Genealogical and Family History of Western New York, Volume I, Part 59

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 59

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).

(VII) Wealthy A., eldest daughter of Ben- jamin and Clarissa (McCormick) Jackson, was born in Medina, Orleans county, New York. February 4. 1844. She resides in the

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old homestead in the village, and is a highly respected and useful member of the Methodist Episcopal church, active in its societies, espe- cially in missionary work.

DOWNS Downs or Downes is a Scotch and Welsh surname, and most of the earlier American families of this name were of Scotch-Irish ancestry. Several families of Scotch-Irish Downes set- tled in Maine and other parts of New Eng- land after 1718. The earliest in this country of this surname was John Downes, who locat- ed in New Haven, before 1646. His descend- ants located at Sharon and New Britain, Con- necticut. There was a Downes family early at Lebanon, Maine. Another Downs family came to the vicinity of Dover, New Hampshire. Downes is a fairly numerous family name in Ireland at the present time and especially in the Scotch province of Ulster, whence the Scotch-Irish came to this country.

(I) Simeon Downs was born at Whitehall, New York, according to family records, Janu- ary 16, 1768. The names of his parents have not been found, owing to the lack of records. He resided at West. Haven, Vermont, and died there April 1, 1842.

(II) Simeon (2), son of Simeon (1) Downs, was born September 3, 1800, at Whitehall, New York, and died February 9, 1875, at Me- dina, New York, whither he came in 1825 with the early settlers. He was a blacksmith by trade and became a manufacturer of edged tools. He was a skillful artisan and made ex- cellent implements. It is known that some of the tools that he made before 1840 are still in use, in Medina and vicinity. He owned a farm of fifty acres on the Ridge Road and cul- tivated it for a time. After he sold it, he fol- lowed the insurance business. In politics he became a Republican when the party was form- ed. He was active and prominent in public affairs and was village clerk of Medina from 1859 to 1864, inclusive, and again from 1866 to 1870, inclusive. He was a prominent mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church.

He married. October 1, 1826, Sophronia Bailey, born May 24, 1808, died April 9, 1891, at Medina. Children : 1. Lester C., mentioned below. 2. Pleumia, born March 11, 1829, died in 1910; married Edwin H. Sanborn, and had three sons and a daughter. 3. Angeline, born September 24, 1830; died September 9, 1834. 4. Henrietta, born August 10, 1834. now living

in Rochester; married, January 2, 1856, Mor- timer W. Ryan; had four daughters, three of whom are living; two sons died in infancy.

(III) Lester C., son of Simeon (2) Downs, was born August 17, 1827, at Medina, New York, died there January 19, 1861. He re- ceived his early education in the public schools. As a young man, he engaged in various occu- pations. He was a vocalist of some note, and for some years was a soloist in the choir of the Episcopal church. He was well known throughout his section as a reputable and high- ly respected citizen. In politics he was a Re- publican. He married Susan Garter, born June 19, 1829, at Shelby, Orleans county, New York, died February 1, 1908. Children : Frank Ripley, born January 21, 1849, married, No- vember 14, 1900, Mary J. Bates, resides at Medina ; Hon. Fred L., mentioned below.

(IV) Hon. Fred L. Downs, son of Lester C. Downs, was born at Medina, August 14, 1855. He attended the public schools of his native town and Medina Academy. He then began the study of law, and after three years was admitted to the bar, 1880, at Rochester. He began to practice law immediately after- ward, at Medina, and has continued to the present time. He is a well-known and suc- cessful attorney. He was elected justice of the peace for the town of Ridgeway, in 1885, and was trustee of the village of Medina, from 1886 to 1888; from 1892 to 1895 he was president of the village of Medina. He rep- resented his district, including Orleans county, in the assembly at Albany in 1896-7, and served during his first year on the following committees : judiciary, villages and revision, in his second year was chairman of the com- mittee on villages. During his second year, the important general village incorporation law was passed. In 1898 he was again elected president of the village of Medina, and was re-elected, serving until 1901 ; again elected to this office in 1907, 1908, 1909 and 1910, when he was elected to serve two years, until 1912. In the state election of 1911 he was elected county judge and surrogate of Or- leans county for a term of six years. In pol- itics he is a Republican, but repeatedly at the polls has won the support of men of all par- ties, and to an unusual degree has received proofs of his popularity, and of the confi- dence of his fellow citizens, both of town and county.

Judge Downs is a member of Medina Lodge,

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No. 306, Free and Accepted Masons; Medina Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Orleans Coun- cil, Royal and Select Masters; Genesee Com- mandery, No. 10, Knights Templar, of Lock- port; Damascus Temple, Nobles of the Mys- tic Shrine, Rochester, New York; Medina Lodge, No. 217, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Medina; charter member of Me- dina Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a member of the Alert Club and one of its founders, and is now presi- dent of the City Club of Medina. He is also a member of the Buffalo and Medina Auto Clubs. In religion he is a Presbyterian.

He married, February 10, 1890, Mrs. Emma Adella (Hopkins) Emmons, who was born July 31, 1854, at Penfield, New York, daughter of Herman N. Hopkins. They have one daughter, Hazel Elizabeth, born Novem- ber 6, 1890; married Oscar Acer, of Medina ; one son, Fred Lester Downs, born December 17, 1910.

The surname Colburn has COLBURN been variously spelled for many centuries. The an- cient spelling, Colbrand, designated the pro- genitors of the family in Tipton, county Staf- ford, England, as early as 1631, and at Row- ley Regis in the same county. In the Visita- tion of 1619 in this county, we have an ac- count of the pedigree for some three hun- dred years. The derivative branches of the family, Colbronds, or Colebournes, of Kinver or Groby, county Leicester of Dudley, county Stafford, and of Coventry, county Warwick, bear the same coat-of-arms: Argent a chevron between three bugle horns sable stringed or. Crest : Out of a ducal coronet a reindeer's head argent attired or. The family at Bruton, county Somerset, has very similar arms: Ar- gent on a chevron between three bugle horns sable stringed of the same and garnished or, as many mullets of the last. Crest : Out of a ducal coronet or, a reindeer's head argent at- tired or. Another Colebourne coat-of-arms is: On a fesse gules a crescent of the first a canton of the second.

The American families are traced to sev- eral immigrants who came to Massachusetts before 1650. Robert Colburn was a resident of Ipswich in 1648; William Colburn, of Brentwood, England, settled in Boston. Ed- ward Colburn, of Concord, has many de- scendants in Dracut, Massachusetts, and vicin-

ity, spelling the surname, for the most part, Coburn. Nathaniel Colburn, or Coleborne, was a proprietor of Dedham, Massachusetts, as early as 1637. He has many descendants and probably the greater number of Colburns of New England are of his family.

The town of Rutland, Vermont, where, ac- cording to tradition, the following family - was first located, had among its original pro- prietors an Oliver Colburn in 1774. He is mentioned in the town records and was living in 1789, as shown by the town history. In 1790, however, according to the first federal census, the only Colburn family at Rutland was that of John Colburn, and he had one son under sixteen and two females.

(I) William Colburn, the first known an- cestor of this family, is said by family tra- dition to have come from England. He mar- ried Sarah Among their children was Charles, mentioned below.

(II) Charles, son of William Colburn, is said to have come to America with his father at an early age and to have located at Rut- land. He married Nancy Witherill. Children : Abijah, George, Caleb, mentioned below.

(III) Caleb, son of Charles Colburn, was born at Rutland, Vermont, January 19, 1823. died at Albion, New York, in 1907. He left his native town about 1832, and settled at Rushford, Allegany county, New York, with his parents. In his youth he assisted his father on the farm and afterward engaged in the lumber business, owning a sawmill. In 1860 he settled in Sweden, New York, where he followed farming until 1864, when he came to Albion, New York, and from that time until he died was engaged in the manu- facture of lumber at Albion. He married, in 1848, Elizabeth Hill, born November 10, 1827, at Yorkshire, England, now living with her son Frank E., daughter of William and Mary (Hunt) Hill, who came to this country in 1829. Children: 1. Charles W., born Sep- tember 16, 1850, at Rushford, New York, died September 26, 1878; married Clara A. Mc- Knight, of Albion, New York; son, Melville Warren, who married Luella Heady, of Al- bion, New York. 2. Frank E., mentioned be- low.

(IV) Frank E., son of Caleb Colburn, was born at Rushford, Allegany county, New York, October 30, 1858. He came to Albion with his parents in 1864, attended the public schools there and afterward was a student in

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Albion Academy. When not in school he assisted his father in the sawmill and lumber business. In 1874 he engaged in the print- ing business in partnership with W. B. Young and continued until 1876. The firm estab- lished the newspaper, Saturday Chronicle, of Albion. In 1882 he entered the employ of G. W. Ingalls & Company, of Rochester, New York, shoe merchants, as a salesman, and in 1884 became manager of one of the branch stores of this firm in Medina. In 1893 he en- gaged in the retail boot and shoe business un- der the name of Frank E. Colburn & Company in Medina, and continued until 1902, when he sold his store, after being appointed post- master of Medina by President Roosevelt, July 26, 1902. Upon the expiration of his term he was reappointed to the office. He is a prominent and influential Republican. He is a member of Lodge No. 898, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

He married, June 15, 1881, at Albion, Ida L., born July 24, 1860, daughter of Henry A. and Rosina (Hoyt) Griswold, of Albion. Children: 1. Florence Elizabeth, born Octo- ber 13, 1882; married George Welch, of Gen- eva, New York, and has one daughter, Doro- thy Welch. 2. Corinne Hoyt, born August 25, 1884, died February 28, 1902. 3. Claribel, born January 1I, 1887. 4. Charles Robert, born March 7, 1895. 5. Edwin Hill, born September 3, 1897.

TENBROOK There are many blanks in early colonial records, es- pecially relating to the names of those coming to New Netherland. The records in Holland of the West India Trading Company were sold as waste paper in 1821. This wanton destruction, combined with the silence of family records on the subject, leaves only the tradition that Wessel Ten Broeck, the American ancestor of the Ten Broecks, or Tenbrooks, of America, came to the colony of New Netherland with Peter Minuit, the first director-general, in 1626. Where he married and his children were born is not known. Children: 1. Wesselse, born 1636, died at Kingston, New York, Novem- ber 25, 1704. 2. Dirck Wesselse, of whom further. 3. Hendrick Wesselse, resided in New York City. 4. Cornelia Wesselse, mar- ried, at Albany, October 16, 1687, Dominie Laurentius Van den Bosch, fourth pastor of the Kingston Dutch church. The descendants

of the eldest son, Wesselse, known as the "Kingston Ten Broecks," erected the house known as the "Senate house of the State of New York," in which the first constitution of the state was adopted and proclaimed in April, 1777. The house stands in the heart of King- ston, and being now owned by the state serves as a museum for an interesting and valuable collection of portraits, relics and curios. Hend- rick W., the third son, married and resided in New York, and left many descendants. Cor- nelia W. seems to have left no descendants.

(II) Dirck Wesselse, second son of Wessel Ten Broeck, was born December 18, 1638, died December 18, 1717, at his bouwerie (es- tate) Clermont, New York. There is no rec- ord of his youth. He had an excellent educa- tion, was a ready writer and speaker, master of the Indian language, and became a most valuable citizen, and one of the foremost men of his time. He was a good business man, as this entry in 1657 relating to a shipment of skins and pelfries testifies: "Derik Wessils 5000 beaver skins." In 1663 he is spoken of as a "free merchant" in Albany. The charter of "the ancient town of Beverwyck, or Al- bany," was granted July 26, 1686. Dirck Wes- selse Ten Broeck was named first in the list of aldermen for the city. Following the first election under the charter he was made re- corder, serving for ten years. In 1696 he was appointed mayor of Albany by Governor Fletcher, the fourth to fill the office. The office of mayor carried with it that of jus- tice of the peace, as did that of recorder and alderman. In 1691 he was elected a member of the first provincial assembly, re-elected to the second, third, fourth and fifth assemblies. His greatest service to the colony, however, was as Indian commissioner, and as political agent to Canada, the latter appointment being four times repeated. As Indian commissioner he rendered valuable service, having the confi- dence of the Indians and the high regard of the colonial authorities. October 2, 1716, Governor Hunter gave him an honorable dis- charge from the Indian board, where during thirty years he had worked for the peace and security of the colony and for the protection and civilization of the Indians. In the war against France he served as a volunteer in times of danger. He was advanced to the rank of captain, then to major under Colonel Peter Schuyler, and was thereafter always known as "Major Wesselles." He owned land and a

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house in Albany, and great tracts of uncul- tivated land on a tract in Saratoga county. A descendant, General Abraham Ten Broeck, led his men to victory in the battle ending in Bur- goyne's surrender. His home bouwerie con- sisted of two tracts of one thousand two hun- dred and six hundred acres, respectively, the larger being on both sides of Roelof Jansen Kil, the smaller on the Hudson river, both in- cluded in the territory erected into Livingston Manor in 1686. Here he retired after laying down the cares of public life. He was a faithful, active member of the First Dutch Church, and had a seat in the gallery. In 1673 he was deacon, and in 1675 assumed charge of the "Book of Income and Expendi- ture." The record of his death written in the Dordrecht Bible by his eldest son reads : "My father Dirck Wesselse Ten Broeck died on September 18, 1717, aged 78 years and nine months."

He married, in Albany, in 1663, Christyna Van Buren, born May 19, 1644, died Novem- ber 24, 1729, daughter of Corneles Maessen and Catalyntje (Martensen) Van Buren. Children, six sons and seven daughters; of these two, twin sons, died in infancy; eleven reached maturity, married and reared fami- lies containing many distinguished men and women.

(III) Wessell, probably eldest son of Major Dirck Wesselse Ten Broeck, was well known in the early annals of Kingston, Ulster county, New York, where he was a man of import- ance. He was among the first settlers of Eso- pus, as that town was formerly called, and is said to have built the "Senate House," still standing in Kingston, as early as 1676. By his first wife, Maria (Ten Eyck) Ten Broeck, he had several sons and daughters.

(IV) Jacob, son of Wessell and his first wife, Maria (Ten Eyck) Ten Broeck, was baptized at Kingston, New York, March 25, 1688. He married, January 17, 1712, Eliza- beth Wynkoop; both died at Kingston, where they are buried. He died April, 1746; she February 12, 1761. She was a daughter of Major Johannes Wynkoop by his first wife, Judith (Bloodgood) Wynkoop, who was born in Flushing Zealand, Europe. Several letters are yet in existence written in Dutch language by Mrs. Elizabeth Ten Broeck to her son Cornelius, in New Jersey. Children : I. Wes- sell, baptized December 7, 1712; he settled on lands bought by his father at Harlingen, Som-

erset county, New Jersey, where he died, 1747, and was buried on the farm. 2. Johannes, of whom further. 3. Maria, baptized June 30, 1717; married, May 19, 1767, Henry De- Witt. 4. Cornelius, born May 31, 1719; set- tled in Somerset county, which he represented in the New Jersey legislature, 1783, and was the first assessor of Hillsborough township, Somerset county. He was an active patriot during the revolutionary war. He died August 4, 1790, and is buried by his two brothers on the farm. He married Margaret Louw (Low). 5. Judicke, baptized May 3. 1721; married Teunis Van Vechten. 6. Jacob, baptized August 15, 1724; married Gerritje Smedes. 7. Catherine, baptized De- cember 4, 1726.

(V) Johannes, second child of Jacob and Elizabeth (Wynkoop) Ten Broeck, was bap- tized December 12, 1714. He settled on the lands at (now) Harlingen, Somerset county, New Jersey, purchased by his father. He died there December, 1738, and is buried on the farm with his brothers, Wessell and Cor- nelius. He is said to have built the first house at or in the vicinity of Harlingen. It was built of logs and stood between the brick house built by Cornelius (standing in 1885) and the brook. He married, in 1738, Neeltje Dewitt. He died the same year, his only child, John, being born a few days after his death.

(VI) Lieutenant-Colonel John Ten Broeck, posthumous child of Johannes and Neeltje (Dewitt) Ten Broeck, was born at Harlingen, Somerset county, New Jersey, December, 1738, died at White Creek Valley, Pennsyl- vania, 1820. He served in the revolutionary war from New Jersey as follows: "John Ten Broeck was commissioned captain of a com- pany of minute-men, Hunterdon county, New Jersey militia; captain of Fourth Regiment, Hunterdon county, New Jersey militia; com- missioned captain of Colonel Mark Thomp- son's Battalion of detached militia, July 18. 1776, served one month in 'flying camp'; pro- moted first major Fourth Regiment, Hunter- don county, New Jersey militia, February I, 1777 ; promoted lieutenant-colonel same regi- ment ; took part in battle of Monmouth, June 28; because he understood their language he was detailed to teach the Hessian prisoners and induce them to settle in this country." After the war he settled in Pennsylvania, where he died. He married Kate Emmons.

(VII) Andrew, son of Lieutenant-Colonel

NEW YORK.

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John and Kate (Emmons) Ten Broeck, mar- ried Eleanor Correy.

(VIII) William Tenbrook, son of Andrew and Eleanor (Correy) Ten Broeck, was born in Pennsylvania. He resided in McEwens- ville, Northumberland county. He learned the trade of harness maker, and in 1846 re- moved to Niagara county, New York, where he settled at Shawnee, later at Lockport. He was the proprietor of the old Pavilion Hotel, in Lockport, and of other houses, continuing as such until his death. He married, in North- umberland county, Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Hause, of Philadelphia. Children : I. Correy, married Carrie Corbett; children: Mary and Charles. 2. Andrew, married Barbara Shan- ley; children : Mary, Eliza, William, Frank, George, Janet, John, Thomas, Kitty, Eleanor C .; Janet, sixth child of Andrew, married Dr. James W. Charters, of Buffalo, and has : Annie, Janet, William Ten Broeck and An- drew. 3. Mary, married John Kelley. 4. Abraham, married (first) Julia Green; child, Edith ; married (second) Lena Pollock ; chil- dren : Ida and Edna. 5. Ella, married Marcus Hayne; children: Mark William Coe, Jessie and Ruth. 6. William H., of whom further. 7. James O., married Frances Raymond. 8. John P., married (first) Nettie Gorman ; (sec- ond) Mrs. Lena Pollock Ten Broeck.

(IX) William H., son of William and Elizabeth (Hause) Tenbrook, was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, Janu- ary 4, 1844. He came to Niagara county, New York, in 1846, with his parents and seven brothers and sisters, making the journey by wagon. He was educated in the public schools and for one term attended Claverack Acad- emy. He enlisted in the Union army, April 29, 1861, in Company K, Twenty-eighth Regi- ment, New York Volunteer Infantry, for two years. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Cedar Mountain, and confined in Libby Prison. He was exchanged, rejoined his regiment, and was engaged at Chancellorsville; honorably discharged in June, 1863. He returned to Lockport, New York, and engaged with his father in the hotel business. He was proprie- tor of the old American House, the Judson House, Lockport, and of a hotel in Cambria. In 1876 he took the Cooper House, now the Lake Shore, at Olcott, New York; later he was proprietor of the famous "Grove House," a hotel known all over the country. This he

afterward sold to the Traction Company. He is a member of Lockport Lodge, No. 73, Free and Accepted Masons.

He has now retired from active business, residing in Olcott, where he built a handsome house. He has a fine fruit farm of sixty- seven acres, to which he gives his attention.

He married, in 1876, at Lewiston, New York, Kitty R. C., born September 22, 1853,. daughter of Benjamin Cornell. Children: I. Maud, born November 18, 1876; married Wil- liam A. Hale, of Newark, New York. 2. Catherine, February 15, 1880. 3. Benjamin, February 13, 1882, died by drowning, April 17, 1901. 4. William H. Jr., March 9, 1884; educated in the public schools and Lockport Business College; now engaged in fruit farm- ing : a Democrat. 5. Zeta. February 17, 1886, died June 12, 1902.

ADSIT

The Adsits settled first in

Dutchess county, going from there to Columbia county, New York. The earliest record found is of Martin Adsit, born 1761, died 1841, a resident of Chatham and Spencertown, Columbia county, New York. He married Haite, and among his children was a son Martin, see forward.

(II) Martin (2), son of Martin (1) Adsit, was born in Spencertown, Columbia county, New York, October 26, 1812, lived in Che- nango county for a time, then in 1826 went to Hornellsville, New York, to live with his uncle, Colonel Ira Davenport. Steuben county was then a wilderness and Hornellsville had only eight houses. Martin Adsit was first general utility boy, then clerk, and in 1833 given a one-half interest in the business. In 1844 he purchased his uncle's half and became sole owner, continuing until 1860, when he closed out his mercantile interests to engage in banking. In November, 1862, the First National Bank of Hornellsville was organized with Colonel Ira Davenport, president, and Martin Adsit, cashier. In June, 1865, Mr. Davenport resigned and Mr. Adsit succeeded him in the presidency, retaining that office until his death. Under his efficient manage- ment the bank prospered greatly and in a few years he bought out his associates and in- creased the capital stock to $100,000. He was one of the best-known men in his county and a potent factor in its development. He mar- ried. September 8, 1841, Esther Jane. daugh-

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Genealogical and Family History of Western New York, Volume I, Part 59

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