Genealogical and Family History of Western New York, Volume I, Part 24

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: New York : Lewis Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 680

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Adelaide Louise. 2. Henry Kirk, of further mention. 3. Jessie Carlisle, married Charles Watson Hinkley, of Chicago, Illinois; child : Gerald Watson, born February 12, 1889. 4. Geraldine, born October 16, 1860, died May 9, 1867. 5. Adelaide Thompson, married Dr. Harry Draper White, of Rome, New York; child, Julia Kirk White. 6. Mabel Walton, un- married. 7. Gerald Bismarck, born April 1, 1870; educated in Dunkirk Union Schools ; at the age of nineteen years entered the employ of the Dunkirk Printing Company, then con- trolled by his father and brother, was later admitted to the corporation, and in 1900 was elected vice-president and secretary, a position he now fills. He is editor of the Evening Ob- server. In 1903 he was appointed private sec- retary by Lieutenant-Governor Frank W. Higgins. He is a member of Buffalo Chapter Sons of the American Revolution, the Young Men's Association of Dunkirk, and of other social and fraternal organizations. He mar- ried, October 5, 1906, Elizabeth, daughter of the late John MacLeod, of Louisville, Ken- tucky. Children : Eunice, born July 25, 1907; John MacLeod, March 24, 1911.

(IX) Henry Kirk, eldest son of Dr. Julien Taintor and Julia King (Thompson ) Williams, was born in Dunkirk, New York, May 8, 1856. He was educated in the Dunkirk Union Schools, later entered Cornell University, class of 1880, he took a course in science and civil engineering, and was engineer. in charge of the construction of the New York, Chicago and St. Louis railroad, (the Nickel Plate) between Brocton and Angola. In 1885 he be- came engaged in the oil business at Bradford, Pennsylvania, and in 1886 was chosen presi- dent of the Bermuda Oil Company, continuing until 1888, when he became associated with his father in the ownership of the Dunkirk Print- ing Company, and has ever since been con- nected with that corporation as general man- ager, and since 1901 as president and general manager. The corporation publishes the Even- ing Observer, a daily newspaper; The Grape Belt, and the Chautauqua Farmer, a semi- weekly newspaper. Mr. Williams is a capable, prosperous man of business, and created one of the leading newspaper properties of West- ern New York. He is a Republican in politics, but demands clean candidates in order to re- ceive the support of his papers. He has never been an aspirant for office, although in 1896 he was supervisor, and in 1906 member of

assembly from the Second Chautauqua dis- trict, declining a renomination. His college fraternity is Alpha Delti Phi, and he is prom- inent in the Masonic order, belonging to Dun- kirk Lodge, Chapter and Commandery, and Ismailia Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

He married, October 10, 1889, at Bradford, Pennsylvania, May Elizabeth Willis, daughter of John and Ruth Willis. Children: I. Dor- othy Eunice, born January 5, 1892. 2. Julien Willis, born December 28, 1893, died Septem- ber 4, 1898. 3. Jessie Carlisle, born July 14, 1896. 4. Henry Kirk (2), born October 17, 1899. 5. Julien Taintor (2), born October 5, 1902.

HEQUEMBOURG

Nicholas, father of Charles Louis Hequembourg, the

American ancestor of the family herein re- corded, was a resident of Blangy, diocese of Rouen, canton of Eu, France, in 1759. He married Marie Marthe Fauvet. Sons : Charles Louis, of further mention; Nicholas, and An- thony. The two latter are supposed to have gone to Italy.

(II) Charles Louis, son of Nicholas and Marie Marthe (Fauvet) Hequembourg, was born as per the following copy of the register of baptisms, marriages and burials of the par- ish Church of Our Lady, of Blangy, diocese of Rouen, district (canton) of Eu: "To-day, Tuesday,.second day of October, 1759, by me undersigned priest, has been baptized at the church a boy born yesterday, from the legiti- mate marriage of Nicholas Hequembourg, marshal, and of Marie Marthe Fauvet, his spouse ; has been named Charles Louis by Charles Louis Lotte, journaman tanner and Genevieve Beauvaier, his godfather and god- mother undersigned." Signed, Charles Louis Lotte, Genevieve Beauvaier. Witnessed No- vember, 1781, under the signature and seal of the provost vicar. (The original of the above certificate is now owned by the Dunkirk fam- ily).

Charles Louis, in 1780 or 1781, being then twenty-two years of age, came to America, and after his marriage, May 20, 1786, to Mer- cey Clark, of New Haven, Connecticut, took up his residence at Hartford in the same state. Children: 1. Charles, of further men- tion. 2. Mary, married James Brewster. 3.

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Catherine, born at Hartford, Connecticut, June 6, 1797, died at. Sumter, North Carolina, August 18, 1872; married Sidney Clark, of New York City, September 10, 1818; children : Joseph, Sidney, James B., Charles Louis and Elizabeth. Charles Louis Hequembourg died February 28, 1851, aged ninety-two years. There is no record of the death of his wife, Mercey Clark.

(III) Charles, only son of Charles Louis and Mercey (Clark) Hequembourg, was born at Hartford, Connecticut, October 10, 1788. He was a jeweler, and was engaged in business in New Haven, New York City, Albany, Newark, New Jersey, and St. Louis, Missouri, where he died in 1875, at the age of eighty- five years, his death occurring the same year as that of his eldest son, Rev. Charles Louis. He married Mehetable Emma Fabian Morse, at New Haven, Connecticut, October 11, 1810. Children, first six born at New Haven: I. Charles Louis (2), of further mention. 2. Emma M., born July 15, 1813, died at Dun- kirk, New York, May, 1899; married at Buf- falo, New York, 1840, Edward E. Thurber, 3. Theodore, April 24, 1815, died at Dunkirk, June 27, 1888; married (first), at Dunkirk, April 22, 1844, Heloise Electa Williams; (second), October 7, 1874, Mrs. Almeda' Gould, of Dunkirk. 4. William Ezekiel, Octo- ber 17, 1817, died July 1, 1820. 5. Susan Catherine, December 1, 1819, died at Webster Grove, Missouri, February 23, 1887; married, at Buffalo, May 8, 1843, John J. Johnson. 6. George William, June 6, 1821, died at St. Louis, Missouri, May 27, 1854; served in the Mexican war; he married, at St. Louis, 1850, Rebecca Harris. 7. Harriet Lansing, born at Albany, New York, September 23, 1823, died at Bunker Hill, Missouri, October 2, 1894; married, at St. Louis, September 7, 1848, Ezekiel Pratt, killed by bushwhackers at Bunker Hill, Missouri, July 8, 1862. 8. Major William Augustus, born at Albany, New York, November 27, 1828; served in the civil war; married, at St. Louis, Helen Bassett, born at Hastings, England, April 21, 1831, daughter of Samuel and Fannie Bassett. 9. Lieutenant- Colonel George Gardiner Frazier, born in New York City, September 22, 1832: served in the Mexican war ; married, at St. Louis, Oc- tober 26, 1860, Emma Targee. 10. Caroline E., born at Paterson, New Jersey, July 31, 1831, died there November 20, 1832. 11. Sarah Elizabeth Morse, born at Paterson, New Jer-

sey, January 3, 1834; married, at St. Louis, May 1, 1869, Adolphus G. Braum.

(IV) Rev. Charles Louis Hequembourg, eldest child of Charles and Emma Fabian (Morse) Hequembourg, was born in New Haven, Connecticut, July 19, 1811, died at Fort McPherson, Nebraska, December 24. 1875. He was graduated at Yale College in 1835, and from Auburn Theological Seminary in 1836. He was ordained a minister of the Presbyterian church, and was in charge of churches of that faith in Sheridan, Dunkirk and Dansville, New York, and in Warren, Pennsylvania. He served during the civil war. 1861-1865, as quartermaster's agent in Nash- ville, Tennessee. On July 2, 1870, he was appointed post chaplain, United States army, and officiated as such at Camp Henry, Oregon, November 1, 1870, to September, 1873; at Fort Klamath, Oregon, September 27, 1873, to October 8, 1874; at Camp Douglas, Utah, October 16, to November 2, 1874; transferred to Fort McPherson, Nebraska, December 13, 1874, where he served until his death. He married, October 24, 1842, Emelie Sophie Williams, died at Buffalo, September 2, 1882, and buried at . Forest Hill cemetery, Chicago, Illinois. Children : 1. Sarah Catherine Morse, born at Dunkirk, New York, August 10, 1843; married Charles A. Flanders ; children : Charles Louis, Frederick Courier Elliott, Warren Beebe. 2. Charles Ezra, of further mention. 3. Theodore Milton, born in Danville, New York. 4. Isabella Whitney, born in Dunkirk. New York. 5. Julien Erastus, born at Dun- kirk, May 11, 1856; married Elizabeth Ellen Fletcher ; children: Fletcher Huntington and Julien Erastus (2). 6. Frederick Williams, born at Warren, Pennsylvania, July 29, 1859: married Nellie Gertrude Groves; children : Edith Emelia, Louis Albert, Marion Gertrude. Charles Louis, Frederick Williams (2). 7. Bertha Theodora, born at Dunkirk, October 22, 1862; married Samuel S. Bryan ; children : Katherine, Samuel S., Julian H., Elizabeth Arnett.

(V) Charles Ezra, second child and eldest son of Rev. Charles Louis and Emelia Sofia ( Williams) Hequembourg, was born in Dun- kirk, New York, July 9, 1845, died there Octo- ber 17, 1907. Although for forty years his business interests were mostly in other fields. Dunkirk was always his home. He was edu- cated in the public schools of Dunkirk and Dansville, New York, and in Warren, Penn-

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sylvania. Circumstances early forced him to become a bread winner, his first wages being earned in summer work on the farm and in building boats in winter for use of the lumber- men in the spring. As he grew older he learned the carpenter's trade. At the age of eighteen he enlisted in Company D, 68th Regi- ment New York Volunteers, and went to the front, later joining the Army of the Cumber- land, and receiving an honorable discharge at the close of the war. He acquired a knowl- edge of civil engineering, and after the war remained in Tennessee and Kentucky, soon being placed in charge of the field work, sur- veys, mapping lands, drilling wells, building pipe lines, etc., for the Tennessee and Cumber- land Oil and Mining Company. In 1870 he returned to Dunkirk and began contracting. His first large operation was the erection of school building No. 2 in that city. In the next year he erected the first brick school house in Titusville, Pennsylvania. During 1871-72, while filling the office of village engineer, he constructed the Dunkirk Water Works, a direct pressure system costing $100,000. In 1873-74, as engineer and contractor, he built the waterworks systems of the towns of Hyde Park and Lake, now part of the city of Chi- cago. These were also direct pressure systems costing about $1,250,000. Later, at Bradford, Pennsylvania, the Bradford Gas Company, of which he was president, erected the St. James hotel building, the second brick edifice that city possessed. While engaged in these operations he became interested in oil developments and was one of the early operators in the Pennsyl- vania field. His chief interest, however, was in natural gas, of which he made an exhaus- tive study, and to the end of his life he was an authority on all matters pertaining to the production and use of gas. In 1878, as presi- dent and engineer, with associates, Mr. Hequembourg organized the Bradford Gas, Light and Heating Company, and the Tarport and Kendal Gas, Light and Heating Company. These were the first corporations to supply natural gas for light and fuel to a municipality. The original supply was obtained from natural pressure, but in 1880 this was superseded by a pumping station. It was from the experience gained in the Pennsylvania fields that in 1888, as president and engineer of the Columbus Construction Company, he was able to under- take the task of connecting Chicago with the gasfields of Indiana, an undertaking he suc-

cessfully accomplished. In 1892 the Columbus Construction Company completed and turned over to the owners of the Indiana Natural Gas and Oil Company and the Chicago Economic Fuel Gas Company what was then the longest pipe-line system in the world. In 1892 he re- tired from active business and took up his home life in Dunkirk. To gratify his longing for scientific research and knowledge, he erected near his residence an observatory hav- ing a tower sixty-five feet high, in which he mounted a twenty-five foot telescope having a nine inch objective. This observatory was fitted with all modern appliances, instruments of precision, etc. On other floors are library, photographic room and laboratory. It was there that he loved to entertain his friends and enjoy his astronomical work until an unfortunate slip on an icy pavement in 1901 fractured his leg. After that, climbing the tower stairs was attended with so much annoyance that he was forced to give up work in this field. He then became interested in automobile construction and patented an improved non-puncturable tire after a long and serious test of its value.

In 1904 he was selected by the people of Dunkirk as mayor. His election was not of a political nature but due to a reform movement He gave the city a clean business administra- tion which so pleased the voters that the fol- lowing term he was the choice of both parties. His conduct of municipal affairs was marked by the earnestness and energy that character- ized his conduct of his private business. He fondly hoped to see Dunkirk become a large city, and at one time, at his own expense, had surveys and soundings made of the harbor. He further brought about a public movement to get congress to appropriate sufficient funds for the proper deepening of the channel and anchorage, and its protection by breakwaters, and this was accomplished to a large extent. A large man physicially, Mr. Hequembourg possessed a heart great in proportion, and was always sympathetic, kind and courteous to all. He planned and solved large business problems with the skill of a master, and frequently crossed swords with many of the great "cap- tains of industry," and rarely came off worsted. His qualities of self-reliance, cour- age and inflexibility of purpose rendered him the successful engineer, able to develop large interests. He was strictly a selfmade man, grasping opportunities and compelling success. His mind naturally was of a scientific quality,

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although he often remarked that his greatest ambition was to be a lawyer. He possessed a complete law and reference library and took keen delight in probing into the depths of the legal questions that arose in connection with his business operations. He was a devoted husband and father, doing all in his power to render life happy and comfortable for his family. The death of his son, Louis Max, a junior at Cornell, seemed to completely break his spirit, and in seven months he followed him to Fredonia, where both are at rest in the family plot in beautiful Forest Hill. Mr. Hequembourg was prominent in the Masonic order, holding the highest attainable degree in the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, the thirty-third. He was a member of the Ameri- can Society of Civil Engineers, and took the greatest pride in his membership.

He married, at St. Louis, Missouri, Harriet E: Thurber, who survives him, a resident of Dunkirk, where she is held in the highest esteem. Children: Charles Guy, an engineer of New York City, married Florence Dillard; Helen Maude, married John L. Hurlbert, attorney-at-law, Dunkirk, New York; Ethel Marie, married Frederick Kelly Wing, of Buffalo; Mabel Wilhelmina ; Jessie Thurber ; Louis Max, died March, 1907, aged twenty- two years, junior in College of Civil Engineer- ing at Cornell University ; Hilda Morse.

SMITH This branch of the Smith family in America springs from Lieuten- ant Samuel Smith, who, with wife Elizabeth and children Samuel, aged nine; Elizabeth, aged seven; Mary, aged four, and Philip, aged one year, sailed for New England the last day of April, 1634, in the ship "Eliza- beth," of Ipswich, England. He and his wife were then called thirty-two years of age. He settled in Watertown, Massachusetts, then went to Wethersfield, Connecticut, where he was one of the leading citizens. In 1659 he settled in Hadley, Massachusetts, where he held important offices in church and town. He died about 1680. The inventory of his estate was taken January 17, 1681. His wife died March 16, 1686. Children: 1. Samuel, re- moved to New London, Connecticut, thence to Virginia. 2. Elizabeth, married Nathaniel Foote, (second) William Gull. 3. Mary, mar- ried John Graves. 4. Philip, born 1633; was one of the foremost men of his time, a lieuten- ant, deacon and representative; he died Janu-

ary 10, 1685, "murdered by an hideous witch- craft," according to Cotton Mather ; he mar- ried Rebecca Foote. 5. Chileab, died March 7, 1731, aged ninety-five years; married Han- nah Hitchcock; fourteen children. 6. John, of further mention.

(II) John, youngest child of Lieutenant Samuel and Elizabeth Smith, was slain by the Indians in Hatfield Meadow, May 30, 1676, after having been engaged in the "Falls fight" a few days before. He married, November 12, 1663, Mary, daughter of William Part- ridge. Children: John, born May 15, 1665; Samuel, born December 7, 1667, killed by fall- ing from a horse, June 19, 1681 ; Joseph, born November 16, 1670; Benjamin, of further men- tion; Marah, born 1677, married, March IO, 1696, John Day.

(III) Benjamin, son of John and Mary (Partridge) Smith, was born in 1673. He settled in Wethersfield, Connecticut, the for- mer home of his grandfather, Lieutenant Sam- uel, the immigrant. He married, March 14, 1700, Ruth, daughter of Henry Buck. Chil- dren : John, born March 20, 1701 ; Elizabeth, May 5, 1703; Mary, February 7, 1706; Josiah, of further mention; Martha, September 7, 1711; Israel, January 24, 1714; Joseph, Sep- tember 30, 1716; Jonathan, February -, 1719; Christian, December 25, 1722.

(IV) Josiah, son of Benjamin and Ruth (Buck) Smith, was born January 31, 1709, died October 17, 1773. He married, 1761, Mary Treat, and had issue.

(V) James, son of Josiah and Mary (Treat) Smith, was born in Wethersfield, Connecticut, 1756, died February 20, 1832. He married (first), March 14, 1781, Sarah Hanmer, died April 21, 1800, (second) Widow Jerusha (Dix) Wright, died January 5, 1812, (third) Thankful Bliss, died December 27, 1834. Chil- dren by first wife: 1. William, born March 17, 1783. 2. Prudence, died young. 3. James, born February 9, 1793 ; married Esther Talcott. 4. Josiah, born March 28, 1794; married Han- nah Goodrich. 5. Rev. John, born September 2, 1796, died in New York City, February 20, 1874; graduated from Yale College, 1821 ; studied theology at Andover, Massachusetts. and Princeton, New Jersey; was actively en- gaged in the ministry until 1863, with marked success. "Two thousand six hundred and fifty-three sermons and one hundred and twelve lectures carefully written testify to his labors as true, faithful and hard-working minister

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for forty years." He married (first) Esther Mary Woodruff, (second) Louisa L. Gridley. 6. Walter, of further mention. By second marriage: Sarah, born May 29, 1802; married George Dwight.

(VI) Walter, youngest son of James and his first wife, Sarah (Hanmer) Smith, was born March 21, 1800, died September 21, 1874. He was educated in the schools of Litchfield, Connecticut, and chose a mercantile career. At the age of fifteen years he was sent to Caz- enovia, New York, where he engaged as clerk in the store of Jacob Ten Eyck. After being with Mr. Ten Eyck four years he had so won his confidence and so impressed him with his business ability that he advanced the young man sufficient capital to establish a store of his own in Fredonia, Chautauqua county, New York. This business was under the sole man- agement of the young man (then only nine- teen ) and under his own name, Walter Smith. The confidence of Mr. Ten Eyck was fully justified, for out of his first year's profits all money advanced by him was repaid, and the business left with sufficient capital to success- fully operate it. Mr. Smith, in a paper writ- ten by himself, says : "From 1819 to 1840 my association in the county of Chautauqua was close and intimate." He was able from his profitable business to advance many of the early settlers money to make their first pay- ments on their land, and in return they brought their black salts, house ashes and farm pro- ducts, to his store, for, as Mr. Smith writes : "We purchased everything the farmer pro- duced. My profits increased from $20,000 the first year to $75,000 at the close of the sixth year of my business, and the cash received for goods sold never exceeded ten per cent. in the aggregate for the year. Nine per cent. profit was charged the purchaser, and paid for in black salts or produce. The sale of pot and pearl ashes varied in different years both in quantity and price. They were shipped to Montreal prior to the opening of the Erie canal in 1825, by vessel to Black Rock, by open boat to Schlosser, by ox teams from there to Lewis- ton, thence by vessel to Cape Vincent, thence by batteaux down the St. Lawrence river to Montreal, where they were sold by the Horatio Gates Company, who remitted the proceeds to New York City to my order. In order to fur- nish the farmers with a market for their pro- duce I obtained a contract to supply the gov- ernment stations along the lakes with pro-

visions. The farmers of Chautauqua county furnished everything needed to fulfill my con- tracts, except white beans, which I purchased in Ohio." Orders on Walter Smith's store and due bills over his signature became the currency of the county, and were duly honor- ed everywhere. In 1826, while in the full tide of prosperity, he became associated with De- Witt Clinton and others in the proprietorship of the village of Dunkirk, on Lake Erie, and was one of the most ardent advocates of the building of the Erie railroad. He spent the greater part of the winters of 1830 and 1832 at Albany, urging the importance of the road before the legislature, and it was largely through his efforts and influence that the road was chartered, April 24, 1832. He was far-sighted, and saw the revolution railroads would effect in business, although at that time there were only five thousand miles of railroad in the entire world. He predicted "the day will come when cattle fatted in Indiana, Illinois and Ohio, will be brought to New York to be sold." This was thought entirely too visionary, but he was correct, as later achievements demonstrated. There was a strong hope at this time that Dun- kirk would be the terminus of the Erie canal, which no doubt influenced the young merchant to cast in his lot with that village, and for- tunate it was for the future of the place that he did so. He bought the undivided half of the property of the Dunkirk Land Company, and immediately turned his energy and busi- ness ability to building up the village and de- veloping the resources of the surrounding country. Daily stages for passengers were established, and a wagon line for transporta- tion between Dunkirk and Warren, Pennsyl- vania. Communication with Buffalo was open- ed by means of the "Pioneer." He built the Loder House, the first hotel in the village. Sawmills were built and a flouring mill, the water being brought from a distance of three miles through a raceway. Such was his atten- tion to the public interest that his influence be- came potential in the north part of the county, particularly in his own village, so that it was facetiously said "Dunkirk had no other God than Walter Smith." The financial crisis of 1836 overtook and involved him in the common disaster, but with Mr. Smith there was no abatement of effort nor loss of courage or hope for the future. In 1843 he removed to Ohio and assumed the management of an ex- tensive iron plant near Vermillion. In 1852 he

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returned to Dunkirk, New York, where he re- sided until his death in 1874. The press notices at the time of his death were very appreciative, and from one we quote : "This remarkable man for almost half a century occupied a large space in the business affairs of Western New York. Throughout his long career, marked with patient endeavor and noble enterprise, he always maintained a reputation for generosity, courage and fidelity. He leaves behind a bright example of all those manly qualities which give life its value and reward. There was nothing trivial, narrow or false in his char- acter. He had no aims but were worthy, no aspirations but to extend means and oppor- tunity for usefulness. In all his changing for- tunes, under bright or clouded skies, he was ever the same bright, genial, intelligent com- panion, worthy and upright citizen, true and steadfast friend." He married, May 8, 1825, Minerva Pomeroy Abell, eldest daughter of Moseley W. Abell, of Fredonia, New York. Children : Mary Augusta, married Judge John M. Barbour ; Kate Eliza Myers, died unmar- ried; Walter C., now a resident of Dunkirk ; Sara Dwight, of further mention; Cornelia Tryon, died unmarried.

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Genealogical and Family History of Western New York, Volume I, Part 24

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918 Publication date: 1912 Publisher: New York : Lewis Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 680

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: New York : Lewis Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 680