USA > New York > Jefferson County > Genealogical and family history of the county of Jefferson, New York, Volume II > Part 63
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In 1876 he moved to Watertown, New York, where he took a lead- ing place among the medical practitioners. He was a member of the
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Presbyterian church, in which he held the office of an elder. He was widely known as a Christian physician. In his support of the church and other public religious and moral institutions he gave to the limit of his means. He was a member of the Jefferson County Medical So- ciety, the St. Lawrence County Medical Society, and the New York State Medical Society.
Simeon L. Parmelee and Sarah Jones were married at Gouverneur, New York. in 1854. She is the daughter of Elihu Lord and Mary (Gilman) Jones. Her father was born in Saybrook, Connecticut, in 1796, and the mother in St. Albans, Vermont. Sarah Jones is de- cended from Revolutionary stock, her great-grandfather, Caleb Jones, having served in the Revolutionary war. He was captured by the British, and died on board the Jersey prison ship, in New York harbor.
Four children were born to Dr. Parmelee and wife, viz .: Edward J. ; Charles L .: Harriet, who married Rev. B. A. Williamson (now de- ceased ) and who died at Watertown in 1899. leaving two children, Lewis A. Williamson, of Watertown, and Miss Bessie A. Williamson, who lives with her grandmother, Mrs. Parmelee, in New York; and Ernest Philip (deceased).
Dr. Parmelee died at Watertown, April 17, 1881, after practicing there five years. He is survived by his widow, who now resides in New York city.
Charles Lewis Parmelee, the second child of Dr. Simeon L. and Sarah ( Jones) Parmelee. attended school at Gouverneur until the re- moval of his father's family to Watertown, in 1876. He then attended the public schools of Watertown, until 1880, when he entered the em- ploy of the National Bank and Loan Company, as a clerk. He was asso- ciated with this bank until 1897, filling all the positions to cashier, oc- cupying the latter position about ten years. He was subsequently treas- urer of the city of Watertown a year and a half. until November. 1898. at which time he entered the employ of Redmond. Kerr & Company, bankers, 41 Wall street, New York, with whom and their successors he has since been associated. In politics he is a Republican. He is a mem- ber of the New York Athletic Club, the City Club, and the Baltusrol Golf Club.
LEWIS WATSON SANDIFORTH, one of the representative sons of Jefferson county in New York, is a son of one of the pioneer business men of Watertown, and was born July 2, 1838, in that town.
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His grandfather. Daniel W. Sandiforth, was the son of a sea captain who was born and reared near Liverpool, and was lost on one of his voyages to the East Indies. The son was born June 22, 1758, in Eng- land, and died August 15, 1837. at the home of his son in Watertown. His body was deposited in the old cemetery on the Sackets Harbor road. His wife, Sarah. was born September 28. 1761, and died May 27, 1813. in Litchfield, Connecticut, where they then resided. After the death of his wife, Mr. Sandiforth moved to Utica, New York, where he con- tinued to reside until his removal to Watertown. He had one son and seven daughters.
Lewis Rupert, only son of Daniel W. and Sarah Sandiforth, was born December 30. 1799. in Litchfield. Connecticut, and accompanied his father to Utica while a boy. He was apprenticed to Samuel Stock- ing, a hatter and furrier, who was connected with the Astor Fur Com- pany. After completing his apprenticeship young Sandiforth removed to Watertown and opened a hat factory on Factory street, in partner- ship with another, under the style of Sandiforth & Marvin. In a short time Mr. Marvin sold his interest to Henry Willis, and the business continued under the title of Sandiforth & Willis. For many years the former was sole proprietor and was successful. Having invested his means in Chicago lots and a quarter-section of land five miles from that city. he set out in the spring of 1847 for the west. Going by boat from Buffalo, he took along agricultural implements, and during the season produced a large crop of wheat and corn. In the meantime his family was at Utica, and he returned to that city in the autumn. Dur- ing the winter he became ill and died May 20, 1848, and was buried in Forest Hill Cemetery of that place. Mr. Sandiforth was a member of the Stone Street Presbyterian church, and an old-line Whig in politi- cal principle. He was married to Hannah Wright, a daughter of Joseph and - (Gilbert ) Wright, of Wright's Settlement, near Rome, New York. Mrs. Sandiforth died in 1867. at Kenosha. Wisconsin. After the death of Mr. Sandiforth she married Horace Clark, a druggist of Watertown, with whom she went west. She came to Watertown when a young girl, with her uncle, Marinus Gilbert, whose sons were well known citizens of Watertown in the early days. Mr. and Mrs. Sandi- forth were the parents of a son and daughter. The latter is the wife of Horace E. Clark, son of her step-father, and resides at Faribault, Minnesota.
Lewis W. Sandiforth attended the Black River Institute in Wa-
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tertown and, later, the John Street school in Utica. He left school at the age of seventeen years and entered Goulding's machine shop at Wa- tertown, to learn a trade. After a short time he was injured while at work, and was forced to abandon the shop for a time. While conval- escent, he took employment in the Black River Bank, and his attention was thus diverted to office work and finance. When the Rome, Water- town & Cape Vincent Railroad was under construction he became a chainman on the survey and, after the completion of the road, was employed as a clerk in the freight office at Watertown. When the ex- tension to Evans Mills was completed, by the Watertown & Potsdam Railroad, Mr. Sandiforth was made station agent at that point, which continued to be the terminal for two or three years and was, naturally, a busy point. On leaving this position he became a clerk in the super- intendent's office at Watertown, where he continued two years, a part of his duties being the running of trains as substitute conductor. This led to his appointment as regular conductor, and he continued fourteen years in this capacity, during which time he moved his home to Rome. For many years he was in charge of the express train running from that point to Ogdensburg.
Having demonstrated his thorough capacity as a practical railroad man, Mr. Sandiforth was induced by Roswell P. Flower to take charge of a railroad in which Mr. Flower was interested, the Danbury & Nor- walk Railroad. He was installed January 1, 1877, and, during his eight years' superintendency of this line he constructed a branch exten- sion to Wilson's Point, and was thus fitted for another promotion. Dur- ing the construction of the new Croton aqueduct, he was inspector of masonry, and since that time has been connected with the city govern- ment of the city of New York. In 1886 he entered the paymaster's sec- tion of the finance department, and has so continued to the present, having charge of the payrolls of those in maintenance and care of the aqueduct. His long continuance in this responsible station is sufficient to indicate his executive ability and integrity.
Mr. Sandiforth attends the Episcopal church. He became a Demo- crat under the teachings of Horatio Seymour, whom he greatly ad- mired, but eschews politics in the present day, giving his energies to the proper performance of his duties, which are often arduous. He was married October 18. 1865, to Miss Mollie O. Knox, daughter of Isaac Knox of Rome. New York. Two daughters complete his fam- ily. Blanche S .. the elder, is the wife of George W. Draper of New
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York city. Louise S. is the widow of Paul Rifflard and resides with her sister.
JOHN PARKER MARTIN, official court stenographer of New York city, and secretary of the Jefferson County Society in New York, is a descendant of two of the oldest families in northern New York, as well as of New England. He exemplifies the qualities of industry, integrity and mental forcefulness for which the New England blood is noted.
(I) Among the twenty-one families that accompanied Rev. Joseph Hull from Weymouth, England, to Weymouth, Massachusetts, were Robert Martin and wife. They were from Badcome, Somersetshire, England, and arrived on the Massachusetts coast May 6, 1635. Rob- ert Martin left no children, and his estate of one hundred and ninety- three pounds, one shilling and sixpence, was left to heirs in England. Richard, brother of Robert Martin, arrived in America, probably, with Rev. John Myles in 1663, and settled in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. He was elected surveyor of highways in that town June 1, 1669, and his name appears in the list of its proprietors February 7, 1689. He con- tributed for the prosecution of "King Philip's war" the sum of one pound, five shillings and fourpence. His death occurred March 2, 1694, and his estate was inventoried at twenty-two pounds, eighteen shillings and eightpence.
(II) John, son of Richard Martin, was among the signers of a compact concerning religious observances in Swansea, Massachusetts, February 22, 1669. He was a farmer and weaver, and was appointed constable by the General Court, June 5, 1671. He was surveyor of highways in 1673 and again in 1685. He was married April 26, 1671, to Johanna Esten, daughter of Thomas Esten of North Providence, Rhode Island. She was born June 1, 1645, in Hertfordshire, England.
(III) Ephraim, third son and fourth child of John and Johanna (Esten ) Martin, was born February 7, 1676, in Swansea, and was a farmer in Rehoboth. He was married, October 16, 1699, to Thankful, daughter of Samuel Bullock, senior. She was born June 27, 1681, and died July 22, 1762. Mr. Martin died June 25, 1734. They were the parents of eleven children.
(IV) Edward, eldest child of Ephraim and Thankful ( Bullock ) Martin, was born October 22, 1700, in Rehoboth, where he lived. He was married November 8. 1722, to Rebeckah Peck, daughter of Jath-
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niel and Sarah ( Smith) Peck. She was born October 10. 1700, and died April 14. 1731. Mr. Martin was married (second) January 19, 1732, to Martha Washburn, of Bridgewater. He died June 2, 1745, and left five children.
(V) Silvanus, eldest son and third child of Edward and Re- beckah ( Peck) Martin, was born July 1. 1727, in Rehoboth, and was married February 20, 1746, to Martha, eldest daughter of Colonial Philip and Martha ( Salisbury) Wheeler. She was born November I, 1727, in Rehoboth. They were members of the Baptist church of Swansca. Mr. Martin was commander of a militia company, justice of the peace, selectman, and a member of the committee of safety prior to the Revolution. He served as captain under General Spencer in the campaign against the British in Rhode Island, which drove their ship- ping out of Bristol harbor. He died August 13, 1782, and his widow, March 6, 1819. They had thirteen children.
(VI) Cyrus, seventh son and ninth child of Captain Silvanus and Martha ( Wheeler) Martin, was born October 21, 1763, in Reho- both, and served with his father in the Revolution. After the close of that memorable struggle he moved to the western part of the state, and resided for a time in Colerain, Franklin county, settling perma- nently in the neighborhood, in Guilford, Vermont, just across the line. He was a leading citizen of the town, and served as town clerk, select- man and justice of the peace. He was married May 12, 1785, to Char- lotte, daughter of Dr. Joseph Brigham. She survived him several years, dying January 20. 1841, aged seventy-five years. He passed away September 28, 1831. Their children were: Willard, Edward, Char- lotte. Philip, Harriet, Joel L., Martha and Brigham.
(VII) Joel Lakin Martin, son of Cyrus and Charlotte (Brigham) Martin, was born September 7. 1803. in Colerain, Massachusetts, and died in Utica, New York, about 1860. Early in life he settled in Mar- tinsburg, Lewis county, and kept a store in Champion many years. He was married in 1833, in Denmark, Lewis county, to Miss Sally Cot- trell, who was born in that town about 1815. She died in 1851 and he soon after retired from business. He was a Universalist in religious faith, and lived long enough to aid in founding the Republican party. Following is a brief account of his children: Almira C. is the wife of C. II. Dickinson, residing in Edgerton, Wisconsin. Azubah A., now deccased, was the wife of J. P. Adams of Lowville, New York. Ilenry resides in Castorland. Lewis county. Gardner C., deccased, is
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the subject of later paragraphs. Elta M. married John M. Black, and lives in Augusta, Kansas. Ida E. is the wife of a man named Scales, in Waterloo. Iowa. May is the wife of Charles Johnson, residing near Carthage, New York. Lillie, Mrs. Charles Paul, lives near Evans Mills, New York. Eva was the first wife of S. W. Merrill, of Carthage ( see Merrill).
(VIII) Gardner Cottrell Martin, second son and fourth child of Joel L. and Sally ( Cottrell ) Martin, was born in 1843, in Martins- burg, and succeeded his father in the mercantile business at Champion. In the fall of 1870 he moved to Watertown and engaged in the retail shoe business. In 1877 he went west for a year, and, on returning to Watertown, became traveling salesman for a shoe manufacturer, visit- ing the principal cities of the west and also traveling extensively in his native state. He died at Watertown, at his home on Sterling street, April 3, 1897. He was a member of the First Presbyterian church of that city, and a Republican in politics. Mr. Martin was married May 27. 1868, to Miss Celia Waite, who was born in Champion, January 2, 1846. An account of her ancestry follows.
(IX) John Parker Martin, only child of Gardner C. and Celia (Waite) Martin, was born August 13, 1870, in Champion and was taken to Watertown by his parents when a small infant. He attended the public schools, graduating from the Watertown high school in 1888. Following this he took up the study of stenography and soon entered Hamilton College, graduating in the classical course in 1892, as one of the Clark prize orators. Three years later his alma mater gave him the degree of A. M. He began reading law with the late Hannibal Smith in 1892 and, in 1893, became reporter for the county court of Jefferson county. This continned until January, 1896, when he was induced by Justice Pardon C. Williams to go to New York city and become reporter for the supreme court of the state. This position he still holds, a sufficient evidence of his skill, reliability and integrity. Mr. Martin was among the founders of the Jefferson County Society, and has been its secretary from its organization, in 1899. He is a mem- ber of the Alpha Delta Phi College fraternity, the New York Press Club and is president of the New York State Stenographers' Associa- tion. He still retains his membership in the Lincoln League and Un- ion Club of Watertown and affiliation with Watertown lodge. chapter and commandery and Media Temple, of the Masonic fraternity. A genial and charitable soul, Mr. Martin wins and retains strong friend-
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ships, and deserves his success in metropolitan life. He was married September 16, 1896, to Miss Flora Tilden, who was born in Water- town, daughter of John M. and Harriet ( Kelsey) Tilden of that city. Mr. and Mrs. Martin have two children. born as follows: John Tilden Waite. January 3, 1898. and Mabel, March 10, 1904.
(I) The first member of the Wait ( Waite) family of whom rec- ord is now attainable was Return Wait of Boston. The records of Boston show many landholders of the name there in the early days of the colony of Massachusetts.
(II) Richard, son of Return Wait, removed to Plymouth, where he was married in 1706 to Elizabeth Kennedy. He married (second), in 1722, Mary Barnes. His children were: Mary, born 1723: Lydia, 1725: Martha, 1727: Elizabeth. 1729 (died about 1731); Elizabeth, 1734; Sarah, 1735: Thomas, 1739 (died in infancy) : Thomas, 1741; Hannah, 1743: and Richard. 1745.
(III) Richard Waite (2), youngest child of Richard (1), and Mary ( Barnes) Wait. was born October 6, 1745, in Plymouth, and was a Revolutionary soldier. He moved to Boston. later to Whitingham, Vermont, and passed his last days in Champion. Jefferson county, New York, where he died December 8, 1831. His wife, Submit Thomas, was born October 28. 1747, in Hardwick, Massachusetts, and died in Champion, October 28, 1840. Their children were: Thomas, Rich- ard (died an infant), Dorastus, Mary, Matilda, Richard (died an in- fant ), Sally, James, Nancy and Submit.
(IV) Dorastus, third son and child of Richard (2) and Submit (Thomas) Waite, was born August 22, 1776, in Whitingham, Vermont, and died August 19, 1857, in Champion. He was an early settler of that town, and married Mary McNitt, daughter of another early set- tler (see McNitt, II). She bore him ten children. After her death he married Melinda Canfield, by whom he had two children, Rufus and Genevieve. The latter is the only survivor of his family. The children of the first wife were: Melinda, Matilda, Lemira, Mary Ann. Doras- tus. John T .. James. Sarah and Lorantin.
(V) John Thomas Waite, second son and fifth child of Doras- tus and Mary ( McNitt) Waite, was born April 14, 1814, in Champion. where he lived all his life and died October 11, 1879. Ile married Diantha Harris, who was born September 1. 1820. in Champion, and is still living. They had two daughters. Sarah J. and Celia L. The
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former married S. D. Pryor, and the latter is the widow of Gardner C. Martin, residing in Watertown.
FRANCIS WILLIAM DAVIS, a leading and eminent member of the medical profession, graduate of the University of New York, who is engaged in active practice at No. 211 West 12th street, New York city, was born in Champion, Jefferson county, September 17. 1862. SO11 of the late Richard and Elizabeth ( Richards) Davis, whose family consisted of four children, Francis William being the only survivor. Richard Davis was a native of England, born 1821, a representative of an old and honored family, conducted agricultural pursuits successfully int Jefferson county for many years, and was a consistent member of the Methodist church.
Francis W. Davis worked on the farms during the summer from fourteen years of age, and began teaching in winter when eighteen. He acquired his literary education at the common schools in the vicinity of his birthplace, and the State Normal College at Albany, where he was a student in 1885-6. For two years succeeding he was principal of the public school at Greenville. Westchester county. While teaching. took a four years' course of reading. Chautauqua Scientific and Literary Circle, receiving a certificate in 1891. For four years he was a United States customs inspector in New York, having been appointed after passing a civil service examination, and read medicine in the office of Dr. J. S. Hopkins of New York for three years. He entered the med- ical department of the University of New York in 1890, and graduated from the same in 1893. being one of the class officers, and since then has been engaged in a general practice of his chosen profession in New York city. Although his educational advantages were very meager, he improved every opportunity and by close application to study, when- ever it was possible to obtain it, became well informed on a number of subjects. He is a member of the Medical Society of the County of New York, the State Medical Association, of the Greater New York Medical Society, the East Side Medical Society, member Alumni As- sociation of New York University, and has been for the past eight years physician to the Out-Patient Department in general medicine of the New York Hospital, one of the largest in the city. He is a mem- ber of the Jefferson County Society and Lincoln Club of New York, and of Metropolitan Lodge, No. 273, Free and Accepted Masons, of New York city. He was raised in that order at Carthage. New York.
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He is a member of the Methodist church, having joined at the age of sixteen years at Carthage. His first vote was cast for the Prohibition ticket, and he now supports the Republican ticket. During two seasons he acted as elerk for James Galvin of Carthage, who was superintend- ent of section No. 2 of the Black River Canal.
Dr. Davis was married June 1, 1895, to Miss Emma Schultze, a daughter of Christian Schultze, who was many years a jeweler on Sixth avenue, New York.
PRENTICE. The Prentice family in Jefferson county has fur- nished one of its most distinguished clergymen and now has creditable representatives in New York city. The ancestry is among the oldest in America and different members of the line have been prominent and useful citizens in their respective localities.
The ancestors of the Prentices of to-day were among the very early colonists of New England, and from them have sprung a large and vig- orous progeny, some of whom are or have been leading and widely known citizens. The name Prentice, in its various forms. is an old one in England. Thomas Prentiz is spoken of in old records as early as 1318, and Peter Prentiz was a member of the House of Commons from Derby, 34 and 35 Edward III. (that is about 1361-2), and John Prentiz was a member from Derby in the sixth year of the reign of Henry IV. Elizabeth Prentise married the Earl of Ferran in A. D. 1778. The name in America is believed to have been originally spelled Prentice, but some branches spell it Prentiss, and others Prentis.
The first one of the name yet found recorded in America was Val- entine Prentice, who came over from Nazing, Essex county, England. with the Apostle Eliot. in 1631, with his wife Alice, and son, John Prentice, and settled in Roxbury, Massachusetts. It is supposed that Valentine of Roxbury, Robert of Roxbury. Henry of Cambridge and Captain Thomas of Cambridge and Newton, were in some way con- nected. From them have sprung the large family of Prentices in the United States, among whom are many persons known and honored for their ability as men and their usefulness as citizens.
The Prentices of Jefferson county descended from Captain Thomas Prentice (1), " trooper " of Newton, Massachusetts, who was born in England in 1621 (probably), and in 1643 married Grace -. Their daughter Grace, baptized in England, was about four years old when her parents joined the First Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts,
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,which church was formed in 1636. Captain Prentice lived in Newton, Massachusetts, where " he died July 6. 1710, on Sunday, in consequence of a fall from his horse en returning from church, and was buried under arms by the company of troop. July 8, following, in the old burying ground in Newton," where is yet to be seen his large thick gravestone bearing in capital letters this inscription: " Here lies ye body of Capt. Thomas Prentice. deceased July ye 7th, 1709. in the Soth year of his age." The date should be 1710.
His wife died in Newton, October 9, 1692. Captain Prentice may have been in the family of Lieutenant Colonel Roger Harlakenden, who came in 1636 from Earls Cotne, a small parish in Essex. England. The captain is supposed to have learned the art of war with Harlakenden in Cromwell's army. The first mention of Captain Prentice is in the rec- ord of the First Church of Cambridge ( formerly New Town) where an entry states that he and his wife and children ( Grace, Thomas, Eliza- beth, Mary and John) were ( the parents) in full communion and the children baptized in the church. He was made a freeman May 23, 1652, in Cambridge. Captain Thomas Prentice and family removed from Cambridge to Newton, and he there lived and died. The old well near his dwelling remains. In 1653 Mr. Prentice hired Mr. Ilayne's farm. In 1656, at the age of thirty-five, he was chosen lieutenant of the troop of horse. and its captain in 1662. In 1661 Thomas Day deeds Thomas Prentice three hundred acres of land in the " Pequot country." In the general court records of Massachusetts, this land is ordered laid out to Lieutenant Thomas Prentice, a part of which is probably the land on which his grandson, Samuel Prentice. Sr., settled in Stoning- ton, Connecticut, about 1710.
In 1667 Captain Prentice was sent to lay out and settle Quinsiga- mond ( Worcester, Massachusetts) and had fifty or sixty acres of land, and had one of the fifty-eight houses there. He also had grants of land in Woburn in 1684, and had land in Billerica and other places. He was a representative to the General Court in 1672-1674. In 1675 three hundred acres of land were granted to him by the general assembly of Connecticut. In 1675 he and his troop of horse are mentioned nine- teen times on books of the treasurer of Massachusetts colony. "He and his troop of horse were a terror to the Indians by his sudden at- tacks and impetuous charges." In a desperate one in 1675 he rescued Vincent Druce, one of the troop, badly wounded. He was appointed captain of the troop of horse in the Indian war, June 24, 1675, and
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