Genealogical and Family History of Western New York, Volume I, Part 52

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

USA > New York > Genealogical and Family History of Western New York, Volume I > Part 52

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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England, and East Haven, Connecticut. He was born in Somerset county, England, 1646, died in East Haven, May 16, 1713. He was a graduate of Trinity College, Oxford Uni- versity, 1675; came to America, 1678. He was the largest taxpayer of East Haven, 1679. Chorister for many years. His house, which stood until 1824, was the oldest in town. He married, June 4, 1684, Sarah Hemmingway, born July 26, 1663, died March 18, 1785, daugh- ter of Samuel Hemmingway, born in England, in June, 1636, prominent in New Haven col- ony ; was selectman and clerk of the colony.

Children of Eber and Jane Fisk : Mary B., married Harry G. Ashby. 2. Jennie, born Feb- ruary 9, 1872, died July 25, 1900; married, June 20, 1891, Frank Clawson; child, Fisk, born September 21, 1898. 3. Edith, born De- cember 10, 1873, died August, 1900; married, April 26, 1898, Warren Hamilton ; child, Jane, born June, 1900. 4. Eber, born September 7, 1875; married, August 21, 1904, Electa Howe.

HILSLE This family traces to France where the family was seated un- til the emigration to Canada, in 1847, of Henry Hilsle. He settled in Welland, province of Ontario, where he followed farm- ing. He married Elizabeth Lantz. Children : Henry, George and Elizabeth.

(II) George, son of Henry and Elizabeth (Lantz) Hilsle, was born in Alsace, France, January 23, 1829, died January 14, 1901. He was educated in German schools and in the German language, supplemented by two years in French. He came to Canada with his par- ents, but soon came to the United States, set- tling in Buffalo, where he learned tailoring and worked as a journeyman until 1853, when he located in Little Valley where he opened a store for merchant tailoring, a few years later adding ready-made clothing. During 1864 and 1865 he withdrew from business and bought a good farm. In 1866 he resumed business and at the time of his death was the oldest mer- chant in the village. He prospered and bought a great many lots and small pieces of land in and near the village. He was an attendant of the Congregational church, and a Republican. He married, September 28, 1868, Adelia C. Gibson, born January 5, 1845, daughter of David Gibson, of Addison, New York, and Rock Stream, Yates county, New York, where he followed his trade of joiner and wagon marker. He married Fannie, born 1829. died

1863, only child of James and Lois (Bancroft) Brownell. David Gibson, was a son of Luke and Esther (Sawtelle) Gibson. Children of George Hilsle: 1. Stella, born July 28, 1869; married, February 28, 1893, Frank H. Moir, of Fredonia, New York; children : Georgiene, born September 3, 1894; William H., born Au- gust 24, 1895. 2. Beulah, born May 21, 1871 ; married, June 6, 1893, Emmett Merrill; chil- dren : Henry, born April 11, 1894; Georgette, September 11, 1895; Frances, July 27, 1906. 3. Henry B., of further mention.

(III) Henry B., youngest child and only son of George and Adelia C. (Gibson) Hilsle, was born in Little Valley, New York, Janu- ary 27, 1874. He was educated in the public schools of his own town and of Fredonia, New York. After leaving school in 1892 he entered his father's store as clerk, then as partner. In 1898 Mr. Hilsle Sr. retired, Henry B. pur- chasing his interest and continuing the business until 1909. In that year he sold out his cloth- ing business and opened his own store with a line of sporting goods to which he is now add- ing additional lines. He is a good man of business and always on the alert, losing no opportunity to improve his position. He has made a success of life thus far and has the best wishes of a very large circle of friends. He is a member of the Masonic order, belonging to Lodge, No. 812, Chapter No. 266, and Com- mandery of Knights Templar, No. 62. He is a Republican in politics; and a member of the Congregational church. He is unmarried.

CONLEY This family was originally of Canada, where Benoni Conley, the ancestor of the Randolph family was born. He grew up and received his early education in Canada, later moving to the United States, settling in St. Lawrence county, New York. He studied for the min- istry, and was a regularly ordained preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church, belonging to the Black river conference. After many years service in that conference he was trans- ferred to the Genesee conference, filling many important charges and continuing a useful, godly life until incapacitated by years. He married Mary Jane Fox and had two children : I. Francis Ann, born September 14, 1846; married, March 13, 1866, Levi L. Carr; chil- dren: i. Amos, married Mercy Bowen, has Frank B. and George; ii. Levi D .; iii. Leslie, married Belle Horton, and has Carrie Bell,

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Pauline, Wanda and Lucille; iv. Manley Earl, married Florence Graff, and has Graff and J. Stewart. 2, Duane M., of further mention.

(II) Duane M., son of Benoni and Mary Jane (Fox) Conley, was born in Erie county, New York. He then went to St. Lawrence county, New York, with his father, and later settled in the town of Ellington, Chautauqua county, where he has always been engaged in farming. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics a Republican.

He married, August 10, 1874, Lois L., born August 10, 1854, daughter of Martin Van Buren and Mary (Davis) Ingersoll. Children : Arthur Ray, of further mention; Mary I., married Thomas J. Reed; Lamont H., Lois E.

(III) Arthur Ray, eldest child of Duane M. and Lois L. (Ingersoll) Conley, was born in the town of Ellington, Chautauqua county, New York, August 23, 1876. His early educa- tion was obtained in the public schools, fol- lowed by a course at Chamberlain Institute, whence he was graduated, class of 1899. He then entered Syracuse University, continuing from 1900 to 1903. He read law while at Syra- cuse with Charles G. Baldwin, of Syracuse, and in 1903 was admitted to the bar. He lo- cated in Randolph, New York, where he prac- ticed his profession alone until 1907, then formed a law partnership with R. R. Crowley, which still continues. He was elected justice of the peace in 1904, was village attorney in 1910, and in 1911 was elected supervisor on the Republican ticket. He is a member of the Cattaraugus County Bar Association and a lawyer of good repute and high standing. He is a Republican in politics and a member of Randolph Lodge, No. 359, Free and Ac- cepted Masons. He is unmarried.

JOHNSON The Johnson family of Cat -. taraugus county, New York, herein recorded, is of English ancestry. The history of the county and of the family covers almost the same period of time. A child of the second generation was the first white child born within the confines of the present city of Olean. Representatives of the family have sat in the state legislature, fought in the armies of the nation, guided town affairs in the county board of supervisors, been eminent in the law, journalism and business. It is not a family of the past alone, but has leading men in the county affairs of to-day.

(I) James G. Johnson, of English parent-

age, was the first of his line to settle in Cattar- augus county. He was one of the early set- tlers of Olean, which at that time was called Hamilton. He died in 1811. His wife, So- phia Stone, of Scotch descent, survived him, with two sons, James G. and Marcus H. James G., the eldest son, was born in Bloom- field. Ontario county, New York; he became a prominent business man of the county; he served in the civil war with the Army of the Potomac as captain and assistant quartermas- ter, retiring with the rank of colonel. He was postmaster at Olean, New York, and a member of the state assembly in 1848. He was a Re- publican, but was elected by three hundred majority in a Democratic district. He married Clarissa Gaylord and had two sons: Henry, deceased ; Elisha M. and Marcus H.

(II) Marcus Hamilton, youngest son of James G. and Sophia (Stone) Johnson, was born in Olean, New York, October 21, 1809, died June 26, 1899. He is credited with hav- ing been the first white child born within the present corporate limits of Olean. He was educated in the public schools and was ever afterward engaged in commercial pursuits. His early life was spent in subordinate positions, but in 1835 he was a merchant of Ellicottville, in partnership with Bethuel McCoy. This con- nection existed until 1843, when the firm dis- solved and Mr. Johnson removed to Randolph, which was ever afterward his home. For a year after the removal he was in partnership with Judge Benjamin Chamberlain, in general merchandising. Judge Chamberlain retiring, his half interest was purchased by Zebedee Woodworth, and the business continued under the firm name of Johnson & Woodworth. Mr. Johnson continued in active business in Ran- dolph until his final retirement. He was an energetic, capable man of affairs, and bore a reputation for sterling integrity. He was a Democrat in politics, and in 1841 was ap- pointed treasurer of Cattaraugus county by the board of supervisors, and reappointed in 1842. In November, 1843, he was elected a member of the state assembly, and was re-elected in 1847. His assembly district was strongly Whig, and, at the same time, his brother, James G. (2), a Republican, was elected in a Democratic district, the personal worth of the two men triumphing over adverse political sentiment in their respective districts. In 1855 he was appointed United States Indian agent for the Indians of New York, an office

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he held four years. He filled these offices with credit to himself and with a conscientious regard for the best interests of those whom he represented. He married, February 12. 1833, Sophronia Willoughby.

(III) James G. (2), only child of Marcus Hamilton and Sophronia ( Willoughby) John- son, was born at Ellicottville, Cattaraugus county, New York, June 28, 1836, and died November 8, 1907, at his home in Randolph, New York. His early education was obtained in the public school, followed by courses of advanced study at Jamestown and Randolph Academies. He chose the profession of law, beginning his studies with Alexander Sheldon, in 1854, In 1860 he was admitted to the bar and began the practice of his profession. The breaking out of the civil war completely altered his plans, and in September, 1861, he enlisted in the Sixty-fourth Regiment New York Vol- unteers. He was in active service until No- vember, 1862, when, following an illness, he was appointed provost marshal of the thirty- first district of New York, holding that posi- tion until January 1, 1865. At the close of the war he again engaged in the practice of law, locating in Randolph, continuing until 1880. For several years he had as a law part- ner Rodney R. Crowley, a fellow townsman and army comrade. In 1880 he removed his law business to Salamanca, New York, but re- tained his residence in Randolph. For several years after locating in Salamanca his law part- ner was James E. Markham, and later he was senior partner of the law firm of Johnson & Congdon. He was a learned and skillful law- ver, but was rarely seen in court, confining himself to office practice. He was a wise coun- selor, and particularly well versed in the laws of banking and real estate. He was always deeply interested in public affairs, national, state and local, and was one of the best-in- formed men in his section. Politically a Re- publican, he took no active part in party work, but to the last retained active interest in the success of his party. In 1869 and 1870 he rep- resented Randolph on the county board of su- pervisors, and for several years was attorney for the Seneca tribe of Indians. He often traveled abroad, and gained the broadening effect that comes from foreign travel. He was a deep student of American history, and it was through his investigations and correspond- ence with the authorities at Washington that the burial place of the great naval hero, John

Paul Jones, was located in Paris. He was a member of Lodge No. 359, Chapter No. 266 and Commandery No. 62, of the Masonic or- der, and was held in the highest esteem by his brethren. He was a member of the Con- gregational church of Randolph, which he served as trustee. He always felt strong in- terest in his army comrades and held member- ship in D. T. Wiggins Post, Grand Army of the Republic. He had high ideals of public life, and his strong influence over the younger generation was exerted for their good. Like many men of strong character, he was at times brusque and seemed almost severe to those who knew him but slightly, but those who knew him well remember him as a most genial, companionable man and true friend, for whom they held the highest regard. His character may be summed up in these words : "An able lawyer, a true patriot and a thoroughly up- right man."

He married, May 16, 1865, Mary Dow, born June 14, 1842, daughter of Albert Gallatin Dow (1), whose wonderful life is fully written in the Dow family history. Her mother was Freelove Mason, daughter of Wheaton and Octavia Belden Mason, the first wife of Albert G. Dow. Mrs. Mary Dow Johnson survives her husband, a resident of Randolph. Chil- dren : 1. Marc D., of whom further. 2. Grace, born May 8, 1870; married Charles F. Fitch, M. D. 3. Ruth, born May 14, 1874; married Carl S. Tompkins, M. D .; child, Mary, born June 20, 1909.

(IV) Marc D., only son of James G. (2) and Mary (Dow) Johnson, was born in Ran- dolph, New York, June 23, 1866. He was educated in the public schools, and began active business life in the office of the Weekly Cour- ant, of Randolph, where he learned the print- 'er's trade and the business detail of a country newspaper. He remained three years with the Courant, and then for two years was a student at Chamberlain Institute. On December 2, 1886, he purchased the Register, which he now conducts as a weekly paper, devoted to the in- terests of Cattaraugus county and the Repub- lican party. He has built up a useful, health- ful home paper that is a welcome visitor to the homes of his many subscribers. Mr. John- son is a director of the Salamanca Trust Com- pany, and postmaster of Randolph, appointed February 18, 1908. He is a Republican in politics, and in 1903 was elected supervisor and twice re-elected. He was one of the char-

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ter members of the Cattaraugus County His- torical Society, and treasurer of the committee appointed to erect the County Memorial and Historical building. He is also a member of the Masonic order.

He married, September 16, 1891, Ora Thorpe, born January 1, 1865, daughter of Walter and Rose (Snow) Thorpe. Child : James Thorpe Johnson, died in infancy.

Tradition has it that Roger AMIDON Amadowne was a French Hu- guenot, who after the Revoca- tion of the Edict of Nantes was compelled to flee from France; that he went to England, where he remained for several years, and then emigrated to America. On the records of Plymouth Colony and at Rehoboth his name is generally spelled Amadowne. The usual spell- ing of his descendants is Amidon, but various branches use Amadon, Amedon, Amidown, Ammidon and Ammidown.

The name of Roger Amadowne first ap- pears in America in the records of Salem, Massachusetts, in 1637, where he had a grant of a small portion of land. In 1640 he is found at Weymouth, where his daughter Sarah was born that year. He is next in Boston, where his daughter Lydia was born in 1643. In 1648 he appears at Rehoboth, Massachusetts, where his name is forty-third in a list of proprie- tors. He had several grants of land, but died intestate. The date of his death is not given, but the records state he was buried November 13, 1673. Nothing is known of his first wife further than her name was Sarah and that she died in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, June 20, 1668. He married (second), December 27, 1668, Joanna, daughter of George and Jane Harwood. She survived him and died July 1, 1711. The following report of a coroner's jury would indicate considerable domestic friction : "Wee whose names are underwritten being impannelled upon a Corrowner's inquest by the honored Mr. James Brown, Assistant to sitt upon the corpps of Roger Annadowne, deceased, occasioned by some late striffe be- tween his wife and him, hearing all evidences, pondering all circumstances, and viewing the corpes, wee find noe wound nor bruise that might hasten his death." Signed by the jury. Children of first wife : Ebenezer, Sarah, Lydia, Hannah. Children of second wife: Philip, of further mention; Henry and Mehitable.

(II) Philip Amidon, eldest son of Roger

and Joanna (Harwood) Amadowne, was born at Rehoboth, Massachusetts, January 26, 1670, died at Oxford, Massachusetts, March 15, 1747. He was a farmer and a cooper. He re- moved in 1717 to Oxford where he and his wife became members of the church at its organization. In 1730 he was chosen selectman and in 1735 constable. He married (first), in Rehoboth, May 27, 1698, Mehitable, daughter of Samuel and Mary ( Millard) Perry. She was born at Rehoboth, April 30, 1680, died there July 4, 1699. He married (second), September 16, 1700, Ithamar Warfield, born March 28, 1676, daughter of Deacon John Warfield, of Mendon, and his third wife, Han- nah (Randall) Warfield. Child by first wife: Henry, of further mention. Children of sec- ond wife: Roger, Ichabod, Mary, Philip, Ephraim, Ithamar, John and Hannah.

(III) Henry, only child of Philip and his first wife, Mehitable ( Perry) Amidon, was born at Rehoboth, Massachusetts, February 8, 1699, died at Ashford, Connecticut, March 5, 1778. He was a farmer and lived in Oxford and Dudley, Massachusetts, until 1744, when he removed to Ashford. He married, at Mendon, March 31, 1718, Meltiah, born October 14, 1690, died May 17, 1780, daughter of Joseph and Hannah (Thurston) Cheney. Children : Jacob, Mehitable, Joseph and Henry, of fur- ther mention.

(IV) Captain Henry (2) Amidon, son of Henry (1) and Meltiah (Cheney) Amidon, was born at Oxford, Massachusetts, May 3, 1727. He was a farmer and resided first at Pomfret, Connecticut, but after 1752 at Wil- lington, Connecticut, where he died. He marched on the Lexington alarm of April 19, 1775, from Willington, and is credited with nine days' service. He was commissioned by Governor Jonathan Trumbull, March 21, 1777, as captain of the Third Company in the Twen- ty-second Regiment Connecticut Militia, and served at New London and elsewhere. He married, at Pomfret, September 25, 1751, Sarah Doubledee (or Doubleday), died at Willington, January 8, 1794. Children : Jede- diah, died young; Jedediah (2), Moses, Jona- than, Mary, Jacob, of further mention; Wil- liam, Henry, Asaryl and Sarah.

(V) Jacob, son of Captain Henry (2) and Sarah (Doubledee) Amidon, was born at Wil- lington, Connecticut, March 5, 1764. In 1805 he removed to Onondaga county, New York, near Navarino, where he died September 17,

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1838. He served as a private in Captain Dur- kee's company, Connecticut Militia, from August 12, 1782, till August 12, 1783. In 1833 he was placed on roll of pensioners of the revolutionary war. He married Hannah Pool, of Willington. Children : Samuel, Jacob, Elijah, Leonard, of further mention ; Hannah, Lewis, Moses, Lucinda, Philoma and Henry.

(VI) Leonard, son of Jacob and Hannah (Pool) Amidon, was born at Willington, Con- necticut, February 5, 1799. He settled in Onondaga county, New York, with his father, later removed to Clymer, New York, and died at Wayne, Erie county, Pennsylvania, July 4, 1872. He followed the occupation of a farmer. He married (first) Esther Smith, born at Fair- field, Connecticut, June 28, 1799, died April 24, 1859, daughter of John and Nancy (Wig- gins) Smith. He married (second), in Onon- daga county, Cynthia Davis. Children: I. Rev. John Smith, a minister of the United Brethren church; died in Corry, Pennsylvania, October 3, 1898; he married, September 4, 1882, Charlotte A. Curtis; children: Eugene C., Nelson J., Charles Fremont, Fanny and Effie. 2. Lorenzo D., a carpenter and cabinet- maker; he died in Brooklyn, Wisconsin, Feb- ruary 22, 1895 ; he married (first) Olive Stark- wether, (second) Fanny Lord; children by first wife: Henry, William A., Francis Wat- son Eddy, Wilbur Eddy, Esther A., Ella L. and Emma L .; children by second wife: Gilbert and Byron. 3. Lewis, of further mention. 4. Eliza. 5. William Farmer, of Clymer, New York; enlisted in the Third Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, died at Baltimore, Maryland, November, 1865, and is buried in the National Soldiers' cemetery, No. 1818; he married Mary Jane Thompson; children: Mary Jeanette, Leonard William and Thompson Smith. 6. George J., graduate of the Spencerian Busi- ness College, of Cleveland, Ohio, and for sev- eral years was a teacher of penmanship at Pittsfield, Massachusetts, later a farmer of North East, Pennsylvania; died at Brooklyn, New York, December 27, 1899; he married (first) Isabel J. Adams; (second) Rosa J. Roberts; children : Edwin A., Clark L., Cas- sius M., Lucy Belle and Georgia Alberta. 7. Mary A., married Chester Adams; children : Frank E. and Dr. Melvin L. 8. Esther El- mira, married Rev. William H. Hodge, a min- ister, and a veteran of the civil war, serving in Company C, Fifteenth Regiment New York

Volunteers ; children : Flora A., Charles and Byron.

(VII) Lewis, son of Leonard and Esther (Smith) Amidon, was born at Clymer, New York, June 16, 1825. He was a farmer and lived in Clymer, where he died March 1, 1896. He served in the civil war, Company F, One Hundred and Fifty-second Pennsylvania Regi- ment (Third Artillery), from March 7, 1863, until November, 1865. He married, March 29, 1849, Martha M., born May 2, 1829, daughter of Benjamin and Hannah (Backus) Hager. Children : 1. Arthur A., of further mention. 2. Alice Adell, born September 8, 1852; mar- ried, January 1, 1872, George Beebe, of Cly- mer ; children : Clarence, born April 1, 1873 ; Arthur, September, 1881. 3. Florence L., born May 18, 1855; married, January 1, 1880, Wil- liam Green, a farmer, of Marvin, New York, born 1854; children : Earl L., born April 28, 1881 ; Forrest, May 9, 1882; Iva B., Novem- ber 29, 1884; Charles, December, 1888; Ethel, March, 1893. 4. Benjamin Moses, born Feb- ruary 7, 1859, died April 27, 1894; married, November 28, 1892, Estella Wallace. 5. Elma Arvilla, born May 25, 1861; married, April 20, 1879, William Schermerhorn, born Sep- tember 5, 1855, died June 6, 1886; she survives him, a resident of Jamestown, New York; chil- dren : Lloyd B., born August 25, 1880, married, October 16, 1901, Edith May Martin; child, William Lee, born April 4, 1904; Lyle C., born September 28, 1883; Willard C., born July 18, 1886. 6. Edgar Backus, born July 23, 1863; married September 4, 1897, Emma Prescott, born at Eldred, Pennsylvania, Jan- uary 27, 1876, and lives at Findley Lake, New York; children : Ruth Evelyn, born November 16, 1898, at Findley Lake, New York; Alice Marie, born June 15, 1900, at Findley Lake, New York; Prescott Ulysses, born April 16, 1903, at Eldred, Pennsylvania; Marjorie M., born July 1, 1905, at Findley Lake, New York; Jessie Maxine, born September 16, 1907, at Findley Lake, New York. 7. Fred Zacius, born May 2, 1870, died March 8, 1910, resided at Clymer.

(VIII) Arthur A., eldest son and child of Lewis and Martha M. (Hager) Amidon, was born at Clymer, New York, May 17, 1850. He was educated in the public schools, and during his earlier life worked in different localities at farming and lumbering. At the age of twenty years he was contracting and dealing in live

A. A. Amidon & Sons

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stock ; at twenty-two he rented a one hundred acre farm, which he cultivated, and continued his dealing in bark, lumber, horses and real estate. In 1880 he became hardwood lumber buyer for Taylor & Crate, of Buffalo, continu- ing in that capacity until 1900. Prior to this, in 1881, he went south to Jonesville, Virginia, buying lumber, returning to Clymer in 1883. In 1884 he removed to Jamestown, where he has since resided. In Jamestown he established the wholesale lumber firm of A. A. Amidon & Sons. He has been largely engaged in the erection of dwellings and flats for renting pur- poses, also business blocks. His contracting business is a large one and extends over the city and surrounding country. For three years he engaged in mercantile life, operating a de- partment store. He is a successful man of business and has given liberally of his time and means to the public good. He is a member and friend of the Young Men's Christian As- sociation, and has been a trustee of the same since its organization. He served on the school board of Clymer ten years; was alderman of the fourth ward of Jamestown one year, and president of the board of public works two years. He is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church, which he serves as trustee. Mr. Amidon has made his life a success through in- dustry, energy and close attention to busi- ness. With little to start with in the way of capital he has founded and maintains a pros- perous enterprise and gained the respect of his fellows. He was one of the promoters of the Jamestown Metal Furniture Company (now the Art Metal Construction Company) ; was one of the original stockholders and promoters of the Bank of Jamestown, of which he is now a director ; was one of the advisory committee in charge of the erection of the Young Wo- men's Christian Association building. He is a member of the Lumbermen's Association and the patriotic order Sons of Veterans. He is greatly interested in genealogy and was in- strumental in having a history of the Amidon family in America compiled and printed in book form. It is from that work that the early generations herein traced have been taken.

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Genealogical and Family History of Western New York, Volume I, Part 52

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