USA > New York > Genesee County > Gazetteer and biographical record of Genesee County, N.Y., 1788-1890 > Part 70
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door exercise, and took up painting and paper hanging. He is a mem- ber of the F. & A. M., has served three terms as town collector, and two years as school trustee. December 23, 1867, he married Rebecca B., daughter of Luther Whitney, of Hadley, Mich. They have had five children, Mary E., George C., Effie A. (deceased), Lutine D., and Bessie A. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Thomas J. Wilson, born in Donegal County, Ireland, August 1, 1842, is a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Gartly) Wilson, of the same county, who came to County Durham, Canada, in 1843, where he was engaged in farming until 1865, when they came to the United States, settling in Pavilion. Thomas is still living, and has reared five sons and four daughters. His sons are Thomas J .; William G., an M. E. minister in Manitoba ; Samuel J., of Orleans County ; Robert D., of Medina ; and Charles A., of St. Paul. The grandfather of Thomas J. was James Wil- son, of Ireland, who married Margaret Wilson, an English lady, and had two sons and four daughters. The old homestead in Ireland has been in the family name since the war of William III. Thomas J. Wilson re-
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ceived a common English education. In 1864 he came to the United States, settling at Pavilion, and in January, 1865, enlisted in Co. I, 116th N. Y. Regt., and in June of the same year was transferred to the 90th Regt. He was discharged in 1866. After his return home he worked at the carpenters' trade for two years, and then spent two years in Can- ada, engaged in shoemaking. He came to Spencerport, N. Y., where he remained eight years, when he removed to Pavilion, where, in 1883, he engaged in general merchandising, in which business he has since con- tinued. Mr. Wilson is strictly honorable in all his dealings, and has the confidence and esteem of his townsmen. In October, 1869, he married Elizabeth, daughter of James Lyon, of Canada, and they have had nine children, viz .: Charles W., Emma J., Thomas A., Fred L., Elizabeth L., Katie M., Frances N., Rosco C., and Florence L. Mr. and Mrs. Wil- son are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a member of the I. O. O. F.
Ezra Walker, born July 4, 1824, near Asbury Church, is a son of Loomis and Hannah (Bow) Walker, who were born in Berkshire County, Mass., and Middletown, Conn., respectively. Loomis Walker came to Genesee County with his parents. He served in the War of 1812, was an industrious, hard working man, and improved a farm of 90 acres. He and his wife were active and consistent members of the M. E. Church, to which they were cheerful and liberal givers. He died where his son Ezra now resides. He had a family of two sons and three danghters, Ezra being the only one who lived to rear a family. Loomis was a son of Isaac Walker, who was born in Massachusetts, and who served in the Revolutionary war seven years. He had eight children, all of whom were born in Massachusetts. In 1810 he came with his family to Gene- see County, locating south of where Asbury Church now stands. His first purchase was 60 acres east of Asbury Church, in 1814, where he resided at the time of his death. He and his family are buried in the same graveyard at Asbury. He had but two children who reared fam- ilies, a son and a daughter. Ezra received a common school education, his first teacher being Rebecca Spring. Mr. Walker has resided on the old homestead all his life. He married Rebecca, daughter of Amos and Abigail (Brown) Wells, all of whom came from Colchester, New London County, Conn. He has two children, Charles L. and Jay.
John Webb was born May II, 1795, in Vermont, and came to West- ern New York, when a young man. He married Nancy Gillett, of De- troit, Mich., in 1816, and they located in West Bloomfield, Ontario County. They had eight children, of whom Ira and Frances are de- ceased, and six are living, viz .: Mary, John. Jane, Emma, George, and Homer B. Mary married three times, first, Morgan Filkins, of Pavilion, by whom she had four sons, Daniel J., George B., Frank L , and Charles M. Mr. Filkins died September 11, 1855, and she married, second, in 1863, Robert Butterfield, of Alden, N. Y. They had one son, William R., born June 3, 1864. . Mr. Butterfield died in August, 1866. January 27,
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1874, she married, third, William Hollenbeck. She now resides on road 4, in Pavilion, on the farm she owns, and where she has lived for 40 years.
Frederick A. Webb, son of Samuel C. and Elizabeth M. (Hickox) Webb, was born August 10, 1849, in the house where he now resides. He received a common school education, and at the age of 14 began the trade of painter, working summers and attending school winters. For two years he traveled for Schuyler & Co's nursery. In 1873 he went to Ohio, where he remained three years. He lived in Corfu four years, in Cortland one year, where he was connected with the Cortland Wagon Co., four years at Whitney's Point, and in 1887 came to Pavilion, where he has since resided. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. Mr. Webb married, March 3, 1875, Florence, daughter of John C. Augier, of Mentor, O., and they have one son, Percy. Samuel C. Webb was born in Lunenburgh, Essex County, Vt., January 17, 1816, and came to West Bloomfield in 1834, where he workedat his trade (painter) until 1846, when he came to Pavilion, where he has since resided. His wife was born in Salem, O. They have had six children, four of whom grew to maturity, viz .: Walestien C. (deceased), F. A., Josephine E., who died in Battle Creek, Mich., and Estina S., wife of Joseph Maddock, of Wells- ville, N. Y., Mr. Webb has served as constable and collector. He is a son of Samuel and Hannah (Carleton) Webb, of Vermont, who were farmers, and who had four sons and three daughters, the sons being Alfred, who died at the age of 14; Samuel C., of Mount Sterling, Ill .; Philo, who died in Vermont ; and Bradford, of Cedar Rapids, Ia. Sam- uel Webb died at Mount Morris, Ill., and his wife at St. Clair, Mich. He was a son of Samuel Webb, who was a Revolutionary soldier, and whose wife was Chloe Chandler. They had seven sons.
John Ward was born September 15, 1809, in Marlborough, N. H., and is a son of Levi and Nancy (Whitney) Ward, both of the same county. His parents came to this county in 1818, settled on a farm of 100 acres, which he improved, and subsequently added 75 acres more, where John now resides. Levi had six children, Emery, Sarah Moore, Mary Coe, Daniel, Nancy Moore, and John. The Wards are of English origin. John Ward received a common school education, and married, March 29, 1835, Mercy, daughter of Cyril Shumway, who was one of the first set- tlers, about 1815. They had eight children, viz .: Hannah Hutchinson, Nancy Duguid, George, Henry, Elizabeth, Frank, Emma, and William S.
George Wilson, who died in September, 1882, was born in Radford, Nottinghamshire, Eng , February 7, 1824. He was a son of Richard Wil- son, who had five sons and two daughters. Mr. Wilson and his brother James came to the United States in 1849. locating at Morgansville. They were millers. George Wilson moved to Roanoke, and thence to Rochester, where he was for 17 years working at his trade. In 1882 he located on Burleigh Hill and engaged in farming. He married Harriet A., daughter of Luther Brown, who was born in Concord, Mass., in 1803.
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He came to Le Roy with his parents in 1812, married Parmelia Liely, and had three sons and five daughters. Mr. Brown was a machinist and cooper by trade. Mr. Wilson had two children, Izora A., who lives on the homestead, and Henry D., who lives in La Crosse, Wis.
PEMBROKE.
EMBROKE was formed from Batavia, June 8, 1812. It is the central town on the west border of the county, and is bounded on the north by Alabama, east by Batavia, south by Darien, and west by Erie County. Its surface is gently undulating. The principal streams are the Tonawanda and Murder creeks. The former flows through the northeast corner, and the latter through the south and south- west part. The soil is a sandy and gravelly loam. The Tonawanda Indian Reservation occupies a portion of the north part of the town.
The names of nearly all of the early settlers are given in the sketch of Darien, to which we call the attention of our readers. The first settle- ment was made by David Goss in 1804, who located where Mr. Ellin- wood now resides, and erected a dwelling which he used for a tavern. Samuel Carr settled at Richville in 1808, and also kept a tavern. He built the first grist and saw-mills. John Barr in 1812 kept a store at the same place. John Long and his father, Dr. David, settled in 1808, at what is now Corfu, and from their settlement the place was for a time called Long's Corners. John Murray was an early inn-keeper, in 1811. The oldest house in Corfu is that erected by Jonas Kinne, who came in 1812 and soon built a roomy two-story house, and opened it to the pub- lic as " Kinne tavern." He died in 1822, and his widow kept it many years after. It was headquarters for town meetings, elections, and train- ings. The first school teacher was Anna Horton, in 1811. The first marriage was that of Ansel Hastings and Polly Long, in 1812.
Among the persons who were former residents of Pembroke may be mentioned Calvin Cummings, who came to Bushville in 1816. His son John was a shoemaker. George Dennison was a farmer and cooper. In 1847 he had in his employ 25 hands. In 1868 he bought a mill and built another shop, doing an extensive business. Reuben Millett came about 1827, located at East Pembroke, conducted a wool-carding and cloth dressing-mill, and soon was proprietor of the hotel that was burned in 1854. He was station agent from 1853 until his death in 1883. Burnham Barber came in 1829, and lived here about 40 years. He was a carpenter, millwright, and farmer.
The villages in the town are Corfu, Indian Falls, Richville, East Pem- broke, and Mogadore, or North Pembroke.
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CORFU (p. o.) was incorporated May 1, 1868. The first board of trus- tees were H. P. Porter, president, Daniel Carter, R. W. Kinne, E. W. Croft, and George Newell. A. Billington was the first clerk, and N. Read, treas- urer. The present officers are Dwight Dimock, president, Ira S. Mann, William Crawford, M. Doyle, and Lester Webb. J. W. Safford is clerk, and A. J. Smith, treasurer. There are about 100 houses within the cor- poration, and a population of 450. The village sprang into existence by the building of the Central Railroad. Corfu contains many new mod- ern built houses, and puts on an air of thrift not often seen in country villages. The main industry is the propagation of cut flowers for the Buffalo and Rochester markets, there being three large greenhouses do - ing an immense business in this line. One, that of T. A. & L. Webb, is devoted exclusively to carnations, of which they have nearly 10,000 plants, in two houses, 21 feet wide by 50 feet long, with a smaller house 18x50. E. M. Giddings and Mrs. Charles Tyrrell are also engaged in the business of propagating cut flowers.
George and Henry Porter, Seloy Kidder, and Alanson Fisher were early merchants. Among the physicians who have practiced in Corfu may be mentioned Dr. Rumsey, from Bethany, 30 years ago; Dr. Sul- lings and Dr. McPherson, who were here four years; Dr. Fuller, who went to Buffalo; Dr. Hinman, a pupil of Dr. Hutchins, of Batavia, who is now in Michigan; and Dr. Scott, who was here four years, and returned to Medina. The first minister in Pembroke was the Rev. Joshua Spencer, a Congregationalist, who organized the first church in the town in 1810, at Corfu, or Long's Corners.
The First Presbyterian Church of Pembroke was organized in 1817, by Rev. Hugh Wallis, who moved into town in 1816 with his family, and re- sided here for many years. He acted as general missionary on the Hol- land Purchase. In 1825 there were 25 members, and F. B. Reed acted as stated supply. The Rev. L. B. Sullivan came about the year 1828. In 1830 there were 42 members. In 1831 a wood building was erected, ca- pable of seating 100 persons. In 1833 John Sherer was the minister in charge, when Rev. A. C. Page succeeded him, and the society consisted of 161 members. He had charge until 1842. S. C. Brown succeeded him in 1845, and in 1846 there were 114 members. Rev. D. Chichester was the next minister. Others followed, and the church is still prosperous. The present number of members is about 100, under the pastoral charge of Rev. John McK. Brayton. The present house will seat 300, and cost $4,000.
The First Methodist Protestant Church of Pembroke; located in Corfu, was organized in 1845, by Rev. A. C. Paine, M. D., with 15 members. In 1853 they built a brick edifice, which is still in use, and which was re- paired and renovated in 1889 at a cost of $200. At present there are 60 members, and Rev. W. T. Edds is the pastor in charge. The original cost of the edifice was $3,000, but it now has a valuation of $4,000, and will seat about 175 persons. The members of the Sunday- school num- ber about 80.
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St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal Church of Corfu .- Services were be- gun in May, 1876, by the Rev. Jay Cooke, and an interest was developed such as warranted a church being erected, the corner-stone of which was laid June 14, 1880. There are now about 35 communicants, and Rev. A. A. Brockway is the pastor. The church cost $3,000, and will seat 125 persons. The members of St James's Church of Batavia first started a mission at this place.
All Souls' Union Church of Corfu was organized in July, 1881, by C. C. Richardson, with about 27 members, and he was its first pastor. The same year a building was erected at a cost of $4,000, which will seat 200 persons
In February, 1819, 20 persons, residents of Alexander and Pembroke, associated themselves as an organization to keep and maintain a public: library. They met at the house of Eben North, and called the associa- tion the "Franklin Library." Perhaps as an indirect result of this move- ment the formation of the " Corfu Ladies' Library" may be due. Such a society was organized October 31, 1872, and has been in active opera- tion since. The officers consist of a president, secretary, treasurer, and librarian. An admission fee of $1 is charged, with yearly dues of 60 cents, and by the aid of entertainments the funds of the society are augmented so as to keep up a new supply of books.
The D. W. Kinne Post, No 635, G. A. R., was organized September IO, 1888, and was named in honor of Daniel W. Kinne, son of Royal, who was killed near Petersburg, Va. The post meets in Good Templars Hall. The citizens presented the order on Decoration Day, 1889, with an elegant silk flag.
Corfu Lodge, No. 120, was organized in 1878. There are at present 17 members. The officers are Dwight Dimock, M. W .; A. K. Carrier, O .; W. D. Edwards, financial secretary ; J. W. Safford, recording secretary ; T. A. Webb, recorder ; and A. K. Carrier, trustee for three years.
The cornet band of Corfu was formed in September, 1886, with 14 pieces W. H. Nehrbos is leader, and H. M. Smith is secretary.
Corfu Grange, No. 142, P. of H., has for its master George W. Thomas, and C. D. Silliman is secretary.
Evergreen Hill Cemetery of Corfu .- About 32 years ago interments were first made in the plat of ground lying north of the village of Corfu. In January, 1878, a movement was agitated towards incorporating a cemetery, which resulted in an organization being formed through the efforts of the citizens, and in February, 1878, the Evergreen Hill Cem- etery was started with nine trustees, viz .: James Tyrrell, H. P. Porter, Dr. F. W. Crane, Charles Griffith, E. A. Brown, N. Hartshorn, R. W. Kinne, John Lincoln, and James A. Harrown. The grounds comprise three acres and form a beautiful adjunct to the surrounding country.
Church street steam-mills of Corfu, Henry W. Francis, proprietor, are- located on Church street, and are furnished with one run of stones for grinding meal and provender, a set of reduction rollers for making gra-
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ham, and a bolt for sifting meal. The machinery is run by a 15-horse- power engine, and turns out 250 bushels of feed and meal and eight bar- rels of graham in 10 hours. Mr. Francis does custom work, and deals in flour, feed, and grain.
The Corfu roller- mills are located near the depot, on the New York Central Railroad. The power is supplied by a 50-horse-power steam engine. The mills have two runs of stones, a seven-break roller flouring- mill, and one roller-mill for grinding provender. The proprietor, War- ren Gorton, turns out only work of the best quality. The flour mills have a capacity of grinding 50 barrels per day. Mr. Gorton deals in grain, flour, and feed, and does custom grinding.
RICHVILLE, a small village in the western part of the town, was named in honor of a prominent business man, C B. Rich. He was a clerk for Kimberly and Trumbull Cary, of Batavia, who started him in business un- der the name of C. B. Rich & Co. The firm dissolved in 1832. In early days Benjamin Blodgett was a hotel-keeper at Richville. One evening an extra coach stopped at his door, and a lady with servant maids alighted and entered the house. The lady directed the maids to inspect the house and see if it was fit for her to stop in. After doing so they re- ported " all right"; and her ladyship directed one of the maids to instruct the driver to put up his horses, as they would stop all night Mr. Blod- gett, who had been nervously regarding the proceedings, which he con- sidered an imputation upon his care of the house, here broke in with "No, you won't, madam." "Why not ?" said the lady. "Because I own this house." "Do you know who you are talking to ?" said she ; " I am the Countess of Sligo, and I desire to stop here through the night." " Well, madam," gruffly replied Mr. Blodgett, " I am the Earl of Pem- broke, and you can't stay." That settled it and she went on, and the hotel was often referred to as " Earl of Pembroke's castle." Mr. Blod- gett was at one time the editor of the Batavia Spirit of the Times. His " inn " was a high-toned house-the " Astor " House of Western New York. He charged 50 cents for a meal, even in early times, but they were worth it. Ten or a dozen stages passed his house daily, but the advent of the railroad made a great change in the tavern business.
The Genesee roller-mills (Messrs. Lee & Garrett, proprietors) are lo- cated in Richville, on Murder Creek, and are run by water with steam as auxiliary. Their flouring machinery is now the best and latest improved, and the mills have a capacity of 40 barrels of flour per day. Their buck- wheat flour is unsurpassed and has a wide celebrity. They are doing a wholesale and retail business, and their local trade is very extensive. They are dealers in flour, feed, and grain, and do custom grinding and ex- changing.
The Church of the Disciples of Christ was organized at Richville by J. C. Goodrich in 1867. There were at first 75 members, and W. H. Rogers was the first pastor. The nucleus of this church was a small one at Newstead, Erie County, where Mr. Goodrich held services. In 1868
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they erected a house of worship, of wood, which they still own, and which is valued at $3,500. They now have 110 members, with J. C. Goodrich as pastor. The Sunday-school has about 125 teachers and scholars.
INDIAN FALLS is a post village located in the north part of Pembroke, on Tonawanda Creek, and has two grist-mills, several stores and churches, an hotel, and a population of about 250.
The model roller-mills of Indian Falls were built by the present proprie- tors, Gilmore & Co., in 1879. They are located on Tonawanda Creek, which affords an ample power, with a head of 41 feet. The mills are furnished with a full set of rolls, of the Stevens patent, manufactured by J. T. Noyes, of Buffalo, and have a capacity of turning out 50 barrels of flour every 24 hours. They also do custom grinding, and are wholesale and retail dealers in flour, feed, and grain. In connection with the roller- mills the company owns and operates a plaster-mill, which has a capac- ity of one ton per hour.
Indian Falls grist and flouring-mill, D. K. Chaddock, of Batavia, proprietor, is located about one-quarter of a mile above the falls on Ton - awanda Creek. The mills are furnished with four runs of stones, and have a capacity of 80 barrels of flour per day. The proprietor does cus- tom work, and deals in flour, feed, and grain.
Pastor John Siegrist, of the Evangelical Association, was the means of starting a church at Indian Falls in 1865, with 16 members. In 1866 they built a house of worship costing $1,100 A. Getser is the present pastor, and the membership is 40, with about 40 persons in the Sunday- school. Their property has a valuation of $1,500.
In 1868 the Rev. D. M. L Rollin, of the Freewill Baptist denomina- tion, organized a church with II members. They built a church edifice in 1877, of wood, which cost $2,000, and capable of seating 250 persons. Rev. W. W. Holt is the minister in charge.
There is also a Methodist Church at Indian Falls.
EAST PEMBROKE has a population of about 300 inhabitants. It is located on Tonawanda Creek, and on the Batavia and Tonawanda branch of the N. Y. C. & H. R. Railroad, and has three churches, a seminary, an hotel, a grist-mill, saw mill, stave and heading-mill, a wool-carding- mill, and a cheese factory.
The Batavia and Pembroke Baptist Church was organized at East Pembroke, February 18, 1826. The following were the constituent mem- bers : Benjamin Wells, Daniel McCracken, Chauncy Wolcott, William Upton, Mary A. McCracken, Lydia Wolcott, and Sally Harrington. Benjamin Wells was moderator.
Previous to this organization meetings ware held in private houses and school-houses. Elder Amos Lampson was the first pastor. They built a frame church in 1840, and in 1867 erected a brick building costing $7,000, and capable of seating 400 per- sons. They have a membership of 70, with about 138 in the Sunday- school. Rev. J. M. Derby is the pastor.
The Presbyterian Church of Pembroke and Batavia was organized
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December 24, 1854, by Rev. William Lusk, of Batavia. Daniel C. Houghton was the first pastor, and the number of members was 22. The same year they erected a building, of wood, costing $5,000, and capable of seating 280 persons. They now have an edifice valued at $6,000 and a membership of 100, with Rev. Theron L. Waldo in charge. There are 140 members in the Sabbath-school.
St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church at East Pembroke was organized by Father Cunningham in 1868. The church is increasing in numbers. They now have 200 members under the charge of Rev. T. H. Barrett, and expect to build a new edifice this year.
The East Pembroke Rural Seminary is the result of the forethought of enterprising citizens of the village, and is a credit to the originators of the enterprise It was formed in 1856, Rev. Mr. Horton, a Presbyterian minister, generously donating land for the purpose, the fee in the same being held by trustees so long as used for school purposes. The institu- tion has been exceedingly prosperous in years gone by ; but, like all other rural educational institutions, Is affected by the larger schools and colleges that have been endowed. The trustees, with a few of the more energetic citizens, raised money enough lately to thoroughly repair the building, and invited Miss Thrall, of Batavia, to occupy the same. The school is now in a flourishing condition, having 30 scholars.
Owen Lodge, No. 432, I. O. O. F. - Pembroke Lodge, No. 353, I. O. O. F., was instituted July 12, 1850, and after a hard struggle sur- rendered its charter in 1859. May 1, 1890, Owen Lodge, No. 432, was instituted by D D. G. M O. J. Christopherson, of Darien Center. The present officers are as follows: N. G., Jerry Stage; V. G., George Clark ; secretary, Frank Fanning ; and treasurer, F. A. Clark.
Rural Lodge, No. 395, I. O. G. T., of East Pembroke, has the follow- ing officers : C. T., Will Christie ; P. C. T., Robert Peard ; V. T., Mrs. L. Waterman ; C., L. Waterman ; S., B. A. Van Horn ; A. S., Laura Cook ; F. S., - Little.
The flouring-mill at East Pembroke is owned by W. E. Babcock, and is run by Mr. Nold.
NORTH PEMBROKE, on Tonawanda Creek, contains about 20 dwell- ings, a saw and grist-mill, and one church.
The First Christian Church of Pembroke, located at North Pembroke, was organized June 30, 1849, by Rev. Joseph Weeks, with 15 members. They built a house of worship in 1850, which was remodeled and en- larged in 1888. They now have 75 members, with Rev. Warren Vree- land as pastor. Their property has a valuation of $2,500.
The North Pembroke Lodge, No. 194, I. O. O. F., was instituted August 22, 1867. There are now 46 members in good standing. Its officers are Charles Loomis, N. G .; Charles Graves, V. G ; J. W. Hatch, R. S .; and E. H. Miller, treasurer.
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