USA > New York > Tioga County > Owego > Early Owego, N.Y.; some account of the early settlement of the village in Tioga County, N.Y., called Ah-wa-ga by the Indians, which name was corrupted by gradual evolution into Owago, Owego, Owegy and finally Owego > Part 18
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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
Jacob Miller McCormick was born at Big Flats, Chemung county, in 1793. . He enlisted and served in the war of 1812, leaving the army at the close of the war with a major's commission. At Ithaca he became a man of promi- nence. He owned oil, grist, and plas- ter mills, large farms, a foundry, a hardware store, and much merchan- dise. He owned the Ithaca hotel. He owned and conducted a stage route be- tween Owego and Ithaca. He was post- master many years. He was a vil- lage trustee from 1836 to 1840, and president of Ithaca village in 1840. He was the first chief engineer of the Ithaca fire department, in 1838. He' died Sept. 6, 1855, at ithaca, aged 62 years.
While living in Owego, in 1821, he was appointed captain of a company of riflemen in the 53d regiment of state infantry. His wife was Cath- erine Conrad, of Lansing, N. Y., who was called the "Lady of the Lake" on account of her personal beauty and social graces.
One of Col. Henry and Jacob M. Mc- Cormick's brothers was Major Joseph McCormick, who was born April 18,' 1787, in the town of Wyoming, Pa. Two years later the family removed to
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Painted Post. In March, 1806, he mar- ried Mary Hatfield, of Newtown. In 1812. he enlisted in the government service as a captain of infantry. He fought in the battles at Tippecanoe, Queenstown Heights, Lundy's Lane,and. at the blowing up of Fort Erie, and was promoted to major. He resigned his commission in the army in 1816 and engaged in the lumber and mercantile business at Lawrenceville, På. In 1829 he removed to Louisville, Ky., and thence in 1832. to Covington, Ind., where he engaged in farming. Later he became commander and owner of the steamer "Detroit," plying between Louisville and St. Louis and the south- ern Mississippi ports. He was after- ward elected a member of the Indiana legislature, and in 1840, 1841, and 1842 he was re-elected. , He subsequently lived. at Rob Roy, Ill., . Manitowoc, Wis., and. Forestville, and Ahnapee, Wis. In 1870, when 84 years of age, he was elected to the Wisconsin legis- lature and enjoyed the distinction of being the oldest person occupying a seat in that body. He died at Ahna- pee Aug., 26, 1875, aged 88 years.
Col. Henry and Elizabeth McCor- mick were the parents of two daugh- ters. The eldest, Delinda McCormick, was born at Owego May 2, 1822. She was married to William James Shaw, of Ithaca, Oct. 29, 1844. He went to California in 1849 and never returned to Owego. He died at San Francisco a few years ago. Mrs. Shaw's father and John Arnot, of Elmira, were both of Scotch descent and strong friends. After Mr. Arnot's death Mrs. Shaw went to Elmira and lived with Mrs. Arnot until her death and after that she remained in the Arnot home with
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the family of Mr. Arnot's son, Matthew II. Arnot, and where she died Jan. 4, 1899.
. Col. McCormick's younger daughter, Mary Steward McCormick, was born Feb. 13, 1828, at Owego. She was the second wife of Rev. Edward Liver- more, to whom she was married Oct. 26, 1853. He was -twenty-three years rector of the Church of the Holy Com- munion at St. Peter's, Minn., and later chaplain of Kemper Hall at Kenosha, Wis., where he died May 28, 1866. She died Feb. 16, 1906, at Phoenixville, Pa.
GURDON. HEWITT.
One of the most successful business men that ever lived at Owego was Gurdon Hewitt, who was a resident of the village 48 years. He was born near New London, Conn., May 5, 1790. When he was six years old his parents removed to a farm, near the village of Oxford, Chenango county, N. Y. His early life was spent on the farm, and he received his early education at the Oxford academy. His father having been ruined financially through en- dorsing some notes for a friend, Gur- don Hewitt when less than 21 years of age went to New York city in search of a clerkship, without funds and with no acquaintances in the city.
. It is related that in making the trip he arranged with a man who was go- ing to Newburgh on horseback to go on the "ride and tie" plan. By this ar- rangement the owner of the horse would ride a few miles ahead and then hitch his horse at the roadside and proceed thence on foot. Mr. Hewitt would walk until he reached the place where the horse, was tied, unhitch the animal, and ride for sev-
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eral miles past where he overtook his companion. Then dismounting he. would proceed on foot while the owner of the horse would ride ahead in his turn.Thus they proceeded to Newburgh, whence Mr. Hewitt made the rest of his journey by boat to New York ..
Mr. Hewitt obtained a clerkship in a store, where he remained about a year and then entered the employ of a celebrated bridge builder named Burr as a bookkeeper. Mr. Burr was then constructing a bridge over the Susquehanna river, near Northumber- land, Pa., and Mr. Hewitt went there as his assistant. When this bridge was completed, in . 1819, he left Mr. Burr's employ and went to Towanda, Pa., where he began a general mer- cantile business, in which he was very successful. He also engaged in lumbering at Monroe. .. He built a store and a residence at Towanda. While living at Towanda he was treasurer . of Bradford' county front 1821 to 1822. He married a daughter of William's Means, of Towanda. She died, leaving no children. May 17, 1821, he married Charlotte . Platt, daughter of Major Jonathan Platt, of Nichols, N. Y.
In the spring of 1823 he removed to Owego and lived here all the rest of his life. He formed a partnership with his wife's brother, - Jonathan Platt in the general mercantile busi- ness. Their store was in a wooden building, which stood on the bank of the river a little above where the bridge is now. Their partnership lasted about a year, when Mr. Platt formed a partnership with David Tur- ner and Mr. Hewitt continued the
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. business alone until 1837. That year he and John 'M. Greenleaf formed a partnership in the same business. Their store was on the east side: of Lake street. The firm of Greenleaf & Hewitt existed until their store was burned in the great fire of September, 1849.
Mr. Hewitt did not resume the mer- cantile business, but devoted his en- tire attention to banking, in which he was remarkably successful, laying the foundation for the largest fortune ever accumulated in Owego. He was the first president of the old bank of Owego, now the First national bank, and was for several years its cashier. He was one of the trustees of the old Owego academy from its foundation, and most of the time president of the board. The only elective office he held was that of . village trustee in 1830 and 1831.
Wm .. F. Warner says of Mr. Hewitt: "He had an intellect of remarkable power, which had it been directed to scientific or professional pursuits,. would have placed him among. the first in the land.".
In February, 1833, Mr. Hewitt pur- chased of Jonathan Platt a lot.on the north side of Main street nearly op- posite the Baptist church and built a house thereon. The house still re- mains there and is the second, house from the Church street corner. Mr. Hewitt lived there until 1856 when he purchased the property at the north- east corner of Front and Church streets, where he lived until his death. He died Dec. 24, 1871, and his wife Jan. 16. 1876.
The children of Gurdon and Char- lotte (Platt) Hewitt were Gurdon
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Hewitt, Jr .; Sarah Hewitt, who mar- ried Frederick H. Pumpelly, of Owe- go; Charlotte Hewitt, who married Stephen T. Arnot, of Elmira, and . still lives in that city, and Frederick C. Hewitt, who still lives in this village.
Gurdon Hewitt, Jr., was born March 29, 1826, at Owego. He was educated as a lawyer and admitted to the bar of Tioga county in 1847, but never prac- tised law. He entered the store of his father and was associated in his busi- ness affairs during the rest of his father's life. In 1852 he. and Lyman Truman, 'as equal partners, made large investments in lands situated near Dixon, Ill. They purchased many acres of land at a low price, realizing a great profit on their invest- ment. The partnership continued un- til 1857. During the civil war Mr. Hewitt lived in . New York city. Through . his management of his father's estate it wasgreatly increased and at the time of his death it was the largest estate ever accumulated in Owego.
Mr. Hewitt married Mrs. Frances. Augusta Gillett, widow of Col. Daniel W. Gillett; of Elmira, in 1881. He died Sept. 10, 1900, at Atlantic City, N. J., and she Feb. 7, 1906, at Lake- land, Fla. .
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JOHN M. GREENLEAF.
John : M. Greenleaf came to Owego in. 1826 and lived here until his death fifty-five years later.
The Greenleafs in America are de- seended from Edmund Greenleaf, who was born in 1573 and who died in . Boston, Mass. One of his sons, Stephen Greenleaf (born about 1628) had a son, also named Stephen Green- leaf, born at Newbury, Mass., in 1652.
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Stephen's son, Rev. Daniel Greenleaf, was born at Newbury in 1679 and died in 1763 : in Boston. .. His son, Dr. Daniel Greenleaf; was born at Cam- bridge, Mass., in 1702 and died in 1795. Dr. Greenleaf's son, Gen. William Greenleaf, was the grandfather of John M. Greenleaf and was born in 1738. He died at Lancaster, Mass., 1793. He was several years sheriff of Worces- ter county and a brigadier-general in the state militia. .
One of : Gen. Greenleaf's sons was John Hancock Greenleaf, who was born April . 30, 1775, at Lancaster, Mass. He was a cabinet maker and house joiner in Boston. He removed to Granville, N. Y., where he married Mary Norton Feb. 1, 1801. In March, 1817, he'came with his family to this county and settled first at Smithboro. . Four years afterward he removed to Padlock in the town of Richford. In the fall of 1826 he removed to Owego and died here Jan. 28, 1852. His wife also died here Sept. 28, 1860.
The children of John Hancock and Mary (Norton) Greenleaf were as fol- .. lows:
1. Betsy Gardiner Greenleaf, born about 1803 and died in infancy.
2. John Matthew Greenleaf . born 19 May, 1806, at Granville, N. Y. 'Mar- ried .Lucy Talcott, daughter of Elizur Talcott, Jr., of Owego, 20 June, 1837. She was born 24 March, 1809, and died at Owego 4 July, 1842. He married second Emeline Wilbur, daughter of Ismond Wilbur; 27 Sept., 1843. She died 3 Dec., 1907, at Owego.
3. Martha Norton Greenleaf, born 17 April, 1809, at Granville. Married William Gordon, who died about 1843. She died 15 Oct., 1890.
4. Betsy Gardiner Greenleaf, born 25 Sept., 1811, at Granville: Married George W. Allen, who died about 1853. 5. William Josephus Greenleaf.
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born 25 Sept., 1815, at Granville. Mar- ried Mary L. Ford 2 Dec., 1817 :. He died 22 March, 1869.
6. Amos Canfield Greenleaf, born 8 March, 1818, at Smithboro. . Married Mary Dougherty 22 Oct., 1840. He was associated with dry goods firms in New York city several years and died 1 Aug.,1894, at South Orange, N. J.
John M. Greenleaf was 20 years of age when his father, John Hopkins Greenleaf, removed to Owego. In the fall of 1826 he entered Col. Amos Martin's store as a clerk. He . re- mained with Col. Martin three years and then became a clerk in Gurdon Hewitt's store. After six years of service with Mr. Hewitt he became à partner, in 1833, of Lyman Truman in the general . mercantile business. Their store was in a brick building which occupied the ground. on the east side of Lake street where the Owego national bank building. now stands. This partnership . was. dis- solved in July, 1836. In 1837 he formed a partnership with his for- mer employer, Gurdon Hewitt, and. the firm of Greenleaf & Hewitt ex- isted twelve years. Their store was on the south side of Front street, the third store east of Lake street. This store was burned Sept. 25, 1849, in the big fire. . The firm did not re -; sume business. Mr. Greenleaf having · been very successful as a merchant, retired from all active business. He died Aug. 23, 1881, at Owego.
The only son of John M. and Mary (Norton) Greenleaf is Dr. John T. Greenleaf, who has been since 1867 a Homoepathic physician and still lives · in this village.
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COL. AMOS MARTIN.
Col. Amos Martin, one of the early merchants of Owego, was born Feb. 8, 1785, at. Salisbury, Mass: He was a son of Noah and Hannah Martin .. In 1814 he removed from New Marlboro Mass., with his wife thee Amanda Hart) and two daughters, Malinda and Angeline,and a large load of household goods to Tioga county and settled at Candor, where he began. a general mercantile business.
In 1816 the family removed to Owe go. He moved into a house which stood on the west side of Park street, where Robert Bandler's residence How stands. The front of this house he occupied as a store. This was the same building that had been previ ously occupied as a store by William Pumpelly.
In 1819 Col. Martin leased the old "Goodman Coffee House," a tavern owned by Gen. John Laning and later known as the Franklin house, which .stood .on the north side of . Front street, a little east of Court street. In addition to conducting the affairs of the hotel Col. Martin continued the mercantile business in the west end of the building, which had been occupied as a store by Jonathan Platt. Lewis Manning succeeded Col. Martin as landlord of the coffee house in 1823, but Col. Martin continued to occupy the west end of the building as a store.
In the spring of 1827 Col. Martin removed his store into a two-story wooden building, which stood at the northwest corner of Front and Lake streets. : This building had been oc- cupied by J. Fay & Co: In 1833 he re- . moved to the south side of Front
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street, opposite Lake street, where he continued in the mercantile business until his death, which was caused by hasty consumption. . He died May 14, 1835. ilis wife survived him many years, dying April 11, 1878, at the home, of her daughter, Mrs. W. C. Taylor, at Tioga Centre at the ad- vanced age of 89 years. . She was born - at New Marlboro, Mass., Bec. 28, 1788, and was married in 1807.
Col. Martin in. 1827 built the old Academy building in Court street by contract. He was a member of the first board of trustees of the academy. Ho built and lived many years in a house which stood on the west side of Park street south of the Congrega tional church, on the ground on which 1 .. B. Terbush's brick house now stands, and which house was burned Bec. 3, 1877; when the first Congrega- tional church was -burned.
The children of . Col. Amos and Amanda (Hart) Martin were as fol- lows:
1. Malinda Martin, born 27 Jan., 1811, at New . Marlboro, Mass. Mar- ried Harvey Coryell, of Nichols, in 1820. He died 3 Oct., 1864, at Nichols, and she in July, 1888.
2. Angeline Martin, born 13 Sept., 1812. at New Marlboro. Married Col. William Ransom, of Tioga Centre, 14 Sept., 1831. He died 7. Feb., 1883, at Tioga Contre, and she 11 Feb., 1883.
3. Maria. A. Martin, born 7 Feb., 1815. at Candor. Married Col. William C. Taylor, of Owego, 9 . Sept., . 1836. He died 9 April, 1892, in Brooklyn, N. Y., and she 16 Jan., 1905.
4. Jay H. Martin, born 14 Dec., 1816, at. Owego. Married. Frances Johnson in 1835. Removed to Tioga Centre, where he still lives.
5. John S. . Martin born 18 Sept., 1818, at Owego. Married first Harriet Manning'and second Ada - Chambers.
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He died 16 Oct., 1904, at Kansas City, Mo.
6. Elizabeth L. Martin , born 7 Sept., 1x27, at Owego. Married Romeo Woodford, of Owego, 6 Aug., 1846. She died in 1850 at Owego. He mar- ried second Augusta E. Sackett, daughter of Capt. Richard H. Sackett, of. Candor. He died 8 July, 1856, at Owego.
Col. William C. Taylor was born June . 12, 1813, at Florida, Orange county, N. Y. He came to Owego in 1833 and entered Dr. Jedediah Fay's drug store as a clerk. In October, 1836, his brother, Daniel G. Taylor, came to Owego and the brothers, in company with Willian H. Bell, began a general mercantile business , under the firm name of Taylors & Bell in a store which stood on the south side of Front street, east of Lake street. The Taylors purchased Mr. Bell's interest in the store two years afterward. A year later Col. Taylor sold his interest in the business to Mr. Bell.
In 1843 Col. Taylor went to Pier. mont, N. Y., which was then the east- era terminus of the New York & Erie railroad, where he was the station agent until the completion of the road to Dunkirk. : Then be went to Dunkirk as superintendent of the western di- vision of the road. A few years later he removed to Jersey City, where he was the company's agent until 1861.
When the civil war broke out, D. C. McCallum, who had been general su perintendent of the road, was ap pointed military superintendent of the railroads of the United States, with the rank of general. He appointed Mr. Taylor to take charge under him of all the military railroads, to attend to their construction, repair, etc., with the rank of colonel. . He served all
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through the war and then went to El- mira, where he remained until 1869, when he removed to. Brooklyn, where he lived with his daughter, Mrs Alexander Robb, until his death.
John S. Martin was for many years a salesman in Storrs, Chatfield & Co.'s hardware store. In 1869 he re- moved to Kansas City, Mo., where he lived all the rest of his life. He was for many years and until about twelve years before his death a travelling salesman, selling agricultural machin- ery and implements. There were few railroads in the west when he went there, and he did most of his travel- ling with a horse and buggy.
EDWARD S. MADAN.
Edward Shearson Madan was a car- penter and builder, who was born Sept. 20, 1785, at Sing Sing, N. Y., and who came to Owego in 1824.
His father, Thomas D. Madan (or de Madan, as the name was originally written), was of French descent, lived in Virginia, and fought in the revolu- tionary war. He was born in 1762 and died Dec. 30, 1804. His wife was Charity Odell, daughter of Abraham Odell. . She was drowned Nov. 30, 1805, together with her daughter, Eliza, while on their passage from Newburgh to New York city. She was born Feb. 13, 1756.
Edward S. Madan. and his four brothers and a brother-in-law all served in the war of 1812. When E. S. Madan was a child his parents re- moved to New York city, where he later learned the trade of a cabinet maker. At the age of 22 he went to Florida, Orange county, N. Y., where Sept. 20, 1810, he married . Lydia
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Curry, daughter of Benjamin Curry. In 1822 they removed to Newark Val- ley, where they lived until 1824, when. they came to Owego, where they lived the rest of their lives. Mr. Madan died Oct: 11, 1868. His wife was born Feb. 15, 1790, in New York city, and died at Owego. May 17, 1842.
Mr. Madan was thrice married. His second wife was Lucy Allen, who was born in May, 1788, at New Haven, Conn. They were married May. 5, 1844. She died March 20, 1856, at Owego.
His third wife was Mrs. Elizabeth Terry, of the town of Candor. She died in that town three or four years after Mr. Madan's death.
. The children of Edward S. and Lydia (Curry) Madan were as fol- lows:
1. Anna Eliza Madan, born 6 Jan., 1812, at Florida, N. Y. Married Gil- bert Williams 26 Feb., 1834. She died 13 Nov., 1877, at. Warner, Onondaga county, N. Y.
2. Sarah Jane Madan, born 9 May. 1814, at Florida, N. Y. Married Hiram G. Williams 13 Aug., 1843. She died at. Susquehanna, Pa., in December, 1883. 3. Mary Louisa . Madan, born : 27 Feb., 1816, at Florida, N. Y. She died 13 Nov., 1838, at Owego.
4. Harriet Emily Madan, born 2 Sept., 1819, at Florida, N. Y. . Married first James Hill 4 April, 1839. He died 5 Jan., 1887, at Owego. She married second Nehemiah E. Neal, of Nichols. She died 9 June; 1906, at Owego.
5. Caroline Amelia Madan, born 29 Oct., 1821, at Westtown, Orange county, N. Y. Married Henry . J. Hodge in 1848. She died in. June, 1899, at Susquehanna, Pa.
6. Andrew Jackson Madan, born 15 April, 1824, at Newark Valley. Married first Phoebe Sears. 24 April, 1857. He married second Mrs. George A. Dodd (nee Sarah Searles) 16 Jan.,
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1887. He died 3 Dec., 1895, at Owego, and she 23 June, 1908.
7. Frances Melinda Madan. born 30 April, 1827, at Owego. She lives at Warner, N. Y.
8. Benjamin Curry Madan, born 24 April, 1829, at Owego .. Married Jennie Nixon, of Owego. He died 21 Dec., 1871, at Owego.
Mr. Madan was a member of a long lived family. His grandmother, Per- silla ( Priscilla ?) Odell, was in her 120th year at the time of her death in 1788. Mr. Madan was active in the temperance cause and an enthusiast in masonic affairs. He was the first master of Friendship lodge, F. & A. M., in 1849 and 1850 when the lodge reorganized and resumed work after its discontinuance by reason of the Morgan excitement .. He was tiler of the lodge from 1856 to 1864, inclusive. He was also the first high priest of New Jerusalem chapter, Royal Arch Masons upon its institution in 1852 and 1853. He is said to have filled all the offices in both the "blue lodge" and the chapter.
Mr. Madan lived many years in a small house, which is still standing on the east side of Central avenue, the first house south of the brick building at the Temple street corner .. This street was at that time a narrow lane through which the tracks of the old Ithaca and Owego horse railroad extended down through the village park into and up Front street to . Church street.
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DR. JOEL S. PAIGE.
One of the most highly esteemed of Owego's early residents was Dr. Joel Simmonds Paige, who lived here thirty- four years. . He was fifth in descent from Nathaniel Paige, who came to Roxbury, Mass., from England'in 1685 with his wife and three children. Dr. Paige's father was Moses Paige, a far- mer, at Hardwick, Mass., where Dr. Paige was born Jan. 25, 1793.
Dr. Paige was educated as a physi -.. cian at Troy, IN. Y., receiving his diploma. in June, 1816. July 1 of the sanie year he married Jane S .. Fair- child, of that city, and very soon af- terward they came to Owego. They lived in a small house, which was on the north side of Front street, the second house west .of Paige street where A. C. Burt's house now stands. Later he built and lived in the house now owned by Frederick O. Cable at the northeast corner of Main and : Paige streets.
All of Paige street from Main street north to Fox street, its northern limit then, was called Paige street in honor of Dr. Paige. All of the same street from Main street south to the river was called Leonard street, in honor of Stephen B. Leonard, who lived at the northeast corner of that. street. and Front street. Some time after. 1837 the name of Leonard street, was no longer used and the entire. street has since been known as Paige street. That part of the village in which Dr. Paige lived was at the time of his residence there commonly known as "Paigeville."
In 1819 Dr. Paige was appointed as- sistant hospital surgeon of the 41st
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brigade of state infantry, which was commanded by brigadier-general John Laning, of Owego. In 1825 he held. the office of clerk of the town of Owe- go. . He was a member of the village board of trustees in 1828 and in 1839, and in 1839 he was also president of the village. He was a prominent member of the . masonic fraternity. He was master of Friendship lodge. F. and A. M., from 1824 to 1827, in- clusive and was master when it tem- porarily suspended its meetings at the time of what is known as the Morgan excitement.
Dr. Paige's first wife died Dec. . 24, 1830, at Owego. His second wife was Ann Eliza Limbrick. She was born in 1811 at Catskill and while visiting her brother. at Owego she met Dr. Paige, to whom she was married June 18, 1833. 'At this time Dr. Paige owned and lived in the house at the Main and Paige street corner.
In 1850 Dr. Paige removed to Alex- ander, Genesee county, N. Y., where lie died July 10, 1855. His wife also died there Oct. 17, 1889.
The children of Dr. Joel S. and Jane S. (Fairchild) Paige were as follows:
1. Margaretta Augustina Paige, born 15 Sept., 1818. Married Ham- mon D. Pinney at Owego 26 May, 1840. She died 12 Jan., 1860 at Owego.
2. Anson Fairchild Paige, born 31 May, 1822, at Owego.
Hammon D. Pinney, was born June 2, 1814, at Clarksville, Albany county, N. Y., and at 14 years of age went to Albany to work as clerk in a dry goods store. He came to Owego in June, 1835, with his father, Joshua L. Pinney, and opened a drug store in judge Drake's wooden building, which
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, stood on the south side of Front street, opposite Lake street .: In that. building and the one which was built on its site after its destruction by fir- in 1849, J. 4 .. Phmey & Sous conducted the drug and book store known as the "Owego Arcade" : forty-one years. Patrick Henry Pinney, J. L. Pinney's . youngest son, was ,a partner in the business until his death in August, 1865. H. D. Pinney was a leader in the movement for the abolition of slavery and a strong advocate of tem perance. He was one of the thirty orig. inal organizers of the Baptist church in 1831, was thirty years leader of the church choir, and was also thirty years superintendent of the Sunday school. He was a member of the first board of school commissioners in 1864, the only public office he ever held. His second wife was Mr ;. Eunice J. Harris, of New York city. He died Feb. 24, 1898, at Owego.
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