USA > New York > Jefferson County > Genealogical and family history of the county of Jefferson, New York, Volume II > Part 15
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In speaking of Mr. Massey's career, the Watertown Times said :
"It was his genius that turned defeat into success when the New York Air Brake Company's powerful rival, the Westinghouse Company, procured an injunction which declared that a certain principle involved in the construction of the Watertown brake was an infringement on the
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Westinghouse patent. Mr. Massey at that time devised a new valve entirely different from the Westinghouse pattern, and operating even more effectually than the old valve, practically nullifying the injunction and placing his company's product at the front again. This, though perhaps his most notable achievement of its kind, is only an indication of the strength and versatility of his mechanical genius. Unlike many inventors, there was nothing vague or visionary in the mental concepts that he brought to such successful conclusion. His ideas were sound and practical and were nearly always successfully executed.
"He was essentially a busy man and could spare but little time to society, but his home life was his rest and solace, the atmosphere in which he was relieved from the mental strain and constant thought of his life-taxing work and where he found his greatest pleasure."
FRANCIS W. H. MASSEY, M. D. In no other county of the Empire state has the medical profession been more ably represented than in Jefferson county. During the lapse of a century skilful and honorable physicians have, in each generation, taken their places in the ranks of the county practitioners. In none of these have the peculiar and distinguishing characteristics of the profession been more worthily exemplified than in Dr. Francis W. H. Massey of Brownville. He is a lineal descendant of Jeffrey Massey, who was born in England in 1593. and was one of the original settlers of Salem, Massachusetts. ( For complete genealogy, see George B. Massey, in this work. )
(V) Hart Massey, third son of Jonathan Massey, purchased a tract of land on which a portion of the city of Watertown is now situ- ated. Here in 1801 he brought his family, and first resided in a house where the Paddock Arcade now stands, removing thence to the lot now owned by E. L. Paddock, on Washington street. In 1812 he built the first brick house erected in the county, an edifice which is still standing on Massey avenue. He is remembered as one of those who have sat with honor on the bench of Jefferson county.
(VI) Solon Massey, second child and elder son of Hart Massey, was born July 29. 1798, and was but three years old when brought by his parents to Watertown. He was a man of literary ability and was the author of a series of articles in the Watertown papers, signed "A Link in the Chain," which describe the early settlement of Jefferson county. The name of his wife was Mary Esther Boalt. Mr. Massey passed his life
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as a farmer on the homestead, his death occurring when he had reached the age of seventy-two.
(VII) William Penn Massey, son of Solon and Mary Esther (Boalt) Massey, was born September 23. 1824. in the town of Water- town, and at the age of nine years went to live with his uncle by mar- riage. Dr. James K. Bates, who conducted a drug store at Brownville and also for some years held the office of postmaster. Mr. Massey re- ceived his education in the select schools of Brownville and at the Black River Literary and Religious Institute of Watertown. During the winter of 1843-44 he taught school near Cape Vincent, and then regularly commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Bates, attended lectures at the University of New York during the sessions of 1846-47 and 1847-48, and graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1848. Returning to Brownville, he succeeded to the practice of Dr. Bates, who removed to Watertown shortly after. He built up a large practice and gained the confidence, respect and esteem of the community in which he lived, his advice being frequently sought in matters political, as well as professional, by eminent men in all parts of the county. In August, 1855, while returning from Perch River, he was thrown from his carriage and was found lying in the road unconscious, his shoulder broken, his spine injured and his limbs paralyzed. He was disabled until the next November, and was then not fully recovered, overexertion or anxiety causing attacks which on several occasions threatened his life. This accident, by prostrating his nervous system, was the main factor in shortening his career, but his energy and ambition triumphed over his bodily ills, notwithstanding which he led an active life. The winter of 1860-61 he spent in New York, attending lectures and visit- ing the various hospitals of that city. In 18SI he was appointed exam- ining surgeon for pensions, and with Drs. C. M. Johnson and J. Morti- mer Crawe constituted the board of pension surgeons for Jefferson county. Dr. Massey held the office of treasurer of the board and was also a member of the Jefferson County Medical Society. In politics he was a stanch Republican. He was a member of the Presbyterian church of Brownville, in which for many years he served as elder.
Dr. Massey married, May 8, 1848, Adeline, born in 1822, in Coop- erstown, Otsego county, New York, daughter of Charles and Abigail Robinson ( Macomber) Smith, of Utica. New York. Charles Smith was a cotton manufacturer. He spent his last years and died in Coopers- town, being seventy-two years old at the time of his death. Of the 52
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children born to him and his wife only two survive: C. W. Smith, of Brooklyn, New York: and Mrs. S. W. Paine, of Rochester, New York. Dr. and Mrs. Massey were the parents of two children : Frederick, who is extensively engaged in business as a dry-goods merchant in Rochester. Minnesota ; and Francis W. H., mentioned at length hereinafter.
Dr. Massey was a lifelong resident of Brownville. and died there May 22, 1885. under circumstances of singular and striking interest. While engaged in dressing the wound of a patient who had just been injured, he fell, and in a few minutes expired. Although the suddenness of his death was a shock, not only to his family and friends. but to the entire community, to which he had so long ministered and in which he was so greatly beloved. it was felt to be fitting that he should close his long career of benevolence and usefulness while in the active dis- charge of those duties to which he had so constantly and unselfishly devoted himself.
Francis W. H. Massey, son of William Penn and Adeline ( Smith) Massey, was born June 16, 1853. in Brownville, where he received his primary education in the common schools, afterward attending the Adams Collegiate Institute. In 1874 he entered the University of Mich- igan. Ann Arbor, Michigan, graduating in pharmacy in 1876, and later began a course of medical study under the guidance of his father. In 1884 he received from the medical department of the University of New York the degree of Doctor of Medicine, and entered upon the dis- charge of his professional duties in Brownville, succeeding, on the death of his father. to the latter's practice. Of the position which Dr. Massey has for many years held in the ranks of the medical profession of Jeffer- son county, it is sufficient to say that it is worthy of the son of such a father. He has served as president of the Jefferson County Medical Society. Politically he is a Republican. In the Presbyterian church. of which he is a member. he also serves as elder, an office in which every generation of the family has been represented for more than a hundred years.
Dr. Massey married, September 25. 1878, Nellie Torrey, and they are the parents of five children : Mary, who is now studying art in Brooklyn, New York : Jennie : Torrey : Ruth : and Francis. Mrs. Massey is the daughter of Silas H. Torrey, a prominent lawyer of Saratoga county. He and his wife Marion were parents of six children: Nellie. who was born in 1858. in Saratoga county, and became the wife of Dr. Francis W. H. Massey. as mentioned above: Julia: Jennie: Belle.
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who resides in California, as do her two sisters hereinbefore mentioned : Cora, who lives in Philadelphia ; and Emily, who is a resident of Oberlin, Ohio. Both Mr. and Mrs. Torrey died at the comparatively early age of fifty-five years.
ALFRED LINLEY GRANGER, one of the successful farmers and good citizens of Champion. is a scion of one of the oldest families in northern New York, a family that distinguished itself in the war for in- dependenee, as well as in civil life.
(I) The founder of the family was Launcelot Granger, a native of England, who was among the settlers of Newbury, Massachusetts. He was one of the one hundred persons who received a grant of land in 1680 in what is now Suffield, Connecticut, then called Southold, and a part of Massachusetts. He died in that town in 1689.
(II) Abraham Granger, son of Launcelot, born April 17, 1073. in Newbury, married (first), in 1706. Hannah, daughter of Deaeon John and Esther ( Prichet ) Hanchett, of Suffield. She died in 1718. and he married (second), Hannah (surname unknown), who died June 7. 1726. Mr. Granger was a farmer and resided in Suffield, where he died. One child. Benjamin, was born of the first marriage, January 15, 1708. Two sons and a daughter were the fruit of the second union, born as follows: Abraham, January 5, 1720: Seth, May. 1723: Hannah, May 25, 1726.
(III) Seth Granger, second son of Abraham and Hannah Granger, born in Suffield, was married. May 4. 1751. to Ruth, daughter of Ebeneezer Allen, and resided in Granville, Massachusetts. Their chil- dren were: Abigail, born January 18. 1752: Seth, August 18, 1754; Sebra, January 31, 1763. died March 4. 1848; Levi, Ruth. December 23. 1770; and Thankful.
(IV) Sebra Granger, second son and third child of Seth and Ruth ( Allen) Granger, was born in Suffield, and died in 1840 (or 1848). in1 Rosebrom, formerly Cherry Valley, New York, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits. His widow passed away March 12, 1852. Their children were: Allen, born May 23. 1787: Abner, July 20, 1789: John. May 6, 1791 : Luey, September 25, 1792: Bela. October, 1794: Clare. November 20, 1798: Julius, May 22. 1801 : Seth, 1802; Joette, August 28. 1803: Luranah, October 20, 1807: and Oliver.
(V) Seth Granger, born 1802, was married, August 17, 1823. to Belinda Miner, and became a pioneer settler of Martinsburg, this state,
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in which town he lived and died. He was a shoemaker by trade, and tilled over one hundred acres of land with the aid of his sons. His first child, Olive, married Nathan Satterlee, with whom she settled in Ran- dolph Center, Wisconsin. Alfred, the second, died in his twenty-first year. Clarissa died while the wife of Franklin Wheat, of Manchester, New York. Lewis, the fourth, receives further mention below. Henry H. is now a resident of Glenfield.
(VI) Lewis, son of Seth and Belinda Granger, married Melissa, daughter of Noadiah Halburt, born March 1, 1810, in Lowville, Lewis county, this state. The last-named was a son of Josiah Hulburt, a na- tive of Massachusetts, and one of the pioneers of Lewis county. Har- riet, born May 3, 1818, in Martinsburg, wife of Noadiah Hulburt, was a daughter of John Mott and his wife, Electa Steuben. Melissa (Hul- burt) Granger died December 4, 1904, at the home of her second son in Champion. Her children are : Marion Adella, wife of Richard Dawson, residing in Lyonsdale, New York ; Alfred L., who receives further men- tion in following paragraphs: William Steuben, a farmer of Champion ; and Hubert Noadiah, of Lowville. Two others died in childhood.
(VII) Alfred L., eldest son and second child of Lewis and Melissa ( Hulburt ) Granger, was born February 14, 1859, in Glendale, now Glen- field, Lewis county, this state, whence he moved, when six years old, to Brantingham, and was later in Montague townships of his native county. He had meager opportunity for improving his mind, being early forced to become self-supporting. At the age of seventeen he counted a full man at farm labor, which occupied his time for a period, and he was subsequently employed three years in the lumber woods.
In 1884 he purchased a farm in Champion, this county, but received an offer for it which afforded a good profit, and immediately sold it. For five years subsequently he worked the Miller farm, in Rutland, as a tenant. His present farm of one hundred and ninety-three acres in Champion, was acquired in February, 1889. He conducts business on . large scale, keeping forty-four cows, and produced over one thousand bushels of potatoes in 1903. Mr. Granger is a shrewd and most indus- trious farmer, and his prosperity is due to his intelligent and persevering efforts, andled by his good wife. Both are members of South Valley Grange, of Rutland, and keep in touch with every improvement in agri- culture. Mr. Granger speculates in wood in winter, buying up timber, which he cuts and markets. Thus he has no season of idleness, but utilizes all seasons in accumulating a competency. He is a member of
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the Copenhagen Tent, Knights of the Maccabees, takes no part in poli- tics, preferring his own interests to those of the public, and is usually found in pursuit of home industries.
He was married September 8, 1885, to Abbie, adopted daughter of Harvey Loomis ( see Loomis). She was born March 2. 1859. a daughter of Joseph and Angeline Geroy, of French extraction, and was early left an orphan, her father having died when she was seven years old. For a time she was an inmate of the Jefferson County Orphan's Home, and left there June 10, 1867, being taken by a family in St. Law- rence county. Not being kindly treated she was returned to the home and on December 31. 1868, entered the home of Mr. Loomis, where she found kind parents and was well reared. Her elder brother, John Ge- roy, left the home May 27, 1867, and no record can now be found of his whereabouts or fate. One son completes the family of Mr. Granger, namely, Clarence, now fifteen years old.
ROOT. The Root family is among the oldest in America, and was conspicuous in the formative period of Jefferson county history. It has supplied successful attorneys, builders and business men to numerous states, and the name is now prominent in New York city and other points of this state.
(I) Thomas Roote, believed to be the son of John Roote and Ann Burrell, of Badby, England, born January 16, 1605, came to this coun- try about the year 1637, and was among the first settlers of Hartford, Connecticut, where he lived many years, and where his children were born. Thomas Roote, of Hartford, went to Pequot in 1637 as a soldier. He was a considerable land owner there. After a residence of about fif- teen years in Hartford he removed, with his six sons and one daughter, and settled in Northampton, Massachusetts, on the 9th day of May. 1655, as one of the planters of what was then called Nonotuck, and was appointed selectman in 1659. He was one of the church in 1661. Thomas Roote died at a very advanced age on the 17th of July, 1694. He lived with his son Jonathan on the old homestead.
(II) Thomas Roote, son of Thomas, grandson of John of Badby, was born in 1644 in Hartford, Connecticut. He married (first). July 3, 1666, Abigail, eldest daughter of Alexander and Mary ( Hoar) Al- vord. She was born October 6, 1647, in Windsor, and died June 17. 1699. He lived in Northampton until after the death of his wife, and then removed to Boston, and thence to Lynn, Massachusetts, where it is
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recorded that "Thomas Roote, late of Boston, married Mary Cox. De- cember 4, 1701." She was a widow, her maiden name being Krilland, daughter of Philip Krilland. She was born June 3, or 8, 1640.
( Ill) Deacon Thomas Roote, son of Thomas, grandson of Thomas, born April 11, 1667, in Northampton, Massachusetts, married, March 4. 1691, Thanktul, daughter of Jedediah and Freedom ( Wood- ward ) Strong, of Northampton. He went to Coventry, Connecticut, in the year 1709, and was the first town clerk and the first deacon in Coventry. The second child of English parents born in that town was his son Ephraim, born 1709. Deacon Thomas died January 19 or No- vember 13, 1758. aged ninety-one years.
(IV) Eliakim Root, son of Thomas, grandson of Thomas, born December 28, 1096, in Northampton, Massachusetts, removed with his father to Coventry, Connecticut, where he lived. He married (first). December 15, 1724, Mercy, who died March 27, 1728. He married ( second), August 15. 1731. Joanna Allis, daughter of Nathaniel and Mary Allis, of Hatfield, Massachusetts, born January 20, 1711. He died January 19, 1759. aged sixty-three years. His children, of first marriage: 1, Asahel. born April 13. 1726: 2. Eliakim. Children of second marriage: 3. Joseph; 4, Medad: 5. Jonathan: 6, Miriam; 7. Jonathan : 8. Jemima.
(V) Joseph Root, son of Eliakim, grandson of Thomas, born July 5 or 13, 1732, in North Coventry, Connecticut, married December 20, 1753. Salome Curtis. He lived in North Coventry, Connecticut. Children (born in North Coventry, Connecticut ) : 1. Jerusha ; 2, Bille; 3. Naomi: 4, Elijah.
(VI) Bille, eldest son and second child of Joseph and Salome ( Curtis) Root, was born August 1. 1756, in North Coventry.
(VII) Alpheus, son of Bille Root, was born April 4. 1785. in Coventry, and married Electa Bardwell, who was born August 20, 1792, in Denmark. Lewis county, New York. Mr. Root was an early resident of Deer River. in Lewis county, and passed the last five years of his life at Carthage, this county, where he died April 16, 1879. His wife died about four years before him, being nearly eighty years of age. . Mr. Root held most of the town offices in Deer River, and as a soklier in the war of 1812. He was a carpenter by occupation, undl built many farm buildings in his neighborhood. He accepted the faith of the Methodist church, and was a Republican from the organ- mention of the party. He had six sons and two daughters, briefly
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accounted for as follows : Alpheus Fortune died at Rockford, Ilinois, leaving two children. Recellus was many years a resident of Ravenna, Ohio, where he died. Joseph H. receives extended mention in a later paragraph. John S. died at Quincy, Plumas county, California. Wealthy became the wife of Mr. Morse, and died in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Hiram H. died in Carthage, in 1901. William was leader of a cavalry regiment from Mobile, Alabama, in the Confederate army during the Civil war, and never communicated with his family there- after. Nancy, wife of J. Wesley Horr, died in Carthage.
(VIII) Joseph H. Root was born September 26, 1818, at Deer River, where he grew up, receiving his education in the district school. When a boy he was apprenticed to the trade of carpenter and joiner, which he continued to follow until five years before his death. He passed away in Carthage February 20, 1892, in his seventy-fourth year. Most of his work was done in and about Carthage, and many houses and farm buildlings of that vicinity are of his handiwork. He spent two summers at his trade in Canada.
Mr. Root was a member of the Methodist church of Carthage. in which he served as trustee, steward and class leader. He affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and in early life was a Son of Temperance, and never used tobacco in any form. He was a strong Republican, and served in various capacities in the local office. He was several terms a trustee of the village of Carthage, and was two years superintendent of the Black River canal between Carthage and Lyons Falls. He married Cynthia, a sister of the late Jesse Willes, whose ancestry will be found on another page. She was also an active member of the Methodist church, and died June 3, 1854. Of their three sons, one died at birth, and another at the age of seven years.
(IX) Arthur Chester Root, youngest and only surviving son of Joseph H. and Cynthia Root, grew up in Carthage, where nearly all his life has been spent. He attended the village school until seventeen years old and in meantime gave much time to work with his father, from whom he acquired the builder's trade, which has occupied most of his time. On account of poor health he spent three years as clerk in stores, but with that exception he has been pretty busily employed in building. He is a member of the Episcopal church, and of the local lodge and encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, as well as the Daughters of Rebekah, in which his wife is also active. He is a charter
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member of the encampment, in which he has held several official posi- tions, and was two terms secretary of the lodge.
Mr. Root was married December 8. 1880. to Miss Luella D. Hutch- inson, a native of Deer River, and daughter of William and Almira ( Ball ) Hutchinson. A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Root on September 18, 1882, and named Grace Almira. She married Francis M. Jeffers, a reporter of the Watertown Times, and has a son. George Arthur, born August 8, 1903. Mrs. Jeffers has been an active member of the Daughters of Rebekah.
DRESSOR. This name has been identified with American his- tory for nearly three hundred years, and is prominently identified with the pioneer period of Jefferson county's development. As business men and citizens, the representatives have been respected and esteemed.
(I) John Dresser, the founder of the family in America, came from England and settled at Rowley. Massachusetts, as early as 1639. He is of record there in 1643, as the owner of a houselot of one and one-half acres, on Bradford street. He brought with him his wife, Mary. He was a shoemaker by trade and occupation, and died in Rowley, 1672, the records showing his burial on April 19th of that year. His children were: John, Mary, Samuel, Jonathan and Elizabeth.
(II) Lieutenant John Dresser. eldest child of John and Mary Dresser, was born about 1640. in Rowley, and was married November 27, 1662, to Martha, daughter of Richard Thorley. She died June 29, 1700, and he was married. second, January 7, 1702, to Rebecca, widow of James Dickinson. She died April 2. 1718, and was survived almost six years by her husband, who passed away March 14, 1724. in the eighty-fifth year of his age. His children were: John. Mary, Martha, Jonathan, Jane. Sarah, Richard. Nathaniel, Lydia and Elizabeth.
(III) Jonathan, second son and fourth child of John and Martha (Thorley ) Dresser, was born June 27, 1674, and was married October 31, 1695, to Sarah, daughter of Thomas Leaver. Their children were : Jonathan, born August 6, 1700 (died young ) ; Jonathan (2). July 23. 1702; Thomas, November 7. 1704: Sarah. December 2, 1706: Richard, December 17, 1708 (dicd in 1709) : Hannah, August 19, 1710: and Nathan, February 23. 1716. Jonathan Dresser bought land, in 1717, in the Mashamoquet Purchase. where his brother Richard had pur- chased in 1706. This tract became the town of Pomfret, in Windham
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county, Connecticut, where Jonathan Dresser settled and died. Richard spent a short time there and then located in the adjoining town of Thompson.
(IV) Jonathan, second son of Jonathan (1) and Saralı (Leaver) Dresser, was born July 3, 1702, in Pomfret, where he spent his life and died in 1790. His wife was Elizabeth Warren.
(V) John, son of Jonathan (2) and Elizabeth ( Warren) Dresser. was born August 18, 1735, in Pomfret, where he died June 24, 1814. He was married September 24, 1759, to Sarah, whose surname has not been preserved. His education was in advance of many men of his generation, as evidenced by letters now preserved by his great- grandson in Watertown. The penmanship and composition of these letters are good, the thoughts expressed are those of a Christian and a lover of the truth. They also indicate that he was a kind father and exemplary husband. While others of the family writing at the same time (1795) spell the name according to the records as now appear- ing in New England, John Dressor signed his name as last above shown, and this form has been followed by some of his descendants to the present time. The letters give the names of following children, and there may have been others: John, Alanson. Tanforth, Rowland, Polly, Mrs. White and Mrs. Tucker and Samttel second.
(VI) Alanson Dressor, son of John and Sarah Dressor, was born June II, 1768, in Pomfret, Connecticut, and he was well advanced in the common branches of learning in the schools of his native town. He was married February 7. 1793, to Elvira Lothrop, a member of one of the oldest and best American families. She was born June 13, 1768. Immediately after his marriage, Mr. Dressor settled in Tunbridge, Ver- mont, where he continued farming until 1804, when he removed to the Black River country. He secured land in the town of Watertown, within the present limits of the city, where he remained three years, and then moved, in 1807, to Huntingtonville, near his former location, where he died October 6, 1808, at the early age of forty years. His widow subsequently married William Huntington, by which marriage she had a daughter. Lucia, who died in her twentieth year. Mrs. Hunt- ington died December 5, 1836. The children of Alanson and Elvira (Lothrop) Dressor were: Leonard, Elvira, John Gray, Chauncey, Row- land, Laura and William.
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