USA > New York > Livingston County > Nunda > Centennial history of the town of Nunda : with a preliminary recital of the winning of western New York, from the fort builders age to the last conquest by our Revolutionary forefathers > Part 25
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Of the Bassetts. but little is known. After selling they moved into the town of Grove. The large Huffman family we will give elsewhere, also the Jonathan Barron family. The Ashleys. Barrons and Huffmans, were the own- ers of two miles of lands that have since been frequently subdivided.
The family of Daniel Ashley, that came from Bloomfield, became promi- nent in Nunda Church life in 1827.
THE ROCKAFELLOWS
First Generation
Samuel Rockafellow, Sr .. settled in 1823, and died at the age of 94; Mrs. Elizabeth Rockafellow, died, age 88.
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£
Second Generation
*Johanna, married *Joseph Fraley.
*Margaret, married *Abel Barron.
*Rachel, married #Hiram Cornwell.
*Elizabeth, married #Abram Howell.
*Mary, married *John Angier.
*John (purchased land with J. Fraley.)
*Mahlon, died, aged 31.
*Sameul Jr., married Clarissa Lemen, daughter of William Lemen, (on the A. Barron farm).
George, married Eliza Warner. sister of Orlando and Eben. W.
Mr. Fraley's second wife Hann is living in this village, with her daughter. Mrs. P. M. Ostrander. She is an own cousin to John Wanamaker. Mar- garet died without children, and the second wife was *Margaret Norton, the mother of Mrs. Harriet Dowling. A. C. B. &c. (See Barron family). Mr. Cornwell was a tailor and his wife learned the trade at his shop on Mill Street. They built the large house No. 41 East Street also No. 43, but both died soon afterward. Mr. and Mrs. Howell are also buried at Oakwood Cemetery. John Angier married the youngest daughter Mary. They also completed their life in Nunda but left children. (See Angier family 1835). John and Mah- ion are also buried in Oakwood. Fourteen out of eighteen are buried in Oak- wood Cemetery, besides the parents. Samuel and George went elsewhere to reside about 1846. The entire eighteen were, or had been, at one time members of the Baptist Church, this also was unusual.
I. 2. Henry Rockafellow was a brother of Samuel but lived on the oppo- site, or Mt. Morris side of the County Line ( now town line). He settled there in 1823, bought of the Warners. Eben and Orlando, (The Emory Kendall farm) a small frame house that he had moved to the east side of the road, and there he lived with his household for a time. The house the writer remembers seeing moved to Coopersville. It was said to have been the first frame house erected in that neighborhood. It was built in 1823 and moved in 1848. In this house the Blair family also lived.
Henry Rockafellow was especially rich in sons, some of them had moved away when they attained their majority. All that remained bent all their .ener- gies in the direction of a liberal education. David born in 1805, Daniel, Asa and Hiram, the writer never knew : but was told, by their brother Samuel, of their existence. John J., was one of the students in the Presbyterian Academy, one of the best ; was a teacher and School Commissioner, and County Clerk of Alle- gany County. He married in Nunda a daughter of John S. Wright, and lived for a time in the village. Lambert Rockafellow was a carpenter by trade, built a house on the Creek Road. that the writer called home for twelve years or more. Samuel L. Rockafellow married in Mt. Morris. He was a prominent merchant and manufacturer there. He was born in 1826, and is still living.
The daughters of Henry and Mary Jones Rockafellow were only two in number. Margaret born in 1810, who married a neighbor. David J. Blair, and moved during the forties to Iowa, died in 1908, aged 98 years. Samuel L., born 1826. her youngest own brother. 82 years old, and Charles H. Rockafel- low, a half brother, born 1837, are all that are left of this large household. A
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younger daughter was Eliza, who married John Olp, son of Daniel Olp. They lived after their marriage in the town of Nunda: four children were born to them: Deborah, Lambert, Charles Pearl and Eva.
II. Mrs. Eliza Olp, died about 1860. Those of her posterity who are liv- ing at this time in Nunda are the family of IV. Fred C. Olp, son of Charles P. Olp, who is cashier of the Nunda Bank. He married Florence Dowling, daugh- ter of Michael and Harriet L. Dowling. They have as a representative of the fifth generation of Rockafellows, a daughter Harriet.
II. Charles H. Rockafellow. a half-brother of these Rockafellows, and of the Kendalls, married Sophia Walker, daughter of Eph. Walker (veteran 1812). Their children were:
III. I. * Addie, who married *Richard Bristol; (2) John Emory, who lives in Chicago; (3) Minnie, who married Allison Jas. Paine, son of Almiron Paine, grandson of Jas. Paine, pioneer 1817-1872.
IV. The grandchildren are: Vada Rockafellow, daughter of J. F. Rockafellow ; and Adelaide and John Paine.
CHAPTER X.
AN INCIDENT AND A STORY-BOY PROFANITY
A FTER the marriage, late in life, of Henry Rockafellow and the widow Kendall, some of the younger men were joking him. when to their sur- prise he challenged them to a contest in athletics. There was a wagon standing near by, without box, but with a few planks on, and the old gentleman jumped over this and invited those younger, to follow his lead. As none of these jokers dared to follow the example, they concluded he was young enough to get married again if he chose to.
Most of these two families thus brought into family relations by the mar- riage of their parents, were grown up and married, but there were some of both families who were young. An incident that Mr. Rockafellow often narrated, will serve to show the difference between the boys of that day and the present time. Two of the boys about eight and ten years old, had begun to notice that some of the men in the community smoked tobacco and used profanity. These youngsters did not want to be back numbers, so one of them said to the other, "Let's be men." "All right." said the other, "what shall we do to be men?" "Well," said the elder of the twain, "we must smoke, for one thing."
"Yes that's so, almost all the men smoke." So they looked around for some- thing to smoke. A dead grape vine served for a cigar for one, and some dry corn silks in a pipe served the other. They smoked awhile as solemn as Indian Chieftains. "Well," said the spokesman. "'tis time we begin to swear." "All right, you begin, and I'll follow." They hesitated awhile, before taking the fatal step. "You begin." said the youngest. "All right, well here goes. I swear," said No I, "So do I," said No. 2 .- and in imagination 'they were big. bold, bad men."
SAMUEL ROCKAFELLOW, SR., AND WIFE ELIZABETH
Born in New Jersey, came to Mount Morris 1823 and to Nunda 1825, both lived to a good old age. Mrs. Rockafellow was 88 years of age and "Uncle Sammy," as he was generally called, was 94.
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This family was rich in daughters, who all completed their useful lives in this town. Very few have ever heard that the first long-log-house of this fam- ily was not where the red house now stands in which they lived so long, though they lived in both, but it was on the south west corner of the field near Coopers- ville road and school house. Here these industrious pioneers commenced their pioneer life in Nunda. There could not have been a more industrious woman than this housewife, she did not even take time to stand erect when at work. but bent down with household tasks, kept that position to save precious time. No wonder her daughters were sought for by the most eligible young men of that day for they were fitted for the arduous tasks of pioneer housekeepers The family was large, five daughters and four sons.
THE PIONEER SHERWOODS-LONGEVITY ..
I. Zadoc. born in Connecticut 1759, enlisted 1776, married 1777, settled Northville 1785. settled Nunda 1822 or 3, lived in Nunda until 1855, died at Algonquin, Ill., 1859. aged 99 years 9 months.
I. Abigail Omstead Sherwood, born 1760, died May 31, 1840, age 80.
I. Margaret Glen, widow of Eldert Ament, sister of Jacob S. Glen of Glen, lived, died at Nunda, July 30, 1840, aged 88 years.
Second Generation
II. Granville Sherwood, born in 1785, settled 1824, died, age 95 : married Maria ( Polly) Ament, born 1790, died in Nunda, 1863, age 73.
Third Generation
III. Margaret, born 1819, married her cousin Galusha Burnett, she died at Omaha 1907, age 88. A. Jackson, born 1822, merchant, law student, mar- ried *Sarah (Sally) Alvard, eldest daughter of Phineas A., both died in the west. Matilda, born 1825, married 1850 to *Wm. G. Russell, son of Joseph Russell. Resides in Binghamton, N. Y.
These three generations covering respectively 100 years, 95 years and 88 years, 283 in all, is an unusual record for a family for three generations.
Fourth Generation
Daughter A. J. and S. S., Florence ; daughter of M. and G. A. Burnett. Lemira Maria (Mrs. Sutherland), Omalia, Neb.
OTHER SHERWOODS
II. 2. John Sherwood lived in Nunda village, State Street, is buried in Nunda : married Rachel Jones ( Milliner) is buried in Nunda : Lemira Sher- wood, married Stephen Burnett: Reuben, married ( I) Miss French, (2) Mar- tha G. Butler : Harry, married Mrs. Maria Bush; Nathan, married Anice Buc- ler : Abigail, married Lilly: Lucy, married Platt Halstead, of Byers- ville : Polly, married Jeremiah Kenney; Clorinda, married Lewis Beecher, Fort Wayne.
At one time several of these brothers manufactured inkstands. The bot- tles were enclosed in a circular wooden frame for uses in school. They re- sisted frost and were indispensable in school houses in winter. Harry, Nathan and Reuben, were the firm. The shop was at the homestead, east side of road, changed to a dwelling house about 1840.
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The Old Revolutionary Soldier impressed me in my youth, as a good joker, and a very ordinary soldier. He did not tell of any valorous deeds, had not been wounded, and was living longer than men who had not been soldiers, so the funny stories charmed more than most of his A-nec'-dotes of the war, as he used to call them, for if he did not give the inflexion right, he never missed the point of his joke.
His first skirmish was not a big success for his old flint lock gun was so poor that he found it would have been loaded to the muzzle if the fracas had gone on long enough, for the gun had not gone off once, but then like many other soldiers he had killed as many of the enemy, as the enemy had of him. He was most proud of being in the battle, where, as the old rhyme goes, "Thus did Putman down the steep, Where no pursuers dared to leap."
He once played a joke on Capt. John Townsend and his wife, playing on their strong point, hospitality. While almost a stranger here, his cattle roamed away and strayed across to the State Road. Early one Sunday morning he started in pursuit and brought up at Capt. John's just as they were breakfast- ing. They asked him to have some breakfast and he answered, "I don't care if I do, for I haven't had a mouthful to eat this week." Capt. John literally piled his plate and Aunt Mary urged him to eat more, neither of them discovered that he had eaten as recently as they, or anybody else, on Sunday morning. Next day when Capt. John brought down to Sherwood a whole lot of provi- sions, the joke was then explained. Grandaddy, as most every one called him, planted some peach trees, and when the fruit was ripe he sent an invitation to Deacon Archibald Coleburn to come over and see him eat his first peach pie. The Deacon put on his best dickey and Sunday suit and went over to enjoy with the old veteran his pie. When the pie was put before him. he deliber- ately ate piece after piece of it until it was all gone. The Deacon felt insulted ; he had wasted a half day from his labor of making Ax-helves, and all to see a peach pie eaten by another. But Dame Abigail, who knew his tricks had made a turn-over pie for herself of the same material and handed it to the Deacon as he hastily took his hat to go home.
₡:
GRANVILLE SHERWOOD Died, aged 95
CYRUS ROSE at 90
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The way Grandaddy proved. he wasa good man, by the Bible, was scrip- tural certainly. When he was past ninety, he said he was a good man, for the Bible says: "The wicked shall not live out half their days," and he had lived out at least nine tenths of his. And so it proved, for he was 99 years and nine months old when he died. "I think I shall live while a hundred," he often said. He was a homely man with a big Roman nose and a still larger mouth. He would get off one of his jokes and then throw back his head and laugh till every body else would laugh too. On one occasion he perpetrated one of his practical jokes at a neighbors table. and while laughing with his mouth open like a cave, the neighbor, Capt. John Townsend, caught up a piece of butter as big as an egg and landed it in his mouth, which he swallowed quietly, observing, "Your wife, Capt. John, is a right good butter maker." When about 95, he was troubled with nervousness, which he called the "narves." He said, "There never was any 'narves' when I was a boy." Indeed he was very near the truth; few people in youth and health, have any personal acquaintance with their nerves.
Granville Sherwood, his eldest son was a typical country gentleman. His fine farm was worked mostly by others. He had a large Apiary and cared for his bees systematically, for those days. His farm (located at Nunda Junction) was very productive, his orchards had the greatest variety of apples, and they were shared freely with his neighbors who had no orchards. In 1853 his hand- some farm house, located in an oak grove, burned down. The fire was probably due to grandaddy's "narves." The family moved to this village, and lived with their son-in-law William G. Russell, at the twin-house opposite the Dick- ensons, while the new house was being built. Nathan Sherwood came from Illinois and took grandpappy home with him, where he died, some five years later.
Mrs. Granville Sherwood was a lovely lady in every respect. If she had any share in human defects, no one knew what they were. Mrs. Matilda Sher- wood Russell is the only survivor of the family. John Sherwood and wife lived on State Street. Mrs. Sherwood was one of the Milliners of that time.
Nathan Sherwood was the genius of the family and combined the quali- ties of Artist, inventor and Yankee pedlar. There was nothing he could not make, or when made, could not sell. He lived on State Street, sometimes in "the castle," then new, and some of the time near it. With Deacon Thayer, he made matches, without him he made of wax (obtained at Granvilles), representations of Noah's Ark, and the animals and the dove. His representation of the Nativ- ity was his masterpiece : with an ox and ass feeding at the manger, the Holy Family near ; two Angels looking on, with some interest, but not with half as much as the children, young and old, of Nunda did. for he could sell, and did sell, all that he and his household could make of his waxen wonders. With a load of these, and salves and liniments, and washing fluids, and dried mutton hams, and wooden bowls and matches, he went out into the settlement and came back with eggs, butter, pork, wheat, oats, maple sugar, honey and anything merchantable. No family lived better than his, and no merchant's goods ex- cited such admiration. He married Anice Butler whose father lived in the house west of Craig's Warehouse. She was an aunt of Mrs. E. O. Dickenson. Their children were: Locaza. ( Mrs. Beals), who is living at Great Bend, Ind. ;
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Emma ; Oreana (Mrs. Baxter, lived at Friendship, N. Y.) ; Homer, Day and Dwight, all three born in this village, after 1836: Frank, born at Friendship.
Mr. Sherwood also made wooden bowls in Jones Cabinet shop. Reuben Sherwood. another brother, lived in this village. His second wife was the mother of his children ; her name was French; his third wife was Martha G. Butler, a sister to Mrs. Elvira Starkweather (Mrs. E. Tyler), and Mrs. Nathan Sherwood. The children were Granville, Anson, James, David, and Harriet. Young Gran. Sherwood, as he was called, studied law with Nunda's second law- ver, Benedict Bagley, as did Addison M. Crane, Nunda's third lawyer, and later E. W. Packard, Jack Sherwood, Samuel S. Crooks and others. He became the greatest criminal lawyer in Texas and became immensely rich. There were others in the family who became eminent as lawyers, especially David, who is a Judge and resides in Elgin, Ill. Anson S., is still living at Detroit, Mich. The children of Nathan were: Emma, Oreana, Homer, Day and Dwight, all born in Nunda. Erastus D. Halstead, father of Platt C. Halstead, Sheriff of Living- ston County, was also a grandson of the old veteran, the writer knew so well in youtlı.
THE HUGGINS FAMILIES ON THE CREEK ROAD
I.
I. Ira Huggins, farmer and carpenter, married Valeria Pitts (his
cousin ), born in Paulet, Vt., lived in Nunda until about 1860, when he moved to Springfield. Pa.
Children
II. * John, *Sally, Savillion, *Henrietta, *Frank. Savillion is the only survivor, he lives in Springfield, Pa.
(2). Valeria Huggins married Jonathan Hamilton. Sons : *Edwin M. Hamilton, married #Harriet Dunn : Charles Hamilton, married *Harriet Haga- dorn. Both sons were in the Civil War.
(3). William Huggins came to Livingston County 1834, married Almira B. Pitts, daughter of Luke Pitts, who lived with them.
II. Children of William and Almira :
Maria (Mrs. William H. Guy) ; Francis (Mrs. J. C. Jones) ; Martha (Mrs. J. Bradley Chase of Nunda ) ; Dr. Will Q., veteran and physician ; Henry who died, aged 26.
Grandchildren of William and Almira Huggins, who lived in Nunda : Ella Guy, married Charles Downs: Lorette Jones, married (1) *Elmer Bat- terson. (2) John: Doolittle. Edison, N. Y. : Harley, single; James, married Mary Marsh; George, married Mattie Orcutt: Mattie, married George Stevens . Henry, married *Carrie Whitenack. daughter of Asher; * Alice, married Grant Badgley ; Harold and Charles, sons of Dr. Will Q. Huggins.
Great Grandchildren
Children of Lorette Batterson : Flossie, married Fred Paine, son of Wells ; Jessie, married Prof. Frank.
Children of James and Mary: Harley and Alice.
Child of George. Georgia, married Ralph Stewart.
Child of Alice Badgley, Jessie.
Child of Henry Jones, Anna.
Children of Mattie Stevens. Orlow and Francis.
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Great Great Grandchildren
Child of Flossie Paine, Marian.
Children of Jessie Jones, Jennie, and Baby Stewart.
The Jackson family came to Portage in 1819. Mathias Jackson Sr., was a builder of Grist Mills. His wife was a sister of Mrs. William Gould, and a daughter of Mrs. Cathell who came with them. Mr. J., having built mills for Col. Orcutt at Spring Brook and Portage, and for James Wadsworth, the pio- neer, died in 1830; and the widow and hier sons moved to Nunda in 1831. Leonard is the only survivor of the family. He is now 86 years of age, and knew more people who have lived in the village of Nunda, or who are buried at Oakwood Cemetery, than any other person.
The sons were: * Mathias Jackson, Jr., a stage driver and teamster; he married *Sally Snyder ; William married a Teeple; Daniel and Leonard, mar- ried sisters by the name of Weedright : Miranda, married P. P. Cady of Nunda.
The children of Leonard are: 1. Paschal, married Bertha Smith. Pas- chal is a veteran of the Civil War. (2). * Leonard, married Anna St. John, who survives him, and lives in Nunda: (3) Charles, died when a young man ; (4) Laura ; (5) Mary, married William H. Kelly; (6) Catharine, married Elias Douglas ; (7) George: (8) Harriet Fidelia, married Wilson A. Bennett.
The IV Generation: Grandchildren of Leonard. (children of Leonard Jr.) James, single, a blacksmith : Clyde, married May Thrall.
George Jr., and Maude ; children of George.
Lottie Bennett, a musician, daughter of Harriet.
The \' Generation. Children of Clyde and May: Charles and Kenneth.
THE CREEK ROAD BENNETTS OF 1835
John Bennett was twice married. His second wife was Abigail Perrin. The children of the first marriage were Almon, Roswell G., and the second wife of Jacob II. Osgoodby; of the second marriage, Liberty Lucia, married John Paige; Millicent, married Jacob H. Osgoodby. The Bennett farms were first taken up by Alpheus Herrick and David S. Conklin ; then sold to Daniel Ashley a relative of Mrs. Conklin : and it is said, that the Ashleys brought $16 .- ooo into the village when they came. If so the Bennetts must have had about the same amount. Almon Bennett sold out his share to Roswell G., and moved to Canaseraga, his son Stephen was his principal heir. Roswell G. Bennett left about $80,000 when he died. John Bennett and his wife lived to be elderly people, about 75, which is not considered very old in Nunda, where 80 is quite old, and go is very, very old. At least fifty citizens that have lived in Nunda have attained that age, and four or five have exceeded one hundred. John Bennett was born in the year 1775 and his wife 1883, both historic dates, the beginning and end of the Revolutionary War.
R. G. Bennett, married Betsey Day, they had one son Griggs, a most ex- cellent youth, but he died of diphtheria when but 16 years of age. The family adopted a niece and nephew. Carrie and Harry Gilbert, the orphaned children of Charles and Eliza Day Gilbert. The entire family lived but a few years. For lack of space. the writer is obliged to leave out the excellent graduating essay of Carrie Gilbert, on "The Mission of Difficulty" that was full of excel- Hence and appreciation for those who had made themselves victors of cir- cumstances.
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Miss Eliza Crane, whose mother was a sister to Mrs. Betsey Bennett, and Mrs. Eliza Gilbert, is the only representative of the Days, and the Paige sisters of the Bennett-Perrin family. Their brother Perrin, died in the service, and the three sisters are living together and keeping as much as possible of the home feeling, though both parents have passed away. A grandson of Liberty Ben- nett also lives in this place ; Judson Bennett and an uncle, John, are also liv- ing, but not in Nunda. The Balty and Bennett Mill at Coopersville was well conducted by this firm. and both men made a competency by this means in the days when the flour from the Keshequa valley was as good as any in the world.
THE HUDNUT FAMILY OUT IN THE WOODS
This excellent family though farmers on a small farm, living most of their lives in a log house were rich in excellence ; they were pure gold.
I. Nathaniel Hudnut, Mrs. Esther Hudnut.
II. Margaret, married Solomon Lee Hamilton; Betsey, married Rev. William Wisner : Polly, married Calvin Wisner : Rachel, married Horace Wis- ner ; * Harriet, married *Leroy Satterlce who conducted Rochester Collegiate Institute (son Eugene, college graduate and lawyer, Rochester. N. Y.) ; Sarah. single, buried at Nunda ; Caroline, single, buried at Nunda ; William Hudnut. married Florette Ormsby, sister of Fayette Ormsby of Wilcox Corners. *Orren Hudnut, married Catharine VanDoren, Middleport.
Children of Orren: 1. Rev. Prof. Isaiah B., College president; 2. Frank, M. D. 3. James Monroe, soldier and Collegian.
The mother is still living in Brockport. The most of the Hudnuts, Wis- ners and Hamiltons were Baptists. The Orrin Hudnut family were not.
I. Deacon Daniel Wisner, married Sarah Wisner ;
3. Horace, married Rachel Hudnut: Rev. William, married Betsey Hud- nut ; Calvin, married Poliy Hudnut.
4. LaFayette, married Harriet Warner.
A NOBLE TRIBUTE FROM ONE NOBLE WOMAN TO ANOTHER
Mrs. Montgomery is the daughter of Prof. Judson A. Barnett and Emily Barnett. Her estimate of Mrs. Harriet Hudnut Satterlee
The story of a useful and beautiful life was closed yesterday when throngs of friends gathered in her quiet home in Meigs Street to pay their loving tribute to the memory of Mrs. LeRoy Satterlee. When so long and honored a life 15 ended. it is fitting that those who remain should gather up fragrant memories and preserve them : for such lives built into the city's growth are its true and lasting wealth.
Harriet Satterlec was educated in Temple Hill Academy, Geneseo, and was a young woman in 1849, when her husband came to Rochester to be principal of School No. 5. at that time the leading public of the city. From that day to this her life has been here, and there are hundreds who know how sweet and strong have been the influences emanating from this quiet, unassuming woman. There are no stirring deeds to record, no striking achievements, yet the life i : full and rich, because it is beautiful within.
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Harriet Satterlee was rich in her personality. People did not easily for- . get her face, her voice, her winning manner. Little children took to her ; young girls confided in her. It was natural for burdened people to lean on her strong arm, and for a whole circle to brighten when she joined it. There was an in- formality and directness in speech and action that were exceedingly attractive, and a heartiness in voice and hand-clasp that invited trust. Her good cheer was infectious and her ability to clear away difficult situations was proverbial among her friends. Strong in courage and confident in hope, she could either find a way or make one.
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