Genealogical and Family History of Western New York, Volume I, Part 45

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

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After his removal to Auburn he became active, prominent and useful in public life. He was four times elected mayor. During his term of office he saw the necessity of the city own- ing its own water works, and after his term expired began agitating the question, never ceasing his efforts until they were crowned with success. He was made president of the water commission, an office he held until his death. He held financial relations with the

(IX) Charles Barker, son of Cyrenus (2) and Jane (Barker) Wheeler, was born at Pop- lar Ridge, Cayuga county, New York, Decem- ,ber 27, 1851. He received a good preparatory education, and entered Williams College, where he was graduated in 1873. After leaving col- lege he went to Buffalo, where he entered the offices of Sprague & Gorham, with whom he read law for three years. In 1876 he was ad- mitted to the bar, and at once began the prac- tice of his profession in Buffalo. His industry, thorough knowledge of the law and his legal talents, attracted the attention of older lawyers and led to his being admitted in 1882 to a partnership with two of Buffalo's eminent law- yers, Sherman S. Rogers and Franklin D. Locke. This continued until 1885, when Mr. Wheeler withdrew and began practice alone. He was a lawyer of skill and learning, and had acquired a substantial clientage when he was removed from private practice and placed upon the supreme bench. In 1906 Judge Dan- iel J. Kenefick resigned and Mr. Wheeler was appointed by Governor Higgins to fill the

WTLMAY NY

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vacancy, assuming the gown December 1, 1906. At the next regular election Judge Wheeler was elected his own successor for the full term of fourteen years. He is an able jurist and ornaments his chosen profession. His prin- cipal public work prior to his election was in connection with the Civil Service Commission, to which he was appointed by Mayors Becker, Bishop, Jewett, Diehl and Knight, serving thir- teen years, ten of which he was president of the board. He was extremely useful in secur- ing legislative enactment for the advancement of civil service, and effectually blocked many bills tending to destroy the merit system.

Judge Wheeler is a director of the J. N. Matthews Company, and president of the New York Title Insurance Company, both of Buf- falo. He is a member of the State and Coun- ty Bar Associations ; life member of the Young Men's Association; has been connected with the law department of the University of Buf- falo since its organization; professor of cor- poration law in Buffalo Law School; member of the University Club, of which he was vice- president; member and was president two terms of Buffalo Chapter, Sons of the Revolu- tion; member of Buffalo Historical Society, and of Society of Natural Science. He is a vestryman of Trinity Episcopal Church, and in political faith a Republican. He married, June 28, 1883, Frances Munro Rochester, daughter of Dr. Thomas Fortescue Rochester, son of Thomas Hart Rochester, son of Na- thaniel Rochester, the South Carolina patriot and statesman, the Maryland manufacturer, postmaster, judge and member of assembly, the New York state farmer and statesman, and founder of the city of Rochester, New York, named in his honor. Children of Judge Charles Barker and Frances M. Wheeler: I. Thomas Rochester, born April 29, 1885; educated at Williams College, graduated 1907. 2. Jane Barker, born April 3, 1887 ; educated at Smith College, graduated 1909.

(The Rochester Line).

Frances Munro Rochester, wife of Judge Charles Barker Wheeler, is a lineal descendant of Nicholas Rochester, the first of the name to come to America. The family of Rochester were resident in the county of Essex, England, in 1558, as proved by the Herald's Visitations of that country, when the coat-of-arms (or a fesse between three crescents sable) was con- firmed and allowed to the family.

(I) Nicholas Rochester was born in Kent county, England, about 1640, and was mar- ried there. He came to the colony of Virginia in 1689, and December 26 that year purchased one hundred acres of land in Westmoreland county from John Jenkins, planter, who by patent from Governor Richard Bennett in 1653, had obtained one thousand acres "in con- sideration of importing twenty persons into the Colony." But little more is known of Nicholas Rochester except the following order made May 25, 1719, by the county court of Westmoreland, then in session: "Nicholas Ro- chester, an ancient person is upon his mocon acquitt from future payment of liens in this county." He died soon after this date.

(II) William, son of Nicholas Rochester, was born in England about 1680. He came to Westmoreland county, Virginia, with his father in 1689, and grew up upon the plantation pur- chased from John Jenkins. When he arrived at manhood he purchased lands adjoining his father, on which he built a homestead which is one of the oldest in the county, stands in good condition, and bears in the chimney corner the legend, "W. R. 1746," cut in a broad brick near the coping stone. This plantation, com- prising about four hundred acres, was located partly in Richmond and partly in Westmore- land county. He married Frances, widow of William Mckinney, and died between the 23rd and 30th of October, 1750, leaving sons John and William.

(III) John, son of William and Frances (Mckinney) Rochester, was born about 1708, died November, 1754. He married Hester or Esther Thrift, daughter of William, of Rich- mond county, Virginia ; she survived him and married Thomas Critcher, who removed about 1763 to Granville county, North Carolina, taking the entire family with him. Children of John and Hester Rochester: William, John, Ann, Phillis, Nathaniel, Esther.

(IV) Nathaniel, third son of John and Hes- ter (Thrift) Rochester, was born February 21, 1752, in Cople Parish, Westmoreland county, Virginia, on the plantation which had then been in the family since 1689. He was taken by his stepfather to Granville county, North Car- olina, and became a prominent merchant and noted public man of his day, taking a leading part in public affairs in the state and serving in high positions. He served during the revolu- tion with the rank of major, lieutenant-colonel and deputy commissioner general of military

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stores. He was a member of the first pro- vincial convention, and a member of the state legislature. In 1783, in association with Colo- nel Thomas Hart ( father-in-law of Henry Clay), he began the manufacture of flour, rope and nails. In 1808 he was the first president of the Hagerstown Bank, and successfully fill- ed the offices of member of the assembly, post- master, judge of county court and presidential elector. In 1800 he first visited the "Genesee Country," where he had previously purchased six hundred and forty acres of land, and the same year made large purchases of land in Livingston county, New York, near Dansville. In 1802, with Colonel Fitz-Hugh and Major Carroll, he purchased the "one hundred acre or Allen Mill Tract" on what is now the city of Rochester, then called Fallstown. In May, 1810, having closed up his business in Mary- land, he became a resident of Western New York, settling at Dansville, where he remained five years, during which time he erected a large paper mill, and made many improvements. In 1815, having disposed of his interests in Dans- ville, he removed to a large and well improved farm in Bloomfield, Ontario county, New York. After staying here for three years, during which time he constantly visited the Falls of the Genesee and his property there, laying it out into lots, in April, 1818, he took up his residence there, the town in the interim having been named after him, Rochester. In 1816 he was presidential elector. He was the first clerk of the new county of Monroe, and its first representative in the state legislature, 1821-1822. In 1824 he was one of the organ- izers of the Bank of Rochester, and was unani- mously chosen its first president, a position he soon resigned on account of impaired health and the infirmities of age. He was a lifelong member of the Protestant Episcopal church, and one of the founders of St. Luke's Church, Rochester. He died on the morning of May 17, 1831.

He married Sophia Beatty, a descendant of John Beatty, who came of a family settled at various times in Scotland, Ireland, England, Holland; he settled in America, at Esopus, New York. where he died. Sophia was a daughter of William (grandson of the emi- grant) and Dorotha Grosh. She was the sixth of their sixteen children. Colonel Nathaniel and Sophia Rochester had twelve children.

(V) Thomas Hart, sixth child of Colonel Nathaniel and Sophia (Beatty) Rochester, was

born September 23, 1797, and married Phoebe Elizabeth Cuming.

(VI) Dr. Thomas Fortescue Rochester, eld- est son of Thomas Hart and Phoebe Eliza- beth (Cuming) Rochester, was born October 8, 1823, and married Margaret Munro De- Lancey. At the time of his death he was the leading physician of Buffalo, and the greatest medical authority in Western New York. He practiced his profession for forty years, and at the early age of thirty, became a professor in the Buffalo Medical College, and for many years was dean of that institution. His asso- ciates in his profession honored him by making him president of the State Medical Society. His profession, however, did not absorb his entire thought and energies. His activities ex- tended to every movement to advance his city and aid his fellowmen. He was interested in art. and became president of the Buffalo Fine Art Society; in education, and was president of the board of trustees of the State Normal School. He was forceful and courageous, but gentle and kindly, and when he died it was said by the public press that he was a "friend beloved by more people than any other man in Buffalo."

(VII) Frances Munro, daughter of Dr. Thomas Fortescue and Margaret Munro (De Lancey) Rochester, married Judge Charles Barker Wheeler.

(Collateral Lines).

Through the marriages of the heads of each of the nine generations above chronicled, the children of Judge Charles B. Wheeler trace to many of the distinguished families of New England, New York, and the south.

Jane Barker, wife of Cyrenus Wheeler (2), traced through her mother, Phoebe Ogden, to John Ogden, who was granted a coat-of-arms by Charles I, with the motto: "If I make a show I do not boast of it." He settled in Stratford, Connecticut, in 1641, and in 1643 he and his brother Richard contracted with Governor Kieft for the erection of the First Church in New Amsterdam (New York). He was one of the patentees of Hempstead, Long Island, and one of the persons to whom the charter of Connecticut was granted by Charles II. in 1662. He settled later in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, and was the first representative of that town in the New Jersey assembly. Jane Barker Wheeler was of the seventh generation in America.

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Thirza Dillingham Evans, wife of Cyrenus Wheeler (1), descends from the old Quaker, John Dillingham, of Berkley, Bristol county, Massachusetts, in the fourth generation.

Frances Munro Rochester, wife of Judge Charles B. Wheeler, descends from the Hugue- not Stephen (Etienne) De Lancey, who was descended from Guy de Lancey, Vicompte de Laval et de Nouvan, who in 1432 held the fiefs of Laval and Nouvan. Stephen (Etienne) De Lancey came to New York in 1686, was member of the provincial assembly in 1708-09- 10-15-16 and 1737. His son, James De Lancey (1708-1760), was acting governor of the prov- ince of New York; 1753-57 was lieutenant- governor; 1758-60 was member of governor's council; 1729-53 was chief justice of the prov- ince. In 1733 James De Lancey married Anne, daughter of Colonel Caleb Heathcote, son of Gilbert, mayor of Chesterfield, England, and brother of Sir Gilbert Heathcote, one of the founders and the first president (or governor) of the Bank of England, also was lord mayor of London. Colonel Caleb was mayor of New York City, 1711-14; surveyor general of cus- toms for all America ; also judge of court of common pleas. He married Martha, daughter of Chief Justice William Smith (Tangier Smith). The Heathcotes have a distinguished English family history.

Frances Munro Rochester also descends through her mother, Margaret Munro De Lan- cey, daughter of Bishop William Heathcote De Lancey, from the house of LeJay, of Poitou, France, apparently a branch of the Lords of Montoneau in Poitou. In 1565 Jean Jay, a Protestant, came to live in Rochelle, France, and his descendant was Pierre Jay, who was a wealthy merchant of Rochelle in 1685. His property was confiscated and he was obliged to flee. He found his way to New York with his family in 1697. His son, Augustus Jay, married Marie, daughter of Balthazar Bayard, nephew of Governor Peter Stuyvesant, of New Amsterdam. John Jay, the famous statesman and diplomat, was of this Jay family. The Bayards descend from Rev. Nicholas Bayard, a French Protestant clergyman of Paris who fled to the Netherlands in 1572 after the massa- cre of St. Bartholomew. A later day Nicholas Bayard came with Governor Stuyvesant in 1647, and was secretary of the province of New York; mayor of New York City, 1685; member of governor's council and lieutenant of militia.

Through the De Lanceys descent is traced to Orloff Steven Van Cortland, an eminent citi- zen of New York under the Dutch, who mar- ried Anneke Lockermans, and settled in New Amsterdam. Among their sons was Stevanus Van Cortland, mayor of New York City, and first lord of the manor of Cortland, and a distinguished official of the province of New York. Another son, Jacobus, was mayor of New York, 1710-19, and for several terms a member of the New York assembly. Anneke Lockermans was a daughter of Govert Lock- ermans, a Hollander, who came to America about 1640, was one of the "Nine Men" in Niew Netherland, 1647-49-50; was Indian commissioner under the Dutch, 1668; lieuten- ant company of foot, 1670.

The Munro line of Mrs. Charles B. Wheeler began in America with Rev. Harry Munro, who was the first rector of St. John's Church, Yonkers, New York. He came to this coun- try as chaplain of an English regiment. He was the son of Robert Munro, of Dingwall, near Inverness, Scotland, who was the great- grandson of Sir Robert Munro, twenty-fourth Baron of Foulis. Rev. Harry Munro married Eve, daughter of Peter Jay and Mary Van Cortland, and sister of the diplomat and first chief justice, John Jay. Their only son, Peter Jay Munro, a celebrated lawyer, married Mar- garet White. Their daughter, Frances Munro, married Bishop William Heathcote De Lancey. Their daughter, Margaret Munro De Lancey, married Dr. Thomas Fortescue Rochester. Their daughter, Frances Munro Rochester, married Judge Charles B. Wheeler.

Another distinguished ancestor is Philip Pieterse Schuyler, who emigrated from Guild- erland. Holland, at the request of Patroon Killian Van Rensselaer, to look after his affairs at and near Albany, in 1650. He married Mar- garetta, daughter of brave old Barent Van Slechtenhorst, who came into conflict with Governor Peter Stuyvesant. Philip Pieterse and Margaretta had ten children, one of whom, Gertrude Schuyler, married Stephanus Van Cortlandt, mayor of New York City, etc. Their daughter, Anne Van Cortlandt, married Etienne De Lancey.

Colonel Richard Floyd, of Long Island, is also an ancestor. of the Wheeler children. He lived on Long Island, and had command of the Suffolk county militia at the time of the revo- lution. He remained loyal to his King, which drew down upon him the wrath of all his neigh-

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bors and the strong hand of the colonial au- thorities. He was declared attainted, and his property confiscated. After the revolution he removed to Nova Scotia. His daughter, Eliza- beth, married John Peter De Lancey. Their son, Bishop William H. De Lancey, married Frances Munro.

Through the Heathcote-De Lancey marriage the Wheelers gain descent from Colonel Will- iam Smith, who before coming to America was governor of Tangier. He came to New York in 1701 ; was a member of the governor's council, a judge in admirality, and chief justice of the province. His daughter Martha mar- ried Colonel Caleb Heathcote.

· Through the Van Cortland-Jay marriage there is descent from Frederick Philpse, 1627-1702. He was first lord of the manor of Philipsburgh, 1693; member of the governor's council, and secretary of the province of New York.

A revolutionary ancestor of the Wheelers was Joseph, son of Thomas Barker. He was born in Fairfield, Connecticut, February 10, 1758, and died in Binghamton, New York, in 1819. He married Susannah Abbott, in 1780. Their son, John Abbott Barker, born Septem- ber 6, 1784, settled at Ledyard, Cayuga county, New York. He married Phoebe Ogden. Their daughter, Jane Barker, married Cyrenus Wheeler (2), father of Judge Charles Barker Wheeler. Another revolutionary ancestor was William, son of Thomas and Thankful Evans, of Berkley, Massachusetts. William Evans was born July 10, 1755, died in 1843. He served in the revolution with the Massachu- setts militia, also with a Rhode Island regi- ment. He married Meribah Dillingham, May, 1785. Their daughter, Thirza Dillingham Evans, married Cyrenus Wheeler (1), grand- father of Judge Charles Barker Wheeler.

These lines of descent are fully authenti- cated, and in each case trace to the emigrant ancestor. The record is such that the doors of all patriotic and colonial orders, based on revo- lutionary service and colonial residence, open wide to admit the Wheelers of this the tenth generation in America.

The Salamanca family of BOURNE Bourne was planted in the United States by Thomas Bourne, of Lincolnshire, England. He was born in that shire in 1782, died in Fredonia, Chautauqua county, New York, September I. 1838. When fourteen years of age he entered

the British merchant marine service as mid- shipman, rose through intervening grades until he was captain of an ocean-going vessel. He made twenty-nine voyages across the Atlantic prior to 1830, when he retired from the sea and settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A little later than 1830 he came to Western New York, making the journey by stage and boat, finally selecting and purchasing a farm in Chautauqua county, at Fredonia. He cleared and cultivated this tract until his death in 1838, aged fifty-six. He married Huldah Cooley. who died aged seventy-six years, in Sheridan, New York. She survived her husband and married (second) Edward Bowyer and settled at Sheridan, Children by the first marriage: Susan, Thomas, Henry and John. Children by the second marriage: Edward, Florence and George.

(II) John, youngest son of Captain Thomas and Huldah (Cooley) Bourne, was born in Fredonia, Chautauqua county, New York, August 22, 1838, ten days prior to his father's death. He received a limited education, cir- cumstances compelling him to leave school at an early age. He worked on the homestead farm with his brothers until 1862, when he en- listed in Company D, Seventy-second Regi- ment, New York Volunteer Infantry, and served for three years of the civil war. He saw much hard fighting and arduous service with the Army of the Potomac, but passed safely through all the perils of war, receiving an honorable discharge. After leaving the army he went west, and for several years was in the employ of the Wells, Fargo Express Company as messenger between St. Joseph, Missouri, and Paoli, Kansas. After leaving Wells, Fargo he became freight agent and transfer clerk for the Overland Transportation Company on the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad, which was then being built. He re- mained with the Overland until the railroad was finished to Denison, Kansas, following the road from station to station as it was built, and acting as agent until another station was completed. When the road reached Denison he resigned and for a time was engaged in that town in mercantile life. On April 5. 1874, he left Denison, returning to New York state, locating in Dunkirk, where he was ap- pointed assistant ticket agent at the Union Depot. He continued there something over a quarter of a century until 1899. In that year he was appointed by President Mckinley

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United States collector of customs for the port of Dunkirk for a four-years term. In 1903 he was re-appointed by President Roose- velt, who again appointed him in 1907 for a third term, which expires in 1912. He is a most satisfactory official and stands high in public favor. He married, August 1, 1866, in Dunkirk, Edith Buckley, of New York City, daughter of John and Augusta (Dean) Buckley. Children : I. Augusta, born in Leav- enworth, Kansas; married Bertram C. Can- dee, of Dunkirk, New York; children: Edith Bourne and Winifred McGregor. 2. Philip H., of further mention. 3. Graham M., drowned at the age of twenty-two years. 4. Lillian, died in infancy. 5. Mary, died in in- fancy. 6. Julia Madge, born in Dunkirk, New York; now a graduate nurse at Lee Hospital, Rochester, New York.

(III) Dr. Philip H. Bourne, son of John and Edith (Buckley) Bourne, was born in Leavenworth, Kansas, April 5, 1869. He re- ceived his preparatory education in the public schools of Dunkirk, being but a child when his father located there. He entered the Uni- versity of Michigan at Ann Arbor from whence he was graduated in 1891, M. D., after a four years course. After spending a year at Buffalo Homoeopathic Hospital he located, in 1893, at Salamanca, New York, where he has since been in successful and continuous prac- tice. He is city physician and member of the Salamanca board of health, in which capacity he is an important factor in maintaining the often remarked good health of that village. He is a member of the New York State and the' Western New York Homeopathic socie- ties, holding prominent positions in both. He is affiliated with the Masonic Order and with the Odd Fellows; is a Republican in politics and a member of St. Mary's Episcopal church. Dr. Bourne married, October 19, 1893, Jean McGregor Candee, born November 23, 1868, daughter of William Eber and Grace (Cole- man) Candee, of Salamanca; granddaughter of Fernando Cortez and Maria (O'Brien) Candee, and great-granddaughter of Eber and Patience (Potter) Candee, of Pompey, New York. Eber was son of Willis Candee, a sol- dier of the revolution, who settled in Onon- daga county, New York. Children of Dr. Philip and Jean McGregor (Candee) Bourne: Grace Bell, born April 27, 1896; Malcolm Gra- ham, November 12, 1899.

The progenitors of the Sanders SANDER of Salamanca, New York, lived and died in Germany. The grandfather of Fred Sander was Johann San- der, who married Agnes Foster and had issue. There is a tradition in the family that he was a soldier under Napoleon, and that for some important service he was presented a sword by that great commander.

(II) Fred, son of Johann and Agnes (Fos- ter) Sander, was born in Germany, where he died. He was a glazier by trade and also conducted a coal, wood and turf yard. He married Christina, daughter of Adam and Henrietta (Snyder) Rauschert. Children: I. Adam, born January 20, 1851; came to the United States and is now a prosperous busi- ness man of Salamanca; married Sophia Rotchsky ; children : Annie, Max, Wilhelmina, Fred C., Christina and Karl. 2. Eve, died aged twelve years. 3. Fritz. 4. Frederick, died at the age of six years. 5. George. 6. Fred, of further mention.

In 1864 an epidemic of typhoid fever swept their village and carried off father, mother and sisters, leaving the boys alone in the world.

(III) Adam, eldest son of Fred (1) and Christina (Rauschert) Sander, was born in Alsace, Germany, January 20, 1851. He was left an orphan in 1864, and thrown upon his own resources. He had attended school for five years, but had not the slightest knowledge of the English language. Knowing his mother had a married sister living in Olean, New York, he determined to come to the United States and find her. He secured pas- sage on a sailing vessel and after forty-six days of ocean voyaging he landed, a forlorn, homesick boy, in hustling, busy New York City. He had made many friends on ship- board and was not without money. He was started aright from New York, and after four days journeying arrived at Olean, where he soon found his relatives. He at once went to work with his uncle, Max Mayer, who was a butcher in Olean, and in a short time he had acquired a knowledge of the butcher business and of the English language. He remained with his uncle until 1868, then went to the oil fields of Pennsylvania, where for several years he was engaged in such work as the localities of Titusville, Oil City and Corry afforded. He was prudent and careful with his earnings, and in 1874 made a return trip

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to his native Germany to visit those of his kindred he had left there. He returned to New York after a short visit, and in 1875 set- tled in Salamanca, where he established a small store for the sale of meats, etc. His first store was in a frame building on the east side of Main street, nearly opposite his pres- ent location. He ran a wagon through the country trafficking with the farmers, and as the village grew his business increased, caus- ing a removal across the street to a frame building better adapted to his purpose. In 1880 his building, with practically of the busi- ness portion of Salamanca, was destroyed by fire. Mr. Sander replaced his building with a two-story brick, having a commodious market on the first floor, with handsome apartments above, in which he resides. His market is filled with the best modern equipment and kept stocked with the best and choicest of all kinds of meats, etc. His energy and persever- ance has brought him abundant success, while his open, frank and genial nature has won him a host of friends. He is a German gentleman of the old school, and not only one of the oldest, but one of the most highly respected merchants in Salamanca.

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Genealogical and Family History of Western New York, Volume I, Part 45

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