USA > New York > Encyclopedia of biography of New York, a life record of men and women whose sterling character and energy and industry have made them preeminent in their own and many other states, Vol. 2 > Part 35
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It may be not inappropriate to give as a reminiscence the following extract from an article in the "Albany Evening Jour- nal" of February 21, 1854, by the pen of Thurlow Weed, then at the head of that paper, in which, after copying a long biographical sketch of Mr. Peck from the columns of the "New Haven Daily Pal- ladium" of a few days before, Mr. Weed remarks:
This deserved tribute to the memory of "a just man made perfect" comes from one who
*Mrs. Alice B. Peck died December 2, 1881. knew the deceased well. The editor of the "Palladium" grew up under Mr. Peck's teach-
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ings and was long a member of his household, a household whose memory is hallowed in many grateful hearts. In another paragraph the edi- tor of the "Palladium" alludes to our own rela- tions to Mr. Peck, but in a spirit of kindness which excludes all but the following from these columns:
Mr. Weed, of the "Albany Evening Journal," began his career in the "Rochester Telegraph" office. He was a young man wholly without means when he applied for employment. We remember Mr. Weed's application as though it were but yesterday. Mr. Peck at first declined his offer, but there was something in Mr. Weed's manner that touched a sympathetic chord in Mr. Peck's bosom and he called him back and gave him the post of assistant editor, where he soon made the "Telegraph" one of the most popular journals in western New York.
The heart upon which the memory of its early benefactor is engraven will glow with gratitude until its pulsations cease. We were, indeed, wholly without means and with a young family dependent upon our labor, when, thirty-two years ago we applied to Everard Peck for employment. He did not really want a journey- man, but his kindly nature prompted him to an effort in our behalf. It was agreed that in addi- tion to the ordinary labor as a journeyman in the office we should assist Mr. Peck, who had the charge of his book store and paper mill, in editing the "Telegraph." But our friend did not content himself with giving employment. We enjoyed, with our family, the hospitality of his mansion until a humble tenement (tenements were scarce in Rochester in those days) could be rented. The compensation agreed upon was four hundred dollars per annum. That year glided pleasantly and peacefully away, teaching lessons to which memory recurs with pleasure and in forming ties that have linked us in after life to dear and cherished friends. At the close of the year Mr. Peck added one hundred dol- lars to our salary, with expressions of confi- dence and regard which enhanced the value of his gratuity. And ever after, through whatever of vicissitudes and change we have passed, that good man's counsels and friendship have helped to smooth and cheer our pathway.
PECK, William Farley, Lawyer, Journalist.
With a virile intellect that made him a power in the community, and with a gentleness of spirit that made him appre-
ciate the tiniest beauty in this wonderful world, the late William Farley Peck, of Rochester, New York, was a man, who, once known, could never be forgotten. Of Revolutionary descent on his father's side, and of Pilgrim ancestry on his mother's, he was reared amid the refining influences of a home of Christian culture, where were nurtured all those tendencies that later became strongly developed traits of manly character. He left the impress of his splendid nature upon all with whom he came in contact, and his influence was a vital force.
William Farley Peck, son of Everard and Martha (Farley) Peck, was born at Rochester, New York, February 4, 1840, and died December 6, 1908. His educa- tional training was commenced in private schools of his native city, was continued at a boarding school in Connecticut, where he was prepared for entrance to college. He matriculated at the Univer- sity of Rochester in 1857, but at the end of one year was transferred to Williams College, from which he was graduated in the class of 1861 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He commenced read- ing law in the office of Danforth & Terry, of Rochester, remained with this firm one year, then became a student in the State Law School, in Albany, and was graduated in 1863 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. Not long afterward he was admitted to practice at the bar of Monroe county, New York. The legal profession did not, however, appeal to him very strongly, and he accordingly devoted his time and attention to the field of literature for which he had shown marked ability for many years. Journal- istic work was the particular field to which he devoted himself, and for some time he was connected with "The Ex- press," now "The Post Express," and in 1867 became the city editor of "The Democrat." He then became associated
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with "The Chronicle," remaining tele- graph editor of this journal during its entire existence-from November, 1868, to December, 1870. It then became merged into what was published as "The Democrat and Chronicle," and Mr. Peck's connection with this publication was severed. As editor of "The Sunday Trib- une," a post upon which he soon entered, he maintained the popularity of that paper, of which he was a part proprietor for a portion of the time he was con- nected with it, until his retirement from direct journalistic work more than thirty years ago. At this time he engaged in writing of a desultory character-club papers, articles for the magazines, and more particularly for encyclopaedias and biographical dictionaries, and prepared a number of works concerning local his- tory. The best known of these are as follows: "Semi-Centennial History of Rochester," 1884; "Landmarks of Mon- roe County," 1895; "A History of the Police Department of Rochester," 1903; and "History of Rochester and Monroe County," 1907. For a period of thirty- five years Mr. Peck was a consistent member and liberal supporter of the Uni- tarian church, and his connection with other institutions and organizations of a varied character is as follows: The Fort- nightly, a literary club of which he was one of the organizers ; board of directors of the Rochester Athenaeum and Me- chanics Institute, of which he was the corresponding secretary from the time of its inception ; board of managers of the Rochester Historical Society, of which he had always been the recording secretary ; board of trustees of the Reynolds Library, of which he was the secretary; Society for the Organization of Charity, of which he was one of the vice-presidents ; Gene- see Valley Club, of which he was a char- ter member; Rochester Whist Club; NY-3-16
Genesee Whist Club; Society of May- flower Descendants in the State of New York; Society of the Genesee, in New York City; and corresponding member of the New York Genealogical and Bio- graphical Society. Mr. Peck was sur- vived by his brother, Edward W. Peck, of No. 121 Troup street, and by three nieces : Mrs. Gurney T. Curtis, Mrs. Ed- ward Harris, Jr., and Edith W. Peck. Expressions of sincere sorrow at the death of Mr. Peck were numerous, and varied in form and character, but the limits of this space will only permit the reproduction of one of them. This is as follows :
At a special meeting of the board of directors of the Mechanics Institute, Monday afternoon, the following resolutions were adopted :
The death of William Farley Peck removes from our Board one who has been with us from the organization of our Institute, and as cor- responding secretary for the entire period of our existence, and as a trustee for the same period, he has cheerfully given us his best thought and constant effort, and we have had no more devoted friend. He was especially gifted in writing, and his thoughts, always lucidly expressed, in pure and correct English, in all his communications to, and for, our Board, were a source of keen pleasure and great con- stant value to us. The uncomplaining bravery with which he bore his misfortune, and the wealth of information, especially in regard to literature, which he possessed, his great knowledge of local history and his intelligent observation of current events, made him a most delightful companion, and endeared him to all who knew and came in contact with him. His published works are well known and have given him an excellent reputa- tion as an intelligent and truthful historian. We shall miss his thoughtful counsel and his genial personality, and we feel deeply grateful for the life which has been passed with, and among, us, and for the intelligent work which has been so freely and generously given to the upbuilding of the Mechanics Institute, in token of which we direct that this minute be inscribed on our rec- ords, and a copy sent to his family and the daily press. The Directors of the Mechanics Insti- tute will attend the funeral in a body.
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RICKETTS, Jonathan,
Manufacturer, Railroad and Bank Director.
Leaving his home in Yeovil, Somerset- shire, England, in the same year as that in which Victoria the Good ascended to the English throne-in 1837-Jonathan Rick- etts sailed for the United States, landed at New York, and immediately proceeded to Aurora, Erie county, New York, where for a year he obtained employment. In 1838 he removed to Rochester, New York, and a year later settled permanently in Johnstown, Fulton county, New York. In the community and business life of Johnstown, for a period extending over sixty years, Jonathan Ricketts became well known and highly regarded.
The name Ricketts is one frequently encountered in England, and many of that patronymic have held high office in British national affairs, but records are not available by which the connection of the Jonathan Ricketts branch with the main family can be established. Amer- ican records trace no farther back than to Thomas Ricketts, father of Jonathan Ricketts, who was of the ancient town of Yeovil, Somersetshire, England, where he reared his family of seven children: George, Jonathan, David, Edmund, Har- riet, Eliza and Amelia.
Jonathan Ricketts, second child of Thomas and Melinda Ricketts, was born at Yeovil, Somersetshire, England, Feb- ruary II, 1819. That Jonathan Ricketts had within him that quality of courageous enterprise and dogged perseverence by which America has forged for herself so securely and rapidly a leading place among the nations of the world is evident in the bare record of his early years and his ultimate success. He was only eighteen years of age when he left a com- fortable, even if humble, home and ven- tured alone into what, to him, was a
strange country. He landed in New York poor in all save courage and a determina- tion to win a place for himself in the new world. When he arrived at Johnstown, he was still in his minority. Two years he passed in the glove factories of Johns- town and then, although only twenty- two years of age, he ventured with con- fidence into the independent manufacture of gloves at Johnstown, under the firm name of Jonathan Ricketts, and quickly established his right to a place among the nation's manufacturers. He was a re- sponsible manufacturer at a time of life when most young men are more con- cerned in pursuits of folly rather than in serious business. Jonathan Ricketts was a man of sound judgment and logical rea- soning ; consequently he built steadily and firmly, rather than rapidly and pre- cariously ; and from his first entrance into independent business never received a serious check, the volume of business steadily increasing year by year. His fac- tory continued in successful operation for fifty years, until 1889, when he was per- suaded to retire. During that period he, in addition to the accumulation of more than a sufficiency of monetary wealth, gathered a wealth of respect among those with whom he had associated. His initia- tive and adaptability produced many changes of importance in the glove-mak- ing industry. It is claimed that he was the first manufacturer in the county- which at that time was an important glove-making centre-to dress sheep skins within the county, and employ them in the manufacture of gloves. Hitherto, manufacturers had been dependent for their supply upon foreign tanners, who controlled the market, and the initiative of Jonathan Ricketts in this respect re- sulted in a considerable advantage to him- self, and to those of the home manufac- turers who later emulated him.
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Jonathan Child
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In the course of his useful life, Jona- than Ricketts entered whole-heartedly into the affairs of the community and be- came a factor of much influence in Johns- town. He was largely interested in the Johnstown, Gloversville & Kingsboro Horse Railroad Company, of which he became a director after it passed under the control of the Fonda, Johnstown & Gloversville Railroad Company on De- cember 15, 1890. He was further honored by election to a seat on the board of direc- tors of the People's Bank of Johnstown. His standing not only as a capitalist, but as a man of whom the community thought highly, can be appreciated by the fact that he was elected by the people to the town's highest office-the mayoralty. He was a staunch Democrat, but never sought office, having no desire for that which might draw him away from his business duties, but in the affairs of the church he was ever ready to give of his time and wealth ; in fact, his activities and interest in the charitable work of the church were considerable and substan- tial. He was directly associated with the Episcopal church, and was a member of the St. John's Vestry, but his interest and support were at the disposal of all Chris- tian churches of the community. A con- temporary biographer wrote of Mr. Rick- etts : "He was a good citizen and always arrayed with the progressive, enterpris- ing element of the village," and his high standing in the county and town was all the more meritorious because of the fact that it was absolutely all earned by him- self; that his start was at the very bot- tom of the ladder.
He married, November 4, 1846, Mary, daughter of James and Isabella (McClel- lan) Pierson, and granddaughter of James and Mary (Veghte) Pierson. Their chil- dren were: I. Mary Eliza, born February 13, 1848 ; married William Van Voast, May
25, 1870; children : i. William, born July 17, 1871, died July 10, 1882; ii. Herbert, born May I, 1874, married Luella Anibel, and has three children: William, Marian and Robert ; iii. Mary, born April 1, 1876, died November, 1878; iv. James, born No- vember 10, 1880; v. Katherine Adams, born January 13, 1883; vi. Isabella, born April 24, 1886. 2. Isabella, born January 2, 1850, deceased ; married Horace Gree- ley, of Syracuse, New York; children : i. Earl, married Bertha Hanson, and has two children: Helen and Mary; ii. Flor- ence, married Daniel Cheney. 3. George, born April 24, 1852, deceased; married Celia Steele; children: Jonathan, Ed- mund, Nannie, Josephine. 4. Emma, born April 9, 1854; married Willis E. Diefen- dorf. 5. Katherine, born July II, 1857, deceased. 6. Esther, see further. 7. James Pierson, born October 13, 1862, deceased.
Esther Ricketts, daughter of Jonathan and Mary (Pierson) Ricketts, was born in Johnstown, New York, December 26, 1859; married Charles S. Shults, who was a well known glove manufacturer in Johnstown, partner of the firm of Wade, Shults & Company. Mrs. Esther (Rick- etts) Shults still resides in Johnstown, having survived both her father and hus- band. Mr. and Mrs. Shults had one child, Ethel, who married Frank L. Rogers.
CHILD, Jonathan,
First Mayor of Rochester.
On April 28, 1834, the New York Leg- islature passed the act incorporating the city of Rochester, the act also containing the charter of the city. Rochester at that time contained twelve thousand inhabi- tants, thirteen hundred houses, nine hotels, ten newspapers (including all grades) and two banks.
At the election held after the passage of the act, Jonathan Child was elected first
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mayor of the city. He was inaugurated June 10, 1834, but did hold the office for the full term of a year and a half which had been made a provision of the charter in order that the executive and the com- mon council should not enter upon office at the same time. During the first year there had been differences of opinion be- tween Mayor Child and the council on the subject of licenses, the mayor being a consistent temperance man, but he had waived his objections and allowed the council to grant licenses to which he was opposed.
In June, 1835, a new council was elected and it soon became evident that even greater laxity was to prevail in the issu- ing of licenses. Mayor Child quickly de- cided upon his course of action. In a message to the council, after reciting the fact that the new board had issued numer- ous licenses, he concluded by saying : "It becomes incumbent on me in my official character to sanction and sign these papers. Under these circumstances it seems to me equally the claim of moral duty and self-respect, of a consistent re- gard for my former associates, of just deference to the present board and of sub- mission to the supposed will of the peo- ple, that I should no longer retain the re- sponsible situation with which I have been honored. I therefore now most re- spectfully resign into your hands the office of mayor of Rochester." His resig- nation was accepted and General Jacob Gould, who was elected to succeed him, proved more complaisant. In this inci- dent the nature of the man shines forth. He would not surrender principle for per- sonal gain ; and throughout a long life he never deviated from a strict observance of that rule of conduct.
Mayor Jonathan Child was one of the strong business men of his day, the asso- ciate of Judges Samuel Lee Selden and
Roger Lee Selden, and at the time Pro- fessor Morse was beseeching capital to in- vest in his telegraphic invention he joined with the Seldens and a few others in organizing a company to construct a tele- graph line forty miles in length between Harrisburg and Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This company, formed in 1845, to whose capital stock he subscribed, the Atlantic, Lake & Mississippi Valley Telegraph Company, was the forerunner of the Western Union Telegraph Company, and with the Seldens he could claim to have been among the pioneers of telegraphy in the world. Mr. Child was also among the pioneers in the application of steam as a motive power, a system first em- ployed in this country by the Baltimore & Ohio railroad early in 1831. Its applica- tion to any road running out of Roches- ter was in April 4, 1837, when a mixed train of freight and passenger cars, in charge of L. B. Van Dyke as conductor, was run out on the Tonawanda railroad. This road was chartered in 1832 for fifty years, with a capital of $500,000, with Daniel Evans as the first president and Jonathan Child as the first vice-presi- dent. He was interested in other early railroad enterprises, his sound judgment and upright character being sought for in that day of new enterprises.
He was equally interested in educa- tional matters, and when in 1835 the Rochester Female Academy on South Fitzhugh street was organized, he sub- scribed liberally to the stock and was a member of its first board of trustees. Jonathan Child is one of the men to whom Rochester is indebted for her present proud commercial position, and the world owes him the debt it owes to all men of public spirit who risked their fortunes in the establishment of those then unknown and untried innovations-the telegraph and the railroad.
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HOOKER, Charles M., Prominent Horticulturist and Nurseryman.
In 1820 Horace Hooker, father of Charles M. Hooker, the well known nurs- eryman, came to Rochester, New York, from Windsor, Connecticut. He settled first on St. Paul street and there engaged in the nursery business, which was re- moved to Brighton in 1856. He was suc- ceeded by his son, Charles M. Hooker, who in turn admitted his sons in the man- agement of the Rochester Fruit Farm and Nurseries. Three generations of the fam- ily have successfully conducted the nurs- ery business in Brighton, the present farm of one hundred and thirty acres on Clover street, Brighton, having been pur- chased by Charles M. Hooker in 1877 from his former partners. For over fifty years Charles M. Hooker was a member of the Western New York Horticultural Society, and represented the society in national convention, being instrumental in securing State legislation which has been efficacious in many ways, especially in fighting insect life which preys upon the business of the farmer, nurseryman, fruit grower and florist. He was one of the oldest of Rochester's nurserymen, having been in business since 1853, when he reached the age of twenty-one years.
Mr. Hooker was a descendant of Rev. Thomas Hooker, whose colony founded the city of Hartford, Connecticut, and whose statue adorns the State capitol in that city. The first of the family in his direct line to come to Western New York was his father, Horace Hooker, in 1820. He came by stage and team from Wind- sor, Connecticut, and on his arrival in Rochester found little to indicate the pros- perous city which was to arise on the site. But he was gifted with prophetic vision, for he believed in the future of the town and invested largely in lands on St. Paul street and in the Carthage district just
north of the city. He engaged in milling at Rochester and Ogdensburg, also owned storehouses at the head of Genesee river navigation, and for a number of years all the goods exported to Canada passed through his warehouses. He was senior partner of the firm of Hooker, Farley & Company until 1861, then retired with his son, Horace B. Hooker, and later resumed the nursery business in the town of Chili, Monroe county. He died at the home of his son, Henry E. Hooker, on East ave- nue, Rochester, November 3, 1865. He married Helen, daughter of Erastus Wol- cott, of Windsor, Connecticut, of the dis- tinguished Connecticut family which numbered a signer of the Declaration of Independence among its members. Hor- ace and Helen (Wolcott) Hooker were the parents of eight children : Henry E .; Julia Wolcott, wife of Josiah W. Bissell ; James Wolcott; Fannie; Horace B .; Charles M., of further mention ; and two who died in infancy.
Charles M. Hooker was born at the family home on St. Paul street, Roches- ter, New York, November 9, 1832, and spent his life in the city of his birth, Brighton now being a part of the city. He was educated in the public schools, finishing at high school. He early began the business which he never abandoned until his death, working first for the firm of Bissell & Hooker on East avenue, later known as Bissell, Hooker & Sloan. In 1853 he became a partner of the firm of Hooker, Farley & Company, then on North St. Paul street, his father then being senior member of the firm, and his broth- ers, Horace B., now deceased, and Henry E., also partners. In 1856 the firm pur- chased the Roswell Hart farm on Clover street, Brighton, and removed the busi- ness there. In 1861 Horace and Horace B. Hooker retired, the firm continuing under the old name for a time, but in 1867
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became H. E. Hooker & Brother, H. E. Hooker purchasing the interest of Joseph Farley. In 1887 Charles M. Hooker re- tired from the firm of H. E. Hooker & Brother and purchased the property on Clover street, Brighton, continuing the nursery and fruit growing business under the name of C. M. Hooker & Sons. Fruit growing is an important part of the busi- ness of the Rochester Fruit Farm and Nurseries, the nursery stock handled being partly grown on the farm and partly grown for the farm under rigid contract. A retail department of large proportions is also conducted at No. 57 Trust Building, Rochester, under the firm name Hooker Brothers (Horace, Charles G. and Lewis). While the father had surrendered the heavier burdens to his sons his was a potent voice, and he was in the management of the business until his death.
A long time member of the Western New York Horticultural Society, he was an efficient representative of the nursery and horticultural interests in securing the passage of laws which were to their great benefit. He was a delegate from the Hor- ticultural Society at the convention in Washington, D. C., called to formulate plans for combating the destructive San Jose scale and other destructive pests which afflict the growers of nursery stock, fruit growers and horticulturists. He labored diligently and effectively for the passage of the present New York State laws concerning San Jose scale and other insect enemies. He was also an honored member of the New York State Fruit Growers Association and of the Eastern Nurserymen's Association. In politics he was a Republican, but never sought pub- lic office, his business being his chief in- terest and ambition. An octogenarian at the time of his death, he reviewed a well spent, exceedingly useful life, and his
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