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 17
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He married, October 26, 1869, Lilia J. Pot- ter, born in Laurens, Otsego county, New York, daughter of Orman and Mary E. (Burdwin) Potter. Children : Sidney Smith. born August 3, 1870, died June 12, 1902: Mary Isabella, born June 6, 1872, died Au- gust 11, 1872: Adrian Potter, mentioned be- low ; Linn Horatio, mentioned below : Orman Truesdell, born November II, 1877, died February 8, 1904: Lena Bell, born August 24. 1879, married September 18, 1901, Frank Rogers, superintendent of Borden milk plants in main office, New York City, and they have
one daughter, Mary Helena Rogers, born June 15. 1904.
(VII) Adrian Potter, son of Dr. Limm Babcock, was born at Norwich, New York, January 28, 1874, and died January 15, 1902. He attended the public schools, and at an early age demonstrated that he inherited the musical ability of his father. After gradu- ating from the public schools and taking a course in a school at Albany, he applied him- self to mastering the piano under the instruc- tion of his gifted father. Afterward he was for a year a student of the famous Schar- wenka, of New York City, and by the advice of this teacher he was sent to Germany for further study in music. Accordingly, in 1894. he entered the Royal Conservatory of Leipsic. where his father had been a student years be- fore, and after three years, was graduated with high honors. Upon his return he was received with great favor by the musical world. He taught music in the public schools of Norwich, and conducted large classes in Waterville, Hamilton and other places in this section of the state. He was elected vice- president of the State Music Teachers' Asso- ciation.
In February, 1901. he was appointed musical director of the Asheville ( North Caro- lina ) Ladies' College, Asheville, and won great success in his work in that institution. Largely owing to his genius and efficient la- bors, the school attained the highest degree of prosperity in its history. At the close of his first year there, however, he was fairly worn out by his work, but instead of resting he conducted a summer school with the as- sistance of Professor F. W. Reisberg, of New York City. Though the enterprise was suc- cessful, the strain was too great for Mr. Bab- cock's constitution and he broke down. ln commenting on his death, a local newspaper said: "His death following so close upon that of his distinguished father in whose footsteps he was so worthily following, is a grievous blow to his family and friends now doubly bereaved. Like his father, he had none of the affectations or nervous irritability common to musicians, but was noted somewhat as an athlete a few years ago. He was a great favorite in society, generous, fun loving and honorable." Mr. Babcock was a member of Norwich Lodge, No. 302, Free Masons : Har- mony Chapter, No. 51. Royal Arch Masons : Norwich Commandery, No. 46. Knights Temp
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lar, and Ziyara Temple, Mystic Shrine. He was also a member of the Norwich Club.
(VIII) Linn Horatio, brother of Adrian Potter Babcock, was born at Norwich, Che- nango county, New York, May 11, 1876. 1le attended the public schools of his native town and was graduated from the Norwich high school. He began his business career as clerk in the store of L. & A. Babcock, piano mer- chants, established by his father and uncle, and has been a member of the firm since January, 1899. Since his father's death the business has been continued under the same name. Mr. Babcock has taken a lively inter- est in public affairs, and has been a trustee of the incorporated village of Norwich for seven years. In politics he is a Democrat. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, a member of Norwich Lodge; Harmony Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Norwich Commandery, Knights Templar; and of Katurah Temple, Mystic Shrine, of Binghamton; also of the Eagles, Elks, and the local lodge of Odd Fellows. In religion he is a Episcopalian.
He married, June 14, 1899, Marion Olive Whitmore, of Sherburne, New York, daugh- ter of George Byron and Marion Augusta (Furman) Whitmore, of Brooklyn. Her father was born in Columbus, New York, June 29, 1834, and died October 18, 1909, son of Luther Whitmore, who was born in Columbus, New York, in 1792, and Elsie ( Perkins) Whitmore. Samuel Whitmore, father of Luther, married Annie Blackman. and came from Massachusetts to Chenango county, New York, with the pioneer settlers. Children of Linn H. Babcock: George Byron Whitmore, born December 9, 1900; Linn Ho- ratio, February 22, 1903; Adrian, November 25, 1909. died in infancy; Marion Olive, Oc- tober 21, 1910.
(VII) Adrian, son of Alva Babcock, was born in South New Berlin, Chenango county, New York. December 23. 1843. He attended the public schools of his native town and lived there until the year 1875. In partnership with his brother Linn Babcock he engaged in the piano business in 1866, and since then the business, which was originally established by his brother, has been conducted under the firm name of L. & A. Babcock. The store was moved to Norwich in 1876, and the firm has for many years had the largest retail piano trade in central New York. The firm devotes all its attention to the sale of pianos.
piano players and organs. The show rooms at 68 East Main street are undoubtedly the handsomest in the state, excepting only New York City. The taste shown in the unique decorations and arrangement is worthy of special mention. Adrian Babcock continues at the head of the firm, and is perhaps the best known man in Central New York in his line of trade. The firm has the agency for the Chickering, Weber, Ivers & Pond, Whee- lock, Cable and other pianos, the Esty and Packard organs and pianola players, and has made a specialty of the Chickering piano. The firm has in recent years also maintained branch stores in various sections of the state. Since 1876 Mr. Babcock has resided in Nor- wich. He is well known among all classes of men, and active and influential in public affairs. In politics he is a Democrat. He has been trustee of the incorporated village of Norwich. He is a member of Norwich Lodge of Free Masons; of Harmony Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; of Norwich Command- ery, Knights Templar, and Ziyara Temple, Mystic Shrine, of Utica. In religion he is a Baptist.
(The Whitmore Line).
The name Whitmore is derived from a Gothic king, Widmar, "famous-with-the- spear," and as early as 1215 the name ap- pears on the English records, at the time of the signing of the Great Charter at Runny- mede by King John. Whitmore Hall is sit- uated 146 miles from London, in the village of Whitmore, Staffordshire, England, and in 1652 was held by the Mainwaring family when the family intermarried. John De Whit- more was mayor of Chester, 1369-1372, and Sir George Whitmore was mayor of London in 1632. Doubtless the Whitmore family of America came from Staffordshire, although the descent has not been traced.
(I) Francis Whitmore, the immigrant an- cestor, was born in England, in 1625, and died at Cambridge, October 12, 1685. He married (first) Isabel, daughter of Richard and Margery (Crane) Parke. She died at Cambridge, March 31, 1665, and he married { second ) November 10, 1666, Margaret Harty, who died March 1, 1686. He came to America very likely sometime in the 1630's, and before 1648 was in Cambridge, and owned property there, and Charlestown, Medford. and Lexington. His name and his wife's name appear on a petition to save an old
George B. Whitmore
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woman charged with being a witch, though he was a Puritan. He served in King Phil- ip's war. Ile was a selectman and constable in 1668 and 1682. In his will he made pro- vision for the education of his children. Children by first wife, born at Cambridge : Elizabeth, May 2, 1049; Francis, mentioned below : John, October 1, 1654; Samuel, May 1, 1658; Abigail, July 30, 1600; Sarah, March 7, 1662. Children by second wife, born at Cambridge: Margaret, September 9, 1608; Francis, March 3, 1671; Thomas, 1673; Jo- seph, 1675.
(11) Lieutenant Francis (2) Whitmore, son of Francis (1) Whitmore, was born at Cambridge, October 12, 1650, and died at Middleton, Connecticut, September 9, 1700. He married, February 8, 1674, Hannah, daughter of William and Edith Harris. He was lieutenant in the Middleton train band in 1691 and 1699. Children, born at Middleton : Francis, November 25, 1675 : Hannah, Novem- ber 23, 1677; Abigail, January 23, 1681 ; Jo- seph, mentioned below ; William, December 18. 1689: Edith, March 3, 1692; Ezebel, Deceni- ber, 1694; John, April, 1698.
( III) Joseph, son of Lieutenant Francis (2) Whitmore, was born at Middleton, Au- gust 1, 1687, and died at Lyme, April 29, 1737. He lived at Middleton. He married, May 16, 1709, Mary Warner, who died May 2, 1732. Children, born at Middleton : Mary. April 15. 1710; Joseph, March 26, 1713. died June 1. 1714; Abigail, born March 26, 1713; Hannah, December 25, 1715; Seth, April 24, 1717: Martha, June 11, 1719: Francis, Au- gust 3, 1721, died March 8, 172 -; Samuel, January 10, 1723: Francis (2d), mentioned below: Jedidiah, June 29, 1728, died Febru- ary 1, 1730.
(IV) Francis (3), son of Joseph Whitmore. was horn at Middleton, April 8, 1725, and married, November 15, 1750, Elizabeth Hale,
(V) Samuel, son of Francis ( 3) whitmore. was born at Middleton, December 26, 1751. He married Annie Blackman, and came to Chenango county, New York, from Middle- ton, when a young man. he was a cooper by trade, but spent most of his life in New York as a farmer. He became well-to-do and prominent in the town of Columbus, where he made his home, and both he and his wife lived to be eighty-six years of age.
(VI) Luther, son of Samuel Whitmore, was born in 1792, at Columbus, New York.
He was educated at the public schools and at Fairfield Academy, being a graduate there in 1815. For a time he was clerk in a store and a surveyor, and also taught in district schools. He was among the best educated men of the times in the country, and a lover of Shakespeare. Ite was a farmer, and his good business methods brought him much land. In politics he was a Whig and Repub- lican, and during most of his life hell public offices. He married Elsie, daughter of Dan- iel Perkins, an early settler in Shawler Creek, near the Great Western turnpike. Children : Samuel, was a farmer in Chenango county ; Daniel E., a leading citizen of Marathon Vil- lage, Cortland county, New York; Ann F., married Nicholas Richer : Augustus C., a farmer in Wisconsin; John L., a physician and pharmacist in Minnesota: George B., mentioned below; Henry J., was a teacher and merchant in Minnesota : Lee H., of Min- nesota ; Alice, married Andrew Robinson, a stone-mason in Chenango county.
(VII) Hon. George Byron Whitmore, son of Luther Whitmore, was born in Columbus, New York, June 29, 1834. He was educated in the public schools and the academy, intend- ing to be a teacher, but instead he learned the carpenter's trade and became a builder and contractor for many years. After some years he became interested in the wholesale produce business and gave up his other work. His headquarters were New Berlin and Edmes- ton, and he shipped to New York City until 1869, when he established his business there at 89 and 91 Warren street. He had a partner for five years, and then for nearly ten years he continued alone. constantly enlarging and improving his business. In July, 1885, his nephew, D. W. Whitmore, son of Daniel E. Whitmore, became a member of the firm, un- der the name of G. B. Whitmore & Co. They have an enormous business in cheese, butter, eggs and other farm products, and the agen- cies rate the company from $300.000 to $500,- 000. There are few commission houses in New York which do so large a business.
George Byron Whitmore was a prominent member and warden of the Episcopal Church of Sherburne, New York, where he removed after fifteen years in Brooklyn, New York. He built there one of the finest houses in the county, surrounded by beautiful grounds. He owned much real estate, and was always a strong supporter of the town. In politics
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he was a Republican, and served as presi- cent of the village corporation from 1886 to 1891. For two terms he was supervisor of the town, being chairman of the board of supervisors one term. In 1885 he had a plurality over his Democratic opponent of 1,130 votes for representative of Chenango county to the state assembly, and while in the assembly served as a member of the commit- tee on banks, and as chairman on the commit- tee on charitable and religious societies. He held many other public offices also, and was always very influential and prominent. He died October 18, 1909. He married Mar- ian A. Furman, daughter of Frederick Fur- man. Child : Marion O., married L. H. Bab- cock ( see Babcock ).
NEWTON (III) Israel Newton, son of James Newton (q. v.), was born March 5, 1694. He was prominent in Colchester where he held many offices, as well as offices in the Colony. He was deputy to the general assembly, and cap- tain of the train band. In 1745, when the colonies organized the disastrous expedition against Cape Breton, he was appointed major of the forces sent out from Colchester. New london, and that vicinity. "On June 19th came the mournful tidings that the forces were defeated in an attempt on the Island bat- tery with a loss of 170 men. Among those who had fallen a victim to disease was Major Newton." He left seven children, among whom were: Anstass, born January 1, 1716: Mary, March 1, 1719; ITannah, June 28, 1721 ; Abigail, October 17. 1723; Asahel, mentioned below.
(IV) Asahel, son of Israel Newton, was a minor at the time of his father's death, and he died in early manhood. He married De- light Chapman. Child. Asahel, mentioned below.
( \') Asahel (2). son of Asahel (1) New- ton, was born in Colchester, Connecticut, June 1. 1758, died in Hamilton, New York, June 1, 1834. He served in the revolution, from Connecticut, throughout the entire war. He was one of the picked men who led the way through the Palisades to give entrance to the army of "Mad" Anthony Wayne, and at York- town he was one of Washington's guards. During the last years of his life he lived with his son Anson at Hamilton, Madison county. New York, on the farm taken up by his son
William. A short time after the revolution he married Versalia Booth, of New London, Connecticut : she died March 28, 1843. She was daughter of William Booth, of New Lon- don. Children : William, mentioned below : Erastus; Anson; Henry and Harvey, twins; Alvin : Daniel; Mary ; Sally.
(\1) William, son of Asahel (2) Newton. was born in Colchester, Connecticut, October 15. 1786, died in Sherburne, New York, An- gust 13. 1879. He came to Berlin, Chenango county, New York, 1806, and later bought a farm in Hamilton, where he removed and built a log house, and after getting his father, mother, and family of brothers and sisters settled in the new home, he went to Camden, Oneida county, New York, where he spent some time in the manufacture of woolen cloth. He was a fuller by trade. He bought a large farm in Sherburne, in 1812, and lived there un- til his death. Two woolen mills which he built there were destroyed by fire. In addi- tion to this business he was a farmer, and af- ter the fires he gave up woolen manufacture and kept up the farming. He had much to do with the construction of the Erie. Black River, and Chenango canals, and also with the construction of railroads in Pennsylvania over which coal was carried from the mines to the canals. He helped to build the first railroad upon which a steam propelled engine was ever run in America, at Honesdale. l'enn- sylvania, 1827-28.
He married. August 22, 1810, Lois Butler, of Hamilton, daughter of Richard and Mercy ( Sage) Butler; her parents came to Hamil- ton from Connecticut in 1794. She was born December 12, 1790, in Middletown. Connecti- cut, and died February 6, 1885, in Sherburne. Children : 1. William Butler, born Septem- ber 1. 1811. died March 14, 1901 : married Salina Gooding and they had daughter, Lois Amelia, who married Chauncey O'Dell. 2. Louis A., October 10, 1813, died March 11, 1904: married Charles A. Lathrop. 3. Lu- cinda. November 10. 1815. died January 26, 1892: married (first) Ira Williams: child, Maria : married ( second ) David C. Buell, who died in 1868: children: Minnie, Amelia, Har- riet. Jessie. 4. Warren. December 31. 1817. died December 25. 1891: was a banker in Norwich, New York : married Lydia Wheeler and had daughter, Louise, married Joel J. Bixby, an attorney at Norwich, and they have son, Warren N. Bixby. 5. Maria. January
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21, 1820, died June 17, 1836. 6. Mercy Ame- lia, February 7, 1823, died July 18, 1848, in India; married Charles Little, a missionary. 7. Isaac Spencer, mentioned below. 8. Lu- cius, mentioned below. 9. Hubert A .. 10. Al- bro J., 11. Homer C., all mentioned else- where.
(\ II) Isaac Spencer, son of William New- ton, was born May 18, 1825, in Sherburne, New York, died suddenly in Albany, New York, March 19, 1889, whither he had gone in the course of his legal profession. He was a graduate of Yale College in 1848, studied law in Norwich and New York City, and was admitted to practice in about 1850. He lo- cated at Sherburne, remaining for about two years, and then removed to Norwich where he was associated with his brother Warren in partnership under the firm name of W. & I. S. Newton. The partnership continued un- til 1856 when the senior member of the firm, Warren Newton, upon the organization of the National Bank of Norwich, withdrew from the practice of law and Isaac S. Newton con- tinned the practice without partner for several years. In the latter fifties he was for two terms district attorney of the county of Che- mango. In abont 1857 he formed a partner- ship with George M. Tillson under the firm name of Newton & Tillson. This partnership continued for a few years when he again re- sumed the practice without partner until 1884. At that time he formed a partnership with his son. Howard D. Newton, under the firm name of 1. S. & H. D. Newton. This con- tinued until his death in 1889. Throughout his entire life he was very prominent in legal circles, having a large practice as a trial law- yer and was also much before the appellate court for the state.
He married ( first ) in 1855. Jane Campbell. daughter of Robert and Hannah Dunlap. He married (second) Jane Newton in 1866. Children by first marriege: 1. Lois Butler. married Hon. Albert F. Gladding. of Nor- wich, justice of the supreme court. 2. How- ard Dunlap, mentioned below. 3. Isaac B .. born September 7. 1861: graduated from Yale, 1883 : merchant ; resides in Los Angeles. California; married (first ) in 1885. Mary. daughter of John and Caroline (Foot) Mitch- ell. of Norwich, New York; she died in 1901 leaving two children. Rowena M., wife of Robert Leonard. and Burkett, Yale. 1914. Isaac B. married (second ) Winifred Hunt. 4.
Jane Campbell, born 1864, died 1907; married Reuben Jeffery, M. D .; one son, Reuben Jef- fery Jr., Yale College, 1911. Children by second marriage: 5. Mary Elizabeth, mar ried Dr. L. Grant Baldwin, a physician of Brooklyn, New York; two children: Milli- cent and L. Grant Jr. 6. Edward P., born 1874; graduate of Yale, 1897; married Emily Stoddard, of Los Angeles, California ; they re- side in Corona, California ; one child.
(V11) Lucius, son of William Newton, was born in Sherburne, Chenango county, New York, November 13. 1827. in the house in which he is now living. He received his carly education in the public schools of his native town. He has always followed farming for an occupation, and has always lived on the farm on which he was born and which was purchased by his father a hundred years ago. The house was built in 1821 and the hand- some shade trees about the yard were set out by Mr. Newton fifty years ago. To the orig- inal one hundred and sixty acres owned by his father he has added from time to time until his present holdings amount to five hun- dred acres, all near the village of Sherburne. Ile has always been an industrious, progres- sive and successful farmer. making a specialty of his dairy. He is one of the leading and most useful citizens of the town. In the Con- gregational church he has been a trustee for forty years, the same period that his father filled the office. In politics he is a Republi- can.
He married ( first ) February 17, 1851. ! lar- riet .\. Lewis, born in New London, Con- nectient. in 1829. daughter of Charles Lewis. She died June 1, 1868. He married ( second ) March 4, 1878. Gertrude G. Bigelow, of Au- burn, New York, daughter of Leander and Mary Abigail ( Brown) Bigelow. Children, by first wife: 1. Helen L., born Jannary 3. 1855. died 1886 ; married Melvin Ross and had three children : Harriet. William and Ante- lia W. Ross. 2. Belle W., horn December 27, 1862; married Richard Kutschbach, a mer- chant in Sherburne, New York, and has two children : Harold Newton, a graduate of Cor- nell University in the class of 1910, and Wini- fred Kutschbach. Child by second wife: 3. Lois Lee, born May 23. 1883: married John Thurber, of Sherburne, New York, and has children: John N. Thurber, born November 4. 1907. and Margaret Lois Thurber, born May 22, 1911.
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One of the most unique and un-
ELLIS usual family records that have come to notice in the course of tracing and writing ten thousand or more family histories is that of the Ellis family. inscribed on the Masonic apron of a remote ancestor. In the summer of 1897 Alexander Dunbar Ellis, then eighty-three years old. gave this apron to Malta Commandery. Knights Templar, of Binghamton, and it forms one of the treasures of that body. The apron was inscribed: "This apron belonged to Joseph H. Ellis, 1690; to his son Richard H. Ellis, 1735: to his grandson, Joseph H. Ellis. 1780: to his great-grandson, Alexander D. Ellis. A. M. and R. A. M., 1850; C .. 1861 : K. T., 1864, who gave it on June 15, 1897. to Malta Commandery, No. 21." The exact meaning of the earlier dates is in question, but are most likely the dates of birth. The public records are not available to verify the dates. If not the dates of birth, the dates were when the ancestors were made Masons. As Alexander D. was born in 1814, it is most likely that 1780 was the date of his father's birth. To assume that he was made a Mason then would make his date of birth as early as 1759 and he would have been about sixty years old, at least, when his son was born and over eighty when the apron was passed on in 1835 to his son. The use of middle names before 1780 was almost un- known and it is open to doubt if the first two ancestors mentioned had middle names. The family was doubtless of English, Protes- tant stock, settling in Ireland probably in Cromwell's time.
( 1) Joseph H. Ellis was born in 1690, ac- cording to the Masonic apron mentioned above. in Ireland. Here he lived all his life. and left a son Richard H., mentioned below.
(II) Richard H., son of Joseph H. Ellis, was also born in Ireland, in 1735. if the dates on the apron are those of birth. He always lived in Ireland, and had a son Joseph Henry, mentioned below.
( III ) Dr. Joseph Henry Ellis, son of Rich- ard H. Ellis, was born in Ireland in 1780, an- other date taken from the inscription on the apron. Hle received his education in Dublin. Ireland, and became a surgeon in the British army. He lost his property during the rebel- lion, and came to the United States in 1802, settling in Otsego, Otsego county, New York. He died in Tioga county, New York. Ile
married Eliza Dunbar, who was born on the Isle of Wight. They had a son Alexander Dunbar, mentioned below.
( IV) Alexander Dunbar, son of Dr. Jo- seph Henry Ellis, was born at Otsego, New York, December 6, 1814, died in Owego, Tioga county, New York, August 25, 1903. In 1817 he went with his family to Troy, when only three years of age, and two years later they again moved to Harford Mitts, New York. When he was fifteen years of age he went to Ithaca to learn the trade of a tailor, and also served as apprentice at Canan- daigua, and in the summer of 1834 began work as a tailor at Speedsville. He located in Smithboro in 1837, where he remained until 1842. He then moved to Owego where he spent the remainder of his life, excepting three years when he worked as cutter and foreman in the clothing department of S. L. Cary & Company, in Binghamton. In 1867 he finished there and returned to Owego, where he formed a partnership with D. E. Comstock, in the merchant tailoring business in the Ahwaga house block.
Mr. Ellis was a member of the Masonic Order for more than fifty years and took great pride in his record as a Mason. In 1850 he became a member of Friendship Lodge, in Owego, and also of New Jerusalem Chapter. Royal Arch Masons, when it was re- organized in 1851. In 1861 he took the coun- cil degree. and in 1864 he joined Malta Com- mandery, Knights Templar, at Binghamton. He held all of the different offices in Friend- ship Lodge, and also all of the offices except that of tiler in the New Jerusalem Chapter, Royal Arch Masons. In the summer of 1897 he presented the Masonic apron described above to Malta Commandery.
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