USA > New York > Jefferson County > Genealogical and family history of the county of Jefferson, New York, Volume I > Part 36
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Mckinley was appointed postmaster by President Cleveland, and during his official term he transacted the business of the office with rare discretion and ability, and with strict integrity. He is a member of numerous fraternal and benevolent orders.
Mr. Mckinley was married in 1876 to Miss Margaret E. Halpin, daughter of his former business associate, Captain M. Halpin. The children born of this marriage were: Francis M., born July 18, 1877, a graduate of Cornell Law School: John Henry, born May 5, 1879, who married Leon Leyare, and they have one son, George H .; Lena Eleanor, born November 3. 1883; Edward Emanuel, born December 25, 1887; George Victor, born August 24, 1892; Hilliard Arthur, born November 26, 1895; Florence Marie, born April 27, 1898.
GEORGE E. MORSE, who has attained an enviable reputation as a lawyer, and is recognized as a leader in political circles of Jeffer- son county, represents one of the old families of this part of the state.
He is a descendant in the fifth generation of the founder of the family in New Hampshire, who moved to that state from Massachu- setts, and whose son, Joseph Morse, was the great-grandfather of George E. Morse. Joseph Morse was born June 8, 1770, and married Betsey Elizabeth Finley, whose birth occurred February 13, 1776. He followed the profession of school teaching, but also owned a farm about seven miles east of South Charleston, New Hampshire, on which he reared his family of six children who reached mature years-three sons and three daughters. Of this number was Hiram Morse, the grandfather of George E. Morse. Hiram Morse was born in New Hampshire, December 26, 1800, spent the days of his boyhood and youth in the Old Granite state and on obtaining his majority removed to New York. He early earned his living here by working as a farm hand by the month, and also followed other occupations that would contribute to his support. Later, however, he joined Samuel Morse, his younger brother, in the purchase of a farm on Dry Hill, in the town of Water- town, Jefferson county, and thereafter devoted his time and energies to the cultivation of his own fields. About the time he made this purchase of property he married Adalaide Rogers, the wedding being celebrated September 23, 1830. She was the third daughter of Eli and Hannah Rogers, of Watertown. Her father was born in the town of Watertown, Massachusetts, May 26, 1774, and on the 17th of July. 1798. in Natick, Massachusetts, he was married to Miss Hannah Whit-
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ney, who was a native of that place, born August 6. 1778. She repre- sented one of the oldest families of that locality, generation after gener- ation of the naine occupying the ancestral home there. Eli and Hannah Rogers, however, removed to Watertown, New York, and purchased a farm which adjoins the southern boundary of Brookside cemetery. He was accidentally killed October 26, 1818, by the rolling of sawlogs down the river bank near his sawmill. He left six children, five daughters and a son, who were reared by their mother. These were Lois W., who at the time of her father's death was nineteen years of age and who became the wife of Jonathan Deming; Sallie W., the wife of General Archibald Fisher of Theresa, Jefferson county; Chloe L., who married Josiah Strong, who resided near Windsor, Canada : Esther B., who married George Walton, and after his death became the wife of Andrew Seaman, both of her husbands being surgeons at Sterlingville, New York; and Eli Rogers, who followed farming in the town of Alexandria, Jefferson county.
Hiram and Adalaide (Rogers) Morse at the time of their marriage took up their abode on the farm which he had purchased on Dry Hill, but later he sold his interest in this property to his brother and part- ner, Samuel Morse, and purchased a farm a mile and a half north of the city of Watertown, where he lived until his death in 1864. His wife passed away July 25, 1859. They were the parents of five children, including Horace Eli Morse, who was the eldest. The others were Willard Hiram Morse, who was a photographer, and was born July 24, 1833, and whose death occurred in Bradford, Illinois, May 5. 1891; Mrs. Mary Jane Folts, who died in Stockton, California. November 27, 1869: George W., a farmer residing at Rices, Jefferson county : and Mrs. Imogene Rector, wife of Delos D. Rector, of San Francisco, California.
Horace Eli Morse was born August 24. 1831, on the Dry Hill farm. He was still quite young when his parents removed to the farm north of Watertown. Not far distant was the schoolhouse, and here he steadily attended school until he was old enough to assist in the work of the farm during the summer months, after which period his time was divided between agricultural labor in summer, and the pursuit of knowledge as a student in the public schools in winter. When but fifteen years of age he had the privilege of attending a select school for two terms, thus coming under the instruction of Josiah Miles, a well known educator of that time. He afterward attended the Jefferson
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County Institute for several terms, although his course of study there was not continuous. When sixteen years of age he was licensed to teach in what was called the Miles distriet, in the town of Watertown, and through several years following he was variously employed at school teaching, farm labor, and attendance at the Jefferson County Institute. When nineteen years of age hie took up the study of law under the direction of Clark & Calvin, of Watertown, but spent only a few months in the office each year, otherwise devoting himself to teaching for a maintenance, He was admitted to the bar on the 23d of April, 1854, at the general term of the supreme court held in Oswego, New York. For six months thereafter he remained in the office of his former preceptors, and then at the suggestion of Mr. Calvin went to Clayton in November, 1854. On his arrival at the hotel in Clayton, one of the justices of the peace was holding an examination of a prisoner charged with arson, and Mr. Morse was immediately employed by the complainant to assist in conducting the prosecution. The prisoner was discharged for lack of evidence, and the friendly relation then estab- lished between lawyer and client was maintained for more than forty years. Mr. Morse's subsequent legal record in Clayton was such as to require neither mention nor commendation.
He was ardently interested in the cause of education and the superiority of the Clayton Academic School among the educational institutions of the county is largely due to his earnest and persistent efforts and farsighted judgment. In almost every enterprise having for its object the welfare of the town, he was actively instrumental. In February, 1855, he was elected town superintendent of schools, an office which he held until it was abolished by law. In the autumn of 1869 he was elected school commissioner for the third district of the county and served three years. In 1884 and 1885 he was supervisor of the town, and in February, 1887, he was appointed by President Cleveland collector of customs at the port of Cape Vineent. In this position he served four years, living for the time at the Cape, and leav- ing his law business in charge of his son, George E. Morse. In 1891 he returned to Clayton and resumed practice. In politics he was always a firm and consistent Democrat, taking an active interest in public affairs from the time he attained his majority. Owing to the fact that the principles which he advocated were always those of the minority party in the county, he was not as frequently elected to office as might otherwise have been the case.
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Horace Eli Alorse was married April 8, 1858, to Mrs. Helen Eddy Estes, a daughter of Aaron Eddy, of Clayton, who came from Ver- mont to New York with his father, settling in the town of Potsdam, St. Lawrence county. He married Miss Catherine Smith of that town, and in 1837 established his home in the village of Clayton, where he engaged in merchandising and other pursuits as a partner of his brother, Luther Eddy, for several years, and success attended their various efforts. He died September 7, 1887, in his eightieth year. Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Eddy's children were four in number: George N., who died in 1855; Mrs. Horace E. Morse: Mary, who died in 1858; and Mrs. Amy Baars, of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Helen Eddy was born February 1, 1835, and by her marriage to Mr. Morse became the mother of seven children, three of whom are now living: Kitty, eldest child, died December 13. 1879, aged twenty- one years; George E., mentioned at length elsewhere in this work; Horace W., who is cashier of the First National Bank of Clayton, of which his father was one of the directors; Addie and Adis, twins; the first named died at the age of two years and the second in infancy ; Florence Alice, who is the wife of F. H. Nash, of Lafargeville; Claude H. graduated with high honors and at the time of his death, at the early age of seventeen, had already attained distinction as an orator. The death of Mr. Morse, the father, occurred April 27, 1903. His loss was felt to be both a private grief and a public calamity, and was deeply and sincerely mourned by all classes of the community.
George E. Morse, son of Horace Eli and Helen Eddy ( Estes) Morse, was born December 2, 1861, and was educated in Hungerford Collegiate Institute and the Albany Law School. He was admitted to practice March 28, 1884, and was associated with his father until the latter went to Cape Vincent as collector of customs. During the absence of his father Mr. Morse practiced alone. Of the position which he has for many years held in the ranks of the profession it is sufficient to say that it is worthy of the son of such a father. From 1894 to 1898 he held the office of collector of customs. He is prominently identified with the Democratic party, by which he was nominated for senator. He is director and secretary of the Prospect Park Company. Mr. Morse is a member of the Masonic fraternity, has held every office of impor- tance in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, including that of noble grand, and has been chief ranger and financial secretary of the Foresters.
Mr. Morse married in 1886 Eliza Rogers and they have two chil-
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dren : Ralph I. and Vera. Mrs. Morse is a granddaughter of Ralph Rogers, who was one of the early settlers at Point Salubrious, where he cleared up a large tract of land. He married Eliza Warner, and they were the parents of a large family, among them Minot I., subject's wife's father, who is a farmer at Point Salubrious, where he is also engaged in fishing and boat-building. He married Jerusha Haynes, and five children were born to them, four of whom are living: Frank; Eliza, who was born in Illinois, and became the wife of George E. Morse, as mentioned above ; Brayton ; and Robert. Specially noteworthy among Mr. Morse's public-spirited efforts for the welfare of the community is the active interest which he has taken in the Thousand Islands Light and Power Company, of which he is one of the directors.
RICHARD L. GRAY, M. D., of Clayton, New York, who holds an honorable rank among the physicians of Jefferson county, is de- scended on the paternal side from Scottish ancestry, while through his mother he belongs to a family which has been American for generations.
Richard Gray (grandfather) was born in 1800 in Edinburgh. Scot- land, and in 1835 emigrated with part of his family to the United States. He was a farmer, and settled first in Clyde, New York, and in 1839 came to Redwood, Jefferson county, where he spent the greater part of his life. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity. He married Elizabeth Lindsey, a native of Scotland, and of their six children only three are now living : Margaret, who is the widow of Joseph Hoffman, of Buffalo, New York; Mrs. George Linnell of Clayton; and John, men- tioned at length hereinafter. Mr. Gray, the father of these children, lived to be eighty years of age, and died in 1881 at the home of his son, John Gray. Mrs. Gray expired the following year at the age of eighty- one. Both received and merited the respect and affection of all who knew them.
John Gray (father), son of Richard and Elizabeth (Lindsey) Gray, was born in 1835 in Clyde, New York, where his early years were passed. On reaching manhood he went to Redwood. Jefferson county (1866), and engaged for a time in farming. In the second year of the Civil war he enlisted in Company K, Tenth Regiment New York Heavy Artillery, and served for three years. He passed through a number of engagements, and at the close of the war was honorably discharged. He then returned to Clayton, where he has since been successfully en- gaged in agricultural pursuits. He is active both as a farmer and citi-
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zen. He married Nancy Dillon, born in 1837, daughter of Lodwick and Julia (Snits) Dillon, of Alexandria. The former was a farmer and mechanic. He and his wife were the parents of a large family, four of whom are living: James, who resides at Alexandria Bay; Mrs. Edward Maxon, who lives in Hounsfield : Mrs. Oley Burdick, who now resides in Washington county, New York ; and Edwin W., who lives in Adams Centre, New York. Mr. Dillon attained to the remarkable age of ninety years, and died September 2, 1903, at Adams Centre; his widow died in 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Gray had a family of six children, five of whom are living: Frederick D., who is a farmer in Clayton ; George E., who is a contractor and builder in Clayton; Richard L., men- tioned at length hereinafter; Edith, who is the wife of De Forest Halli- day, of Clayton; Burton, who lives on the old homestead; and Nettie, who became the wife of Edward Sprague and died at the age of thirty- four. Mrs. Gray, the mother of these children, died in Clayton May 30, 1900, being then sixty-two years and eleven months old. She was a member of the Baptist church and was lovely and estimable in all the relations of life.
Richard L. Gray, son of John and Nancy (Dillon) Gray, was horn January 31, 1870, in the town of Clayton. His literary education was received at the Clayton Union School and the Adams Collegiate Insti- tute. Selecting the profession of medicine as his life-work, he entered Bellevue Hospital Medical College, from which in the spring of 1897 he received the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Returning to Clayton he entered upon the practice of his profession. His practice is a large and constantly increasing one, and his standing both with the public and the profession is undisputed. He is a member of the Jefferson County Medical Society. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the Baptist church.
Dr. Gray married, in 1900, Gertrude O. Poor, and they have two sons : Lloyd Poor Gray and Donald R. Gray. Mrs. Gray, who was born at Black River, is the only child of Christopher and Mary (Delano) Poor. The former is a native of Black River, where his ancestors were old settlers. He is extensively engaged in the manufacture of pulp, and was the organizer of the electric light plant. He is the son of Peter Poor, eldest son of Christopher and Mary ( Parkinson) Poor. Christopher Poor was born in the state of Maine about the year 1780, a son of Peter and Elizabeth Poor. Elizabeth Poor was a native of New Hampshire, and after her marriage to Peter Poor moved to the town of
GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY. 353
Bethel, situated near the source of the Androscoggin river, in the state of Maine. In the autumn of 1781 the savages came down upon that settlement to seek for scalps and plunder, instigated to marauding and murderous expeditions by the bounty offered by the British for scalps. They entered the house of Mrs. Poor, with two of her neighbors already captured and bound, and made inquiry for her husband, who was for- tunately absent at the time. After having ate. plundered and rioted as they pleased, they went in quest of Mr. Poor, and, without her knowl- edge, found him, and, on his refusing to become their prisoner, shot him and took his scalp in their sacks. Mrs. Poor fled from her house with her children (of whom Christopher was one) and waded the An- droscoggin at as great a depth as she dared, in order to avoid being traced by the Indians, and at night lodged in the forest. Subsequently she became the wife of William Parkinson, with whom she moved to Sharon, New York. Later they took up their residence in Rutland, New York, where her husband soon died, and where her death also oc- curred. Several of her descendants reside in that town.
Christopher Poor, great-grandfather of Mrs. Dr. Gray, removed to New York state about the year 1800. In 1807 he became a resident of Rutland Hollow, where he resided at the breaking out of the war of 1812. He was one day plowing in the field when a call was made for soldiers, and he unhitched one of his horses and, Putnam-like, rode to Sacketts Harbor, where he entered the service. After his return from the war he removed down the river and erected a saw-mill. In 1829 he removed to the village of Black River, and there built the first bridge across the main stream. He also erected the first frame house on the Le Ray side of the river, and with others built the first dam on the north side of the island. He was a kind-hearted, genial man. of unblemished honor and unswerving integrity, and was prominently identified with all public enterprises. On July 7. 1803, he married Mary Parkinson, and their children were: Peter, grandfather of Mrs. Dr. Gray; Margaret, Betsey, Polly, Aaron, Moses, Hannah, Christopher S., Asa, Matthew, Andrew and Nancy J. Mr. Poor, after a long and useful life, died at the residence of his son, February 11, 1854. aged seventy-four years. His wife survived him until September 12, 1866.
PARDON C. WILLIAMS. The life, character and eminent abil- ity of Pardon C. Williams, justice of the supreme court, state of New York, deserve more than an ordinary recognition, as they form the
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biography of a man whose remarkable success in life has been attained logically as the result of a self-developed character and an unimpeach- able integrity. He was born in the town of Ellisburg. New York, July 12, 1842, a son of William Williams, who in turn was a son of William Williams, who was one of the pioneer settlers of Ellisburg. New York, coming thence from Windham county, Vermont.
William Williams. Junior, devoted his time and attention to the tilling of the soil, acquiring a comfortable competency from his well- directed efforts. About the year 1848 he left his father's farm, which was located between Ellisburg and Mannsville, and removed to Pierre- pont Manor, where he resided many years, owning and occupying sev- eral farms. He was a man of unsullied character. possessed the respect and esteem of his neighbors, and during his long and useful lifetime aided in every enterprise which had for its object the growth and devel- opment of his town and county. He died at the age of eighty-two years, and within a year afterward his widow, whose maiden name was Jerusha Plummer, also died, at the age of seventy-two years.
The early life of Pardon Clarence Williams was spent on his father's farm, and being eager in the pursuit of knowledge, and intensely ambitious, he made rapid progress in the excellent common schools of Pierrepont Manor, and after his fourteenth year his time was divided between farm work and attending and teaching school. Subsequently he became a student successively at Union Academy, Belleville, Jefferson county ; Clinton Liberal Institute, Clinton, Oneida county ; and St. Law- rence University, Canton, remaining at the latter institution about two years. He taught school during the winter months for six terms, and while serving in this capacity he was compelled to reduce to practice the knowledge he acquired in the academy during the spring and fall terms. In the spring of 1862 he came to Watertown and commenced the study of law in the office of Hammond & Bigelow, then a well known law firm of the county seat, and upon passing the required examina- tions he was admitted to practice at the bar at a general term of the supreme court held at Watertown in October, 1863. Shortly afterward he became a member of the law firm of Hammond & Williams, Mr. Bigelow having dropped professional work to take editorial supervision of the Watertown Times. Later General Bradley Winslow was ad- mitted as a partner, the style of the firm becoming Hammond, Winslow & Williams, and was so continued until 1867, when Mr. Williams retired and began practice alone.
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In the fall of 1868 Mr. Williams was elected district attorney of Jefferson county, and at the expiration of his first term was re-elected, serving in that office six years, and at the termination of his second term, January 1, 1875, he voluntarily retired. During his incumbency of office he established a reputation as a successful prosecuting criminal lawyer, and by trying his cases unassisted, which was something of an innovation at that time, he gained confidence in himself, and an excel- lent standing in the profession. In March, 1874, the law firm of McCartin & Williams was formed, which was well known in legal circles in northern New York for a period of ten years. In his civil practice, he was engaged on one side or the other in the most important cases in this section of the state, and had a large criminal practice also after leaving the office of district attorney, until his election to the office of justice of the supreme court for the fifth judicial district of the state, in the fall of 1883. June 1, 1884, he entered upon the per- formance of his duties, served a full term of fourteen years, and was then nominated both by the Republican and Democratic judicial con- ventions, and re-elected without opposition. In the fall of 1895 he was designated by Governor Morton as one of the associate justices of the appellate division of the supreme court in the first judicial department of the state, and served in that capacity until January 1, 1898. In 1900 he was designated as one of the associate justices of the appellate division of the supreme court in the fourth judicial department, for five years. It is in the trial of criminals that he is easily the most eminent judge in the state. He presided at the trial of Roxalana Druse, for mur- der at Herkimer ; at the trial of Calvin McCoops at Utica, for the killing of Theresa Johnson; at the trial of Frank Mondon, for murder at Herkimer; at the trial of Morritz Richter, for the murder of Professor Smith, at Herkimer; at the trial of Susan Hart, charged with killing her child at Evans Mills ; at the trial of Clement Arthur Day, for mur- der, at Rome; at the trial of Frederick Lipe, for murder, at Rome; at the trial of Morris Congdon, for murder, at Cortland; at the trial of Roselle William Mitchell, for murder, at Utica; at the trial of Louis Layes, for murder; at the trial of Samuel T. Newell, for murder: at the trial of James T. Platt, at Herkimer; and at the trial of Norris Peebles, at Lowville, and later in many murder cases in the city of New York. In each of these cases Justice Williams was careful that every right the law affords was given to the prisoners, yet his conduct of the trial was so masterful that the guilty ones never escaped the
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just punishment for their crime. His reputation for fairness and thor- oughness in criminal trials had become so well established throughout the state that Governor Flower, during his adminstration, specially desig- nated Justice Williams for the trial of Bartholomew Shea and one McDuff at Troy, which was a perilous position for any judge, owing to the political prejudices and intense feelings which existed in Troy, and also throughout the state. He conducted the trial with such distin- guished ability and fairness as to greatly increase his reputation. Shea was convicted of murder in the first degree and executed, and McDuff of assault with intent to kill and sentenced to state prison for nineteen years and six months. In politics Judge Williams is a staunch Repub- lican, and has ever given a loyal support to the candidates and measures of that party. He was reared in the Universalist faith, but is not a member of any church.
On September 9. 1868, Judge Williams married Sarah E. Hewitt, an adopted daughter of the late Clark Hewitt, of Watertown, New York. Six children were born of this marriage, of whom three are living, namely : Edith, a graduate of Vassar, now Mrs. John Cooper Stebbins, of Watertown: Robert Plummer, clerk for his father; and Marguerite, now the wife of Anson Flower Robinson. Mrs. Williams and her children are communicants in Trinity church, Watertown, New York.
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