USA > New York > Jefferson County > Genealogical and family history of the county of Jefferson, New York, Volume II > Part 48
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Alexander Buchanan, father of Dr. Hiram M. Buchanan, was born April 1, 1820, and was reared near Kempville, Ontario. He was educated in the common schools, and upon arriving at the proper age
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he chose the occupation of farming, and by industry and wise manage- ment achieved well merited success, acquiring a tract of more than six hundred acres of land. He was an influential factor in all enterprises that had for their object the progress and development of the community in which he resided. He served as a member of the local assembly for fifteen consecutive years, during which time he displayed both efficiency and promptness. He was held in such regard that he was nominated for member of parliament by the reform party, and would have been elected, but was handicapped by a severe illness during the campaign, and in a district which was largely conservative. However, he took a prominent part in all reform measures, and was the candidate of his party for various other important offices. He died in Kempville, Aug- ust I, 1889. aged sixty-nine years. His wife, Carolyne (Whitney) Buchanan, was born in the same town as her husband, one of a large family, of whom the only one now living is Mrs. James Dulmage, of Heckston, Ontario. Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan were the parents of eleven children, of whom six were sons, all attaining to maturity except Alex- ander, who died at the age of eighteen years. Their names are as fol- lows: I. Angus, who graduated in pharmacy in Toronto, Ontario, and for many years followed that profession. He took an active part in political affairs, and, like his father, received the nomination for mem- ber of parliament. His death occurred at the age of forty-nine years. 2. Alexander, who graduated from high school and prepared for the practice of law : he died at the age of eighteen. 3. William Hunter, graduated from a business college, and now resides on the old home- stead. 4. Hiram Malcolm, mentioned at length hereinafter. 5. Charles. graduated from the College of Pharmacy in Toronto, Canada, with high honors, being among the forty-five who were graduated very high in a class of one hundred and forty-seven. 6. Alfred Elgin, spent one year studying medicine in Queens College, Kingston, then took up den- tistry, and died at the age of twenty-one. 7. Isabella, who became the wife of Alexander Parkinson, of Kempville; their family consisted of thirteen children, twelve of whom are living at the present time ( 1905). 8. Elizabeth, who became the wife of James P. Lawrence, a merchant of Spencerville, Ontario. 9. Sophia Jane, who died at the age of twen- ty-one. 10. Maggie, who became the wife of John R. Turnbull, a civil engineer of Winnipeg. Manitoba. He was a prominent railroad con- tractor and superintended the building of the Crows Nest Pass Rail- road, being for a number of years employed by the Canada Pacific Rail-
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road Company, and associated with MeKenzie, Mann & Co., the great railroad builders, for several years. 11. Mrs. R. C. Miller, of Mont- real. Canada. Mr. Miller was manager of the McColl Brothers & Co. oil business in the province of Quebec for many years, and is now in business there on his own account ; he is also president of the Diamond Light Company. The mother of these children died at the age of forty- four years.
Dr. Iliram M. Buchanan began his education in the common schools in his native village, and at the age of sixteen entered Albert College, Belleville, Ontario, from which he received two diplomas. He then entered Queens University, from which he was graduated in 1889. after which he spent one year in McGill University and in the hospitals of London, England. He pursued a post-graduate course in the Poly- clinic, and also devoted considerable attention to the hospitals of the metropolis at various times. Taking up his residence in St. Lawrence, Jefferson county, New York, he procured the practice of Dr. Pierce, one of the largest in that region, and has rapidly won his way to the front, and stands at the head of his profession. His record as a physi- cian has been most honorable and useful, reflecting credit upon himself for his thorough medical training, as well as for the careful and patient clischarge of his professional duties. He is a member of the Jefferson County Medical Society, and was formerly a member of the New York State and American Medical Societies. He has written to some extent for both American and Canadian medical journals upon professional topics.
Dr. Buchanan attends Methodist Episcopal church of St. Law- rence. He is affiliated with various bodies of the Masonic fraternity ; Clayton Lodge, F. and A. M .; Cape Vincent Chapter, R. A. M .; Wa- tertown Commandery, No. 1I, K. T .; and Media Temple, Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of the local lodges of Foresters and Red Men. He gives his leisure time to the care of his farm of a hundred acres, which is given to general farming. He also takes pleasure in breeding high class blooded horses, at the present time owning a stud of thirteen. Of these, some have made fine records, conspicuous among them being "Cecil R." who holds a record of 2:20, and in the last sea- son won repeatedly in northern New York circuits; and Jessie Sheri- dan. 2:281/2, and dam of "Angus Pointer," who made an initial record of 2:041/2 at Memphis in 1904 to a wagon.
January 14, 1903. Dr. Buchanan married Miss Julia Marian Cole,
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of Brownville, New York, and a graduate of the Watertown high school. A daughter of Walter Knox and Harriet R. (Webb) Cole, she comes of excellent blood in both parental lines. Her great-grandfather. Walter A. Cole, of Perch River, died in 1850, was a man of much ability and high character; he was a supervisor for many years, was elected three consecutive terms to the legislature, and once as senator. His son, John N. Cole, born December 19. 1807. died March 8. 1881. was prominent as a citizen and Freemason. He was a man of high scholarly attain- ments, and was frequently named for important official positions, but persistently declined nominations. He accumulated a handsome estate of about six hundred acres. In 1831 he married Mary Anna Knox, daughter of Captain Knox, who served in the war of 1812, and to them were born three children : Florence, who became the wife of Frederick Buckminster, of Perch River, and who died soon after his return from the Civil war, from injuries and diseases contracted in the service ; Laurentine, who died in infancy; and Walter Knox, the father of Mrs. Buchanan. Walter Knox Cole is a most estimable citizen, is a farmer by occupation, and is owner of a two hundred acre farm. Mr. Cole's wife, who was Harriet R. Webb, was born in Brownville, a daughter of Daniel Webb, who was a native of that place, and a son of Jonathan Webb, who came there as an early pioneer, cleared land, was the owner of a farm of four hundred acres, and built a stone house which is yet standing, and also lent valuable aid in building the old stone church. Daniel Webb was a farmer and he died in October. 1894. aged seventy- five years. Walter K. Cole and his wife were the parents of six chil- dren: Brainard, a farmer in Pamelia; Blanche, widow of Charles Buckminster, of Perch River; Fred, a resident of Watertown: John, a druggist, residing in Butte City, Montana : Julia M. (Mrs. Hiram M. Buchanan ) ; and Wayland, who resides at home. Mr. and Mrs. Cole were most exemplary people, and attended the Baptist church.
THOMAS MURTHA. one of the numerous prosperous farmers of Jefferson county, is now located on a fine piece of land near the vil- lage of Carthage. He was born .August 16, 1843, in the adjoining town of Croghan, Lewis county, where his parents lived many years. His grandfather was a farmer in county Meath, Ireland, and his father. Peter Murtha, was born in June, 1798, in the village of Slane, in that county. There he grew up and was married to Ann Finley, a native of the same place. Her father. John Finley, was a shepherd, a son of Ed-
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ward Finley, who was once a prosperous miller in the west of Ireland, and was ruined by endorsing paper for others, and moved to county Meath.
In 1827 Peter Murtha and wife set out for America to better their fortunes, in which quest they were not disappointed. They landed at Quebec. but were not satisfied with conditions in Canada and found the way to Utica, New York, before the close of that year. Here they worked out for nearly ten years, being separated much of the time. Mrs. Murtha's first employment was on a dairy farm where one hun- dred cows were kept, and her days were spent in wearisome toil. Mr. Murtha worked upon canal and railroad construction, and also found abundant occupation for hands and muscles. They persevered and saved their united earnings, and their last days were passed in peaceful plenty as the result of their industry and prudence. In 1836 they bought twenty-five acres in the town of Croghan, upon which a log house was built, with a chimney constructed of bowlders cemented together with clay mud. Here they began housekeeping in November. 1836. and Mrs. Murtha was much concerned lest the stone and mud chimney should fall upon her at some unexpected moment. When in after years it became necessary to demolish the chimney it was found that the clay had become firmly baked in a solid mass, and it was almost impossible to tear it apart. After a time one hundred acres were purchased on another site, and here a frame house was erected in 1852, in which they lived the remainder of their lives. By this time their boys were nearly grown, and they had abundant aid in clearing and tilling the ground. In the early days much grain was grown for market, but the farm was later devoted to the dairy, employing thirty cows. Mr. Murtha died February 7. 1880. and his widow survived him only until .August of the same year, being over eighty years of age. They were among the faithful communicants of St. James' Church of Carthage. Mr. Murtha was a Democrat, of independent mind, and often supported Republican candidates and policies. He served as assessor of Croghan many years. Of his seven children, four attained maturity, the first, John, dying in 1855 at the age of twenty years. Patrick died in 1893 in the town of Croghan, aged fifty-seven years. Ann died in 1878. while the wife of Patrick Murphy, of Copenhagen.
Thomas Murtha is the youngest and only survivor of his father's family. He attended the district school until he was fifteen years old. and was then kept busy in chopping, peeling tanbark and burning char .
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coal. Nature did much for him, and his inherent intelligence has been cultivated by reading and observation of men and events, and he is much respected as a good farmer and useful citizen. He has been active in business and industrious in the cultivation of his lands. In 1873 he bought the farm in which he lives, and since that time has bought and sold much real estate, and his home place now includes one hundred and eighty acres.
He presented his eldest son with one hundred and thirty- four acres adjoining his own farm, on which the son now re- sides. All the other children are still at home with their parents. Mr. Murtha produces a great deal of hay for the market, in addition to that required for his dairy of nineteen cows, and usually sells fifty tons per year. He is a trustee of St. James' Church, Carthage, in which all his family are communicants, and has been treasurer of Carthage Grange for the past five years. He maintains an independent attitude in poli- tics, though much in favor of many principles enunciated by the Popu- list party. He desires no political office, and leaves the public service to those who may desire it.
Mr. Murtha was married April 7, 1874. to Miss Mary A. McCar- tin, who was born in Redwood, this county, a daughter of John and Catherine (Connelly ) MeCartin, of county Sligo, Ireland. The children of Thomas and Mary A. Murtha are Francis, John, Anna, Catherine, Julia and Mark.
TWINING. This name has been connected with the history of the town of Champion from the pioneer period, and its representatives have been counted among the most progressive and useful citizens.
(I) The pioneer of the family in this town was William Twin- ing, who was born June 14, 1789. in Tolland, Connecticut. His wife, Ovanda Fowler, was a native of the same town. In 1818 they settled in Champion, on the farm where his great-grandson now lives, on lot 54. Here he took up one hundred acres of land which he cleared up and to which he subsequently added by purchase. He was an industrious and successful farmer, respected by all. He was reared in the Pres- byterian faith, but became a convert to Universalism, in which faith he was firmly fixed. He served many years as justice of the peace, and his counsel was often sought and followed. A brief account of his chil- dren follows: Susan married J. H. Whelpley, and lived and died at Thompson, Michigan. Alfred W. is the subject of the following para-
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graph. Lucinda married ( first ) J. Miller, ( second) S. Smith, ( third ) John Mills and ( fourth ) G. W. Adams, and died in Wisconsin. Milo is still living at Brodhead. Wisconsin. William married Martha Tay- lor and (second) Nellie Rook, and died in Morrison, Illinois. Mariette married (first) J. W. Smith and (second) Silas Weller, and died in Rutland in 1901. John married Eveline R. Smith, and lived near Copenhagen, Lewis county, where he died in 1876.
(II) Alfred W. Twining, son of William and Ovanda, was born September 3, 1822, in Champion, where all his life was passed, and where he died in 1890. Soon after reaching manhood he purchased his father's farm, and was many years extensively engaged in dairying, keeping from thirty-five to forty cows. He was a well-read man, of quiet, domestic nature, genuine and sincere in everything. Generous and a friend to all. his companionship was sought and his judgment was respected and honored. He served as justice of the peace and in other town offices, but did not seek public life. He was a steadfast supporter of Republican policies, and eager to extend spiritualistic doctrines, in which faith he was well established. He was active in Grange work, and always ready to foster any progressive movement.
Mr. Twining was twice married, his first wedding taking place in 1846, the bride being Miss Jeanette Fargo, daughter of Perry and Huldah Fargo. She died leaving two children, Nelson P. and Emogene C. September 12, 1859. Mr. Twining married Miranda, daughter of Sherebiah and Olive Gibbs, of Wilna. She survives him and now re- sides in Copenhagen. New York. Sherebiah, son of Jonathan Gibbs, was born January 3. 1782, in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, and died in Wilna, January 17. 1855. His wife was a daughter of William Heaton, who went from Massachusetts to Vermont when she was two years old. She lacked only ten days of being ninety years old at her death. Mr. Gibbs was reared a Presbyterian. but became a Universalist. Miranda was his fourth and youngest child: she is the mother of two children : George E. and Ada E., the latter being the wife of Henry Chickering. of Copenhagen.
(III) George Ellsworth, second son and third child of Alfred W. Twining, was born December 24. 1860, on the paternal farm in South Champion, and lived all his life with the exception of four years upon this farm. For three years he conducted a meat market in Carth- age, but most of his short life was given to the cultivation of the paternal acres, either as assistant to his father or as owner. Upon the death of
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A. W. Twining the homestead of two hundred and seventy-five acres was divided, and the portion including the old home fell to George E., including the tract on which his widow and son now reside. He died March 5. 1902, at Watertown. He was a member of Carthage Lodge No. 365. Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He supported the Re- publican party in political contests. Mr. Twining was married in 1884, to Charlotte Cramer, who was born June 14, 1859, in South Rutland. daughter of Charles Oliver and Jane ( Bailey) Cramer.
(IV) The only child of this marriage is Glenn Ellsworth Twin- ing, born October 23. 1886. He is now tilling the farm inherited from his father, and is an industrious and sensible young man, and a credit to his ancestry.
Henry and Lydia ( Beidelmann) Cramer, of German descent, came from the Mohawk Valley to Harrisburg. Lewis county, whence they soon removed to the southern part of Rutland, near Tylerville, when their son, Charles Cramer, was a boy. They were farmers, and lived to great age, the former attaining eighty-four and the latter ninety-three years.
Charles Henry Cramer was born in 1829. in Harrisburg. Lewis county, New York, and died at his home in South Rutland. September, 1894. His school training was limited to that afforded in the local dis- trict schools, but he was gifted by nature with keen perceptions and a ready observative faculty, so that he was growing in knowledge through- out his life. With a high order of mechanical genius, he invented nu- merons useful appliances such as gates, washing machines and other implements fashioned from wood, and gave considerable time to their manufacture in his carlier years. His last years were passed upon the paternal homestead engaged in farming and he was a highly valued mem- ber of Valley Grange of South Rutland, which he aided materially in buikling up a membership from small beginnings. Ilis ideas were liberal and expansive, and he embraced the faith of the Universalist church and acted with the Republican party in public concerns. Always ready to further any progressive movement, he was a most useful member of society, and was greatly respected. He served as justice of the peace and in other local offices. The following resolutions were adopted by the Grange at its first meeting following his death :
WHEREAS. This Grange has lost an influential member, and the society an earnest advocate by the death of Brother Charles Cramer. it is prefer that we should express our appreciation of his services by the usta meth al. therefore le it
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RESOLVED, That in the death of our respected ex-master, Brother Charles H. Cramer, we acknowledge with sincere feelings of regret the loss of a true friend of the cause, an active worker in promoting and elevating the occupation of the farmer.
RESOLVED, As an outward sign of our respect that our charter be draped in mourning for the period of sixty days.
Also. That we tender our sympathies to Sister Cramer and fam- ily, and that a copy of these resolutions be put upon the minutes in the secretary's book, also copies sent to the Watertown dailies for publica- tion.
MRS. MARGARET ROSE, MRS. O. A. JOIINSON, MIR. O. A. JOHNSON, Committee.
Mrs. Jane Cramer was a daughter of Timothy and Sarah ( Brown ) Bailey. She was the mother of seven children, as follows: Ida L. is the widow of Dr. Oscar Merrill, of Copenhagen : William Henry is a practicing physician at Copenhagen: Lucinda is the wife of Wellington Atwater, residing in Rutland; Lansing J. is a physician, located at Cas- torland, Lewis county ; Charles W. is a farmer, residing on the home- stead in South Rutland: Charlotte M. is the sixth; Nellie Ruth is a teacher at College Point, Long Island. After the death of his first wife Mr. Cramer married Mary (Clements), widow of John Hazen. One son of her first marriage is Lemuel Hazen, now a resident of Topeka, Kansas. Of the second marriage were born: Caroline B., wife of Fred Curtis, a farmer of South Rutland; and Robert, now residing in Pinck- ney, Lewis county.
ERASTUS HARRIS, a venerable, lifelong resident of Champion, New York, was born March 29, 1827, one-half mile east of his present place of residence.
The Harris family has been traced back to Smithfield, Rhode Island. where Richard Harris was living early in the eighteenth cen- tury. In 1780 Anthony Harris, son of Richard Harris, settled in Rich- mond, New Hampshire. He married Ruth Broadway, and had a large family, including Thomas, Mercy, Anna, Lydia, Jeremiah, William, Caleb, David. Luke, Linday, and Delilah. Anthony Harris died March 20, 1817, aged eighty-one years, and his wife lived until January 8, 1830, reaching the age of ninety-four. From the fact that the seventh child was born in 1777 it is apparent that most of them were born before the settlement at Richmond. Mercy, the second, born October 11, 1762,
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married David Ballon, and was the mother of Hosea Ballou, the famous pioneer Universalist clergyman.
Colonel Asa Harris was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, and mar- ried. In 1801 he visited Jefferson county in company with Michael Fisher and a man named Rhodes, and decided to locate here. They came again the next year and selected their lands in the town of Cham- pion, on which they did some clearing and produced small crops. These were carefully covered in the fall to protect them from frost and the depredations of wild animals, and they returned to their eastern homes in Vermont. In the spring of 1803 Mr. Harris came with his oxen and brought his family to settle. He secured one hundred acres of land, which he partially cleared. He built the hotel on land now owned by Erastus Harris, on the state road, and kept it many years. This was burned about 1840 and was never rebuilt. He was known by the title of " Col- onel " before he came to Champion, from which it is inferred that he had seen militia service. He drilled the local militia on a part of the ยท farm now owned by Erastus Harris, and commanded a regiment at the battle of Sackets Harbor in 1813. thus confirming his right to the title. An old-fashioned Democrat. he died before the organization of the Re- publican party, which would have received his support, doubtless, judg- ing from the character and associations of the man. His wife survived him some years. They brought eight children here, and four were born after their arrival. Fosket, the eldest, was the founder of the village of Harrisville, in Lewis county, this state, where he lived and died. Leonard, the second. is mentioned at length below. Arnold lived some years at Harrisville, whence he removed to Ohio, and died in that state. Asa lived many years at Harrisville, and passed his last days in Water- town. Morgan L. ran away when a boy and lived in Montgomery coun- ty, this state, where he was engaged as stage and canal operator, re- moved to New York city in 1856, and died there. Deborah married Alphens Colburn, and lived and died in Champion. Rachel is mentioned elsewhere as the wife of Otis Loomis. Philinda married John Clinch- man, with whom she went to the west, where she died. Amanda, wife of Riley Andrus, died in Texas.
Leonard Harris, captain in the regiment that went to Sackets Har- bor in 1812, was born in 1788-89. in Brattleboro, Vermont, and must have been about fourteen years old when he came to Champion with his parents. The early period here afforded little educational advan- tages, and the labor of every available hand was needed in clearing up
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the land, so it is not likely that he attended school much after his arriva! here. He was a genuine Yankee, with an aptitude for trade, and dealt in stock quite largely for many years. He drove cattle to the eastern market, and was successful in business. He inherited fifty acres of land from his father. and added to it until his domain included three farms. consisting of three hundred and forty-six acres, which he gave to his three sons with the proviso that they should pay to each of his five daugh- ters ( their sisters) fifteen hundred dollars each, and to his widow ( their mother) the sum of three hundred and eighty dollars per year for her support during life. These promises were faithfully carried out. Eras- tus Harris taking the farm then occupied by his father, upon which he still resides. Leonard Harris was a Democrat, and filled several of the town offices. Both he and his wife embraced the Universalist faith. He was an intelligent and well-informed man, a worthy successor of a worthy sire. He died in 1872 and his wife, Lucinda ( Thompson ) Har- ris, a native of Champion, and daughter of James Thompson, died in 1830. Eight of their nine children grew to maturity: the eldest. Al- fred. died here in 1861 : Rowena married John Wood, and died at Natu- ral Bridge, this county: Rachel is the widow of Wheaton Burrington. residing in Copenhagen, in the town of Denmark: Clarissa is the widow of Frederick Dorwin, of Pulaski. Oswego county: Guilford was many years a farmer in Champion, where he still owns land, but resides in Lowville: Louisa married Tra T. Curtis, and died in Aurora, Illinois ; Erastus is the seventh: Chester died on the state road, in Champion. where his widow now resides.
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