USA > New York > Jefferson County > Genealogical and family history of the county of Jefferson, New York, Volume I > Part 52
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James, youngest child of Edward Galvin, grew up on the home farm in Wilna, and in the intervals of farm labors attended the local district school and Carthage Academy. From the age of fifteen years he began to deal in horses and cattle, and became an extensive buyer of stock through this state and Canada. He was well known in the Domin- ion, and commanded large credit at the banks in Perth, Montreal and
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other points. In thirty years of this traffic he was extraordinarily succes- cessful, never losing an animal by death, and never selling one at less than first cost. In 1874 Mr. Galvin was elected supervisor of the town of Wilna, and continued to fill this position six years. During a part of that period he was assistant superintendent of the Black River Canal. under S. F. Garman, whom he succeeded as superintendent, being con- nected with the canal management from 1883 to 1890. During this time he purchased a tract of six thousand five hundred acres of land in the Adirondacks, later took a partner, and has acted since as trustee, and has since been selling it in building sites for summer cottages. The land borders on lakes number four, five, six and seven, and Limekiln lake, and affords a great number of desirable places for summer homes. The tract now contains five large hotels and numerous summer boarding houses, and the speculation has been exceedingly profitable. Mr. Gal- vin's good fortune is not undeserved, for he has always been industrious and has exercised prudent foresight and shrewdness. He is the owner of five houses in the village of Carthage, and in 1903 moved from the old home on Alexandria road to a handsome home on State street, owned by his wife.
He was married, January 2, 1890, to Miss Jennie Carroll, a native of Pinckney, Lewis county, New York, where her father, Thomas Car- roll. was an early settler. He lived fifty years on the same farm and was very successful, and there died in 1897, aged eighty-three years. His wife, Mary Murphy, came with her parents-John and Julia Murphy- when four years old, to Denmark, Lewis county, from county Meath, Ireland. Mrs. Carroll died in 1891 at the age of sixty-five years. Two of her five children died of scarlet fever in childhood. The others were : Charles, who died in 1901, in the house where he was born ; Carrie, wife of Edward Villars, of Carthage, and Jennie, Mrs. Galvin. Mr. and Mrs. Galvin are among the prominent members of St. James's church, and he has always been one of the steadfast supporters of the Democratic party, exercising considerable influence in its councils.
CHARLES WILMER SHAFFER, secretary of the Carthage Lumber Company, is one of the progressive young business men of whom Carthage has many. He was born December 27, 1868, in Watson, Lewis county. this state, where his parents dwelt for a short time.
His grandfather, Jacob Shaffer, was a native of Strasburg, France, where he was born January 14, 1818. In 1840 be came to the United
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States to settle his family where land was more easy of acquirement. After living a short time at Beaver Falls, New York, he went to Adams Basin, Monroe county, this state. and purchased a township of land on which he settled his children, and all save one are now living there. His wife, Eve Michel, born October 11, 1810, died there January 23, 1879, aged sixty-nine years, and he passed away December 7, 1880. They were faithful members of the Lutheran church, and were respected for uprightness and peaceable and industrious character. Their fam- ily included three sons and two daughters. The eldest of these is Jacob, of whom further mention is made in this article. Margaret, the second, is the wife of Jacob Zimmerman, a farmer of Adams Basin. where John, the third, also resides. Catherine married Welton Smith, and is now living at Lowville. George is a railroad employee at Roches- ter.
Jacob Shaffer was born July 27, 1842, in Strasburg, and was two years of age when he came, with his parents, to this country. He re- ceived his education in the district schools of this state, and has always engaged in farming. With the exception of three years when he lived en a farm in Watson, he was associated with his father for several years, but is now located at Adams Basin, being practically retired from active labor. He is a patriotic American citizen, and a staunch supporter of the principles of the Republican party, but has always refused to accept any official station, though frequently urged to do so. An earnest member of the Methodist church, he has served more than twenty years as a deacon in that organization, an important position in its administration bestowed upon few of the laity.
He was married in 1862, to Catherine Lytle, who was born October 3. 1842, in Amhest Island, in the St. Lawrence river, in Canadian waters, where her father, Michael Lytle, died. He was of Scotch ancestry. His widow, Mary Fario, was of French extraction. She now resides at Al- pena, Michigan, being one hundred and three years old. Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer are the parents of a son, Charles W., and a daughter, Mary J. The last named is the wife of Guy Stone, residing on a farm at Adams Basin.
Charles W. Shaffer, only son of Jacob and Catherine, grew up on the farm at Adams Basin, participating in the duties incident to agricult- urai life and receiving his primary education in the local district school. He subsequently attended the Rochester graded schools and Lowville Academy, completing the course at the latter institution in 1886. For
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two years he was employed by Bateman, Mills & Company, dry goods dealers of Lowville, and was later engaged in the same capacity at Rochester and Antwerp, this county. He spent some years at the latter point, where his energy and business capacity were noted by leading busi- 11085 men, and he was thereby enabled to form a valuable business con- nection and reap the benefit of his own industry and executive capacity.
Mr. Shaffer became a resident of Carthage in 1897, when in asso- ciation with the late John D. Ellis and Albert Hoyt, of Antwerp, and S J. Gifford, of Smithport, New York, he became interested in the man- facture of lumber. They built the present sawmill of the Carthage Lum- ber Company, and immediately began the production of building lumber. On May 1, 1903, the present corporation. Carthage Lumber Company, was established, with Mr. Shaffer as secretary. Its logs are brought fifty miles by river, and it produces four and one-half million feet of lumber annually, beside a large amount of pulp wood, giving employment to eighty-five men in the woods and about the mills in West Carthage.
Mr. Shaffer is also secretary of the Security and Real Estate Com- pany. He is the present master of Carthage Lodge, of the Masonic fra- ternity, and patron of the local chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, affil- iated with the same order. He is also a member of Carthage Chapter, No. 259, Royal Arch Masons, Watertown Commandery No. 11, Knights Templar, and Media Temple, Mystic Shrine. He attends the Presby- terian church, and is a steadfast Republican in political principle. He was married January 7, 1891, to Miss Deborah Kinsman, who was born in Sterlingville, this county, a daughter of Alamanzo and Mary ( Downey) Kinsman, natives of Jefferson county. Mrs. Shaffer is an active member of the order of the Eastern Star, being associate matron and participating in the work of Carthage Chapter.
GEORGE WILLIAM HATCH, proprietor of the Levis House, Carthage, has been long identified with the hotel business, and is well known to the traveling public, with whom he is justly popular owing to his genial manner and upright business methods. He is a native of the town of Wilna, Jefferson county, born March 15, 1860, son of Walker Hatch, a farmer of that town. His grandfather, Willard Hatch, son of Isaac and Anna ( Hubbell) Hatch, was a native of Kent, Litchfield county, Connecticut, and came to the town of Wilna in or about 1830.
Isaac Ilatch died in middle life, and his widow lived to be over ninety years oldl. She was a very strict Presbyterian. She reared three
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sons and four daughters. Henry, the eldest son, settled on a farm in the town of Watertown in 1811, and died there July 13, 1856. He was born October 2, 1783, in New Milford, Connecticut, and his wife, Lo- raina Everett, was born September 19, 1787. in Ellsworth, Connecticut. Erastus Hatch, second son of Isaac, lived and died in Kent. All the daughters-Sarah, Anna. Mahala and Laura-married, and lived in Kent and Ellsworth, Connecticut.
Willard Hatch was a native of the town of New Milford, Connecti- cut. He bought land in the town of Wilna, near the present village of Sterlingville, and continued to till it about twelve years, after which he returned to Kent, where he died. His wife, Abigail Skiff, continued to live with her sons in Wilna until her death, previous to 1850, and her body was placed in Wilna cemetery. The children were Erastus, Walker, Jane and Harriet. Both the daughters lived and died in Connecticut, the former being the wife of a Mr. Crane. Erastus Hatch was born in Kent, in August, 1818. He came to Wilna before 1840, and operated a black- smith shop near the Wilna postoffice. For many years he kept the Hatchi House in Carthage (now known as the Irvington), where he died in August, 1875, aged exactly sixty years.
Walker Hatch was born in 1814, in Kent, Connecticut, and came to Wilna with his father. He remained in that town, engaged in farming, until 1866, when he moved to the town of Constantia, Oswego county. where he died in 1876, aged sixty-two years. He was a Universalist in religious belief, and a Republican in political principle. He married Eliza, daughter of William and Susan ( Montgomery ) Davis, and widow of John Cooney. William Davis and wife lived all their lives in Hast- ings, Oswego county. Mrs. Hatch died in 1885, aged fifty-six years. By her first marriage she had a daughter, Matilda, who is now the widow of Thomas Kenyon ( died September 21, 1903), superintendent of the Keep Home at Watertown, of which his wife was matron until his death.
George W. Hatch is the only child of his parents. His early edu- cation was supplied by the district schools of Constantia, in which he continued until fifteen years old. He subsequently attended Hungerford (now Adams) Collegiate Institute, at Adams, this county, some six or seven terms, and taught school two terms in Oswego county. In 1883 he went to Watertown, and became a clerk in the confectionery store of J. T. Ross. and from 1886 to 1891 was with A. Bushnell & Com- pany as salesman and floorwalker. In May, 1891, he went to Fine, St. Lawrence county, New York, where he kept a hotel until 1897, when he
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came to Carthage and kept the Elmhirst Hotel two years. Returning to Fine, he continued in a hotel there until his purchase of the Levis House in April, 1901, and since that time has conducted this establishment. Under his management it is popular, and is a homelike abode of most de- sirable guests. It is the oldest first-class hotel in the village, and has every convenience to be expected in its place.
Mr. Hatch married, March 15, 1887, Miss Jennie Allen, who was born in Canada, daughter of Thomas Allen, of English lineage. One son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Hatch, September 11, 1892, and christened Floyd A. Mr. Hatch attends the Episcopal church, with his wife, and is a stanch Republican. He was supervisor of the town of Fine for five consecutive years, and also served as school trustee. He does not seek political lionors, but was elected trustee of Carthage in 1904, to serve two years. He is a member of Carthage Lodge, F. and A. M., Carthage Chapter. R. A. M., Watertown Commandery, K. T., and Media Temple ot the Mystic Shrine. He was master of the Oswegotchie Lodge for two years (1900 and 1901), filled all the chairs, and is at present (1904) serving as king of the chapter.
ALEXANDER FIE BALCOM, a representative business man of Carthage, is a native of Jefferson county, born November 27, 1847, in the town of Clayton. His father, Otis F. Balcom, was a native of New Hampshire, son of Otis and Elizabeth (Fuller) Balcom, and was born April 6, 1805. He acquired the trade of wagonmaker and carpenter, and when about twenty-six years old came to this state. He was mar- ried about 1833 to Catherine, daughter of George and Maria (Hart) Fie, of Holland Dutch ancestry. She was born December 18, 1813, near Johnstown, New York. He continued to work at wagonmaking during his active life, being first located in Clayton, whence he moved to Water- town. Returning to Clayton, he bought a small piece of ground on which he resided, but continued many years as a wagonmaker at Depauville. In 1858 he moved to the town of Montague, Lewis county, and a year later to the town of Croghan, where he died October 18, 1868.
Mr. Balcom was a Universalist in religious faith, and espoused the cause of Americanism during the days of the "Know Nothing" agitation. He was subsequently a "free soil" Democrat, and voted for Abraham Lincoln for president.
All of his eight children are living, as follows: Cornelia Margaret is the widow of John Sherman, residing on a farm in the town of Clay-
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ton. Elizabeth Fuller is the widow of James Courtney, of the same place. Ella Melissa, Mrs. Albert Parker, resides in Carthage. Charles Riley is a farmer of Rutland, and Alexander F. is mentioned further in this article. Oscar Aurelius is a builder of San Antonio, Texas, and his younger brother, George Hart, is associated with him. Imogene, wife of William Van Etten, resides in Carthage.
A. F. Balcom grew up from the age of eleven years in Lewis county, and received his education in the district schools. When fourteen years old he began working on farms in summer and in the lumber woods in winter and since eighteen years of age has been identified with lumbering operations and machinery. For many years he worked in sawmills, and became a sawyer and filer. For seven years he was continuously in the service of H. J. Goodwin, during six of which he was a filer. In the year 1873 he went to Texas and remained one year, and all the rest of his life has been passed in this section of his native state.
In 1887 he formed a partnership with J. W. Brace, under the style of Brace & Balcom, and they built a veneer mill at Carthage, which they operated three years. At the end of this period they dissolved partner- ship, and Mr. Balcom associated himself with Augustus Kesler in the operation of a veneer mill, which was destroyed by fire at the end of a year. Mr. Balcom then joined George E. Spicer, and they operated a similar plant, under the title of Balcom & Spicer, until 1902, when the business was closed. Mr. Balcom is one of those skilled operators who are never out of something to do, and is now engaged in installing a vencer-making plant.
An active member of the Methodist church, he is now serving the local society as a steward. In early life he was a Democrat, but now acts with the Republican party. He is a member of Carthage Lodge No. 158, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; of Carthage Lodge No. 365, and Oriental Encampment No. 135, Independent Order of Odd Fellow's : and the local lodges of the Royal Arcanum, Order of United American Mechanics and Improved Order of Red Men. He has been twice sachem of the last-named body, and has passed the chairs of the Odd Fellows' bodies. He is now serving his fourth year as trustee of the vil- lage of Carthage.
Mr. Balcom was married. October 27, 1875. to Miss Anna J. La- Rock, daughter of Joseph and Lucinda (Carkner ) LaRock, both natives of Canada, of French and German descent. Mrs. LaRock is now de- ceased, and Mr. LaRock resides with his daughter. Mrs. Balcom. The
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latter was born in Carthage, and is a helpmeet and companion of her husband in all that pertains to the social life of the town, as well as in domestic concerns. She is now vice-grand of Carthagenian Rebekah Lodge No. 238, and is valued as one of its most active and useful mem- bers. Two children complete the family, namely : Roy A. and Ralph J. Balconi.
FREDERICK ELMER HEMINGS, superintendent of the Car- thage Machine Company, has made his way by industry. perseverance and studious attention to the details of work placed in his hands. He is a native of this state, born January 20, 1862, at Mottville, Onondaga county. His grandfather, Isaac Hemings, came from England and settled on a farm in Onondaga valley, where he died at the age of ninety-two years, and his wife passed away at the age of eighty-seven years. He was a pious and conscientious man, and set an example worthy of emulation. His children were: Cornelius, who was killed by the cars at Syracuse: James, who died at Belle Isle, New York : William, a resident of Syracuse: John, spoken of more fully below. Mary, wife of William Masters. of Syracuse; and Alfred, who died in 1902, at Onondaga Hill.
John Hemings was but a child when he came with his father to America. He was early apprenticed to the trade of molder, and followed it all his life in Syracuse and at Mottville. He died at the latter place October 13. 1889, aged fifty-four years. He was married about 1858 to Harriet, daughter of William Rounds, a teamster of Hartlot, Onon- daga county, where she was born. She passed away in July, 1887, at the age of forty-seven years. The following accounts for their children, in order of age: Ida is the widow of George Shortman, residing at North Adams. Massachusetts. Frederick E. is the gentleman whose name introduces this notice. Carrie married Frank Williams, and lives at Mottville. Isaac Newton resides at Syracuse. George at Seneca Falls, William at Syracuse. and John at Mottville.
Frederick E. Hemings grew up at Mottville, attending the village school until twelve years old, but he is chiefly self-educated. At the age of twelve years he entered the woolen mill in his native place, and by the time he was fifteen years of age he was the boss spinner of the establishment, a position which he had won by untiring diligence and an effort to excel. While in this occupation he became convinced that he could succeed better if he mastered the trade of machinist, and shortly
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JE Hemings
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wig, and Henry died in Rentsburg. Louisa married William Settenfield, who kept a hotel in the city of Hamburg.
Nicholas Schmid, the youngest of his father's children, is the only one who came to America. He received a good educational training in the schools of his native city, and was apprenticed to the trade of baker at the age of fifteen years. His preceptor was an uncle in the town of Flandsburg, and he served three years as apprentice at the baker's trade. He subsequently worked as a journeyman in Schleswig, and visited many cities of Europe, including Vienna and Copenhagen, and perfected himself in the usages of his trade in many lands. In 1861 he set out for America. determined to establish himself in business and make a home. His first objective point was Lafargeville, in this county, whither he had been induced to go by acquaintances formed on the vessel which brought him over the Atlantic. After working fourteen days on a farm there, he de- cided that he did not wish to be a farmer, and went to Watertown, where he found employment as a baker with Quencer & Sons, and was soon made forcman of their baking establishment.
Since 1869 Mr. Schmid has been a resident of Carthage, and he soon established a name for integrity, industry and good business judg- ment, and has long been reckoned among the successful merchants of the village. His first bakery was situated in Lower State street, next door to his present location. In 1884 he purchased the building he occupied, and remodeled and improved it for a bakery and grocery store. December 18, 1903, the building was destroyed by fire. Mr. Schmid is now arranging to replace it, and in the meantime is carrying on busi- ness in a building in the rear of the one destroyed. He has ever enjoyed the patronage of many families of the vicinity, baking his own product, and also keeping a complete line of groceries and kindred goods, such as are found in first-class establishments of the kind. Mr. Schmid is a member of the Lutheran church. He is a sound Republican, but desires no office.
He was married in March, 1870, to Sarah Mooney, who was born in the North of Ireland, a daughter of Thomas Mooney, with whom she came to America when a small child. Three of Mr. Schmid's four chil- dren are now living. Lucy Louise, the eldest, is the wife of David Guer- ner : she has two children-Francis Schmid and Christian Nicholas. The family reside on West street, Carthage. Christian N. is the proprietor of a grocery and fruit store on State street. Garfield W. is a jeweler,
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with store adjoining his father's. All are industrious and thrifty citi- zens, a credit to their parents and their native town.
LLOYD OSGOOD WOODRUFF, an active and prominent factor in the commercial, financial and fraternal circles of the town of Cape Vincent, Jefferson county, New York, is a native of the same county and state, having been born in Watertown, October 13. 1841. Norris M. Woodruff, his paternal grandfather, was a prominent citizen of Watertown, of whom extended mention appears in this work. The subject of this sketch is the only lineal descendant living.
Horace W. Woodruff, father of Lloyd O. Woodruff, was born in Watertown, Jefferson county, New York, February 12, 1819, and died in Brooklyn, New York, October 12, 1891. For a number of years he was the owner and operator of a foundry in Watertown, and he also devoted considerable time to agricultural pursuits. By industry and perseverance both these enterprises proved successful, and he was en- abled to provide his family with a comfortable home, and at the same time accumulate a competency for his declining years. His wife, whose maiden name was Mariah Ann Osgood, was born in Watertown, New York, June 6, 1816, a daughter of Colonel Samuel W. and Sophia (Nichols) Osgood, and died at St. Louis, Missouri, December 29, 1890. Three children were born to them, namely: Lloyd Osgood, born Octo- ber 13. 1841, mentioned hereinafter ; Helen S., born December 23, 1844, widow of Edgar E. Moffatt, residing in St. Louis, Missouri; and Emma M., born December 5, 1846, married Henry E. Wilkins, and died Octo- ber 1, 1892, in Springfield, Massachusetts. Mrs. Woodruff traced her ancestry to John Osgood, who was born July 23. 1595, in Wherwell, Hampshire, England. He married about 1627, Sarah, who died April 8, 1667. He came to New England in 1638 and died October 24, 1651, in Andover, Massachusetts.
(II) Stephen Osgood, son of John and Sarah, was born about 1638, in Ipswich or Newbury, and married, October 24. 1663, Mary Hooker. of Andover, where he was a farmer. He died January 15. 1690-I.
(III) Hooker Osgood, son of Stephen and Mary, was born Au- gust 24, 1668, in Andover, and was married April 26, 1692, to Dorothy . Wood. He was extremely active in town affairs, was selectman in 1715, and the next year had license to sell liquor. He died January 29. 1748, in Lancaster, where he had lived.
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(IV) Captain David Osgood, of Sterling, Massachusetts, son of Hooker and Dorothy, was born October 8, 1698, and married, Novem- ber 3. 1724. Eunice Carter. He was a farmer, and owned a Negro slave. He died in 1771, in Sterling.
(V) Captain Josiah Osgood, of Sterling and Wendell, Massa- chusetts, son of David and Eunice, was born October 1. 1740. He married Jane Byington, who died October 23. 1822, and he died August 17. 1830, at Wendell.
(VI) Samuel. son of Josiah and Jane Osgood, was born April 29, 1764, and married Patty Dow, of Wendell. He was a farmer and deacon of the church, and died at Hamilton, New York, in 1829.
(VII) Colonel Samuel W. Osgood, of Eaton, New York, was born April 25. 1787, and married in 1810. to Sophia Nichols, of Paris, New York, who died September 14, 1852. He died in April, 1841, in Watertown.
Lloyd O. Woodruff attended the common school and a boarding school at Sand Lake, New York; Walnut Hill School, Geneva, New York: and Madison University. Hamilton, Madison county, New York. On September 10, 1860, he entered the drug store of Kellogg & Conger, in Watertown, and on July 5. 1862, established a drug store in the city of St. Louis, Missouri, which he conducted successfully for six years. The following two years he pursued the same line of business in Niles, Michigan, and since 1870 has conducted an establishment for the sale of drugs and chemicals, with a large prescription department and general merchandise at Cape Vincent. His ability and trustworthiness as a sound business man is demonstrated by the fact that he has been chosen to 'serve in the capacity of vice-president of the Cape Vincent Bank; trustee of the Watertown Savings Bank ; treasurer of the Cape Vincent Agricultural Society, holding the office for a period of almost nine years; first chief of the local Fire Department, serving as foreman of
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