USA > New York > Jefferson County > Genealogical and family history of the county of Jefferson, New York, Volume I > Part 61
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1865, is now the wife of Mark S. Wilder, of Carthage, New York. After the death of his first wife, which occurred November 17, 1865, Mr. Converse contracted an alliance, December 11, 1866, with Cather- ine A. Hopper, of Antwerp, New York, and two children blessed this union : I. George H., born June 26, 1870, resides on the old home- stead and is in partnership with his father in the business established by the latter in 1856; on January 18, 1899, George H. Converse married Mella Wood, of Woodville, New York, and their family consists of two children, Donald J. and Dorris Converse. 2. Clara J. is now the wife of Edward R. Bristol, residing in Sumter, Alabama.
JOHN SESSIONS REDWAY, a successful veteran farmer and worthy public-spirited citizen of Ellisburgh township, belonged to a fam- ily which was founded in New England before the middle of the seven- teenth century by an ancestor wlio is believed to have been a native of the older England. The first of the race whose name is recorded is James Redway, whose son, James Redway (2), was a farmer at Rehoboth, Massachusetts, in 1644, and served as a soldier in King Philip's war. He was the father of a son, James Redway (3), who married Mehitable Bliss, and their children were: Molly, Mehitable, James, Joel, Comfort and Preserved, mentioned at length hereinafter. The earlier genera- tions of the family seem to have lived simply as colonial farmers, shar- ing in all the hardships, adventures and perils which inevitably fall to the lot of settlers in a new country, and which were much more to be dreaded then than now when rapidity of travel and communication has to a certain extent deprived them of their terrors. Mehitable Bliss was the daugliter of Captain Nathaniel Bliss, who was born August 28, 1702, a descendant of Thomas Bliss, a Puritan who came from Belston, Devon- shire, England, to Boston, Massachusetts, in 1636. Captain Nathaniel Bliss entered the colonial service eight days after the battle of Lexing- ton, being then seventy-three years old, and served through the revolu- tionary war. He was still living in 1796.
Preserved Redway (4), son of James and Mehitable (Bliss) Red- way, was born July 14, 1764, and in his youth served for three years in the continental army as one of General Washington's bodyguard. He was one of the pioneer settlers of Ellisburgh, Jefferson county, cleared his land and became a successful farmer. The large tract of which he was the owner has since been divided into several farms. He married Azubah Jones, who was born November 1, 1770. Both Mr. Redway and his wife
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were of New England birth, the former having been born, as were his an- cestors, in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, while the latter was a native of Som- ers, Connecticut. Mr. and Mrs. Redway were the parents of the following children, all of whom. with the exception of the three last, were born in Galway, Saratoga county, New York, where the family lived for some time before coming to Ellisburgh: Chauncey H., Polly, Azubah, Abel, Daniel J .. Albert Galton, mentioned at length hereinafter; David J., Abel (2). Harvey N., who lived at Potsdam, St. Lawrence county, where he filled the office of county clerk, and where his descendants still reside : and Mary M. Most of this family grew up and spent their lives amid their native scenes. Mr. and Mrs. Redway, the parents, died April 25, 1837, and January 1, 1853, respectively, and are buried in the ceme- tery at Adams. They are remembered as among the best and worthiest of our carly settlers.
Albert Gaiton Redway (5), son of Preserved and Azubah (Jones) Redway, was born February I. 1799, in Galway, New York, and came to the old farm with his parents in 1804, being educated at Lowville Academy. He had great taste for music, and taught a singing school for many years. He was an active member of the Presbyterian church, in which he held the office of elder and for a number of years led the choir, thus consecrating his musical gifts to the service of religion. He married Ann Maria Sessions, three of whose brothers were clergymen in the Presbyterian church, one of them. the Rev. John Sessions, having been for many years pastor of the Presbyterian church at Adams. The Sessions family was of Irish origin. The children of A. G. and Ann Maria Sessions were: Harvey Watts, John S., Edward Payson, Albert, Preserved and Angelina Rhumnia. The last-named died when one month old. An adopted daughter, Alice Cornelia, is the wife of W. A. Woodworth, of Saugatuck. Michigan. The eldest died in New York in 1854. Edward P. and Albert P. lived at Ilion, New York, where they died.
John Sessions Redway (6), son of Albert Galton and Ann Maria (Sessions) Redway, was born May 15, 1833, on the farm which was his home, and was educated in the common schools of his birthplace and in Albany, New York. His life was chiefly spent in agricultural pursuits in which he met with gratifying success, the result of enlightened skill, practical ability and unflagging industry. Like his father, he was a skilled vocalist and spent one year in New York, with the dry goods firm of George Bliss & Company, during which time he sang bass in the quar-
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tette choir of the Strong Place Baptist church. He also did considerable concert work in northern New York with Professor E. C. Taylor. In early life he was a Democrat, but after the formation of the Republican party was identified with that organization. He died March 1, 1904, and was buried on the one hundredth anniversary of the settlement of his ancestors here.
Mr. Redway married, June 4, 1856, Susan Maria, born September 16, 1830, daughter of Calvin and Amney ( Kellogg) Fox. The former was a farmer, a son of Elijah Fox, of Vermont, and was among the earliest settlers of the county. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Redway: Ella M. and Emma J. (twins), who were born October 3, 1858; the former died August 8, 1893, and the latter resides ou! the parental homestead; Edward W., who was born April 23, 1860, and died August 11, 1863; Susie C., who was born October 10, 1862, and died August 28, 1867; Albert P., who was born November 17, 1864, and died September 3, 1867; John Sessions, who was born August 14, 1867, and now tills the home farm; Daniel, who was born April 8, 1870, and died August 12, 1870, and Alice Ruth, who was born January 3, 1872, was educated at the Adams Collegiate Institute, and is a teacher at New Suffolk, New York.
John Sessions (7), mentioned above, the only son of this family who reached maturity, was educated at Adams Collegiate Institute, and has ever since resided on the homestead, devoting himself to agricultural pursuits like liis ancestors before him. It is safe to predict that Jeffer- son county will add his name to her already long list of able and pros- perous farmers. Mr. Redway married, January 11, 1900, Maude May Lyman, who was born September 29, 1883, in Lorraine, daughter of Caleb N. Lyman, whose biography appears in this work.
GEORGE MILTON WOOD. It would be difficult to say which of the leading interests of Jefferson county has received the greatest stimulus from the mental vigor, practical ability and essential upright- ness of George Milton Wood, of Woodville. He comes of New England lineage, and numbers among his ancestors men who, in whatever com- munity they may have resided, have aided in the upbuilding of the state and the improvement of society.
Nathaniel Wood, the founder of the Jefferson county branch of the family, was born November 18, 1729, at Norwich, Connecticut, and studied for the Congregational ministry, in which he labored with self-
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denying zeal during the greater part of a long and eventful life. For many years he was pastor of a church at Norwich, and about the close of the revolutionary war went to Middletown, Vermont, whence he re- moved, at the advanced age of seventy-five, to Jefferson county, and here his last days were spent. He married. May 3, 1748, Miriam East- man, who was born November 2, 1727, and they were the parents of the following children: 1. Jacob, who was born March 2. 1749, and lived and died on a farm known as the "old Deacon Doane place," near Wood- ville. 2. Ephraim, who was born November 20, 1755, and spent the greater part of his life and ended his days in Jefferson county on a farm known as the "Amos E. Wood place," at the old stone house ( see S. T. Wood). 3. Miriam, who was born April 21, 1760, and became the wife of Hazen Solomon, who was born March 31. 1762. His life was, for the most part, passed in Franklin county, at or near Chazy, where there was quite a colony of the Wood family, and it was there that he died. 4. Hannah, who was born March 5, 1764, and married ( first) Nathaniel Hibbard, and (second) Obediah Kingsley. 5. Nathaniel, who was born December 5. 1766, and from middle life until his death resided on a farm two miles from Woodville ; his son was Governor Wood of Ohio. 6. Ebenezer, mentioned at length hereinafter. The death of the Rev. Nathaniel Wood, the father of this family, occurred at Woodville, where he passed away "full of years and honors," and was buried.
Ebenezer Wood, son of Nathaniel and Miriam ( Eastman) Wood, was born September 17, 1771, in Norwich, Connecticut, and was still a boy when the family moved to Middletown, Vermont. In 1803 he came to Jefferson county with his three brothers, Jacob, Ephraim and Nathan- iel, and they were followed the next year by their venerable father. The family were among the pioneers of the county, and it was in honor of them that the village of Woodville received its name. Ebenezer Wood purchased a large tract of land, on while he built a log house, and after a few years erected in its place a large frame dwelling. He laid the foundation for the village by opening this house as a hotel, and further advanced the growth of the place by establishing a general store in 1809. He was a successful business man, and took a prominent part in public affairs. Ile was especially active at the period of the war of 1812, and in 1817 was elected to the legislature. He was appointed one of the commissioners to lay out the state road from Oswego to Sacketts Harbor. In 1825 a Baptist society was formed, of which he was one of the trus- tees.
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Mr. Wood married, February 1. 1795, Abigail, born August 29. 1774, daughter of Philemon Wood, and their children were: I. Victor, who was born December 20, 1795, was a farmer, merchant and postmas- ter, and held the office of justice of the peace. 2. Polly, who was born October 25, 1797. became the wife of Oliver Batchellor, a blacksmith of Woodville; he was a famous workman, and constructed the iron doors of the Jefferson county bank building. 3. Jacob, who was born August 26, 1799, married Lydia Leffingwell, and died at the age of twenty-four. 4. Abigail, who was born September 25, 1802, became the wife of Carr G. Rounds, a farmer and mechanic. and died at Woodville. 5. Ebenezer, who was born November 2, ISII, was a farmer and married Lamyra Eastman ; they had three children who grew up; Jacob Harley, who lives at Woodville; Abigail, who married Kendrick Littlefield, and died near Brookfield, Missouri; and Loretta, who lives with Jacob H. 6. Harri- son, who was born January 9, 1814, married Fidelia Converse, and was the father of eight children ; he spent his life on the farm now owned by his son Frank Arthur Wood. 7. Nathaniel, mentioned at length here- inafter. Mrs. Wood, the mother of these children, died April 8. 1842, and shortly after Mr. Wood married Sarah Lyon, who died May 20, 1858. Mr. Wood himself died August 20, 1858, in the home now occu- pied by his grandchildren.
Nathaniel Wood, son of Ebenezer and Abigail (Wood) Wood, was horn June 22, 1816, and was reared upon his father's farm. He was born in the house built in 1810, and subsequently built two houses on the site, the latter being the property of N. Wood & Sons and now occu- pied by his elder son. He was a pioneer in the dairy business, begin- ning on a large scale in 1850, and was interested in the first cheese fac- tory in his neighborhood, in 1864. He was prominent in the local church, and helped build two houses of worship. Both he and his father were among the most active opponents of slavery, and he was one of the first supporters of the Republican party. He did not seek for office, but was firm and outspoken in expression, and had great influence in shaping public opinion. He was twice married. His first wife was Phoebe Doane, who was born December 2, 1818, and whom he married Decem- ber 14, 1837. She died in June, 1841, and Mr. Wood married, June 12, 1842, Flora Jane, born April 20, 1823. in Middletown, Vermont, daugh- ter of Milton and Amelia ( Willard) Clark. The former was a farmer, who came to Ellisburgh with his family in 1842. Mr. and Mrs. Wood
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were the parents of two sons: George Milton, mentioned at length here- mafter, and Nathaniel.
George Milton Wood, son of Nathaniel and Flora Jane (Clark) Wood, was born May 22, 1843, and received his primary education in the common schools, afterward attending Union Academy, Belleville. Subsequently he studied with Professor D. W. Fisk of Syracuse. At an early age he was employed as clerk in a store at Woodville, and since attaining his majority has been continuously in mercantile life. At the beginning of his career he was for three years in business with his uncle, John B. Clark, and in 1867 became a member of the firm of N. Wood & Son, which continued the large general store. The firm owns and operates a planing mill, is extensively engaged in manufacturing and also conducted a flourishing building business, and, since 1870, has been known as N. Woods & Sons. Mr. Wood is largely interested in the lumber business and owns, in connection with his brother, over one thousand eight hundred acres of land in various farms. He is one of the directors of the Farmers' National Bank of Adams, and has served as a trustee of Union Academy.
Of Mr. Wood's character and reputation as a citizen it is almost needless to speak. At the age of twenty-one he was appointed postmas- ter, and with the exception of three years has held the office ever since. Such a rcord requires no comment. He is a member of the Belleville Grange. He and all his family are active members of the Congrega- tional church of Woodville.
Mr. Wood married February 7. 1867, Frances, daughter of Cyrus and Pamelia (Goodenough) Littlefield, and they have two children : Fannie, who was born July 1, 1869, attended Belleville Academy, and schools at Mount Holyoke and Boston, and is now a teacher of elocu- tion in St. Louis, Missouri, and George M., Jr., who was born Noveni- ber 24, 1880, graduated at Union Academy, studied French and Italian abroad, and took a course at the State University in Switzerland, and graduated at Cornell University in 1903. He is interested in the firm of N. Wood & Sons. He was married June 30, 1904, to. Emily Jane Metcalf, of Ellis Village, daughter of Frank and Elizabeth (Hawley) Metcalf.
Nathaniel Wood, second son of Nathaniel and Flora J. Wood, was born November 6, 1846. He was educated at Union Academy and in Syracuse, and was one of the first students of Cornell University. He has been for thirty-four years in business as a member of the firm of N.
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Wood & Sons. He is also a member of the Grange. He married, No- vember 6, 1872, Myra, daughter of Samuel J. and Anna ( Williamson) Williamson. Mrs. Wood died November 25, 1876, and on September 3, 1885, Mr. Wood married Mary Ensworth Eaton. They have one son, Nathaniel Eaton, who was born August 17, 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Wood and their son are active members of the Congregational church, of which he has been long a deacon. For nearly forty years he has been secretary and treasurer of the Sunday school. While not an active par- tisan, he is a sound Republican in polities.
Mrs. Wood is a direct descendant of Roger Williams, founder of the first Rhode Island colony, and a great-grandaughter of Governor Owen of that state. Her parents were Samuel E. and Laura (Owen) Eaton. The former was a eloth manufacturer of Coventry, Connecticut, where his daughter, Mary Ensworth, was born. She is a graduate of a young ladies' seminary at Hamilton, New York, and of the State Nor- mal school of Rhode Island. She taught ten years at Oakland, in that state, and was subsequently a teacher in the high school at Greeley, Col- orado.
SIMEON TITUS WOOD, a life-long and honored resident of Woodville, traces his deseent from the Rev. Nathaniel Wood, who was an earnest and devout clergyman in Connecticut during the revolution- ary period of our history ( See G. M. Wood). He was the father of sev- eral sons, one of whom, Ephraim, born in 1755, was one of the pioneers of Jefferson county. In the spring of 1004 he settled in the town of Ellisburgh, where his brothers settled in the previous year. They were followed the same year by their father, who was then advanced in life. The village of Woodville was named in honor of the family. Ephraim Wood married in 1779 Esther Eastman, who bore him three sons and eight daughters.
Amos E. Wood, son of Ephraim and Esther ( Eastman ) Wood, was born in 1790, and was a farmer who praetieed, in connection with his agricultural labors, the trade of a shoemaker, and was also a tanner and currier. He served as a soldier during the war of 1812, and was a pen- sioner of that war. He took an active part in local affairs, and held various township offices, serving for many years as justice of the peace. He was a member of the Masonie fraternity, and in politics was a Demo- erat. He married, in 1819, Hannah, daughter of Samuel and Rachel (Chamberlain ) Dean, and they were the parents of the following chil-
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dren : Elvira O., who married Edwin R. Finn, a merchant and farmer who died in California; Simeon Titus, mentioned at length hereinafter ; Amos F., who is a farmer in Mason, Michigan; Marina, who is the widow of George A. Jenkins, a farmer of Woodville, who died in Wis- consin : Marion, who became the wife of Cyrus F. Eastman; and Mary E., who married Merritt F. Wood, of Woodville, and is now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Wood were loved and esteemed during their lives, and mourned when they died by all who knew them. Mrs. Wood, who sur- vived her husband, attained to the dignity of a centenarian.
Simeon Titus Wood, son of Amos E. and Hannah ( Dean) Wood. was born December 24. 1821, in Woodville village, where he was edu- cated in the common schools. He was accustomed in his boyhood to assist in the labors of the homestead. and on reaching manhood engaged in the milling business, which he has always carried on, but farming has been the chief occupation of his life. He owned and operated a grist and saw mill, and for a long period carried on a flourishing trade. He has always been active as a citizen, and has been placed by his neighbors in various offices of trust and responsibility, among them that of justice of the peace, in which he served for many years. Politically he is a Repub- lican. He was strongly identified with the anti-slavery cause during the years of struggle which preceded the civil war.
Mr. Wood married. in 1845, Parthenia Bowe, who died in 1853. His second marriage occurred March 29, 1854. the bride being Lasira Salisbury, of Sandy Creek, Oswego county. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wood: I. Amos E., who was born March 15. 1855, married Kate Barrett and they have three sons : Leroy S., born. March 11, 1883; Walter, born February 1, 1886, and Simeon T., born August 7, 1887. 2. Rose M., who was born November 24. 1858, and is the wife of William D. Laird, a miller and farmer. Mr. Laird was born March 20, 1858. near Greenoch, in Scotland, and at the age of four years was brought by his parents to the United States. 3. Ida H., who was born November 6. 1860, and became the wife of George E. Bullis, superintendent of schools in Oswego. They have two children- Harold E., born July 24, 1889, and Marion L .. April 13, 1893. 4. Arlie, who was born May 30. 1873, and is the wife of Arthur Mosser, a Pres- byterian clergyman of Detroit. The declining years of Mr. and Mrs. Wood are cheered by the love of their children and by the cordial respect and affection of their friends and neighbors.
Alexander and Elizabeth ( Brodie) Laird, parents of William D.
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Laird, came to America in 1862, and settled in what is known as the "Scotch Settlement" in the town of Henderson, where Mr. Laird died itt 1865, aged fifty-eight years. His widow now resides near Ball Mound, Illinois,'and celebrated the completion of her eightieth year July 29, 1904. She is the mother of twelve children, of whom ten are now living.
COOPER. This is a name which has been honorably borne by several of Jefferson county's leading citizens, and is now represented by the tenth generation in America, among prominent Watertown families.
(I) John Cooper, of Lynn, Massachusetts, came from England to New England in 1635 in the ship Hopewell. He was forty-one years of age at that time, and was accompanied by his wife, Wibroe, and children: Mary, aged thirteen; John, ten; Thomas, seven; and Martha, five. Mr. Cooper was from Olney, in Buckinghamshire, and was one of the twenty heads of families who formed the association for the settlement of Southampton, New York (Long Island), in 1639. He was made a freeman at Boston, December 6, 1636, was one of the elders of the church when it was organized at Lynn, and in 1638 he is recorded as owning two hundred acres of land in that town. In Burke's Armory twenty-four families of the name are mentioned as bearing coat-of-arms. John Cooper died in 1682. His children were : Mary, born in 1622; John, 1625; Thomas, 1628; Martha; Mrs. Thomas Topping; Mrs. John Topping and Mrs. James (or John) White-the Christian names of the last three being unknown.
(II) John Cooper (2), eldest son and second child of John and Wibroe Cooper, was born in 1625, in England. His wife, Sarah, died (probably) in 1688, and he died in 1677. They had sons, Samuel, James and Thomas, but no record of daughters is found.
(III) Thomas, third son of John and Sarah Cooper, died No- vember 22, 1691, and, after his death, his widow Joanna married Lieutenant Joseph Pierson. Thomas Cooper's children were: John, born in 1685: Joanna, who married John Howell; and Abraham, born 1688-9.
(IV) Abraham, youngest son of Thomas and Joanna Cooper, lost his first wife, Bertha, by death. January 4, 1716, at the age of twenty-seven years. The name of his second wife is unknown. He had two children. Bertha, child of the first wife, married Nehemiah Sayre.
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(\) Abraham, son of Abraham (I) and his second wife, was born about 1717, and married Hannah Howell ( so-called in his will, while some of his descendants declare her name was Johanna). He died in 1784. His children were : John, born May 23, 1758; Abraham, January 1, 1761; Gilbert, February 26, 1753; Hannah, August, 1765 (married Henry Rhodes) ; Mehetabel, February 9, 1768 (married Benjamin Huntting and lived in Rome, New York) ; Foster and Jane (supposed to be twins), September 10, 1770.
(VI) John Cooper, eldest child of Abraham and Johanna Cooper, was born May 23, 1758. His wife, Susannah, daughter of Zebulon Howell, was born April 20, 1759, and they were married August 12, 1778. He died in 1821, and his wife August 8, 1846. Their children were born as follows: Juliana, August 4, 1779; Abraham, June 18, 1781: Cordelia, August 22, 1783; Sophia, Sep- tember 12, 1785; Hannah, November 5, 1787; Zebulon, in 1792. The last-named lived in Utica, New York. The first three were born in Southampton, after which Mr. Cooper moved with his family to Mont- gomery, Orange county, New York, where he resided for several years, during which time the others were born. He removed again to Utica (about 1795) and, about 1818, to Ox Bow, in this county, where he remained until his death. His wife also died at Ox Bow, whither they removed to be with their children.
(VII) ABRAHAM COOPER, eldest son and second child of John and Susannah, was characterized by a kindly and generous dis- position, sterling integrity and great enterprise. He was born at Southampton, Long Island, June 18. 1781, and about the year 1795 he accompanied his father's family to Utica, New York.
He received a limited education in the common schools adjacent to his home, and at an early age began his active career by assisting his father in the business of hauling goods from the boats to the stores. This was severe labor for so young a lad, but, being naturally of an industrious temperament, he persevered and finally succeeded beyond his expectations in his new vocation. While thus engaged he took a trip with his team to the Genesee country, as it was called in 1796, and in what is now the city of Auburn there was but one house, a log one. On his return he stopped at Salina for a load of salt; there was an old man there with three kettles, boiling salt, and that was the nucleus of the now celebrated "Salt Point" salt works. Subsequently he ac- cepted a position in the store of Byron Johnson, and by his industry,
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