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 29
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1832
William D. Hammond and wife came from Hume in 1832 to Nunda vil- lage, built the "Gunsmith Bennett house" and several stores. Mr. Hammond was a Justice of the Peace, and from his business and rents secured a com- petence. His children were :
II. 1. Isabel, a music teacher and church organist.
II. 2. Adelaide, married Thomas B. Lovell of Nunda.
Mrs. Hammond was a widow many years and died in 1902. The family bought the Hammond place on East Street, west of the Protestant Episcopal Church, probably built by J. Chapin, a cabinet maker. There are now none of the family living but Mrs. Thomas Lovell and her children, who reside at Niagara Falls.
The Howell family from Mt. Morris were prominent here as merchants. William Howell, Sr., built the block that stood at the corner of Second and State Streets for his sons to sell merchandise. It was afterward owned by the father of John Holmes, and known as Holmes Hall. Several terms of Select High School were taught there. The building ultimately was burned, but, phoenix like, the Union Block has taken its place.
William Howell, Sr .. William Howell. Jr., Abram V. Howell. merchants ; Joanna ( milliner), married Dean Kendall ( marketman ) : Prine Howell ; James Howell married and lived in Nunda until his death.
Children of James : Joshua, married Hattie Herrick, daughter of Charles Herrick; Charles a machinist and a Spanish War veteran; Mrs. James Howell, died 1908.
CHASE-MOSHER FAMILY
The Thomas Chase family lived on Massachusetts Street in a building since burned, on the site of the A. D. Scott house, about 1840. The Mosher branch of the family lived at Wilcox Corners in the early thirties.
Thomas Chase married Dorcas Shipman. Children: Ezra, Harriet, Thomas C., afterward Sheriff of Livingston Co., Joseph, Henry, Almira, Electa, William and Delany.
Ezra never lived in Nunda. * Joseph died in Avon. William studied medi- cine in Michigan and became a physician. Delany married in Pennsylvania and went West. Harriet married Isaac Mosher, settled at Wilcox Corners in 1831. He was a carpenter and an expert maker of axe-hielves and worked for William D. Painc, millwright, who built many saw mills. Children :
II. 1. Ann, born 1830, married John W. Clark.
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III. Son, Julian Clark; grandson, Clifford Clark, Cornell, 1900, E. E. Mrs. Clark married (second ) Rhoderick Spencer.
III. 2. Delia, married Urmson (a Canadian) : 3. Louisa, died in Nunda, 1906: 4. Judith. died in Nunda 1870; 5. Angerille, married Edwin Ensworth, Dalton, N. Y. ; 6. Netta, single, Nunda, N. Y.
II. * Henry, married *Amanda Alvard, both died recently ; Almira mar- ried *Clark Brewer, brother to Havillah, nephew of James. III. * Mary Brewer, Electa married Arden Heath, son of Asa R. Heath, a pioneer.
II. Thomas Chase, Jr., was the Sheriff of Livingston County and will long be remembered as the Sheriff who hung Henry Wilson. the murderer of Henry Devoe of Portage. He lived with the family at Wilcox Corners and afterward on Mass Street, Nunda. The house has since been burned, but A. D. Scott built on the site.
1835-CRANE-CRARY-BRACKETT FAMILY
(Hon.) Addison M. Crane, Nunda's third lawyer, came to Nunda when a young man, was in the office of Benedict Bagley, taught school, married a niece of Judge Daniel Ashley (member of Assembly) and was one of the leading young men in the society of that day. He afterward went to Illinois and became a member of Assembly.
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His wife was - - Ashley ; sister, Amelia Crane; brother, Danforth Crane ; cousin, Gertrude Crane. Mrs. Crary and Mrs. Brackett were Cranes ; wife's mother, Catharine Ashley-Palen, died in Nunda 1841.
Charles E. Crary, merchant, town clerk, married Charlotte Abby Crane.
Edward H. Brackett. merchant, married Mary Ann Crane. Another cousin married Lawyer Edw. Webster, a nephew of Hon. Daniel Ashley of Nunda.
CHAPTER XVIII.
1834-THE WHITCOMB FAMILIES
Walter, Walter B., Samuel P.
Walter Whitcomb (merchant and banker) was born just a century ago, February 13. 1808, and was nearly a month old when the town. in which he com- pleted a long and useful life, was organized; before coming from York to Nunda in 1834, he married Hannah B. Richmond, a sister of B. P. Richmond.
Of this estimable lady, "Anna Warner" French writes in her book of, fam- ily genealogy,-"Mrs. Whitcomb was one of the bright and most entertaining cf women, and she preserved her charm of manner and conversation to the last of her life." The author endorses this statement without comment. The family is now nearly extinct ; the eldest daughter but recently passed away, 1906. The children were:
I. Victoria, married I Capt. John Pulaski Wood, Act. Adjt. Gen., killed in action ; 2 Col. Newton T. Colby, a former Nunda man, who died a few years since. Their children were:
1. Frances Wood, married William Craig; 2. Caroline (nature teacher ) ; 3. Robert Colby, clergyman.
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2. *Mary Whitcomb ( single) was a type of filial devotion ; Sophia, mar- ried *Arnold Medbury; Robert Medbury, married Minnie Davie. Their chil- dren :
I. Hazel; 2. * Will. Will a bright lad recently passed away.
II. 4. Louisa, married Col. James Strang, Lawyer, Genesee, N. Y. (See Military record 104th N. Y.)
Children; Walter, Arthur, Louise and Sophia.
II. 5. * Helen, married George W. Chandler, son of Nathaniel, ( see Col- lege List and Club).
III. Walter and Elsie, Milwaukee, Wis.
II. 6. * Emily, married Hand of St. Louis.
II. 7. William, married Lillian Bulkley.
THE WHITCOMB FAMILY WERE PRESBYTERIANS
II. Walter B. Whitcomb ( nephew of Waiter), born in York, came to Nunda in 1848 as a clerk for his uncle ; married Fidelia J. Merrick, daughter of Hiram; clerked for Jermial Richardson. uncle to Mrs. Whitcomb ; purchased the store and residence of J. Richardson ; was a merchant ; and was associated with the Nunda Bank for nearly forty years.
III. Eva, a teacher of elocution, (Mrs. Olney, graduate of Nunda Aca- demy) and School of Elocution. Boston.
III. S. Merrick, born in Nunda, graduate of Harvard, A. B. '77, ( see Col- lege men of Nunda). wife Zetta. daughter Eva, student Livingston Park Semi- nary, Rochester, N. Y.
IV. Mrs. F. J. M. Whitcomb, graduate Boston University, Medical De- partment, 1878; practiced medicine in Nunda and Tarpon Springs, Fla., died in Tarpon Springs. The family were Universalists.
SAMUEL P. WHITCOMB FAMILY
He came to Nunda in 1856 to attend the Nunda Literary Institute ; clerked for his brother W. B. Whitcomb several years ; had store at Portageville, during Civil War; married Juliette, daughter of Simeon Hammond of Corning, N. Y .: was in business with S. Hammond in Corning; returned to Nunda, and Ham- mond & Co., purchased the furniture and undertaking business of Barclay & Co .; had a book and variety store at Tonawanda, Pa .; returned to Nunda, was partner with Willard Bros., wholesale Casket Works; died at Tarpon Springs. and was buried at Nunda. honored by all for his scarcity of faults, his wealth of good qualities.
Mrs. Juliette Whitcomb survived her husband but a few years, she was an invalid at the time of his death. They were without children. Mrs. Whit- comb left her portion of the estate. having no near relatives, to the ( Univer- salist Church of the Redeemer) of Nunda, with certain bequests, as to the use of a part of it.
Mrs. Louise Whitcomb Davis, a sister of W. B., and S. P., and of Fred Whitcomb, lived for some years with the family of W. B. Whitcomb and is still a frequent summer guest of her nephew, Prof. S. M. Whitcomb.
Frederick Whitcomb of Rochester, the other brother of Walter B., Sam- uel P. and Louise, though never a citizen of Nunda, has with his wife been a
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guest ot their kin for so many years, that friendly mention ot them, seems due.
As a family of merchants these three heads of families, the uncle and his nephews, will long be remembered. In social life Mrs. Walter Whitcomb and her daughters, Mrs. Walter B. Whitcomb and Mrs. Samuel P. Whitcomb, were acknowledged leaders; gifted with rare conversational powers, they did much to lift the social standards of the time to a higher plane of intellectuality and refine- ment. The individuality of the three Mrs. Whitcombs, relatives only by mar- riage was distinctive. In Mrs. Mary Whitcomb, ease, grace, and courtesy, pre- dominated, in Mrs. Fidelia the power of reasoning was pronounced and domi- nant, she was a female logician always equipped for action, she won her vic- tories only from the strong men of ability ; she was delightful with women and young people, she placed them at their ease, and made them surprise them- selves, by the bright things they themselves had said. Mrs. Juliette Whit- comb, with a vivacity seldom excelled created an atmosphere of cheerfulness and mirth, out of the abundant resources of her own geniality. Her last long sickness of excessive pain and torture. lasted for years, and her sudden great affliction in the loss of her devoted husband was robbed of half its pathos, by her spirit of submission and her power of cheerful endurance. Those who sought her presence with hearts overflowing with pity were themselves com- forted, her very tones were full of her life-long cheerfulness.
Her death in her far away Southern home, itself pitiful to her Northern friends, was not forlorn or desolate, a choice coterie of congenial lady friends ministered to her every want.
Her burial in Oakwood following the severest storm of the winter, at an early morning hour, with a depth of snow that made it an impossibility for her lady friends to attend her obsequies, seemed pitiful beyond expression.
She had sent a poem to be read, (by the writer, at her grave for the church had no pastor at the time), so full of the spirit of submission, trust and content, that her death, like her sickness, was robbed of its sting, and the piti- less grave among the snow drifts, won no victory.
The selection was from "God's good man"; she had found healing balm in it, when God's good man, her husband, was taken away, and she sent it as her word of "strong confidence" to those she expected to need its tone ( so like her own) of comfort.
The services at the grave were as follows :
"Two years ago, we buried here one of God's good men, to-day, we place beside him, one of God's good women. She has asked of me, the reading of these words of trust. I give them as
HER WORDS TO US
"The Lord is my Shepherd ; I shall not want He makethi me down to lie In pleasant fields where the lilies grow And the river runneth by.
The Lord is my Shepherd; he feedeth me In the depth of a desert land,
And lest I should in the darkness slip He holdeth me by the hand.
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SAMUEL P. WHITCOMB
MRS. JULIETTE WHITCOMB
The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want, My mind on him is stayed, As through the valley of Death I walk, I shall not be afraid.
The Lord is my Shepherd; Oh Shepherd sweet Leave me not liere to stray But guide me safe to thy heavenly fold And keep me there I pray. Amen!"
The reader then said, I offer this, as "Our word concerning her, concerning Death, and our trust in Life through Death.
I. Death.
Our friend has passed Into the silence that will know no breaking The grief, the sorrow and the sad heart-aching Are ours; in perfect silence folded closely In arms invisible to us, held fast She slumbers without waking.
II. Life.
Her spirit lives !
In high ideals, born of love and duty;
Her faith,-her hope for all -- her trust in God;
Kissing submissively his chasening rod All these shall form, better than sculptured scroll The record of a bright joy-breathing soul Her monument of beauty!
III. Life, through Death. O Death! Stern Foe! Kind Friend! Thou dost dissever-a wrong that can be righted,- For severed hearts, after a few dark days Are brought together to abide always ; 'Tis grief to part-but joy to be united For all that makes life bright-still lives and thrives Faith leads to God-Hope makes all true life blest, Love-God's best gift-survives.
In giving these short obsequies (that followed those given in the Sunny Southland), publicity, the writer aims to perpetuate the memory of this worthy couple ; whose only posterity, are their deeds of devotion to duty; the joy their . bright lives engendered; the grief of kindred spirits at their departure. They were childless : and those who do not live in their posterity are sooner forgotten however well loved, and best known. The childless writer, leaves a poem or a book, and though a record of the lives of others, the reader between the lines, finds the antipodes of life, humor and pathos, mirthfulness and gloom ; and. be- tween these severed poles. the real trend of life is seen in its estimate of the lives described.
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All men and women cannot leave books or bequests that will foster in others, what was most vital to themselves. That to these lovers of humanity and the Gospel of the "Good Shepherd" breathing its spirit of Universal love, that had kept their hearts so reverent and trustful, it was fitting, it was right, it was best, that they should keep the cause they loved best, alive, to cheer and brighten human lives. To the maintenance of the church and the faith that had in- creased their love for God and goodness, they gave all in gratitude. May the gratitude of the receiver, equal that of the giver.
A gift that becomes, even in part, a perpetuity may create a perpetuity of usefulness, and engender in successive generations what all desire and few se- cure, "loving remembrance." Love alone is abiding. That the giver as well as the gift may be known to those who will help perpetuate this faith, the writer in his verse, and in his pen picture of his co-workers, has tried to lend his eyes and heartfelt appreciation.
Long may the names of Samuel and Juliette Whitcomb be remembered for what they were, to those who knew them, and for what they did, or tried to do, for those who are yet to be.
1835
Bradford Perez Richmond, better known as B. P. Richmond, soon after his marriage to Anna Whitwell, a woman of wealth and refinement, probably by the advice of Walter Whitcomb who had previously married his sister, came to Nunda in 1835. The two families lived together in the George Bagley house, on the corner of State and Vermont Streets. The accommodations were limited and both men built new houses. The writer knows that one of these houses was well built, as good lumber was cheap in those days ; the house was lined with wide inch boards, from 12 to 16 inches in width, that would now sell at $40 a thousand. Perhaps the writer, who bought the house 52 years afterward paid at that rate for them, but it is doubtful if B. P. Rich- mond paid more than $8 a thousand. It was a good house but not quite satis- factory to Mrs. Richmond, so it was sold a year later to Squire Jonathan Bar- ron, and the fine house known as the Richmond homestead in which not only the children of this worthy couple were born; but, it is also said, that a very popular "fictitious character." known as "Susan Glegg," who spoke a dialect peculiar to the primitive people of Nunda, had a literary conception and birth. at this same homestead.
Whether the "Richmond Genealogy" also grew to maturity, so cozily housed, and illustrated by some good specimens of the Richmond family, I can- not say, I only hope that the book that awaits birth, from the former Richmond home may be as accurate in its genealogy and biology and have some of the humor of the "Susan Glegg book." without serving to verify, with uninten- tional defects, the peculiarities of Western New York dialect.
Houses have histories as truly as their owners, their chances of growing beautiful with age are more numerous than that of their owners, their term of existence is greater. and these houses demonstrate that fact. while the dry goods store built twelve years later, barely survived its first occupants. Whitcomb and Richmond: the one that stood near it, built by Riley Merrill about 1830, of half its size and value, after changing its location twice, is still in existence.
Mr. Richmond, as a retired merchant. spent much of his time in reading
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scientific works, and became quite well versed in geology. He lived to a good old age, having been a citizen of the town about 75 years. His entire married life was spent here. Mrs. Richmond's gentleness, courtesy and warm hearted generosity made her a favorite with all classes. She survived her husband a few years, and her most devoted admirers were those to whom she had given employment. Every holiday a bountiful banquet was provided and the greater part of it was shared with the sick and the needy. The best was none too good to give to those unused to such luxuries. Such almoners of abundance have been few, even in this town where generosity is the rule, and selfishness the exception.
The entire family of children and grandchildren, as recorded in Anna War- . ner's Genealogy, were :
Georgia Virginia W., August 30, 1840, married Addison Rathbone, A. B., Union College, 1859: Anna Elizabeth W., December 11, 1842, married William P. Warner, A. B., Union College, lawyer, son of Dr. Eben Warner, resides at St. Paul, Minn. ; Charles Bradford, born November 18, 1854, married Mary Packard, daughter of E. W. Packard, Esq. The son of C. B. and M. R .; Her- bert, a dentist, at Kane, Pa., married Miss Scott.
III. "Anna Warner" French, the novelist, has achieved success as a writer of fiction. She has two children, who were formerly summer guests at the Richmond homestead.
Bradford P. Richmond died October 18, 1898, aged 85 years. Mrs. Anna Whitwell Richmond died June 6, 1904.
1835
Daniel P. Bard, mechanic and musician, teacher of vocal music, had first music store, married Catharine Shelmire.
II. Maria Bard, married Horace Whipple, nephew of Elisha Whipple.
III. I. Frank Whipple, born in Nunda, court stenographer, married in 1906, resides in Geneseo.
1837
Asa D. Wood, James W. Laughlin, Ross W. Estabrook and Ambrose Clark were in business (New York store) but the firin soon dissolved.
1833
I. Daniel Rockwood, married Kingman of Grove.
II. Alvin Rockwood, married Mrs. Eunice Cheney ; Enock Cheney. Harvey Huggins, Emeline Huggins, Ezekiel Gilbert, Mrs. Gilbert's, broth- ers-in-law, had a steam saw mill on Joseph Gormel farm.
1833-ROCKINGHAM FAMILIES-MORE MECHANICS
Eben Wheeler, born 1797. cabinetmaker and farmer, married Charlotte Wright, cousin to Oliver Wright, settled in 1833, bought out the original settler ( farm long owned by Isaac Brewster) and built a cabinet shop. His chairs, made over 75 years ago, are still in some of the households in this place, and are as good as when first made, even the paint and gilding being still good. Children :
Mary, born June 10, 1815, was a teacher for 25 years. She married, when about 45 years of age. Col. (of militia) Greenlief Clark, a tanner and Justice
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of the Peace of Portage. They had one daughter. Mr. Clark died many years ago. Mrs. Mary Clark died in 1906, aged 91 years, in Nunda village, at the former home of her friend, Rachel A. Bennett, whose death preceded hers but a few months. Both ladies, with Miss Gertrude E. Clark, then an invalid, at- tended the pioneer day picnic at our last "Old Home Week" gathering, riding to the grove in the auto of Colonel J. J. Carter. It was their first and last ride in an auto, and, though very feeble, they enjoyed being there and were grate- ful to Col. Carter and his son for giving them this unexpected pleasure. At the funeral of Mrs. Clark was assembled at least a half dozen of her former pupils, whose ages were from 65 to 80 years, and all spoke of her excellence as a teacher and as a Christian woman.
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III. Miss Gertrude E. Clark was a scholar. Her knowledge of books, especially text books, was great. She was a graduate of the Nunda Free Acad- emy, the Genesee Normal School, and spent two years at Wellesley College. She died soon after the death of her mother. Both are buried at Oakwood.
John H. Clark, son of Greenlief Clark, also a tanner, has lived in Nunda for about 20 years. Two sons and a daughter, Ethel, were educated. Ethel became the second wife of George Barber, a produce dealer.
II. 2. Albert Lund Wheeler, born 1817, studied dentistry in Nunda, died in 1845 ; 3. Rodney Hubbard Wheeler. born 1819, became a tinsmith, died 1839; 4. Abraham T., born 1821, farmer, married (first ) Mary Swan, (second) Mary A. Fuller, daughter of Stephen Fuller, Sr.
III. I. Laura, married Bishop Reed, Kansas City ; 2. Frank Abram, born 1853, died 1889, buried at Oakwood.
II. 5. * John R. (Ryland) Wheeler, born 1823, married *Julia Upson of Nunda, daughter of *Dr. Upson. Mrs. Wheeler resides on Center Street.
III. I. Charles Albert Wheeler, married Mary Miller, daughter of Jona- than Miller : 2. William Mullen Wheeler, born 1861, Cuba, N. Y.
II. 6. * Elizabeth Wheeler, born 1825, married Levi Chase, of Nunda. Levi Chase (Maj. Civil War ) died at San Diego, 1905.
III. Gertrude, born in Nunda, died young ; Charles Albert Chase, mar- ried in California and now resides in San Diego, Cal.
II. 7. Charlotte Louise Wheeler, born in 1827, died 1870.
Mrs. Clark said that Mr. Wheeler bought his farm of L. Joslyn and that there was no house upon it. Of the Wheeler family there are none nearer than Cuba except Mrs. John R., who resides on Center Street.
1836
John Seaver family of Rockingham settled in Nunda and bought out Nathaniel Chandler, State Street, who succeeded Riley Merrill, Sr. Mr. Seaver was a gunsmith, blacksmith and farmer. John Seaver married Miss Whitcomb. Harriet : Martha, married - Eddy, a merchant tailor.
III. William S. Eddy, editor, died young ; Hiram Seaver ; Fanny Seaver, married Philip G. Slocum.
III. I. * Adello Slocum, editor, married Adella Havens; 2. Clement Slocum.
I. 2. Aaron Whitcomb, a brother of Mrs. John Seaver.
Adello Slocum and William S. Eddy were editing a paper, and were fast reaching civil honors and prosperity when they both were taken sick and died.
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Adello was brought back to Nunda for burial. A marker over his grave bears this inscription, "Our noble boy," which found general indorsement by all who knew him. His widow survives and has written and possibly published a book of poems.
SOME NEW ENGLAND FAMILIES
The families of the Barrons, Barretts, Wrights (three families) and Dakes are closely connected by marriage, and all were zealous supporters of the Baptist Church. There were two Dr. Wrights. Dr. Eben married a Bar- ron, Dr. Barnabus married a Barrett. Moses Barron married Mary Barrett. the only living pioneer of these large households, while two of the Barrett sisters married Dakes. These families were educated in New England, and in consequence of these advantages most of them of the second generation be- came prominent as teachers and in the professions. The Dake family was conspicuous from its great number of physicians. The Barrons, by the pur- chase of lands in Nunda (Chandler or Sturgeon farm), in 1824. were first as purchasers, the Wrights, i. e., the Doctors Wright, next, the other two families of Wright. John S. and Oliver ( not relatives to the former nor to each other), came next. The latter came with Deacon James Barrett in 1835. Some of the Dakes came to Portage-Nunda in 1819 and afterward to Nunda.
Some of the members of these people from New Hampshire and Ver- mont are connected by marriage with very many of the other pioneer families of Nunda.
The influence of these strong, sturdy, reliable people in this community cannot be over-estimated. The writer groups them together for they formed for their day and generation a strong and united force in fostering a high type of life in this community. They all attended the same church, for they were all deep water Christians.
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Dr. Eben Wright lived in the large house on the Oakland road that was taken down by the Carricks, but moved into the village and Surranus Britton succeeded him there in the "thirties."
THE FAMILY OF DR. EBEN WRIGHT
I. Eben Wright. M. D., married Harriet Barron, daughter of Jonathan.
II. 1. Mary, married Rev. William Clark, son of Rev. Clark : 2. Harriet. married Samuel Goss : 3. * Eben, Jr. (in Michigan) : Sarah, married Dr. Gran- ville Thomas, Chicago : children born in Chicago: Frank Wright (an Institute boy), married in Illinois, resides in Chicago.
I. 2. Barnabus Wright. M. D., owned two farms in Nunda, the Hugh McNair (Farrell farm) and 50 acres on North State Street. He practiced medicine during his life, married Anice Barrett, daughter of Deacon James Barrett. He died in Nunda.
II. I. Martha Jane, married Chester W. Chipman. Mr. Chipman had a . store near the home of Dr. Wright. It was doubtful at the time of its building where the center of the future village would be. The store was moved into the village at a later date and inserted between the Emporium Block and the East Street market. Chipman moved to Philadelphia.
III. * Edgar M. Chipman, a quasi veteran who enlisted in the ro4th. expecting his skill in company drill would give him a commission. It did not,
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