USA > New York > Madison County > Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Madison County, New York > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73
LFRED G. COOK, a native of Eng- land, born in Norfolk County, Jan- uary 16, 1839, is an honored resi- dent of Stockbridge, and an important factor in the industrial interests of that town.
George Cook, grandfather of our subject, was a farmer in England, where he always lived. The parents of our subject, William and Susanna Cook, spent their entire life in their native country, England, dying at the
81
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
ages of eighty-two and eighty years, respec- tively. They were farmers, and descendants of a well-known family, Cook being an old and respected name in England. They reared a family of ten children, the following being their record: William, who was a sailor, and died at the age of sixty-one years from the effects of a shipwreck, in which he was the only one out of a crew of thirty-four who escaped drowning; Harriette, who lives in Norwich, England; Maria, who married Joseph Stiles, and died at the age of fifty-eight years; Lydia, who resides on the old homestead in England; Susanna, who is the widow of John Colton, and lives in Norwich, England; Rob- ert, who also lives in Norwich, England; Al- fred, subject of our sketch; Mary Ann, mar- ried, and living in Oxford, England; Joseph, who lives in London, England; and Emma, who lives with her sister Lydia on the old homestead.
Alfred G. Cook, of whom we write, was reared to manhood in his native country, remaining there until twenty-one years of age. He was an industrious, ambitious youth, and learned the trades of a baker and of a miller. Feeling assured of better facilities in the United States for earning a livelihood at one of his trades, our subject emigrated to Amer- ica in 1860; and after a voyage of six weeks, on a vessel called the "Chancellor," under command of Captain Murray, he landed in New York City. He came directly to the town of Smithfield, locating near Siloam, and soon entered into the milling business with Wheeler Holmes. At the end of two years
he closed his business there, and soon after, forming a partnership with Charles Graham, leased the mill that he now owns in Stock- bridge. The partnership was soon dissolved, however ; and our subject, removing to Munns- ville, leased the mill there, and for seven years managed it skilfully. The succeeding six years Mr. Cook was engaged in farming, and January 1, 1880, bought the milling prop- erty in Stockbridge, and has met with pecuni- ary success in operating it. This mill was built many years before; and the stone in use in it is the very first millstone used in Madi- son County, and is yet in good condition. Mr. Cook has acquired other property, and now owns ten acres of valuable land and a comfortable dwelling-house in the town, and is also proprietor of a mill in Morrisville, which is under the supervision of his son. Our subject is a man of good business capac- ity, and is an extensive wholesale dealer in flour and feed, and, in addition to the grain he handles, deals largely in hop-poles, - an industry especially profitable in this section of the country, - importing direct from Canada and Michigan.
Our subject was married before leaving his native country, being wedded in 1858 to Eliza Groom, a native of England, born July 31, 1841. Of their union six children have been born: Katie, living at home; A. Fred, a miller, living in Morrisville; Arthur, Earl, Ethel, and Erving, all living at home. Mr. Cook is straightforward and methodical in his business transactions, and as a citizen is held in high respect by all who know him. Politi-
82
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
cally, he is a supporter of the principles of the Democratic party. Religiously, both Mr. and Mrs. Cook are regular attendants of the Methodist Episcopal church.
OHN H. JEFFERY, a prosperous and well-known farmer of Cazenovia, where he has resided for the past sixteen years, was born in Truxton, Cortland County, June 28, 1843, and is a son of Allen Jeffrey, who was born at the same place in 1807. The father of Allen was John Jeffery, a native of Monmouth, N.J., who married a Miss McNight, of Saratoga County, New York, where also they were married. They came to the town of Truxton in the year 1798, and were engaged in farming, being large farmers for those times, and owning four hundred acres of land.
In addition to general farming, Mr. Jeffery was also extensively engaged in wool-growing, keeping as many as fifteen hundred sheep. He and his wife reared sixteen children, of whom Allen, the father of our subject, was the second son and fourth child. This family was equally divided as to sex. Twelve of them grew to manhood and womanhood, six sons and six daughters. Four children died young. The eldest child, a daughter, was born in 1800. Four of this family still sur- vive, two sons, twins, who are seventy-nine years old, and two daughters, aged respec- tively seventy-seven and seventy-two. Sam- uel, one of the two surviving sons, has twin daughters, one of whom has twin boys, who
have reached maturity, making three genera- tions of twins living. Grandfather Jeffery and his wife are now sleeping in the ceme- tery at Truxton, where they died, he when an octogenarian. He was twice married, but the family mentioned was all by his first wife.
Allen Jeffery took to wife Elizabeth June, a native of the State of New York, and in all probability of Chenango County. She died in the prime of life, being but thirty-four years of age, and left two children : John H., the subject of this notice; and Ann Eliza, wiclow of R. Taggart. After her death her husband was again married, this time to Esther Ann Rogers, who bore him five chil- dren, four of whom are now living, as follows : William R., F. O., Edwin A., and Ellen Augusta. All reside in Boston, Mass. Katie A. Jeffery died in April, 1893, in Boston, of pneumonia, five days previous to the death of her mother, who died of the same disease, at the age of seventy. The father spent the last thirteen years of his life with his son, of whom we write, and while away on a visit died in a week's time, his death occurring in December, 1888, at the home of his sister in South Spafford, Onondaga County. He lies by the side of his first wife in Truxton.
John H. Jeffery had few educational advan- tages in his youth, and received but a limited schooling, being early trained to farm life and work. In 1861 he enlisted, in the town of Bertrand, Mich., in the Twelfth Michigan Infantry, Company F, as a private soldier. At the battle of Shiloh he was wounded in the left arm by a buckshot, his comrade on the
-
83
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
left receiving several in his mouth. In 1862 he was discharged for physical disability, having suffered from a severe attack of fever and lung trouble. In December, 1863, he enlisted again, at Syracuse, N.Y., in the Eleventh New York Cavalry, Company I, and consolidated in Company C, from which he was discharged September 30, 1865, mus- tered out at Memphis, Tenn., and discharged in Albany. Mr. Jeffery left the service in impaired health, and is now drawing a small pension. On January 2, 1867, he was united in marriage to Harriet Blakeman, of Syracuse, Onondaga County, and a daughter of Horace Blakeman, who died in Syracuse in the six- ties. She has one brother and three sisters living. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery engaged in the manufacture of cheese in the town of De Ruyter, and followed this occupation in both Madison and Onondaga Counties for eight years. They resided for some years in Fenner, and later, in 1878, purchased their farm of ninety-five acres one mile from their present home and three miles from New Woodstock. They are now renting their farm. They have reared four children of their own, and have one foster-son. Hat- tie E. is the wife of Isaac H. Dodd, a builder of Syracuse, and has one daughter, Hazel I. William Allen, of Syracuse, a single man, is engaged in the milk business. Cora L., a young lady of seventeen years, is at home, and employed as a dressmaker. Milton is a youth of fourteen years. Their foster-son is Alfred H. Petrie, who is nine years old, and a nephew of Mrs. Jeffery. He was
adopted by them on the death of his parents, which occurred when he was but four years of age.
In fraternal matters our subject is a mem- ber of the Ancient Order of United Work- men, in which he has a $2,000 life insurance, and of W. E. Hunt Post, No. 376, Grand Army of the Republic, of De Ruyter. In political views he is a loyal Republican, but has hitherto held aloof from office. Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery are people well known in their part of the country, and respected by all for their qualities of industry, self-reliance, and moral rectitude. They may truly be consid- ered as worthy representatives of their county and State, and, in a broader sense, of that great country to which every true American owes his best allegiance.
ENRY SEYMOUR. Prominent among the intelligent and influential citi- zens of Lebanon stands the gentle- man whose name heads this sketch. For more than fourscore years he has lived and labored in this town and village, not only meeting with success as a business man, but his personal character is such that he enjoys the confidence of the entire community. He is a native of Madison County, born in Leba- non, April 15, 1808, and can trace his ances- try back to 1694. The grandparents of our subject, William and Mehitable (Merrill) Seymour, were, as far as known, lifelong residents of Connecticut. Of the family of children born to them three sons served their
42
84
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
country during the Revolutionary War, taking an active part in the battle of Bemis Heights, at the surrender of Burgoyne.
Silas Seymour, father of our subject, was born May 7, 1777, in Hartford, Conn., where he spent the earlier years of his life. When approaching manhood, he left his native State, and joincd his older brothers, who were settled in Saratoga County. Remaining there but a few years, he came with his team to Madison County, where he invested his sav- ings in a tract of timbered land, containing fifty-six acres, situated on the north-west quarter of the town of Lebanon. His first step was to erect a log cabin, in which he and his bride afterward began housekeeping, there spending some of the happiest years of their life. In course of time, by steady application and thriftiness, he had his land under good cultivation, and had added many more acres by purchase. The log cabin was superseded by a substantial house of stone, and convenient farm buildings were erected. On this pleas- ant homestead he lived until his death, August 2, 1845. He married Sally, daughter of Ebenezer and Sally (Weeks) Gilbert, who was born in Pomfret, Conn., April 1, 1779, and died in Lebanon, October 5, 1850, having survived her husband five years.
Henry Seymour, of whom we write, re- ceived the rudiments of his education in the typical log school-house of his day, which he began attending when five years of age. In those times schools were supported by the subscription plan, each householder paying according to the number of scholars sent.
Later a large frame building, erected and paid for by subscription, was used for educa- tional purposes, public meetings of all kinds being also held there. Our subject was an apt scholar, diligent and ambitious, and ac- quired an excellent common-school education, to which he has continually added. When he was fourteen years of age, his father placed a Bible in his hands, and told him to read it to know what was in it. Having much natural ability and skill in the use of tools, when he was seventeen years of age his father borrowed a set, which our subject used in building a barn on the homestead. He soon became an expert workman, and three years later did all the woodwork in his father's new stone house. Subsequently he became a contractor and builder, prospering well in that occupation. Mr. Seymour has always been interested in agricultural pursuits ; and some years ago, seeing a fine opportunity in this grazing coun - try for a cheese factory, he established one in Lebanon Village, which he operated most advantageously for several years, and which he still owns. In 1848 he settled in the vil- lage of Lebanon, where he has since resided.
The maiden name of his wife, to whom he was united in marriage June 15, 1836, was Rebecca Head. She was of New England descent, born in Lebanon, Madison County, April 30, 1813. Her grandfather, Joseph Head, a native of Rhode Island, was a pioneer of the town of Madison, coming to this State in 1796, by team, and locating in Madison County, when that formed a part of Herkimer County, in the section known as the Rhode
85
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
Island quarter. In common with the early settlers of the place, he assisted in the devel- opment of the county, while developing his own land, and remained there until his death, at the age of seventy-seven years. While in his native State he married Rebecca Sanford, who came to Madison with him, and proved an able helpmate during his pioneer life. She reared six sons, spending her last days at the home of one of them, and dying at the venerable age of eighty-two years.
Sanford Head, father of Mrs. Seymour, born in Rhode Island, January 8, 1789, was a lad of seven years when he came with his parents to Madison County, where he was reared and educated. He was an enterpris- ing, ambitious young man, well trained to habits of thrift, and anxious to begin life on his own account. Accordingly, when only nineteen years of age, he bought a tract of land, lying in Lebanon, of his father, and commenced housekeeping in a log house. He prospered exceedingly in his undertakings, cleared a farm, subsequently erected a frame house and substantial buildings, and there spent the remainder of his life, dying at the ripe age of fourscore years and ten. He was twice married. His first wife was Sarah Ballard, a native of Massachusetts, and daugh- ter of Dane and Rebecca (Forbes) Ballard. She died November 4, 1820; and Mr. Head was afterward married to Anna Ballard, a half-sister of his first wife, and who died Feb- ruary 17, 1879. Dane Ballard was one of the original settlers of Madison County, coming here in the year 1800. He bought some land
near the village of Lebanon, on which he erected the first saw-mill built in that vicin- ity, and operated it for a number of years. He was twice married, and reared a family of nine children by his first wife and nine by his second. He lived here, esteemed by all, until his death, at the age of seventy-eight years.
During the many years of busy life which our subject has passed through he has ever taken an active interest in the welfare of his county and town, contributing his quota toward building up their industries. He has lived under the administration of twenty-one different Presidents, and his first Presidential vote was cast for John Quincy Adams. In political life Mr. Seymour was for a time a Whig, and later a Free-soiler. Being early convinced of the iniquity of slavery, our sub- ject labored generously in behalf of the op- pressed, working with Gerrit Smith in the anti-slavery cause. They, accompanied by Mr. Church, went as delegates from Madison County to the convention at Pittsburg that nominated John P. Hale for President.
Mr. Seymour has filled the various offices of public trust within the gift of his fellow- townsmen, having been Assessor, for many years Chairman of the School Board, and for two years a member of the County Board of Supervisors. Possessing great force of char- acter and a brilliant memory, which he has cultivated and kept in actual service since early youth, he has acquired a vast fund of information on all useful subjects, which makes him a delightful conversationalist, to
86
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
whom all enjoy listening. Mrs. Seymour shares equally with her husband the esteem of their large circle of friends and neighbors, being a favorite with the old and young; and their pleasant home is a social attraction for all. Mr. and Mrs. Seymour buried a son and daughter in infancy, but, at earncst solicita- tion, took the youngest daughter of Ellen M. and Sidney A. Grosvenor, both of whom died the same year. She lived with them until her marriage to J. Mott Throop, M.D., of Lebanon Village, who was Assistant Surgeon in the army, and died May 15, 1889, leaving one son, Henry G. Throop.
ILLIAM H. DOUGLAS, M.D., a native and resident of Hamilton, belonging to one of the oldest families of the county, is widely and favorably known, and is quietly making a name and a position for himself among the leading members of his calling as a physician of sound learning, a clear head, and practical ability in the pursuit of his profession. He was born May 27, 1851, and is a son of John Douglas; and the farm now occupied by our subject was the birthplace of both. His great-grandfather came here when the country was an unsettled wilderness, and his last days were passed in Hamilton.
The grandfather of our subject, Elijah Douglas, was twenty-one when he left his early home with his brother and father, and sought a dwelling in the forests of this county. He selected a tract of one hundred
and twenty acres of land in Hamilton, and at once entered upon the pioneer task of clearing away the timber and developing a farm. He first erected a log house, which he afterward replaced by a more commodious frame build- ing, and was very comfortably situated at the time of his death, which took place on the old homestead, where he had lived and labored so long and successfully.
John Douglas was reared under pioneer conditions, and in his boyhood attended a primitive district school. From his father he acquired a thorough knowledge of farming, and made it his life-work. He always lived upon the home farm, of which he became sole possessor by buying his only sister's share. He made many valuable improvements upon it, and left it at the time of his death one of the choicest and best cared for farms in this vicinity. He died lamented, as he was a man whose habits and character were such as to win him the confidence and esteem of all who knew him. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Abigail Ellis, and she was a daughter of Elezia and Tamer Ellis. The following are the eight children whom she reared to lives of usefulness: Sarah, the eldest, who died at the age of forty-four; Elijah; Mary; Marinda; Fanny, who died at the age of nineteen; Charles; Ellen, de- ceased; and William H., of whom we write.
The subject of this sketch passed his youth happily amid the pleasant scenes of the home where he was born, and led a healthy, invig- orating life on the old farm, becoming famil- iar with agriculture in its various branches,
87
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
and, after attaining manhood, performing his share of the labors in managing the place. He was fond of books, and did not neglect his opportunities for obtaining a good education. HIe was thirty-two years of age when his father died, and four years later he left the old home to fit himself for a physician. He became a student at the celebrated Bellevue Hospital College, in New York City, in the fall of 1889, and was graduated from that in- stitution with high honors in the class of 1892.
Returning to his old home on the farm in Hamilton after he left college, the Doctor entered upon a successful practice, many of his patrons being the people among whom he had grown up, and who were not slow in recognizing his merits as a physician well trained in his profession. He is a man of high moral character, and is earnestly inter- ested in whatever will promote the social and religious welfare of his native town. He is a member of the Second Baptist Church of Hamilton, and his name is associated with its every good work. Politically, he voted with the Democrats for several years, but, believ- ing in temperance legislation, is now num- bered with the Prohibitionists.
ILBERT E. CLARK. There are very many representatives of the pioneers still living in this county, energetic busi- ness men and worthy citizens. Of these Mr. Clark is one of the most prominent. He was born July 5, 1857, in the town of Eaton, and
is a son of Samuel and Maria (Seymour) Clark, both of whom were natives of Madison County.
Samuel Clark owned a farm of one hundred and fourteen acres of land, one mile south from the village of Eaton, upon which he carried on farming with distinguished success many years, and upon which he reared a fam- ily of four children, all of whom are living, namely: Silas S., residing on the old farm : Sarah M., wife of W. J. Lyndon, and living in Munnsville, this county; Gilbert E., the subject of this sketch; and Minnie M., wife of Rev. Philip B. Strong, of Little Falls, Herkimer County, N. Y. Samuel Clark was one of the hard-working pioneers, honest and highly respectable, and had many friends. He died at the age of seventy-nine. His widow still survives, and is seventy-eight years old. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as was her husband. In politics he was a Republican.
Gilbert E. Clark was well educated in the district schools, and afterward attended the Oswego Normal School. Having completed his education in a most creditable manner, he was then engaged for three years in teaching school with unusual success. At the end of this time, or in 1884, he purchased the hard- ware business and stock of goods of C. L. Blakeman, of the village of Eaton, and since then has been the leading hardware merchant of that village. Besides hardware, of which he keeps on hand a complete line, Mr. Clark deals in agricultural implements, being agent for the Munnsville Plow Company and the
88
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
Syracuse Plow Company. Mr. Clark is one of the most successful young business men in the county, and has without doubt a bright and useful career in store. In politics he is a Republican, and is firm in the faith, believ- ing that the party which has since the out- break of the Rebellion done so much for the country is the one that should still control its cestinies.
RA SPAULDING is a fine representative of the native citizens of this county who have taken an active part in ad- vancing its rich agricultural interests. He is the proprietor of two valuable and well- improved farms in Stockbridge, - one the old family homestead where he has always lived, -- and is extensively engaged in general farm- ing and stock-raising, besides being one of the largest hop-growers in this vicinity.
July 9, 1837, is the date of his birth, his natal place being the town of Stockbridge. He is of the old pioneer stock, the family being one of the first to settle in Stockbridge, and is a son of John and Margaret (Peterson) Spaulding, who were natives respectively of Massachusetts and of Schoharie County, this State. His paternal grandfather, Leonard Spaulding, was born in one of the New Eng- land States, and died in Massachusetts, in middle age. He was the father of six sons, all of whom are deceased. Our subject's maternal grandfather, Philip Peterson, was a native of Schoharie County. and was a Revolutionary soldier. He was a farmer by occupation. He died in Stockbridge, having
lived to be over eighty-one years old. He reared quite a family of children.
The father of our subject was married in his native State. At one time he lived in the town of De Ruyter. When he came to Stock- bridge, it was but sparsely inhabited; and he was one of the earliest settlers, there being but one or two white families living in the vicinity. Indians still made their home here, and wild game was plentiful. These pioneers had to live in a primitive fashion,-their clothes of homespun, woven by the deft hands of the women, and their food the produce of farm and forest. Mr. Spaulding made all the shoes for his family. He was a hard-work- ing farmer, and was shrewd and far-sighted withal. He bought land from the Indians, improved a good farm, and engaged quite ex- tensively in raising and feeding stock. He invested in land in Michigan, and at one time owned three or four farms there. His death occurred on the old homestead, at the venera- ble age of eighty-six ; and his wife died there, aged seventy-six years. They were people of true Christian worth, and were honored mem- bers of the Baptist church, attending the old Indian meeting-house at Stockbridge. Politi- cally, he was a sound Democrat. Seven of the thirteen children reared by this worthy couple are living, namely: Philander J., a resident of Lenox; Samuel, of Stockbridge; Margaret, wife of Miles Parker, of Stock- bridge; Ervilla, wife of James Peterson, of Michigan; Solomon S., a resident of Vernon ; Gilbert, of Fort Atkinson, Wis .; and our subject, the youngest of the family.
89
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
Ira Spaulding was educated in the district school of Stockbridge, and arrived at man's estate well equipped for the stirring, arduous life of a wide-awake, intelligent farmer. He remained with his parents until their death, their staff and comfort in their declining years. He bought the home farm when he was but twenty-two years of age, in 1859; and all his days have been passed amid its pleasant scenes. He also took another im- portant step in life at this time, taking unto himself a wife in the person of Miss Lovica G. Kelley. Mrs. Spaulding was born in the town of Lenox, September 30, 1839, a daugh- ter of Freeman and Damarius (Randall) Kel- ley. Her father was a farmer. Mr. . and Mrs. Spaulding have four children: Jefferson L., who was born June 30, 1862, and is a farmer of Stockbridge; Nettie B., who was born April 22, 1867, married William Davis, a cheese manufacturer of Peterboro, and has one child, Hazel Maud, born March 29, 1893, and the only grandchild of Mr. and Mrs. Spaulding; Edwin J., who was born May 31, 1869, and lives at home with his parents, carrying on the business of running the 'bus and mail line, and managing the freight traffic at Munnsville, having formerly been in the mercantile trade in that village for one year, under the firm name of Van Slyke & Spauld- ing; and Freeman R., a student at the Normal School at Cortland. Mrs. Spaulding is a con- sistent Christian, as is evidenced by her every- day life, and is an exemplary member of the Baptist church.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.