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 III > Part 12
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Mr. Lewis is a member of Vesta Lodge. Independent Order of Odd Fellows; a mem- her of the official board and president of the board of trustees of the Homer Avenue Meth- odist Church of Cortland. and a member of the Church Federation. In politics he is a Prohi- bitionist. He was elected mayor of the city of Cortland in November, 1910, and inaugu- rated January 1. toll. the first prohibition- elected mayor in any city of New York state. At the time of his election the Cortland Standard said : "Because of his affiliation with the Prohibition party some of his ad- herents of that party will doubtless ex- pect the impossible of him in regard to the things that are uppermost in their minds, and if they expect it they will prob- ably be disappointed. He will not attempt the impossible. He is not a fanatic, even m prohibition, but he believes in the enforce- ment of the law in regard to all things, and will unquestionably do his best to see that this is accomplished. He cannot go beyond the laws, and will not try to do so. He is interested in the welfare of the city of Cort- land in every way, and will no doubt do his very best, as he sees it, to promote its interests along all lines." What his friends said of him at the time of candidacy we quote from the Cortland Standard of October 26, 1010. "Lynn R. Lewis, our candidate for mayor, has
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been a resident of ( ortland for twenty-nine years, and a business man and manufacturer for twenty-two years. He is therefore well known to our citizens, and it is 110 exaggera- tion to say that no man in our community is inore highly esteemed for his sterling integ- rity. He is a man of strong convictions as regards right and wrong, and has the courage of his convictions, fearless in his advocacy of what he believes to be right, always willing to come ont squarely and define his position on any public question. In the event of his election we can assure the citizens of this city a clean, business-like administration, and a square deal for every man, with no special privileges granted to any private or corpor- ate interests." Through Mayor Lewis's keen insight the "Gas Franchise." framed up to extort high prices on a twenty-five-year lease, was vetoed by him. This is only one of the many instances where he has acted most ju- diciously in the interest of the people of his adopted city.
He married, December 20, 1882, Emily. born at Cortland, New York, November 6, 1858, daughter of Philo and Rachel ( Shap- ley) Phelps. Children : Paul M., born Jan- uary 18, 1886; Ralph Eugene, September 24, 1802; Florence Emily, November 6, 1893. died aged ten months.
DIVEN The Diven family is of Scotch- Trish ancestry, which played such an important part in the colonial history of America, and whose sons were characterized as "the backbone of Washing- ton's army" in the struggle for independence. (E) Alexander Diven came from Tyrone, Ireland, and settled in the Cumberland valley, Pennsylvania, where are yet found many of his descendants. He married Margaret ( fam- ily name unknown), who was of English birth. (II) John, son of Alexander Diven, was born in 1752. He was apprenticed to a cab- inetmaker in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. When the revolutionary war broke out, his master. a thorough-going and enthusiastic patriot, urged his workmen and apprentices to enter the army, and among those who cheerfully complied was John Diven. He and his com- panions were with Washington at Valley Forge when their term of enlistment expired. The day for their discharge arrived, and they were drawn up in line in the presence of their general. He spoke to them as few men could
speak, actually with tears in his eyes, and con- cluded by asking that all who would re-enlist would step two paces to the front. There was a moment's hesitation, and then young Diven stepped forward. One followed, then another and another, until the entire line sprang to the front with a shout. They for- got the privations of the camp and their de- sire for home in their love for their com- mander and his fervent presentation of the pressing needs of their country. Their serv- ice continued until the glorious victory at Yorktown.
In 1799 John Diven located in what is now Watkins. and the farm which he bought, cleared and long occupied is on the hill west of the village. He was the first postmaster in that locality. He became interested in the Duncan islands in the Susquehanna river, a large and rich tract of land, the continued possession of which would have made him an immensely rich man, but there was a flaw in the title reaching back to the time of William l'enn. and he could not hold. There was protracted. expensive and exhaustive litigation. and in the end he lost all and came to Watkins. He was twice married, his first wife being of the family of Baskins, of Watkins; they had four sons, all of whom went west. John Diven married ( second ) Eleanor Means Children : Alexander S., of whom further; Eleanor, Charlotte: Elizabeth, married Rev. Daniel Washburn.
( III) General Alexander S. Diven, eldest child of John and Eleanor ( Means) Diven, was born in Watkins, New York, February 10, 1809. died June 11. 1896. He received his education in the Penn Yan and Ovid acad- emies, after which he commenced the study of law with Judge Grey, of Elmira, mean- time teaching school to defray his expenses. He was admitted to the bar in 1832. . He spent some time in the office of Fletcher Haight, in Rochester, New York, and afterwards con- ducted the county clerk's office in Owego. He then went to Angelica, Allegany county, and was there admitted to the bar of the court of common pleas. He remained here eleven years, for a year and a half in partnership with George Miles, who removed to Michigan and became a justice of the supreme court of that state. For five years General Diven was district attorney in Allegany county, which then included the county of Livingston. In 1845 he returned to Elmira to live. and
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that year organized the law firm of Diven, Hathaway & Woods, and successfully pursued professional work until the beginning of the civil war.
He entered early into political life, and was an active member of the Republican party from its very beginning. He served in the New York state senate in 1858-59. In the latter year he was the Freesoil candidate for governor, and a candidate in the state con- vention at the time Judge Henry C. Davies was nominated for judge of the court of appeals. In 1860 he was elected to congress from the twenty-seventh congressional dis- trict. As a member of the judiciary commit- tee and of the house during the early part of the rebellion, he was a staunch and devoted Unionist, and gave the administration un- stinted support. His loyal utterances are a matter of record, and the proceedings of the twenty-seventh congress bear witness to his patriotic devotion. As an anti-slavery man he was well known to the public at large, and although not an extremist, he gave a cordial support to the bill abolishing slavery in the District of Columbia. He was the first to introduce measures providing for the employ- ment of colored troops in the army, draft- ing and introducing the first bill on the sub- ject.
In 1862 Mr. Diven left his seat in con- gress to aid with his sword in the suppression of the rebellion. He assisted in recruiting the One hundred and Seventh Regiment, New York Volunteers, and went into service as its lieutenant-colonel, August 12th. He distin- guished himself in the Virginia campaigns of 1862-63 by his gallantry and skill. After the battle at Antietam he was promoted to colonel. and led the regiment at Chancellorsville in the first conflict. In May, 1863, he was com- missioned adjutant-general with the rank of major, and appointed to the charge of the rendezvous for troops at Elmira, New York. August 30, 1864, he was brevetted brigadier- general, and assigned to special duty as as- sistant provost marshal general for the west- ern district of New York, and subsequently appointed to the command of the northern and western districts, which he retained until the close of the war, performing the duties with energy and success. In the spring of 1865, the war being over, he returned to civil life.
In 1844 General Diven became a director of the New York & Erie Railroad, and was its
attorney until 1865, when he was chosen vice- president, which position he held for three years. During the period from 1844 to 1850 he was conspicuous for his labors and efforts to re-establish the waning credit of the road, and in raising the necessary millions to pro- mote its creation, which he did to completion. In 1844 came the crisis in affairs of the Erie. The road was built only to Binghamton, funds were exhausted, and its officials discouraged, the fate of this great enterprise being in the balance. At a meeting of its directors, hield in New York City that year, a resolution was presented recommending the abandonment of the enterprise. Mr. Diven opposed it so strongly that his resolution recommending its prosecution was submitted, and a new era of effort inaugurated, into which Mr. Diven threw all its energies and labored zealously for years. He drew up the bills passed by the legislature in aid of the road ; he was in- strumental in procuring their passage by the legislative body : the first issues of bonds and mortgages were drafted by him; he was com- missioner of construction during its building, the pay of constructors passing through his hands.
In 1849 General Diven, while engaged in the consolidation of the New York & Erie Railroad, became interested in the Chemung Railroad, extending from the New York & Erie Railroad, near Elmira, to three villages of Jefferson (now Watkins), at the head of Seneca Lake. He was a director in the com- pany which built this road, which was opened in December, 1849, soon after the Erie was opened to Elmira, and was operated in con- nection with the latter road as a continuous line from New York to Jefferson for a couple of years and until the completion of the line to Dunkirk. Soon after the completion of the Chemung Railroad, General Diven became in- terested in the construction of a line from its northern terminal to Canandaigua. The' con- pany which controlled the latter road was originally chartered as the Canandaigua & Corning Railroad Company, for the purpose of constructing a railroad from Canandaigua to Corning. After the construction of the Chemung Railroad the title of the Canan- daigua & Corning Company was, by legislative enactment, changed to the Canandaigua & FI- mira Railroad, thus making a continuous line of railroad from Elmira to Canandaigua. The control for its construction was made with a
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company of which General Diven was a men- ber.
After the completion of this road a still farther extension was made by the construc- tion of the Canandaigua & Niagara Falls Rail- road, which was also constructed by the same firm of constructors. The railroad was con- structed with a gauge and compared with that of the New York & Erie railroad, and formed a continuous broad-gauge line from Elmira to Niagara Falls. This line from Elmira to Can- andaigua is now under the control of the Northern Central Railroad Company, and now leased by the Pennsylvania railroad. Soon after the completion of the road to Canandai- gua, General Diven became interested in the construction of the Williamsport & Elmira railroad, which was originally chartered by the legislature of the state of Pennsylvania in 1832, this being one of the earliest railroad charters in the United States.
As a contractor he was eminently successful. In connection with General Thomas Price and James P. Kirkwood he contracted for the con- struction of the Missouri Pacific railroad, and under the firm name of Diven, Stancliff & Company engaged in the construction of the southwestern branch of that road. He was president of the Elmira & Horseheads Street Car Company, and was also largely interested in the Elmira water works.
General Diven married, in July, 1834, Amanda Beers, born October 22, 1811, died August 18, 1875, daughter of John and Keziah Beers. They had eight children. He married ( second ) 1876, Maria Joy ; no issue.
(IV) George Miles, son of General Alex- ander S. and Amanda (Beers) Diven, was born in Angelica. New York, August 28, 1835, died February 3, 1909, in Elmira. He was educated at the old Elmira Academy, at a pri- vate school in Geneva, New York, and Hamil- ton College, from which he was graduated with a high standing in the class of 1857. He studied law in his father's office and was admitted to the bar in Binghamton in 1862. For a few years afterwards he was in partner- ship with his father, under the firm name of A. S. & G. M. Diven & Redfield. For many years he was the attorney in this region for the Erie railway, and also the legal representa- tive of the Northern Central and Lehigh Val- ley railroads. He early established a reputa- tion as a good and careful lawyer and a sound and trustworthy business man. Ile has had
the management of matters involving unusu- ally large sums of money, and his judgment never failed him or found him at fault. Some of the largest business enterprises of Elmira, in their immature and uncertain beginnings, relied with safety upon his advice and judg- ment. He was a director of the Erie railway, and of the Erie Sleeping Car Company that subsequently became a part of the great Pull- man system. He was instrumental and in- fluential in the reorganization of the rolling mills; managed the affairs of the Water Works Company when the change was made in its organization; originated, and through most embarrassing surroundings, laid out and conducted the street railway; was foremost in the conception and construction of the El- mira State Line railroad, now the Tioga branch of the Erie: brought the La France Manufacturing Company out of the slough into which it had fallen into smooth-sailing waters; and engaged in other but minor mat- ters, all, however, making for the interests of Elmira. For five terms Mr. Diven was president of the board of education of the city of Elmira, during which time were initiated matters of interest to the growing generations of the town, whose influence will be felt far in the future. In 1872 he was chosen one of the trustees of Hamilton College, his alma mater, which office he held for many years. In the winter of 1890-91 he was elected presi- dent of the New York State Bar Association, an honor which of itself measures the high standing he had attained in his profession.
Mr. Diven married, June 3, 1863, Lucy M. Brown, born in Clinton. Oneida county, New York, in 1833, died September 2. 1888, daugh- ter of Alden and Minerva ( Sanford) Brown. Children, born in Elmira, New York : I. Josephine, died in 1872, in her ninth year. 2. Eugene Diven, born August 25. 1865. He graduated from the Lehigh University in 1887, in the mechanical engineering department, and followed his profession for five years at the La France Fire Engine Company of Elmira. at which time his father being abroad, he be- came acting president, continuing in that ca- pacity for about one year. In 1893 he went to Washington to perfect himself in the details of the patent office, serving there until 1895, and during that time studied law at the Na- tional University Law School, taking the de- gree of LL.M. He returned to Elmira in 1895, was admitted to the bar that year, and
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later became a member of the law firm of Diven & Redfield. In 1898 Mr. Redfield re- tired, and the firm name became Diven & Diven, the second son of George M. Diven, Alexander S. Diven, entering the firm, which has continued very successfully ever since. The firm makes a specialty of corporation law and of trustees of estates, also patent law is one of the special features of their practice. The firm represent the Lehigh Valley and Northern Central and other railways in a legal capacity. Mr. Diven was trustee of the Steele Memorial Library. In the will of the late M. H. Arnot he was named to be one of the trustees of the Arnot Art Gallery. He was at one time a member of the board of edu- cation for the city of Elmira. He was a member of the Psi Upsilon fraternity, and was at the time of his death, April 29, 1911, president of the local society of that name in Elmira. He married, September 10, 1890, in Elmira, Jeanette P., youngest daughter of John and Elizabeth ( Andrus) Murdoch. Chil- dren, born in Elmira: Alexander S. (3), born May 26, 1893; Emerson Liscum, April 19, 1898. 3. Alexander S., born November. 1869; married - -; children : Irving Booth, born June 3, 1903; Lucy, February 10, 19II. 4. Alden Brown, born March 4, 1871. 5. Louis, born October 5, 1873.
( IV) Alexander (2), son of General Alex- ander S. and Amanda (Beers) Diven, was born January 22, 1841, died January 25, 1888. Early in manhood he was engaged in the old Elmira Bank, where his business education began under the eye of Lewis J. Standiff, and later became a business man of more than ordinary aptitude and sagacity. During the civil war he was a paymaster in the army, with the rank of major. After the war he engaged in business in Towanda, Pennsyl- vania, when he was elected chief officer of the borough. Returning to Elmira, he took an interest in the Water Works Company, and the two reservoirs in the western part of the city were built under his supervision. The magnitude and excellence of the work are standing monuments to his carefulness and judgment.' He was a large hearted noble man. attracting those closely who came in contact with him, and was able in the Democratic city of Elmira to be elected its mayor, Republican as he was himself, and served as such during the terms of 1880-81-82. He married. July 13, 1864, Anna Z. McQuhae, born in Danville.
Pennsylvania, April 24, 1844, died in Elmira, New York, December 6, 1888, daughter of John and Azubah ( Carpenter ) McQuhac. Children : John McQuhae, died unmarried ; George Maxwell, of whom further; Eleanor died unmarried.
(IV) Eugene, son of General Alexander S. and Amanda ( Beers) Diven, was born June 21, 1843, died September 2, 1888. Ile re- ceived his early education in Elmira and spent one year at West Point, but left the academy there to join an engineering expedition in Mexico in which influential friends were in- terested. He came home from this to enter the army of the Union and was appointed to the staff of General Henry W. Slocum, his commission being the last one that President Lincoln ever signed. He had served on the staff of his father as A. A. A. G. Dept. of Western N. Y. while General Diven was in command of the post at Elmira. After the war Eugen Diven engaged in railroad build- ing and other business enterprises, was for- tunate, and accumulated a competence early in life. He was connected with the La France Manufacturing Company, and depeatedly rep- resented his district in the board of education of the city of Elmira. He married, August 23, 1869, Julia, died March 25, 1910, daugh- ter of II. M. Partridge. Children : Amanda A., married Gordon Buchanan; Eugenia ; Vieva L.
(IV) May, daughter of General Alexander S. and Amanda (Beers) Diven, married Ma- jor Emerson H. Liscum, deceased, of the regu- lar army.
(IV) Alice, daughter of General Alexan- der S. and Amanda (Beers) Diven, died un- married, March 31, 1875, at Fort Lyon, Colo- rado.
(IV) John M., son of General Alexander S. and Amanda ( Beers) Diven, was born April 24, 1852; resides in Troy, New York: married Susan, daughter of Dr. Hepburn, of Elmira. Children : John M. Jr., Alice.
(IV) Eleanor, daughter of General Alex- ander S. and Amanda (Beers) Diven, un- married.
(IV) Amanda, daughter of General Alex- ander S. and Amanda ( Beers) Diven, mar- ried Henry Cogswell Silsbee. Children: 1. Eleanor Diven Silsbee, born in New York City, December 8, 1881; married, September 1.4. 1904, George Warren Wyckoff; children : George W., Henry S., Clinton R. 2. James Al-
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fred Silsbee, born in Elmira, New York, Au- gust 4, 1883.
(V) George Maxwell, son of Alexander Diven, was born June 7, 1870, in Towanda, Pennsylvania. He received his education in the public schools of Elmira, New York, and on coming to manhood entered the employ of the Elmira Water Works, of which he was secretary at the time of the change of man- agement, or at time the plant changed owners, and since then had been retired from mercan- tile and manufacturing pursuits, and deals in real estate and the management of his own property. He is a Republican, and has never held any office. He is a member of the Sons of the Revolution. He married Cora, daugh- ter of Alonzo A. and Eliza ( Young ) West, of Elmira. Children: 1. George Maxwell Jr., born in Elinira. January 9. 1901. 2. John Mc- Quhae, born June 7. 1904, died June 5, 1905.
SAWYER The surname Sawyer was spelled more commonly Sayer in Orange county, New York. and that spelling as well as Sawyer, has sur- vived to the present day. Sometimes the name was spelled Sayre and Sayres and some writ- ers state that it is the same as Sears, but it is likely that Sawyer was the original deriva- tion from the trade name of the progenitor. The lineage here given rests upon genealogical matter in various Orange county histories.
(I) Thomas Sawyer or Sayer, came with two brothers. Joseph and James, from Wales to America and settled early in New Jersey. Thomas Sawyer, of Elizabethtown, New Jer- sey, by deed dated 1704, bought of Benjamin Parkhurst six acres of land in Orange county, near Goshen. This land was lately owned by Walter H. Sawyer, a descendant.
(II) Joseph Sawyer or Sayer, son of Thomas Sawyer or Sayer, was one of the first settlers in Orange county, New York. He had sons : James, mentioned below : John. Dan- iel. Jonathan.
(III) James Sawyer or Sayer, son of Jo- seph Sawyer or Sayer, was born in 1731, clied in 1821. He owned four hundred acres in the south part of Goshen on the main road from Chester to Florida. then in the wilder- ness. He built the central part of the house now standing. Major James Sawyer lived near Goshen in the Drowned Land district, and at the time of the revolution owned a farm there. He was a captain in Colonel William
Allison's regiment, February 6, 1776, and was subsequently appointed quartermaster with the rank of major, February 28, 1776, and again commissioned February 28, 1778. He was with his regiment in the Minisink campaign. when according to family tradition he was wounded in battle. He also took part in the engagements at Forts Clinton and Montgom- ery, October 7. 1777, and in the latter fight, his son. James Jr., was taken prisoner and never returned, dying in captivity. From De- cember, 1776, to April, 1778, the regiment was called into service twelve times and was two hundred and ninety-two days in the field.
James Sawyer married Elizabeth Bradner and had children: James Jr .. Benjamin, Moses, Mathew, Sarah. Temperance. The history of Orange county mentions a Benja- min Sawyer who resided near Carpenter's Point on the Delaware and kept an inn and the ferry; removed to Goshen near Drowned Lands and bought a farm later owned by his son. This Benjamin, probably son of James, had sons John, Moses, General Calvin G .. born in 1796, and Franklin. According to the census of 1790, Benjamin Sawyer was the only head of family at Goshen, having two males over sixteen, one under that age and four females in his family. In the adjacent town of New Cornwall, James Sawyer had two males over sixteen, four under that age, two females, three slaves, and one other per- son in his family. There was a Moses Saw- ver at Granville, Washington county, having four females in his family.
(IV) Moses, son of Major James Sawyer. was born in Orange county, New York. He married Eleanor Holly or Hawley. Children born near Goshen: Elizabeth, married George Jackson : James ; Mary, married Cav- anaugh; Sally, married James Post : Ellen, married John Smith : Harriet, married Thomas: Samuel; Benjamin, mentioned be- low : John L .: Andrew : Charlotte, married - King.
(V) Benjamin, son of Moses Sawyer. was born July 8, 1800. in the Drowned Lands dis- trict near Goshen. New York, died in Waver- ly. New York, February 12. 1861. In 1834 he came to the town of Barton. Tioga county. New York, from Orange county, carting his goods over the rough roads. He located on Talmadge IIill, where he resided for a num- ber of years. He followed farming and lum- bering in partnership with his brother. John
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L. Sawyer. Subsequently he moved to Fac- toryville, now East Waverly, New York. Ile was an active and prominent member of the First Presbyterian Church of Waverly from the time of its organization and was for many years an elder.
He married ( first ) February 20, 1825, Eliza- beth Johnston, born December 18, 1802, in Orange county, New York, died January 16, 1858, in Waverly. He married ( second ) Mary Wilbur. Children, all by first wife : Charles H., mentioned below ; Aloses E., born September 1. 1829, died August 31, 1901; William A., October 17, 1831, died October 23, 1904: Rachel Ann, April 13, 1834, died young ; James M., March 17, 1837, died Feb- ruary 12, 1877 ; Elizabeth, September 28, 1840, married Amasa Finch, of Waverly, and had one daughter, Mary E. Finch.
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