USA > New York > Genealogical and family history of central New York : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the building of a nation, Volume I > Part 69
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(II) John, son of James and Amy (Thorne) Lamoree, was born in Coxsackie, New York, in 1802. He was a ship builder by trade, which occupation he followed through- out the active years of his life. His death oc- curred at the age of eighty-one years. He married (first) Electa Hungerford, of New Hartford, New York. Children : 1. Electa, mar- ried Leonidas Rood, of Kalamazoo, Michigan ; children : William, Fletcher and Mary E. Rood. 2. Jolın J., mentioned below. The mother of these children died when they were infants. Mr. Lamoree married (second ) a Miss Wil- marth, who bore him two sons: Cyrus and James A.
(III) Jolin J., son of John and Electa (Hungerford) Lamoree, was born in the town of Richland, now Mexico, Oswego county, New York, September 12, 1833. His early life was full of toil on the farm in summer, and in winter he attended the district school, travel- ing long distances to and from the old school- house, earning money in the meantime by car- ing for the schoolhouse to pay for his course in the academy. After a few terms in Mexico Academy he began to study law in the office of Levi Downing, in the village of Mexico, and in the course of time qualified himself to prac- tice. He was duly admitted to the bar in 1859. and from then until 1871 engaged in general practice with an office in Mexico. At this time he removed to Oswego, where he practiced until eleven years prior to his death. His last years were occupied in managing his invest- ments and caring for liis private interests. As a lawyer Mr. Lamoree took a prominent place and held high rank during his long and suc- cessful career as an attorney. The same ster- ling qualities that led liim to educate himself 24-C
brought success in the fields of law and busi- ness. For a number of years he was the at- torney of the federal government appointed by the secretary of the treasury to prosecute violations of the internal revenue laws, and he was actively and successfully engaged in the duties of this office for four years. After he resigned he formed a partnership with Cyrus Whitney, and this firm continued for a num- ber of years. During his residence in the vil- lage of Mexico he served as postmaster for four years, also as justice of the peace for seven years.
Mr. Lamoree became district attorney of Oswego county, January 1, 1873, having been elected at the state election the November preceding, and he won further honor and dis- tinction in this important office, in which he served for six years. It became his duty to conduct three murder trials, the most nota- ble of which was that of Nathan Orlando Greenfield, who was tried three times on an indictment for murdering his wife. Against Mr. Lamoree in this case was that other legal giant of his day, Judge Sylvanus C. Hunting- ton, of Pulaski, New York. The first trial resulted in a disagreement of the jury, nine standing for conviction and three for acquittal. Upon the second trial Greenfield was con- victed, but the defense secured a new trial upon technicalities, and a change of venue to Syracuse. The third trial resulted in convic- tion of murder in the first degree and the murderer was duly executed. Mr. Lamoree also conducted the Van Auken and Gifford murder cases with equal success.
In politics he was a Republican, and during the factional struggles between the Stalwarts and Half-Breeds in New York he supported President Arthur. In 1882 President Arthur appointed him collector of customs of the port of Oswego, an office hie filled efficiently for four years. He was an earnest and faith- ful member of the Congregational church, to which he gave freely of his time and money and in the activities of which he took a leading part. He was a member of no secret societies, devoting himself to his family and home dur- ing his leisure hours.
Mr. Lamoree married (first), February 22. 1850, Elizabeth A. Hadley, of Mexico. She died in May, 1869. He married (second), De- cember 13, 1870, Mary A. Hetzel, born in Florida, Orange county, New York, July 9. 1840, daughter of Joseph and Stella H.
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(Ketchum) Hetzel. Her great-grandfather on the paternal side was small of stature, but vigorous and energetic. In religion he was a rigid Episcopalian, and often he walked to church from Florida to Goshen, a distance of seven miles, to attend services, the church in Goshen being the nearest of this faith. Ile took great pleasure in teaching his grandchil- dren the German language and the prayers of the Episcopal church in German. He was buried in Florida, New York, in the ceme- tery where representatives of five generations rest. Joseph Hetzel ( father ) was born March 1, 1810, died March 14, 1895, in the house in which he was born, this having been the home of the Hetzels for more than a century. He was a farmer by occupation, his entire life hav- ing been passed on the farm on which he was born. He was educated in the Florida Acad- emy and was a schoolmate of Hon. William H. Seward, secretary of state in President Lincoln's cabinet. He married, December 4, 1833, Stella H. Ketchum, born November 17. 1810. All of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Iletzel were educated in the Seward Institute at Florida, New York. Children of Mr. Lamoree by first wife: 1. Marshall H., who was a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Dentistry, and who practiced his profession for nineteen years in Grand Rapids, Michi- gan. He was very prominent among his professional brethren, was highly esteemed by his numerous patrons, and was actively iden- tified with the social affairs of the commun- ity. He married Lena R. Strutz, who bore him one daughter, Mildred H., a student in Drew Seminary at Carmel, New York. Marshall H. Lamoree died in 1907. 2. Elizabeth J., a very successful school teacher in New York City. Children of Mr. Lamoree by second wife were two sons who died in infancy.
Mr. Lamoree died in Oswego, New York. November 6, 1910. He won the respect and confidence of the community by his faithful- ness to duty, his uprightness as a man and his fidelity and integrity as a citizen. He was true to his friends, indefatigable in the inter- ests of his clients and in the discharge of public and private trusts.
The surname Sweetzer is SWITZER identical with Sweetser and Switzer, both of which are
still in use in various branches of the family. A native of Switzerland was called a Switzer,
but the term was used especially for one of the hired guards, and in general came to be used for a mercenary soldier. It has been a com- mon name in England for many centuries.
(I) Seth Sweetzer, the immigrant ancestor of the American family, was born in England in 1606, and came from Tring, Herefordshire, England, a place about thirty miles from Lon- don, in 1637. That year he was admitted an inhabitant of Charlestown. He was admitted to the church there, January 8, 1636, and a freeman, March 14, 1638-39. He was a shoe- maker by trade, and a Baptist in religion. A letter from his cousin, Daniel Field, dated at Tring, May 10, 1642, has been preserved. It mentions his cousin Grace, father, aunt, brothers and sister Elis. It notified him that he was to receive a butt of leather for which he was to pay ten pounds to Thomas Welch or Goodman Fowler. It conveyed a message of love to William Phillips and his wife. He made a deed of gift to his son Benjamin in 1660. He died May 27, 1662, and his will was dated May 24, 1662, proved June 17 follow- ing. He bequeathed to his wife Elizabeth, daughter Sarah, son Samuel Blanchard and his wife Mary, daughter Hannah Fitch and to his wife's three children by an earlier mar- riage. His son Benjamin and Edward Drink- er were executors; Mr. Richard Russell and "my brother Thomas Gold" overseers. His first wife was admitted to the church, Septem- ber 9, 1639. He married (second), April, 1661. Elizabeth, widow of Thomas Oakes, of Cambridge. His widow married (third) Sam- uel Hayward. Children : Benjamin, mentioned below; Sarah, Mary, Hannah, baptized Jan- uary 12, 1638-39; Elizabeth, born January 27, 1642-43.
(II) Benjamin, son of Seth Sweetzer, was born in Tring, England, about 1632, died July 22, 1716. He came to Charlestown with his parents when an infant, and inherited the homestead. He followed his trade of lastmaker in Charlestown. He was a prominent Bap- tist at the time that denomination was being oppressed by the Puritans, and he was fined fifty pounds and imprisoned for being a Bap- tist. His will is dated May 5, 1716, and proved August 12, 1718. He bequeathed to his wife, to sons Benjamin, Samuel, Joseph and Wig- glesworth. He married Abigail Wigglesworth, born 1632, died Julv 22, 1718. Children, born at Charlestown: Abigail, Bethiah, Benjamin, born April 24, 1666; Seth, July 7. 1668; Jo-
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seph, January 14, 1670; Samuel, August 1, 1673; Wigglesworth, May 29, 1677.
(III) Benjamin (2) Switzer (Sweetser or Sweetzer, as variously spelled), son of Ben- jamin (1) Sweetzer, was born April 24, 1666, at Malden, died there September 23, 1720. He married, Elizabeth Phillips, who married (sec- ond) William Paine. Children, as given in the Charlestown history : Elizabeth, born June 24, 1694; Benjamin, March 5, 1695-96; William, October 19, 1697; Henry, April 30, died July 25, 1699; John, July 21, 1700; Jonathan, No- vember 22, 1702, died young ; Phillips, May 2, 1704 (a Phillips died at Marlboro, according to Wyman, August, 1798, aged seventy-six, but this record has not been found at Marl- boro) ; Mary. December 5, 1706; Henry, Octo- ber 8, 1710; Mehitable, September 2, 1712.
(V) Henry, grandson of Benjamin (2) Switzer, was son of Henry or Phillips Switzer. The grandfather's family appears to have been scattered and the records have not been found to complete the identification of the parents of Henry Switzer. He was in West- borough, Massachusetts, formerly part of Marlborough, as early as 1761, when his inten- tions of marriage dated August 26 were re- corded at Westborough. He was of West- borough, April 2, 1763, when he bought a farm at Western, now the town of Warren, Worces- ter county, Massachusetts, of Benjamin Flood, and soon afterward he made his home there. He bought more land, January 12, 1765, in Western of Simon Blackmore, and at that time was described as of Western. He bought more land there in 1769 of Peter Damon, of West- ern. He was a soldier in the revolution in Captain John Bannister's company, Colonel Job Cushing's regiment, September 7 to No- vember 29, 1777, from Worcester county. An- other Henry Switzer was at the time an officer in a Hampshire county regiment, credited to Shutesbury.
Henry Switzer married (intention at West- borough) August 29, 1761, Rebecca Liver- more. About the same time Jacob Switzer, November 17, 1763, married at Marlborough, of which Westborough was originally a part, Mary Brigham. It is likely that they were brothers. A Jacob Sweetser, an older man, died at Paxton, leaving wife Susanna (not his first) and children, Elizabeth Parsons. Mary Moore, Ann Ward, Jacob, Benjamin and Sarah, named in will dated June 3. 1783. The
Marlborough Jacob died in the twenties, ap- parently at Lancaster, mentioning in his will his late brother John and his own children: Henry, John, married Charlotte - -- , and had John, Margaret, Charlotte and Ann ; Ben- jamin C., who had a son Jacob ; Sally, married Peter Thurston; Catherine, Fanny Spear and Mary Carlton. In the census of 1790 we find both Henry and Henry Switzer Jr., heads of families in Warren (Western). The elder Henry had three males over sixteen, none un- der that age, and three females in his family, while his son, Henry Jr., had two sons under sixteen and two females in his family. This indicates that Henry Sr. had five children liv- ing at home in 1790. Their names have not been found.
Henry Switzer's wife Rebecca died at War- ren, February 15, 1806, aged seventy-two years, and he died September 1. 1818, in the same town, aged ninety-four years. Children, recorded at Warren: Anna, born October 15, 1762; Henry, mentioned below ; Leah, August 6, 1768; Nathan, April 5, 1770; Silas, men- tioned below. The two latter were living in 1790, but their children are not recorded at Warren.
(VI) Henry (2), son of Henry (1) Swit- zer, was born at Warren, July 10, 1766. He married Molly Brooks ( intention dated March 10. 1787). Children, born at Warren : Eber, October 2, 1788; Timothy, December 28, 1789; Henry, December 20, 1791; Rial, September 19, 1793: Amasa, August 29, 1795; Almon, April 8, 1797 : Nathan, January 25, 1799; Eph- raim, May 20, 1801; Polly, March 29, 1804 : Rebecca Livermore, July 29, 1805; Freeman, January 18, 1807 : Horace, June 24, 1809.
(VI) Silas, son of Henry (1) Switzer, was born at Warren, Massachusetts, September 8. 1773, died, according to a coffin plate preserved by descendants. August 8, 1831, aged sixty- two. His age was a few years less, if the town record of birth is correct, but experience shows that this was a common error on the part of families that had removed from the place of birth of deceased. Silas settled in Warren, and probably moved to New York state, as the record of death does not appear in Warren and his estate was not settled in Worcester county, nor do any deeds of land appear to show that he lived there in his later years, as might be expected if he lived until 1831. Children: Thomas, Sophron (or So-
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fron), Simon and perhaps others who grew to maturity. The following extract from a let- ter written by Joseph Switzer, son of Thomas, to his sister Weltha on May 22, 1877, from Springfield, Massachusetts, is of interest: "I went down to Warren, that is 24 miles farther east of here last Saturday night and came back Monday morning. I found Uncle Sophron and Simon. They are quite old men. Uncle Sophron looks some like father (Thomas), except light eyes and light complexion and more fleshy. Uncle Simon is most as tall as I am and not quite so heavy. He had two daughters, but one is dead, the other lives near Boston. Uncle Sophron has no children, this second wife has a son that is married and lives with them." Sophron, born 1798, is buried at Warren; married (intention dated August 28, 1825), Persis N. Barnes, who died June 13, 1849, daughter of John and Phebe Barnes ; their children died in infancy, one No- vember 18, 1832, and another, a son, died June 22, 1842. Sophron, Simon and Miriam Il., wife of Simon, deeded land to Joseph Fields in 1825. Simon Switzer married (intentions September 1I, 1824), and had two children there: Eliza Ann, born January 8, 1829; Harriet Nye, born June 11, 1831. Simon died at Warren, June 24, 1879, leaving a widow. Miriam H., and one daughter, Harriet N., wife of Joseph Kings- bury, of Waltham, Massachusetts, to whom he left by will all his property.
(VII) Thomas, nephew of Henry (2) Swit- zer, and believed to be a son of Silas Switzer, removed to New York state when a young man. He married Amy Clark. Among his children were: Simon, mentioned below ; Joseph, Silas, Ann, Weltha, Caroline, Miriam, Elizabeth.
(VIII) Simon, son of Thomas Switzer, was born in 1823 in New York state, died Jan- uary 14, 1877. He had a common school edu- cation, and was a carpenter and joiner by trade. He married Mary E. Phelps, born in Eaton, Madison county, New York, July 24, 1826. They have six children, living in 1911 : Fred- erick P., of Holland Patent, New York ; Hat- tie R. Clark, of Oneida, New York ; Frank J., of Fulton, New York, a grocer and dealer in flour, feed and grain; Matie J. Tayntor, of Morrisville, New York ; Carrie E. Shepard, of Frankfort, New York ; William B., mentioned below.
(1X) William B., son of Simon Switzer, was born in Madison county. New York, No-
vember 1, 1857. He was educated in the dis- trict schools, working during the summer months and during his spare time in winter while attending school. At the age of twenty- five he engaged in business as a carpenter and contractor, having learned his trade of his father. He continued in this business until July, 1891. During the remainder of that sea- son he devoted himself to breaking and hand- ling young horses, and in the fall he entered the Ontario Veterinary College of Toronto, Can- ada, from which he was graduated March 24. 1893. He began to practice his profession at Williamson, Wayne county, New York. While a student in the veterinary college he also studied in the Toronto Veterinary Dental School, from which he received a diploma, February 1, 1893. From 1893 to 1899 he was located at Williamson, and since then he has practiced in the city of Oswego, New York. lle has built up an extensive business extend- ing outside the city for a radius of twenty miles. He is secretary and treasurer of the Central New York Veterinary Medical Asso- ciation and a member of the Genesee Valley Medical Veterinary Association and the New York State Medical Association, of which he is vice-president. Dr. Switzer is a self-made man ; starting without capital or advantages, he has educated himself and won a flourishing practice and high standing in the community. He has a well-equipped and commodious hos- pital, designed by himself and maintained in accordance with the best modern ideas of sani- tation. In religion he is a Congregationalist, and he is at present one of the deacons of the church. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and Maccabees.
Dr. Switzer's office is at 50 East Seventh street, Oswego. Naturally he is fond of horses and has owned a number of fine specimens. At the present time he owns the mare, "Lassie," which won a blue ribbon twice at the Madison Square Garden Horse Show, and other first prizes at the New York State Fair at Syra- cuse, New York. She has a very promising yearling colt (1911).
Dr. Switzer married, April 20, 1882, Hattie J., born in Wayne county, New York, Noven- ber 3, 1855, daughter of Amos Skellenger, of Marion, Wayne county, New York Their son, Merritt A. Switzer, was born in Williamson, Wayne county, New York, May 29, 1888;
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graduated from the Law School of Syracuse University, and is now located in the practice of law in Oswego, New York.
In the early records of Massa-
TARBELL chusetts this name is found as Tarball, Tarbel and Tarbell. Its representatives have spread over New Eng- land, New York, and the regions beyond. It was active in the pioneer settlement of Cen- tral New York, and is still ably represented in this state.
(I) Thomas Tarbell, born 1618, probably in England, died June 11, 1678, in Charlestown, Massachusetts. As early as 1647 he was a landowner in Watertown, Massachusetts, his property being valued at twenty-five pounds. He sold a house and thirty acres of land be- sides four acres of meadow adjoining Cam- bridge, March 30, 1663, and removed to Gro- ton, Massachusetts. He was granted twenty acres of land at Groton in association with three others, in 1665, as an inducement to build a mill which was to be exempt from taxation for twenty years and no other in the town was to be permitted to build a mill unless on his own land. At the time of King Philip's war he moved with his family to Charlestown for safety, and there his death was caused by smallpox at the age of sixty years. His first wife, Mary, born 1619-20, died at Groton. April 29, 1674, and he married (second), in Charlestown, August 15. 1678. Susanna, widow of John Lawrence. Children, all born of first wife: Thomas, Mary, Sarah, Abigail, John, Elizabeth, William, Martha.
(II) John, second son of Thomas and Mary Tarbell, was born about 1654, in Watertown. died in Danvers, March 25, 1715. He resided first in Charlestown, whence he removed to Salem village (now Danvers), Massachusetts, and there resided until the end of his life. Be- cause of the persecutions of his wife's family and others by the deluded believers in witch- craft he withdrew from membership and at- tendance of the church, and was subsequently active in procuring the dismissal of Rev. Sam- uel Parris, its pastor. While residing in Charlestown he enlisted as a soldier in King Philip's war, and was known by the title of ensign which was probably earned at this time. On account of this service, in 1728, his heirs received a grant of land in Narragansett No. I. then under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts. now Amherst, New Hampshire. He married,
in Salem, October 25, 1678, Mary, daughter of Francis and Rebecca Nurse, the latter the un- fortunate Rebecca Nurse who was hanged in 1692 as a witch. Children: John, Mary, Cor- nelius, Jonathan, Elizabeth, Sarah.
( III) John (2), eldest child of John (1) and Mary ( Nurse) Tarbell, was born August 9. 1680, in Salem village, where he was bap- tized April 27, 1690, after the witchcraft troubles were over. His birth is recorded in Salem. He resided in Salem village until 1727, when he removed to Billerica, Massachusetts, and there died, February 5, 1757. He married, in Salem, August 21, 1705, Hannah, daughter of John Flint, born 1685, died December 14, 1779, in Billerica, having been over twenty years a widow. Children: William, John, Thomas, Hannah, Anna, Elizabeth, Mary. Jonathan, David.
(IV) Jonathan, fourth son of Jolin (2) and Hannah (Flint ) Tarbell, was born Sep- tember 15, 1726, in Danvers, Massachusetts, baptized at Lynnfield, September 25, of the same year, and died April 9, 1788, in Chester, Vermont. He was living in Billerica in 1755, but before April 25, 1757, had removed to that part of Dunstable which is now Nashua, New Hampshire. In 1761 he had a child baptized in Groton, Massachusetts : was in Westminster, Vermont, in 1765, and four years later in the adjoining town of Rockingham. Before 1772 he settled in Chester, Vermont, where he was road commissioner in that year, and in 1775 was lieutenant of a military company from Chester. which served in the revolutionary army. His first wife Mary ( surname un- known) was the mother of two children. He married (second) Anna, widow of Thomas Patch, of Hollis, New Hampshire, daughter of Joseph Gilson, of Groton, Massachusetts, where she was born July 25. 1722. Children : John, Reuben, Jonathan, Mary, Benjamin, Peter, Isaac, Sarah.
(V) Isaac, sixth son of Jonathan Tarbell, and youngest son of his second wife, Anna ( Gilson-Patchı) Tarbell, was born October 9, 1763, probably in Groton, died in March, 1841. His will made October 21, 1837, stated that he was of Houndsfield, Jefferson county, New York. He resided in Groton and Chester, Ver- mont. before his removal to Houndsfield. He married (first) Joanna Gleason, born 1770-71, died April 22, 1808, in Chester, where he mar- ried (second) February 8, 1809, Mrs. Lydia Wilson. The latter died January 3, 1832.
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Children of first wife: 1. Isaac, born in Graf- ton, died 1832, in Smithville, Chenango county, New York. 2. Eli, mentioned below. 3. Jon- athan, born in Chester, Vermont, died in Illi- nois. 4. John, died near Portsmouth, Vir- ginia. 5. William, resided in Orleans, New York, and Allerton, łowa. 6. Henry, died young. Children of second wife : 7. Thomas, died at Three-Mile-Bay, Jefferson county. 8. Henry, resided in Lyme, same county, died un- married. 9. Joanna Gleason, married Dr. Rufus Thayer and died in Smithville, New York. 10. Sarah, wife of William Thayer, brother of Dr. Thayer, resided in Dimmock, Pennsylvania.
(VI) Eli, second son of Isaac and Joanna (Gleason) Tarbell, was born September 25, 1790, in Vermont, died October 4, 1845, in Smithville, New York. In 1813 he settled on lot 48 in Smithville, which he purchased for one and one-quarter dollars per acre, and from 1820 to 1844 kept a hotel and store at Smith- ville Flats. At the time of his death he was the owner of six hundred acres of land. He married Sybil Parker, born March 7, 1798, died September 22, 1879, in Smithville. Chil- dren : Sewell, Laura, John Seymour, Mary, Charles Parker, George L., Francis, James Henry.
(VII) Charles Parker, third son of Eli and Sybil (Parker ) Tarbell, was born in Smith- ville, where he passed his life, and died at the old homestead, on May 15, 1908. He was a progressive, hard-working farmer, of the okdl school, and always took a great interest in everything that was of benefit to his town and county. He was particularly interested in the town and county fairs, believing that they fur- nished a stimulus that led to better farming and more care and attention in the all-import- ant matter of breeding farm animals. He was a staunch advocate of the public school system and believed that the very best thing that could be done for the children of our country was to give them a good education. He married Mabell M., daughter of Abraham and Lucy Tillotson, born July 7, 1824, died at the old homestead, March 24, 1905. She was a most remarkable woman in every way, a great reader, thoroughly informed on all the public questions of the day, a reasoner and debater of extraordinary ability, and a woman of ster- ling character and integrity. She was a staunch believer in the rights of women, and always predicted that woman suffrage would
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