USA > New York > Chenango County > Book of biographies : this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Chenango County, New York > Part 25
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H. J. BORDEN.
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and three daughters. Williamn Harrison, the father of our subject's wife, was born in Ire- land and came to this country with his father. He followed the vocation of a farmer all his life. He married Jane Wilson, daughter of Robert Wilson, and they reared three sons and three daughters, who were as follows: Samuel, deceased, late a farmer in Smithville Flats; Eliza, deceased ; Mary ; William; Emma, wife of our subject; and George, a prominent farmer in Smithville township. To Mr. and Mrs. Loomis were born two children, namely: Mary J .; and William H. Socially, Mr. Loomis is a member of the Col. Banks Post, G. A. R., of Greene ; he is also a member of the Eastern Light Lodge, No. 126, F. & A. M., of Greene. He is a strong, unyielding Republican, and always active in whatever will materially assist his chosen party. He is a gentleman of intense patriotism, and loves well the land of his birth. He appreciates to the full his duties as a citizen and as a native-born Am- erican. He has attained his present pros- perity in the way open to all, by hard work and persevering endeavors, and he is emin- ently deserving of greater good fortune. We find such men in the front ranks of every business and in every community, whose successes have been independent of assistance from others.
J. BORDEN. Among all the coun- tries shipping cheese to Great Britain, America ranks first, both in quality and quantity. New York is notably first in rank as a cheese-producing 14
state, and the goods made in Central New York are known as the best, and are shipped extensively. H. J. Borden, whose portrait appears on the opposite page, has been largely engaged as a manufacturer of this article, and stands at the head of the trade. He is a son of W. D. and Mellissa (Phette- place) Borden, and was born February 7, 1862, in the town of Norwich, Chenango County.
W. D. Borden, the father of our subject, was a native of Oxford, this county, where he received a common school education. He grew up a Republican. He was twice mar- ried ; by his first wife, there were born to him five children, as follows: Frank P .; E. D .; WV. L .; Mary Mellissa ; and H. J., our sub- ject. This family was deeply bereaved in the loss of the loving mother who was beloved by all for her many noble and endearing qualities. Mr. Borden was afterward united to Elizabeth Chapple. They had four chil- dren,-Owen; Pearl E .; Hattie A .; and Nor- man. Mr. Borden died while but little past his prime, being only fifty-two years old.
H. J. Borden received his first education in the district schools of the town of Nor- wich, and was then a student of the public schools of Milford, Nebraska, where he spent three years. Soon after leaving school in 1879, he served a three years' apprenticeship at cheese-making, and has since worked at the trade as journeyman in Madison, Orange and Chenango Counties, until March 8, 1897, when he bought the Plymouth Cheese Factory at Plymouth. He also learned the harness-making trade in his youth, and still devotes occasional spare moments to that
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vocation. He has two pursuits, either of which he could turn to account to gain him a livelihood, should circumstances so require. At present he is devoting almost his entire time to the working of his factory, which has a capacity for using the milk product of 800 cows, and is now taking the milk from 600. The present output is 1200 pounds of cheese per day. Mr. Borden is now engaged in fit- ting his factory with extensive facilities for the manufacture of butter in connection with cheese, and his plant will soon be among the largest butter and cheese factories in the county. He employs three men in his fac- tory. As a cheese manufacturer, Mr. Borden bears the enviable reputation, and that among his patrons, of being the best cheese- maker in the county, and ranks among the foremost of the state. He possesses numer- ous highly commendatory letters from his customers in New York and elsewhere as to the superior merits of his products.
Although this is his first year in operating his factory, he expects to do at least $30,000.00 worth of business during the year. This would be a herculean task for an ordinary man, but with the push and energy that has ever characterized his actions, he is sure to succeed, as he admits of no such word as fail. Not a pound of his goods has ever been rejected in the New York markets, and he is in daily receipt of the strongest of testi- monials, proving conclusively that he is the right man in the right place. In politics, he has identified himself with the Republican party, but has not been troubled with politi- cal ambitions, feeling that his time was already taken up, and has generously left the
offices to be filled by men possessing more leisure than himself.
He was united in marriage with Miss Josephine Schorn, on February, 6, 1882. She is a daughter of Joseph Schorn, a cabinet-maker of the village of Norwich. Mr. and Mrs. Borden have one son, Elmer.
Mr. Borden is an expert marksman at target practice, which pastime affords him his chief diversion. His target guns, consist- ing of rifles and Smith and Wesson revolvers, are of the finest make and most elaborate finish. A handsome Schuetzen rifle of No. 52 pattern, with telescope sight, and his Perry target gun, are especially worthy of mention in his collection. His best record on a 200 yard shoot, is to shots in 6 inches, string measure.
AMES H. NICKERSON, who is a member of the firm of Nickerson & Church Bros., extensive shippers of milk to New York City, is also connected with many other business enterprises in the village of Afton. Upon reaching manhood he found himself poor in pocket, but rich in determination. He has traveled the long road of toil and struggle, and has overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles which have crossed his pathway. From this he has reaped a rich experience, by which the young men of the present day would do well to profit. He knows for himself that the maxims which treat of the rich reward of energy and determination are no idle words. Our subject is a son of George B. and
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Samaria (Dutton) Nickerson, and was born May 5, 1837, in the town of Afton, which was then Bainbridge. His grandfather was George B. Nickerson, Sr., who came from Hudson, N. Y., in the early part of this century and settled in the village of Oxford. He was engaged in merchandising there until the time of his death in 1850.
George B. Nickerson, the father of our subject, was the first child born to his parents, his birth occurring December 3, 1810, in the village of Hudson. At an early age he came with his father to Oxford, where he grew to manhood. In 1830, he moved to Afton, and there lived the remainder of his days. His vocation was that of a farmer, and he owned a fine farm of 150 acres. Besides engaging in general farming, he operated a large dairy and with good results. Religi- ously, he was an adherent to the faith of the Baptist Church. He was united in marriage with Samaria Dutton, who was born in the village of Afton, April 21, 1812, and died there September 7, 1878. As a result of their union, which occurred January 1, 1834, four children were born, namely : Cornelius, who was born February 27, 1835, and died August 28, 1875, was a farmer, speculator and large hop grower, and dealt extensively in hay, butter, etc .; James H., in whom the interest of this sketch centers; Leroy A. was born January 16, 1840, and passed into the world of rest August 27, 1840; and Sarah O., who married William Wilder of the village of Afton, was born September 20, 1842. Mr. Nickerson's useful life came to an end in 1870, when he was aged sixty-eight years.
James H. Nickerson was reared on a farm
near the village of Afton, and attended the common schools until he was sixteen years of age. He then left his parental roof and worked out until he was twenty-five years old. He then engaged in farming and hop growing with his brother, Cornelius, on a farm on Algerene Street, just two miles from the village. The farm contained 200 acres of land, and in connection with hop growing they raised all kinds of farm produce, and were extensive shippers. In 1872, he pur- chased the old Joseph Chamberlain farm, situated within the corporate limits of the village of Afton. It consisted of 125 acres of land, which he laid out in town lots on what are now known as High, Orchard, and South Main streets. 30 acres of this land were sold as town lots, and most of them have been built upon. He retained 65 acres of the original tract, upon which he built himself a handsome residence, in which he now lives. He cultivates the land and con-, ducts a large dairy. In 1881, he in partner- ship with D. C. Church, deceased, built a large creamery, the first in the vicinity, and operated it until 1894, when it was consumed by fire. They re-built the creamery and also purchased the milk station of E. R. Wescott of New York City. The milk station is now conducted under the firm name of Nickerson & Church Bros., and they buy up all the milk in this section of the country. They are doing a large and lucra- tive business, which is steadily increasing.
Mr. Nickerson has been twice bound in the holy bonds of wedlock. His first wife was Mary E. Van Woert, a sister of Delos Van Woert, whose personal history also
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appears in this Book of Biographies, and one child blessed their union, namely : Leon J., born September 13, 1878, who is foreman of a shipping station of Cortland, N. Y. Mrs. Nickerson was called Home May 20, 1884. June 28, 1887, our subject was united in mar- riage with Mrs. Mina Jones of Carbondale, Pa., who was born in Clifford township, Sus- quehanna County, Pa., September 28, 1851. Mr. and Mrs. Nickerson are highly esteemed in their community, and are entitled to be classed among the very first citizens. They are friends of good order and system, and are contributing their share toward the building up of the community, socially, morally, and intellectually. They are mem- bers of good standing in the Baptist Church of Afton. Our subject is a Republican in politics, and votes and works conscientiously with that party. Socially, he is a member of the A. O. U. W. Mr. Nickerson possesses great force of character, high moral princi- ples, is a kind husband, an affectionate father, and a faithful friend.
R. FREDERICK O. SPOONER, a much respected physician of Sher- burne, and a graduate of Vermont Medical University of Burlington, Vt., was born in the town of Madison, Madison County, March 1, 1866. He is a son of Ben- jamin and Lavina (Powers) Spooner, and grandson of Prince Spooner.
Prince Spooner was one of Madison County's oldest settlers, and was an owner of 300 acres of highly cultivated land. He
was joined in wedlock with Miss Patterson, and as a result of this union a large family was reared: James; Andrew ; Benjamin, the father of our subject; Jennett; Ruth ; Lydia; and Alice. Mr. Spooner died at the age of sixty, and bequeathed each of his chil- dren an equal share in the old homestead. Mrs. Spooner passed from this life, aged about sixty years.
Benjamin Spooner, our subject's father, was born on the present farm, and at the death of his father he bought from the other heirs their shares in the estate, and imme- diately set to work and built an entire new set of buildings and carried on general farm- ing until his death.
He married Lavina Powers, daughter of Ebenezer Powers of Oneida, and she is at present living on the old homestead. Four children were reared by Mr. and Mrs. Spooner: Frank, a graduate of Colgate Academy, and now a Baptist minister of Mt. Upton, N. Y .; Frederick O., M. D., our subject ; Morris, a farmer, miller, and pro- duce speculator of Madison; and Prince, who is a student. Benjamin Spooner was a member of the state militia. Politically, he was a stanch Republican, and served his fel- low-citizens as assessor. Religiously, he was a member of the Baptist Church.
Frederick O. Spooner, our subject, received his primary education at the Madison Union school, and in 1887 he graduated from Col- gate Academy. He studied medicine under Dr. Beebe of Hamilton, N. Y., and gradu- ated from the Vermont Medical University of Burlington, Vt., in 1891. For the next year and a half he practiced his chosen pro-
GEORGE H. WILLARD.
293
CHENANGO COUNTY
fession in Bouckville, Madison County, with fair success, and then he came to Sherburne village and succeeded Dr. C. W. Crumb. He lives on what was formerly known as the Ames estate, the residence on which was built by Dr. Place. This beautiful home has a fine location and is situated on Chapple Street, one of the principal streets of the vil- lage. His residence contains fine office rooms, which enable him to be prompt when called. He devotes himself to the study and practice of his chosen profession, and has built up a large and lucrative practice. Dr. Spooner is one of the most popular and suc- cessful physicians in the northern part of Chenango County. He married Ella Van Dusen, daughter of Rev. H. N. Van Dusen, a Methodist preacher of Slaterville Springs, N. Y., and as a result of this happy union one child was born to them, Ethloine M., born November 27, 1895. Mr. and Mrs. Spooner are both popular members of the Methodist Church. Politically, our subject is a stanch Republican. His professional at- tainments are. superior, while toward each and all he manifests a kind and gentlemanly demeanor, which gives him the good will and respect of the entire community.
EORGE H. WILLARD is associate proprietor and editor of the New Berlin Gazette, a weekly sheet, which has a wide circulation throughout the county. He is a descendant of an old and well-known New England family, and was born April 17, 1866, in Oriskany Falls, Oncida County, 14*
being a son of E. Jay and Frances ( Ballard ) Willard.
The ancestry of this family is traced back to one, Major Simon Willard, who was arch- itect of the Bunker Hill Monument. The great-grandfather of our subject was Josiah Willard, who left his New England home at an early day and located in Oneida County, N. Y., where he was one of the pioneer settlers in the region of Oriskany Falls. He spent the remainder of his life there. His son James M. Willard, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Oneida County, where he became prominent, both in mercan- tile circles and in politics, being an unswerv- ing supporter of the Democratic party. He was joined in Hymeneal bonds with Miss Angeline Hubbard, and they reared a family of five children, the oldest of whom was E. Jay, the father of our subject.
E. Jay Willard was also born in Oriskany Falls, Oneida County, and was educated in the public schools of that town. He ob- tained a good business education and learned the trade of a carpenter. He formed a mat- rimonial alliance with Frances Ballard, a daughter of Clesson M. Ballard, and they were the parents of two children : Edward C., a printer in the employ of the New Berlin Gazette ; and George H., in whom the inter- est of this sketch centers. In religious belief, they were adherents to the faith of the Pres- byterians. Mrs. Willard's second marriage was to Milo C. Barker, of Oriskany Falls, and they are the parents of one daughter, Mabel A., who is in attendance at school, at Bridge- water, Oneida County, where they now reside.
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George H. Willard received his intellectual training in the common schools of his native town and in Brookfield, Madison County, N. Y., where he graduated from the academy, in 1883. He then taught school for several terms, after which he worked on a paper edited by F. E. Munger in Richfield Springs, and also represented the New York Journal, the New York Graphic, and the Utica Daily Observer. After a period of three years' time, he located at Waterville, Oneida County, where he was connected with the Waterville Times for two years. He then went to West Winfield, Herkimer County, and after remaining there one year, went to Oneida, where he was city editor on the Oneida Union, a semi-weekly sheet, and the only Democratic organ in the county. In the summer of 1890, he returned to Richfield Springs, where he was editor of the Richfield Daily and a "special " on the New York World until the following August, when he came to New Berlin. He remained here one year, and then went to Norwich, where he was at first engaged as foreman on the Morn- ing Sun and county representative of the United Press, and later as city editor on that paper. He remained in that village until 1893, when he moved to Ilion, N. Y. and be- came foreman of the Citizen Publishing Co., which position he held for some years. In July, 1895, when he came to New Berlin, he purchased a half interest in the New Berlin Gazette, and has since conducted that paper in connection with Joseph K. Fox, a record of whose life is also given in this Book of Biographies. Our subject's many years of experience in his field of business have well
qualified him for the duties of his present office, and much of the success of the paper is due to his untiring and conscientious work.
Mr. Willard married Lily M. Lottridge, a daughter of Henry L. and Betsy ( Fenton ) Lottridge of New Berlin, the nuptial knot being tied December 23, 1893. This happy union was blessed by the birth of two sons, namely : Henry M., and Ray F. In political belief, Mr. Willard is a Democrat and has been a member of the county committee. Socially, he is a Mason and belongs to the West Winfield Lodge, No. 581, F. & A. M .; and is also a member of the Improved Order of Red Men of Norwich. His portrait is shown on another page.
ILLIAM BREESE, the subject of this sketch, is a citizen of the vil- lage of Norwich, N. Y., and has been for a number of ycars past engaged in the furni- ture and undertaking business, conducting the most extensive business in that line in Chenango County. His connection with the business dates from January 28, 1876, when he purchased the furniture business of Close & Rathbun. Early in life he saw much of politics, both in town, county and state. He was born in West Burlington, N. Y., March 30, 1842, and is a son of Lewis Alanson and Sobrina Electa Breese, who were married at West Burlington, N. Y., May 17, 1832.
Aaron Breese, his paternal grandfather, and Mary M. Bissell, paternal grandmother, were married about the year 1803. Aaron
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Breese was born in Loudoun County, Va., March 26, 1781, and died at Westford, N. Y., May 9, 1852, aged seventy-one years. Mary M. Bissell was born at Litchfield, Conn., Nov. 23, 1790, and died at Westford, N. Y., February 25, 1860, at the age of sixty-nine years.
Lewis A. Breese, the father of our subject, was born at Laurens, N. Y., July 3, 1809, and died at Garrattsville, N. Y., May 2, 1893, aged eighty-four years. He learned the trade of a blacksmith at Burlington Flats, which he followed for a number of years. Later he kept a hotel, and was postmaster at West Burlington for a period of about twenty-five years, being a Republican in politics. He was formerly a member of the old state militia. Sobrina Electa Breese, the mother of our subject, was born at Butter- nuts, N. Y., May 5, 1814, and was a daughter of William Laverty, and his wife, who was Electa Wheaton. The following were the children of Lewis A. and Sobrina E. Breese ; Nelson W., born June 10, 1833, and died May 17, 1835; Lewis Henry, born June 9, 1835, married Helen A. Chapin, July 2, 1861 ; Lucy Electa, born December 16, 1837, was united in marriage to Isaac C. Chapin, Octo- ber 6, 1858; William, whose name heads this biographical sketch; and Emma Sobrina, born February 6, 1846, who was wedded to Dorr J. Webster, December 16, 1867.
a temporary clerkship in the provost mar- shal's office for the Nineteenth Congressional District of New York, comprising the counties of Chenango, Delaware, and Otsego, which had just been established with head- quarters at Unadilla, N. Y. Subsequently on August 11, 1863, the headquarters were moved to Norwich, N. Y. His services were so satisfactory to the board of enroll- ment that in September, 1863, he was appointed chief clerk of the board of enroll- ment, and deputy provost marshal; in that capacity, he had full charge and direction of the provost inarshal's office which at one time employed about thirty clerks, and Capt. Charles P. Root's Company of state militia as a guard, which was later relieved by a guard from the U. S. Invalid Corps. The draft was conducted under his supervision and direction, and thousands of volunteers were enlisted and sent forward to the army. His duties continued until the provost mar- shal's offices throughout the state were dis- continued, when he was ordered to take the records of the office and report to Capt. S. H. H. Parsons, provost marshal at Albany, N. Y., where he put them in proper shape and turned them over to acting assistant Adjt-Gen. Frederick Townsend of the U. S. Army for transmission to the War Depart. ment at Washington, after which he received the appointment of deputy clerk in the New York State Assembly. As such he served in the Assembly in the sessions of 1866-67-68 and 69. In the fall of 1868, he was assistant secretary of the Republican State Committee, and was the secretary of the New York
From fourteen years of age until he attained his manhood, William Breese worked in the hotel and post office for his father, with limited advantages for an educa- tion in the common school. July 8, 1863, soon after he became of age, he was called to | State delegation in the Chicago Convention,
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that nominated Gen. U. S. Grant for the Presidency of the United States for the first time. He was also assistant secretary of the Constitutional Convention of the State of New York during its sessions in 1868 and 1869. During the summer of 1868, he was also employed to compile and superintend the publication of a digest of all the petitions and papers presented to the committee on claims in the Assembly up to that date, a work which required much labor and care in arranging and classifying.
After 1869, our subject was connected with the office of Judge David L. Follett for nine years, and then embarked in the furniture business. In September, ISS8, he added the undertaking establishment, and has built up what is undoubtedly the largest business of the kind in Chenango County. Mr. Breese is very public-spirited, and has benefited the village in more ways than one. He was president of the village of Norwich in 1877- 78-79 and So. In 1878 he erected what was then known as the Breese Opera House, the best that this section of the state could boast at the time. He is now and has been at various times a member of the village board of health ; in 1874, he raised by popular subscription of citizens over $1,500.00, which he expended in improving the village park, that being the first work donc toward convert- ing it from a mudhole into a thing of beauty. He curbed, graded, planted trees, and com- pleted the East Park, and after commencing the west side, the Ladies' Village Improve- ment Association sprang into existence, took this work in hand and completed it.
On September 10, 1868, Mr. Breese was
united in the bonds of matrimony with Miss E. Augusta Hale, daughter of Nelson B. Hale. Mr. Hale was born in Norwich, December 25, 1806, and died January 16, 1877. He was a prominent business man of the village, and at the time of his decease, he was vice-president of the National Bank of Norwich. He wedded Miss Mary W. Pratt, who was born February 16, 1817, and died September 16, 1892. Their chil- dren numbered five, as follows: Charles N .; Samuel S .; Eddie P .; Julia F .; and E. Augusta.
Two children compose the family of Mr. and Mrs. Breese, namely : Anna A., born July 17, 1871, who is the wife of Byron H. Delevan of Norwich; and Harriet D., who was born April 15, 1874. Mr. Breese is a Mason of high standing, having attained the Thirty-third and last degree A. A. S. R. M. in the Sovereign Grand Consistory of the United States, its Territories and Depend- encies. He is also a member of the following Masonic Bodies: Norwich Lodge, No. 302, F. & A. M .; Norwich Commandery, No. 46, Knight Templars; Chenango Consistory, No. 31, A. A. S. R. M .; and Ziyara Temple, A. A. O. Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, Oasis of Utica. The other orders to which he belongs are Canasawacta Lodge, No. 205, I. O. O. F .; Chenango Encampment, No. 51, I. O. O. F .; Grand Lodge, I. O. O. F. of the State of New York; Lily of the Valley Lodge, No. 95, Degree of Rebekah; Norwich Lodge, No. 61, Ancient Order of United Workmen ; Canasawacta Tribe, No. 205, Improved Order of Red Men ; Tree Lula Council, No. 69, Degree of Pocahantas ; Branch 44, Iron Hall of Baltimore City; Norwich Tent, No.
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366, Knights of the Maccabees; National Protective Legion, No. 78; Mystic Encamp- ment, No.50; Knights of St. John and Malta, and various other organizations.
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