Gazetteer and biographical record of Genesee County, N.Y., 1788-1890, Part 35

Author: Beers, F. W. (Frederick W.), ed. 1n; Vose, J.W., and Co
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : J.W. Vose & Co.
Number of Pages: 920

USA > New York > Genesee County > Gazetteer and biographical record of Genesee County, N.Y., 1788-1890 > Part 35

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The early settlers were desirous of keeping abreast of .the times, and took measures to foster their literary taste by organizing libraries, one such, called " Bergen Moral Library," being organized in 1815.

Doran's cider-mill was built in 1886 by Michael Doran. It is run by steam-power, and has a capacity of 30 barrels of cider per day. It is lo- cated on Munger street.

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Aaron Arnold, eldest son of Enoch Arnold, of Berkshire County, Mass., was born November 3, 1781. He engaged in farming till of age, when he was a foreman for three years on the turnpike then being con- structed between New York and Philadelphia. In. 1806 he was married to Eliza, daughter of Amos Allen, of Caanan, Conn. In 1807 he came with his wife to this town-then Northampton-and began farming. He died March 28, 1843, and his wife survived till June 1, 1855. He filled in his day many offices of trust, being supervisor, etc., for a num- ber of years. Three children were the result of the marriage, viz .: Charles G., boin August 12, 1809, died April 17, 1841 ; Harriet, born July 18, 1816, married Alson Ostrander, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and died April 20, 1853 ; and George W., born July 18, 1822, who is the only survivor. He married Martha G., daughter of Aaron and Harriet Gifford, October 19, 1843, and is a resident of the village. They had one child, who was born February 12, 1848, is a resident of the town, and is a carpenter and joiner by vocation. George W. Arnold has given much attention to stock dealing in connection with his farming, and has been very successful. At the big fire in 1880 he lost nearly all his vil- lage property, and indeed has often been a sufferer by fire. Amos Allen, father of Mrs. Aaron Arnold, was a Revolutionary soldier, and at his death, in 1845. was the oldest pensioner in Genesee County.

Robert Andrews, M. D., third son of Robert Andrews, Sr., was born in Wheatland, Monroe County, N. Y., in 1836, and removed to Bergen in 1843 with his father. He received the advantages of a common school education. His father was a physician of large practice, which he retained till one year before his decease, in 1862. Dr. Andrews carried on the practice of his father, as a general practitioner, but has been very successful as a specialist in curing cancers. He is now in the midst of a profitable and wide-spread practice, and is 53 years old. He married Julia A., daughter of Joseph Beardsley, and they have four children now living -Lewis B., Charles H., Fred E., and Robert M. The eldest, Lewis B., is a practicing physician and surgeon. ' The entire family are members of the First Congregational Church. The second son, Charles H., is a graduate of the Buffalo Medical University, and Fred E. gradu- ated in the classical course of the Brockport Normal School in 1887.

Dea. Ebenezer Arnold, youngest son of Daniel Arnold, came with his parents from East Haddam, Conn., in 1802, to this town-then North- hampton and afterwards Ogden. Here the father died in 1813, leaving the Deacon a lad only 12 years old. At the age of 18 he came to Bergen, and purchased the farm now in part owned by James Barr. He pur- chased the farm now owned by him in 1854. He first married Chloe, daughter of Captain Austin Wilcox, in 1824, who died in 1836, leaving two children, of whom Henry W. is the only one living. In 1839 he married, second, A. Jannette Cushman, by whom four children were born to him, three of whom survive, viz .: Linden D. and Irving R., who reside here, and Rose (Mrs. Nelson F. Holman), of the State of Washing-

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ton. Mr. Arnold acquired the title of deacon from long years of service as such in the First Congregational Church. In 1882 he was compelled to retire from active life. Linden D. Arnold, the third son of Deacon Arnold, was born in this town, January 16, 1843. He has followed farm- ing from choice, but makes a specialty of stock, notably the breeding of Chester White and Poland China swine. His farm is a fine one of 81 acres, situated on the Lake road one-half mile south of Bergen village ; he also has a farm of 90 acres on the town line road west of the village. On the two farms, during the seasons of 1885-86, he produced 3,950 bushels of wheat and 1,920 bushels of barley. November 5, 1874, he was married to Nellie A., daughter of Abel E. and Elizabeth S. Wilcox, of Bergen, and they have three children, namely : Clara A., born Novem- ber 14, 1877 ; Percy L., born January 6, 1883 ; and Rose E., born May 25, 1885.

Philo P. Bassett, the youngest son of Samuel and Betsey Bassett, was born in Bergen, August 26, $1834, and at the age of 20 began life for himself, choosing the occupations of carpenter, joiner, and painter, which he followed successfully till 1877. February 25, 1859, he married Har- riet W., daughter of William H. and Frances E. Keytes, of Owosso, Mich. In 1877 he commenced the undertaking business in this town, being located then one block south of his present place of business. . Just before the big fire of March 1, 1880, he had removed to the building just south of the Bergen Hotel, and thus escaped. The latter part of 1885 he removed his business to the Carpenter & Mckenzie block. He deals in funeral furniture, artists' materials, pictures and frames, station- ery, etc., and is a funeral director. As an undertaker he is successful and worthily very popular, and his business is largely extended to neigh- boring towns.

Jacob Baird was a resident of Richmondville, Schoharie County, N. Y., where John Baird was born February 13, 1827. Although reared to farming John learned the art of brickmaking when he attained his ma- jority, and has followed that business the most of the time since. He was two years at Batavia, and made the brick for the Blind Asylum and M. E. Church there. Soon after the fire of 1880 he came to this town and started a brick yard, from which he has furnished brick for all the business places except two hotels, manufacturing in a single year as many as 1,000,000. He is well and favorably known as an upright, reli- able dealer. Mr. Baird was married, October 7, 1853, to Agnes Doland, of Rochester, N. Y., and one child, Lydia, was born to them, August 7, 1854, now the wife of Frank Jones, of Darien.

John Bergin, son of Michael Bergin, born in 1837 in Kilkenny, Ireland, came to this country February 5, 1865, and located first at Hartford, Conn. After two years he went to Brooklyn, N. Y., and for one year engaged in the cotton business. He then went to South Amboy, N. J., thence to Genesee County, locating at South Byron, where he spent two years in farming and work for the N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R. In 1870 he removed to

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Bergen, and has since made his home here. He is baggagemaster at the Bergen depot. He married Hanorah Welch, of his native country, in 1858, and of their eight children only one is living, a son, M. F. Bergen, born in Ireland, December 10, 1859. Up to 20 years he was employed on a farm, and then began business in this town as proprietor of a first- class restaurant and saloon. He married Mary A., daughter of Philip and Mary Whalen, of this town, January 15, 1884, by whom he has one child, Gregory, born January 2, 1885. In February, 1881, Mr. Bergin opened an extensive grocery and wholesale liquor store, of which he is still the proprietor.

Aaron M. Bissell, the third son of Aaron and Lucinda Bissell, of Hebron, Conn., was born in Bergen, August 10, 1818. He followed farming, carry- ing on 265 acres of land which he owned, and was a breeder of fine horses and sheep. On April 29, 1845, he married Avis Mitchell, of this town, and died August 24, 1862, leaving, besides his wife, six children, namely : James A., born January 27, 1846; Emily L. (Mrs. John R. Emerson), born October 24, 1847 ; Franc A. (Mrs. Andrew Gifford), born July 26, 1849 ; Frederick M., born July 29, 1851 ; William A., born August 24, 1857 ; and George A., born September 9, 1859. Frederick M. Bissell, the fourth son of Aaron M., was born in this town and remained on the farm till of age, when he engaged in the occupation of house painting, which he has followed since. He married, April 24, 1872, a daughter of Malden and Rhoda C. Gifford, of Bergen. They had five children, as fol- lows : George R., born August 6, 1873 ; Carrie A., born August 16, 1875 ; Clarence G., born January 3, 1880; Earl C., born February 19, 1881; and Bert L., born September 15, 1883. Mr. Bissell is a professor of music, having led the Bergen cornet band for years, and has given instructions upon the violin and cornet, of which he is master. He is also leader of

Bissell's orchestra. William A. Bissell, the fifth child of Aaron M. and Avis Bissell, was born here August 24, 1857. He, with George A., his brother, owns 218 acres of land one mile north of Bergen village. They are partners not only in farming, but in the produce and coal business, with warerooms at the West Shore freight house. William A. was mar- ried, November 30, 1880, to Nellie, daughter of Alexander and Lois Miller, of Caledonia, N. Y., and they have one daughter, Jennie, born September 15, 1885. One remarkable fact worthy of mention is that 208 acres of the 218 belonging to these brothers was the original homestead taken up by Aaron Bissell in 1807. James A. Bissell, the eldest child of Aaron M., born January 27, 1846, was married, January 8, 1880, to Loretta E., daughter of George and Catherine Wrightmeyer, of Baraboo, Wis. 'They have one child, Avis M., born July 8, 1883. Mr. Bissell is a farmer, own- ing a valuable farm of 42 acres just east of the corporation line, and makes a specialty of furnishing fresh milk to the residents of the village.

William A. Bower, eldest son of Michael and C. Caroline Bower, was born in Bergen, October 26, 1855. His grandfather, Jacob Bower, was an old resident and pioneer of Bergen, from Cayuga County, N. Y., and

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followed farming till his death in 1871. William A. Bower, also a farmer, in 1878 purchased a farm in Byron, where he resided until March 6, 1886, when he removed to Bergen village, into his residence on Buffalo street. He married, November 8, 1876, Florence L., daughter of Andrew Y. and Harriet A. Weeks, of Bergen, and they have three children. Michael Bower, father of William A., was a farmer until 1881, when he removed to Bergen village, on Clinton street, where he now resides.

Benjamin Bower, one of the early settlers, came from Cayuga County to Bergen in 1834. His wife and six children located on the town-line road west of the village. His wife died in August of the same year. Mr. Bower followed farming, renting, until his death September 2, 1864. Three of his children survive him, viz .: Mary Ann (Mrs. Ai S. Chase) of Byron; Susan (Mrs. J. D. Gifford), of North Bergen; and Abner, who lives on the old homestead. The latter was born in Springport, Cayuga County, October 23, 1825. He was three years old when his father came here, and has always remained on the farm. He was married to Mary E. Huff, of Canadice, Ontario County, February 27, 1845. They have had three children, only one of whom is living, Mary A., wife of Chester Adams. She was born in 1845.

Jacob' Bower came to this town from Aurelius, Cayuga County, N. Y., in 1833. He located in the western part of the town, on what is known as the " town-line road," and lived there until his death, April 21, 1871. One of his two children was Michael, who was born in Cayuga County, May 19, 1831, and was reared a farmer, following that occupation to the present time. He married, January 1, 1855, Cynthia C. Billings, of Byron, and their three children were William A., born October 26, 1855 ; Rosanna E., born December 25, 1857 ; and Charles M., born February 27, 1875. The daughter died April 26, 1875, and his wife February 2, 1878. He married for his second wife Eliza E. Berry, relict of James Berry, by whor he had two children, namely : Ella F., born August 15, 1881, and Joseph L., born July 16, 1886. Mr. Bower still owns the old home farm, but resides in the village, though still actively interested in farming, and has been master of the Bergen Grange for several years.

Samuel Carpenter, the fourth son of James and Sarah Carpenter, was born in Somersetshire, Eng., February 22, 1826, and was one of a family of 13 children,-seven daughters and six sons,-all born in England. Samuel was bound out to the tailor trade when 10 years old, and this is his business at the present time. In December, 1849, he came to America with only $5 in his pocket, but as an expert at his trade he was soon in the employ of James Moore, of Rochester. He moved about some, and came to this county, stopping a short time in Bergen, where he was mar- ried to Anna A., daughter of Samuel and Betsey Bassett, November I, 1851. He then went to Oakfield in the employ of Chamberlain & Par- melee, where in six months he saved up $60, with which he returned to Bergen and " opened shop" for himself. Benjamin Wright assisted him to put in a comfortable stock for those days, and he soon was able to buy

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out and pay off his interest. After two other partnerships, which lasted about four years, he continued alone till 1863, when he formed a partner- ship with Wolfe & Bachman, of Rochester, who purchased the Doolittle block of Bergen village. Shipping goods to Canada proved a successful venture and resulted in the accumulation of quite a sum. His stock and the Doolittle block were afterwards carried away in smoke and flames. He at once commenced to rebuild, doing business in the meantime in the building just south of where the Bergen Hotel now stands, and in the autumn of 1866 opened in the new store. After three years he leased to Fisher and Murdock, on a three years' lease, but he had built two other stores, one of which he moved into, and here he was when the big fire of 1880 occurred, which destroyed again all of his real property. In 1880 he built the Carpenter block, and in 1882 built the block occu- pied by Oathout & Gage as a hardware store. This block, costing

$2,800, he gave to his youngest son on his 17th birthday. He has three children, viz .: George A., born March 2, 1852; Carlos N., born August 6, 1859; and Burton W., born October 9, 1866. The elder sons are now in partnership with the father, carrying on an extensive business in ready- made clothing, hats, caps, machines, wall paper, trunks, etc., and keeping about 20 employees in the business. Mr. Carpenter is a model business man, as his beginning in life and present high standing will attest.

Thomas Jefferson Dean was the son of Ephraim Dean, and was born at Mansfield, Conn., July 7, 1800. In early days he learned the blacksmiths' trade, which he followed till two years before his death, which occurred August 5, 1848. May 4, 1824, he married Fanny F. Gurley, of Mans- field, Conn., and came to Genesee County in the spring of 1835, to Pine Hill, in Elba. Here he lived most of the time until he died, leaving seven children, of whom only one is living -Thomas Jasper Dean, born Octo- ber 29, 1836. The latter learned the shoe trade, which he followed for 10 years, when he engaged in farming and its kindred duties, which suited better his taste. He was in the civil war, enlisting as a private in Co. B, 129th N. Y. V., and was mustered, August 22, 1862, into the U. S. serv- ice. His regiment was transferred to the 8th N. Y. H. A., and Mr. Dean was in all the battles of that valiant regiment, serving until the close of the war. A shell-wound on his left shoulder was the only injury he re- ceived during the entire list of battles. He received a commission as second lieutenant July 1, 1864, dated June 3d. He was mustered out of service at the expiration of his term, June 22, 1865. On January 30, 1866, he married Celestia M., daughter of S H. and Sarah K. Reed, of Bergen. Three children were born to them, viz .: Minnie C, born Janu- ary 6, 1868; Charles R., born January 25, 1870; and Calvin N .. born June 15, 1874. He has filled the offices of justice of peace seven terms and justice of Sessions two.

John W. Davy, third son of John and Margarette Davy, was born in Can- ada, November 22, 1845, and at the age of 17 commenced the trade of blacksmithing. In April, 1866, he came to this town, and for eight years

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he worked for other parties, but for the past 15 years has carried on the business himself. He married Anna B. Gordon, of Kingston, Canada, September 30, 1867, and has a family of three children, one of whom, Ethel E., is an adopted daughter. Willie J. was born December 6, 1869, and Grace G. July 9, 1876. Mr. Davy has been very successful in busi- ness, and is able to reap the reward of industry by doing business in his own brick block on Buffalo street. He enjoys the confidence of his towns- men, as is attested by his success in business and the offices of trust he fills in the school and other corporations of the village.

Erastus Emerson, eldest son of Joseph Emerson, was born in Riga, N. Y., July 27, 1810. He followed farming till 1854, when he was com- pelled to retire by reason of injuries received. Four children were born to him, as follows: Joseph T., John R., Jerome E., and George E., all of whom are living except the first named. John R. Emerson, the second child, of Bergen village, was born in Riga, February 9, 1844, and at the age of 15 he went to Colchester, Conn., to learn the trade of tanner and currier, remaining there about three years. He enlisted in Co. H, 21st Conn. Vols., for three years, or during the war. He was mustered into service at Norwich, Conn., August 22, 1862, and left for the seat of war September IIth. He was attached to the Army of the Potomac, in the 9th Corps ; was at the battle of Fredericksburg, was marched the length of the peninsula to Hampton, July 12th, and on the 15th was marched to Portsmouth to act as provost-guard for the city. On the 15th of May he joined Butler's army, on the James River, and was assigned to the 18th Corps. He was at the battle of Drury's Bluff, joined Grant's army at Cold Harbor, June Ist, and was at the surrender of Lee. He arrived at Richmond, June 15, 1865, and embarked for home. Arriving at New Haven on the 18th he was mustered out July Ist, making the term of service 34 months. Five battles and three skirmishes were par- ticipated in without a scratch. He then attended Eastman's Commercial College at Rochester, from which he received a diploma in 1866. March 18, 1868, he married Emma L., daughter of Aaron and Avis Bissell, of Bergen. He followed farming till 1883, when he entered the mercantile business as partner of A. B. Enoch. They carried on a general store for several years. Mr. Emerson has two children-Clayton B., born December 28, 1870, and Bessie E., born July 1, 1879.

Abraham Enoch was born in Wood County (now Wirt), West Vir- ginia, January 16, 1804. His father, Isaac, was one of the earliest settlers in the "Old Dominion." Abraham married Mary Gibbrus, October 14, 1830, and to them were born eight children, of whom six are liv- ing, viz .: I. L., M. V., J. T., A. F., J. G., and A. B. The first four named are now residents of Virginia. I. L. Enoch has served four years in the West Virginia legislature. Mr. Enoch was a farmer and lumber- man, and at the breaking out of the civil war was a Union man-and a Democrat He was the first county judge of Wirt County in the new State of West Virginia, and held court contrary to the order of the rebel

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governor, who subsequently offered a reward for his person delivered at Richmond. Wirt County was near the borders, and furnished men for each army, but pronounced Union men had to suffer from the repeated raids and injuries of the rebel bushwhackers. It was nothing to be stripped of horses and stock, and also sleep in well-guarded quarters. The last eight years Mr. Enoch spent in Henrietta, Monroe County, N. Y., where he died in November, 1883. His youngest son, A. B. Enoch, was born in Wirt County, as above, February 6, 1849. Al- though a boy he belonged to the home guard during the war, and had considerable army experience while protecting property. He had one brother who served in the 6th W. Va. Regt., and another who raised a company for the IIth Regt. A. B. Enoch was married, January 12, 1871, to Mary, daughter of Cornelius S. Dewitt, of Henrietta, N. Y. They have one child, Sherman D., born September 25, 1873. Mr. Enoch came to this town April 18, 1880, and engaged in the mercantile business. He was appointed postmaster March 16, 1886.

Wickum Field, one of the pioneers of the county, came to Bergen from Killingworth, Conn., in June, 1809, and located on what is now known as " the town line road," about two miles west of Bergen village. Here, until his death, August 11, 1853, he lived, rearing a family of seven children, two of whom survive, viz .: Nathan and Charles. Charles Field was born in the town April 20, 1819, and has passed his entire life here. He married, November 20, 1849, Abigail J., daughter of Nat and Cynthia Spafford, of Byron, and three children were born to them, two of whom survive, viz .: Mary E., born September 25, 1857, now the wife of George W. Sackett, of Bergen; and Jennie Estelle, born May 27, 1860, now the wife of Henry A Arnold, of Le Roy. Mr. Field is now 69 years old, and is still an active man. He remembers the early days of the county and has witnessed its rapid development. Mrs. Elizabeth Field, wife of Wickum Field, died January 22, 1848, aged 69 years.

Lathrop Farnham, a native of Connecticut, came to Bergen (then Le Roy) in 1816, where his sons Joseph N. and Stephen L. now reside. He died in 1880, aged 84 years. He married Zeurah Tiffany, of Byron, by whom he had four sons and five daughters. One son died in infancy. William D. died in his 2 Ist year. Joseph N. and Stephen L. live in the town on lot 96. The daughters were Mary, Lorinda, Ora Lovina and Ora Louisa (twins), and Jane. The latter died June 20, 1888. Mary and Lorinda reside in Chicago, Ill. Ora Lovina and Ora Louisa reside in Bergen.

Francis Fordham, born in Vermont, October 31, 1800, came with his father to Genesee County about 1806, settling in Le Roy, and followed farming. He married Caroline Woodward, of Le Roy, and eight children were born to them, five of whom survive, namely : Gideon, of Le Roy; Mariette (Mrs A. S. Westlake), of Le Roy; Esther (Mrs. James P. Quackenbush), also of Le Roy; Harlan F , of Bergen ; and Sabrina (Mrs. Henry Rowe), of Kansas. Mr. Fordham, the father, died in 1885, and was really a pioneer of four-score years. His wife survives him, and re-

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sides with her daughter, Mrs. Quackenbush. Harlan F. Fordham, the younger son, born August 4, 1837, is a farmer on the Lake road about two miles south of Bergen village. He enlisted in Co. I, 129th Regt. N. Y. V., August 9, 1862, serving to the close of the war. He partici- pated in the battles of Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Hatcher's Run, Peters- burg, and several minor engagements. He was severely wounded at Cold Harbor, and was honorably discharged June 25, 1865. He was married, January 5, 1869, to Sarah, daughter of John D. and Sibyl Seely, of Leon, Cattaraugus County, N. Y. They have two children, Ruth L., born July 24, 1871, and Orwell S., born January 2, 1877. Mr. Fordham has served his town as justice. The father, Francis, was employed as a messenger in the War of 1812, when 12 years old, and passed through many hair- breadth escapes.

Abner Gay was born in Pittsfield, Mass., June 12, 1806. He learned the trade of carriagemaker, but the latter part of his life was spent in farm- ing. He moved from his native town to Lebanon Springs, where he lived till 1837, and came to Byron, this county, in 1856. September 9, 1830, he married Rachel M. Rowley, of Lebanon Springs, and died July 15, 1875. His son, G. Rowley, was born in Byron, December 26, 1838, and is a farmer. He is also agent for Lister Brothers, dealers in standard and chemical fertilizers, and agent for the Western New York Hedge Com- pany. He married, first, Aggie A. Grey, December 26, 1865, who died June 4, 1866, and second, Emma A., daughter of Jonas and Mary Shaf- fer, of Clarkson, N. Y., November 16, 1872, by whom he has a daughter, Hattie J., born March 4, 1873.

Moses M. Gillette came with his family from Kinderhook, N. Y., in 1830, to this town. He was born in Connecticut, July 30, 1772, and had a family of eight children, nearly all of whom died in the prime of life. He was a schoolmate with Martin Van Buren, and served in the War of 1812, holding the commission of captain. He died September 17, 1847, and his wife in June 1854. Sylvester Gillette, the only sur- viving son, was born at Kinderhook, January 16, 1816, and came here in 1830, when 14 years old. He is a farmer and has resided on the same farm over 50 years. November 4, 1852, he married Mary A. Hoag, of Ridgway, Orleans County, and three children were born to them, viz .: Miller S., now residing at Livonia Station, born April 29, 1854; Mary O. (Mrs. A. G. Holdridge), born February 11, 1857 ; and Luella A. (Mrs. George M. Gillette), born August 16, 1865, who now resides with her father. The mother died March 18, 1886. Mr. Gil- lette has filled prominent places in the gift of his townsmen, and was postmaster under President Johnson.

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Gazetteer and biographical record of Genesee County, N.Y., 1788-1890, Part 35

Author: Beers, F. W. (Frederick W.), ed. 1n; Vose, J.W., and Co Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : J.W. Vose & Co. Number of Pages: 920

Author: Beers, F. W. (Frederick W.), ed. 1n; Vose, J.W., and Co
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : J.W. Vose & Co.
Number of Pages: 920