USA > New York > Jefferson County > Genealogical and family history of the county of Jefferson, New York, Volume I > Part 53
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the Hook and Ladder Company, and warden of the Fire Company ever since its organization at Cape Vincent. He has also been the incumbent of various political offices, the principal ones having been town clerk and supervisor. to which he was elected on the Democratic ticket. He filled the latter named office for eleven years, nine of which were con- secutive. His church relations are with St. John's Episcopal church, in which he has served as vestryman for a quarter of a century. Fra- ternally he is affiliated with Cape Vincent Lodge No. 293, Free and Accepted Masons, in which he served as master ; Cape Vincent Chapter
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No. 96, Royal Arch Masons, of which he was high priest; Watertown Commandery No. 11, Knights Templar; and Media Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, Watertown, New York.
On October 3, 1864, Mr. Woodruff married Marion R. Babcock, of Watertown, New York, who was born at Felt's Mills, Jefferson county, New York, daughter of Henry Holmes and Eliza ( Wheeler) Babcock (see Babcock, VIII). The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Woodruff are as follows: Marion C., born at Cape Vincent, July 28, 1872, a graduate of Miss Graham's School, New York city, who became the wife of Charles S. Holcombe, September 30, 1896. Her children, all of whom were born at Cape Vincent, but now reside at Bay Ridge, New York, are as follows: Henry Woodruff, born October 12, 1897; Woodruff, July 8, 1901 ; and Marion E., September 16, 1903. Amelia F. Woodruff, born at Watertown, April 29, 1874, died in the city of her birth, October 5, 1875. Edith L., born at Cape Vincent, March 24, 1879, is a graduate of Miss Ely's school, New York city, and is at home with her parents.
FARRAR. This name is derived from Latin and French words, signifying "iron," and the first of whom record is found was Walke- line de Ferrars, a Norman attached to William the Conqueror previous to 1066. His son Henry settled in England soon after the conquest, and the name has ever since been known in that country.
I. Among the original proprietors of Lancaster, Massachusetts, were two brothers, John and Jacob Farrar, who were there as early as 1653, coming, according to tradition, from Lancashire, England. Jacob is supposed to have been thirty years old or more at that time. His wife and children remained in England until a suitable residence had been prepared for them, and this was in 1658. He lost two sons in King Philip's war, and himself died at Woburn, Massachusetts, August 14, 1677.
2. Joseph, eldest son of Jacob Farrar, born in England about 1642, married ( 1668) Hannah, daughter of George Hayward. He was killed by Indians August 22, 1675.
3. George, second son of Joseph Farrar, was born August 16, 1670. He married, September 9, 1692, Mary Howe, and settled in that part of Concord which is now Lincoln. He was reared on a farm, and is said to have been a man of great energy and thrift. Money was not plenty in his day, and the boy who possessed a few pennies was regarded
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with envy by his comrades. It is related of George Farrar that finding himself in possession of twenty-five cents on coming of age, he expended it in treating his fellows, saying he would start fair with the world. He died May 15, 1760, in his ninetieth year, and his wife died April 12, 1761.
4. Daniel, second son of George and Mary Farrar, was born No- vember 30, 1696, married Hannah Fletcher, and settled in Sudbury, Massachusetts. He died about 1755.
5. Daniel, son of Daniel and Hannah Farrar, was born in 1724, and married, in 1748, Mary (surname unknown).
6. Daniel, son of Daniel and Mary Farrar, was born March 25, 1755. in Lincoln, Massachusetts, and was a soldier in the Revolutionary army. After independence was secured he married a daughter of John Bruce, and settled in Lincoln, where he remained until 1799. In that year he bought a lot in the south part of Marlboro (now Troy), New Hampshire, on which he erected a log house the following spring. There- after he busied himself in clearing and cultivating his land. He had a strong constitution and was capable of much severe labor. He died November 13, 1837, and his wife August 20, 1838. They were the parents of eleven children.
7. John Bruce, sixth child and fourth son of Daniel Farrar, was born December 17, 1787, in Lincoln, Massachusetts. He was married August 15, 1810, to Anna, daughter of Timothy and Martha (Long) Harvey, who was born in Marlboro, New Hampshire. He settled in Hinsdale, and afterward lived in Marlboro, where he died October 14, 1854. He was a clothier by trade, and operated both cloth mills and sawmills, beside farming. He was a Universalist in religious faith, and his wife a Baptist. In politics he was an old-time Democrat. After his death his widow came to Carthage and lived with her son, dying January 14, 1870. Their children were eight in number. Samantha, the eldest, married Moses Wooster, and died at Atkinson, Illinois. Ade- line died at Carthage, unmarried. Emily married (first) William Jones, and (second) William J. Bentley, of Carthage, where she died. Amanda, wife of Loren C. Frost, died 'at Keene, New Hampshire. Sarah died young, and Martha became the wife of Frank D. Hall, and resides at Winchenden, Massachusetts. John Eldredge is a retired resident of Carthage.
8. Harvey Daniel Farrar. youngest child of John B., was born March 2, 1828, in Marlboro, Cheshire county, New Hampshire, and re-
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mained upon the home farm there until eighteen years old. In the meantime he attended the graded schools of the village of Marlboro, and was well equipped for a business career when he left school. When eighteen years of age he entered a woodenware shop in his native town, where he continued to labor six years. Having become thoroughly familiar with the work of making tubs, pails and similar wares, he went to New Brunswick and spent a year in installing a similar factory there. Mr. Farrar became a resident of Carthage in 1853, and at once pur- chased an interest in Rice & Sutton's woodenware factory, continuing in this association three years. In 1856 he built a shop and continued to operate it individually until 1897. His plant was three times destroyed by fire, and after the last disaster he retired from business, sold the power to Meyer & Farrar, his son being the junior member in the firm. They sold it to the Carthage Sulphite Pulp Company, and abandoned the business. For many years Mr. Farrar (father) did a large business in making butter packages and kindred articles, and has well earned a rest from business activity. He is the owner of a farm of one hundred and twenty-six acres in the town of Denmark, to which he gives considerable attention, though it is rented.
Mr. Farrar is an active member of the Baptist church of Carthage, being clerk of the society and a trustee. He has seen two church edifices of this society burn, and was on the building committee which replaced it in both cases. He is a steadfast Republican, but no politician, and has often declined official station.
He was married June 1, 1853, to Miss Caroline R. McCollester, who died October 8. 1854. January 1, 1862, he married her sister, Ellen A., daughter of Silas and Achsah ( Holman) McCollester, of Marl- boro, New Hampshire. A son, born of the first marriage, is spoken of further in the following paragraph. A daughter, Edith, now twenty- eight years old, is the wife of Dr. C. F. Adams, of Carthage, and they are the parents of a son, William Darwin.
9. William Silas Farrar, son of Harvey D. and Caroline R. Far- rar, was born July 2, 1854, in West Carthage, and grew up in that village, in whose public schools he was educated. At the age of nine- teen years he entered his father's factory and continued four years, be- coming expert in the manufacture of tubs and pails. In 1878 he went to St. Joseph, Michigan, where he dealt in fruit four years with success. Returning to Carthage he became a partner of his father in woodenware production, continuing until the great fire of 1884, which destroyed the
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plant. He then built a sawmill, and continued to manufacture lumber and shingles until the mill was destroyed by fire in 1897. Since then he has been a member of the firm of Meyer & Farrar, which makes furni- ture exclusively and is doing a prosperous business.
Mr. Farrar is a member of Carthage Lodge No. 365, Oriental En- campment No. 135, also Canten Omor No. 62. Patriarehs Militant. all of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and the local lodges of the Royal Areanum and Tribe of Ben Hur. He attends the Baptist church, and is a stanch Republican. He was married October 2, 1883. to Miss Jessie Fremont Woodruff, born in Chicago, Illinois, a daughter of John and Abby ( Rowe) Woodruff. Her mother was a native of Orange county, this state. A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Farrar, but is now deceased.
JOHN HENRY CARNEY, a successful business man of Carthage, where he has lived for fifteen years, is self-made in every sense. His grandfather, Michael Carney, was a farmer near the city of London- derry, Ireland, where he died. His wife was a McSwain. Their son, John Carney, was well educated. and came to America when a young man, landing in Canada. He enlisted there in the British army, and served over a year as a soldier. After this he came to New York and worked on the construction of the Black River canal. He soon settled on a farm at Boonville, where he died May 16, 1862, at the age of fifty- five years. His first wife, Mary Hartwell, was a member of a family of weavers near Londonderry. She died in the spring of 1844, and the subjeet of this sketch was thus early left without a mother's care. The father afterward married Mary (Jefferson), widow of -- King. She still survives, and resides on the homestead at Boonville. Mr. Car- ney was a member of the Roman Catholic church, and a Democrat in politics.
The children of John and Mary ( Hartwell) Carney are accounted for as follows: Catherine and Agnes died young. Mary is the widow of James Holt, and lives in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Michael was drowned at the age of sixteen years, and John H. is the youngest. Three children were born of the second marriage. Henry, the eldest, was a soldier in defense of the Union, and was killed in the defenses about Washington, four miles from that eity. Matilda died in girlhood. James is now a merchant at Port Leyden.
John H. Carney was born December 16, 1843, and was only a few
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months old when death took away his mother. He had little opportunity for attending school, the whole time thus occupied not exceeding six months. In his childhood he was much neglected, and he left home at the age of twelve years. When he was fourteen years old he was able to earn something by working on farms, and he has made his way suc- cessfully in life, which is much to his credit, from a very discouraging beginning. He nursed his father through an attack of typhoid fever and the ravages of a malignant cancer, which caused his demise.
For some years Mr. Carney was employed as a driver, and became identified with lumbering operations, drifting into the keeping of board- ers at lumbering centers, his first undertaking in this line being at Moose River. New York. For five years he kept a boarding house at Sterling Rin, Cameron county, Pennsylvania, and subsequently kept a meat market at Port Leyden, New York, two years. He next conducted a hotel at Moose River five years, and for two years kept a store at Port Leyden. These experiences had especially fitted him for the management of a first-class hotel, and in 1888 he sold out his store and bought the Levis house in Carthage, which he conducted successfully for a period of twelve years to a day, selling out to the present proprietor, George W. Hatch, April 1, 1901, In 1899 he purchased the spacions and handsome home which he occupies, on West street, Carthage, and has lived retired from active business since leaving the hotel. He is the owner of a fine farm near the village, but does not till it himself. He is a member of St. James's Roman Catholic church of Carthage, with his family. In poli- tics he is somewhat independent, though he usually votes the Democratic ticket. He is not a seeker after office, and has refused the nomination to many responsible offices. At the earnest solicitation of friends he consented to be a candidate for village trustee at the last election, and is now capably filling that position.
Mr. Carney was married September 18, 1867, to Miss Annie Shiee- han, who was born in County Cork, Ireland, a daughter of Dennis and Mary Sheehan, who immigrated to the United States when Mrs. Carney was five years of age. Three of the five children of Mr. and Mrs. Car- ney are living. Ellen, the first born, died at the age of one year. Frances is the wife of Walter Elliott, residing in Carthage. Mary died when seventeen years old. Jolm and Norah are at home with their parents.
ZELOTUS SIMS, a prosperous business man of Carthage, is a descendant of one of the oldest families in the county, and preserves
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the characteristics of his hardy Scotch ancestry, being a shrewd business man and an intelligent observer of events in human history. He was born September 20, 1835, in the town of Antwerp, a son of Robert Sims and Sarah Jane Sweet, his wife.
The name was spelled "Sim" in Scotland, and received a terminal "s." like many others, on arrival in this country. Robert Sim, a native of Aberdeen, Scotland, left home when sixteen years old to join an elder brother who was established in mercantile business in New York. Before his arrival his brother died, and he found himself without friend or relative in a strange land. But he was made of stern stuff, and set to work to make a way for himself. He had received a fair education in the schools of his native city, and soon engaged in teaching. For some years he lived in Connecticut, and was established for a time in Albany, whence he came to the wilderness of Antwerp, in Jefferson county. He was a very scholarly man, a fine penman, and little inured to the hard- ships of pioneer life and did not long survive them, dying about 1825. He had lost one of his limbs on account of a fever sore, and this handi- capped him in the clearing of a new country. His wife, Lydia Hanks, was a native of Connecticut, and died at Antwerp, March 8, 1860, aged ninety-two ycars. Most of their children were born in Connecticut. Nancy, the eldest, married Eli Whitford, a farmer of Antwerp, and they went to Salt Lake and joined the Morman colony. Margaret became the wife of Archibald Whitford, a teacher of mathematics, who spent twenty years in teaching in the schools of Watertown, in which city both passed away. Mr. Whitford was much aided in his early studies by his future wife's father, who was well skilled in mathematics. Sarah, the third child of Robert Sinis, married Josiah Drake, a native of Massachusetts, who was a farmer in Antwerp, where both died. Lydia became the wife of Isaac Thompson, and died in Antwerp. George died, over ninety years of age, at Afton, Wisconsin, where he had served as postmaster. Ruth married Edward Gould, a Methodist preacher, and died in Ohio. Robert is the subject of a following paragraph. Eliza, the eighth, mar- ried David Macomber, and lived and died at Three-Mile Bay. The father of these was among the first to be buried by the Freemasons at Antwerp, and this event caused considerable comment. He was a most upright man, austere in his adherence to principle, and abhorrent of any- thing little or mean.
Robert Sims, junior, was born January 14, 1806, probably in Albany, and grew up in Antwerp. He was an athletic man and cleared up land
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which he bought in that town. His end came early, in an unfortunate and unforeseen manner. In the frolics incident to a frontier "raising," he engaged in a wrestling match and received internal injuries which caused his death. This occurred October 20, 1841, on the occasion of raising a barn on the farm of Robert Ormiston, in Antwerp. his antag- onist being a mute, named Robert Bell, a noted wrestler of the time and neighborhood. Mr. Sims's injury came about through the slipping of his toot while under severe muscular strain.
He was married in December, 1834, to Sarah J. Sweet, a native of this county, who survived him many years. She was married March 23, 1845, to Sylvester Hall, and lived some years in Watertown, where she died March 5, 1886. By her marriage to Mr. Sims she became the mother of four children-Zelotus, Ruth, Elbridge B. and George. The daughter is the wife of Marshall P. Wright, and resides on Mechanic street, Watertown. The second son is a resident of Antwerp, and the youngest of Philadelphia.
Zelotus Sims grew to manhood in his native town, attending the dis- trict school until eighteen years old. In the meantime, he had spent one year in the family of Dr. Murdock, of Philadelphia, New York, where he made himself useful and thus aided in sustaining himself. When eighteen years old he went upon the Great Lakes and learned caulking and navigation. After six years on the lakes he went into the woods, working as a carpenter and as sawyer and contractor about sawmills and in lumbering. He was thus employed five years at South Hammond, and subsequently spent three years in the employ of Anderson Brothers, tanners and lumbermen, at Boonville. . He was industrious and prudent in the care of his earnings, and was shortly enabled to go in business on his own account.
In the fall of 1869 Mr. Sims became a resident of Carthage. where he has remained ever since. For several years he operated the Coburn sawmill, which stood on the west side of the river and was destroyed some years since. May 16, 1894, Mr. Sims bought the grocery business of John Scanlan, which he has since continued to conduct upon the same site. It is located on Alexandria street, opposite the Gill House, and here he caters to the wants of a large and growing line of domestic trade. His patrons include many of the best families of the village, and he takes care to be prompt in the delivery of staple and genuine goods. which accounts for his popularity with his customers. A wide-awake and industrious business man, he earns the success which is his. For the
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past twenty-eight years he has been a member of the Methodist church. the only society with which he is affiliated. He has ever sustained the principles of the Republican party. but does not desire public station.
Mr. Simis was married in 1861, to Miss Eliza Webster, who was born in South Hammond, New York, a daughter of Samuel Webster, a cousin of Daniel Webster, the noted statesman. Samuel Webster was among the earliest settlers of South Hammond, where he became a large landholder. His wife, Harriet Beach, was a native of Canada, born near Brockville. Mrs. Sims died January 2, 1894, and in October, 1895, Mr. Sims married Carrie, widow of Addison Paris, and daughter of William and Betsey Ervin. The latter was a daughter of Adam Ormiston, of Wilna. There are two chiklren of the first marriage-George Robert and Arthur Webster, both of whom are engaged in assisting their father in business.
George R. Sims was born November 3. 1863, in Hammond, and was married December 26, 1892, to Alice McCarty, a native of Thanes- ford. Ontario, daughter of Eleazur McCarty, of Scotch lineage. The last named died when Alice was small, and his widow subsequently mar- ried William Valentine, and lived in Detroit, Michigan. Mr. Sims is an earnest Republican, but no office-seeker, and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Tribe of Ben Hur, and is a member of the local Business Men's Association. During the last six years he has developed considerable skill as a mineralogist and assayer.
CHARLES JOSEPH REEDER, cashier of the National Ex- change Bank of Carthage, is descended from very old American fam- ilies. His paternal ancestor, who came from Germany, bore the name of Leser. which is the German word signifying "reader." and it was found desirable upon his removal to England, to Anglicize the name. which was done by translating it literally, with the slight change in spelling.
(1) In 1734 Charles Reeder came from England and settled in Bucks county, Pennsylvania. He was the father of Joseph Reeder ( II ), who passed his lite in Bucks county.
(III) In 1798 Job, son of Joseph Reeder, moved from central Pennsylvania to Erie county, in that state, and passed the remainder of his life there. In 1800 he married Nancy Campbell, a daughter of James Campbell. who served as a soldier in the Revolution. and was held a
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prisoner three months by the British. His wife Jane was a sister of the grandmother of Abraham Lincoln, who lived in Bucks county.
(IV) James Reeder, second child of Job and Nancy Reeder, passed his life in Erie county, on the borders of Crawford county, own- ing land in both counties. He married Polly, daughter of Isaac and Hetty Taylor, who came from New Salem, Franklin county, Massachu- setts, to Pennsylvania in 1818. Isaac Taylor was a son of Abraham and Molly Taylor, of Worcester county, Massachusetts. James and Polly Reeder had thurteen children.
(V) Isaac Reeder, fourth son of James and Polly Reeder, was born December 6, 1832, in Conneauttee. Erie county, Pennsylvania. where he now resides. Ile has always been a very active business man and has traveled much. His time has been given much to the manu- facture of lumber and woodenware, such as pumps and the operation of planing mills. He is now the proprietor and operator of two sawmills, and also of extensive farms. Both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church, in which he is an elder. In politics he is a stanch Republican, but has never desired or accepted official honors. Of his five children only two survive, namely: Charles J., and Annie Giles, who resides with her parents.
Sarah Giles, wife of Isaac Reeder, is the youngest of the ten chil- dren of Joseph Giles, who came from New Salem, Massachusetts, to Pennsylvania in 1818. His ancestors came originally to this country from northern England. His father, John Giles, was married to Hannah Gould, his second wife, January 31, 1789. By a former marriage he had eight children, and Joseph was one of the five borne him by Hannah Gould. Joseph Giles married Tyla Crossette, a granddaughter of Archi- bald and Sarah (Savage) Crossette. Israel, son of Archibald Crossette, married Martha Hamilton (a relative of Alexander Hamilton), who was born February 15, 1765, and their daughter, Tyla Crossette, was born November 9, 1791, and married Joseph Giles, April 18, 1818.
Charles J. Reeder was born April 16, 1872, at San Diego, Califor- nia, and was reared at Edinboro, Erie county, Pennsylvania, the seat of the Northwestern State Normal School of Pennsylvania, from which institution he was graduated in 1890. He subsequently studied at Ober- lin College and Allegheny College, Meadville. He is a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity of the latter institution. After giving some time to the lumber business, in association with his father, he was engaged as private secretary by W. C. Culbertson, of Girard, same state,
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one of the most extensive business men of Pennsylvania, with whom he continued two years in that capacity. He subsequently managed the extensive canning business of Mr. Culbertson for two years, and was located at Erie, where he was also assistant manager of the Erie Transit Company, which operates a car line. During most of this time Mr. Reeder operated coal yards along this line as a private enterprise, which proved profitable and was reluctantly abandoned upon his coming to Carthage. In fulfillment of a previous agreement he came to Carthage in January, 1902, to take the position of cashier of the National Ex- change Bank, which institution has made a remarkable record in the short time of its existence. In the first fifteen months its deposits trebled and its resources more than doubled, and its books show more than nine hundred depositors. Much of the prosperity may be attributed to the personal character of its cashier, who has taken a position in the front rank of the young and popular business men of the village. He was mnade a Mason in Oasis Lodge No. 416, of Pennsylvania, and joined Temple Chapter No. 215, Royal Arch Masons, of Erie, and now affil- iates with the local lodge and chapter, and is also a member of Water- town Commandery No. II, Knights Templar, and Media Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Watertown. In politics he is a Republican.
Mr. Reeder was married, January 5, 1898, to Clara Richardson, a native of Lowville, New York, who has borne him two sons, Ronald Joseph Richardson and Roscoe Giles. Rufus J. Richardson, father of Mrs. Reeder, has long been foremost among the progressive and suc- cessful business men of Lowville. His parents, Joel and Caroline (Mason) Richardson, came from Berkshire county, Massachusetts, and settled early in Martinsburg, Lewis county, New York, where Rufus was born. Jonathan Rogers was one of the first settlers at Lowville. His son, George L. Rogers, married Sallie Salmon, and their daughter, Jennie, became the wife of Rufus J. Richardson.
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