USA > New York > Jefferson County > Genealogical and family history of the county of Jefferson, New York, Volume I > Part 22
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Mr. Allen was married September 7, 1899, to Mrs. Mary Lydia Thompson, widow of George D. Thompson, of Alexandria Bay, and daughter of the late Alvin H. Hall, of Watertown. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have two children, born as follows: Frances Alma, September 9, 1900, and Rosalie, June 19, 1903. An elder daughter of Mrs. Allen, Carrie May Thompson, was born June 7. 1882.
(I) The Hall family, of which Mrs. Allen is an offshoot, has been traced to Peletiah Hall, who located in Walpole, New Hampshire, soon after 1760, and is presumed to have been a brother of Jonathan Hall, who located there at the same time. Mrs. Philippi Hall, born 1684,
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who died in Walpole in 1774. is supposed to have been their mother. Peletiah Hall's second wife, Lydia Hunt, was wedded in 1778. Mr. Hall died January IT, 1784, aged eighty-two years. He had two sons. Peletialı and Roland.
(II) Roland, son of Peletiah Hall, was married in 1777 to Eliza- beth Willard. He settled in Cooperstown, New York. He had sons, Roland, Peletiah, Willard, Sylvanus and Samuel, and three or four daughters.
(III) Captain Roland Hall, son of Roland Hall, born 1783, mar- ried Lydia, daughter of Captain William Harris, who distinguished him- self in the war of 1812. She was a lady of great good sense and pure, Christian character. Captain Hall accompanied his brother, Peletiah, to Champion, in this county, in a very early day, before 1808, where both bought land and became well-to-do. His children, all born in Cham- pion, were: William, M. D., Flavilla, Eliza Ann, Harriet, Jane E., Au- gustus, Alvin H., Harriet P., Rozell and Roland.
(IV) Alvin H. Hall, eighth child and third son of Roland (2) and Lydia (Harris) Hall, was born July 17. 1824, in Champion, and became widely known and useful in organizations designed to advance agriculture and develop the resources of his native county. He estab- lished and successfully published several daily and weekly newspapers, the most notable being the Daily News, of Alexandria, Virginia, the only Union paper published south of the Potomac during the Civil war. In 1872 he was president of the New York State Editorial Association. For a time, he was half-owner and associate editor of the New York Husbandman, of Elmira, which he sold out in 1883, and retired from active business, removing to Watertown. He settled twenty families in the town of Lyme, this county, on lands which he sold on easy terms, and the location became known as "Hall's Settlement." Mr. Hall mar- ried (first) Miss Lucy A. Sylvester, who died of consumption within two years, and their only child died at four months of age. He was married (second) July 27, 1859, to Miss Helen A., only daughter of the late Stephen Boon, a prominent citizen of Watertown. Mrs. Hall died January 10, 1893, in Watertown, where she was born, June 17, 1837. Mr. Hall died in March, 1884. at Ypsilanti, Michigan. Their elder child is now the wife of John J. Allen. The second, Alvin S., born 1862, is a practicing attorney in New York city.
Stephen Boon. above mentioned, was born July 27, 1805, in Man- chester, Vermont, a son of Stephen and Sally Boon, natives of the same
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town, and died August 15, 1892, in Watertown. Mr. Boon became a large landholder, his property being all within the present city limits, and built the City Hotel and over one hundred houses. He was director of the Watertown Bank, and was often chosen as executor or adminis- trator of estates. As superintendent of the poor, he served well the inter- ests of both the needy and the taxpayers, and served the state many years as appraiser of bank mortgages. His wife, Mary Ann, daughter of Roswell and Innocence Wilcox, of Malone, died January 30, 1871. She was born December 19, 1812.
HON. JOHN P. DOUGLAS. The death of Hon. John Pettit Douglas, late of Theresa, Jefferson county, New York, terminated the career of a man who early in life learned the lesson of self-reliance through discipline and personal experience. He was a deservedly popu- lar and influential man, active, with an unblemished character and of strict integrity, combined with force and ability. He was born on Pillar Point, in Brownville, New York, in the old homestead now occupied by his brother, Chester Douglas, August 10, 1825, a son of James Douglas, who settled on Pillar Point about 1820, and his wife, Susan (Pettit) Douglas, a sister of the distinguished Judge John Pettit, who for many years represented an Indiana district in congress, and granddaughter of Captain William Selfridge, of revolutionary fame. His paternal grand- father came to, America in 1773 from Inverness, Scotland, to espouse the cause of the colonies and to give them financial aid. He landed the day of the Boston "tea-party," and soon settled with his family in Albany, New York.
John P. Douglas received his education in the common schools, with two terms at a select school in Brownville taught by Silas Webb. He began teaching school at the age of seventeen years, and upon attain- ing the age of twenty-four years he was elected superintendent of schools, which office he held three years. In the meantime he engaged in mer- cantile pursuits in Limerick, New York, subsequently made his head- quarters as a wholesale produce dealer at Watertown, New York, but shortly afterward disposed of his business and formed a copartnership with Curtis Noble, of New York city, under the firm name of Douglas & Noble. for the purpose of buying and selling produce. They were wholesale dealers, and operated in butter, cheese, and largely in cot- ton. He removed with his family to Brooklyn, New York, and soon became prominent in the business, political and social circles of that city.
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Ile never sought public office, but in 1871 was elected to the Republi- can ticket as alderman of the eleventh ward of Brooklyn. and served in that capacity for two years. He was also appointed a director of the Atlantic Avenue Railroad, the East River Savings Bank, and several insurance companies. He served for a term of years as director of the St. Lawrence State Hospital at Ogdensburg. New York. After twenty- five years of active business life in New York his health began to fail, and he longed for the fresh air of country life. He disposed of his city interests and at once returned to Jefferson county, where in the mean- time he had added to his early purchases, thus making him the largest land owner in the county, his estate covering over three thousand acres, all of which is productive farming land. He always took an active in- terest in the work of the grange of Theresa, New York, of which he was a member, and served as worthy master for many years. He was the first to introduce into the county thoroughbred Holstein-Fresian cattle, and the cheese from his factories won medals at the Columbian Exposi- tion, and are eagerly sought at home and abroad.
In 1890 Mr. Douglas reorganized the Watertown Pressed Brick Company. was elected president, and served in that capacity a number of years, but finally on account of pressure of business he resigned this office, but continued as a stockholder up to the time of his decease. He was instrumental in the organization of the Watertown Produce Ex- change, and was its first president, serving five years. In 1894. realizing the necessity of another daily paper in the county, he became the leader in the organization of the "Watertown Daily Standard," was elected its first president, and held the office until his death. In this capacity he worked in harmony with the late Hannibal Smith (sketch of whom ap- pears elsewhere in this work), and their work will be a permanent and honorable part of local history. He was a delegate to the Chicago con- vention in 1880, and was one of the three hundred and nine who voted for General Grant for a third presidential term, and he was named in con- nection with the office of representative in congress. He was foremost in all enterprises to promote the interest of his town and county, and was always ready with a generous hand to alleviate human suffering. He also contributed freely of his time, substance and influence to main- tain the Sabbath service.
Mr. Douglas married. in 1854. Miss Henrietta Hughson, daughter of the late L. P. Hughson, Esq., of Pulaski, New York, who was exten- sively engaged in real estate transactions up to the time of his death,
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in the sixty-first year of his age ; his wife, Elmira E. (Tucker ) Hughson, who died in the seventy-fourth year of her age, bore him seven children, three of whom are now living-Mrs. John P. Douglas, Mrs. Leroy Red- field, of California, and Mrs. B. F. Taylor, of Pulaski, New York. Mr. Douglas died very unexpectedly on September 20, 1903, the morning following his return from attending the Produce Exchange meeting in Watertown. He is survived by a widow and four children, two sons and two daughters : 1, Curtis N., mentioned hereinafter ; 2, Daniel Chamber- lain, mentioned hereinafter: 3. Henrietta, widow of Major Mordaunt L. Shipley, of the Thirteenth Bengal Lancers, Anglo-Indian service, who died recently in India ; their son, Curtis Mordaunt Shipley, is the lineal descendant of that name: 4, Kathleen, a noted vocalist of the county. The funeral services were held in the Presbyterian church, Revs, W. H. Bury, of Copenhagen, and C. G. Cady, of Theresa, officiat- ing. The interment was in Oakwood.
Curtis N. Douglas, eldest son of Hon. John P. and Henrietta (Hughson) Douglas, is one of the well known and influential men of Albany, New York, not only in business but in social and political circles as well. After having been graduated from Rochester University he held a position on the editorial staff of the "Watertown Post." He then went to New York city, where he conducted a private school for a number of years, after which he removed to Albany, New York, and assisted his father-in-law, Lemon Thomson, for many years a well known banker, lumber dealer and capitalist, up to the time of his death, since which time Mr. Douglas has conducted the extensive business alone. Shortly after taking up his residence in Albany, Mr. Douglas was elected president, against strong opposition, of the Young Men's Association of that city, in which he soon became very popular, and was offered the nomination for mayor of the city, which he refused, but later was elected senator from the twenty-ninth district on the Democratic ticket, although that district was largely Republican. His name was also prominently mentioned as a candidate for governor on the Democratic ticket. He is a member of the Fort Orange and several other prominent clubs. By his marriage to Nancy Thomson, youngest daughter of Lemon Thom- son, he is the father of the following named children: Kenneth, Doro- thea, and Gertrude.
Daniel Chamberlain Douglas, second son of Hon. John P. and Henrietta ( Hughson) Douglas, was born in Brooklyn, New York. When he was five years of age his parents removed to New York city, where
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his studies were pursued until his fourteenth year, when he went with his family to Stuttgart, Germany, and was a student for two years in a German institute. On his return to America he entered Stevens High School, New Jersey, where he studied two years, and the following three years he pursued a course in Colgate Academy and Colgate University, at Hamilton, New York. On account of impaired health he relinquished his studies and acted as private secretary to his father until the spring of 1894, when he was appointed treasurer of the Watertown Standard Publishing Company, serving in that capacity until 1896, when he was elected vice-president. He was the incumbent of that office until the death of his father, in 1903, since which time he has acted as president. He is also the administrator of his father's estate, transacting a large amount of business connected therewith and superintending the extensive farming operations. He is a young man of excellent business ability, thoroughly capable of fulfilling the onerous duties and obligations laid upon him. He has traveled considerably in this country and in Europe, and has taken advantage of his many opportunities in storing his mind with history and memories of personal experiences. He is a charter member of the Crescent Yacht Club, a member of the Young Men's Christian Association, and a member of the Lincoln League. He is a Republican in politics.
THE WATERTOWN STANDARD. The Standard Publishing Company, of Watertown, was organized by a few zealous and generous- hearted Republicans in February, 1894, to supply a needed exponent of the principles and glorious achievements of the great Republican party, with a capital stock of $15,000, with the following officers: John P. Douglas, president ; A. M. Munk, vice-president ; C. S. Adams, secretary ; D. C. Douglas, treasurer.
The company was duly incorporated in March, 1894, for the purpose of publishing a daily paper to be called "The Watertown Daily Standard," also a "Semi-Weekly Standard," together with job printing. The com- pany was assisted by the following staff : Alpha Child, editor-in-chief ; C. S. Adams, city editor ; D. C. Douglas, business manager. The first issue of the "Watertown Daily Standard" was March 21, 1894. Mr. Child, after about one year of editorial life, severed his connection with the Standard, and Orlo B. Rhodes, of Adams, occupied the responsible position of editor-in-chief until his death in June, 1904. After the "Standard" had been in operation one year the prospects of a large cir-
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culation, and the urgent demands of a growing business made it necessary to add more of the latest improved machinery, and to provide these im- provements the capital was increased to $30,000. They have now in daily use a battery of three Mergenthaler type-setting machines, a Cox duplex Webb perfecting printing press and several job printing presses. "The Standard" is an eight-page daily paper, except the Saturday issue, which is a double sheet. They also publish the "Richville Recorder" (weekly). The daily circulation of the paper is about 7,000. The semi- weekly circulation is about 5,000. They have a large advertising patron- age, both foreign and domestic. The present staff is composed of Frank W. Gallop, of Brooklyn, New York, as editor-in-chief; William H. Smith, city editor; D. C. Douglas, president of the company and local advertising manager : Charles S. Adams, secretary and business man- ager, and Edw. N. Smith, treasurer and attorney. The paper is zealous in the advancement of progress and prosperity, and is a strong advocate of the principles of the Republican party.
DR. CHARLES B. FORSYTH, an eminent medical practitioner of Alexandria Bay, Jefferson county, New York, and a graduate of Bellevue Hospital College, New York city, was born in the vicinity of Palermo, Oswego county, New York, May 19, 1876.
The Forsyth is by origin a Gascon family, and dates back to the Roman period since the first Seigneur de Forsyth, Vicomte de Fronsac, and military governor of the Western District of France in 750 A. D., a son of Charlemagne, Emperor of Rome and King of the Franks. In 1236 the Cadet de Forsyth accompanied the Princess Eleanor on her journey to England to become the wife of King Henry III. The descend- ants of the Cadet de Forsyth settled in Scotland, where they held valu- able estates and positions umder the various monarchs for several centu- ries, David de Forsyth, Lord of Dykes in 1488, being the last of the family to bear the ancient arms of the Seigneurs de Forsyth (de Fron- sac). In the time of Robert Bruce, King of Scotland, Osbert, son of Robert de Forsyth, took military service of that monarch, and received from him a large grant of land in the sheriffdom of Stirling. He was the ancestor of all those who have a legitimate right to the name in Great Britain, Ireland and America. Among his immediate descendants were crown officers and members of parliament. In direct line of descent, Dr. Charles B. Forsyth is twelve generations removed from David de Forsyth, Lord of Dykes in 1571, and inherits the arms of Failzerton
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as well as the arms of the Forsyths, which are described: "Argent, a chevron, engrailed gules between three griffins, segreant, vert, armed and membered gules." The livery of the family is : Dark green trimmed with red.
Jonathan Forsyth (great-grandfather) was a native of Massachu- setts, the date of his birth being June 25, 1781. He was a ship-builder by trade, and by assiduously following this occupation he was enabled to provide a comfortable home for his family, and a competence for his declining years. The entire period of his long and useful life was spent in the vicinity of his birthplace. He married Polly M. Buell, born March 7. 1783, who bore him a large family of children, one of whom Dr. William B. Forsyth, is living at the present time ( 1904).
William B. Forsyth (grandfather) was born in Terryton, Massa- chusetts, March 4. ISII. He was reared in his native town, and acquired a practical education in the common schools there. Upon attaining young manhood he removed to Jefferson county, New York, and subse- quently began the study of medicine. After securing his degree of Doc- tor of Medicine he began the active practice of his profession in Oswego county, New York, where he still resides and enjoys life, although in his ninety-fourth year. He enjoys the distinction of being the oldest practitioner in the county. He was an earnest student during all the years of his professional career, and ever kept in close touch with the most advanced thought along the line of his chosen profession. He built up a large patronage, and enjoyed an enviable reputation not only among the members of the medical fraternity, but also among liis fellow citizens. His wife, Nancy (Warner) Forsyth, born October 9. 1812, and who died at the age of eighty-three years, after having spent sixty- two years of happy married life, bore him eleven children, the following named being the survivors: Margaret, wife of Charles Chase, of Oswego, New York; William A .; Edwin J., mentioned hereinafter ; Sherman B., a resident of Ithaca, New York; Willis J., a resident of Syracuse, New York : Helen. wife of Gilbert Dutcher, of Oswego, New York ; and Carrie, wife of Dr. A. M. Haven, of Oswego, New York.
Edwin J. Forsyth ( father) was born in Palermo, Oswego county, New York, August 7. 1847. His early years were spent in attendance at the common schools of the neighborhood, and assisting with the various duties of the farm. During those years he gained a practical knowledge of farming, which occupation he followed until 1890, when he removed to Watertown. New York, and accepted a position with
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the Watertown Carriage Company, serving in the capacity of super- intendent of the shipping department. He is an active and public- spirited citizen, and has ever aided and advanced any enterprise intended to benefit his town and its people. He was united in marriage to Sarah (Rogers) Treadwell, born in Fairfield, Herkimer county, New York, a daughter of Orum and Belinda (Wood) Rogers. Her father was born June 10, 1810, and died in 1892, aged eighty-two years; her mother was born February 19, 1807. Sarah Rogers was born October 13, 1836. She was one of four children, the others being Adelbert. a resident of Wisconsin; Caroline, deceased: and George Rogers, of Lone Pine, Wisconsin. Orum Rogers was born in Oneida county, New York, in 1810, was a farmer by occupation, and traced his ancestry back to John Rogers, who emigrated to this country in 1656. Belinda (Wood) Rogers, wife of Orum Rogers, died at the age of sixty-three years. Mrs. Forsyth was the mother of two children-Elburton E., of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and George D., of Watertown, New York, by her first marriage to Lyman P. Treadwell. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Forsyth, namely: William O., a citizen of Water- town, and a machinist by trade; and Dr. Charles B. Forsyth. Mr. and Mrs. Forsyth hold membership in the Congregational church, and Mr. Forsyth is an honored member of the Ancient Order of Foresters, of Watertown, New York.
Dr. Charles B. Forsyth spent the early years of his life in the town of Mexico, Oswego county, and received his preliminary educa- tion in its common schools. He then took up his residence in Water- town, attended high school, and at the same time studied medicine with Drs. J. D. and H. G. P. Spencer, of Watertown, sketches of whom appear elsewhere in this work. While a resident of Watertown, Dr. Forsyth was employed in the Woodruff House Drug Store, and thereby acquired a thorough pharmaceutical education, which is a valuable aid to him in his chosen profession. He later matriculated in Bellevue Hos- pital College, New York city, from which institution he was graduated in 1898. During his residence in New York city he served on the staff of Bellevue Hospital, and the Lying-in-Hospital. After his graduation he established an office in Alexandria Bay, New York, and at once began to put to a practical test the theoretical knowledge he had gained during his years of study. His specialty is diseases of the nose and throat, for which branch of the profession he is eminently qualified, owing to his having taken special courses on those subjects. He now
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enjoys a large and select patronage, and has met with remarkable suc- cess in the treatment and diagnosis of disease. In addition to his private practice he serves as medical examiner for the Order of Modern Wood- men of America, and the Order of the Maccabees, in both of which he holds membership, and for ten life insurance companies. He is a mem- ber of the Jefferson County Medical Society, and the New York State Medical Society. He holds membership in the Reformed church; is a Republican or Independent in politics ; and his fraternal relations are with the Order of Free and Accepted Masons, of Alexandria Bay ; the. Independent Order of Odd Fellows. and the Anglers' Association.
In 1899 Dr. Forsyth married Leta B. Kepler. a native of Alex- andria Bay, New York, daughter of John Kepler, and granddaughter of Amiel Kepler. The latter named was a native of the town of Le Ray, New York, his parents having been among the pioneer settlers. He took up his residence in the town of Alexandria Bay, New York, where he followed farming up to the year of his death, 1866, at the age of forty-six years. He married Rogenia Palmer, a native of Germany, who bore him seven children, six of whom are living: Peter, a resi- dent of Philadelphia, New York; Mary, wife of Watson Jones. of Alexandria Bay, New York: Elizabeth, wife of Peter Schultz, both of whom are deceased; William, a resident of Wellesly Island: Louis, who resides on the old homestead: Addie, wife of William Knight, of Thou- sand Island Park; and John, father of Leta B. (Kepler) Forsyth. Rogenia (Palmer) Kepler, mother of these children, died at the age of sixty-five years. John Kepler was born in the town of Alexandria, December 15, 1856. He received a common school education, and during the first eleven years of his business career he served as a steam- boat captain. In 1888 he established the Thousand Island Steam Bot- tling Works, of which he is the present proprietor. He has been the incumbent of various offices of trust and responsibility, namely : town clerk, trustee of the village, and trustee and president of the board of education. His wife. Charlotte (Ball) Kepler, daughter of Charles Ball, whom he married in 1878, bore him the following-named children : Henry Clay, Leta Belle, and Helen Nirone Kepler.
WILLIAM EDWARD MILLER, of Alexandria Bay, New York, an author of exceptional literary ability, was born in Plessis, Jefferson county, New York, March 21, 1859.
In 1873 he accompanied his parents to Alexandria Bay, having pre-
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viously attended school at Plessis, where he is remembered as being re- tired in disposition. He developed a ready facility in acquiring any knowledge that related to language or literature, but mathematics he per- sistently eschewed. After attending school at Alexandria Bay he became a matriculate at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of the city of New York. But that was only a part of his education, for he had learned to see and think for himself, and as a natural sequence he became a suc- cessful writer, and his literary efforts bear evidence of an educated and liberal mind. He has never written over his own name, choosing seclu- sion rather than notoriety, using his literary ability as a means and not as an end. The love of literature inspired a desire to travel. He has visited the leading countries of the world-has literally traveled "from Dan to Bersheeba."
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