York, and was an early settler in the town of Madison. Some time after this he paid a visit to his old home, making the journey on horseback; and, when he returned from that trip, he brought some apple-trees, which he planted on his farm. Scions from these trees are now bearing apples on the farm belonging to the children of the subject of this sketch. He improved the land upon which he settled in Madison, and there death found him at a ripe age. William Manchester, Mrs. Lamb's father, was
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a boy when he came to this region with his parents; and the remainder of his life was spent on the farm on which he grew up, a part of which came to him by inheritance, and it remained his abode until his death, in 1859. He married Anna Beach, who became the mother of five children, and who survived him but a few years. She was born in Hamilton, and was a daughter of Elnathan Beach, a pioneer of the town of her birth, whose wife's family name was Hubbard.
LONZO A. FAULKNER, a worthy septuagenarian of Brookfield, Madison County, N. Y., an experienced agri- culturist, was born in this town, September 6, 1819. In the memoir of Charles, the brother of our subject, which will be found elsewhere in this book, the father is men- tioned as having been born in Guilford, Conn., and coming thence to Brookfield, N. Y., where he purchased a tract of land and built his log house, enduring the hardships and privations inseparable then from the lot of the pioneer farmer. The wife of the im- migrant, who before marriage was Miss Azu- bah Fisk, was born in Union, Conn. She was a noble representative of the women of the early settlements of this country, toiling side by side with her husband in making their home, and not only doing the usual domestic work of cooking, cleaning, and sewing, but also spinning and weaving nearly every article of clothing worn by the family. Nine chil- dren grew up to aid and comfort their parents'
declining ycars. Their names were George, Samantha, Sherman, Edward, John, Olive, Friend, Charles, and Alonzo.
When the father died, Alonzo A. Faulkner was but eight years of age. He attended the district schools, where he received a fair edu- cation, and was reared to the laborious but healthful and useful life of a farmer. He lives on the home farm, where his father and mother died, and by the aid of modern machinery and methods is enabled to realize good returns. Mr. Faulkner married Mrs. Rebecca Madison, daughter of Elisha and Katie Loomis, by whom he has two children, Addie and Helen. The family are Baptists in religion, and they all are active workers in their church. Politically, Mr. Faulkner, while not aspiring to official duties or honors, is a firm supporter of the Republican party, and at the polls conscientiously discharges his duties as a citizen. As a substantial and trustworthy man, honorable in the transaction of business, having an unsullied reputation, he commands the respect and confidence of his townsmen. He carries on general farming and stock-raising, in which he has had excel- lent success, and has attained a good degree of worldly prosperity.
J OSEPH J. BURTON, a veteran agri- culturist of Madison County, one of the best authorities for its history, was born July 7, 1814, in the town of Nelson, son of Charles and Patience (Freeborn) Bur- ton. In 1793, one hundred years ago,
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Charles Burton and wife left their native State, Rhode Island, and came to what is now The town of Nelson, Madison County, N. Y. He secured a tract of one hundred acres of wild land, which he soon increased to one hundred and seventy acres. To this, the original homestead, he added another farm of two hundred and fifty acres, now occupied by his son Joseph. When the father and mother first arrived in this county, much of it was primeval forest, and timber of centuries of growth felt for the first time the keen edge of the woodman's axe. The wild denizens of these woods were the only inhabitants; and there is a tradition in the family that one of the sons, David by name, was chased by a savage bear, and only saved himself by creep- ing into a hollow log, where he remained until rescued by his father.
Charles Burton became one of the leading men of his town, being one of the first to keep a dairy and to set out a hop-yard. He was also a dealer in sheep, having as many as six hundred head at a time, and raised other valuable stock. He was ably assisted in his work by his wife, who was a typical pioneer woman, and bore her full share in the hard- ships and active toils incidental to the life of these early settlers. They had ten children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the only one now living. Their names were Freeborn F., David, Calvin, Joseph J., Phebe, Alma, Olive, Electa, Nancy, and Jane. The father was drafted, and served his country as a sol- dier in the War of 1812. He was a Demo- crat in politics. He died at the age of
sixty-six years, and the mother at the age of seventy-nine.
Joseph, fourth son of this pioneer fam- ily, was reared in the vicinity of the town of Nelson; and his educational advantages were limited to the district schools. He remained at home, assisting in the management of the farm and taking a part in the business there- with connected, until the death of his parents. He married in 1845 Miss Betsey Sharder, who was born in Cicero, Oswego County, N. Y., daughter of John and Nancy Sharder. At the time of his marriage he moved to the farm he still owns and occupies. By purchases of land he has added to his home about three hundred acres. Besides doing general farming, he has been one of the largest breeders of live stock in the town of Nelson, raising for the last three years nearly four hundred head of sheep. In connection with this he runs a dairy, preferring Durham cows. By well-directed industry he has built up a most successful business, and in con- ducting it is now ably assisted by his son.
To Mr. and Mrs. Burton were born six children: Ellen, living at home; Emma, Mary Jane, Amanda, Charles, David, all mar- ried. The mother died in 1873, at the age of fifty-three. She was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Burton in his political opinions agrees with the Democratic party, with which he casts his vote. This gentleman is one of the substantial, well - to - do citizens of the county, and has long been prominently iden- tified with the development of the town of
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Nelson. He is now enjoying the fruits of his early begun and long continued labors, and spending his life in ease, holding an honora- ble position in the community.
SAAC S. ALLEN, one of Hamilton's skilful farmers, enterprising and pros- perous, was born in the town of Brook- field, November 4, 1848. His father, Win- throp Allen, was a native of Sturbridge, Mass. His grandfather, Timothy Allen, whose home in early life was in Massachu- setts, came from there to New York, and settled in the town of Madison, whence he removed in a lumber-wagon successively to Sangerfield and to Brookfield. He died in Wisconsin while on a visit to that State. Winthrop Allen, receiving a district-school education, and working on the home farm, remained with his father till he was eighteen years of age, when he went out to work by the month. After marriage he lived for a tinie on a farm in Brookfield, and later removed to Hamilton, his final home. He had six chil- dren, including Ursilla, Clarissa M., Isaac S., Irving W., and George W.
The subject of the present biography, pass- ing his boyhood and youth on his father's farm, acquired a practical knowledge of differ- ent branches of agriculture. He pursued his studies in the district school, and later at a boarding-school. Intelligent, industrious, progressive, he is now owner of one of the finest farms in the town of Hamilton. At the age of twenty-one he married Minnie
Sawdey, daughter of Harvey W. and Cylinda Sawdey. They have two daughters, Minnie and Ora C. The family attend the Uni- versalist church. Large - hearted, liberal- minded, open - handed, wishing well to his fellow - men and doing well by them, Mr. Allen illustrates the sincerity of his cheerful religious faith by his upright walk in life. Politically, he is an adherent of the Repub- lican party.
ILLIAM WERMUTH, an industri- ous and thrifty farmer of the town of Fenner, Madison County, N. Y., was born in this county, September 21, 1842, son of William C. and Libbie (Myers) Wermuth. The father owned a farm in the town of Lenox, which consisted of about one hundred and seventy-six acres, on which he raised grain. He sold this place in 1853, and bought the one on which he died, and which our subject now owns and resides on. He died at the age of seventy-two years, and his wife some time after, in her eighty-eighth year. They had eight children, of whom five are now living: Ebenezer, Alexander, and Hamilton, residing in California; Nelson, in the village of Eaton, N. Y .; and William. The three who died were: Moses, at the age of forty-two years; Jeremiah, at the age of twenty-two, during the late war, in Salisbury prison; and Julia, wife of C. M. Warner, aged twenty-eight years.
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