Genealogical and Family History of Western New York, Volume I, Part 77

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

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He married, December 31, 1887, Carrie May Hotchkiss, born June 17, 1867, in Ellington, Chautauqua county, New York. Children : I. Kenneth Earle, born April 25, 1889; graduate of Jamestown high school, June, 1908; gradu- ate of Valparaiso (Indiana) Law School, ' 1910; assistant cashier of Exchange State Bank of Glendise, Montana. 2. Chester Hotch- kiss, March 19, 1891 ; graduate of Jamestown high school, 1911; at present employee in the Bank of Jamestown. 3. Gerald Anson, Janu- ary 10, 1897; a junior in the Jamestown high school.

Mrs. Carrie May (Hotchkiss) Herrick is an adopted daughter of Jeremiah and Louisa Hotchkiss. Jeremiah Hotchkiss was the son of Jeremiah and Lucretia (Huntington ) Hotch- kiss, born January 26, 1829, in the town of Poland, Chautauqua county, New York, and spent his entire life in the county of his birth, having been a resident of Jamestown, New York, for twenty years. Before Jamestown had a city charter, he served the village and town of Ellicott in the capacity of assessor

most capably for several years. At the city election in 1891 he was chosen a member of the common council, and so faithfully did he perform his duties in that position that he was honored with a renomination by the Repub- lican party without opposition when his term expired. In the election which followed, he received a most flattering majority over two opponents, thus proving the high regard in which he was held by those who knew him best. He died in the city of Jamestown, New York, June 15, 1893.

(X) Charles William, son of Anson Leet and Elizabeth Ann (Devoe) Herrick, was born in Jamestown, New York, November 19, 1867. His early education was acquired in the public schools of Jamestown, including the high school, and he then pursued a course in Bryant & Stratton's Business College, Buffalo, New York. He obtained his first knowledge of business life with the Chautauqua County Na- tional Bank, entering their employ, April I, 1887, serving with efficiency and fidelity for many years. In 1898, in company with two other men, he organized the Maddox Table Company, of which he was chosen the secre- tary and treasurer, and was active in its man- agement until 1910, the company being one of the leading industries of the section. In 1902 he was one of the original incorporators of the Bank of Jamestown and was elected to the of- fice of vice-president and chairman of the executive committee. He is a director of the Home Telephone Company. He conducts his business transactions on the principles of strict integrity, and fulfills to the letter every trust committed to him. As a citizen he is uni- versally esteemed, always sustaining the char- acter of a true man.

Mr, Herrick is a member of Mount Moriah Lodge, No. 145, Free and Accepted Masons ; Western Sun Chapter, Royal Arch Masons ; Jamestown Commandery, No. 61, Knights Templar; Buffalo Consistory, Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret, and Ismailia Temple, An- cient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He also holds membership in the Jamestown Club, Chadokin Boat Club, Sports- men's Club and the Lakewood Country Club. He is a member and trustee of the First Pres- byterian Church, of Jamestown, in which his wife also holds membership.

Mr. Herrick married, June 7, 1894, Gert- rude Ellen Proudfit, born in Jamestown, New York, November 19, 1871 (see Proudfit).

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(The Proudfit Line).

(I) Andrew Proudfit, a farmer in Perth- shire, Scotland, was father of six children- Andrew, James, David, Robert, Jennette, Elizabeth. It is not known that any of these except James ( further mentioned below) ever came to America.

(II) James, second son of Andrew Proud- fit, was born near Perth, Scotland, in 1732. He was a man of commanding ability. He was a university graduate, studied theology under Rev. Alexander Moncrieff, was licensed to preach in 1753, and in July, 1754, was ordained with a view to missionary work in America. He landed in Boston, Massachusetts, in Sep- tember, 1754, and at once went to Pennsyl- vania and joined a ministerial brother who had preceded him to this country. After laboring as a missionary for four years he was called to the pastorate of the Presbyterian church in Pequea, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. In 1782 he was called to be pastor of the Asso- ciate Reformed Church of Salem, New York, which he acceptably served for eleven years. His health then failing, his son Alexander be- came his colleague, and they served together until the death of the father, in 1802. Rev. James Proudfit was twice married; the name of his first wife is not preserved; his second wife was a Miss Houston, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Children, all by first wife, ex- cept Mary: Andrew, of whom further ; John, James, Daniel, Alexander, married Susan Wil- liams ; Ebenezer, married Elizabeth Williams ; Mary, married John Reid.

(III) Andrew (2), eldest child of. Rev. James Proudfit, was a physician. He married Mary Lytle, of Salem, New York. Children : Jane, born August 21, 1786, married John Hamil; James, December 2, 1788, married Maria Kerr; Andrew, March 27, 1791 ; Mary, April 2, 1793; John, March 10, 1795; Hannah, December 21, 1797, married Ransom Stiles; Susan, April 25, 1800, married Theodore Sheppard; Alexander, April 24, 1802, married Eliza Dunlap; Ebenezer, April 23, 1804; Dan- iel, January 15, 1805; William, of whom fur- ther ; Margaret, September 18, 1809, married Thomas Whiteside; Hugh Peebles, April 26, 1814.

(IV) William, seventh son and eleventh child of Andrew (2) and Mary (Lytle) Proudfit, was born October 12, 1806. He was a physician, and prominent in his profession. After practicing in his native place, Salem,

and also Jamestown and Buffalo, New York, in 1836 he went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was prominent there not only as a physician, but as a citizen, and was one of he founders of the First Presbyterian Church. He died in Milwaukee at the early age of thirty-seven, and his family soon came to Jamestown, where his remains were interred in Lakeview ceme- tery .. He married Maria Freeman, born in Ot- sego county, New York, daughter of Elmer and Amanda (Hull) Freeman. Of this mar- riage were born five children, of whom the first three died in infancy. Those who came to maturity were: Mary Amanda, married Rich- ard A. Ormes, both now deceased, and Wil- ham Henry, of whom further.

(V) William Henry, son of William and Maria (Freeman) Proudfit, was born in Mil- waukee. Wisconsin, December 15, 1841. He was but twenty months old when his widowed mother came with her children to Western New York, where he grew to manhood, and bas ever since resided. He was educated in Jamestown, attending the academy there, leav- ing it at the age of fifteen years to enter upon a life of self-support. His first employment was as clerk in a dry goods store, and he was subsequently cashier and finally bookkeeper in a similar establishment in Jamestown. In 1862 he had fairly entered upon a successful career, but abandoned civil pursuits to enter the service of his country, enlisting in 1862 in Company F, One Hundred and Twelfth Regi- ment, New York Volunteers, in which he served with fidelity and courage until the close of the war, being honorably discharged June 13, 1865.

Returning to Jamestown, Mr. Proudfit es- tablished the clothing house of Proudfit & Osmer, in December, 1866, having bought out the firm of Andrews & Preston. Mr. Osmer died in 1880, and since that time Mr. Proudfit was sole owner until January 1, 1903, when the Proudfit Clothing Company was or- ganized, with the following directorate: Wil- liam H. Proudfit, president ; Robert P. Robert- son, vice-president; William P. Osmer, treas- urer : J. Alden Osmer, secretary ; the fore- going are also directors, as are William M. Davis, Julius H. Christian, Fred H. Broad- head and James Iverson Jr. Mr. Proudfit besides being the head of one of the leading commercial establishments of the city, is also one of the most active in the advancement of the material and moral interests of the com- munity. He is a director of the Chautauqua

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County National Bank, a trustee of the Ceme- tery Association and a trustee of the local or- ganization of the Grand Army of the Republic. When the James Prendergast Free Library was established he was made a life member of the board of trustees of that institution, which is a memorial to the man to whom the city owes its name. Mr. Proudfit took a prom- inent part in the organization of the local Young Men's Christian Association, and was a member of its first board of trustees. He is a member of the First Presbyterian Church, and served for some years as an elder. A Re- publican in politics, and possessed of those qualities which command respect and confi- dence, he has repeatedly declined all politi- cal preferment. He affords cheerful and lib- eral aid to every benevolent and deserving cause. He married, October 2, 1866, Ellen Eliza Osmer. Children: Augusta Maria, born December 26, 1868, died January 1, 1877; Gertrude Ellen, born November 19, 1871, mar- ried Charles W. Herrick, of Jamestown (see Herrick).

Mrs. William H. Proudfit (see above) was born at Kinzua, Pennsylvania, May 10, 1844, daughter of John Phelps and Sophronia (In- galsby) Osmer, whose other children were Ludilphi, Richard A., Nathan A. and So- phronia. When Mrs. Proudfit was an infant of fourteen months she was adopted by Lewis and Augusta Hull, who cared for her with the affection and interest of real parents. Mrs. Proudfit is one of Jamestown's most beloved women, a leader in many good works. She is a prominent member of Jamestown Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, de- riving her membership through her maternal grandmother, who was a descendant of Phelps, of revolutionary fame.

The surname of Andrew, ANDREWS Andros, Andreas, Andrus, Andrews, Andrieux and An- dre are derived from the Biblical name An- drew, and have passed down through succes- sive generations and centuries as distinct fam- ily surnames. The ancestors of the Andrews family, of Rutlandshire, England, came from France during the Norman occupation. Mem- bers of the family took an active part in the first crusade, 1097, under Duke Robert, of Normandy, and in a later crusade. They as- sisted Sir James Douglass to defend the silver casket containing the heart of King Robert, of

Scotland, when he threw the casket forward among his foes exclaiming: "Now thou, pass thou onward as thou wert ever wont to do and Douglass will follow thee or die." Sir James was killed but the heart was saved and those who took part in the action were entitled to bear on their crest a lion holding a heart in his paw. By the grant of arms to Anthony Andrews, recorded in the Herald's College, October 28, 1583, the history and rank of the family is shown heraldrically. Shield : "Azure a cross ermine between four fleur de lis gold" indicates the origin of the family in France, and of their having taken part in the crusades. Crest : "On a torse silver and azure a demi-lion the tails forked gold, a crown ar- gent and holding in his dexter paw a heart gules" indicates the military service during the crusades. The helmet and mantling : "Mantled gules double argent helmet in profile argent five bars gold" indicates the family was an eminent and distinguished one in England. These arms are believed to have been borne by the family even before the establishment of the College of Arms, in 1483, and were re-issued in accord- ance with the rules, orders and regulations of heraldry established during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The line is traced from Anthony Andrews, born 1530, in Rutland county, Eng- land, through Edward (1), Edward (2), to John, son of Edward (2) and Maria (Holder) Andrews. He was born in Rutlandshire, Eng- land ; emigrated to America under the patron- age of Lord Baltimore about the year 1654 and settled in Maryland. He married Mary - and had six sons.

(V) John (2), son of John (1) Andrews, was born in Anne Arundel county, Maryland. He married Alice Greening and had six sons.

(VI) Moses, eldest son of John (2) An- drews, was born in Dorchester county, Mary- land, in 1720. He married Letitia Cooke, and had four sons.

(VII) John (3), second son of Moses An- drews, was born in Cecil county, Maryland, April 4, 1746, died 1813. He married Eliza- beth Callender and had five sons.

(VIII) William, fourth son of John (3) Andrews, was born 1782, died 1857. He set- tled at Mt. Holly, New Jersey, where his son, Isaac L., was born. Later he moved to Alle- gany county, New York, settling in the town of New Hudson (then Haight), where, in 1826, he opened a house of entertainment on Black creek that had the reputation of fur-

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nishing excellent meals for that date. He mar- ried and had issue.

(IX) Isaac L., son of William Andrews, was born in Mt. Holly, New Jersey, October 27, 1799, died February 20, 1868. He was a farmer and at the time of his marriage was living in Steuben county, New York. After that event and the birth of two children he moved to New Hudson, Allegany county, where he died. In 1831 he was elected clerk of the town and was a man of good standing in the community. He married, at Tyrone, Steuben county, New York, March 2, 1823, Martha, daughter of Stiles Beach (see Beach VI). Children : 1. William Stiles, born at Ty- rone, New York, December 3, 1823. 2. Al- media, born at Tyrone, April 3, 1825. 3. Oba- diah, born at Haight, now New Hudson, Alle- gany county, New York, May 27, 1826. 4. Orson, February 29, 1828. 5. Sarah, June 3, 1829. 6. Miles, March 3, 1831. 7. Aliva, October 3, 1832. 8. Stephen Tippet, of whom further. 9. Susannah, July 14, 1836. 10. Martha, February 14, 1839. 11. Grace Ann, December 5, 1841. All but first two were born in Haight, the last two after the name was changed to New Hudson.

(X) Stephen Tippet, son of Isaac L. An- drews, was born in the town of Haight, Alle- gany county, New York, August 17, 1834, died June 13, 1891. He was educated in the public schools and began his life as a clerk in a gen- eral store. He enlisted, August 26, 1861, at Olean, New York, to serve three years. He was mustered in as first sergeant in Company F, Eighty-fifth Regiment New York Volun- teer Infantry, September 7, 1861. He was one of the organizers of his company with Captain Seneca Allen .. He was commissioned second lieutenant, April 25, 1862, with rank from April 3, mustering in as such May 2, 1862; captured in action, April 20, 1864, at Plymouth, North Carolina, and all his belong- ings taken from him. He was sent to Ander- sonville, later paroled and mustered out of service with an honorable discharge, April 8, 1865. His term of service covered almost the entire period of the civil war, and was a record of continuous, valiant service. After the war he returned to Allegany county, where he was engaged in various enterprises ; then located in Corry, Pennsylvania, and there en- gaged in merchandising until 1882. In that year he removed to Franklinville, Cattaraugus county, New York, where he was engaged in

a general store. He continued this for several years, and was postmaster of the village, ap- pointed by President Harrison. After his death the office was continued by his wife, Margaret, who was regularly appointed to the office. Mr. Andrews was justice of the peace several years, and at Corry, Pennsylvania, a vestryman of Emanuel Episcopal Church. He belonged to the Masonic Order and was held in high esteem by his associates.

He married, in 1866, Margaret Little, born in Montreal, Canada, 1840, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Shearer) Little. Children : I. Elizabeth, born 1867, died in infancy. 2. John Frank, July 1, 1871 ; married, June 9, 1898, Harriet Skinner, born August 11, 1872, daughter of Alonzo and Mary (Towsley) Skinner ; children : i. John Paul, born January II, 1901. ii. Mary Margaret, September 6, 1909. 3. Creighton S., of whom further.

(XI) Creighton Stephen, youngest child of Stephen Tippet Andrews, was born in Corry, Pennsylvania, April 1, 1876. He was edu- cated in the public schools and Ten Broeck Academy, of Franklinville, under Professor Hamilton Terry, graduating in class of 1895. Deciding upon the profession of law he came to Olean and began his legal study under Dis- trict Attorney James H. Waring. He next entered Albany Law School, whence he was graduated in June, 1899. He was admitted to the bar prior to his graduation, in January, 1899. In the autumn of that year he began practice in Olean, New York, where he still continues in successful general practice. In 1909 he was a prominent candidate for the Re- publican nomination as surrogate of Cattar- augus county. He is a member of the Cattar- augus County Bar Association. His clubs are the Hamilton Country and the City Club, of Olean.

He married, June 18, 1902, Alice Ruth Blakeslee, born November 16, 1879, daughter of Frank and Mary C. (Sortwell) Blakeslee. Child, Richard Blakeslee, born February 3, 1906.

(The Beach Line).

Martha (Beach) Andrews descends from John Beach, the "Pilgrim" ancestor of this line of the Beach family in America. John Beach is the first on record in New Haven, Connecticut in 1643, when he was fined "2 shillings for twice late coming" and another two shillings for "defect gun." He became a householder in 1647. The last entry concern-

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ing him in New Haven colony is : "John Beach came to Stratford and bought his first land May 21, 1660, of Ensign Bryan, of Milford, one house lot, two acres; he had then a wife and two children." In January, 1667, "he was chosen town crier for the town." Later he was a large land owner in Wallingford, Connecti- cut, where he was one of the organizers of the first church. He married, in 1650, Mary -, who bore him ten children.

(II) Nathaniel, third son and fifth child of the Pilgrim immigrant, John Beach, was born in Stratford, Connecticut, March, 1662, died 1747. He married, 1686, Sarah, died 1734, daughter of Nathaniel and Sarah (Groves) Porter, who bore him ten children.

(III) Josiah, fourth child and third son of Nathaniel Beach, was born in Stratford, Con- necticut, August 18, 1694. He joined the church in 1730. He married (first), in 1721, Patience Nichols; (second), in 1730, Abigail Wheeler. He had six children.

(IV) Matthew, youngest son of Josiah Beach, was born May 18, and baptized August 23, 1742. He married Martha Nichols, born April, 1742, who bore him five children.

(V) Stiles, eldest son and fourth child of Matthew Beach, was born June 3, baptized July 22, 1770. He married Mehitable Brown, born April 4, 1772. They lived at New Marl- boro, Massachusetts. Children : 1. Aliva, born November 23, 1794, died 1860; married Ste- phen Robinson. 2. Lewis, born February 10, 1796, died in infancy. 3. Almedia, born March I, 1797, died 1873; married Tippet Sunderlin. 4. Miles, born May 23, 1799, died 1869; he moved to Texas in 1855 with his family, re- maining until after the civil war, when he moved to Missouri, where he died. He mar- ried Sarah Powell and had Stephen, Mary Jane, Erwin Albert and Sarah Ann. 5. Martha, of whom further. 6. Obadiah, born January 8, 1804, died 1878; married Mary Lang. Their eldest son, Lewis Beach, enlisted in the Thirteenth Wisconsin Regiment and served three years and one month in the civil war. Another son, Philip Beach, enlisted in the One Hundred and Sixty-first Regiment, New York Volunteers, was taken sick in camp, came home and died. Their third son, Daniel Beach, is a lawyer of Watkins, New York; trustee of the John Magee estate; vice-presi- dent of the Fall Brook Railroad and Coal Company; member of the state board of re- gents, and bears the honorary degree of

LL. D. He married Angelica Magee. 7. Grace Ann, born December 14, 1806, died un- married, 1878. 8. Mehitable Louise, born May 11, 1813, died April 13, 1897; married Samuel Williams. 9. Sally Samantha, born February 26, 1816, died July 3, 1897; married Ralph Swartout.

(VI) Martha, fifth child of Stiles Beach, was born at New Marlboro, Massachusetts, March 6, 1801. She married, at Tyrone, Steu- ben county, New York, March 2, 1823, Isaac L. Andrews (see Andrews IX).

MAHER The Mahers of Medina spring from Irish parents born in Tip- perary, Ireland. John Maher, the founder of the family, married, in Buf- falo, New York, Mary Kimmet, of Sligo. They settled in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, where their children were born. Later the family moved to Buffalo, New York, and subse- quently to Middleport and Medina, where John and Mary Maher, the parents, died. Children : I. John, born August 13, 1855; learned the trade of upholsterer; at the age of eighteen years he located at Middleport, New York, where he was in charge of the upholstering department of a furniture firm. In 1878 he engaged in business with his brother, Thomas Francis, and later the other brothers were admitted. 2. Mary, married Charles J. Bren- nan, of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. 3. Thomas Francis, of whom further. 4. Joseph, born March 22, 1863 ; member of Maher Bro- thers. 5. Robert, born October 13, 1865; member of Maher Brothers. 6. Charles. Two children died in infancy.

(II) Thomas Francis, second son of John Maher, was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Can- ada, November 13, 1862, died in Medina, New York, March 30, 1907. He was educated in the schools of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and Buffalo, New York. He joined his brother John in Middleport, New York, and estab- lished a retail furniture store in that vil- lage. They were very successful and in 1882 moved their business to Medina, where they opened on a much larger scale. As soon as the other brothers, Joseph and Robert, became of legal age they were admitted to the firm, and as Maher Brothers they did a very large and profitable retail furniture business. In 1887 they began manufacturing parlor furniture in a small way, but soon were compelled to en- large and eventually the retail business was

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discontinued. They enlarged their manufac- turing facilities from time to time until their plant covers five acres and employs about two hundred hands. Their salesmen travel to many different states and their product is well known to the trade. In 1893 a disastrous fire consumed their main plant, but it was quickly replaced with larger and better equipped build- ings. The brothers were all men of energy and good business qualities and all expert workmen. They continued in successful busi- ness until death invaded their circle in 1907. The business is conducted by the three remain- ing brothers, their deceased brother's widow retaining his interest up to December, 1911, when it was disposed of. Thomas Francis Maher was a Democrat in politics and highly regarded as an upright man and good citizen. He was a member of St. Mary's Roman Cath- olic Church, of Medina, and belonged to the Knights of Columbus and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

He married, June 12, 1895, Helen E., daugh- ter of Abel and Maria Teresa (Furlong) Brear. Abel Brear was of Quaker descent, served in the civil war and later continued in the service as ship carpenter. He was born in Wilmington, Delaware, died in New Bedford, June, 1870. His wife, Maria Teresa Furlong, was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1852, died 1895, daughter of Patrick and Mar- garet (Maddox) Furlong, of Waterford, Ire- land. Children of Thomas Francis and Helen E. (Brear) Maher: Francis Thomas, born April 23, 1896; Teresa, August 27, 1897. Mrs. Maher survives her husband, a resident of Medina, New York.

Nathaniel Foote, one of the first

FOOTE settlers of Wethersfield, Con- necticut, and founder of a branch of a numerous family in America, came to America from England prior to 1633. It is not known from what part of England he came, nor in what year he arrived. He does not belong to that class of men who fill a large part in the world's history because called by some great emergency into positions of power and influence, but to that more numerous and meritorious class, who, born to the great inheritance of labor, walk along the paths of common life, perform every duty of private and public trust, love and help their fellowmen, and act always as if under the great Taskmaster's eye. It is to such men that

society owes at once its peace, stability and progress, and yet history takes no note of such, and hence "The world knows nothing of its greatest men." He was an agriculturist, that occupation that gives to city and village, to commerce, art and the professions, the bone, muscle and energy of their directing force. The first mention of his name is in the records of Massachusetts Bay Colony, in 1633, when he took the freeman's oath. He first located in Watertown where he was granted a home lot of sixteen acres and two acres of marsh land. Later by a few years he was a pioneer settler of Hartford, Connecticut, where his lands were of greater extent, totaling four hun- dred acres. His house lot was on Broad street in 1640 and contained ten acres. He held sev- eral town offices and in 1644 was a deputy to the general court. He died in 1644, aged about fifty-one years, and was buried in the ancient burying ground in the rear of the meeting house where are gathered together the ashes of nine generations.

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Genealogical and Family History of Western New York, Volume I, Part 77

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