USA > New York > Jefferson County > Genealogical and family history of the county of Jefferson, New York, Volume II > Part 7
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In 1875 Dr. Herrick was ordered to Fortress Monroe, Virginia, where he remained until retired by operation of law, April 25. 1890. In the following year he took up his abode in Watertown, where he has since remained. For one term he was dean of the first district of the Diocese of Central New York. In 1859 he was a delegate to the general convention of the Episcopal church at Richmond, Virginia. The degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Divinity were conferred upon him by Hobart College, Geneva, New York. He is a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, of the Commandery of the District of Columbia. In closing the order for his retirement from the service, the commanding officer said : "Chaplain Herrick takes with him the affection and regard of all who have been the recipients of his faithful ministrations. His nobility of character and devotion to the duties of his sacred office will ever make his welfare and happiness the object of their most carnest solicitude."
In 1866 Dr. Herrick delivered at Key West a sermon commemora-
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ting the tenth anniversary of his settlement there as rector. This called forth the following request and testimonial, signed by the wardens and vestrymen, who were among the most conspicuous citizens of the town : "Reverend and Dear Sir :- The truths set forth and the precepts incul- cated in your learned and excellent sermon, delivered on Sunday even- ing, November 4, 1866, on the occasion of your tenth anniversary as pas- tor of this church, have suggested to the minds of the undersigned to request, most respectfully, that you would favor the public by permitting its appearance in print.
"Language fails to express the depth of heartfelt gratitude we feel for your many Christian kindnesses, your indefatigable evangelical la- bor, in disseminating the knowledge and love of God among us, and the exemplifying of practical religion, and we avail ourselves of this oppor- tunity to acknowledge it."
Dr. Herrick married, May 16, 1853, Charlotte Willard Smith, whose mother was a sister of the mothers of the late Bishop Whipple, of Min- nesota, and the late Gencral H. W. Halleck, of the United States army. Mrs. Herrick has been the efficient helper of her husband in his arduous labors, sharing the perils of his heroic ministrations to the yellow fever suffers and herself sustaining an attack of the scourge. In addition to the tribute from General Sherman quoted above, Dr. Herrick has re- ceived many others of a like nature from officers high in authority in the army and navy. He and his wife have the honor of numbering among their friends many of those distinguished in civil as well as in military life. As a resident of Watertown it may truly be said of him that he is "held in reverence of all them that are about him."
GIBSON. The founder of this family in America was John Gib- son, who is supposed to have been a native of England, born about 1601, and was a resident of Newtown, now Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1631. He died there in 1694. His first wife, Rebecca, died there, and he was married (second), July 24, 1662, to Joan, widow of Henry Pren- tice, of Cambridge.
(II) Jolin Gibson, Jr., of Cambridge, was born about 1641, and died October 15, 1679, in Cambridge. He was married December 9, 1668, to Rebecca, daughter of Abraham and Rebecca (Cutler) Erring- tOn1.
( III) Deacon Timothy Gibson, of Sudbury and Stow, Massachu- setts, was born about 1679, in Cambridge, a son of John (2), and died
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at Stow in 1757. He married, first. Rebecca, daughter of Stephen and Sarah ( Woodward) Gates; and, second, Mrs. Submit Taylor.
(IV) Isaac Gibson, of Stow and Lunenburg ( Fitchburg), Massa- chusetts. and Grafton (originally Tomlinson). Vermont, was born April 27, 1721. in Sudbury, Massachusetts, and died in Grafton. June I, 1797. He married, first, Keziah, daughter of Deacon Samuel and Re- becca Johnson, of Lunenburg. He was married, second, at Leominster, Massachusetts, to Mrs. Abigail (Darby, or Stearns) Bennett. He was a Revolutionary soldier, serving in Captain Wood's company, of Colonel Asa Whitcomb's regiment of militia, that marched to Fitchburg on the Lexington alarm of April 19. 1775, and served eleven days.
(V) Nathaniel Gibson, of Lunenburg, Massachusetts, and Graf- ton, Vermont, was born February 22, 1753, in the former place, and died in Salisbury, Vermont, before 1824. He was married, first, June 25. 1776. to Hannah Brown, daughter of Daniel and Anna (Bright) Brown; and, second. July 6, 1791, to Mrs. Keziah Hayward, of Grafton. He was a Revolutionary soldier, his first service being as a private in Captain Eben Bridge's company. of Colonel John Whitcomb's regiment, marching to Fitchburg on the Lexington alarm, and serving six days. He was subsequently a private in Captain John Fuller's company, Colonel Asa Whitcomb's regiment of militia. serving eight months from April 25. 1775. He was on duty October 4 of that year at Prospect Hill, near Boston. His religious views were in advance of his day, and he was fearless in expressing them, though it incurred the illwill of some of his neighbors, as evidenced by the following statement, dated "Grafton, June 21, 1803." and signed by Nathaniel Gibson, attested by the town clerk. "I do not agree in religious opinions with the majority of the in- habitants of the town of Grafton."
(VI) Roswell Gibson, third child of Nathaniel Gibson, was born April 24. 1800, in Grafton. Vermont, and died June 28, 1857. in Flor- ence. Oneida county, New York, where he settled as early as 1840. He was for some time a resident of Mendon, Vermont, and was one of the organizers of the church at Mendon. January 23. 1836. He was married January 24, 1824. to Hannah Edson, who was born December 19. 1802, at Minot, Maine, and died July 22. 1893. at West Camden, New York. (VII) Caroline Elizabeth. daughter of Roswell and Hannah ( Ed- son ) Gibson, was born March 9. 1840, in Florence, New York, and was married August 2, 1863, to Ora Bailey Porter. (See Porter, VII.)
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JAMES ROGERS SIMPSON, for most of his life connected with the mercantile interests of Jefferson county, died in the town of Adams. October 7, 1882. He was born July 22, 1805, in Windham, New Hampshire, a son of Alexander and Mary ( Rogers) Simpson, of undoubted Scotch and English lineage. About two hundred years ago the British crown confiscated large areas of land in northern Ireland, and offered inducements to its subjects to settle there. . \ considerable num- ber of hardy and enterprising Scotchmen, who sought to spread the area occupied by Protestants, moved to these lands, establishing what are known as the "Scotch-Irish" class, from whom many pioneers of this country were drawn. As early as 1719 a considerable emigration to the American colonies from the north of Ireland took place, and others followed during the next thirty years, settling in southeastern New Hampshire. Among these emigrants was Alexander Simpson, who had distinguished himself at the siege of Londonderry. Ireland, in 1680, and was exempted from taxation as long as the colony remained under Brit- ish rule. He was among the founders of Londonderry, New Hampshire. whence some of his sons moved to the adjoining town of Windham.
(I) In 1747 Alexander Simpson came from the linen-producing section of northern Ireland and settled in Windham. He was a weaver by trade, but purchased land of James Simpson (son of Alexander, above- named), and engaged in farming the balance of his life. His wife was Janet Templeton, and their children were: William (died young), Agnes, William, Janet (born January 22. 1750, married James Wilson, and was the mother of three Rutland pioneers), Sarah. John. Alexander and Samuel.
(II) Alexander, seventh child and fourth son of Alexander and Janet (Templeton ) Simpson, was born November 28, 1756, in Windham, and early in life settled in Bow, New Hampshire, where he married Mary. daughter of Samuel Rogers. The Rogers family was of English blood, of strict Episcopal stamp, and had a coat-of-arms. Two of its representa- tives were in the British army during the Revolution, one being a pay- master of troops in Canada. Mr. Simpson was in the Lexington alarm service, and participated in the battles of Bunker Hill and Saratoga. He enlisted at several times, serving four months in 1775, four months in 1777, three months in 1778, and in other short periods. He applied for a pension September 11, 1832, and it was granted for one year's service. He returned to Windham to reside in 1789. One of his children was born in Salem, and the others in Bow and Windham, New Hampshire.
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His wife became deranged before her death. About 1806 he joined in the migration to the "Black River Country," and settled in the extreme south end of Champion, this county, where he cleared land and operated a sawmill. Late in life he visited his sons, at Lower Sandusky, Ohio. and died there. The children of his first wife were so unkindly treated y their step-mother that they embraced the first opportunities to care for themselves. The children of Alexander and Mary Simpson were : Janet Lindsey, born March 5. 1784, in Bow, married her cousin, John Lindsey Wilson, and lived in Rutland. Anna Caldwell, the second, mar- ried John King, of Rutland. Alexander and Sylvanus Leonard lived in Lower Sandusky, Ohio. Samuel Rogers, married Nancy Stoddard, lived in Alexandria Bay, and was buried at Whitesville. Isaac was drowned at Black Rock, near Buffalo, when nineteen years old. Margaret Flanders became the second wife of John L. Wilson, whom she sur- vived. subsequently marrying Otis Andrus, and died in Rutland Hol- low. Elizabeth McConnell was the wife of Patrick Norris, and died in Rutland.
(III) James Rogers Simpson, ninth child of Alexander and Mary Simpson, was not of strong build, and was forced to abandon his effort to learn the mason's trade. He gave some time to carpenter work, and also taught school in early life. For a period of twenty-five years, he lived at Sacketts Harbor, where he was employed in a store. He was engaged in farming six years, being one-half of the time at Great Bend, and the balance of the time in the town of Pamelia. Immediately after the close of the Civil war he went to the village of Smithville, in the towns of Adams and Henderson, where he kept a general store several vears. Having retired from business, he moved one mile east of the village, where he died, as above noted. He was married September 7. 1840, to Hannah Fulton, who was born September 9. 1809. in Champion, near Great Bend. daughter of James and Sarah (Choate) Fulton. See Fulton III. ) Hannah (Fulton) Simpson died January 17. 1871. at Smithville, leaving an only child- Cleantha, who is now the wife of Alonzo P. Hall (q. v. ), residing on Ten Eyck street. Watertown.
Mr. Simpson was a faithful attendant and supporter of the Meth- odist church, and lived his religion, while making few professions. 1 nan of few words, he accomplished much by quiet activities. . \ Whig in early life. he was an earnest Republican, but took no part in active politics.
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CHARLES HAMILTON WALTS, ex-county judge of Jefferson county, and long prominently identified with its legal and political his- tory, is a descendant of the early Dutch settlers of the state. They lo- cated in Otsego county, whence William Walts moved to Jefferson county, settling on a farm in the town of Pamelia. His wife, Louisa Allen, was, like himself, a native of Otsego county, and they were the parents of Charles H. Walts, further mentioned below. William Walts was a successful farmer, and retired to the city of Watertown to spend his last years. He died there, December 31, 1898, and his widow sur- vived him only four days, passing away January 4, 1899. Their remains were deposited in North Watertown cemetery.
Charles H. Walts, son of William and Louisa, was born December 7, 1839, in the town of Pamelia, and received his education in the com- mon schools and Jefferson County Literary Institute. Deciding to make the legal profession his lifework, he entered the office of Clark & Calvin. attorneys of Watertown, where he pursued his studies, afterward at- tending the Albany Law School, from which he was graduated in 1861. with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He began practice in Theresa, but remained there only a short time and removed to Watertown, where he has since resided and continued in practice.
Having formed an association with Judge F. W. Hubbard, Mr. Walts became rapidly engaged in much of the important business of the courts of northern New York, and has been busily occupied in this man- ner down to the present time. In February, 1877, Judge Hubbard with- drew from the firm, on account of removal from the county, and Mr. Walts was joined by Wilbur F. Porter, and the firm of Porter & Walts was a powerful factor in the transaction of legal business for twenty years. On the beginning of the year 1897, Mr. Fred B. Pitcher, present county attorney, joined Judge Walts, under the style of Walts & Pitcher. which connection continues, with mutual satisfaction and advantage.
Since the beginning of his career Judge Walts has manifested an intelligent interest in public progress and has borne a conspicuous part in the conduct of affairs. His energies have always been exerted in be- half of the welfare of the community and his efforts have invariably been directed toward the abolition of abuses and the reform of existing evils. The confidence with which his character and abilities have inspired his townsmen is indicated by the offices of honor and responsibility to which he has been called by their votes. In 1874 he was elected city attorney. and filled the position three years in a manner which testified his legal
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acumen, learning and sagacity, as well as his executive talents. In 1877 he was chosen county judge, and in 1883 was re-elected. His record upon the bench strengthened his already high standing in the profession and increased (if it were possible) the regard in which he had been held by the people. He is a staunch Republican and is still active in the coun- cils of his party, and his word and influence are always given in behalf of that which, in his judgment, stands for what is best, thereby carry- ing much weight. He is devoted to his profession, in which he still oc- cupies an influential position.
Judge Walts was married in early life to Miss Rebecca L. Law- yer, daughter of Hon. Nicholas Lawyer, of Perch River, this county. She died in January, 1895, and on June 27, 1901, Judge Walts married Catherine L. Mitchell, of Watertown. An adopted daughter. Jeannette, completes the family.
ALONZO P. HALL, a well-known citizen of Watertown, for many years in business at various points in Jefferson county, enjoys a wide acquaintance, and is respected as a man of worth and character. He inherits from many generations of ancestry the Yankee propensity for business activity and the sound mind, body and principles necessary to usefulness in the world. The Hall family is one of the oldest in Amer- ica, and was established at several points in New England at almost simultaneous dates. The origin of the name has been the subject of some speculation among its bearers and three probable sources have been found. The most probable is the fact that baronial seats in England were almost always called Halls, with a title annexed. When men were obliged to take surnames, many took the names of their estates, and thus many names were made to end with Hall. One authority at- tributes it to the Welsh word for salt, which would be attached to a worker in salt or a dweller near a salt mine. Again, it is traced to the Norwegian word for hero, which is hallr, the last letter being silent and only indicative of the nominative case. As the Norwegians overran England at one time, many of their words found their way into the lan- guage. Hallett is a diminutive of Hall, and was probably given to a dwarfed or younger son, only the eldest son being entitled to the paternal surname in early times. De la Hall ( translated, of the Hall) is a Norman or Anglo-Saxon usage, which accounts for most of the occasions where this became a surname, without doubt.
(I) John Hall came from Coventry, Warwickshire, England, in
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1630. to Charlestown, Massachusetts, probably in the fleet with Governor Winthrop. Coventry is about ninety-five miles northwest from London. He was born about 1609. His name appears the ninteenth on the list of members of the first church of Charlestown, organized July 30, 1630. There was then no church in Boston, and this was subsequently moved to that place, becoming the first church there. On November 2, 1632, a church was again formed at Charlestown, including sixteen men and their wives and three bachelors, among them John Hall and his wife, Bethia. Mr. Hall had lot number 48 in 1633, and was made a freeman May 14, 1634. He was an inhabitant of Barnstable after 1047, and of Yarmouth in 1053. He died July 23, 1696, and was buried on his farm, which is in that part of Yarmouth now the town of Dennis, and was owned and oc- cupied by a lineal descendant as late as 1880. His will mentions eight sons, record has been found of ten, and tradition says he had twelve, and no daughters.
(II) William Hall, sixth son of John Hall, was baptized June 8. 1651, and died June 11, 1727. He was taxed in Yarmouth in 1676, re- moved subsequently to Norwich, Connecticut, and thence to Mansfield, same colony. He bore the title of captain, earned in militia service. His wife's Christian name was Esther, and they had at least four children, namely : Isaac, William, James and Theophilus.
(III) James Hall, son of William and Esther Hall, lived in Mans- field, where he died June 16, 1742. He was married October 15, 1716, the Christian name of his wife being Mehetable. She died October 26, 1758. Their children were: Mary, James, Mehetable, Elizabeth, Jane, William, Thomas, Ephraim, Gershom and Josiah.
(IV) James, second child and eldest son of James and Mehetable Hall, was born April 20, 1720, and died February 2, 1807, in Mans- field where he spent his life. He was a large, fleshy man. He was mar- ried October 24, 1743, to Mary Linnel, and they were the parents of ten children, namely : Vine, James, Joel, Lois, Mary, Abel, Peter, Elihu, Mehetable and Margaret.
(V) Elihu Hall, son of James and Mary Hall. was born Decem- ber 28, 1757, in Mansfield, Connecticut, was married June 17, 1778. to Elizabeth Davison, and lived most of his life in Mansfield. His children were Elizabeth and Elihu.
(VI) Elihu, son of Elihu Hall, born 1780, married Nancy Maxon, a native of Norwich, Connecticut, born September 19. 1779, and moved in early life to Bridgewater, Oneida county, this state, where he was 47
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a farmer. His children are accounted for as follows: Elihu, born June 17, 1802, lived and died in Elk Grove, Illinois. Chester, December 20, 1803, lived at Belleville, this county. Eunice. November 20, 1805, mar- ried General Joseph Northrup, and died at Lowville. John Lee is men- tioned below. Henry, October 25, 1813, died at Bridgewater. Nancy ( Maxon) Hall died March 31. 1833, and her husband died September 18, 1848.
(VII) John Lee Hall, son of Elihu and Nancy Hall, was born December 5. 1808, in Bridgewater. New York, and died September 18, 1894, on a farm two miles south of Smithville, this county. In 1835 he came to this county and settled on a farm in the town of Ellisburg, near Belleville. For a time he was an innkeeper, being located three years at Pierrepont Manor, and two years at Sacketts Harbor. About 1860 he retired from business and went to Smithville, later going to Butterville. where he died.
Mr. Hall was married, first, January 9, 1831, to Mary Ward, a na- tive of Brookfield, Madison county, New York, who died in February, 1863, being the mother of two sons and a daughter. The daughter, Elizabeth, became the wife of Marcus Manville, and died at Smithville. James, the youngest, died at that place about the same time as his mother, at the age of twenty-four years. Mr. Hall married, for his second wife, Zilpha Thomas, widow of Morton Thomas, who survives him and resides in the village of Adams.
(VIII) Alonzo P. Hall. eldest child of John Lee and Mary ( Ward) Hall, was born November 21, 1833, in Bridgewater, New York, and was a small boy when his parents brought him to Ellisburg, where he grew up. He attended the district school near Belleville, and the acad- emy at his native place. He remained with his father on the farm until about 1855. and subsequently aided in the conduct of the Ontario House at Sacketts Harbor during the two years that the senior Hall was pro- prietor. He then became a clerk in a general store at Smithville, where he continued until August 7, 1862, on which date he entered his name as a soldier of the Union army. He was first attached to a light battery which afterward became the Tenth New York Heavy Artillery, and con- tinued as a member of that organization two years and eleven months, being discharged in July, 1865. Soon after the organization he became duty sergeant, and so continued until February. 1865. when he was promoted to second lieutenant. Most of the service of the organization was rendered in garrison and guard duty. the heaviest engagement in
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which it bore a part being before Petersburg on April 2, 1865, which re- sulted in the capture of that stronghold. In the spring of 1866 Mr. Hall engaged in farming, in the town of Pamelia, and sold out his farm after three years and engaged in mercantile business at Smithville, where he remained until 1880. After conducting a similar business at Adams, two years, he came to Watertown to take charge of the oyster business of J. T. Ross of this city. Since that time he has been employed here as a clerk and bookkeeper, and has been clerk in the United States Internal Revenue office for the last four years. Mr. Hall attends the Stone Street Presbyterian church, and is a member of the Lincoln League, a political and social organization of Watertown. He is independent in thought and action, and is not a blind partisan, though sound in Republican prin- ciple. He served four years as justice of the peace in the town of Adams. and was also postmaster at Smithville, while a merchant there. An up- right, intelligent gentleman, he is respected and esteemed as a man and citizen. He was married August 14, 1862, to Miss Cleantha Simpson, of Sacketts Harbor. ( See Simpson.) Two sons were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hall, namely : Fred .A., June 26, 1867, in Pamelia, and Jesse. August 5, 1872, at Smithville. The latter died January 20, 1896. The elder was married in October, 1893, to Cora A. Carter, daughter of Asa L. Carter ( see Carter ), and resides at Cortland, New York, where he conducts a five-and-ten-cent-store. He has a daughter, Ruth Cleanthe. born July 13, 1900, at Elmira, New York.
CHARLES LELAND ADAMS. Among the active and repre- sentative members of the legal profession in the city of Watertown, New York, is Charles L. Adams, who was elected surrogate in Novem- ber, 1895, and is still the incumbent of that responsible position. He was born at Neenah, Wisconsin, October 19, 1852, a son of Charles Luther and Amelia Lewis (Leland) Adams, and on the paternal side was a descendant of an old and prominent Connecticut family. His paternal grandfather, Dr. Adams, was a well-known and eminent medical practitioner of Syracuse, New York, and Beloit, Wis- consin; his maternal grandfather, Ziba A. Leland, a native of Vermont, and long a resident of Bath, New York, served as a member of the assembly and county judge of Steuben county. Charles Luther Adams was a native of Syracuse, New York, became a noted Presby- terian minister, and was one of the pioneer missionaries to carry the gospel to the Indians in Wisconsin, where he died in 1853. After this
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sad occurrence his wife and child made their home with her father, Ziba A. Leland, at Mechanicsville, New York.
Charles L. Adams, son of Charles L. and Amelia L. Adams, grad- uated from Hamilton College in the class of 1878, and for several years thereafter followed the vocation of teaching. He began the study of law in the office of John Lansing, of Watertown, under whose tutelage he remained until he was admitted to the Jefferson county bar in 1883, and from that year until 1895, a period of twelve years, he was in active practice, being six years with Senator E. R. Brown in Watertown. He was appointed city attorney in 1884, in 1889, and at the present time ( 1904) is serving his second term as surrogate, having first taken the office January 1, 1896. He is an active and prominent member of the Presbyterian church, a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, a charter member of the Lincoln League, a stanch Republican in politics, and for two years served as chairman of the county Repub- lican committee.
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