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 II > Part 6
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He married, November 23, 1875, Mary L. Taylor, daughter of D. H. Taylor, and grand- daughter of Hon. Thomas B. Campbell. Chil- dren : 1. Harriet Sarah, born August 30, 1877 ; married, September 19, 1901, Maulsby Kim- ball; children : Charles Stockton Kimball, born August 17, 1902; Maulsby Kimball (2), May 20, 1904; Emily Nelson Kimball, February 2, 1909. 2. Mary Louise, born December 16,
1883, died April 28, 1905. 3. Lucy Witham, born April 19, 1888. 4. Dorothy Taylor, May 18, 1891.
HORNING This name is found among those of the inhabitants of Mechlenburg, Germany, where for many years prior to the emigration to the United States the family had lived. They were industrious, hardworking people, possessed of those German elements of character that al- ways make for success in life wherever they settle. This record begins with John Horning, of Mechlenburg, who owned a small farm on which he lived and reared a family of eight children, six of whom emigrated to the United States, namely: John H. (of whom further) ; Joseph, William, Sophia, Duretta, Fred.
(II) John H., son of John Horning, was born in Mechlenburg, Germany, 1836, died in Otto, Cattaraugus county, New York, January 10, 1889. He was educated in Germany, where he married and worked at farming until 1871, when he came to the United States, finally settling in Little Valley, New York. He worked for the farmers of the town until his savings enabled him to purchase a farm of fifty acres, which he successfully operated as a dairy farmı. He prospered and was a highly- respected citizen of the town. He was of quite, unassuming manner, but full of energy and force. He was a member of the Lutheran church in Germany, but as there was no church of that denomination in Little Valley at that time he worshiped with his family in the Methodist church. In politics he was a Re- publican, but never took active part in public affairs. He married Maria Peters, who was born in Mechlenburg, Germany, 1833, died in Otto, New York, 1884. Children: I. Eliza, born May 3, 1857; married Richard L. Wearne. 2. Henreca, born February 12, 1862 ; married Fred B. Herrick; children: Vevah, married Harry Abbey ; Arthur. 3. Mary, born May 6, 1864 ; married Fred Schmail ; children : Beulah and Otis. 4. John David (of whom further).
(III) John David, youngest child of John H. Horning, was born in Mechlenburg, Ger- many, May 7, 1866. When he was five years of age his parents came to this country, set- tling in Little Valley, New York. He attended the public schools of that place until the re- moval of his parents to Otto, and in the schools of that town completed his studies. He then
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turned his attention to the occupation of cheese making, which line of work he followed in various parts of the country from 1885 to 1903, a period of eighteen years. In the latter named year he formed a partnership with C. J. Clair under the firm name of C. J. Clair & Company, cheese manufacturers, in which en- terprise they were highly successful, and this connection continued until 1910, when Mr. Horning disposed of his interest, retiring from the cheese manufacturing business. He then devoted his attention to the cutlery business, in which he is engaged at the present time (1912) and of which he is making a success. He is a member and steward of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Horning is a Republican in politics, and for eight years held the office of as- sessor in Little Valley, New York. He is a member of Little Valley Lodge, No. 812, Free and Accepted Masons. He married Alice Elizabeth Briggs, born October 13, 1865, daughter of Lewis C. Briggs (see Briggs VIII). Child: Cecil LeRoy, born December 8, 1890.
(The Briggs Line).
(I) John Briggs, the first member of the line here under consideration of whom we have definite information, was in Newport, Rhode Island, where he was admitted a free- man in October, 1638. He was possessed of some fortune, as would appear from his nu- merous land purchases in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. He moved to Portsmouth, Rhode Island, in 1639, was a member of the general court and commissioner for the four towns of Providence Plantations. He is of frequent mention in colonial records, both as an official and in land transfers. His will, dated April 19, 1690, was probated September 17, 1690. He does not mention his wife, as she had preceded him to the grave. He men- tions sons : John, Thomas, Enoch, John ; daughter, Susanna.
(II) John (2), son of John (1) Briggs, was a resident of Portsmouth and Little Compton, Rhode Island. He inherited land from his father and purchased another tract at Tiverton. He also received land from his father-in-law. He married Hannah, daughter of Edward Fisher, of Portsmouth. Sons : Ed- ward and John, and possibly Job and William. There is no record of daughters.
(III) Edward, son of John (2) Briggs, was a wheelwright, and at various times made land
purchases in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. His wife Sarah survived him and made sev- eral land transfers after the death of her hus- band, about 1718. Both the wills of Edward and his wife are found in Taunton records. Children: Deborah, born March II, 1693; Hannah, December 19, 1698; Walter, Febru- ary 19, 1701 ; Josiah, March 4, 1703; Charles, February 20, 17II. Walter, the eldest son, settled in West Chester, New York, and is the ancestor of a numerous progeny.
(IV) Josiah, second son of Edward Briggs, was born in Tiverton, Rhode Island, March 4, 1703. He married Lillie Children : Sarah, born February 21, 1752; Ephraim (of whom further).
(V) Ephraim, son of Josiah Briggs, was born June 29, 1756, and lived in Massachu- setts. He married and has sons, including Ephraim (of whom further).
(VI) Ephraim (2), son of Ephraim (1) Briggs, was born in Massachusetts, October 5, 1785, and at an early date he settled on Black Creek, Allegany county, New York. He mar- ried Elizabeth Cheesman, born November II, 1793. Children: Elias, born July 6, 1810; Ephraim (3), March 9, 1811 ; Calvin, Septem- ber 27, 1812; Calvin, December 6, 1814; Maria; Lucinda ; John, born April 12, 1822; Elizabeth, September 13, 1824; James H., May 25, 1827; Lewis C. (of whom further).
(VII) Lewis C., son of Ephraim (2) Briggs, was born May 19, 1829. He is at the present time (1912) a farmer of the town of Cuba, Allegany county, New York, and al- though in his eighty-third year actively man- ages his own farm. He married Elizabeth Ann Ingalls, born 1832, died April 21, 1910, daughter of John W. and Elizabeth (Mar- shall) Ingalls. Children: I. Wallace G., mar- ried Ida Pratt ; children: Arthur E., married Georgia Rowland and has a son Raymond ; Earl, died at the age of ten; Myrtie, married John Lyman and has a daughter Lela; Maud, married Amos Peterson and has Dorothy and Arthur ; Bertha, married Bertie Roat and has Edith and Glenn; Gladys, married Truman Gleason and has Conley Wallace; Ethel, mar- ried Wells Cornell ; Hazel; Grace. 2. Arthur, married Mary Jane Greer ; children: Lee, inarried Edna -: one child, Russell; Cressie ; Wilmah. 3. Alice Elizabeth, married John David Horning (see Horning III). 4. Addis, married Alice Jenks ; children : Mor- ris, Lawrence, Bessie.
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The genealogy of the Jewett JEWETT family has been traced to Henri de Juatt, a knight of the First Crusade, 1096-1099. In ancient records the name appears as Juett, Juit, Jewit, and in other varied forms, but in all cases the spelling pre- serves the pronunciation. The record of the Jewett family in America begins with the set- tlement of Rowley, Massachusetts. In 1638 about sixty families, led by Rev. Ezekiel Rogers, came from Yorkshire, England, and began the settlement of Rowley early the fol- lowing season. Among these pioneers were the brothers, Maximilian and Joseph Jewett, men of substance from Bradford, Yorkshire, England. It is from Joseph that the Jewetts of Buffalo descend.
(I) Edward Jewett, of Bradford, York- shire, England, died 1615; married, 1604, Mary Taylor. Children : William, Maximilian, Joseph and Sarah.
(II) Joseph, son of Edward Jewett, was born in Bradford, England, December 31, 1609, died February 26, 1660. He came to America, landing in Boston, Massachusetts, December 1, 1638, accompanied by his brother Maximilian. He married Ann Allen, and had a son Joseph.
(III) Joseph (2), son of Joseph (I) Jew- ett, was born in Rowley, Massachusetts, Feb- ruary 1, 1656. He married Ruth Wood, and had a son Joseph.
(IV) Joseph (3), son of Joseph (2) Jewett, married Mary Hibbard, and had a son Nathan. (V) Captain Nathan Jewett, son of Joseph (3) Jewett, married Deborah Lord; settled in Lyme, Connecticut, and had a son Joseph.
(VI) Captain Joseph (4) Jewett, eldest son of Captain Nathan Jewett, was born in Lyme, December 13, 1732. He was a captain in the revolutionary army, serving in Colonel Hunt- ington's regiment. He was in the battle of Flatbush, Long Island, and, being taken prisoner, surrendered his sword to a British officer, who instantly plunged it through his body. He died August 31, 1776. He married. May 18. 1758, his second cousin, Lucretia Rogers, born May 4, 1740, daughter of Dr. Theophilus Rogers and Elizabeth Hyde, of Norwich, Connecticut. Ten children.
(VII) Josiah, fourth son of Captain Joseph Jewett, was born at Lyme, Connecticut, De- cember 29, 1773, died at Moravia, New York, February 26, 1860. He moved to Moravia, Cayuga county, New York, in 1814, where he
engaged in farming. He was a deacon of the church, and a man of good standing in his town. He married (first ) November 29, 1798, Elizabeth M. Smith, born November 16, 1777, at Durham, Connecticut, died in Moravia, New York, October 2, 1816. Nine children. He married (second) January 16, 1817, Sophia Skinner, born December 17, 1796, daughter of Colton and Prudence (Prendegrass) Skinner, of Moravia. Six children, all born in Mo- ravia : I. Sherman S., born January 17, 1818; became a leading manufacturer and financier of Buffalo, New York; organized the foundry firm of Jewett & Root in 1843, which contin- ued thirty years; also the house of Sherman S. Jewett & Company; was president of the Bank of Buffalo from its organization until 1890; director of the Manufacturers' and Traders' Bank, thirty years; of the Marine Bank, twenty years ; of the Columbia National Bank from its foundation until his death, also director of the Bank of Niagara Falls. He was heavily interested in railroads, insurance companies, city improvement, and one of the founders of the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, which he endowed with a permanent fund known as the Jewett fund. He was one of the original members of the Republican party ; served in Buffalo common council, and several times as mayor pro tem. In 1880 he was pres- idential elector. He was one of the founders of the Buffalo Club, and president of the Park Commission. He married, August 14, 1839, Deborah Dusenbury, of Buffalo. He died Feb- ruary 28, 1897. 2. John Cotton, of whom fur- ther. 3. Joseph, died in infancy. 4. Dr. Charles Carroll, born June 28, 1827 ; married, January 17, 1856, Ellen R. Burroughs, of Buffalo. 5. James Harvey, born October II, 1830; farmer ; married, June 3, 1854, Mary F. Coly- com, of Sardinia, New York. 6. Matilda Caroline, born December 8, 1824; died May 17, 1849; unmarried.
(VIII) John Cotton, second son of Deacon Josiah and his second wife, Sophia (Skinner) Jewett, was born in Moravia, Cayuga county, New York, February 2, 1820, died at Los Angeles, California, February 18, 1904. He was educated in the public schools and until seventeen years of age led the life of a typical farmer boy. About 1837 he joined his half- brother, Samuel Parson Jewett, who was a merchant of Ann Arbor, Michigan. He at first occupied a clerical position, but showed such business ability that Samuel soon made
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him a partner. Later John C. retired from the firm and established a general store at Al- bion, Michigan. In 18.49 he returned to New York state, locating at Buffalo, where he be- gan in a small way the manufacturing of re- frigerators. This business grew step by step until to-day the John C. Jewett Manufacturing Company sends its products all over the world. In the building up and conducting this great business he was ably seconded by his sons, Edgar B. and Frederick A. Jewett. Edgar B. was admitted and the firm became John C. Jewett & Son. With the extension of their business The John C. Jewett Manufacturing Company was incorporated. Mr. Jewett re- tained an active interest in the company for forty years, and was the father of one of the great industries of Buffalo and New York state, and must always be regarded as one of the important pioneers of industrial Buffalo. He was identified with the Republican party, and the Methodist Episcopal church.
He married, February 2, 1843, Priscilla Boardman, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, then in her seventeenth year. She was a woman of strong mental powers and every Christian, womanly virtue. Children: 1. Edgar Board- man, of whom further. 2. Carrie Amelia, born October 3, 1847 ; married Hugh McKibbin. 3. Matilda Caroline, born August 11, 1849; married Risley Tucker. 4. Ella, born April 7, 1855, in Buffalo; married Willis H. Howes. 5. Frederick Arthur, born in Buffalo, Novem- ber 10, 1859. died April 3, 1906; educated in public schools and De Veaux College, Niagara Falls. Early in 1878 he joined his father and brother as clerk in the office of John C. Jewett & Son, and three years later was elected treas- urer of the John C. Jewett Manufacturing Company, an office he held until death. He spent a great deal of time after his first years of close application to business, in foreign travel. He married, June 30, 1891, Anna Louise, daughter of Robert W. James, of Lockport, New York; children: Robert and Katherine. 6. Mabel, born in Buffalo, June 22, 1864, died January 26, 1866.
(IX) Edgar Boardman, eldest son of John Cotton Jewett, was born in Ann Arbor, Michi- gan, December 14, 1843. He was a lad of six years when his father came to Buffalo, where Edgar B. was educated in the public schools. On leaving school he at once joined his father in business, and in 1865 was ad- mitted to a partnership as John C. Jewett &
Son. The business of manufacturing refrig- erators grew to such immense proportions that a corporation became a necessity, and in 1885 the John C. Jewett Manufacturing Company was incorporated. December 7, 1885, he was elected president and general manager of that company, a position he yet holds (1911) in addition to other important official duties. He is president of the Jewett Refrigerator Com- pany and vice-president of the Cary Safe Com- pany, all Buffalo activities. He was also pres- ident of Columbia National Bank of Buffalo, and has other interests of a minor nature.
Mr. Jewett has never been so absorbed in business as to overlook his duties as a citizen. He gave twenty-four years service to his state in the National Guard, and wore the blue dur- ing the civil war. To his own city he has given honorable service as chief executive, and his influence always for the public good. He enlisted as a private in Company C, Seventy-fourth Regiment, New York National Guard, in 1861. In 1863 that regiment was called out, and he was on duty at New York City in the service of the United States during the great draft riots, and was instrumental in restoring peace and order to that city after a week of riot and bloodshed. Shortly after- ward similar conditions existing in Buffalo, the Seventy-fourth was again called into action, their service in the two cities and elsewhere covering a period of three months. In May, 1863, he was elected sergeant, and held that rank from June to August of that year, the period covering the draft riots, Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania, and the campaign imme- diately following, in which Sergeant Jewett participated with credit. June 29, 1865, he was commissioned first lieutenant ; April 3, 1866, captain ; October 9, 1870, inspector of the Fourteenth Brigade; April 11, 1877, major and also inspector of rifle practice of the Eighth Brigade; October 25, 1880, he was ap- pointed chief of staff of the Fourteenth Brigade ; March 29, 1884, he was elected brig- adier-general of the Eighth Brigade, serving until December 7, 1885, when he resigned on account of his increased business respon- sibilities.
Always a Republican, General Jewett has been much in the public eye. March 1, 1894, he was appointed by Mayor Bishop, a police commissioner of Buffalo. His record in this office brought him the nomination for mayor, and the following November he was elected
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by the largest majority then ever given a can- didate for that office. His administration was marked by much needed reform; twelve new school buildings, among them the new Masten Park High School, were erected ; street clean- ing contracts were let to the lowest bidder, and much money saved the city by this rout of the hitherto favored bidders. The plan of utilizing vacant city lots by allowing them to be culti- vated, whereby five hundred and seventy-eight families were greatly benefited, was a plan in- troduced by Mayor Jewett. He also extended the civil service to include the entire city gov- ernment, and widely extended the merit sys- tem. He managed the business of his office with the same care and efficiency shown in his private business, and gave Buffalo a prac- tical demonstration of clean administrative methods. He is a member of the Church of the Good Shepherd (Episcopal) and is prom- inent in the Masonic Order, holding all de- grees up to and including the Thirty-second degree, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. His club is the Otowega of Buffalo.
General Jewett has always been interested in the preservation of the history of his family. and on July 7, 1910, was elected the first presi- dent of The Jewett Family of America, an as- sociation of the descendants of Edward Jew- ett, incorporated under the laws of the State of Massachusetts for the "Collection and pres- ervation of books, pamphlets, documents, manuscripts and other historical and antiquar- ian matter ; the publication of historical articles from time to time; the protection of records and monuments of the forefathers; and erec- tion of suitable memorials and the holding of re-unions of the family for promoting ac- quaintance and good fellowship."
He married (first) October 3, 1865, at Ann Arbor, Michigan, Elizabeth Foster Danforth, born in Ann Arbor, October 26, 1845, died in Buffalo, August 9, 1905, daughter of George and Mary (Foster) Danforth. He married (second) January 6, 1909, Augusta Elizabeth Fisher, born at Tionesta, Pennsylvania, May 9. 1870, daughter of James J. and Nancy A. Fisher. Children of first marriage: I. Maude, born January 8, 1868, died June 5, 1868. 2. George Danforth, born May 21, 1869, died August 21, 1869. 3. John Edgar, born Sep- tember 2, 1871 ; educated in Buffalo schools; associated in business with his father, and is vice-president and manager of the Jewett Re- frigerator Company of Buffalo. He married,
April 24, 1893, in Buffalo, Marian Lucille Comstock ; children : i. Edgar Boardman (2), born February II, 1895. ii. Richmond, May 27, 1896. iii. John Edgar (2), November 24, 1898. iv. Jesse Armstrong, November 23, 1907. 4. Mabel, educated in Buffalo schools ; married, in Buffalo, June 1, 1899, Charles A. White, born in Elmira, New York, August 4, 1869; children : Jewett, born May 12, 1904; Priscilla, June 2, 1907.
COVELL The first of the Covell family in this country was Ezra Covell, who came to Plymouth in July, 1635, at the age of fifteen years. His name was on the list of those able to bear arms in 1643. The names Covell and Cowell were used sometimes interchangeably. There was a John Covell, of Marblehead, in 1668, but nothing further is known of him. Philip Covell or Cowell lived at Malden, Massachu- setts ; married there, November 26, 1687, Eliz- abeth, daughter of Philip Atwood, and had a daughter Sarah, born April 13, 1689. Joseph Covell or Cowell, of Woburn, married, Feb- ruary 27, 1685, Alice Palmer and had sons : Philip, born February 12, 1692, died young, and Joseph, born December 9, 1694. Edward Covell or Cowell was in Boston in 1645, died there September 12, 1691, and by wife Mar- garet had John, Joseph, Elizabeth, William, born June 28, 1655.
(II) Nathaniel Covell is reported of Chat- ham, Massachusetts, son-in-law of William Nickerson in 1667, but nothing further is found. If this record is correct, he must have been a son of Ezra Covell, mentioned above. William Nickerson was the real founder of Monomoy (Chatham). During the first twenty- five years it was little more than a Nickerson neighborhood. There was no settlement of his estate, but he died in 1689-90. Several years before he arranged his affairs so that the management passed to his daughter, Sarah Covell, and son, William Nickerson, Jr. He conveyed as early as February, 1685-86, to Mrs. Covell all his property, but December 2, 1687, he and his daughter joined in a deed of a tract of land called Monamesett Neck and a half-interest in his other property except the homestead to William Jr. Sarah was widow of Nathaniel Covell, who was deputy constable of Monomoy in 1674. Ephraim and Joseph Covell, doubtless their sons, conveyed land in 1715. Another son Nathaniel was on the
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committee to range and renew the bounds be- tween Harwich and Monomoy, May 28, 1703. Nathaniel Covell Sr. was with Robert Eldred and Tristram Hedges, all sons-in-law of Wil- liam Nickerson, sued in October, 1666, by a rival claimant to their lands. Nathaniel Covell died soon afterward.
(III) Joseph Covell, of Monomoy, son of Nathaniel Covell, married (second) March I, 1703-04, Hannah Bassett at Eastham. By his first wife Lydia he had Lydia, born July 12, 1701 ; married May 16, 1716, Thomas Nicker- son, at Chatham.
(IV) John, son of Joseph Covell, lived at Harwich and in that part of the county ceded to Chatham about 1723, when he was school- master in Chatham for thirty pounds a quar- ter. He married, October 12, 1721, Thankful Bangs and had Elizabeth, born July 9, 1722, at Chatham : John (mentioned below).
(IV) Nathaniel, son of Joseph Covell, mar- ried, at Chatham, May 16, 1727. He appears to have had a second wife Mary, and a third wife Jerusha, who was living in 1758. Chil- dren of Nathaniel and Mary Covell, born at Chatham: Joseph, born July 3, 1741 ; Nathan- iel : Obadiah, January 28, 1744; Dorcas, June I, 1747; Isaac, April 6, 1749; Judah, March 25, 1751 ; Ebenezer, December 6, 1752; Dor- cas, April 4, 1755.
(IV) James, son of Joseph Covell, married (first) Mehitable, who died November 26, 1761, aged fifty-two, at Chatham. He mar- ried (second) Ruth -. His records are given in order to complete all that is found of the family practically in this section at an early date. For many years he was town clerk of Chatham. Children of James and Mehitable Covell: Mehitable, born February 15, 1727- 28; Ruth, March 13, 1729-30, married Prince Nickerson ; Drusilla, April 23, 1732; Hannah, November 13, 1734, died young ; Joseph, Sep- tember 26, 1736, died young ; Joseph, January IO, 1737-38; Hannah, January 30, 1739; James, June 28, 1742; Constant. March 3. 1744; Samuel, May 22, 1748. Children of James and Ruth Covell: Ruth, born Septem- ber 13, 1764; Joshua, October 13, 1766; Nathan, September 6, 1768.
(\') John (2), son of John (1) Covell, was born about 1733 in Chatham or Harwich, Mas- sachusetts. He or a son of the same name was a soldier in the revolution. The name is not given with a "Jr.", however, and the pre- sumption is in favor of the theory that this
service belongs to this man. He was a private in Captain Samuel King's company, Colonel Josiah Whitney's regiment, August to Decem- ber, 1776; also in Captain Abijah Bangs' com- pany, Colonel Nathaniel Freeman's regiment, in the secret expedition to Rhode Island in 1777. John Covell moved from Massachusetts about 1786 to Pittstown, New York, and died there in 1806, aged seventy-three years. He had a son Benjamin (mentioned below). Ac- cording to the census of 1790 he was living at Pittstown, Albany county, New York, and had in his family four males over sixteen, four under that age and five females. At that time sixteen heads of Covell families were reported in New York state. All were doubtless of this family and had moved after the revolution in most instances.
(VI) Benjamin, son of John (2) Covell, was born in Harwich or Chatham in 1761. He entered the American army very young, as a private in Captain George Webb's company, and served at Providence, 1777; also in the same company, Colonel Holbrook's regiment, 1777-81. He enlisted in 1777 for the war (vol. iv. "Mass. Soldiers and Sailors," p. 24). Edward Covell, of Harwich, Ephraim Covell of Harwich and Wellfleet, Henry and Thomas Covell of Harwich, Joseph Covell of Ware- ham, Peter Covell, of Brattleborough, Ver- mont, Richard, Samuel, Solomon and William Covell were Massachusetts soldiers in the revolution. The Covells went to Connecticut early, especially to Windham and Hartford counties, and in 1790 fifteen Covell families were reported in that state. According to the Chautauqua county history Benjamin was at the taking of Burgoyne, at Sullivan's defeat and at the battle of Monmouth.
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