USA > New York > Genesee County > Gazetteer and biographical record of Genesee County, N.Y., 1788-1890 > Part 74
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Edward William C. Pamphilon, born at Stoke-on-Trent, Eng., in 1854, is the eldest son of Edward Pamphilon. He was educated at Owen's College, Manchester. In 1879 he came to Stafford, and in 1883 purchased the Radley farm. In 1886 he married Sarah M., daughter of E. E. Allen, of Corfu. Their child, Edward, was born September 12, 1888. Mr. Pamphilon is an enterprising farmer, and has the respect of his townsmen. His wife has filled the position of organist of the Epis- copal Church for several years.
Edward M. Pamphilon was born in this town November 9, 1858. His father, Henry, was the leading physician here for 30 years, and was well known in all parts of the county. For a few years Edward Pamphilon attended a select school here, and later went to a public school, and in 1873 completed his education at the Batavia Union School. In 1876 he began clerking for E. B. Sanders & Son, with whom he remained two years, when he went to New York to assist his brother in his store on Bond street. Later he removed to Batavia and engaged as clerk for Shaw & Stiles, druggists. Returning to Stafford he worked for J. San-
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ders & Son until 1882, when he became a partner, the firm name being Sanders & Pamphilon. In 1886 he married Amy A., granddaughter of H. B. Booth. She was born in 1863, and received her education at Batavia. Upon the death of E B. Sanders, in 1887, Mr. Pamphilon bought the interests of his partners, and has since carried on the business alone He has been deputy postmaster since 1887, and is now post- master, town clerk, and secretary of the Stafford Benefit Association, be- sides holding other positions of trust.
Matthew W. Heal, one of the 13 children of John and Mary Heal, was born in Devonshire, Eng., in 1827 .. At the age of nine years, with his parents, he came to Stafford, and after leaving school he worked on a farm. In 1849 he married Harriet, daughter of John and Mandy March. She was born in Ohio. After his marriage he pursued farm- ing, purchasing the Richardson place. Selling that farm he bought the Babbage property, and later the Crocker place. In 1865 he became the possessor of the old stage tavern, formerly owned by Henry Wolf, and which is now the well known Heal Hotel. Of their seven children six are still living, viz .: William H., Hattie A., John M., Frank C., who is in business in Batavia, Minnie P., and Georgie Anna. In 1860 he was elected constable, which office he still holds. He served as collector for eight years. In 1887 he was appointed deputy sheriff, and in 1869-70 he took the census of Byron, Stafford, and Pavilion. He is a Mason, be- longing to Olive Branch Lodge, of Le Roy, and a member of Lodge No. 222, I. O. O. F. Mr. Heal manages a farm of 60 acres, upon which is a valuable stone quarry, the stone from which was used in the bridge of the D., L. & W. Railroad.
The Houseman family are of German ancestry. Mr. Houseman's great- grandfather and his brother were killed in battle under General Wolff, at Quebec. His two sons, John and William, afterwards resided in New York city, where they were in trade, the former as a painter and glazier, and the latter as a tailor. John Houseman, son of William, was born in Fulton County, N. Y., in 1797, and about 1820 married Ann * Scribner, of the same county. Their children were George, James, Will- iam W., John M., and Emmitt. William W. was born in Fulton County, May 12, 1827. He was educated in the common schools, and came to Stafford when 21 years old. He married, first, December 31, 1849, Harriet A. Lighthall, of Brockport, N. Y., and resided in Le Roy four years, when he removed to Illinois, and returned after four years to Stafford. They had two children : Mary, who died at the age of six years, and Jay, who is now in California. His wife died in 1858, and March 18, 1863, he married, second, Sarah E. Filkins, of Bethany. They have one daughter, Cora I., born October 26, 1866. Mr. and Mrs. House- man reside in the southwestern corner of the town of Stafford.
John V. Horn, born in Took, of Hesse Cassel, Germany, in 1819, married Catherine Derbaker, and came to America in 1855. For the last seven years he has been manufacturing proprietary medicines. He
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has seven children. He owns a distillery, and distils his own pepper- mint and spearmint, which he raises on his farm. Adam Horn was born in Batavia, and is a distiller of peppermint and spearmint. He has five acres of willows, which he ships to different cities, besides manufacturing willow baskets. He also manufactures " Horn's German balm," a pain destroyer. He married Mary Benning, and they have one child, Rosa. Henry Horn is an Evangelical minister in Syracuse. Albert resides in Buffalo, John in Michigan, Herman in Walworth, N. Y., and Alice (Mrs. William Green) at Roanoke. Elizabeth (Mrs. Rev. C. F. Stube) resides at Little Valley, N. Y.
Jay Lathrop, born in Stafford in 1840, was the eldest son of John and Elizabeth Lathrop, who settled in 1814, coming from Rutland County, Vt. They did much towards the settlement of the town. Mr. Lathrop received a good, practical, common school education, and at the age of 24, with his brother Howard, worked the home farm on shares. Five years later he became the sole owner of the homestead. In 1883 Mr. Lathrop was elected town supervisor by a very large majority, and again in 1888 and 1889 he filled the same office. He married, in 1872, Mina, third daughter of Abram Warner, by whom he has a daughter, Florence, who was born in 1875. Mr. Lathrop's father lived to the age of 92 years.
John Mullen, born in Devonshire, Eng., in 1844, is a son of Philip Mullen, and came to America in 1867 and settled in Stafford. He mar- ried Mary Engall, and they have three children. Gilbert, Levi, and Ar- thur. He is a farmer on road 29. where he has resided since 1875.
Francis Darbee, son of Lafayette, was born in Bethany in 1841, and has lived in this county most of his life-time. He married Sarah Moore, and they had three children, of whom one, Floy, is now living. His second wife was Louise Schwab, of Bethany. He is a large farmer, cul- tivating 280 acres, and makes a specialty of seed grain and potatoes.
A. Hart Norris, youngest son of Deacon Abijah Norris, from Ridge- bury, Conn., came to Stafford in 1835 from Orange County. He was born in Sullivan County in 1814, and was partly educated there and partly in Orange County, finishing his education at Troy and Williams- town, Mass. He worked on his father's farm a few years, when he be- gan for himself by setting out a peach orchard, and later engaged in the nursery business, carrying on an extensive trade as far west as California. In 1851, acting upon the advice of his brother, he bought a section (640 acres) of land in La Salle County, Ill., which has proved a profitable investment. A few years later he leased his nursery business to a nephew, and went to Iowa, where he engaged in a similar trade, and also conducted a real estate and mortgage office. Soon after 1857 he went to Dade County, Mo., and purchased several thousand acres of im- proved land, a portion of which he still holds In 1859 he located a quantity of land in Northern Iowa and in Nebraska, and engaged in the cattle business. Later, through the efforts of a brother in Florida, he
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became interested in the Spring Garden orange plantation in Volusia County, and built a steamer to run from the lake to Jacksonville. He also engaged in the growing of oranges, pears, persimmons, and the mulberry, and passes his winters in that section.
John Passmore, a native of Devonshire, Eng., was born December 14, 1824. His parents were Richard and Susanna Passmore. His father came here in 1832, and purchased a farm in the eastern part of the town. He died in 1875, and his wife in 1865. John Passmore married Eliza- beth, daughter of George and Sarah Shapland, who was born in 1829. They had 13 children, of whom 10 are living, namely: Susan, Mary Eliza- beth, Thomas, Richard, Charles, Sarah Ann, Jolin, Eliza Jane, Henrietta, and James. In 1850 he bought the Warren farm, upon which he now lives, and the Chapell property in 1858. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. Lodge, No. 222.
Edgar G. Rugg, son of Horace and Elvira Rugg, was born in Pavilion, November 17, 1842. His father came from Vermont and was one of the early settlers of this county. Edgar A. was educated at Pavilion and at Lima Seminary, and during 1863-64 he taught school, besides carry- ing on a farm. He went to Le Roy in 1866, and in 1872 purchased the farm where he now resides. He married Ada L., daughter of Chauncy and Lucy Allen. In 1880 he was elected justice of the peace, holding the office five years, and in 1884 was elected to the office of supervisor, which he held for three years, and was chairman of the board one year.
John W. Perry, a native of Galesburg, Mich., the eldest son of Elton W. and Mary Perry, was born February 18, 1855, and received his edu- cation at the Union School at Batavia. He went to Bushville to learn the millers' trade, where he remained until 1874, when he returned to Ba- tavia. In 1878 he worked in the West mill in this town. He married Ella E., youngest daughter of Anthony J. and Emeline Gallagher, of Philadelphia, in 1879. Her father was a well- known rectifier and dis- tiller of high wines. Their children are John, born March 26, 1881 ; Harry W., born April 8, 1884; and Frank G., born July 19, 1887. In 1885 he returned to Stafford and settled upon the farm of 100 acres where they now reside, it having been inherited by his wife from an aunt
Israel M. Peck is the third son of Richard and Catherine Peck, who set- tled in Bethany in 1808. Richard was a lieutenant in William Rumsey's regiment, doing duty at Chestnut Ridge and Black Rock, in the War of 1812. Israel M. was born in 1823, received his education at the district schools and at Clarkson Academy, in Monroe County, and taught school in Orleans County, and in Little Rock, Ill., in 1847. In 1848 he was a clerk in Mr. Prindle's store, East Bethany, and in 1852 he came to Staf- ford, locating upon the farm where he now lives, and which was bought by his father in 1811. In 1853 he married Frances C., daughter of Ly- man Fargo, of Bethany, and they have three children living, viz .: Eliza- beth, Junius M., and W. Scott. At the age of 21 Mr. Peck was school collector ; in 1850 school superintendent ; in 1856 school commissioner
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of the six eastern towns of the county, serving two years ; and in 1859 inspector of elections, serving for 16 years. He has been justice of the peace since 1871, has served four times as Sessions justice, and was su- pervisor for three years, serving as chairman. At the age of 47 he again taught school for three winters. To him is due much credit for the or- ganization and final development of the plans for beautifying the present. attractive cemetery in the village. It was also through his management that the present Stafford Benefit Association has been placed upon so- firm a foundation. He has been secretary of the I. O. O. F., No. 222, for 16 years, was district deputy grand master for three years, and has installed officers of many lodges in Genesee and Wyoming counties. He has also represented the Grand Lodge, and attained the degree of past grand.
Cyrus P. Bell, eldest son of Prosper and Emeline Bell, was born in September, 1836. His father was an early settler, coming to Batavia in 1825. In 1837 he purchased the F. Fisk farm, where he remained until 1852, when he bought the Crocker farm in the south part of the town, and in 1857 the William Burden place. Prosper Bell died in 1867, aged 71, and his wife in 1873, aged 69. C. P. Bell was educated at the sem- inary in Alexander, leaving that institution in 1858. He taught school 12 terms. During a visit to the West he married, October 5, 1864, Alan- tha, third daughter of John E. Adams, of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and their children are Clara, born August 5, 1865 ; Howard and Hattie, born January 29, 1868 ; and Flora, born December 2, 1869. In 1870, and again in 1873, Mr. Bell, by a large majority, was elected assessor by the Republicans. In 1885 he was elected justice of the peace, which position he still holds.
M. W. Oderkirk, only son of F. R. and Ann Oderkirk, was born in Rensselaer County, N. Y., July 4, 1829. His grandfather, Isaac, was the first white child baptized in Albany. The family are of Dutch origin. Mr. Oderkirk's education was limited, being obliged in early life to assist in the support of his mother and sisters. His youth was spent at Johns- town, N. Y., where he was engaged in the express business. From 1868 to 1874 he was a wholesale and retail dealer in flour, feed, and grain in Gloversville, N. Y. He was also supervisor of that town in 1874-77. In 185 I he married Caroline, eldest daughter of John D. and Desire Hag- gart. She was born in 1829. Four children were born to them, viz .: Anna C., who died in 1879; Frank J., born in 1855; John H., born in 1858; and Watts, born in 1863. In 1877 Mr. Oderkirk came to Stafford and purchased the farm known as the Gillett place, where he now resides.
T. O. Parminter is the youngest son of James and Elizabeth Parmin- ter, from Devonshire, Eng. They came to this town in 1839, and pur- chased the farm which Edward Hill now owns. He was a prominent farmer, and being a strong churchman was instrumental in building the Episcopal Church. He died in 1864, aged 74 years, and his wife in 1873, aged 84. T. O. Parminter was born in Devonshire, July 6, 1836. His
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principal education was obtained at Cazenovia and Lockport, and after assisting his father on the farm for five years he went West, where he remained four years. Returning home he was in the produce business. four years. In the spring of 1872 he purchased his present farm of 200 acres, which he devoted to fruit and grain growing. In 1879 he married Florence, eldest daughter of Stephen and Fanny De Bow, of Bethany. Her education was received at Le Roy Institute. They have had two- children, viz .: Carrie Louisa, born September 28, 1884, and Ethel Ger- trude, born January 11, 1886, who died April 29, 1887.
Robert M. Parkerson, born in Onondaga County, N. Y., in 1835,. learned the millers' trade at Suspension Bridge, where he resided eight years, and finished at Rochester in 1856. He came to Alexander, and had charge of the Rix flouring-mill for eight years. He also resided in Scottsville three years and in Elba two and one-half years. He is the in- ventor of the hand flour-sack packer. Mr. Parkerson owned and run the Folsomdale mills one year, and has resided at Morganville since August, 1888. He married Mary A., daughter of Alpheus Waite, of Alexander,. and they have one son, George W., who is a jeweler in Westfield, N. Y.
Harry White, a native of Massachusetts, settled on road 5, on the farm owned by B. H. Bean. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and his widow, Orpha, now draws a pension. She lives with her son Albert H.,. who is a wagonmaker, and carries on that business in Morganville. Al- bert H. married Fannie Cash, of Stafford, by whom he has one child, Fannie.
Joseph Remington, of Morganville, was born in Auburn, N. Y., April 8, 1820. His father, Martin, was sheriff of Cayuga County. When seven years of age he came to Stafford, and lived with his uncle, Noble Daniels. At the age of 15 years he was apprenticed to the trade of har- nessmaking, with Hazen Moss, in the shop now occupied by him, and where he has always worked. He married Jane C. Joyce, and they had three children, two of whom are living. He has been justice of the peace since 1856, and was postmaster for 16 years. One son, F. J. Reming- ton, is express agent from Attica to Sandusky. His daughter Frances is the wife of Wallace Wade, who is postmaster at Arcade.
Stephen Randall, born in Nottingham, N. H., in 1782, married Ra- chel Fifield, and they emigrated to this county, reaching Le Roy, after a three weeks' journey, February 2, 1815, with a family of nine children, a span of horses, two yokes of oxen, and three cows. They also brought $1,400 in gold. They reared a family of 14 children, all of whom were living at the death of Mr. Randall in 1859. Mrs. Randall died at the age of 91 years. Of their descendants six are living. Three grandsons. have become officers in the U. S. army, one was sent on a tour of inspec- tion around the globe, and another is a minister of the gospel. Gen .. Brewster Randall moved to Wisconsin, as did also Ruth, widow of F. Finch, and Edward F. Sallie, wife of Joseph Dodge, resides in Michi- gan. Betsey married Mark Watson. Rachel, widow of J. D. Stafford,
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and Perry live in Stafford. The latter now occupies the homestead and lives in the house built by his father. He was born July 16, 1822, mar- ried Mary E. Bachelder, of Le Roy, and they have had seven children, six of whom are living. Mr. Randall was supervisor in 1859, holding the office four years, and has always followed farming.
Warren J. Tyler, son of Joel, was born in Byron, July 28, 1828. He married Cassandra Tyler, of Stafford, and has four children living. He is a farmer and breeder of registered Merino sheep.
George A. Constable was born in Hawley, Orleans County, N. Y., and married Mary L. Cole, of Elba. They have three children. He is a farmer, and has resided in Stafford since 1882.
August Rody was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, March 17, 1851. When 17 years of age he came to Batavia. He married Hannah Brom- sted, and they have five children. In 1878 he located on the farm where he now resides. His brother Charles came to America with him, but died the following year. Their mother died in 1888.
Nathaniel Watson came from Vermont in 1812, and settled on road 38, on the farm now owned by Michael Buckley. He cleared the land and built the house now standing. He married Sallie Sevey, and eight chil- dren were born to them, only two of whom are now living. He kept a diary from 1816 until 1856, the year of his death. Ira, a son, was born. in 1834, and married Harriet Allen, by whom he had three children, two of whom are living. He was a farmer, and died June 2, 1875. His widow still resides in this town. Gordon T, son of Ira, was born May 23, 1851. He married, first, Laura C. Drury, and second, Hattie L. Drury, by whom he has three children. Mr. Watson was elected asses- sor in 1889.
John H. Webber, second son of John and Sophia Webber, was born in this town April 15, 1837. He is the grandson of Gen. Worthy L. Churchill, a very old settler, and a soldier of 1812. Mr. Webber's mother was a daughter of Gen. Churchill, and was the first child born in this town. John Webber, Sr., came from Somersetshire, Eng., in 1817. He married Gen. Churchill's daughter in 1827, and settled on the De- bow farm, which was located in 1804. John H. Webber was educated at Batavia and at Alexander and Oakfield seminaries, and lived on the homestead until 1866. December 19, 1867, he married Mary Jane, eld- est child of William and Elizabeth Radley, who were early settlers. Their children are Nellie Churchill, born September 30, 1872; Charles Radley, born September 19, 1874; and Clara Elizabeth, born April 2, 1881.
Giles Miner, born in 1805, came to Stafford in 1826, and settled on the farm now owned by his sons H. C. and C. J 3 He built the stone house, in 1840, now occupied by them. Henry Clay Miner, son of Giles, was born on the farm where he now lives in 1848. He married Lizzie L. Maxom, and they had three children, Bessie M. and Reuben R. (de- ·ceased), and Raymond C. He is the inventor of Miner's patent auto- matic stanchion for cattle.
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Luther Brown was born in Concord, N. H., in 1802, and came to Le Roy in 1811, where he married Pamelia Lilly, of Pompey, N. Y., Feb- ruary 12, 1824. In 1835 he removed to Roanoke, and died August 17, 1876, aged 74 years. He was a millwright and built the grist-mill, now standing, and the Methodist Church. He had eight children, seven of whom are living. James E. Brown, born August 13, 1834, married Mary Foster, and their two children reside in St. Louis, Mo. He is a carpenter, is also highway commissioner, and has been a correspondent of the Le Roy Times since that paper was started.
John Wakley, son of Samuel and Grace Wakley, is a native of Devon- shire, parish of Parkham, Eng., and was born July 13, 1823. He re- ceived the usual training common to English youth, and learned the trade of carpenter. September 9, 1849, he married Mary Anna, daugh- ter of John Webber. of Devonshire. Mercy, his daughter, was born in May, 1848. In 1855 Mr. Wakley came to Stafford, where Samuel was. born November 9, 1855, and Dora September 3, 1860. The latter died in 1887. Mrs. Wakley died the same year, aged 56. Their youngest child, Flora, was born September 10, 1863. Mr. Wakley has been sex- ton of the Episcopal Church since 1864. He received his naturalization papers in 1860. Samuel Wakley has been station agent of the N. Y. C. & H. R. Railroad since June 24, 1880. He married Sarah Bolt.
Louis Bauer, son of Jacob, was born in Batavia in 1845, married Mary E. Wilson, and has six daughters He is a farmer. Mr. Bauer's father was six years of age when he came to America with his father, Louis, who was born in Alsace, France. With the exception of about three years spent in Ohio Jacob has always lived in Genesee County. He married Catherine Rupp, and they had two sons, Charles and Louis, both of whom reside in Stafford.
Anthony Waterman came from Cummington, Mass., where he was born in 1791. He married Sophia Bannister in 1816, and settled in Stafford, on road 22, on the farm now owned by his son Oscar. In 1834 he built the brick house now used as a residence by Oscar. Mr. Water- man had II children, five of whom are living. He died in 1882, and his wife in 1873. Oscar F. Waterman was born in Stafford, July 13. 1827, and has always resided on the homestead. His brother Bennett, born December 21, 1837, married Isabella Cash, and they have one son. Florence, William, and Harlow Waterman reside in Le Roy, and Hart- well in Michigan.
Hon. John Sanders, born in Devonshire, Eng., in 1822, where he was educated, came to Stafford in 1841, and settled upon a farm which he carried on for years. He then opened a store in the village, and pursued the mercantile business until his death, February 2, 1882. He was a member of Assembly for 1879 and '80, and held the office of supervisor several years. He married Elizabeth Dovell, and had seven children, of whom three are living. Edwin B. Sanders, brother of John, and also a native of Devonshire, was born October 8, 1841, and was a son of Henry,
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who came here in 1841. He entered his brother's store when young, and became a partner in 1864. He took sole charge of the business in 1874, carrying it on until 1884, when E. M. Pamphilon became a part- ner. Mr. Sanders was postmaster for 22 years and town clerk 19 years. He died April 25, 1887. Mrs. Ann Sanders, the widow of Henry, is still living in Stafford, aged 92 years.
Maj. Harvey Sweetland, a native of Connecticut, settled in Stafford in 1810, on the farm now owned by Robert Call. He was one of the most enterprising of settlers, was ever ready to lend a helping hand to his neighbors, was foremost in every enterprise for the benefit of the town, and held various offices, among them being that of supervisor. He built the old stone church, and died in 1849. He received his title of major from being the organizer of a band. His brother John came to this county with him, and both served in the War of 1812. John was a brave man, was appointed a captain of militia, and lost his life in the cause. Another brother, Caleb, lived here until 1840, when he moved to Michigan. A son of Harvey Sweetland, Charles J., resides in Staf- ford.
Otis Drury came here in 1810. In 1839 he built the stone house where J. H. Drury now lives.
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SUMMER VACATIONS.
SUMMER VACATIONS.
F OR the general health and enjoyment of people who have the leisure and opportunity a summer tour or vacation has come to be regarded almost a necessity. It is our purpose in this sketch to remind the people of Genesee County that one of the pleasantest and cheapest outings may be had by purchasing of the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg Railroad Company an excursion ticket, at reduced rates, from Rochester to the Thousand Islands, where a few weeks or a few days may be enjoyed among the labyrinths of that wonderful archipelago, with headquarters at Clayton or Alexandria Bay, or at Round Island, Thousand Island, Central, Westminster, or Grand View parks, from any of which points excursions to Kingston, Brockville, Ogdensburg, and among the islands are of daily occurrence, and where fishing and picnic parties find ample opportunities for enjoyment. If one desires the route may be continued to Ottawa, the Dominion capital, or to Montreal, Quebec, and up the Saguenay, from where one's steps may be retraced ; or extended to the seaboard, via Lake Champlain, Portland, or Boston, and thence home by either of the several routes.
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