USA > New York > Genesee County > Gazetteer and biographical record of Genesee County, N.Y., 1788-1890 > Part 66
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584
GENESEE COUNTY.
children are Mabel J., Charles H., and Sarah H. He is a resident of Oakfield, and a dealer in general produce. His wife died in 1888.
William Maltby, a citizen of Ontario County, moved to Elba in 1815, and after 40 years' residence in that place inoved to Brockport, where he died at the age of 77 years. He was twice married. His first wife was Cynthia Carr, and his second Delia Chapin, of Canandaigua. His children were Cynthia, John C., and William H. The latter, born in Ontario County, came with his father to Elba, and during the late war was a member of Battery B, N. Y. Vols. He died in a hospital near Washington, D. C., in 1864, at the age of 25 years. His wife was Emma C., daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Locke) Erwin, of Elba. They had one son, William H., who is now a resident of Oakfield, and lives with his widowed mother on a farm on road 15, where they have lived five years.
Sidney A. McCullock was a native of Gainesville, Wyoming County, N. Y., and came to Oakfield in 1878, where he now resides. He mar- rie Calma Ely, of Gainesville, N. Y., and has one son, Edward A., who married Cora, daughter of William and Martha Galliford, of Fairport, N. Y. They have one son, Lagrande, who is also a resident of Oak- field.
Russel Nobles, a native of Connecticut, was a resident of Oakfield many years, and died in Detroit. Calvin Nobles was the first child born in the town of Oakfield, and was a life- long resident, dying April 1, 1884, at the age of 76 years. He married Harriet Winman, of Rochester, N. Y., and his children were Norton C., Norman L., Newton D., Newman J., Mary E., Laura A., George B., and Frank P. Norton C. Nobles mar- ried Martha E., daughter of Whiting C. Wolsey, Jr., of Batavia, and his children are Robert W. and Ralph C. He is a resident of Oakfield vil- lage.
Whitman Nash, a citizen of Madison County, removed to Oakfield in 1853, and purchased a farm. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Henry and Mary Beggerly, of Clifton Springs, N. Y. Their children were Mary (deceased) and Amerrisa E. Mary married Ephraim Vail, of Oak- field, and left three children, Carrie, Estelle, and Henry. Amerrisa E., the postmaster at East Oakfield, married Harriet, daughter of George W. and Miriam (Grimes) Gardner, of Oakfield. They have one daughter, Miriam F. He resides on the farm with his father, with whom he has lived 33 years. Alpheus Nash, father of Whitman, was a native of Massa- chusetts. He moved from that State to Orleans County, N. Y., and finally to Pennsylvania, where he died, aged 60 years. He was a soldier in the War of 1812.
Smith Pugsley, son of David, was born in Dutchess County in 1799. His mother was a daughter of Judge Betz. He was obliged to work hard for a living, and in early manhood lost much property through the care- lessness of others. He married, January 2, 1825, Elizabeth V., daughter of George Peterson, of Cayuga County, and in 1831 moved to Clarence,
585
TOWN OF OAKFIELD.
Erie County. After reaching there he had but 50 cents in money with which to begin housekeeping. Teaching school winters and surveying at times enabled him to get started again. He was the assessor of his town for 20 years. His wife died in 1860. His son, Capt. David E. Pugsley, was born February 7, 1833. In 1861 he enlisted in the 18th Regt. Ky. Vols , and was elected captain. He was in command at Paris when Morgan burnt the government stores there. He was twice taken prisoner, and died in service February 20, 1863. William W. Pugsley enlisted in 1862, served three years, and was honorably discharged. He finally moved to Indian Territory. Dr. Charles S. Pugsley enlisted in the N. Y. S. Guards, and served under Capt. Ransom, at Elmira, during the stay of the 98th Regiment at that place. He now resides in Oakfield, where he is engaged in the practice of medicine. John T. Pugsley is a farmer, and resides on a part of the old homestead. Of the daughters of Smith Pugsley Sarah M. and Libbie reside in Buffalo, Mary E. in Hins- dale, Mass., and Cornelia V. on the old homestead. George E. Pugsley was born February 7, 1833, in Clarence, Erie County. He lived on the old homestead till 1868, and assisted in putting on all the improvements. He received his education at the district school, except two terms of II weeks each at the Clarence Classical School and six weeks at the Cary- ville Seminary. After finishing his education he taught school winters and farmed it summers. He has held the offices of court collector, justice of the peace, and justice of Sessions of Erie County.
Thomas Powell was a native of Wales, where he died at the age of 60 years. His children were David, William, and Thomas. David came to Oakfield in 1850. His wife was Sarah, daughter of William and Han- nah Morgan, also of Wales, and his children were William, Elizabeth, David, and Sarah. Mrs. Sarah Powell, who survives her husband, is liv- ing at Oakfield at the age of 66 years. David Powell served in Co. E, 150th N. Y. V., and died in December, 1862, aged 30 years.
Jonathan Phillips, a native of New York, came to Oakfield to reside, and married Eliza Owen. Their children were Warren, Charles, George, Harriet, and Anna. Warren, born in Gates in 1825, married Margary, daughter of Aaron and Sally (Dean) Boorom, of Oakfield. Their chil- dren were George, Levi, John, Elmer, Addison, Laura, Sarah, and Eliza- beth. George married Carrie I., daughter of Willard W. and Clarinda (Foster) Herrick, of Barre, Orleans County, and they have one daughter, Dora M.
Arnold Plate, who was born in Fayette, Seneca County, N. Y., came to Oakfield in the spring of 1852. He married Emily S., daughter of El- liott and Orissa (Brown) Lewis, by whom he has four children, viz .: Mary Ellen (Mrs. Warren Gorton), of East Pembroke ; 'Emily E. (Mrs H. E. Stevens), of Oakfield; George A .; and James L. He is now a resident of Oakfield, and is a harnessmaker. He has held the office of poormaster two terms.
Daniel Rathbone, a native of Stonington, Conn., moved to Richmond,
586
GENESEE COUNTY.
Mass., and thence to Milton, Saratoga County, where he died, at the age of 93 years. He married Sarah Higby, of Stonington, Conn., and their children werey Daniel, Jr., Dr. John, William, Valentine, Philander, Sol- omon, Abigail, Sally, Ruby, Huldah, and Lydia. Daniel, Jr., removed to Milton, N. Y., and died in 1808, aged 49 years. He married Anna Reddington, of Stonington, Conn., and their children were Wightman, Ransom, Laurin, Anna, Phœbe, Amanda, Lucy, Melinda, and Julianne. Laurin Rathbone was born May 19, 1806, in Milton, and March 14, 1833, married Elizabeth Barker, of Oakfield. In 1830 he came to Oakfield and purchased the farm formerly owned by Robert Troup and others, and has since followed farming. His children are Arthur B. Rathbone, a hard- ware merchant of Oakfield, and Miss Augusta Rathbone. Lewis V. R. Rathbone, of Rochester, is a son of Ransom.
Arthur B. Rathbone, son of Laurin Rathbone, was born in Oakfield, December 23, 1837. He was educated at Cary Collegiate Seminary, which he attended in 1852-54, and at Wyoming Seminary in 1855. He then spent four years at the University of Rochester, from 1855 to 1859, graduating as A. B., and in 1863 as A. M. He engaged in the nursery business from 1868 to 1879, since which he has been engaged in the hardware trade. He was president of the village in 1874, 1875, 1877, and 1881, and was supervisor for the town in 1883 and 1884. Mr. Rathbone is one of the trustees of Cary Seminary, and a vestryman of St. Michael's Episcopal Church, of which he is a generous and liberal supporter.
Anton Thie was born in Hanover, Germany, July 24, 1859, and came to America and located in Oakfield in 1882. He married Josephine Stoll, of Bavaria, who died November 17, 1889. He has two children, Mary and Kate. Mr. Thie has a shoe store on Main street, Oakfield, where he began business in 1885.
Jeremiah J. Smith, a native of Troy, N. Y., came to Oakfield in 1830, was a blacksmith for 50 years in town, and died in 1885, at the age of 78 years. He married Louisa Hart, of Troy, and his children were War- ner H., Melancton J., Rial, Edward, Wallace, Nancy A., Louisa, Helen, and Emma. Warner H. Smith married Louisa, daughter of Ira and Beattie (Randall) Tripp, of Fort Plain, and his children are Beattie, Frank, and Della. He has been chief engineer of the fire department of Oak- field.
Richard Stevens, a native of Devonshire, Eng., married Ann Creamer, and they had eight children, viz .: Richard, John, William, Samuel, Simon, Grace, Mary, and Ann. William married Frances Kelland, and their children were William, Anna M., Frances, Mary E., Grace, Caroline, Richard, Jane, Matilda, John, and Harriet. John, the subject of this sketch, married, first, Mary A. Rattenburg, of Devonshire, Eng., by whom he had two sons, John A. and William A. His second wife was Ellen, daughter of William and Jane (Webber) Grimshaw, of Devon- shire, Eng., and his children by her were Sumner R., Mary E., and
587
TOWN OF OAKFIELD.
Frederick J. Mr. Stevens, who is now a resident of Oakfield, came here from Devonshire, Eng., in 1852, and has been town collector one year and trustee of Oakfield corporation four years.
Richard Stevens, a native of Winkleigh, Devonshire, Eng., emigrated to Canada in 1843, and thence to Oakfield in 1844, where he now resides. His first wife was Elizabeth Webber, of Chunleigh, Devonshire, Eng., by whom he had two children, William W. and Richard H. His second wife was Mrs. Ellen L. Young, of Orwell, Vt., daughter of Stephen W. and Naomi (Root) Brown, of Benson, Vt. By her first husband Mrs. Ellen Stevens has one son, Darwin S. Young, of Oakfield. Mr. Stevens resides in Oakfield, in which town he has held many offices of trust. William W. Stevens, son of Richard, was born in Stafford, and married Frances, daughter of William and Almira (Whitney) Wolcott, of Oak- field. They have two children, Richard H. and William W. He is a resident of Oakfield.
Richard Stevens, an Englishman by birth, came to Oakfield in 1832, removed to Alabama, and died there at the age of 78 years. His chil- dren were James, Henry, George, Laonia, Fanny, Annie, Jane, Mary, and Thomas. Henry married Hannah, daughter of William Showerman. Their children were Levant, Nettie, and Henry E. The latter married Elizabeth, daughter of Arnold and Emily (Lewis) Plate, of Oakfield, and their children were Nellie I. (deceased) and Ellsworth, a resident of Oak- field.
Martin Sparling, a citizen of Mecklenburg, Germany, married Mary Fox, of the same place. He died in the 65th year of his age. They had three children: John, Charles, now of Alabama, and Anson, of Pembroke. John, born in Germany, married Mary, daughter of Christopher and Mary (Will) Harloff, of Germany, in 1829. They emigrated to America in 1853, and first settled in New Jersey. From that State they removed, in 1855, to Oakfield, and purchased a farm on road 15, where they still reside. Their children are Sophia, John, Mary, Eliza, Fred, William H., and Anna.
Martin Smith, grandfather of Frank Smith, was a native of New York, but moved to Vernon, Shiawassee County, Mich., where he died in the 92d year of his age. He had four children, Julia A., Amelia, Peter M., and William I. Peter M. was born in New York and now lives at West Kendall, this State. He married Almira, daughter of George and Betsey Acker, and their children are Wesley, Fletcher, William, Frank, Lavina, Eva, Ella, and Sarah M. Frank, born in Kendall, Orleans County, came to Oakfield in 1879, where he now lives on his farm on road 1. He married Isabella, daughter of William and Isabella (Hermiston) Jaf- frey, of Kendall.
William Smith, a farmer, was a native of Berlin, Rensselaer County, N. Y., where he died in 1840, at the age of 70. He married Esther Godfrey, of Berlin, and his children were John, George, Calvin, Robert, Catharine, Rachel, Ann, Panelpia, William C., and Hannah. William C.
588
GENESEE COUNTY.
Smith married Margaret Harris, of London, Eng., and has four children, Mary, Emma, William H., and George. William H. Smith married Anna McCue, daughter of Peter and Mary McLaughlin, formerly of Ire- land. They have four children, Raymond, Charles, Carrie, and Florence. He was the proprietor of the Oakfield House. His brother George was a dry goods merchant of Oakfield, and married Laura, daughter of Will- iam and Laura (Amsden) Howland.
Benjamin Williams, a native of Langwerne, Eng., was a farmer. His children were Alfred, Mary A., George, Emma, Edward, Henry, and Arthur W. Henry Williams came to Ohio in 1879, and thence, in 1880, to Oakfield, where he now resides, and is engaged in the business of painting and paper hanging. He married Kate Way, daughter of George Brown, of Oakfield.
F. E. Wright came to Oakfield in the spring of 1883. July 1, 1883, he associated himself with A. H. Green, of Byron, under the name of the . Exchange Bank, and together they did the banking business of the northern section of the county until July, 1887, when Mr. Wright pur- chased the interest of Mr. Green, and has since continued the business alone. He was elected president of the village in March, 1889.
John Watts, a native of Norwich, Eng, was a farmer. He married Mary A. Lunnon, of Norfolk, Eng., and their children were John, George, William, Susan, Ann, Jacob, Isaac, and James. Isaac served 10 years in the English army. William came to America, located in Middleport village, town of Royalton, in 1853, and afterwards removed to Hartland, Niagara County, where he now resides. He married Susanna, daughter of John and Julia (Holt) Watson, of London, Eng. Their children were William, Matthew, Mary A., Emma, Susanna, John C., Ella, and George. William served in Co. D, N. Y. H. A., was taken prisoner at the battle of Cold Harbor, and was sent to Salisbury prison, where he, with so many others, suffered untold hardships. Starvation wrought its work and death came to his relief. Matthew, who was born in England in 1849, was four years old when his father settled in Middleport. He came to Oakfield in 1883, and now has a farm on road I. He married Amelia V., daughter of John W. and Lucinda (Kelsey) Strong, of Hartland, Ni- agara County.
Sylvester Willis, of Rutland, Vt , settled in Oakfield in 1830. He was . a carpenter and built many houses in Genesee County. He died in 1885.
589
TOWN OF PAVILION.
PAVILION.
AVILION was formed from Covington, Wyoming County, May 19, 1841. A portion from the townships of Le Roy and Stafford was annexed March 22, 1842. The surface is undulating in the north, and in the south hilly. The principal stream is the Oatka Creek, which flows north through the center of the town. The town received its name from Harmon J. Betts in 1825. He was a native of Saratoga, and gave the name from the hotel of the same name in that village. Jo- seph Ellicott surveyed the first road across the present town of Pavilion, extending in a straight line from Batavia village to Leicester, through the village of Pavilion. About the time Mr. Ellicott made this 'survey the State surveyed a road from Canawaugus, Indian village, on the Gen- esee River, at Avon, extending in a straight line to Buffalo, called the new State road; that road centers the town of Pavilion, and passes through what was known as Bradley's Corners, near Pavilion Center.
The following is a list of the early settlers, and is as accurate as can be given at the present time :
The Burgess brothers, James Baker, Stephen Branch, Capt. Betts, George Bidwell, V Capt. Daniel Buell, Nathan Bryant, Joseph Chaddock, H. Dodge, Lucius Parks, Jared Miller, Horace Rugg, Thomas Studley, Ashley Townsend, Hon. Townsend, David Snow, and Levi Ward. In 1805, Isaac D. Lyon. In 1807, the Lawrence family and Richard Walkley. In 1809, Peter Crosman, David Filkins, Levi McWethy, James McWethy, Ezra Terrill, Laura Terrill, and Solomon Terrill. In 1810, Reuben Burnham, Dr. Ben- jamin Hill, William Halbert, Orange Judd, Rowland Perry, Joshua Shumway, Calvin Spring, Erastus Spring, Amos Spring, Elliott Terrill, and Ezra Walker. In 1811, Bar- ber Allen, Amasa Allen, Issachar Allen, William Almy, Leman Bradley, Samuel Bishop, H. B. Elwell, Libbeus Graves, Calvin Lewis, Daniel Lord, Samuel Phelps, Elijah Phelps, Page Russell, Cyril Shumway, Noah Starr, Isaac Storm, Jesse Sprague, Daniel Walker, Isaac Walker, Loomis Walker, and Sylvanus L. Young. In 1812, Harry Conklin, Lovell Cobb, Francis Herrick. Richard Pearson, W. E. Pearson, D. W. Mat- teson, Isaac Shepard, Hazel Thompson, Dr. Abel Tennant, and Dr. Daniel White (be- fore 1812). In 1813, Isaac Crocker, Ezra Coe, Harry Coe, Francis Ruby, and Aaron Tufts. In 1814, Leonard Anson, Elijah Cheney, J. E. Holcomb. John Hendee, Elijah Olmsted, W. C. Smead, Marshall Smead, and Jesse Snow. In 1815, T. Butler, Naomi Davis, Rufus Glass, William Glass, Darius Howe, Seth Miles, James Nobles, John Reed, Elijah Rogers, Seth Smith, James Tompkins, Daniel Ward, Washington Weld, and Samuel Webb. In 1816, Eli Carr, Joel Crofoot, Chester Hannum, Horace Hannum, Amos Halbert, Daniel Knowlton, Bial Lathrop, and Francis Royce. In 1817, Horace Bates and Erastus Bailey. In 1818, John Ward and Chauncey Tillotson. In 1819; Oswald Bond, Carlton Cooley, Albert Hill, and Charles Hill. In 1820, William Gil- more and George Tubbs. In 1822, Jason Duguid and Asa Higgins. In 1823, Dr. Warren Fay. In 1824, John Doty. In 1825, Alexander Boyd, Horace S. Coe, Simeon Dutton, and George Murray. In 1826, Edward Landerdale. In 1827, Ira Townsend.
In further explanation of the preceding list it must be borne in mind that the settlement of Le Roy and the north half of Pavilion are coinci- dent, and are so connected that our readers will find much valuable ma- terial in the sketch of that town (kindly furnished us by D. R. Bacon).
590
GENESEE COUNTY.
Hence we refer them to that town for matters pertaining to Pavilion of the portion taken from Le Roy in 1842.
Former historians give the name of Peter Crosman, who came in 1809, as being the first settler in the town. Our researches enable us to men- tion settlements as having been made earlier, viz .: Isaac D. Lyon in 1805, the Lawrence family in 1807, Richard Walkley and the McWethys in 1809, and quite a family of Terrills the same year. We wish here to call attention to the fact that our information is obtained from a personal interview of every resident of the town, a very large proportion of whom are descendants of the first settlers, and whose sources of information ought to be regarded with some degree of confidence, even though some of them are anxious to anticipate, by a year or so, the date of priority of settlement. These earliest pioneers all endured hardships in their jour- ney to the Genesee country, and a continuance of them for many years after, and generally the experience of one is that of all. Therefore it is not necessary to enter into detail the story of each as it has been told to us from their sons and daughters. There were some whose names are difficult to obtain, who made complete failures, and yet some credit is due even them. Of them it can be truly said : "Unreliable and incomplete is any history that fails to notice that numerous, laborious, and unfortunate por- tion of the population who took up land, cleared and fenced it, failed to perfect their title, and after years of agonizing labor sold for what they could get, or were closed out by the sheriff without getting anything. Farms cleared up and partly paid for by those who were obliged to leave them make up a melancholy and voluminous unwritten record. Fre- quently the buildings and improvements cost more than the land sold for, to say nothing about the money advanced, which was about one-third the original price."
A brief sketch here of some of the early happenings will be found inter- esting. Ezra Terrill, who died in 1885, aged 97 years, came from Ver- mont in 1809, and first went to Byron with Roswell Newell. He later returned to the East and induced his father, Zebulon, to accompany him to the Genesee country. He purchased three-quarters of a section-360 acres-near Union Corners, and built a log house near Edward Cheney's present residence. He married Roxanna Elliott, who made flour sacks of flax with which to purchase glass for windows. His father was a shoe- maker. Daniel Lord came in 1811. He was a tailor, and with his wife made clothing for the soldiers who were in the War of 1812. Elijah, father of Ezra Cheney, and who lived where Mr. Hazleton now resides, was a prisoner of the War of 1812. He was taken to Halifax, dis- charged at Boston, and begged his way home to his family. Capt. James Sprague, one of the prominent business men and farmers of Covington, was born in 1766, near New London, Conn. In 1798 he married Abiah Carpenter, and they lived in Massachusetts, where all their children were born. In 1812 they moved to Covington, and he built a saw-mill on the Oatka in company with Aaron Spaulding, it being the first saw mill in
591
TOWN OF PAVILION.
the neighborhood, and a very great convenience to the new settlers. Soon afterwards he erected a carding and cloth-dressing establishment. In 1826 he built the grist-mill now owned by William Crosman. He subsequently established his sons in business in Pavilion-James in cloth-dressing, and William and Daniel as merchants, while Paul took charge of the grist- mill, and Erastus of the farm of 400 acres. William, on retiring from mercantile business, practiced medicine successfully (see chapter on the Medical Society of the county). Capt. Sprague was respected as a man . of energy and integrity, and of much public spirit. For a long time he stood first in wealth and enterprise in Covington. He died in Pavilion in 1849 John Nobles, who came in 1817, married Mary, daughter of Capt. Sprague, and attended to his mill. He lived to be over 84 years old. Leman Bradley, of Vermont, came on foot in 1811, with Calvin Lewis, and located one mile northeast of Pavilion on 50 acres. He served in the War of 1812, returned to Vermont, and with his family came about 1816 and located where William S. Bradley now lives. He was a commander of militia. His father, John F. M. Bradley, of Connecti- cut, was born in 1769, and died in 1868, at the age of 100 years.
Amasa Allen, son of a Revolutionary soldier, married Lucinda Loomis, and settled in 1811 near where Samuel Phelps lived. Their log cabin was covered with elm bark, a blanket was used for a door, and hewed planks of basswood used for a floor. He died in 1834. His sons were Amasa, Chauncey, and Capt. Issachar, the latter a captain of militia. Shoes were a scarce commodity when the Allen boys went to school to Rodema Judd, and they were fortunate enough one winter to kill a deer that could not travel, by reason of the crust upon the snow, and with the skin they made themselves comfortable moccasins, so they were enabled to defy the cold of that winter.
Dr. Daniel White, the first physician in what was Covington, was a surgeon in the War of 1812. He was very skillful, had a large practice over what is now Pavilion, gave calomel and whisky freely as the fashion was, and was more companionable than constant as his wife believed. He was a leading member and champion of the Masonic order. While leading a grand Masonic procession on "St. John's day," at Pavilion, arrayed in royal robes, his wife, who had more temper than self-respect, and who frequently gave her husband the benefit of it, brought up the rear, clad in the most slatternly garments imaginable. Their daughter Volina was the first child born in the town.
During the Warof 1812 all able-bodied men were summoned to the fron- tier, leaving but few male persons at home, who were not all able to get crops in and gathered, so that it devolved upon the women to give their at- tention to much necessary farming in order to procure the means of sustenance. Planting bees were quite common, as by united effort only were they enabled to get their planting done and crops gathered. We were told that when an engagement was taking place at Buffalo, or Fort Erie, every peal of cannon could be heard, and it was common for dishes
592
GENESEE COUNTY.
to be jarred by the concussions. The cold year of 1816 proved a hard one for the farmers of that day, as but little sustenance could be raised for the pioneers.
Money was not to be had ; all kinds of produce was high, and many derived their food from herbage and from roots found in the forest. Some of the settlers (in the Scotch settlement, east), having been longer in the new country, and having raised more crops, were able to supply the necessities of their less fortunate neighbors, and they came to their relief.
" In those days there were no pianos nor guitars in the county, and the girls made music upon the spinning wheel, and the notes practiced upon were flax and wool. The flax was to be spun into threads of a certain number, and in the evening of a party each girl was to bring her skein of thread. Those who lived on the direct road came in wagons. Others lived in the woods, where some of the prettiest girls were found, and they mounted a horse behind a young man, with a blanket to sit upon, and were dressed in their every-day apparel, with woolen stockings and strong shoes on their feet. They would dash through the woods on some trail, through brush, and over every obstacle in their way, carrying their ball dress and skein of thread in a bundle in their hand, A few minutes at the toilet put them in a condition for the dance. Others, living a mile or so away, thought it no great task to come on foot. In the ball room their rosy cheeks, sparkling eyes, and blooming health gave pleasure to all who beheld them. The supper was prepared by the hardy pioneer's wife (and well done, too) from the products of the farm, and with the addition of tea, coffee, sugar, and some light wine, was all that was thought necessary. As no barn could hold the horses they were picketed around the wagons and fences. As daylight appeared the girls would doff their ball dresses, don the homespun, and return to their homes in the woods."
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