USA > New York > Jefferson County > Genealogical and family history of the county of Jefferson, New York, Volume II > Part 51
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Thomas Rees, son of Thomas and Mary (Saunders) Rees, was born in March, 1819, in South Wales, and was still a boy when the family came to Clayton. He received his education in the common schools, and in his early boyhood worked upon his father's farm near Clayton. His father, however, soon purchased another farm and upon that land was built the family residence. It is still owned by the heirs of the original Thomas Rees. After spending a few years in agricult- ural pursuits Thomas Rees, the father of William H. Rees, learned
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the trade of a ship chandler. He entered the employ of E. G. Merick. and also continued with the house after the firm became E. G. Merick & Company. In fact, he remained with the firm until he became a part- ner. purchasing a fourth interest. and in 1865 he became sole proprietor. Later one-half of this business was sold to Calvin & Breck, of Wash- ington Island, and Mr. Rees continued in the lumber industry for fif- teen years, until the scarcity of timber. together with the passage of an unwise tariff law, caused him to retire from the trade. Not only did he operate extensively in lumber, but he also constructed a large number of vessels on Washington Island, building large steamers which made the Clay Davison shipyards so celebrated upon the river. The boats were the honest pride of its inland waters, and reflected great credit upon all concerned in their construction. While actively connected with the lumber interests Mr. Rees owned and operated a steam sawmill where he dressed the pine timber which he cut in logs from the woods and used as material for boat building. He was also extensively engaged in supplying timber to the trade. and after a time was enabled to con- struet rafts which he floated down the St. Lawrence river from Quebec. He is a Republican in politics, and has always taken an active part in the affairs of the organization. In 1883 he disposed of his well established business and has since lived in retirement in the village of Clayton.
Mr. Rees married Alzada, who was born in the central part of New York state, eldest child of William and Catharine (Zimmerman ) Hudson. Their other children were: Delia, who married Isaac Cleve- land, of Watertown, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work : Adeline: Eliza ; Enos: Henry; and George, who is living in the west. Mrs. Hudson died in Clayton at the age of seventy-six. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Rees: Thomas G., who is a rail- road official and is now living in Nebraska : William H., of this review : Charles E .. who resides in Clayton: Mary E., who married Charles .A. Ellis, a druggist of Clayton, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work: Adeline D., who married Mr. Dering and died at Clayton; Alzada B., who became the wife of J. W. McCoombs. Mrs. Rees. the mother of these children. died in 1867. and Mr. Rees subsequently mar- ried Mrs. Alicia S. Radcliff. daughter of Hugh Rothwell, of Birken- head, England.
William H. Rees, son of Thomas and Alzada ( Hudson) Rees, was born in Clayton, where he received his primary education in the public schools, afterward studying at an academy in Syracuse, New
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York, and also in the academies of Belleville and Adams. He then re- turned to Clayton and engaged in the lumber business with his father. operating also a line of ships on Lake Ontario and other merchantmen. Later he went to Point Medcalf, near Kingston, Canada, where he rafted lumber until 1875, when he returned to Clayton. Here he dealt extensively in black walnut timber, and at the end of three years ob- tained a position in the custom house, and was placed in charge of this port and also of that at Cape Vincent. These positions he filled for four years in the most satisfactory and creditable manner.
In 1875 he began the study of law with H. E. Morse, of Clayton, and amid the engrossing demands of his other duties steadily pursued it. In 1878 he was admitted to the bar, at once began practice, and for a quarter of a century has possessed the full confidence both of the public and the profession. He continues his business relations in con- nection with his legal practice, operating five ships on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence river. Under his superintendence a number of houses and business blocks have been erected. As a citizen Mr. Rees has been for a long period prominently identified with township affairs, having been supervisor in 1889: served five terms as president of the village; and for fifteen years held the office of justice of the peace. He has acted as a delegate to congressional and state conventions, and in 1903 presided at the laying of the cornerstone for the Clayton town hall. He is an active member of the Masonic fraternity, affiliating with Lodge No. 296, F. and A. M., of which in 1886 he was chosen master. an office which he held continuously for fourteen years. Mr. Rees has also held the office of district grand master, having filled that position longer than any other incumbent. He is a member of Theresa Chapter. No. 49: of Watertown Commandery: and also of Clayton Lodge, No. 539, I. O. O. F., in which he has been three times noble grand. In politics he is a Republican. He and his family are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Rees was married in 1872 to Charlotte C., daughter of Perry and Harriet Cowell. The former, who is now deceased, was a boot and shoe dealer of Clayton. He and his wife were the parents of three children : Mary; Newton, who is now deceased; and Charlotte C., who was born in Clayton, and became the wife of William H. Rees, as mentioned above. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Rees : Edna A .; Thomas P .; Carl R .; Ethel; Zelica; and Ruby. The three last named are deceased.
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LIVINGSTON A. NIMS, proprietor of the Riverside Hotel, Depauville, New York, is a descendant of John Nims (great-grand- father), who came with some of his family to this region and settled near Sackets Harbor. Later he removed to Clayton, when that town was practically in the wilderness, and there spent his last years, dying at the extraordinary age of one hundred and two years.
Appleton Nims, son of John Nims, was born in 1808, in Sackets Harbor. and came to Clayton with his father. He was a very suc- cessful farmer and continued his agricultural labors to an advanced period of life. He married Louisa Phelps, who came from the Mohawk Valley, and they were the parents of the following children : Augustus S., who is now living in Clayton; Sarah Elizabeth, who became the wife of Eldridge Burchall and resides in Antwerp; Alonzo, mentioned at length hereinafter; Livingston; and a fourth child who is deceased. Both Mr. and Mrs. Nims were members of the Methodist Episcopal church, to the support of which they contributed liberally. Mrs. Nims at the time of her death was eighty-five years old, and her husband, while not as remarkable for longevity as his father had been, attained to the somewhat unusual age of eighty-four years and four months. Both were active in the church, and full of good deeds in every rela- tion of life.
Alonzo Nims, son of Appleton and Louisa ( Phelps) Nims, was born in 1836 in Sackets Harbor, and was there reared and educated and trained to agricultural pursuits. He graduated from West Point in the same class with Frank Peck, and for thirty-one years taught in a district school. He took up and cleared two hundred and eighty acres of land in what was then a wilderness, near Clayton, and this farm was his home until 1884, when he retired and moved to Clayton village. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and belonged to the Lincoln League of Watertown. He married Harriet, born in July, 184T, in St. Lawrence, daughter of Benjamin and (Del- lenpaugh ) Phillips. The father was a pioneer who came to Jefferson county and cleared up a farm, and his wife belonged to one of the Dutch families of the Mohawk Valley. Of their eight children who were born in Clayton, two are now living: Kate, who married John Weaver, and resides at St. Lawrence; and Libbie, who became the wife of Farley Kellogg, of Clayton. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Nims : Gilbert, who died at the age of five years; John, who died at the age of six years; Livingston .A., mentioned at
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length hereinafter: Cora, born July 2, 1875, and two others who died in infancy. Cora was born in the town of Clayton, educated in the common and high schools of Clayton, then taught twelve terms in the sehools of Jefferson county. On September 4. 1901, she became the wife of Walter B. Allen, who was born in the town of Clayton, July 27. 1854, a son of Reuben and May Jane ( Stiel ) Allen, the former named having died May 29, 1878, aged forty-two years, and the latter is now living at the age of seventy-five years. They were the parents of a number of children, four of whom are living: I. Melzer, who married Mabel Hanson, and their children are: Clayton and an infant. 2. Riley, who married Jennie Williams, and their children are: Ruth, Jessie and Jeanie. 3. Jessie, who attended the common schools of Clayton, graduating in 1904, resides in Clayton. 4. Ruth, who also attended the common schools of Clayton, graduating in 1904.
Alonzo Nims died May 14, 1901, in Clayton, aged sixty-five years. His death was mourned by the whole community, his winning person- ality having attracted to him a host of friends by whom he was esteemed no less than beloved by reason of his upright life and conscientious devotion to principle. He was well-educated and well-informed on all the topics of the day. His wife, Harriet ( Phillips) Nims, died October 10, 1897, aged fifty-six years. She was a member of the Baptist church, and was much esteemed and beloved.
Livingston A. Nims, son of Alonzo and Harriet ( Phillips) Nims, was born June 8, 1867. at Depauville, New York. He was educated in the common schools, and at the age of sixteen went west and took a position as cook on a vessel plying on the great lakes. This position he held for ten years. He was then employed on another vessel, which in 1894 filled and sank. On his return to Jefferson county Mr. Nims bought out the Bon Ton Restaurant in Clayton, and conducted it for four years. He then sold out, came to Depauville May 1, 1903, and be- came the proprietor of the Riverside Hotel. He is a Mason, affiliating with a lodge in Depauville, and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Clayton. In politics he is a Republican.
Mr. Nims married in June, 1902, Edith, daughter of William Denny of Clayton.
FRED MORGAN KIRBY, one of the most successful sons of Jefferson, now an extensive merchant, banker and financier, with head- quarters at Wilkesbarre. Pennsylvania, has become a millionaire
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through his own industry, sagacity and sound business sense. He comes of an old Hertfordshire ( England) family, which was planted on this continent about a century ago. The first ancestor of whom he now has record was John Kirby, who married Ann Smith in 1795. Their eldest son, William, born on Christmas day. 1797, succeeded the father as a corn merchant in London, and was in turn succeeded by his son, William.
John, second son of John and Ann ( Smith ) Kirby, was born No- vember 3. 1801, in Puckeridge, Hertfordshire, England, where the fam- ily had lived for many years, and went when about fifteen years old to St. John. New Brunswick, with an uncle. James Smith, who mar- ried a sister of Sir Fenwick Williams, the defender of Kars. Mr. Smith was known in New Brunswick as "Ready-made Smith," on ac- count of his being the first to introduce ready-made clothing in the mara- time provinces. He continued to deal in those goods at St. John. and the nephew continued with him some years. Later the latter engaged in the lumber business on his own account and finally removed to Ham- ilton, Ontario. His last years were passed in retirement from business at Brownville. Jefferson county, where he passed away May 22. 1870. He was married in St. John to Mary Price, who was born there Sep- tember 18. 1803. a daughter of Major James Price and Mary Thomas. and a grand-daughter of Colonel Anthony Price, of the British army, who served under General Abercrombie in the French and Indian war and received a large grant of land in Fredericktown, New Brunswick, settling there in 1763. Mrs. Kirby survived her husband nearly five years, dying February 22. 1875. Their eldest child. William, receives extended mention hereinafter. Edmund Allen lived in Minneapolis, where he died about 1880. James Price, who served in the Civil war as a member of Co. D. 94th N. Y. V., long a resident of Watertown, N. Y., many years claim adjuster of the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg Railroad. Division of the New York Central, going from there to .Al- bany. N. Y., as superintendent of special agents in the excise depart- ment of the state, is now retired and spends most of his time in Cali- fornia. Three children died in childhood, namely: Mary Elizabeth. at ten years; Thomas, at six weeks; and Charlotte Ann, at eleven days.
William, eldest son of John (2) and Mary ( Price ) Kirby, was born March 26, 1827, in St. John, New Brunswick, where he remained until eight years old. He was then sent to a boarding school at Annapolis. Nova Scotia, where he remained four years. At the age of twelve
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years he was sent to England, to le educated. Returning to America, he taught school two years at Granville, Nova Scotia. After traveling in the United States with his younger brother Edmund, he was among the "forty-niners" who visited California upon the discovery of gold there, also accompanied by the brother. Their voyage around Cape Horn occupied more than half a year (one hundred and ninety-five days) and they arrived in San Francisco, which did not then contain a frame or brick house, everyone living in shacks, or tents, with a six- penny piece as their joint capital. In the six years that lie remained there William Kirby made and lost a fortune in mining, and returned to the east and engaged in farming in Hounsfield and Clayton. Jefferson county. After twenty years in this occupation, he moved to Water- town, where he lived thirteen years. In the spring of 1885 he joined his son at Wilkesbarre, and died there February 22, 1895, exactly twenty years after the demise of his mother. Mr. Kirby was married in Hounsfield, April 30. 1858, to Angeline Elizabeth Slater, daughter of Joseph and Zylpha ( Morgan) Slater (see Slater. \'). There were two children of this marriage, and the son is the only survivor. A daughter died at the age of fourteen months. The mother. Angeline Elizabeth, died November I. 1903. at Wilkesbarre. Pa. Mr. Kirby was a member of the Protestant Episcopal church.
Fred Morgan Kirby, only son of William and Angeline E. ( Slater ) Kirby, was born October 30, 1861, in Brownville, and was reared in Watertown. His school education was finished at the age of fourteen years, in the public schools of Watertown, but he has been a student of men and things and is reckoned among the well-informed men of his community. With rugged common sense as a mentor in the great school of life, he has fitted himself for the station of a most useful citi- zen and is now filling that station. At fourteen, he entered the dry- goods store of Moore & Smith in Watertown, and continued in the establishment eight years, working his way from the position of package boy to that of book-keeper. In this period he maintained correct habits of life-the best capital a business man can have-and laid aside, from his earnings, a further capital of five hundred dollars.
Thus equipped. Mr. Kirby went to Wilkesbarre in August, 1884, and opened a five-and-ten-cent store. in partnership with Charles S. Woolworth (see Woolworth), which arrangement expired by limitation at the end of three years. Mr. Kirby then purchased the interest of his partner in the business, which had become well established under his
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able management. and has continued it with great success since. He has gradually extended his operations by opening stores in other towns until he is now the proprietor of thirty-two stores, in fourteen states ex- tending from Rhode Island to Illinois and Louisiana. To supply these establishments with goods four buyers are kept busy, and two traveling inspectors are employed to keep them in first-class shape. The main office in Wilkesbarre employs twenty persons, and the total number of employes is about two thousand five hundred. The business amounts to several millions of dollars per year. Besides his mercantile interests, Mr. Kirby is an active manager in several other enterprises. He is a director of the Second National Bank of Wilkesbarre, and vice-president of the Raeder Blank Book. Lithographing and Printing Company, of the same place ; is president of the People's Independent Telephone Com- pany, of Paducah, Kentucky ; president of the Cleburne Telephone Com- pany of Cleburne. Texas, and a director of the United States Lumber Company, a large corporation owning lands in Mississippi, where one may travel sixty miles through virgin forest without seeing a human habitation.
Mr. Kirby is active in those concerns which make for the moral and social welfare of the community, and is respected and esteemed accord- ingly. He is a vestryman of St. Stephen's ( Protestant Episcopal) church of Wilkesbarre, a member of the board of directors of the local Young Men's Christian Association, and Calvary House in connection with Calvary church was built and supported largely by his donations. He is a member of the Franklin, Westmoreland and Wyoming Valley Coun- try Clubs of that city. He is also a member of the Jefferson County and Pennsylvania Societies of New York, and of the New England Society of Northeastern Pennsylvania, and still retains his affiliation with Watertown Lodge No. 49, Free and Accepted Masons. While not an active politician, he entertains settled convictions as to national policy and acts with the Republican party.
He was married May 27, 1886, to Miss Jessie Amelia Owen, who was born January 5, 1861, in Ogdensburg, New York, a daughter of James C. and Huldah (Main) Owen, the latter a daughter of Captain J. Main, of Chaumont. The first born of Mr. and Mrs. Kirby, a son, Harold, died in 1888, at the age of seven weeks. Two sons survive, namely; Allan Price, born July 31, 1892, and Sumner Moore. Sep- tember 5. 1895. In 1895 Mr. Kirby erected a handsome home on West River street in Wilkesbarre, where an ideal home life is maintained. the
RESIDENCE OF FRED M. KIRBY
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abode of cheerful hospitality. His summer home is at Glen Summit, between Wilkesbarre and New York on the Lehigh Valley railroad.
MYERS THOMPSON was born at Plessis, Jefferson county, New York, October 17, 1832, and was the son of Joseph M. and Mary Thompson, who came to Plessis from Newville, Herkimer county, New York. in 1831. His paternal grandfather was Dr. Ichabod Thompson, a prominent physician in Herkimer county, and his grand- father on his mother's side was Major Peter J. Myers, who was con- nected with the Light Artillery at Mohawk, New York.
In the spring of 1838 his father moved his family on his farm two and one-half miles from Plessis, and there he remained until he left the paternal roof. He was educated at the district school and Orleans Academy at Lafargeville, New York. On the Ist of March. 1853. he entered the land office of Vincent LeRay de Chaumont, at Carthage, New York. Here he remained two years, and then went to Watertown, where he held several responsible positions until April. 1862, when the directors of the Jefferson County Bank offered him a position as book- keeper, which he accepted. Up to this time, in the different positions he had held, by his honesty. integrity and untiring industry he won the confidence of his employers, and prepared himself for the higher and more responsible duties in the Jefferson County Bank. He filled this position four years, making many changes and improvements in the books of the bank, and won the confidence of the president. cashier and directors. Mr. G. H. Sherman and his directors offered him the posi- tion as cashier of the National Bank and Loan Company to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Charles Strong, and he would have accepted it, but at that time Mr. W. Brainard, the cashier, and Mr. A. B. Estes, the teller of the Jefferson National Bank, died. As Mr. Thompson was the connecting link between the old and new employes of the bank, the president, Mr. F. H. Camp, and the directors urged him to remain, and he declined the offer of the National Bank and Loan Company, and accepted the position as cashier of the Jefferson County National Bank. He filled this position five years, gaining many friends and becoming acquainted with a large proportion of the business men of Jefferson county. At this time Mr. Howell Cooper, D. W. V. V. Rosa. R. E. Hungerford and others, wanted to start a new bank in Watertown, and offered him the position as cashier. With great re- luctance he left the "Old Jefferson " and became cashier of the Se-
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curity Bank, thinking it would be for the best. but it proved an un- fortunate venture. Before the bank was fully organized Mr. Howell Cooper died, and the "main spoke in the wheel " was gone. On the Ist of October. 1874. Mr. Norris Winslow bought the bank, and for a time it was very successful, but, owing to great reverses financially that Mr. Winslow met with, it became necessary to close the bank. Al- though it had lost nothing by Mr. Thompson, his life work for so many years went out with it. After the affairs of the bank were closed he spent some time in the office of the Agricultural Insurance Company, but left that to accept a position with Mr. Hiram Copley, an extensive land owner at Chaumont. After spending nearly six years he went with Mr. J. B. Flynn in the sash, door and blind business at Clayton. It was a fine business, and they built up a large trade, but cruel Fate seemed still to cling to Mr. Thompson, for his partner, who claimed to be worth quite a sum of money, proved to be a bankrupt, and they were soon obliged to sell out their business. Messrs. Strough & Brooks purchased it and have met with great success.
In November, 1888, Mr. Thompson joined Mr. Hiram Copley, Oscar Taylor and others in getting up the Carthage Lumber and Wood- en Manufacturing Company, and he became its secretary and treasurer. He was also engaged in the coal business in Carthage; in October, 1891. the buildings and machinery of the firm burned, and the loss was so heavy that the stockhoklers would not rebuild. Mr. Thompson then devoted his whole time to his coal business until March 1. 1899, and had built up a fine trade, but adversity still lingered on his track, and when the First National Bank of Carthage closed its doors, so much of his funds were tied up he found it impossible to carry on his coal business and was obliged to sell. Mr. Thompson died December 15, 1004.
WILLIAM SANFORD OLMSTEAD. No one among the young business men of Jefferson county is more favorably known than William S. Olinstead, of Deferiet, a scion of one of the pioneer families of the county.
His grandfather, Jabez Olmstead, a son of Jabez and Rebecca Olmstead, was born March 7. 1806, in Granville, Washington county. this state. Hle was married December 23. 1832, to Orpha Knight, also a native of Washington county, born June 19, 1809. He visited this section in 1831 and secured one hundred acres of land in the town of
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Watertown, southwest of the present city of that name. With his bride he took up his residence thereon and continued to till and improve it un- til his death, which occurred March 13, 1880. His widoy survived until January 9. 1892, reaching the age of eighty-three years. Mr. Olmstead was a lover of horses, and dealt considerably in these noble animals. He also handled cattle and engaged successfully in dairying. Both he and his wife accepted the religious faith of the Universalists, and he affiliated with the Republican party upon its organization, hav- ing previously been a Democrat of the old school. They were the parents of three sons : William, the eldest, remained upon the parental homestead, where he died September 20, 1902; Royal resides at Colo- rado Springs, Colorado.
Edwin Hamilton Olmstead, youngest son of Jabez and Orpha, was born March 31, 1841, on his father's farm in Watertown, where he grew up, assimilating the thrifty ideas of his New England ancestors. His first intellectual training was supplied by the home district school, after which he attended a select school in Adams two terms, besides a further pursuit of knowledge in the public schools of the City of Water- town, leaving school at the age of twenty years. He continued with his father upon the home farm until twenty-five years old, and during this period taught one term of school. After serving two years as a clerk in the general store of J. G. Francis, at Great Bend, he purchased the farm on which he resides, near that village, in 1867. He has been a very successful farmer, and has produced large quantities of potatoes for the New York city market. In 1892 he built the cheese factory at Great Bend and operated it three years, selling the property at the end of that period. He keeps from thirty to thirty-five cows, and fattens calves for the market, which he finds more convenient than selling milk under present difficulties in obtaining reliable farm help, and quite as profitable. Mr. Olmstead is one of the promoters and charter members of the Great Bend Grange, and is also identified with the Lincoln League, of Watertown. He is liberal and progressive in his views, and is respected by his contemporaries, as evidenced in his selection for a period of nine years as assessor, twelve years as highway commissioner and five years as supervisor.
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