Gazetteer and biographical record of Genesee County, N.Y., 1788-1890, Part 56

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 56

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Roy in 1877. His father, George W. Marcellus, was a minister. De- siring to engage in newspaper work George E. entered the office of the Courier, and was for some time local editor of that paper. Upon the retirement of Mr. Thomson from the Gazette he, in company with Mr. Hand, assumed control of that paper, enlarged it one column, introduced new features, and notably increased the circulation. For the past two years Mr. Marcellus has been the sole proprietor of the paper. He has enlarged his facilities for job and press work, and fitted up a tasty and convenient office, thus making his a model establishment.

Charles Bartell Thomson, the fourth son of Joseph and Sarah Thom- son, was born in Cohocton, N. Y., in 1815. At the age of 15 years he entered Judge Hovey's office, at Mount Morris, to learn the printers" trade. After a time he was publisher of the Livingston County Journal. In 1840 he came to Le Roy from Washington, D. C., purchased the Le Roy Gazette, and at the time of his decease was the oldest continual editor in Western New York. Mr. Thomson was a man of decided opinions. For 50 years he was a strong supporter, first of the Whig party and then of the Republican party, from which his paper never swerved or changed. During this period he was ever a strong advocate of temperance and good order, as well as of all improvements for the growth and prosperity of the place. He died at Le Roy in 1887, at the age of 72 years, leaving a widow, Sarah H., who survived him only a few months, and a daughter, Elizabeth, who was married to a Mr. Brown, a lawyer, formerly of Binghamton, N. Y., and now a resident of Le Roy, on the Thomson homestead. Mr. Brown is a practitioner in the city of Buffalo.

There were other papers which had a short life. O. A. Brownson, afterwards in high repute among the Roman Catholics for his religious journal, published in Boston, was the editor of the Genesee Republican and Herald of Reform in 1829, an agrarian and infidel paper. In 1844 Edward Bliss established, and for two or three years conducted, the Le Roy Courier. In 1854 William C. Grummond commenced the Genesee Herald, and in April, 1857, Thomas B. Tufts the Le Roy Advertiser, dis- continuing it in July, 1858. All of the latter had but a brief existence.

The Le Roy Times was established in Le Roy in June, 1881, by Charles Morgan and his son, Frank H. Morgan, the latter having since that time managed both newspaper and job office. The paper is a weekly of eight-page form, and 48 columns, pasted and trimmed, and the job department has a city equipment of type, with steam-power presses. In 1886 the Le Roy Times Company, with a capital stock of $10,000, was incorporated, Charles Morgan being made president, and F. H. Morgan, secretary and manager of the office. Manager Morgan was born in Le Roy in 1852, prepared for college at Phillips Academy, Exeter, N. H., and graduated in 1876 from Harvard College, Mass. During the next year he was an editorial writer for various papers, was. one of the editorial staff of the Buffalo Courier, but giving up this posi-

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tion, owing to impaired health, he, in 1878, bought an interest in the In- dex at Meadville, Pa., where he remained over three years. He came thence to Le Roy to establish the Times, in a field then already covered by two newspapers. He succeeded in creating a demand for such a live weekly chronicle of news as has been developed by his excellent tact and management.

The Genesee Courier, published by George M. Howe, and now com - pleting its 20th volume, was started in 1870 as a straight out and out Democrat organ for the people in this and Livingston County. The is- suing of this publication at that time was rendered possible by an ardent admirer of the editor and proprietor ; thus a beginning was made under very favorable circumstances, and the publication has been kept up to this time without any diminution in the spirit which prompted it, nor loss in circulation. George M. Howe, the editor and proprietor, was born in Yorkshire, Cattaraugus County, N. Y., March 15, 1833, and came here: in 1849. He learned the trade of printer with Col. William Seaver (long editor of the Spirit of. the Times of Batavia), and then assisted in the office of the Le Roy Gazette, while C. B Thomson was in charge of that paper. From that office he gained an experience which fully quali- fied him in becoming the editor and proprietor of the Courier. Mr. Howe has identified himself with the growth and prosperity of the vil- lage; has held the office of trustee for five years, and president of the board for two years. During the recent agitation regarding the intro- duction of the electric light in the village, and when all the members but he resigned, he was elected president, which office he held for seven months, and was the only member during that time, carrying alone the responsibilities of disbursements for the corporation, the like of which had never been done before in any town in the State. Mr. Howe mar- ried Isabella Walker, daughter of Andrew Walker, of Scotch ancestry,

The Bank of Le Roy .- The first bank organized in Le Roy was De -. cember 28, 1838, under the name of the Genesee County Bank. Its first board of directors was Israel Rathbone, M. P. Lampson, John Lent, Elisha Stanley, Samuel Skinner, I. N. Stage, A. Wilcox, Marshall Smead, Lucius Parks, J. C. Ferris, and Noah Starr. Its first officers were Israel Rathbone, president; John Lent, vice-president; M. P. . Lampson, cash- ier. Subsequently M. P. Lampson became and remained for several years the president of the bank, and S. T. Howard, cashier. On the de- cease of Mr. Rathbone D. R. Bacon was chosen a director to represent his estate. Other changes occurred among the directors, among them being S. B. Skinner, T. Brown, Warren Fay, and R. H. Smith. The bank continued to do a successful banking business under the supervision of its president, Mr. Lampson, until it was closed and merged in the First National Bank of Le Roy, in January, 1864. D. R. Bacon is the sole survivor of the old bank directors. On the death of M. P. Lampson his son William succeeded him as president, and has since remained at the head of the institution, now called the Bank of Le Roy, which was

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chartered July 1, 1889, under the State law. Its present officers are William Lampson, president ; Butler Ward, cashier ; W. C. Dorman, as- sistant cashier ; and William and M. P. Lampson, R. Ballard, Butler Ward, and John Maloney, directors.

F. C. Lathrop is a private banker of Le Roy, where he has been en- gaged in that business for many years.

Salt interests -During the period of the early settlement of this sec- tion, up to about 1815, when the hard working pioneers were striving to make homes for themselves, when no luxuries were to be thought of, and their means limited, one of the necessities then (as always) was salt, which was not attainable without an effort. At that time, with wheat only about three shillings per bushel, and salt from $10 to $12 per barrel, it took 30 bushels of wheat to pay for one barrel of salt, that commodity being hauled from " Onondaga Salt Springs," attended with great expense. Little did the settlers in early times dream of having such an immense store of salt beneath them as to make the value of one bushel of wheat equivalent to a barrel of salt. And yet for. a period of 75 or 80 years, during the rapid increase in growth of the Genesee country, all this im- mense wealth has laid dormant, and from its first inception in 1878 has only attained its present status by slow, hard stages, with periods of great discouragements, ending with a well-earned measure of success.

Salt having been discovered at Wyoming in 1878 some of the leading citizens of Le Roy, believing it could be found here, were induced, through the active efforts of N. B. Keeney, to contribute a fund of $1,500 to test the enterprise. The above named gentleman was enabled to in- terest C. M. Everest, of Rochester, in the undertaking, and with the guar- antee of the sum just mentioned Mr. Everest assumed the responsibility of the work, agreeing to bore for salt to the Niagara formation, or not to exceed 1,000 feet in depth. Mr. Everest, on his part, was anxious to dis- cover oil. C. B. Matthews, of Wyoming, was engaged by Mr. Everest to look after his interests. He secured Mr. Higley, of Bradford, Pa., who con- tracted to drill for salt or oil. A beginning was made December 4, 1878. In February, 1879, such progress had been made that gas was reached at a depth of 500 feet, and also brine, which came up with such force as to cover the derrick with water, and, freezing, presented a grand sight. At this stage of the work, for some unknown reason, Matthews ceased opera- tions, and, abandoning the work, demanded payment for his labors, by the advice of Mr. Everest. The citizens refused to accede to their claims, on the ground that the contract had not been carried out. A long liti- gation ensued, extending to the fall of 1881, when Mr. Everest, ascer- taining he had been deceived by Matthews, made a proposition to the citizens to put down another (No. 2) well. This was begun, under the superintendence of A. E. Miller, by Curtis & Whitaker, with John Eyres representing the citizens. In this venture four citizens guaranteed to Mr. Everest the sum of $1,300 if he would assume all other risks. This sec. ond test-well developed brine at the depth of 615 feet and a salt vein of

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20 to 25 feet, and so satisfied the four citizens that they desired to make other tests with Mr. Everest, but, his other engagements not permitting it, he declined, and turned over his interests to the other parties, who began cleaning out the first well, which they found to be plugged with iron ob- structions. So difficult an undertaking did this prove that the summer of 1882 was occupied in that work, which proved very expensive. The idea, up to this time, was to demonstrate to the citizens the presence of salt in this locality, seeing that the Warsaw experiments had proved suc- cessful.

Work was practically abandoned until the spring of 1883, when, under the auspices of the American Chemical Co., of West Bay City, Mich., a small plant, equal to an output of 100 barrels per day, was started, and the first salt made and shipped in September, amounting to one car load. The process of the above company proving a failure, the works were re- modeled in May and June, 1884, and the grainer process adopted. At this juncture, and after the failure of the American Chemical Co., it be- came necessary for the parties interested in the enterprise to determine whether future business warranted an increase of capital sufficient to enter upon the manufacture of salt on an enlarged scale. To this end it was decided to put down another well, this time at the junction of the R. & P. and D., L. & W. railroads in Pavilion, on the Gilmore farm, three miles south of Le Roy. A well drilled there, to the depth of 840 feet, developed a vein of salt 51 feet thick, a strata of limestone rock being found above and below the salt. This experiment decided the planning for a perma- nent business, and to locate the future plant at Le Roy, where the rail- roads offered unusual facilities for shipment. In the fall of 1884 C. F. Prentice,' S. C. Wells, A. E. Miller, and N. B. Keeney organized the Le Roy Salt Company, and Mr. Miller was put in full charge of the works. Two grainers were put in with four boilers, so that it resulted in 14,000 barrels of salt being shipped that fall with the aid of 14 workmen.

While this result was fairly satisfactory for a new business, with a small force, it was clearly evident the output could be increased, and good re- sults follow, if an addition could be made to the plant. Grasping the situation in a broad and comprehensive manner additions were made to the buildings, new grainers erected, boilers introduced, and a capital of $30,000 employed, all proving a success. Changes, however, have been made constantly for a more economical production, until, by the energy and enterprise of the company, under the careful superintendence of A. E. Miller, the production has reached 600 barrels per day. The force em- ployed is now 75 hands. Ten boilers of 80 horse-power each furnish the steam and motive power ; II grainers are in operation night and day ; a storage capacity of over 100,000 bushels is crowded to its limits ; and a capital of $150,000 is employed. The first block erected was 36x300 feet. The main building is now 136x300 feet, with an addition 40x136 feet. The company has eight wells from which to pump brine. In Jan- uary, 1889, S. C. Wells disposed of his interest, which is now owned by the other members.

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To the members of the Le Roy Sait Co. this community is largely in- debted for such an enterprise in their midst, which has brought prosper- ity to the town, produced a more active business in all lines of trade, caused the building of many new houses, and the improvement of many more. The pay-roll, aggregating $32,000 per year, turns $600 cash into the channels of trade every Monday.

A. E. Miller, superintendent and general manager of the Le Roy Salt Co., was born August 4, 1840, in Chesterfield, Mass., a son of Lawrence and Alzada (Clapp) Miller. Lawrence Miller, a native of Bavaria, and a graduate of Berlin College, came to the United States in 1835, settling in Massachusetts. In 1841 the family came to Byron, where Mr. Miller died in 1847. He had one son, A. E. Miller, and two daughters. A. E. Miller received only a common school education, but began teaching at the early age of 16 years, and so continued until 28 years of age, when he engaged in farming for a few years. In 1872 he began the drug business, associated with T. B. Tuttle, which he carried on until 1884, when he was called upon to take charge of the extensive interests of the Le Roy Salt Co , since which time he has given his whole attention to that industry, and, by his active business management and judgment, has created a business second to none in this locality. Through the re- spect and confidence of his townsmen Mr. Miller has been placed in offices of trust, having been a member five years, and president three years, of the board of trustees of the village. He married Louise, daughter of John Burden, and they have two children, Maud L. and Jessie B. The family are members of St. Mark's Episcopal Church.

Malt-houses .- The present malt- houses were originally built for car shops by A. S. Upham, where 100 men were employed. They are stone buildings, 50 feet wide and 300 and 312 feet long. After their use as car shops was abandoned they were idle for some time, when they came into the possession of Hugel & Co., who fitted them up into malt- houses. They carried on the business for a time, and then sold to Bergdell & Co. After a time William Huyck & Co. (in 1872) took charge, from whom the present owners, W. D. Matthews & Co , bought in 1878. They em- ploy from October Ist to June Ist about 75 hands, and malt in that time from 600.000 to 700,000 bushels of barley, principally that which is grown in Canada. The superintendent of the business, Edward Roger- son, was born in Yorkshire, Eng., January 27, 1850, where he was edu- cated. He came to Toronto with an uncle, was engaged in the dry goods and hat and cap business for a while, and then became interested in the malting industry. He married Marian R. Matthews, and they have four children : Marian I., Edward A., Vida S., and Wheeler D. His wife died in January. 1888. The family are members of the Methodist Church, and have contributed most liberally to the erection of the new edifice.

The Le Roy roller flour-mills were erected in 1822 by Jacob Le Roy. On his removal to New York Joshua Lathrop continued the manufacture of flour for some time. The present owner, C. F. Prentice, with J. D. Cam-

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eron, came into possession of them in 1866. In a few years Mr. Pren- tice purchased Mr. Cameron's interest. It was a seven-burr mill, but has been changed to a roller-mill, using the Stevens process, and has a ca- pacity of 200 barreis per day, as well as ample facilities for grinding feed. The building is very capacious, being five stories in height, and has a storage capacity of 15,000 bushels.

John Brown's cooper shop is a busy place in the season of fruit. He makes from 5,000 to 25,000 barrels per year. He has been in the busi- ness here since 1853, and is now located on Myrtle street.

L. Sellinger's cider and vinegar works are located on Myrtle street. In 1865 the building was used as a brewery, and operated as such until 1883. There are two vaults for storage.

N. B. Keeney & Son .- The present extensive produce business of N. B. Keeney & Son was started in 1864 by N. B. Keeney, who purchased of I. B. Phelps a building on Lake street, near the railroad, designing to do a general produce business. His warehouse being destroyed by fire, in 1874, he rebuilt the following year on a larger scale and with better fa- cilities to accommodate a rapidly increasing trade. In 1888 the firm erected a six story iron- clad building west of the old one, in which they placed all the modern appliances for conducting their business. The are extensive growers and contractors of seeds, principally peas and beans, of which they have over 2,500 acres under contract. They also have branch houses at Pearl Creek, N. Y., Traverse City, Mich., Valley Springs, Dak., and Oshawa, Ont. In their Le Roy establishment are employed about 75 persons, among whom are distributed annually wages to the amount of $10,000, thus greatly benefitting many persons, and advanc- ing the growth and welfare of the place.

N. B. Keeney was born October 4, 1820, one mile west of Le Roy. He was a son of Joseph and Mary (Bishop) Keeney, natives of New London, Conn. Joseph Keeney, son of William, and a farmer, came to Genesee County in the spring of 1815, and in June of the same year he settled on 95 acres one mile west of Le Roy village. He died in 1846, aged 66 years. He and his wife, Mary, were of the 26 constitutent members of the First Baptist Church organized at Roanoke in 1816. Mrs. Keeney died in 1877, at the age of 94 years, having been a worthy and consist- ent member of the Le Roy Baptist Church 61 years. Joseph and Mary Keeney had 10 children, of whom Allen, J. Bishop, Nicholas B., and Mrs. Emma L. Bixby are living. Of N. B. Keeney it can truly be said he is the architect of his own fortunes. Receiving as good education as the schools of his early day offered he commenced work for himself at the age of 18 years, and lived on a farm till 1862, when he moved to Stafford, where he commenced the produce business, and in 1864 removed to Le Roy, where he has since resided Mr. Keeney married Mary M., daugh- ter of Calvin Ely, of Lancaster, N. Y., by whom he had two children, Calvin N. and Martha J. His wife died in 1877. He afterward married Hor- tense A. Murdock, who was a daughter of Rawson Harmon, of Wheat-

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land. The family are members of the Baptist Church. Calvin N. Keeney, the present energetic member and manager of the firm of N. B. Keeney & Son, was born in Le Roy, February 6, 1849. He was educated at Le Roy Academy, and at the age of 18 years began assisting his father in his business, and in 1870 was admitted as partner. In 1880 he mar- ried Charlotte, daughter of Rev. Dr. A. S. Freeman, of Haverstraw, N. Y., and they have two children, Ruth Mary and Charlotte Freeman.

Shiloh's Family Remedies. - These celebrated proprietory articles are manufactured by S. C. Wells & Co., in a capacious four-story brick build- ing, at No. I Church street, in Le Roy village. The arrangement of the building upon the banks of the Oatka River ensures well lighted rooms in every part. The structure is 45x60 feet in size, and is supplied with an elevator and all the modern improvements to aid in simplifying and lessen the labor of the manufacturers. It was built in 1877 and enlarged in 1882, and it is again becoming too small for the firm's constantly in- creasing business. Being among the first manufacturing interests estab- lished here it has contributed largely to the growth of the village, and by extensive advertising in every county in the Union Messrs. Wells & Co. have undoubtedly made the name of Le Roy more familiar to the public than all other local interests combined. The firm is composed of Schuyler C. and George H. Wells.

Decker & Titman's fruit distillery was established in 1872, on the bank of the creek opposite Haskins's mill, on Munson street, with a ca- pacity of 500 bushels of fruit per day. This is the only one in the county. The cider building is 40x50, and the still building 45x50 feet.

John H. Haskins's grist-mill, located on Gilbert street, on the site of an old carding-mill built as early as 1812, is noted for the excellent quality of the flour produced. This property has been in the Haskins family for upwards of 45 years.

M. A. Ladd's carriage and wagon shop was established in 1854. The building is 26x80 feet in size, two stories, and built of stone. Mr. Ladd employs eight or 10 men throughout the year. Thomas Ladd, father of M. A., came here in 1818 and opened a wagon shop on the opposite side of the street from the present works, and worked at his trade about 40 years.

There have been several fruit evaporators established in Le Roy, but the business is not conducted as extensively as formerly.

Lawson & Houston's new livery stable is located in the rear of the Ross block. It was started January 12, 1890. They keep a first-class estab- lishment.

W. S. Brown, a manufacturer of and dealer in all kinds of wagons and carriages, is located at 60 Main street. He is also an extensive dealer in lime and stone, handling over 85,000 bushels of lime in this vicinity each year. In his carriage establishment about 15 hands are employed. The factory was established in 1857.

The Genesee Steam Laundry, the first and only one in Le Roy, was es-

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tablished December 25, 1888, by Edward A. Robbins, at 4 Main street. This is a model establishment, having modern machinery and appliances, and turns out a fine class of work.

Jerome French's broom factory is located on Union street, where he has been in the manufacturing business for over 20 years. He makes about 75 dozen brooms and 50 dozen brush brooms per month. He first be- gan the business at the old Rockwell Hotel, two and one-half miles south. of Le Roy, about 1850, and has since been engaged in the broom trade, manufacturing and selling for other people. He also has a farm of 5 I acres, and resides at 6 Union street. His first work on brooms was done by hand.

Thomas Gallagher & Son's broom factory, located on Exchange street, was started about 1875. They do a business of about 50 dozen brooms and brushes per week.

Stone quarries .- The stone quarries of Le Roy have been noted for the excellent quality of product, as well as the large quantities shipped. At one time George H. Holmes employed as many as 135 men and 40 stonecutters, shipping 50 car loads per day, fully one-half being used in Buffalo. He has also been a large manufacturer of lime, running two kilns, or about 700 bushels per day. The lime from these kilns is remark- able for its strength. Livingston D. Howell now operates a quarry opened by him in 1873, shipping 25 to 30 carloads per week, the stone being used on all the railroad bridges in this part of the State.

Morris & Strobel's stone quarries are located one- half mile north of Le Roy village, on the Oatka Creek. The firm employs from 50 to 60 hands. in getting out building material of blue limestone and stone for railroad bridges.

W. M. Wattles has extensive monumental works on East Main street. They were started about 45 years ago by a Mr. Kenfield. A Mr. Starr afterwards obtained possession, and was succeeded by Starr & Gordon,. and afterwards by James & Morrison. About 1864 C. Strobel took charge, and in March, 1889, W. M. Wattles purchased the works. He handles all kinds of marble and granite.

The Le Roy planing mill was established by Chauncey Olmsted, and was the first of the kind in the county. It was burned, then rebuilt, and again destroyed by fire. William Olmsted then owned the mill for a time, and was succeeded by Laramee & Smith. Olmsted & Mckenzie built the present mill in 1872. The owners after this were Mckenzie, King & Sage, Hartwell & Sage, and King. In 1879 Frost & Murdoch bought it and continued until 1885, when S. H. Murdoch, the present proprietor, obtained possession.

J. T. Warren's foundry and machine shop is situated on Mill street. He established it in 1878, by purchasing the old Catholic Church. This is the only shop of the kind in the village, and the principal business is model and novelty work.

Elias O. Albee was born June 7, 1841, in Norfolk, St. Lawrence County.

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Gazetteer and biographical record of Genesee County, N.Y., 1788-1890, Part 56

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