Gazetteer and biographical record of Genesee County, N.Y., 1788-1890, Part 63

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 63

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).

Rosman L. Walkley, born October 30, 1838, in Pavilion, on the cor- ner opposite and east of Asbury Church, is a son of Richard and Juli- ette (Mills) Walkley. His grandfather, Stephen Walkley, a soldier of 1812, was born March 1, 1778, in Haddam, Conn., and September 10, 1806, married Hannah Lawrence, who was born October 12, 1785, in Middletown, Conn. In 1807 Stephen first came to Genesee County and settled on 200 acres four miles southeast of Le Roy village. Here he cleared two acres and erected a cabin, and in March, 1808, purchased this tract for $600. This same year he brought his wife and resided on this farm for the rest of his life. His family consisted of nine children, as follows : Asahel, Daniel, Richard, Emeline, Stephen, Jr., Harry, Har- riet, William Rosman, and Eunice, all of whom were born on this farm. He died April 26, 1869. His wife died June 13, 1863. He was a son of Gurden Walkley, of Haddam, Conn., and a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Gurden had three sons and two daughters, Stephen being the only one who came to Genesee County. Gurden was a son of Richard Walk- ley, who was born November 8, 1812, and after his marriage moved to Pavilion. About 1844 he purchased 100 acres one-half mile south of Asbury Church, and in 1866 moved to Le Roy village, where he died February 24, 1887. He reared two sons, Miller M. and Rosman L. The latter received his education in the common schools and Lima Academy, and also spent two years in Genesee College. At the age of 24 he began life for himself, residing in Pavilion until 1884, when he located on the old homestead, which he now owns. He married, October 18, 1865, Mary E., daughter of Benjamin F. and Elizabeth Peck, of Alden, Erie County, and they have one son, Franklin L. They are all active and leading members of the Presbyterian Church.

Frederick T. Wilcox, the third son of Pitman and Anna (Parish) Wil- cox, was born in Bergen, July 10, 1849. His early education was ob- tained at the district schools, and finished at Le Roy Academic Insti- tute. At the age of 17 years he began the study of pharmacy with A. S. Fisher, of Bergen, with whom he remained until 21 years of age, when he engaged in the drug business at Corfu for three years. In Oc- tober, 1874, he removed to this town. March 19, 1872, he married Genevieve A., daughter of Henry D. Thurston, of Livonia, N. Y. He has had four children, viz .: Ralph T., Fred T., Dean A., and Marion, three of whom survive. Mr. Wilcox has been a resident of this town for the

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past 15 years. By presistent work and close attention to business he has built up a fine trade. The stock he carries, consisting of drugs, chem- icals, trusses, fancy goods, and stationery, is complete and attractive.

The present proprietor of the Wiss House is the widow of John Wiss, who was born in Landau, Bavaria. He came to this country and settled in New York city in 1847, where he carried on business as tailor. In 1856 he came to Batavia, and in 1858 to Le Roy, and opened a hotel on the site of the Lampson House. In 1869 he bought out the proprietor of the Collins House (formerly the Globe and Eagle), and named it the " Wiss House." He died in March, 1873. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Wiss reared a family of seven children, viz .: John, a prominent business man of Batavia, Carrie, Louisa A., Frank, George, Lute, and Joseph. Mrs. Anna K. Wiss was born in Etzlelwang, Berne, Germany. She has conducted the prosperous business left by her late husband with a fidelity and attention to its cares that is seldom equalled, and has caused this hostelry to become one of the three well- known hotels of Le Roy.

John Wiss, son of John and Anna (Barr) Wiss, was born in Williams- burg (now Brooklyn), N. Y., January 2, 1852. Receiving his education at Le Roy Academy at the early age of 14 he began clerking in a drug store at Schenectady, where he remained one year, when he was with Smith & Co., of Churchville, for one year, and for seven years was with Foreman & Rider and F. W. Foreman of Le Roy. At his father's death he assumed charge of the Wiss House, and in 1873 he purchased the store of F. W. Foreman, a business of 30 years standing. Mr. Wiss has a fine and elegant stock of goods. He has been chief of the fire department for three years, treasurer of the village for 12 years, is treasurer of the Firemen's Benevolent Association, and one of the ves- trymen of St. Mark's Episcopal Church. He married, first, Mary E., daughter of Lucian A. Hascall, by whom he had one son, John H. His second wife is Millicent N., daughter of M. A. Dix.

W. M. Wattles is a son of William P. and Sarah F. (Sweeting) Wat- tles, who were born in Geneseo and Connecticut, respectively. William P. Wattles was a graduate of Temple Hill Academy, and a prominent and influential farmer. He filled various positions of honor and respon- sibility. Prior to the war he moved to Greenville, Ill., where he was ac- tively engaged in farming. In 1862 he enlisted in an Illinois regiment and served as clerk in the quartermaster's department, with rank of lieu- tenant. At the close of the war he returned to Geneseo, where he re- sided at the time of his death, in March, 1877. His children were W. M., Allen H., and Mary A. W. His father, David, married Sarah Smith, and reared two sons and one daughter. The father of David was Roger Wattles, who was one of the first settlers of Geneseo, and of Scotch ex- traction. Sarah F. Wattles was a daughter of Nathaniel and Catharine (Waldo) Sweeting. His mother was a daughter of Gen. Israel Putnam, of Revolutionary fame. W. M. Wattles is one of the active and pro-

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progressive young men of Le Roy. He was born in Geneseo, Novem- ber 14, 1866, received his education in the common schools and Starkey Seminary, and at the age of 15 went to Missouri Valley Junction, Ia., where he was connected with the C. & N. W. Railway for over a year. In 1884 he returned to this county and was connected with the Warsaw Salt Co. for two years, and for two years with John Henegan's monumental works. He was one year in the Glenwood granite works, of Lockport, and in May, 1889, located in Le Roy, having purchased the marble works of C. Strobel. He married Eva A., daughter of John Henegan, and they are members of the Presbyterian Church.

Henry L. Wingate, born August 30, 1811, in Charleston, S. C., is a son of Joseph and M. Ann (Wingate) Wingate, natives of Maryland. Jo- seph Wingate served as lieutenant in the War of 1812. He lived in Charleston, was a trader in slaves, and in 1819 returned to Maryland, where he died. He had 10 children, as follows : William, Joseph, Henry L., John. F., Rebecca M., Mary, Elizabeth, Millicent, and two who died in childhood. Joseph was a son of John, who was born in Massachusetts, and was a farmer. He emigrated to Dover, Delaware, with his brother and two sisters, and thence moved to Maryland. He served in the Rev- olutionary war. John Wingate was a descendant of Rev. Mr. Wingate, of Amesbury, Mass., where he was born September 10, 1703. He died February 19, 1784. Many of his descendants ranked among the most in- fluential and prominent men of Massachusetts. One, Moses Wingate, of Haverhill, Mass., was a very prominent Mason, and his IOIst birthday was celebrated by the Masonic fraternity October 25, 1869. Henry L. Wingate is self educated, having attended school but little. At the age of 14 he went to sea, being gone about three and one half years. After an absence of seven years he returned home. He was for a time con- nected with the Baltimore & Susquehanna Railroad, and in February, 1833, came to New York city, and in October of the same yearto Le Roy, where he has since resided. He has followed painting for 60 years. April 13, 1836, he married Mrs. Mary Ferren, who was born in Cazenovia, March 2, 1805, and was a daughter of John and Esther (Clark) Plato, of Batavia. John Plato and family came in 1810 and settled in Stafford as a farmer. Mr and Mrs. Wingate had three sons and two daughters : John F., Will- iam H., and Francis M., all of whom died in childhood, and Henrietta L. and Harriet I. Haskins. The latter has one child, Mary P. W. Mr. Wingate's wife had one son and two daughters by her first husband, Thomas Ferren, as follows : Charles K., Mary J., and Sarah. Mr. Fer- ren carried on the crockery business in Le Roy.

Charles A. Walton, son of Robert B. and Elizabeth (West) Walton, was born near Port Gibson, Ontario County, in January, 1859, and re- ceived his education in the common schools and on the farm. He came to Le Roy in 1881, and married Adelaide M., daughter of Samuel P. and Mary (Harris) Weld, natives of Genesee County, who reared two sons and three daughters. Mr. and Mrs. Walton have two children,

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Mary H. and Phebe E. They are members of the Baptist Church. Robert B. Walton was born in the city of York, England, and with his parents, James and Louisa (Bollins) Walton, came to the United States about 1838, and settled in Palmyra, N. Y. He had 13 children. James Walton was a sailor, and had two sons and two daughters.

Casey Williams was born March 5, 1833, in Almond, Allegany County, only child of William and Esther (Wallace) Williams, who were both born in Allegany County. William Williams was a son of William, who was one of the early pioneers of Genoa, Allegany County, and who raised II children. Casey Williams was reared by his grandfather, hav- ing lost his father when a babe. At the age of 20 he began life on the farm, and married, July 4, 1857, Jane, daughter of George and Hannah (Wetherbee) Allen, of Allegany County, by whom he had three children, all of whom died in infancy. In March, 1871, he located where he now resides. He enlisted February 4, 1863, in Co. G, 16th H. A. His first battle was Chapin's Farm, Va. He participated in all the engagements in which the regiment was in, and was discharged in August, 1865, at Hart Island.

James White, born April 6, 1847, where he now resides, has always been a farmer. He married Delia, daughter of Ransom and Sarah (Cor- son) Auffman, of Pavilion, and they have three children, James H., Alice, and Fannie C. Daniel White, the father of James, was born in Massa- chusetts, and came with his parents to Pompey, Onondaga County, thence to Genesee County about 1803 or '04, locating where James now resides. Here he lived until his death, February 12, 1881, aged 84. His wife, Orra (Harris) White, died June 24, 1884, aged about 73. His father, who about 1803 settled on 60 acres and afterward added 20 more, was a soldier in the War of 1812. The night before starting to Buf- falo the men in his regiment slept on the floor of the old Eagle Hotel. He had three sons, Daniel, John, and Nathan.

Albert S. Westlake, son of John S. and Louisa (Hancock) Westlake, was born July 10, 1837, at Skaneateles, N. Y. John S. Westlake and wife were born near Bristol, England, and in 1837 came to the United States and settled at Skaneateles. The same year they moved to Venice, Cay- uga County, where they resided until 1848, when they moved to Perry, Wyoming County, where they now reside. They had seven children, viz .: a son who was lost at sea ; Albert S .; Alfred S., a leading mer- chant in Marquette, Mich .; Mary Anna, who resides with her parents ; Elizabeth L. Washburn, who, with her husband, died in Cairo, Mich., and left two sons, John and Fred ; Priscilla M. (Mrs. Fiske), of Rochester; and Lucy Chapin, of Cairo, Mich., whose husband was an editor. John S. Westlake was a merchant tailor and a leading member of the Baptist Church, in which he always lead the choir, and was one of the deacons for many years. His uncle, William Westlake, was a prominent minis- ter in England, where he built his own church, in which he preached, asking no assistance from the public. The mother of Albert S. was a

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lineal descendant of the John Hancock family. Albert S. received his education in the common schools and Perry Academy. At the age of 18 he went to Mount Vernon, Ia., and spent three years with an uncle. After his return home, in 1859, he began the study of dentistry with Dr. Scranton, of Perry, and in 1862 came to Le Roy, where he has since successfully practiced his profession. His social and genial qualities, for which he is distinguished, have endeared him to all who know him. He married, November 29, 1866, Marietta, daughter of Francis and Caroline (Woodard) Fordham, who were born in Vermont, and had eight children. Francis Fordham was a son of Silas. They were among the very ear- liest settlers of Genesee County, settling four miles north of Le Roy prior to the War of 1812. Dr. and Mrs. Westlake have one child, Caroline Louise. Mrs. Westlake and daughter are members of the Presbyterian Church.

Daniel Woodard, born July 18, 1781, in Dorset, Bennington County, Vt., was a son of Ebenezer and Betsey (Curtis) Woodard, of Vermont. He was reared on the farm, was self educated, and married Sarah Hast- ings, a native of Colchester, Conn., and daughter of Paine and Mary Hastings, of Connecticut. Mr. Woodard, after his marriage in 1803, located in Jennings, Seneca County, whence he emigrated to Phelps, Ontario County, and about 1811 removed to Chili, Monroe County. He came to Genesee County about 1835, locating at Cary's Mills for three years, and then removed two miles north of Le Roy village, on 225 acres, where he resided until his death, June 18, 1863. His wife died July 2, 1871, aged 86. He was drafted in the War of 1812, hauled provisions, and later hired a substitute. He had four sons and six daugh- ters, viz .: Mary A., Eliza, Joseph, Orson, Jane, Solomon, Betsey, Cor- nelia, George, and Sarah. Ebenezer Woodard was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, was at the battle of Bennington, and was a farmer. He emigrated to Phelps, Ontario County, and reared five sons and five daughters. He and his wife died in New Fain, Niagara County, and were both upward of 90 years of age. Ebenezer Woodard's father came from Wales with a brother, one locating in Vermont, the other in Vir- ginia.

O. F. Woodward, born in Bergen, July 26, 1856, is a son of Abner T. and Phœbe J. (Lyman) Woodward, natives of Genesee County. His father was a carriagemaker. O. F. came to Le Roy in 1860, was edu- cated at the common schools, and the age of 12 began to earn his own living. In 1877 he was engaged in the manufacture of nest eggs, and for five years met with success. In 1883 he commenced the manu - facture of Kemp's balsam, in which he has secured a large trade. He was married to Miss Cora Talmadge.

William Waterman, a substantial farmer, was born January 20, 1819, in Stafford, and is a son of Anthony and Sophia (Bannister) Waterman. He was reared on a farm and received a good common school education. In April, 1846, he married Nancy M., daughter of Thomas and Nancy M.

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(Pierson) Hanna, and they have had five children, viz .: Edwin, of Al- legan, Mich., Mary E., Charles W., Esther S. (deceased), and George. Mr. Waterman's wife died in May, 1875. After his marriage he moved to Byron, and in 1849 located where he now resides. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. Anthony Waterman and wife came from Windsor, Berkshire County, Mass., in 1816. They had built an ox-shed with which to make the trip, but there being no snow they came with a wagon, and were 17 days on the road. They were accom- panied by two other families, his father and a Mr. Miner. They settled in Stafford, Anthony Waterman locating on 97 acres, where he resided until his death. He had II children, as follows : Hannah, Thaxter, William, Rollin, Melvina, Harlow, Oscar, Hartwell, Gorden, Elma, and Bennett. He was drafted in the War of 1812, but furnished a substitute. Mr. Waterman was an active member of the Baptist Church, and a son of Jamas Waterman, who was twice married, first to a Miss Bates, who bore him one son, Anthony, the father of our subject, and second to Polly Payson, a native of Massachusetts. He died in Ohio. He had three sons and three daughters.

Wilber Waterman was born September 26, 1858, in Byron, and is a son of Thaxter and Mary (White) Waterman, natives of Stafford. He was twice married, first to Elmira White, by whom he had one daugh- ter, Elmira. By his second wife he had children as follows: Salina, Dorrence, Anthony, Wilber, Fannie (Mrs. Stevens), and Addie (Mrs. Miller). After his marriage he moved to Byron. In 1861 he returned to Stafford, and died in January, 1881, aged 64. His wife survives. They were members of the Christian Church. He was a son of An- thony, who married Sophia Bannister, and came about 1819 from Ver- mont with cattle and a sled, settling on 100 acres in Stafford. They reared 10 children. He was of English descent. Wilber is a farmer, had a limited education, and married, in October, 1886, Bell, daughter of William and Lizzie (Tapp) Stevens, of Le Roy.

OAKFIELD.

AKFIELD .- The primitive history of Oakfield, its town officials, its early improvements and societies, must necessarily be incor- porated with Elba, because it was a portion of that town during its settlement, and until the growth of the original Elba had called for a division of its territory, and April 11, 1842, this town was set off from the western part. The name "Oakfield " was given it from the large surface of oak timber and oak openings covering the territory. The

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TOWN OF OAKFIELD.

town is in range 2 of towns, which ranges are numbered from the east Transit line, and in township No. 13, numbering from the Pennsylvania line. . It is one of the northern tier and lies west of the center of the county. Its surface is quite level, gently undulating, and sloping to the north and west. The soil is a deep sandy loam, with a clay subsoil, and very fertile.

The town is well watered by the Oak Orchard Creek, which flows west- erly through the northern part, and by one of its tributaries that flows northerly into it, affording ample power for mills and manufacturing ; and pure water is easily obtainable from its many springs and living wells. The Tonawanda Swamp extends across the northern portion, along Oak Orchard Creek, and this is heavily timbered. It is said that the best and richest land of the town will be found here when it is brought into cultivation.

The western part of the town contains one of the finest plaster beds in the State, extending from the west border of the town east two miles, and is half a mile in width. Salt springs, from which much salt was manufactured at an early day, are found near the center of the town. Oakfield is bounded on the north by Barre, Orleans County, west by Alabama, south by Batavia, and east by Elba. A great portion of its area was embraced in the Tonawanda Reservation, as described in the history of the Holland Purchase title, in preceding pages, the title of which was not obtained from the Indians till 1829. It contains 15,379 acres, being six miles north and south, and four east and west.

In this town are Indian mounds and earthworks that have gone into history as the most remarkable and best preserved of any in the State. The best preserved, according to Harper's Magasine, is about half a mile west of Caryville, and is known as the " Old Fort," consisting of a ditch and breastworks, including about 10 acres of land. The ditch is now about six feet in depth, calculating from the top of the embankments, and contains every evidence of artificial grading and engineering skill. In a part of the works, under cultivation, are traced ancient lodges and a supply of broken pottery. The west side of the fort is formed by a ra- vine, through which flows "Dry Creek." Trees, apparently 300 years old, have grown upon the works, and on the west side are passages with sides built up of stone. A mile to the northeast is " bone fort," which, when the first settlers came, was yet perfect in detail, but scattered frag- ments of bones only mark the spot now. Rev. Samuel Kirkland in 1788 visited the spot, and says the Senecas called these forts Te-gat-ai-ncaa- ghgue, or " double-fortified town "-a town with a fort at each end. The several gateway openings, the way dug to the water near the cen- ter, the great age of the works as shown by the forest, and other marked evidences lead to the conclusion that this was the citadel of the ancient Senecas, and was proof against invading tribes. These works are upon what is known as the Armstrong farm, and after a few generations will be preserved only in the written history of the white man. An examina-

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GENESEE COUNTY.

tion of the fort in 1846 verified Rev. Mr. Kirkland's report of 1788, of a " double-fortified town," or a town with a fort at each end. This was at that time on the farm owned by John Smith. There was also one on the farm of Moses True, about one mile northeast from the above fort.

Early settlers .- The settlement of the town was begun in 1801, when Aaron White and Erastus Wolcott came in. Mr. White, while serving as a captain in the War of 1812, was killed at the battle of Black Rock. Gideon Dunham also came in 1801, settled in the oak openings, and gave the name to Dunham's Grove. His son, Col. Shubael Dunham, deceased, has left for record the fact that the road along the Tonawanda Creek, from Batavia to Bush's, thence north to the openings, was cut through in 1801-02. Erastus Wolcott, Peter Rice, and Christopher Ken- yon also came that year, and Peter Lewis, from Vermont, came the next year and settled near Mr. Dunham. Daniel Ayer and Job Babcock set- tled in 1802, and in 1803 we find the following persons in the town : Hiram Smith, Silas Pratt, William McGrath, George Lathrop, Darius Ayer, Philip Adkins, Lemuel L. Clark, and James Robinson. In 1804 the following settled : Rufus Hastings, Roraback Robinson, Benjamin Chase, Solomon Baker, Samuel Jerome, Sr., and Samuel Jerome, Jr. The following are reported as having settled in 1806: Micajah Green, Caleb Blodgett, Jr., George Hoge, Eldridge Buntley, George and John Harper, Nicholas Bentley, James Crossett, David Woodworth, David Clark, William Parrish, Ezra Thomas, and Caleb Blodgett, Sr.

Elijah Blodgett, originally from Vermont, came in 1807 from Ontario County, and settled at what is now Mechanicsville. He died in 1839, aged 89 years. William McCrillus came in 1810, and George W., John, and Jeremiah H. Gardner in 1811. George Driggs was one of the first who settled on the north line of the Reservation, in 1811, and he cut the Lewiston road from Alabama to Walsworth's tavern. Russell Nobles, . John Orr, Mr. Terrill, Othniel Brown, Laurens Armstrong, Harvey Hub- bell, and others, of New England, were early settlers. Aaron Brown, also an early settler who served in the War of 1812, came to Oakfield in 1815, from Chili, and was the first to locate in the north part of the town, on road 4, where his son George now lives. Another settler of that year, and one who was also in the War of 1812, was John Underhill. His son Alfred came with him, and is now living on the old place. Isaac String- ham settled at an early day on the Shultz farm, on road 6. Reuben Norton came from Pennsylvania to Elba, thence to Oakfield, and settled on a farm where Arthur J., a grandson, now lives. David C. Reed came in 1825 and located lots 52 and 53, on road 10, called Temple Hill road, which is owned by Seymour Reed

The first birth in the town was Calvin Nobles, in 1806, a son of Rus- sell Nobles, who will be remembered by the older residents as the early " fiddler " of the Purchase, and to whose left-handed bowing and scrap- ing many of the pioneers bowed and scraped in the mazes of the dance as he visited from cabin to cabin. He had no competitor. He and his

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TOWN OF OAKFIELD.

old violin mark the advent of music upon the Holland Purchase. In those times, in sleigh or ox-sled rides, at recreations that followed log- house raisings, logging bees, road cuttings, at Christmas and New Year's frolics, Noble and his fiddle formed an accustomed and necessary part. Gideon Dunham opened the first tavern, and Mr. Davis soon followed in the same business. Oliver Wolcott was also an early tavern-keeper. Christopher Kenyon erected the first mills, in 1811, and Othniel Brown cominenced wool-carding and cloth- dressing in 1829. The latter erected a good woolen factory in 1835. which was an important factor of the town for many years. A great portion of the town being included in the Reservation, and the thriving village of Batavia being only a few miles distant, with Elba as the center of the town proper, the opening of a store in this part of the town was not considered practicable; but in 1829, after the sale of the Reservation lands, its settlement followed so rapidly that within a few years this part of the town was fully de- veloped. In 1833 Col. Alfred Cary started the first store at Caryville, now Oakfield postoffice, and for years was successful in business, giv- ing the name to the village, and occupying a prominent position in the county.

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Gazetteer and biographical record of Genesee County, N.Y., 1788-1890, Part 63

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