Gazetteer and biographical record of Genesee County, N.Y., 1788-1890, Part 9

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 9

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" A. Tennant, Botanist," as the sign upon his office read, was a native of Connecticut, but where he received his education we have been un- able to ascertain. He believed that in the plants which nature provides there are all the remedies needful for the cure of disease. He began practice about 1812, and continued it until blindness and rheumatism compelled him to abandon it, some 40 years afterward. He published a work called Tennant's Botany, in 1837. This was printed at Batavia by D. D. Waite, for many years editor of the Republican Advocate. Dr. Tennant, while in his prime, had a large practice, and an excellent repu- tation for skill and success. He removed to Pennsylvania in 1856, and died soon after.

In 1842 Dr. S. C. Upson came to Pavilion. He was born in Bristol, Conn., March 29, 1792. He received his diploma at Hartford, Conn, in 1816, commenced practice at Fabius, N. Y., and remained there until his removal to Pavilion. He lived here about four years and removed to Nunda, Livingston County, where he died April 20, 1889. Dr. Upson was emphatically a gentleman of the old school, extremely affable, polite, and kind hearted. He is remembered with affection by many of our old res- idents. At one time he made and sold a preparation known as Upson's dandelion syrup, which had a great deal of popularity.

Somewhere about these times Dr. Ira Webb, a root doctor from Ver-

GENESEE COUNTY.

mont, came to Pavilion. He remained a year or two and went to Le Roy. We have not been able to learn much about him, although his syrups were considered very useful by many people.

In 1849 Dr. William M. Sprague resumed the practice which he had previously given up to engage in other business. He was born in New Marlborough, Mass., in 1803, and came to Covington with his father in 1812. He attended school at Middlebury Academy, then a noted insti- tution of learning, studied medicine with Drs. Daniel White and Warren Fay, attended medical lectures at Pittsfield, Mass., and received his diploma from the Genesee County Medical Society, John Cotes, presi- dent, March 9, 1829. He practiced about three years, and then formed a partnership with his three brothers in the mercantile, milling, and farm- ing business, which was dissolved in the year above mentioned. During his absence from practice he was postmaster, justice of the peace, and Sessions justice, and was regarded as one of the best informed politicians of the vicinity as well as an excellent general scholar. He died August . 28, 1868, and it is probable no man's death was more generally mourned by all his acquaintances than was his. His professional services, as well as his friendly counsel, were highly valued by all who knew him.

Some time during the year 1867 Dr. Charles Morgan, a young physi- cian, came to Pavilion. He remained but a short time, and removed to Mount Morris, Livingston County. He is spoken of as a promising young man.

It is supposed that about the usual number of traveling quacks have visited Pavilion, and made money out of the credulous and weak-minded people who believe in such things, but none of them are worthy of rec- ord, and we have given all we could ascertain concerning the respect- able medical men who lived and practiced here.

PEMBROKE.

DR. ABIJAH W. STODDARD was the pioneer medical man of Pem- broke. He studied medicine with Dr. Sill, of Hartford, Washington County, N. Y., and soon after receiving his diploma came to Pembroke (then Batavia). This was in 1810 or 1811. He located where the vil- lage of Corfu has since been built, and commenced practice among the first settlers of the surrounding country. He continued in business here until about 1854 or 1855, when he removed to Milwaukee, Wis., where he died at the home of a friend, in 1860. In the course of his long prac, tice in Pembroke and surrounding towns he accumulated a fair fortune- which was absorbed by his son's business in Rochester.

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

In 1820 Dr. Elihu Lee was practicing in Pembroke; in 1830 Dr. Aaron Long was registered as residing in Corfu; but previous to this Dr. David Long, with his brother John, had come in as early as 1808, and gave the name Long's Corners to the settlement now called Corfu. Dr. Long resided for many years in a house occupying the site of Dr. Crane's present residence, just north of the principal four corners of the village. He is spoken of as a man of energy and enterprise.

In 1831 Dr. Alanson Owen was in business at Richville, and during the same year somewhere in the town were. Drs. J. S. Dodge, James S. Grout, and Barton Streeter.

In 1833 William E. Brown practiced at East Pembroke; in 1840 Dr. Samuel S. Knight, of Pembroke, joined the County Medical Society; and we find no further mention of physicians coming into the town until 1864, when Dr. Isaiah Rano came from Darien, and remained until his death, in May, 1880.

Sometime in the year 1864 Dr. John Durboraw came in, and lived here two or three years.

Dr. Earl B. Lounsbury was born in the town of Alexander in 1838, was graduated from the Buffalo Medical College, and began practice at East Pembroke in 1864. He remained about one and one-half years, and then removed to Byron Center.

In 1867 Dr. L. B. Parmelee was practicing at East Pembroke. He remained a few years, went to Rochester for a short time, and thence to Batavia, where he.still resides.

It is believed that Dr. A. G. Ellinwood, now of Attica, was located for a short time at East Pembroke,-probably about 1860,-but this is uncertain.

In 1868 Dr. Joshua W. Read came to Corfu. He was born in Bata- via in 1837. He was a graduate of the State Normal School at Albany, and taught school at Peekskill four years. He studied medicine at that place with Dr. Knight, graduated in 1866, practiced at Bloomington, Ill., two years, and then removed to Corfu. After remaining two years he went to Newark, N. J., where he still remains.

In 1868 Dr. H. W. Cobb was at Indian Falls, but soon removed to the West. Dr. George H. Norton practiced at East Pembroke from 1868 until his death, in 1874 or 1875. A Dr. Lund, now of Medina, N. Y., was at one time in Pembroke.

There have been at different times in Pembroke homeopathic physi- cians, but none of them seem to have remained long, and we hear only of Drs. Scott and MacPherson.

GENESEE COUNTY.

In 1869 Dr. Absalom Billington was in Corfu. He remained but a short time, and we cannot ascertain where he went.

Dr. Albert Crawford moved to Corfu in 1871. He was born in Da- rien in 1841, studied medicine with Dr. Milton E. Potter, and received his diploma from the Buffalo Medical College in 1862. He commenced practice at Cairo, Ill., and remained there until his removal to Corfu. He was here 10 years, and then sold out to Dr. William Parker and went to Buffalo, where he still resides.

Dr Parker was born at Clarence, Erie County. He was graduated at Buffalo in 1880, came to Corfu soon after, remained but a short time, then spent one year in Clarence, and finally removed to Buffalo. He is at present attending physician to the Erie County alms house.

The above mentioned are all the physicians we can learn of as for -. merly practicing in the town of Pembroke. It is quite possible some names may have been omitted, but we have striven industriously to ob- tain them all. The failure of some to join the County Medical Society has prevented a permanent record of their names, and we have been obliged to rely upon the recollections of old inhabitants for many things.

STAFFORD.

IN 1821 Benjamin Davis hailed from the then yearling town of Staf- ford as its first Medicinæ Doctor. Dr. Ammi R. R. Butler, however, re- moved to Alexander from Stafford some time prior to 1823, and it may be that he was in the latter place as early as was Dr. Davis. In 1829 Drs. Jonathan G. Abbott and Thomas Blanchard are recorded as resi- dents of Stafford, and about the same time Dr. Elizur Butler and his brother Samuel practiced there.

In 1831 Dr. W. B. Slawson was in business at Morganville. How long he remained we are not informed, but he was a member of the County Medical Society in 1837. Dr. Thomas D. Morrison is registered in 1839 and in 1840 Dr. Lucius M. Haynes. Dr. Haynes married a sister of Stephen Crocker, Esq , who, after the death of Dr. Haynes, married Rev. Richard Radley. He practiced in Stafford until his death, May 19, 1854. In 1851 Dr. Mark W. Tomlinson came to Stafford, and in 1852 Dr. Theophilus S. Loomis. Dr. Loomis removed to East Bethany soon after, and died there.

In 1855 Dr. Henry Pamphilon opened an office in Stafford. He was born in Hackney, near London, Eng., January 14, 1828. He was edu- cated in London, and came to America in 1851, locating in Lancaster,

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION- WILLIAM MORGAN.

Erie County. In 1855 he removed to Stafford, remaining there until his death, which occurred- March 13, 1884. Dr. Pamphilon was an excel- lent physician and a most agreeable companion. His knowledge was not confined to medicine, but was extensive on many subjects. He was quite an elocutionist, and read extracts from Dickens remarkably well. He could also dance a hornpipe in good style. He was highly respected by his brother physicians, and by the community at large.

Somewhere about the year 1855 Dr. T. S. King located at Stafford. He was born and educated at Plainfield, N. J., and received his diploma from the University of New York. He remained in Stafford until his death, which took place December 24, 1867, at the age of 42 years.

Dr. Ayer practiced a few years in Stafford. He is highly spoken of as a . practitioner, and is also remembered as a man of decided opinions and strong convictions. During his residence at Stafford, in the year 1863, when people were greatly excited over war matters, Dr. Ayer was arrested and taken to the jail at Batavia for the expression of somewhat decided democratic opinions. His imprisonment was, however, of briet duration, but the Doctor never recovered from the sense of oppression and humiliation which that event occasioned. He soon after went to Buffalo, and enjoyed an active and profitable practice there for several years, and until his death. His widow resides in Buffalo, as does also a daughter, the wife of Dr. Rollin L. Banta, one of the most prominent of the younger physicians of that city.

Dr. F. L. Stone was born at Marcy, Oneida County, in 1834. He received an academic education at Whitestown Seminary, studied medi- cine with Dr. Babcock, of Oriskany, and was graduated at Bellevue Col- lege, New York city, in 1865. He remained for a time with Dr. Babcock, and in 1868 came to Stafford. He remained seven years, and removed to Caledonia, Livingston County, where he practiced five years, going thence to Le Roy, where he now resides. Dr. Stone was successful in his practice at Stafford, and made many friends there.

WILLIAM MORGAN.

€ XCEPTING, perhaps, the events of the War of 1812 no occurrence in the history of Western New York ever so generally attracted the attention of the country as the disappearance of the Free Ma- son, Morgan, in the autumn of 1826, with the uprising against the Ma- sonic fraternity which his mysterious fate produced. No other event, 6

GENESEE COUNTY.

therefore, more fairly demands a chapter in the history of the county where the circumstances connected with the affair occurred.

William Morgan was born in Virginia, and was by trade a stone ma- son. He opened a store in Richmond, in 1819, but in 1821 removed to Canada and went into the brewing business. His brewery having been burnt he moved to Rochester and resumed his trade of mason. While here (living next door to a Dr. Dyer, and also near Thurlow Weed) it is supposed he wrote out his exposure of Masonry. He had a wife and two children. Leaving them he went to Batavia in order to get his book printed. Pretending to be an architect he assisted Thomas McCully in building the Eagle Hotel, and lived for a time in McCully's house (to the east of Eagar's brewery), and also lived where Hewitt's store now is. He also worked on the old stone building back of the postoffice. As near as can be ascertained Morgan was made a Royal Arch Mason at Le Roy. He was represented as being a poor man of indifferent character (which latter fact is suggested as the chief consideration which led him to publish the secrets of the fraternity of which he was a member); was also intem- perate and neglected his family; and because of his habits he was expelled from the chapter. Soon after this (presumably in June or July) he began (with the assistance of David C. Miller, editor of the Republican Advocate) to publish a book on "Jachin and Boaz," with alterations. The work of publishing was secretly done, Miller at the time occupying the upper part of two buildings on Main street, Batavia.

On July 25th Morgan was taken into custody by the sheriff, for debt, but was soon released. The Ontario Messenger, published at Canan- daigua, of August 9, 1826, contained the following notice and caution :

" If a man calling himself Captain William Morgan should intrude himself upon the community, they should be on their guard, particularly the Masonic fraternity. Morgan was in the village in May last, and his conduct here and elsewhere calls forth. this notice. Morgan is considered a swindler and a dangerous man."

This notice was also copied in the Batavia papers. September 10th Ebenezer C. Kingsley obtained from Justice Chipman, of Canandaigua, a warrant for the arrest of Morgan on a charge of having stolen a shirt and cravat, which Kingsley had in fact lent him the preceding May. On this warrant Hayward, a constable, proceeded to Le Roy (where he got it en- dorsed by a justice there), thence to Batavia, where he called at Morgan's, told his errand, and no objections being offered Morgan repaired to Dan- old's tavern, where he ate breakfast with the constable and his friends. While in custody Miller, his bailor, called at Danold's and objected

WILLIAM MORGAN.

to Morgan being taken beyond the jail limits, because of liabilities he (Miller) might suffer for. Hayward insisted on carrying out his service, and did so. Arriving at Le Roy Hayward offered to take him before the justice, that he might give bail for appearance at the next term of court. Morgan declined acceptance, saying he could convince Kingsley, the tav- ern-keeper at Canandaigua, he did not intend to steal. Morgan's arrest at Batavia was without force. When taken before Justice Chipman he proved his innocence. He was immediately reärrested, on a civil suit for $2, the amount of a tavern bill against him held by one Ackley, which had been assigned to Nicholas G. Cheesebro, the master of the Ma- sonic lodge at Canandaigua. Judgment was given against Morgan, to sat- isfy which he offered his coat. The offer was refused, and he was lodged in Ontario County jail. (No connection has ever been established between the first persons arresting Morgan and the others who abducted him, ex- cept Cheesebro, who was in both actions.)

This was on the evening of the IIth of September, 1826. Twenty- four hours later members of the Masonic fraternity called at the jail, and in the absence of the jailor advised his wife to release Morgan, telling her the judgment against him had been paid by one Loton Lawson. The prisoner was liberated, but on reaching the street was suddenly seized, thrust into a close carriage, gagged, bound, and driven rapidly out of the village, westwardly, or to Rochester, and so on to the Ridge road, accompanied by Lawson and two other Masons. Lawson after- wards testified " that the Ridge road was followed to Lewiston, and so on down to Fort Niagara, near a grave-yard, where the passengers in the vehicle got out and the coachman dismissed ; that none but Masons were allowed to communicate with Morgan ; that preparations had pre- viously been made for his reception" ; and he was taken into the fort. blindfolded, bound, and thrown into the magazine, where he was con- fined until the 19th, when he disappeared. In October, 1827, over a year after his abduction, a dead body was found on Lake Ontario beach, and a committee from Batavia and Rochester, deciding after the closest scrutiny that it was that of Morgan, they brought it to Batavia, where it was exposed to view in James Brisbane's yard, and large numbers visited the spot to view the loathsome spectacle. A funeral procession was formed, Mrs. Morgan and D. C. Miller being chief mourners, and the body conveyed to the grave-yard, where in later years the anti-Masons erected a handsome stone to his (?) memory. Later, however, the clothes found on this body were thoroughly identified as belonging to one Timo-

GENESEE COUNTY.

thy Monroe, a man accidentally drowned near the mouth of Niagara. In this connection we state that Mrs. Morgan was supported by the anti-Masons until she joined her fortune afterwards with a Royal Arch Mason's, when she was dropped by the anties.

A tremendous excitement followed the disappearance of Morgan. Investigating committees were everywhere appointed. Governor Clinton offered a reward for the apprehension of those who abducted him. Sir Peregrine Maitland, governor-general of Upper Canada, offered a re- ward of $200. Lodges and chapters of Masons denounced the deed. The hostility of feeling between Masons and anti-Masons was of the bitterest description. The dividing line ran through families and churches even boys on the streets took sides. The Masonic fraternity through- out a large section of country was threatened with destruction, many lodges being so weakened by withdrawals, expulsions, and lack of appli- cations as to be disbanded for years. The order in 1826 numbered 360 lodges and 22,000 members. Ten years later there were 75 lodges and 4,000 members.

While the several committees were pursuing inquiries the contem- plated book, Morgan's Revelations of Masonry, appeared. It was in pamphlet form, might have cost 10 cents, but sold for $1, copyright se- cured. Morgan's partner subscribed under oath not to divulge his se- cret regarding the publication of the book ; and fromletters found it was. soon known that avarice, not a love of country or friends, was his prin- cipal reason for the undertaking. But a few copies were sold at $1. The price was soon reduced to 50 cents, then to 25 cents, finally to about IO cents.

As to the trial of the abductors, evidence was given that Cheesebro hired and paid for the carriage, and he with Lawson, Sawyer, and Shel- don were indicted for complicity. The sheriff of Niagara County, Eli Bruce, was fined and imprisoned for the part he took in the matter, and other prominent and respectable men were convicted.

The excitement was kept up. Attempts were made to prevent Ma- sons from meeting as usual. It being the custom to celebrate St. John's day, the Batavia Lodge, in May, 1827, announced their intention to celebrate it in public. Miller endeavored to prevent it, but on June 25th 300 Masons assembled for the purpose. A large concourse of people to the number of several thousand were in Batavia. Some were armed with knives and guns. But the day passed off without any accident. The proceedings were addressed by George Hosmer, of Livingston

WILLIAM MORGAN.

County, and the Masons endured the scoffs and jeers of an enraged mul- titude. The anti-Masons attempted afterwards to exclude Masons from the jury.

We now return to David C. Miller, who attained almost equal noto- riety with Morgan. After the intentions of Morgan and Miller relative to the book were announced one Daniel Johns, from Canada, came to Batavia. He had resided in Rochester, and there became acquainted with Miller's friends, by whom, it is said, he was received as a partner. Johns had a little money, and offered to make some advances, pecuniary, as was desirable at that time. He was therefore accepted without much scrutiny as to his motives. It was supposed he wished to procure pos- session of Morgan's manuscript. Certainly Miller wanted Johns's money ; thus a deception was created in the start. Johns obtained a part of the manuscript and Miller some of Johns's money, about $30 or $40. This small sum was of more value to Miller than the manuscript was to Johns, and so trouble arose between them. A few days before Miller's arrest (September 12, 1826) a warrant on behalf of Johns was issued by Jus- tice Bartow, of Le Roy, against Miller and one Davids, a partner, to col- lect moneys advanced by Johns. This warrant was placed in the hands of Jesse French, of Stafford, the constable (and father of the late J. Homer French, of French's Gazetteer of New York), who, learning that Miller had determined to resist arrest, employed several assistants, and on September 12th, followed by Roswell Wilcox and Jesse Hurlburt and a large party, repaired to Batavia to effect the arrest of Miller and Davids. The presence of so many strangers in Batavia excited the apprehen- sion of the citizens, many of whom offered their services to resist the at- tempt to arrest Miller. French, with his assistants, repaired to Miller's office, where he (Davids) and Miller's son were, and although the office was fortified with arms none were used. Wilcox arrested Davids, and French at the same time arrested Miller. Both submitted, and were taken to Danold's tavern. Davids, being a prisoner within the jail limits, was soon discharged. Miller was taken to the lodge-room at Stafford, against the remonstrances of his friends, kept there for two or three hours, then proceeded to Le Roy, kept at Walbridge's tavern, where he was discharged, and returned to Batavia. Theodore Talbot was Miller's lawyer. "It is supposed by some that the main object of Miller's arrest was to obtain possession of Morgan's manuscript."

The following article appeared in the issue of September 15, 1826, of the Republican Advocate :

GENESEE COUNTY.

" About 2 A. M., Monday morning, September II, two buildings were set on fire. The same morning Captain William Morgan was seized, as was alleged, by virtue of process and conveyed off no one knows where, by a sett of ruffians. On Tuesday a mob consisting of more than 100 assembled in this village, from various parts of the country, with the openly-avowed intention of destroying our printing establishment, and conveyed the editor of this paper out of town, by ruffian force, in pretence of legal pro- cess, to Le Roy, to the magistrate, but no process was exhibited or returned by the office. The constable then disappeared, and the prisoner was discharged.

"Signed : C. W. MILLER, son of D. C. MILLER."

The result of this arrest of Miller was an indictment found against some of the parties for alleged riot, assault, and battery, and false impris- onment. A trial was had before Judges Birdsall, Tisdale, James Tag- gart, and Simeon Cummings, judges of the Court of Common Pleas, two of whom, as well as a part of the jury, were Masons. French was sen- tenced to 12 months, Wilcox to six months, and Hurlburt to three months. imprisonment.

The most notable effect of the agitation by the anti-Masons was the career of that party, which subdivided and distracted all other political parties, and drew thousands of adherents from them all; a subject that would require a volume to treat intelligently. .

TEMPERANCE.

LD people of this and other counties remember distinctly that in "their youth the use of spirituous liquors as a beverage was al- most universal. Nor was it confined to the laymen. Very many of the settlers of Genesee County had such a habit, and it was thought no harm in those times, for it would be a breach of hospitality to not offer it to visitors. It was the necessary help at the " bees," and the failure of such " bees " and gatherings, from its absence, is well remembered. It was at home, in the field, everywhere, in olden days, and was the uni- versal panacea for wet weather and dry weather, for real and imaginary ailments.

Distilleries sprang up early in many of the towns, and liquor was cheap and pure ; the country stores kept it for sale the same as codfish and molasses ; and its use was sanctioned by all classes-the laborer, the clergy, the bench and bar. Indeed, the words of a modern poet,

" The power enslaved in yonder cask Shall many burdens bear ; Shall nerve the toiler at his task, The soul at prayer," -

TEMPERANCE.

seem very apropos of the customs of former days. With the well founded ideas of the time is it to be wondered that no moves were made for a reform in regard to its use ? It is not known definitely when stringent measures were taken in Genesee County ; the pulpit always taught tem- perance, but that was not the temperance-strict prohibition, touch not and handle not-of the present day.

It is known that about 1830 a reform gradually swept over the land in the form of signing a pledge ; but this was only a general restriction not to use it to excess, and was not sufficiently effective. In this county, in 1836, a society was formed, and after a discussion of two days, with a negative vote of two ( who voted so, fearing the advance was too rapid ), the total abstinence pledge was adopted. At the present day it hardly seems credible that a temperance reform could have encountered any opposition. It did receive such opposition in 1836 in Genesee County. There were many earnest, zealous workers in the reform here, but after a half century, with no records, it is impossible to name them. Much good was done, and a check was placed upon the increasing evil, which is felt to the present day:

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Gazetteer and biographical record of Genesee County, N.Y., 1788-1890, Part 9

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