USA > New York > Jefferson County > Genealogical and family history of the county of Jefferson, New York, Volume I > Part 37
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SOLON H. JOHNSON of Clayton, a valued citizen and highly respected business man, belongs to a family which was founded in America in the early part of the seventeenth century by two brothers who emigrated from Wales and settled in Providence, Rhode Island, where their descendants continued to reside for nearly two hundred years.
Waterman Johnson was born September 8, 1803, in Rhode Island. He was a farmer, and early in life moved to Herkimer county, New York. In 1836 he opened a store in Depauville, which he conducted for many years and retired possessed of a competency. He was a promi- nent man in the community, and attended the Methodist Episcopal church. He married Mary Myers, who was born November 7, 1805, and they were the parents of six children, of whom three are living : Mrs. Abigail Buntnal. of Clayton, New York : Willard and Welcome, of Bay City, Michigan. Mrs. Johnson died April 20, 1883. and her hus- band did not long survive her, passing away December 19 of the same year.
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James Johnson, son of Waterman and Mary ( Myers) Johnson, was born May 8, 1824, in Herkimer county, New York, and received his education in the common schools of that county. He learned the car- penter's trade. and then engaged in business with his father until 1866. when he was elected sheriff of Jefferson county and moved to Water- town, where he remained until 1869. Having disposed of the business in Depauville, he came to Clayton in 1870 and founded the business which is now conducted by his son, Solon H. It was from the begin- ning extremely prosperous, and about 1876 Mr. Johnson retired, leaving the establishment in the hands of his son. Notwithstanding his close attention to business, Mr. Johnson took an active part in public affairs, and received from his townsmen many proofs of the high esteem in which they held him. In 1865 and 1866 he served as supervisor, and in 1870 was elected to the assembly of which he was a member for two years. He was president of the first board of education ever organized ·in Clayton, and acted as delegate to a number of conventions. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he held the office of master, and also of the Odd Fellows. He was active in church circles, and was for many years a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and president of the official board. He married Deborah Frye, who was born March 10, 1824, and two daughters were born to them, one of whom married Dr. Solomon V. Frame (sketch elsewhere), while the other became the wife of Dr. H. W. Streeter of Rochester, New York. They were also the parents of a son, Solon H., mentioned at length here- inafter. The death of Mr. Johnson took place February 6, 1900. He will long be remembered in Jefferson county as one of the most highly respected business men of his day and generation. His widow is still living at an advanced age.
Solon H. Johnson, son of James and Deboralı (Frye) Johnson, was born September 8, 1855. in Depauville, and was educated in the common schools of his birthplace and of Watertown, supplementing the instruction there received by a course of study at the Hungerford Col- legiate Institute of Adams. He was early employed as a clerk by his father, and after the retirement of the latter succeeded to the business. He has been continuously connected with this establishment, with the exception of five years which he spent in the service of A. P. Tuller & Co. of Rome, New York. He is recognized as the leading dry goods merchant of Clayton, employs a number of clerks, and carries the largest stock of any store in town. As a citizen he holds a high place in the
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confidence and esteem of his neighbors. In 1890 he was appointed postmaster of Clayton, and served four years, his services during that time tending greatly to improve the office. In recognition of this fact he was presented with the compliments of the citizens. He takes much interest in the improvement of the school system, and is clerk of the board of education. In politics he is a Republican. In town affairs he takes an active part, and has served for four years as town clerk. In 1903, while holding this office, he supervised the building of the beauti- ful town hall in Clayton.
Mr. Johnson has been for many years prominently identified with the Independent Order of Foresters, in which he has passed all the chairs. At the high court of New York, held in Rochester, February 27, 1890, he represented his court and was unanimously chosen past high chief ranger, an office which he held until 1893, when he was suc- ceeded by the Hon. Judge Jacob Stern, but owing to the absence of the latter Mr. Johnson represented him in this office at three sessions of the high court, serving in this capacity six years and acquitting himself in a most creditable manner. In 1893, at the annual session in Utica, New York, he secured the holding of the next session at Clayton, and on a complimentary ballot was elected as representative to the supreme court held in Chicago September 1, 1893. At the court held in Clayton, Sep- tember 5, 1894, he was elected representative to the supreme court, which was held in July, 1895, in London, England, where he was chosen for the third time as representative to the supreme court to be held in Tor- onto, Canada, in 1898.
In 1893 he was awarded the magnificent gold cross known as the Grand Cross of Merit for distinguished service, this being one of the highest emblems of the order. Taking the world at large, only one hundred and forty of these crosses can be held by living members at one time, and no more can be issued until the death of some holder. He is also a member of Clayton Lodge No. 539. I. O. O. F., and has held the office of noble grand.
Mr. Johnson married December 21, 1882, Celinda, daughter of A. F. Barker, a banker and prominent business man of Clayton. Mr. and Mirs. Johnson are the parents of two children : Katharine B., who gradu- ated from the high school and is now in the Clarkson School of Technol- ogy at Pottsdam, class of 1905 ; and Beulah M., who is a graduate of the high school, and is now in Syracuse University, class of 1907.
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WALTER SEEBER. For more than half a century every resi- dent of Depauville has been familiar with the name of Walter Seeber as that of an able and successful agriculturist and worthy, upright citizen. His grandfather, William Seeber, was a farmer who lived, during the latter part of his life, near Little Falls, Herkimer county, where he died. He and his wife were the parents of seven children-three daugh- ters and four sons-all of whom are now deceased.
Henry W. Seeber, son of William Seeber, was born in 1795, in Montgomery county, New York, and was educated in his native place and also in Herkimer county. He came to Brownville in 1825, and took up a tract of land. He was a very successful farmer, notwith- standing the fact that for some years previous to buying his farm he had followed the trade of a blacksmith. He was active in local affairs, and was much respected by his neighbors, holding for twelve years the office of assessor. He was a Republican in politics, and was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married Susan Overacher, a native of Montgomery county, who had been early left an orphan. Mr. and Mrs. Seeber were the parents of fourteen children, twelve of whom lived to old age, and three of whom still survive: A daughter, who is the widow of Hiram Mills, late of Watertown; Walter, mentioned at lengthi hereinafter; and Franklyn D. of Dexter. Mrs. Seeber, the mother of this family, died at the age of seventy-five. Like her husband, she was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and was regarded with sincere respect and affection by all who knew her. Mr. Seeber's death occurred when he had reached the age of seventy-seven.
Walter Seeber, son of Henry W. and Susan (Overacher) Seeber, was born August 20, 1829, in Brownville, where he received his educa- tion. On reaching manhood he took charge of his father's farm, the latter having retired from active labor. In 1854 he purchased a farm of his own, consisting of eighty-seven acres, and took up his abode thereon. He subsequently purchased thirty acres, to which a few years after he added fifty-nine, thus becoming the owner of one hundred and seventy-six acres of valuable land, which he has since devoted to the purposes of general farming and dairying, keeping thirty-two cows. For a long period he has stood in the front rank of the enterprising and successful farmers of Jefferson county. The only interruption to Mr. Seeber's life as a farmer occurred during the Civil war, when he enlisted as a private in Company I, Tenth New York Heavy Artillery. This regiment performed guard duty in the defense of Washington for eigh-
,
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teen months, and later was with the Eighteenth Army Corps until 1865, when it was mustered out of the service June 21, at Petersburg. Mr. Seeber belongs to the Depanville Grange, and is a recognized authority on all matters pertaining to agriculture. His political principles are those of the Republican party. He attends the Methodist Episcopal church, and was for a number of years trustee of the church of that de- nomination at Perch River.
Mr. Seeber married January II. 1853, Celestia Reynolds, and four children were born to them. During an epidemic of diphtheria Mr. and Mrs. Seeber had the great misfortune to lose three of these children, Alice, Dier and Clarence, within a very short time, two dying in Febru- ary, and one in March, 1862. Their only surviving child is a son named De Elton V., who was born June 23. 1867, and received his early edu- cation in the common schools of the township. He afterward entered the Watertown Business College, where he received a diploma. He then attended the Ives Seminary at Antwerp, where he also received a diploma with high honors. He then entered Cornell University and graduated in 1889. He then returned to his father's home, where he still resides and is the stay and comfort of his parents in their declining years. He married, September 25. 1889, Minnie J. Cheeseman, who was born December 25. 1865. in Brookfield, Madison county. New York, daughter of the Rev. Anson Cheeseman, who died in March, 1903. De Elton and Minnie (Cheeseman) Seeber are the parents of one child, Alice J., born August 18, 1890.
Mrs. Walter Seeber is a daughter of Daniel Reynolds, a carpenter of Sandy Creek. Orange county, New York, where he died. He and his wife were the parents of seven children, who are all living in their native county, with the exception of one daughter, Celestia, who was born in 1830, in Sandy Creek, and became the wife of Walter Seeber, as mentioned above. The names of the other children of Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds are: Frances Eliza; Ruth; Celestia, wife of Walter Seeber ; Pamelia, died in 1902: Miranda, Lysander and Philestus. all of Sandy Creek. January IT. 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Seeber celebrated their golden wedding.
WILLIAM H. LINGENFELTER. Both as a farmer and citizen William H. Lingenfelter justly ranks among the most valuied resi- dents of Clayton. He belongs to a family which was founded in this country by Michael Lingenfelter, a native of Germany, where he was
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born in 1750. He came to America before the Revolutionary war, and settled in Montgomery county, New York, where he and his brother purchased a farm of eight hundred acres. Here Michael Lingenfelter passed the remainder of his life in agricultural pursuits. He was the father of nine children.
Jolın Lingenfelter, son of Michael Lingenfelter, was born in 1783. in Montgomery county, where he received his education, and then en- gaged in farming on the homestead. During the war of 1812 he served in the army. He married Elida, who was born in 1790, in Mont- gomcry county, daughter of Conrad and Elida Winnie. The father was born in 1749 in Montgomery county, where he spent the greater portion of his life as a farmer. He and his wife were the parents of eight children. Mr. Winnie ended his days in Cherry Valley, Otsego county. New York, and his wife died at the venerable age of ninety- one years. Both were members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and were sincerely loved and esteemed by all who knew them.
Mr. and Mrs. John Lingenfelter were the parents of the following children : I. John, deceased; 2. Jane A., mother of W. H. Consaul, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work: 3. Conrad: 4. Catharine : 5. William H., mentioned at length hereinafter: 6. Obadiah ; 7. Susan: 8. Daniel H., a sketch of whom appears on another page. In 1838 Mr. Lingenfelter came with his family to Clayton, making the journey on a sleigh during the winter. Only a few days after their arrival he died at the age of fifty-five years, having taken cold on the journey. He is remembered with respect as one of the pioneers of Clayton, combining the trade of a stone mason with his labors as a farmer. His widow subsequently married Rufus Smith, of the town of Orleans, near the village of Lafargeville.
William H. Lingenfelter, third son of John and Elida (Winnie) Lingenfelter, was born February 10, 1822, in Amsterdam, Montgom- ery county, New York, and received his education in his birthplace and in Clayton. At the age of seventeen he began to learn the blacksmith's trade in Montgomery county, and at the end of three years began to work as a journeyman. After three years more he engaged in business for himself in Clayton village, and for twenty years practiced his trade with success. In 1856 he bought the farm which is now his home, three miles from Clayton. on the road to Depauville, and in 1863 took up his abode there. Here he has re- sided ever since on a beautiful estate of 358 acres, one of the larg-
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est farms in the township. It is maintained in a highly flourishing condition, the owner devoting the land to general farming and dairying, and keeping forty-five cows. He is one of the directors of the National Exchange Bank of Clayton. As a citizen he has received from his neighbors many tokens of deserved popularity, having served six years as inspector of elections and nine years as assessor. To the latter office he was re-elected three times, and for six years he held the position of chairman of the board. He has also filled the office of supervisor two terms; for one year he was overseer of the poor; was for several years collector, and is now trustee of the school district. He also received the appointment of state railroad commissioner, an office which he held for eight years. He is a trustee of the Methodist Episcopal church of Clayton, of which for the past thirty years he and his wife have been members. He was treasurer of the Grange. In politics he is a Demo- crat.
He married, in 1846, Mary E., daughter of John and Mary (Smith) Wilson, and twelve children were born to them, viz. :
I. Susan Elida, who married Wallace Littlefield, of Belleville, and three children were born to them, namely : William H., who is a plumber in Watertown, married Ally Miser, and has four children, May, Isabel, Alliene, and Emma ; May Bell, who is the wife of Brayton Rogers, a farmer of Three Mile Creek, and has two children, Ina and Glenn; Merritt W., a farmer of Orleans, who married Ella Vincent, and is the father of three children, Warner, Dora, and William. Susan Elida married for her second husband Warren T. Sampson, a farmer of Clay- ton, New York. 2. Mary J., who married (first ) William Henry, and two children were born to them, both of whom are now deceased. She married ( second) J. Morse ; they have five children; Frank M., who lives in Michigan, is a stonecutter and contractor, married M. Sayres, and has four children: Sidney, Luther, Mary, Walter; George, who married Minnie Kelley, and resides in Flint, Michigan; Nelson, who married Millie Loveland, and they had two children, Bessie, deceased, and Geneva Bell; Luella, who is the wife of Otis Loveland, and they have one child, Thelie Jenette ; and Julius, who married Mary Ganard, and they have one child, Bernice Morse. 3. Emma, who was born June 4, 1852, and resides at home. 4. Merritt Erastus, who lives on the homestead with his father. He married, January 10, 1877, Frankie A., daughter of Almond and Jane ( Saulsbury) Barney, and they have one son, A. Lee, who married, March 19, 1904, Mable Dodge. 5. Ella
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A., who is the wife of Nelson Easton, a blacksmith of Depauville, and has three children: I. Ermine, who married Frederick Sternberg (sketch elsewhere), and have two children, Edwin Glenn, born Sep- tember 16, 1900, and W. Frederick, born September 18, 1902, died September 30, 1903 : 2. Maggie ; 3. Glen. 6. Jennie, who married (first) George Pierce, and (second) Ernest Bretchi, of Lafargeville, and is the mother of one child, Myrthel. 7. Minnie M., who is the wife of Gustave G. Wetterhahn, a retired farmer, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; they have one child, Norris. 8. Kate E., who married George Daniels, a farmer, and is the mother of two children, Emmett E. and Ethel. 9. Nellie C., who married Robert Calderwood, of Johnstown, New York, and has twin sons, Harlow and Harold. 10. Elma S., who married Frederick Dillenbeck, and is the mother of two children, Alva and Reta. II. Maggie, who died at the age of eleven years. 12. Jolin William, who died in infancy.
Mrs. Lingenfelter is a daughter of John Wilson, who was born in England and followed the trade of a shoemaker. On coming to the United States he settled in Clayton, where he followed his trade until 1847, when he went to Wisconsin and became a farmer. He married Mary, who was born in 1800 in England, daughter of Robert Smith, also a native of England, who was employed for years on the estate of Lord Dundas. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were the parents of four children, two of whom are living: Mary E., who was born in England, at the age of five years was brought to this country by her parents, and became the wife of William H. Lingenfelter, as mentioned above; and Peter M., who is a resident of Watertown, Dakota. James J. and John R. are deceased. Mrs. Wilson died in 1841, and her husband sur- vived her many years. passing away at the age of seventy-seven years.
FREDERICK JOHN QUINN, one of the popular young business men of Carthage, is a native of this state, born June 20, 1867, in Utica. His grandfather, John Quinn, was a native of county Waterford, Ire- land, and came to America when a young man, and, after spending a short time in Canada, settled at Hawkinsville, near Boonville, in Oneida county. His last years were passed in Utica, where he died about 1873, aged seventy-six years. His wife, Norah, survived him one year, reach- ing the age of seventy-seven. They were the parents of seven sons and three daughters. Of these, Thomas, Matthew and Edward died in
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Utica, where John now resides. William died in infancy, and a second of the same name is now in Syracuse. Daniel also resides in Utica.
John, son of John Quinn, was born in 1840, at Hawkinsville, and remained there on a farin until he was sixteen years old. Since that time he has maintained himself. and is now one of the most substantial citizens of Utica. At the age mentioned he went to Rome. where he was employed at any honest labor that offered, and drifted thence to the southwest. For about three years he drove a stage running between Texas and New Mexican points. After the civil war he went to New York, and was employed in McQuade's brewery until 1874. gaining a thorough knowledge of the business. In that year, with his brother, Thomas Quinn, he built the Star Brewery at Utica, and they operated it until 1900. With John Myres and James O'Toole, he organized the Eagle Brewing Company, of which Mr. Quinn was president, and which did a large business. Mr. Quinn is also a stockholder in the National Brewing Company and the Utica Brewery, the last named being now consolidated with the Eagle. Mr. Quinn has acted as charity commis- sioner of the city of Utica for the last forty years. He is a Democrat in political principle, and a member of St. John's Roman Catholic church of Utica. He was married about 1863 to Miss Ann Venn, a native of county Tipperary, Ireland, and daughter of William and Ann Venn. She died in 1880. leaving one son and two daughters living, of her nine children. The name of the eldest stands at the head of this article. Rebecca and Etta, the daughters, are residents of Utica, the former being the wife of Thomas F. Hobbes. In 1882 Mr. Quinn married Mary Ann (Welch), widow of Kelly, who bore him nine children, of whom six are now living.
Frederick J. Quinn grew up in the city of Utica, receiving his edu- cation in the public schools, Assumption Academy and Utica Business College, graduating from the latter institution at the age of seventeen years. He began his business career in the office of the Star Brewery, where he remained until 1888, and was bookkeeper of the Eagle Brew- ing Company thereafter until 1894. In that year he became a resident of Carthage. coming here to take charge of the bottling works main- tained by the Eagle Brewing Company, succeeding George Cahill. That he is a safe and efficient business man is demonstrated by the fact that he has continued in the management of the Carthage establishment nine years, with satisfaction to himself and his employers. He is a member of St. James's church of Carthage, and an influential worker in the
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local interests of the Democratic party. A genial and well-informed gentleman. he deserves the popularity which he enjoys. He married Mrs. Grace Millard at Carthage. November 8, 1904.
FOX. This name is numerously represented in all sections of the United States, and in the pioneer history of Jefferson county. It is of English origin, and several bearing the name were among the early emigrants to Massachusetts, making the tracing of different lines some- what difficult, as christian names are often repeated in all the lines.
(I) Thomas Fox, who came to this country from England about 1635, is supposed to have been a grandson or great-grandson of John Foxe, author of the "Book of Martyrs." Thomas Fox appears of record in Concord, Massachusetts, as a member of the church there, in 1640, and he was made a freeman in 1644. He married, first, Rebecca French, who died March II, 1647, and, second, Hannah Brooks, Octo- ber 13, 1647. He died in 1658.
(II) Isaac, son of Thomas Fox, married Abigail Osborn, and settled in New London, Connecticut, in 1675.
(III) . Samuel, son of Isaac and Abigail (Osborn) Fox, settled in Groton, then a part of New London, about 1690. His wife Mary was born April 30, 1687, in Medford, Massachusetts.
(IV) John, son of Samuel and Mary Fox, was born about 1728, in Groton, and married Abigail Packer. Their children were: William, born 1762, was a Revolutionary soldier; Hannah, Daniel, Samuel, James, Asa, Amos and Abigail. Hannah married John Pettengill, who was a soldier of the Revolution and talked with Washington. He lived to see Lincoln elected president. In 1800 he came to Adams, this county, where he passed more than half a century. Abigail, then the widow of Sylvester Eastman, came to Adams with her brothers in 1800. Amos settled in Onondaga. Samuel married Lucy Williams, and has descendants living in Jefferson county, who are in the thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth generations from Egbert, first king of England, A. D. 800. The line is given elsewhere in this work (see Williams).
(V) Daniel Fox, second son and third child of John and Abigail (Packer) Fox, was born March 1, 1771, in Groton, Connecticut, and went with his parents to Norwich, same county, when five years old. Four years later they moved to Guilford. Vermont, where the parents passed the balance of their lives. When a young man Daniel Fox came to this state, and was married in 1797, at Galway, New York, to Hannah
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Hewitt. She was born August 29, 1774. a daughter of Elisha and Tryphena ( Bingham) Hewitt. The last-named couple were married March 2, 1757, and the latter lived until after 1818, being then a resi- dent of Providence, Rhode Island. Hannah ( Hewitt ) Fox was one of the first six to form a Presbyterian society in Adams, in 1803. and her husband gave the land for church and parsonage, and one hundred dollars toward building them.
In 1799 Mr. Fox moved to Fort Stanwix (now Rome), and dur- ing the same year came on foot to Adams, being accompanied in the journey by Loveland Paddock, one of the pioneers of Watertown. Mr. Fox purchased five hundred acres of land, and brought his family to settle in 1800. He cleared up land on the south side of Sandy creek, about two miles east of the present village of Adams, and lived upon it for more than seventy-three years, passing away June 23, 1873, being nearly four months over one hundred and two years of age. He was a man of upright character, and universally respected as a citizen.
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