USA > New York > Jefferson County > Genealogical and family history of the county of Jefferson, New York, Volume II > Part 3
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Mr. McGinnis attended the first world's fair in America. at the Crystal Palace, in New York ; also visited the Centennial Exposition in
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Philadelphia. 1876. In 1893 he crossed the continent, accompanied by his wife, visiting the Columbian Exposition at Chicago, en route. After stopping at Des Moines, Council Bluffs, Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City, Stockton, Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles and other California cities, they visited the Midwinter Fair at San Francisco. Since their return their winter home has been in Watertown, and they are enjoying, in the midst of family and friends, the rewards of long years of industry, quietly and contentedly.
WILLIAM HENRY UNDERWOOD. It is safe to assert that no citizen of Dexter is more generally popular than is William II. Un- derwood. He is a great-grandson of Joseph Underwood, a revolution- ary soldier, whose son, also named Joseph, was born in 1771, in Ver- mont, whence he moved to Jefferson county and was one of the first settlers of the town of Rutland, where he lived for many years. He married Rebecca Hayes, by whom he was the father of seven children : William, Elizabeth, Sarah, Clarissa, Joseph, mentioned at length here- inafter; Huldah, and Warren. Mr. Underwood spent his last years in Brownville, where he died in 1843. He is remembered as a worthy member of that pioneer class to which the county is so greatly indebted for its worth and prosperity.
Joseph Underwood, son of Joseph and Rebecca ( Hayes) Under- wood, was born in 1806, in Vermont, and was educated in the town of Rutland, where he learned the shoemaker's trade, which he afterward followed for many years in Dexter. He married Louisa, daughter of Jeremiah and Sally ( Bush) Scott. The former was one of the early set- tlers of the town of Brownville, where he cleared eleven farms and was a highly respected citizen. His daughter, Louisa, was born in 1810, in IIamsley, Lewis county, New York. The Scotts belonged to a branch of the same family as that of which the late General Scott was a meni- ber. Mr. and Mrs. Underwood were the parents of three children : Wil- liam H., mentioned at length hereinafter ; Charles, who lives in Limer- ick; and Morell, who resides in Terre Haute, Indiana. Mrs. Under- wood, the mother of these children, who was a most estimable woman and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, died in 1858, at the age of forty-eight years, and Mr. Underwood subsequently married Julia, daughter of Daniel and Arvilla ( Marsh ) Whitney, of Brownville. Mr. Underwood, at the time of his death, was eighty-two years old, and has left the memory of an industrious, worthy man and a good citizen.
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William H. Underwood, son of Joseph and Louisa ( Scott ) Under- wood, was born April 23, 1843, in Brownville, where he attended the district school until reaching the age of eighteen years. In 1862 he en- listed in Company I, Tenth New York Heavy Artillery, as a private, and for eighteen months was on guard duty in and about the city of Wash- ington. In 1863 he was promoted to the rank of corporal, and was sub- sequently present at the battles of the Wilderness and Petersburg, after which he returned to Washington with a supply train, and later wit- nessed the surrender of General Lee. May 28, 1865, he was honorably discharged, and returned to Limerick, where he bought a farm and was also the proprietor of a hotel, and was subsequently proprietor of a gen- eral store. In 1878 he came to Dexter and purchased the hotel in the center of the village, now known as the Hotel Underwood, which he sold in the summer of 1904. The popularity of the establishment ren- ders comment needless, and the simple statement of the fact that Mr. Underwood was for twenty-six years its proprietor is sufficient evidence of his success. He is now engaged in the construction of boats to be propelled by naphtha and gasoline engines.
He is popular as a citizen. having served for a number of years as a trustee of the village. and was president for six years, and is now serv- ing his seventh terin. He is a charter member of Julius Broadbent Post, G. A. R. of Dexter, in which he held the rank of commander three years. and is a member of Brownville Lodge, F. and A. M., of Brownville, and of Sacketts Harbor Chapter. Politically he is a Republican, and he and his family are members of the Presbyterian church.
Mr. Underwood married, in 1870, Genevieve Roseboom, and two children have been born to them : May, who is now deceased, and Maud, who was born in May. 1875. in Limerick, and is the wife of E. P. Bin- ninger of this town. Mrs. Underwood is a daughter of I. Alanson and Susan ( Dwelly) Roseboom. The former was a native of this town, where he passed his life as a prosperous farmer. He and his wife were the parents of the following children, all of whom are living: Jolin, who resides in Dowagiac, Michigan ; Edgar, who lives in Watertown ; Jerome, who is a resident of Sacketts Harbor; Nancy, who is the wife of Harri- son S. Dean, and resides in Watertown : Josephine, who married William Hathaway, a banker of Watertown: Genevieve, who was born in April. 1848, and became the wife of William H. Underwood, as mentioned above: George, who is a resident of Limerick ; and Fanny, who married Albert Allen, of Petersburg, Virginia. Mr. Roseboom, the father, died at the age of fifty-five years.
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FOWLER. This is one of the oldest New England names, and has had many worthy representatives in America, who were active in the struggle for American independence, and in various ways have con- tributed to the welfare, prosperity and happy condition of the country now the abode of their posterity.
(I) William Fowler, a native of England, was a member of Rev. John Davenport's company, which came to Boston in 1637. In 1592 he was imprisoned with other Puritans, in the effort to suppress the spread of their religious belief, or heresy, as it was then called, in Eng- land. He arrived at New Haven, Connecticut, April 16, 1638, and par- ticipated in the famous meeting in Mr. Newman's barn, June 4. 1639. In April of that year he settled at Milford, same colony, of which place he was one of the first trustees and was a magistrate.
(II) Ambrose, only son of William Fowler, was at Windsor as early as 1640. The records of that town mention the burning of his house and barn in 1675. He was married there May 6, 1646, to Jane Alvord, who died May 6, 1684, at Westfield. He died October 18, 1704. His will was made in 1692 and proved in 1706. His children, all of whom were residents of Windsor, Connecticut, were: Abigail, John, Mary, Samuel, Hannah, Elizabeth and Ambrose.
(III) Samuel, second son and third child of Ambrose and Jane (Alvord) Fowler, was born November 18, 1652, in Windsor, and was married there November 6, 1683, to Abigail Brown. He settled in Westfield, Massachusetts, in 1684. His children, born in Westfield, were: Samuel, Jonathan, Abigail, Hannah, Hester, Isabel, Elizabeth.
(IV) Samuel, eldest child of Samuel ( 1) and Abigail (Brown) Fowler, was born May 31, 1698, in Westfield, and married Naomi, daughter of Luke and Ruth Noble. She was born in August, 1707, and died in August, 1797. He died January 6, 1771, in his seventy-third year, and was buried in Westfield old churchyard. Ten of his children grew to adult age.
(V) Silas, son of Samuel and Naomi ( Noble) Fowler, was born May 23, 1735, in Westfield, and married Keziah Noble.
(VI) Silas, son of Silas (I) and Keziah (Noble) Fowler, was born April 23, 1767, in Southwick, and married Betsey Hough. She was born September 30, 1775, in Meriden, and died May 20, 1835. He died August 29. 1839. Their children were : Frances, Lester N., George Jarvis, Earl Bill, Laura, Addison, Mary E., and Betsey Elvira. Silas
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Fowler was a farmer in Sheffield, Massachusetts, and a soldier of the Revolution.
(VII) Lester Noble, son of Silas and Betsey (Hough) Fowler, was born September 21, 1796, and was married, April 12, 1827, to Dolly B. Green. She was born October 6, 1806, and died September 27, 1882, in her seventy-sixth year. Her father, Allen Green, was also a Revolutionary soldier. Lester N. Fowler was a soldier in the war of 1812, and soon after the close of that struggle settled in Oneida county, New York, where he was a farmer. He was a representative in the state legislature in 1837, and died November 15, 1868, in Jersey City. From 1838 to 1858 he resided in Antwerp, this county. Mr. Fowler was an Episcopalian, and a straight-out Democrat in political principle.
(VIII) Helen J., daughter of Lester N. and Dolly B. (Green) Fowler, was born November 10, 1840, in Antwerp, and became the wife of Dr. Addison W. Goodale (see Goodale, VIII).
CHRISTOPHER A. HOLDEN. In the death of Christopher A. Holden, which occurred at his late residence on Arsenal street, on Octo- ber 30, 1886. in the sixty-fourth year of his age, Watertown lost one of its most active and influential citizens, a man who was well and favor- ably known in the commercial, political, fraternal and social circles of the city, but was fully appreciated only by those who are able to estimate true manhood at its real value. The needy and afflicted always found in him a practical sympathizer who not only gave words of comfort and good cheer, but also rendered substantial assistance. Energy, perse- verance and thrift were his chief characteristics, and during his active business carcer he amassed a handsome property.
He was born at North Adams, Massachusetts, October 24, 1823, a son of Christopher and Sarah ( Potter) Holden. Christopher Holden was a native of Massachusetts, followed his trade of shoemaker in the town of North Adams, and died at the age of about seventy years. His wife, Sarah Patter, was a native of Rhode Island, and bore him the fol- lowing named children: Lydia, Edward, William, Sarah, Francis, Christopher A. and Charles. The mother died at the age of sixty-eight years.
Christopher Anson Holden spent his boyhood and acquired his education at North Adams, and upon attaining the age of thirteen years went to Northampton in order to learn the trade of tinsmith. In 1843 he located in Bennington, Vermont, was employed as foreman in the
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shop of Graves & Root. with whom he remained until 1852, when he came to Watertown. At this time he became a member of the firm, and began business in the old Sewall store on Factory Square, under the style of Goodnow, Holden & Company. On a small scale they began the manufacture of tinware, disposing of their stock by sending out six peddlers' carts, but the business increased so rapidly that they soon outgrew their limited quarters. In 1853 they commenced the erection of a wooden building on the corner of Massey and Arsenal streets, and the following year located in their new quarters, which were enlarged from time to time, and they finally erected a brick addition three stories high and one hundred and fifty feet in length. In 1859 Mr. Root withdrew his interest from the firm, and in 1805 Mr. Graves sold his interest, and the business was subsequently conducted under the style of Goodnow & Holden. In 1870 the firm changed to Goodnow, Holden & Company. through admitting into partnership Mr. J. M. Tilden, who, on the death of Mr. Goodnow, in April, 1872, acquired a half interest in the business. and the firm name was changed to Holden & Tilden. In 1882 the com- pany required the services of one hundred employes and sent out forty-five wagons on the road, and this fact alone fully demonstrates the enormous increase in business which the firm enjoyed, and which came to it as the result of honorable and straightforward transactions in all departments. The same year Mr. Holden retired from the firm, sell- ing his interest in the Watertown business, also a similar business at Norwood, St. Lawrence county, but retaining an interest in an establish- ment in Syracuse, with C. H. Fisk as a partner, and this connection con- tinued through the remainder of his life.
The estimation in which he was held by his fellow citizens was evidenced by the fact that he was chosen from time to time to serve as a member of the city government, as supervisor of his ward for sey- eral terms. and as a member of the board of education for sixteen con- secutive years. He was also one of the directors of the Watertown Na- tional Bank from its organization. He was actively connected with the Masonic fraternity, being affiliated with Watertown Commandery, Knights Templar, and he also held membership in Jefferson Union Lodge and Montezuma Encampment. Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows. From the time of its organization he was an ardent supporter of the principles of the Republican party.
At Bennington. Vermont, in 1849. Mr. Holden was united in marriage with Lucy L. Sibley, who was born August 16. 1826, and
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bore him the following named children : Alice D .. who married Samuel Forsyth, and ( second) Vincent W. Nims, of Painesville, Ohio, and is the mother of Louis Woodruff and Walter Holden Nims; Sarina S., now Mrs. W. F. Bingham, of New York city, who is the mother of two children, Anson Holden and Isaac Sabin; Frances D., died in early childhood; Dwight Anson, died at the age of twenty-seven years; Flora N., wife of G. S. Farmer, who has two living children, Francis and Rosalind. Mrs. Holden died Jan- uary 9, 1877, and in November, 1878, Mr. Holden married Sarina D. Sibley, who was born May 8, 1840, in Bennington, Vermont, a sister of his first wife, and who survives him. Chester Sibley, father of Mrs. Holden, was born and spent his life in Bennington, Vermont, dying there at the age of seventy-six years; he was a farmer and the son of Zadoc Sibley, who was the first member of the family to settle in Ben- nington. Maria ( Lillie ), wife of Chester Sibley, was born in Pownal, Vermont, daughter of Caleb and Amelia ( Bassett) Lillie, natives of Suffield, Connecticut. Caleb Lillie was a farmer during his mature life in Pownal, dying there at the age of eighty years. His father, Ebenezer Lillie, was a soklier of the Revolution, and drew a pension. Chester Sibley and wife were the parents of six children, two of whom are living at the present time ( 1904)-Mrs. Christopher .A. Holden, and Charles A. Sibley, who now resides with her. Mrs. Sibley died at the age of seventy-two years. Both she and her husband held mem- bership in the Methodist Episcopal church at Bennington. The illness which culminated in the death of Mr. Holden, despite the skill of physi- cjans and the tenderest care of faithful nursing, was contracted during a tour of the eastern states made by himself and wite about two months prior to his death, when he visited the home of his childhood and the scenes of his struggles as a boy and young man, where he had laid the foundation of the success which attended him in his business ventures and enterprises. He was many years an active member of the U'ni- versalist church of Watertown, to whose support he was a liberal con- tributor.
JOSEPHI WATSON TAGGART. No name is more closely dentified with the manufacturing interests of Jefferson county than is that of the family represented by Joseph W. Taggart, of Watertown. The progenitor of the race in the new world was Henry Taggart, a Scotchman, why emigrated from the Isle of Man before the middle of
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the eighteenth century. His son Joseph resided in Newport, Rhode Is]- and. where he carried on a shipping trade, which required him to make frequent trips to Europe in the sailing vessels which then afforded the only facilities for ocean voyages. AAbout the beginning of the nine- teenth century he came to the Black River country. His son Henry was born in LeRay, where he became a prominent farmer. He married Julina, daughter of John Dighton, one of the early settlers of Pamelia, whose father had come to America as a soldier in Burgoyne's army, but after the battle of Saratoga had become a citizen of the United States and a soldier in the Continental army. (See W. W. Taggart. )
Joseph B. Taggart, son of Henry and Julina ( Dighton ) Taggart, was born July 13, 1823. in LeRay, where he received his education and for a time engaged in farming. He then went west, where he remained three years, and on his return settled in Evans' Mills, where he opened a general store. After conducting this business for some years he moved to Erie county, New York, where he again became the proprietor of a general store, and after his return to Jefferson county he continued in agriculture for seven years. He has for some time been engaged in general business about the paper mill of which his son, Joseph W., is superintendent. He married Margaret Benoit, a native of Chateaugay, Franklin county, New York, and they were the parents of three chil- dren : Joseph W., mentioned at length hereinafter: George H., who is a portrait painter, and is now located in Paris, France; and Susie, who is the wife of W. C. Jones, of Watertown. Mrs. Taggart, the mother of the family, died August 31, 1875.
Joseph W. Taggart, son of Joseph B. and Margaret ( Benoit) Tag- gart, was born December 12, 1862, at Evans' Mills, and spent his early childhood on the homestead, obtaining his education in his native place and also in Watertown, whither he went when twelve years of age. His first business experience was as clerk in a hardware store, where he re- mained two years, and then obtained employment in the paper mill of which his uncles, the Taggart Brothers, were proprietors. Here he has since remained, advancing, by reason of ability and faithfulness, from one post of duty to another, and now hokls the position of superintendent of the mill. As a citizen Mr. Taggart has ever been ready to do all in his power for the promotion of the publie welfare. He served for four- teen years as a member of the Thirty-ninth Separate Company, enlist- ing as a private and afterward being promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, affiliating with
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Watertown Lodge and Chapter. He is a member of the Lincoln League, his political principles being those of the Republican party.
Mr. Taggart married, in 1894, Caroline, daughter of Robert Rich- ardson, a leading manufacturer of Watertown, who died some years ago. Of his children only two are now living : John C., who is a resident of Rochester. New York: and Caroline, who was born in 1865. in Watertown, and became the wife of Joseph W. Taggart, as mentioned above.
ORA LEROY SHELMIDINE. One of those men who in every relation of life possess the full confidence of their friends and of the public, is Ora L. Shelmidine, of Lorraine. Mr. Shelmidine belongs to a family which has been for nearly a century and a half resident in New York state.
Benjamin Shelmidine was born in 1775. in Schoharie county, New York. and married Polly Judd, by whom he was the father of the fol- lowing children: William, mentioned at length hereinafter: Sally, who married W. Goodrich : Ehiel; Huldah, who became the wife of John Cunningham: Almira, who married George Burton; Rosina, who died in Pennsylvania: Datus, who resides in Iowa; and Olive, who died young.
William Shelmidine, son of Benjamin and Polly (Judd) Shelmi- dine, was born in 1806, and was a farmer as his father had been before him. He married in 1830 Anna, daughter of Isaac and Rosanna (Lown) Lampher, and five sons and six daughters were born to them. Rosina, who died at the age of twenty-three years: Nancy, who married Samuel McCumber ; Jerome, who died at the age of three years; John, who died in the army in 1862: Jerome L., mentioned at length hereinafter; Huldalı, who died in infancy ; Lester, who died at the age of six years; Huldah, who married A. Wagener; Benjamin B., who resides in Lor- rame; Alvira : Mary R., who became the wife of Eli Caulkins, and has one son, Willie, born April 30, 1885. The death of Mr. Shelmidine, the father of the family, occurred in 1860, at his home in Lorraine. He was survived many years by his widow, who passed away April 25, 1898, at the advanced age of eighty-seven. Both possessed the sincere respect and cordial regard of all who knew them.
Jerome L. Shelmidine, son of William and Anna ( Lampher ) Shel- midine, was born May 9. 1838. in Lorraine, where he was reared upon the pateinal farm and educated in the common schools. He took for
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his occupation that of a farmer and stock-raiser, becoming one of the largest dealers in the county. He is particularly interested in sheep. the number raised by him being exceptionally large. He also deals ex- tensively in flour, feed, wood, and groceries, selling over one thousand loads of wood annually. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married, in 1861, Betsey R., who was born in 1839, in Black River, Jefferson county, daughter of Andrew and Rox- iana (Scott) Middleton, the fornier one of the early settlers of Lor- raine. He and his wife were the parents of a large family, only three of whom are now living, Margaret married W. V. Walters, of Phila- delphia, and James is a resident of Lorraine. Two sons were born to Mr. and Mrs. Shelmidine: Ora L., mentioned at length hereinafter ; and John D., who was born in 1869, and is a farmer and hide-dealer, also a member of the Grange, in which he has held various offices.
Ora Leroy Shelmidine, son of Jerome L. and Betsey R. ( Middleton) Shelmidine, was born February 25, 1863, in Lorraine, and received his early education in the schools of the township. In 1884 hie gradu- ated from the Adams Collegiate Institute, after which he was for ten years engaged in teaching, five years in Lorraine village school, and the same length of time in the district school. In 1891 he embarked in the agricultural and lumber business, in which he has been very suc- cessful. He has a stock of 800,000 feet of all kinds of lumber, and also a full line of every variety of agricultural implements. He deals largely in wagons, buggies, harnesses, sleighis, robes, fur coats, and everything to be found in a well equipped store. He purchases his buggies by the carload, and in 1903 received two carloads of double wagons and three carloads of buggies and carriages. He also handles by the carload all kinds of grain, grass and clover seeds and shingles.
As a citizen Mr. Shelmidine is active and public-spirited, and his townsmen have on various occasions testified to their appreciation of his good qualities. For two years he held the office of town collector, and in 1898 was elected supervisor for one year. In 1901 he was re-elected for two years, and in 1903 was chosen to serve until December, 1905. He is a member of the Grange and of the Maccabees, also of the I. O. O. F. of Lorraine, in which he has held all the offices, including that of noble grand, and has passed all the chairs. Politically he is a Democrat. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he holds the offices of trustee and treasurer. He is
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also superintendent of the Sunday school, his wife being a teacher therein.
Mr. Shelmidine married. August 1, 1895, Jennie, daughter of Carl- ton Moore, who was for many years a merchant in Lorraine, where he held the office of supervisor. He died September 21, 1899. Of the four- teen children born to himself and his wife five are now living : Martha, who married Everett Calkins, of Lorraine: Minnie, residing in Lor- raine, unmarried; Edward H., a resident of Lorraine; Stephen A., who is a merchant at East Rodman; and Jennie, who was born May 16, 1874, in Lorraine, and became the wife of Ora L. Shelmidine, as mentioned above. Mr. Moore, who was a man much respected in the community. is now deceased. but is survived by his widow. Frank A. Moore, who died November 4, 1898, was supervisor of Lorraine two years.
JOHN NILL. Among the residents of Watertown who have served their fellow citizens in positions of trust and responsibility, none stands higher in the general regard than John Nill. He is of German (lescent, his ancestors having been respected and prosperous farmers.
He is a son of Josias Nill, and was born May 7, 1835, in Nehren, Tuebingen, Kingdom of Wurtemberg, Germany, and Waldburge Schel- ling, his wife, a native of the same place. Josias Nill was a son of Josias Nill, a stocking-weaver, and purchased land and became a farmer. His wife was a daughter of John Schilling. Josias Nill. Junior, was a farmer, and owned his land, and lived and died upon it.
Jolin Nill received his education in his native land, and in 1853, when in his eighteenth year, came to seek his fortune in the United States. His first place of abode was in Utica, where he worked as a candy-maker for seven years. In 1860 he came to Watertown and at the end of three years found himself in circumstances which justified him in engaging in business for himself. In 1863 he formed a partnership with Henry Jess and established a bakery. The undertaking prospered and in 1897 the Nill & Jess Company was incorporated. The business is today one of the most flourishing of its kind in this part of the state. The company occupies a large four-story brick building, which was erected in 1885, and here conducts a wholesale and retail bakery busi- ness. An extensive cigar factory at 35 Fairbanks street is also the property of this corporation. The company employs a total of about fifty men and disposes of its goods in three or four counties. The officers are John Nill, president, and Henry Jess, secretary and treasurer.
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