Genealogical and Family History of Western New York, Volume I, Part 8

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 8

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).

(VI) Isaac, son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Smith, was baptized March 8, 1772, at Whate- ley, Massachusetts. In 1802 he removed to the town of Gorham, Ontario county, New York. In 1804 he removed to Sheridan, Chautauqua county, and later settled in Hanover, same county. He was a farmer, and served in the war of 1812. He was part of the force that attempted to save the then village of Buffalo from destruction, in 1813. The exposure and fatigue of that campaign induced a fever, which resulted in his death. He married, October 26, 1792, Roxy Morton. Children, the first five born in Whateley: 1. Henry (Harry), born October 21, 1793; married Beulah Blodgett; he served in the war of 1812, returning home after the death of his father, and became the head of the family. 2. Benjamin, born August 3-W

2, 1794; married Pauline Scott. 3. Matilda, born November 20, 1796; married (first) Mulgrove, (second) Ben Scott. 4, Rodney B., of further mention. 5. Roxy B., born October 25, 1801 ; married Amos Bennett. 6. Tirzah, married Sidney Frisbie. 7. Hiram, married Joan Frisbie. 8. Attley, married a Miss Scott. 9. Caroline Esther, born in Hanover, Chau- tauqua county, New York, May 18, 1811 ; mar- ried, January 27, 1828, Leonard Howard; they had fourteen children.

(VII) Rodney B., son of Isaac and Roxy (Morton) Smith, was born February 3, 1798, in Whateley, Hampden county, Massachusetts, died at Smiths Mills, Chautauqua county, New York, May, 1873. At the age of fifteen years he volunteered to take his elder brother Henry's place in the army, that the latter might return home and care for the seven smaller children, who were orphaned within the year by the loss of both father and mother. Henry was but eighteen years old, but could better manage home affairs than the younger brother. Rod- ney B. served out his brother's enlistment and was in the engagements at Black Rock, Chip- pewa and Williamsville. After the war he returned home and helped Henry in the care of the home and children. In 1824 he became a sub-contractor, under . Thompson & Bird, for the construction of the Black Rock dam, in connection with the Erie canal. Later he obtained additional contracts direct, and con- tinued in that business until the canal was com- pleted. He then returned to Chautauqua coun- ty, and, having acquired considerable capital, purchased a small mill, owned by his brother Henry, enlarged and operated it. This local- ity was afterward known in the county as Smiths Mills. He also erected a distillery, and, for thirty years, continued in business at Smiths Mills. He was, for many years, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, but, in later years, became very liberal in his religious views. He married Achsah Blodgett, who bore him fourteen children, seven sons and seven daugh- ters, of whom, in 1891, four were living: Hiram, of further mention ; Lyman B., a law- yer of Buffalo; Myron, an officer of the Third Wisconsin Cavalry, during the civil war, later a farmer of Kansas; Byron, who remained on the old homestead.

(VIII) Hiram, son of Rodney B. and Ach- sah (Blodgett) Smith, was born at Smiths Mills, town of Hanover, Chautauqua county, New York, October 19, 1819. He was reared

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on the farm and was educated in the public schools and the old Fredonia . Academy. His youthful manhood was spent in the various pursuits in which his father was engaged, mill- ing, distilling, merchandising and farming, at Smiths Mills. From an early age he took an active part in county politics. He was a natural leader of men, positive and aggressive, force- ful rather than diplomatic, yet always a leader, and, all through his life, was a dominant factor in the politics of Western New York, even be- fore the organization of the Republican party. In 1853 he was elected a member of the Chau- tauqua county board of supervisors from Han- over, serving several years as a Democrat. When the Republican party was organized he transferred his allegiance to the new party, was their candidate for the assembly, in 1859, and was elected by a large majority, and re- elected, in 1860, on the same ticket that carried the name of Abraham Lincoln, for President of the United States. He continued his affilia- tion with the Republican party until the Gree- ley campaign of 1872, when he returned to the Democratic party, with which he remained until his death. He was the Democratic candi- date for congress in 1884, and again in 1890, neither time expecting an election, as the nor- mal Republican majority in the district was more than ten thousand.

On the breaking out of the civil war he re- tired from the legislature and enlisted in the service of the government. He was appointed, by President Lincoln, quartermaster of the United States army, and, at the end of four years active service, was mustered out, with the rank of major. On entering the service he had disposed of his interests at Smiths Mills, and on returning, four years later, set- tled in St. Louis, Missouri, where he engaged in business two years. In 1867 he returned to Chautauqua county, settling in Jamestown, engaging first in merchandising, then in the fire and life insurance business, which he fol- lowed very successfully until age compelled his retirement from business. He died at Jamestown, New York, February 18, 1905, in his eighty-sixth year. He was a strong char- acter, and, in youth and young manhood, gave promise of an unusual distinguished career, but his environment and principles did not always harmonize, hence he did not achieve the distinction which was accorded men of inferior attainments. He was a splendid type of physical manhood, and, when seated on

horseback, presented a figure seldom equalled. He was richly endowed with the qualities of both moral and physical courage, and was one of the most popular men in his community, and frequently, when his party desired to make a good showing at the polls, he was the chosen standard-bearer. He was too aggressive and positive in his nature to be a good politician. He was a good fighter, but no compromiser. If he believed in anything he believed in it with all his force, and fought for it against any odds. Yet he was a man of geniality, and a most agreeable companion, thoroughly posted in the events of the day and always interested in public questions of any nature.

He married (first), September 10, 1844, Melissa, born July 22, 1823, died January 10, 1892, daughter of Major George Love, of Forestville. She was a woman of strong in- dividuality and great benevolence. She drew to her a large circle of friends by whom she was deeply mourned. He married (second). September 10, 1894, Anna L. Gray, of James- town, New York, who survives him. Children of first wife: 1. Mary Love, born at Smiths Mills, New York, March 14, 1846; married, February 4, 1875, Mason M. Skiff, of James- town; children, Marion, Bertha and Warner Mason (see Skiff forward). She is a member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, the Fortnight Literary Club, St. Luke's Guild, Political Equal- ity Club and the Associated Charities. 2. Colo- nel George B., graduate of West Point United States Military Academy, 1875 ; passed through the intervening grades to that of paymaster, with rank of colonel ; served in the Philippines. where he was head of the paymasters' depart- ment : returned to the United States; was sta- tioned at Denver, Colorado, now at Washing- ton. He has served as paymaster since 1882, having been appointed to that position by Presi- dent Chester A. Arthur. He married Corinne Barrett, of Jamestown, and has two sons : Bar- rett and Rodney H.

(The Morton Line).

Roxy (Morton) Smith, wife of Isaac Smith, was a descendant of George Morton, the first of the name to found a family in America. The name of Morton, Moreton and Mortaigne is earliest found in old Dauphine, is still ex- istent in France, where it is represented by the present Comtes and Marquises Morton de Cha- brillon, and where the family has occupied many important positions, states the "Gene-

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alogy of the Morton Family," from which this sketch is taken." In the annals of the family there is a statement repeatedly met with that as a result of a quarrel one of the name mi- grated from Dauphine, first to Brittany and then to Normandy, where he joined William the Conqueror. Certain it is that among the names of the followers of William, painted on the chancel ceiling in the ancient church of Dives, in old Normandy, is that of Robert Comte de Mortain. It also figures on Battle Abbey Roll, the Domesday Book, and the Nor- mal Rolls, and it is conjectured that this Count Robert, who was also half-brother of the Con- queror, by his mother Harlotte, was the found- er of the English family of that name. In the Bayeux tapestry he is represented as of the Council of William, the result of which was the intrenchment of Hastings and the conquest of England. Count Robert held manors in nearly every county in England, in all about eight hundred, among which was Pevensea, where the Conqueror landed, and where, in 1087, Robert and his brother Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, were besieged six weeks by William Rufus. Here Camden ( 1551-1628) found "the most entire remains of a Roman building, to be seen in Britain." When William, Earl of More- ton and Cornwall, son of Robert, rebelled against Henry I., that prince seized and razed his castles, but this one seems to have escaped demolition. In early Norman times this Will- iam built a castle at Tamerton, Cornwall, and founded a college of canons, as appeared by the Domesday Book, where it is called Lan- staveton. On the north side of the Gretna, in Richmondshire, stands an old manor house, called Moreton Tower, from a lofty, square embattled tower at one end of it. Of the fam- ily of Morton were the Earls of Dulcie and Cornwall; Robert Morton, Esquire, of Baw- try : Thomas Morton, secretary to Edward III. ; William Morton, bishop of Meath : Robert Mor- ton, bishop of Worcester, in 1486: John Morton, the celebrated cardinal archbishop of Canter- bury and lord chancellor of England, 1420- 1500; Albert Morton, secretary of state to James I. ; Thomas Morton ( 1564-1659), bishop of Durham and chaplain to James II. Promi- nent among the English Mortons, who early came to America, were Thomas Morton, Esquire ; Rev. Charles Morton : Landgrave Jo- seph Morton, proprietary governor of South Carolina, and George Morton.

(I) George Morton, the first of the name to

found a family in America, and the ancestor of former Vice-President Levi P. Morton, was born about 1585, at Austerfield, Yorkshire, England, and, it is believed, was of the ancient Mortons, who bore for arms : Quarterly, gules and ermine; in the dexter chief and sinister base, each a goat's head erased argent attired or. Crest : A goat's head, argent attired or. Hunter, in his "Founders of New Plymouth," suggests that he may have been the George Morton hitherto unaccounted for in the fam- ily of Anthony Morton, of Bawtry, one of the historical families of England, and that from Romanist lineage "he so far departed from the spirit and principles of his family as to have fallen into the ranks of the Protestant Puritans and Separatists." Of George Mor- ton's early life no record has been preserved, and his religious environments and the causes which led him to unite with the Separatists are alike unknown. His home, in Yorkshire, was in the vicinage of Scrooby Manor, and possi- bly he was a member of Brewster's historic church : but it is only definitely known that he early joined the Pilgrims at Leyden, and con- tinued of their company until his death. When the first of the colonists departed for Amer- ica, Mr. Morton remained behind, although he "much desired" to embark then and intend- ed soon to join them. His reasons for such a course is a matter of conjecture. As he was a merchant, possibly his business interests caused his detention, or, what is more probable, he remained to promote the success of the colony by encouraging emigration among others. That he served in some official capacity, before com- ing to America, is undoubted. One writer states that he was "the agent of those of his sect in London," and another, that he acted as "the financial agent in London for Plymouth County." The work, however, for which this eminent forefather is most noted, and which will forever link his name with American his- tory, is the publication issued by him in Lon- don. in 1622, of what has since been known as "Mourt's Relation." This "Relation" may justly be termed the first history of New Eng- land, and is composed of letters and journals from the chief colonists at Plymouth, either addressed or intrusted to George Morton, whose authorship in the work is possibly limited to the preface. The "Relation" itself is full of valuable information, and still continues an au- thority. Shortly after it was placed before the public George Morton prepared to emigrate to

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America, and sailed, with his wife and five children, in the "Ann," the third and last ship to carry what are distinctively known as the "Forefathers," and reached Plymouth early in June, 1623. "New England's Memorial" speaks of Mr. Timothy Hatherly and Mr. George Morton as "two of the principal passengers that came in this ship," and, from Morton's activity in promoting emigration, it may be in- ferred that the "Ann's" valuable addition to the colony was in a measure due to his efforts. He did not long survive his arrival, and his early death was a serious loss to the infant settlement. His character and attainments were such as to suggest the thought that, had he lived to the age reached by several of his dis- tinguished contemporaries, he would have filled as conspicuous a place in the life of the colony. The memorial thus chronicles his decease:

Mr. George Morton was a pious, gracious servant of God, and very faithful in whatsoever public em- ployment he was betrusted withal, and an unfeigned well-willer, and according to his sphere and condi- tion a suitable promoter of the common good and growth of the plantation of New Plymouth, laboring to still the discontents that sometimes would arise amongst some spirits, by occasion of the difficulties of these new beginnings; but it pleased God to put a period to his days soon after his arrival in New England, not surviving a full year after his coming ashore. With much comfort and peace he fell asleep in the Lord, in the month of June anno 1624

He married Juliana Carpenter, as shown by the entry in the Leyden records : "George Mor- ton, merchant, from York in England, accom- panied by Thomas Morton, his brother, and Roger Wilson, his acquaintance, with Juliana Carpenter, maid from Baths in England, ac- companied by Alexander Carpenter, her father, and Alice Carpenter, her sister, and Anna Rob- inson, her acquaintance." "The banns pub- lished 6-16 July, 1612; the marriage took place 23 July-2 August, 1612." Mrs. Morton mar- ried (second) Manasseh Kempton, Esquire, a member of the first and other assemblies of the colony. She died at Plymouth, 18 Febru- ary, 1665, in the eighty-first year of her age, and is mentioned in the town records as "a faithful servant of God." Children of George and Juliana (Carpenter) Morton : Nathaniel, Patience, John, Sarah, Ephraim and George.

(II) George (2), son of George (1) and Juliana (Carpenter ) Morton, was born in Eng- land. He married and had issue.

(III) Richard, son of George (2) Morton, married Ruth -, and had issue.

(IV) Abraham, son of Richard Morton, was born in Hatfield, in May, 1676. He mar- ried, May 8, 1701, Sarah Kellogg, born May 2, 1682, daughter of John and Sarah (Moody) Kellogg. Children : 1. Abraham, born May 2, 1703 ; settled probably in Shutesbury. 2. Rich- ard, October 1, 1704; settled in Athol. 3. Sarah, April, 1707; married Samuel Smith. 4. Samuel, September 8, 1709; married Lydia Smith ; settled in Athol. 5. Abigail, January 6, 1711, died February 1, 1715. 6. Moses, died young. 7. Daniel, mentioned below. 8. Abi- gail, February 1, 1723, died young. 9. Noah, settled in Athol; married Rhoda Waite.

(V.) Daniel, son of Abraham Morton, was born December 23, 1720, at Hatfield, died June 20, 1786. He lived on Chestnut Plain street, Whateley, where the house of the late Rufus Dickinson now stands. He married (first), in 1743, Esther Bardwell, born December 16, 1723. died October 27, 1762, daughter of Ebenezer and Mary (Field) Bardwell, of Hatfield. He married (second) Eleanor Waite, December 6. 1764, a daughter of John and Submit (Hast- ings) Waite. John Waite was the oldest son of the famous Sergeant Ben Waite, the hero of the Connecticut valley as an Indian fighter. Eleanor Waite was born April 4, 1730, died April 1, 1816, aged eighty-six years. Children : I. Hannah, born September 7, 1744; married Matthew Graves. 2. Tabitha, July 1, 1747; married Dr. Charles Doolittle. 3. Sarah, De- cember 14, 1749; married Oliver Smith. 4. Mercy, November 25, 1751; married John Lamson. 5. Joel, December 22, 1754. 6. Dan- iel, February 12, 1756. 7. Esther, November 3, 1758; married Dr. Lucius Doolittle. 8. Jus- tin, September 25, 1760. 9. Consider, October 12, 1762. 10. Tirzah, January 24, 1771 ; mar- ried William Mather. II. Roxy, mentioned below.

(VI) Roxy, daughter of Daniel Morton, married Isaac Smith (see Smith VI).

(The Skiff Line).

Mason M. Skiff is a son of Valentine Skiff, and a direct descendant of James Skiff, the ancestor of all the Skiffs in America, claiming early colonial ancestry. He was of Welsh birth and ancestry, but came to America from England, at what precise time is unknown. He was a proprietor of Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1637, but nothing is known of him with cer- tainty, prior to that date. He removed to Sandwich, Massachusetts, in that year. Lynn

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was a grant from old Plymouth, and settle- ment began there in 1629, incorporated in 1630. On October 3, 1639, the general court, at Sand- wich, "Resolved that a summons be sent James Skiff to answer to things as shall be objected against him in regard to traducing the law about refusing to take the oath of fidelity." In 1659 James Skiff, town deputy from Sand- wich, was rejected by the general court for his "toleration of Quakers." He was one of the first eleven members of the church in Sand- wich, and was often chosen for responsible duty. He died later than 1688, as he was known to have been alive on that date. The maiden name of his wife, Mary, is unknown. She died in Sandwich, September 21, 1673. Their eleven children, all born in Sandwich, Massachusetts, were : James, Stephen, Nathan- iel, Samuel, Bathsheba, Mary, Miriam, Pa- tience, Benjamin, Nathan and Elizabeth.

Valentine, great-great-grandson of the emi- grant, James Skiff, was born in Goshen, Mas- sachusetts, in 1818. He, early in life, learned the trade of jeweler, and was located in dif- ferent towns and cities in Massachusetts. In 1845 he located in Springfield, Massachusetts, in company with E. A. Whipple, forming the firm of Skiff & Whipple. In 1848 and 1849 Mr. Skiff published the first directory of Spring- field. About 1850 he removed to Savannah, Georgia, where he continued the jewelry busi- ness until the spring of 1863, remaining there during the first two years of the civil war. Then fearing impressment in the confederate army he closed out his business, and, with a party of ten Union men like himself, made his way to the Union lines, through the mountains of Tennessee and Kentucky. He established a jewelry business in Northampton, Massachu- setts, afterward conducted by his brother, J. M. Skiff. His health failing he again went south and conducted a business in Athens, Georgia, for twenty years. In July, 1901, he came north, and, on September 17, of that year, was thrown from a wagon in Williamsburgh, Massachu- setts, death resulting. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and a highly-respected man. He married (first) Grace, daughter of David S. Mason, one of the first woolen manufacturers in this country. She died in Savannah, Georgia, 1853. He married (second), in 1858, Arminda Webb, of New Paltz, New York. Children by first wife : Mason M., of further mention ; Valentine, died unmarried; Charles W., of Westfield, Massa-

chusetts. Child by second wife: Viola, mar- ried Thomas Hampton.

Mason M., son of Valentine and Grace (Mason) Skiff, was born at Sherburne Falls, Massachusetts, November 14, 1842. He was educated in the public schools, entered Union College, Schenectady, New York, whence he was graduated. After following mining engi- neering for a time he adopted his father's busi- ness and became a jeweler. During the civil war he was at Savannah with his father, later coming north and engaging in the jewelry busi- ness, with an uncle, in New York City. About 1866 he settled in Jamestown, New York, where he continued in the jewelry business until 1876. He then became interested in banking and has since been connected with several of the leading banks and trust com- panies of that city, many of which he helped to organize. He is vice-president of the Bank of Jamestown, and is considered one of the wisest and best financiers in the city, and a thoroughly well-equipped man for any busi- ness. He is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Episcopal church, which he has served as vestryman. He married (first) Mrs. Sophy Putnam; no children. He mar- ried (second), February 4, 1875, Mary Love Smith, daughter of Major Hiram and Lucy (Love) Smith, of Chautauqua county, New York (see Smith VIII). Children: Marion, born September 5, 1876; Bertha, March 25, 1878: Warner Mason, October 5, 1883.

The Crandalls of Rhode Is-

CRANDALL' land are of Welsh descent, the name in that language

being Craum Dell, meaning iron dell. Several of this name arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, as early as 1634.

(I) The ancestor of the New York branch, Rev. John Crandall, appears in Massachusetts records in 1635. At that time the persecution of Roger Williams was causing great excite- ment in the colonies, many being opposed to the extreme measures of the Puritans. In the autumn of 1635 the church at Salem dismissed him from their pulpit, and he was ordered to leave the colony in six weeks. In the winter of . 1636 the authorities at Boston ordered his arrest, but he learned of their plans and fled into the wilderness, reaching Narragansett Bay in the spring. He was treated kindly by the sachems of Narragansett Indians, from whom he obtained large grants of land and founded

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the city of Providence. Rev. John Crandall was also persecuted for his religious opinions, and, after his imprisonment in Boston, sought safety in Providence, soon after was of New- port, where he was associated with the early Baptists, later still was of Westerly, Rhode Island, where he was the first elder of the Baptist church. He was prominent in the latter town, which he represented as deputy. He died at Newport, Rhode Island, 1678, hav- ing moved there on account of the Indian war. He had two wives; the first died August 1, 1670, the second wife, Hannah, died 1678. Children of first wife: I. John, died 1704; married Elizabeth Gorton; five children. 2. James. 3. Jane, died 1715; married Job Bab- cock. 4. Sarah, married Josiah Witter. 5. Peter, died 1734; married Mary -; he was deputy, justice of the peace, and lieutenant. 6. Joseph, died 1737; married Deborah Bur- dick; three children. 7. Samuel, died 1736; married (first) Sarah Colley; married (sec- ond) Hannah Gaylord; seven children. Chil- dren of second wife: 8. Jeremiah, died 1718; married Priscilla Warner. 9. Eber, of whom further.

(II) Eber, youngest son of Rev. John and his second wife, Hannah Crandall, was born 1676, died 1727. He was made a freeman of Westerly, June 29, 1702. He bought land in 1709; will proved September 15, 1727. He lived in Westerly and Newport, Rhode Island. He married (first) (second) - Lanphere, (third) Mary Cottrell, who died 1727. In his will he says: "To my wife Mary equal share of whole estate, with all her children and mine that I had also by my for- mer wife, to each child, John, Eber, Samuel, Joseph, children I had by my second wife and to my five children, that my now wife hath living, Mary, Nathaniel, Jonathan, Ebenezer and Jeremiah, one-tenth of estate, when said children are of age. Executors may sell land and put children out apprentice."

(III) Jeremiah, ninth child of Eber, and youngest by his third wife, Mary (Cottrell) Crandall, was baptized 1718, in Rhode Island; died at Ghent, Columbia county, New York. About the time of the revolutionary war he · settled in Dutchess county, New York, later joining others of his family in Ghent. He married, at South Kingston, Rhode Island, February 2, 1746-47, Elizabeth Casey, born in Kingston, Rhode Island, 1720, daughter of Samuel Casey, born about 1686, died March,

1752; married, September 23, 1715, Dorcas Ellis, who died prior to 1744, daughter of James Ellis, of Stonington, Rhode Island. Sam- uel was a son of Thomas Casey, born 1637, died at Newport, Rhode Island, 1711 ; married Sarah Davis, who died in 1706. Children of Jeremiah Crandall : Samuel, of whom further ; Esther, born March 13, 1753; Jeremiah, Sep- tember 19, 1755 ; Dorcas, May 24, 1758; James, January 29, 1764, died July 22, 1848.

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Genealogical and Family History of Western New York, Volume I, Part 8

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