USA > New York > Jefferson County > Genealogical and family history of the county of Jefferson, New York, Volume II > Part 24
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(VII) George, third son of Peres and Abigail Bradford, was born in 1732, at Attleboro, and died April 1, 1795, when about sixty- three years of age. He married Sarah Carpenter, and lived in Wood- stock, Connecticut. He had nine children, the eldest of whom. George, was a soldier of the Revolution. After the last-named was disabled by a wound; his place was taken by his younger brother, Peres.
(VIII) Peres, third son and fourth child of George and Sarah Bradford, was born July 25, 1764, in Woodstock. He served a few months in the Revolutionary army, in place of his oldest brother, before he was eighteen years old. After the war he was employed at Provi- dence, Rhode Island, in the manufacture of cards for carding wool. There he was married December 9. 1793, to Sally Newton, and soon after moved to Hartwick, Otsego county, this state, where his wife died
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March 25. 1807. at the age of forty years. He was again married. September 6, 1807. to Polly Nickerson. His first wife bore him six children, and the second nine. During the war of 1812 he was engaged in the manufacture of cards and wire, and thenceforward followed mechanical and agricultural pursuits, residing, successively in Otsego. Tompkins and Onondaga counties. He died August 2, 1847, in Caze- novia, aged eighty-three years, and was survived six years by his widow. who passed away at Watertown.
(IX) Gilbert Bradford. seventh son of Peres Bradford, and fifth child of his second wife ( Polly Nickerson), was born September 8. 1814, in Hartwick, New York. He early learned the business of card-making, with his father, and was apprenticed when eighteen years old to the blacksmith's trade, which he mastered. Having the proverbial Yankee mechanical genius, he also became an expert machinist, and this gift was turned to advantage, both to himself and to the community in which he made his home. For one year he was in charge of a cotton factory at Butternuts, and immediately upon the expiration of that period settled in Jefferson county. He first located at Clayton, but removed to Watertown in the spring of 1838. He came here on account of the larger opportunities afforded for mechanical employment, and at once took charge of the erection and repairs of machinery in the Hamilton woolen mills. For several years, up to 1850. he was in charge of the machine shops of G. Goulding & Company, on Sewall's Island. He conceived the idea of making a portable labor-saving machine, and pro- ceeded to construct two portable steam engines, which proved a success at once, being the first of the kind produced in the United States. He immediately formed a partnership with Charles B. Hoard, and began the manufacture of his invention, which sprang into instant demand. and after a few years sold out his interest to his partner. In 1865 the Portable Steam Engine & Manufacturing Company was organized, and Mr. Bradford was installed as its superintendent and general manager. This was later christened the Watertown Steam Engine Company, and Mr. Bradford acted several years as its president. The business has con- tinued to grow and prosper down to the present time, and yielded its originator a handsome competence.
Mr. Bradford earned his good fortune by diligence in the use of both hands and brains, and was a valuable member of the community. He constructed the suspension bridge across Black river at Watertown. and in many ways contributed to the growth. welfare and good name
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of the city. He was a charter member of the Homestead Insurance Company of Watertown, and continued a director and member of its executive committee during its existence. A lifelong Democrat, he never neglected business for active political life, and refused every proffer of official position.
Mr. Bradford was first married in 1841, to Miss Adeline Thornton, who passed away March 14. 1874, and he subsequently wedded Myra (Woodward), widow of Ely S. Adams. One child came to the second union-Sarah Myra, who was born May 7. 1875. She is now the wife of Dr. F. C. Peterson, whose biography and portrait appear in another part of this work. Mrs. Bradford passed away at Watertown, June 7, 1894, at the age of sixty-one years.
(V) Joseph, eleventh child and fifth son of William Bradford (4) and first child of his second wife, was born about 1674, and married (first), October 5. 1698, Anna, daughter of Rev. James Fitch and his wife Priscilla Mason. She died at Lebanon October 17. 1715, and he married (second) Mary (Sherwood) Fitch, widow of Captain Daniel Fitch. Mr. Bradford removed from Lebanon, Connecticut, to the North Parish of New London, same colony (now Montville ), about 1717. He was very active in business affairs of the parish, and was chosen elder of the church in 1724. He died January 16. 1747. aged seventy-three years. Mrs. Bradford passed away September 16, 1752. Anna (Fitch) Bradford bore her husband the following children: Anna. Joseph. Priscilla, Althea. Irena, Hannah, Elizabeth. Althea (2). and Irena (2). The only child of the second marriage is the subject of the following paragraph.
(VI) John, youngest child of Joseph Bradford, was born May 20, 1717. and was married December 15, 1736, to Esther Sherwood. He was a farmer, and resided in North Parish, now Montville, where he died March 10. 1787. in his seventieth year. His children were : Samuel, John, Joseph, Sarah. Perez, Benjamin. Eleanor, Rebecca and Mary.
(VII) John Bradford (2) second son and child of John and Esther Bradford, was born December 7. 1739, and married Mary, daugh- ter of Daniel Fitch and Sarah Sherwood. Mr. Bradford was a farmer. and resided in North Parish until about the year 1782, when he removed to Cornwall, Litchfield county, same state, and died there about 1819. aged eighty years. His wife passed away November 15. 1780. aged thirty-five years, and was buried in the Raymond Hill cemetery, in the
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town of Montville. Their children were: James Fitch, Rachel, Mary, Abigail, Rebecca and Eleanor.
(VIII) Mary, second daughter and third child of John (2) and Mary (Fitch) Bradford, became the wife of Daniel Sterling (see Ster- ling, VII). Her mother, born July, 1744, daughter of Daniel and Sarah (Sherwood) Fitch, was a great-granddaughter of Rev. James Fitch, who was born in Bocking, Essex county, England, in 1622, and came to America when sixteen years old. His son, Daniel, was the father of Daniel, who married Sarah Sherwood.
REMINGTON. As evidenced by their business careers and well known characters as citizens, the Jefferson county representatives of this name have preserved in remarkable degree those qualities of their New England ancestry which led to the establishment of a mighty nation, from humble beginnings, in a forest inhabited by savages, and widely remote from any supporting influences. The Remingtons of this sec- tion are also descended from some of the best blood of New England, through the Denison family.
(I) Lieutenant John Remington, one of the early settlers of Row- ley, Massachusetts, was first of Newbury, where he was made a freeman in 1639. He had lots of land in Wethersfield, Connecticut, in 1643. He described himself in 1662 as late of Rowley, now of Roxbury. He was a lieutenant of militia. He brought with him, from England, his wife Elizabeth, who died in 1657. His second wife's name was Rhoda. His children were: Jonathan, born 1639, settled in Cambridge ; Daniel, 1642; Hannah, 1643; Elizabeth, 1645; Mary, 1653, all born in Rowley, and Thomas and John, born before going to Rowley.
(II) John Remington (probably a son of Lieutenant John), was of Rowley, Haverhill, Jamestown and Warwick. He was of Haverhill in 1661, and perhaps earlier. His wife's name was Abigail, and his children, born in Rowley, were: John, 1650; Abigail, 1652; Prudence, 1657; Daniel, 1661. Probably Thomas was born after Abigail and be- fore Daniel, of which no record appears. A daughter, Hannah, was born 1664, in Haverhill. John married Abigail Richmond, and they resided in Newport and Kingstown. Joseph, Daniel, Hannah and Stephen lived in Jamestown. The last-named served as ensign and also captain of militia. The father of these became an inhabitant of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, in 1669 and later of Warwick.
(III) Thomas, son of John Remington, settled at Portsmouth, on
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Prudence Island, but subsequently located in Warwick, Rhode Island, where he purchased two hundred acres of land in 1692-3. His wife, Mary, was a daughter of William and Elizabeth Allen. Thomas Rem- ington was made a freeman of Warwick in 1704. Both he and his wife died in the year 1710. His eight sons and two daughters were : John, Thomas, Wilham, Daniel, Joseph, Stephen, Matthew, Jonathan, Pru- dence and Mary. The first three of these inherited their father's lands. From Thomas Remington of Warwick (third generation) descended a number of men of prominence. One, John Remington, of Warwick, was a captain in the revolutionary army and settled in Massachusetts, as did also his brother Jonathan, the latter being several times a member of the Massachusetts assembly. Henry Remington filled important offices, and became a judge of the supreme court. Four brothers from War- wick served in the revolution.
(IV) Thomas, son of Thomas Remington, was married Decem- ber 28, 1710, to Maplet, daughter of Benjamin Gorton, and died Sep- tember 25, 1723, aged forty-one years.
(V ) Thomas, son of Thomas and Maplet Remington, married, December 14, 1744, Abigail Eldred.
(VI) Ruel Remington, a descendant of Thomas, was a resident of Warwick.
(VII) Samuel, son of Ruel Remington, married, July 17, 1790, Almy, daughter of Thomas Arnold, and their children were: Lustrus, born 1791; Israel, September 18, 1793; Arnold, January 27, 1795; Lloyd, October 24, 1796; Robey, May 9, 1798: Fannie, April 4, 1801. Almy Arnold was born October 7, 1764, in Warwick, and died Octo- ber 17, 1841, in Manlius, New York.
(VIII) Illustrious Remington, son of Samuel and Almy Reming- ton, was born October 27, 1791, in Warwick, and about 1820-22 became a resident of Manlius, New York, where he died May 12, 1883, in his ninety-second year. He came from Cherry Valley to Manlius, where he conducted a cotton mill for a number of years. He was a ship car- penter by trade, serving an apprenticeship under the tuition of his father, and at one time he was engaged in a paper manufacturing enterprise at Fayetteville, near Syracuse, the firm name having been Remington & Son. He was a man of exceptional ability and business acumen, and achieved a large degree of success in his various undertakings. He was prominent in the Masonic order, was a Whig and Republican, and an active member of the Protestant Episcopal church. In 1854 he joined
58
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with hus sons in leasing the old Jubelville cotton mill property in Northi Watertown, which the sons set in operation as soon as equipped for making paper. Four rag-beating engines and an eighty-four-inch Four- drinier machine were installed, and the manufacture of paper was begun in 1855. The mill was run entirely on newspaper and had a capacity of nearly two tons per day, which was then considered a large output. The development of this industry, by these pioneers and their subse- quent contemporaries, is the foundation of the present prosperous con- dition of the Black River valley. They were not only pioneers in paper- making but in advanced methods of production. Illustrious Remington married, about the time of his majority, Eunice, daughter of Beebe and Prudence ( Holmes ) Denison. The Denison lineage appears at the close of this article. Eunice Denison was born July 21. 1791, in Stoning- ton, Connecticut, and died June 24. 1870, in Manlius, New York. She was the mother of five children. Nancy, the eldest. was the wife of Hiram Wood, and died in 1897. in Watertown. Hiram is a resident of that city, where Robey Caroline, wife of Nelson Caswell, died in 1903. Extended mention of the others follows.
(IX) ALFRED D. REMINGTON. Among the manufacturers of Jefferson county should be mentioned the name of Alfred D. Ren- ington. He was born at Manlius, Onondaga county, New York. April 13. 1827. He was reared in his native village and received the educa- tional advantages offered by the Manlius Academy, at that time a noted institution of learning.
Later he engaged in paper manufacturing at Fayetteville, New York, in connection with his father under the firm name of I. Reming- ton & Son. In 1855. associated with his father and brother Hiram, under the firm name of I. Remington & Sons, a mill was built in Juhel- ville, which was operated in conjunction with the plant at Fayetteville, New York. During the summer of 1861 the dam across the south branch of Black River at the head of Sewall's Island was rebuilt by Mr. Remington as an individual enterprise, by the construction of which he became the owner of the mill property on Sewall's Island, now owned by the Watertown Paper Company, and by the International Paper Company, also of the property formerly owned by Watertown Woolen Company, and others, on Huntington street, a part of which is owned by the International Paper Company. Later the subject of this article bought the interests of his father and brother and conducted the busi- ness individually until September. 1865. when a corporation under the
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name of Remington Paper Company was formed, of which .A. D. Rem- ington was president, and so remains up to the present day. Mr. Rem- ington, as president of the Remington Paper Company, was the pioneer of the wood pulp industry in northern New York, and the Remington Paper Company was the first to manufacture, in this country, paper ex- clusively from wood, namely ground wood and sulphite, thereby making the present low price of paper possible. This was accomplished during the year 1887 in Remington Mill B, now owned by the International Paper Company. This method was at the time regarded as impractic- able by a majority of paper manufacturers, but later has been adopted universally by mills making paper for newspapers and cheap publica- tions.
Mr. Remington's interest in public affairs is shown by his fifteen years of service as a member of the water board, part of which time he served as president. Fraternally he is a member of the F. & A. M., of Watertown, New York.
(IX) Charles Rollin Remington, youngest child of Illustrious and Eunice Remington, was born October 18, 1835, in Manlius, Onondaga county, New York. As president of the City National Bank, as well as of several paper companies, he is widely known and respected for his upright business methods and various contributions to the public wel- fare.
Mr. Remington pursited his studies at Hobart College, and after his graduation in 1854 he began his business career in the paper mill owned and operated by his father and brother in Watertown. The Watertown Paper Company was organized September 20, 1864, by Charles R. and Alfred D. Remington and Walter D. Sewall, with a cap- ital of fourteen thousand dollars, and continued to do a prosperous busi- ness under their management. On July 5, 1881, C. R. Remington sold his interest to his brother, Hiram Remington. He then entered into partnership with his son, Charles H. Remington, and erected a paper miil at Wood's Falls, now Glen Park, a suburb of Watertown. After eighteen years of successful operation this property was sold to the In- ternational Paper Company, in 1899. The Aldrich Paper Company was formed in 1900, with Charles R. Remington as president, and operates a paper mill at Natural Dam, near Gouverneur, St. Lawrence county, and the Remington-Martin Company was subsequently established. This has mills at Norfolk, the active management being in the hands of Charles H. Remington, while his father is president of the company.
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In 1885 Mr. Remington joined his brother, A. D. Remington, and Edward M. Gates in building the City Opera House, of Watertown, one of the most complete, attractive and commodious buildings of its kind in this section of the state. Throughout his entire business career Mr. Remington's operations conformed to honest and straightforward standards, and he is reckoned among the most substantial and reliable citizens of Watertown. He is a communicant of Trinity ( Protestant Episcopal) church, and an honored member of the Union Club of Wa- tertown.
Charles R. Remington was married September 16, 1858, to Helen M. Warren, a daughter of Gorham Warren, of Manlius, New York. Two of the four children of Mr. Remington and wife are living, namely : Charles H. and Marion R. The latter is the wife of George B. Kemp, of Watertown.
DENISON. Among the finest families that first trod the soil of New England and bore a conspicuous part in subduing the savage and the establishment of the civilization of its time, was that of Denison. Its representatives are now found in every part of the United States, and are noted for fine minds and fine character. The ancestor of most of those bearing the name had a most romantic career, and left an indel- ible impress upon the formative history of New England. He was of vigorous physical, as well as mental, makeup, and his posterity is numerous and of credit to its noble origin.
(I) John Denyson was living in Stortford, in Hertfordshire, England, in 1567, and died there, of the plague, in 1582.
(II) William, son of John Denyson, was baptized at Stortford, February 3. 1571, and was married, November 7, 1603, to Margaret (Chandler) Monck. He was well seated at Stortford, but hearing of the promise of the New England colonies, decided to cast his lot with the Puritans there. His eldest son, James Denyson, was a clergyman, and remained in England. The parents, with three sons, Daniel, Edward and George, crossed the ocean in 1631, and settled at Roxbury, Massa- chusetts, in 163.4. They bore a prominent part in social and religious life there. John Eliot, the apostle, was a tutor in their family. William Denison died at Roxbury, January 25, 1653. and his wife, February 23, 1645.
(III) Captain George Denison, fourth son of William and Mar- garet C. (Monck) Denison, was born at Stortford in 1618, and was
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baptized there December 10, 1620. He married ( about 1640) Bridget Thompson, who was born September 11. 1622. daughter of John and Alice Thompson, of Preston, Northamptonshire, England. Bridget died in 1643, leaving daughters, Sarah and Hannah, born 1641 and 1043, respectively. After the death of his wife Captain Denison went to England and joined Cromwell's army. He was severely wounded in the battle of Kaseby, and was nursed back to health by Lady Ann Borodel, at the home of her father, John Borodel. As soon as his strength was restored he married her, and in 1645 they came to New England, and lived in Roxbury, Massachusetts, continuing their resi- dence there until 1651, when they located, with their family, in New London, Connecticut. Captain Denison distinguished himself as a sol- dier in the Pequot war, and again rendered valuable service to the col- ony after his return from England, rising to the rank of colonel. He was also prominent in civil life. His children, born of the second mar- riage, were: John. Aun, Borodel. George, William, Margaret and Mary.
(IV) Captain William Denison, fourth son of Captain George and Ann Denison, was born 1655, and married Mrs. Sarah ( Stanton) Pren- tice, widow of Thomas Prentice (2), and daughter of Thomas Stanton. Captain Denison served in King Philip's war, and died March 2, 1715, and his wife died August 7, 1713. Their children were: William, Sarah and George.
(V) William Denison (2). eldest son of William and Sarah Den- ison, was born March 24. 1687, and was married, May 10, 1710, to Mercy Gallup. He resided in Stonington, where he died February 24, 1724, and his wife March 2, 1724. just a week apart. aged thirty-seven and thirty-five years respectively. Their children were: Mercy, Sarah, Esther, William, Hannah, Benadam, Jonathan and Martha.
(VI) William Denison (3), eldest son of William and Mercy, was born December 9. 1716, and married, June 23. 1737. Prudence Denison. They lived in Stonington. Their children were: William, Prudence, Andrew, Beebe, Harris, Mercy (or Mary) and Alice. The father died July 7, 1779. His widow remarried, and lived to February II, 1812.
(VII) Beebe, third son of William and Prudence Denison, was born January 1, 1744. He was married, October 13, 1774. to Prudence Holmes, who was born November 2, 1755. daughter of Joshua and Pri- dence (Wheeler) Holmes. Joshua was a descendant of ( I) Robert
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Holmes, an inhabitant of Stonington, as early as 1670, through (II) Joshua and (III ) Joshua.
(VIII) Eunice, daughter of Beebe and Prudence Denison, became the wife of Illustrious Remington, as above noted.
(V) George Denison, youngest son of Captain William and Sarah ( Stanton) Denison, was baptized February 28, 1692, married Lucy Gallup, and resided at Stonington, Connecticut.
(VI) David. son of George and Lucy ( Gallup ) Denison, of Ston- ington and New London, Connecticut, was born January 29. 1736, in Stonington, and was married, December 30, 1756, to Keziah Smith, of Groton, formerly a part of New London. Mr. Denison was an officer of the Revolutionary army, and after the close of that struggle moved to New Hampshire, whence he removed in 1785 to Guilford, Vermont. He (lied there January 24. 1808, and his widow survived until June 28, 1815. They were the parents of ten children.
(VII) David (2), son of David ( 1) and Keziah (Smith) Deni- son, was born March 16, 1761. in New London, Connecticut, and resided in Leyden, Massachusetts. He married Mary Babcock, and they were the parents of nine children, namely: David. Mary, Clarissa, Charles, Nancy, Desire, Elizabeth, Joseph and Sophronia.
(VII!) David (3). eldest child of David (2) and Mary ( Bab- cock ) Denison, was born April 5. 1780. in Leyden, and lived in the ad- joining town of Colerain, Massachusetts, where he died May 4. 1847. He was married ( first ), in 1802, to Huldah Crandall, who bore him two children, and died August 20, 1805. He married ( second), in 1807, Lucy Avery, who was the mother of ten children, and died January 13. 1830. For his third wife Mr. Denison took Lucy Burt Cooley, who (lied October 31, 1869, aged eighty-two years.
(IX) John, son of David Denison (3), was born in Colerain, and married Mary Ann Searles, in that town. She was born March IS. 1795. in Smithfield, Rhode Island, a daughter of James and Abigail ( Thurston ) Searles ( see Searles). They resided in Colerain. Their eldest child, Eunice, married George Haynes, and resided in Monte- zuma. New York. Henry David went on a whaling voyage and no tid- ings of him reached his family after he left the vessel in New Zealand. Charles Edward, spoken of further below, was third. John M. died at Auburn. this state. Mary Lucretia, wife of Henry Hines, resided at Auburn. Mary Ann ( Scarles ) Denison died June 28. 1833.
(N) Charles Edward, second son and third child of John and
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Mary Ann ( Searles) Denison, was born February 28, 1826, in Colerain, At the age of thirteen years he came to Ellisburgh, where he lived with an uncle, William T. Searles, a merchant of Ellis village. Mr. Deni- son's educational opportunities were limited, in so far as attendance at school is concerned, but he possessed native shrewdness, and profited largely by experience and observation. He began life as a peddler, and by integrity and force of character won success. On attaining his major- ity he became a partner of his uncle in the operation of a store at Ellis- burgh, and for many years was known as a successful and trustworthy business man. He died September 9, 1863, at the early age of thirty- seven years. His wife, Hannah Persons, was a daughter of Hosea Bal- lou and Hannah ( Martin ) Persons. The last-named died December 31, 1874. aged seventy years. Hosea B. Persons was a native of Ver- mont, a son of Rev. Cornelius Persons, one of the first Universalist elergymen in this section. The latter died in 1849, aged seventy-eight years.
Charles E. and Hannah Denison had two sons and three daugh- ters. Emma and Delia died in infancy, and Mary at the age of twelve years. William: Alton is mentioned at length hereinafter. Austin Persons resides at Adams Center, where he is manager of a branch estab- lishment for his brother.
(XI) William Alton Denison, elder se of Charles Edward and Hannah ( Persons ) Denison, was born March 28, 1853. in Ellisburgh, and completed his education in Union Academy, at Belleville. After leaving school he was employed on the farm of his unele, Austin Per- sons, and at the end of five years began farming on the estate of Aaron B. Wodell, his father-in-law. In 1884 he came to Ellisburgh village, and engaged in business as a wholesale grower of peas and beans and of high class seeds. He is doing an extensive business with the best houses of this country, and also engaged for a time in exportation. He main- tains a branch establishment at Adams Center. He is now the owner of the farm, below the village of Ellisburgh, on which the first settlement in the town was made and the first mill was built by Caleb Ellis in 1798. Mr. Denison has always taken the interest of a good citizen in public affairs and possesses in a high degree the esteem and confidence of his townsmen. He served for a time as president of the village and was subsequently elected to the legislature. In both instances the honor came to hmn unsought, inasmuch as he has never been an aspirant to office.
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