USA > New York > Cattaraugus County > Dayton > Historical and biographical history of the township of Dayton, Cattaraugus County, New York : comprising the villages of Cottage, Wesley, Markham, Dayton, South Dayton, and Fair Plain > Part 11
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NORMAN M. ALLEN.
* Norman M. Allen was born at Dayton, Cattaraugus County, New York, December 24, 1828. What is now the town of Dayton was then a part of the town of Perrysburg. The place of his birth was about a fourth of a mile from his present home at Dayton village. He was the son of Luther Allen and Huldah (Benedict) Allen. His parents were married at Fabius, Onondaga County, New York, and came to what is now the town of Dayton in or before the year 1818. His mother died at Dayton, October 20, 1837, before he was ten years of age, and his father a few years later. His grandfather Benedict, and his mother's oldest brother, were both Revolu- tionary soldiers, and his grandmother was for many years a pensioner of the United States, as a widow of a Revolutionary soldier. When but little more than nineteen years of age he was married to Huldah Merrill, the youngest daughter of Heman Merrill, and they have had five children, three sons and two daughters, of which only one son and one daughter are living. The oldest Mary, is now the wife of W. S. Thrasher, County Judge of Cattaraugus County. Mr. Allen has ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren now living. Soon after attaining his majority in 1849, he was elected to the office of Town Clerk of Dayton, and held that office for one year when he was elected to the position of Town Superintendent of Schools, which position he continued to fill until it was abolished in 1857, and the office of School Commissioner was created to take its place. He was elected to fill that position at the first election after the office was created, and held the office for three years and declined a re-election. In 1855 he was elected Superin- tendent of the Poor on the first Republican ticket ever nominated in the County and held the position for two years, when he resigned it to become School Commissioner. In the spring of 1861 he was appointed under President Lincoln's administration as United States Mail Agent on the Erie Railroad, and had as his regular run the trip from Dunkirk to Hornellsville
* The materials for the following sketch have been gathered by me from conversations had with my grandfather, Mr. Allen, and from public records, and it is a labor of love and respect for him that leads me to gather them together for the purpose of making them a part of the history of the town in which he has so long resided and to which he is greatly attached. - Louis L. Thrasher.
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and return. He was however, frequently assigned to other trips on other roads both in and out of this State. Early in 1863 he resigned this position to accept the appointment of Paymaster in the army which was made by President Lincoln and confirmed by the Senate. After holding that position for a few months during which time he was engaged in or around Washington he resigned it to accept the position of Chief Clerk and Deputy Provost Marshall of this Congressional District. This position he also resigned after a few months having been in the meantime, nominated and elected to the office of State Senator from this District. He held this position for two years and was not a candidate for re-election being succeeded by the Hon. W. L. Sessions. In 1866 he was appointed State Assessor as one of the board of three whose duty it was to travel over the State and make a report
MRS. N. M. ALLEN.
showing how much, in their judgment should be paid of the State tax by each County. In the discharge of these duties he visited every county in the State, and all of the most important cities, towns, and villages, and in this way he formed an acquaintance extending over the entire state. He held this office for four years and was succeeded by the Hon. Lorenzo Caryl in 1870. In the year 1867 he was elected to the Constitutional Convention which met in Albany June 4, of that year. His colleagues from this Congressional district were Hon. Augustus F. Allen of Jamestown, Hon. George Barker of Fredonia, and Hon. George Van Campen of Olean. It was in the early evening of that day and in the presence of Mr. Allen and several others that the brother of Ex-Senator Hitchcock was assassinated. This Convention continued its
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deliberations for nearly nine months. It was composed of some of the ablest men in the State, among whom were many who will be remembered as men of National reputation.
It was composed of one hundred and sixty members but few of who are now living. In the year 1871 Mr. Allen was again elected to the Senate and was there during the years 1872 and 1873. During the year 1872 the most important impeachment trial of many years occurred. George G. Barnard, a Justice of the Supreme Court was impeached for high crimes and misde- meanors in office. His trial was held during the summer at Saratoga, and lasted about six weeks. The trial court was composed of the Judges of the Court of Appeals and the Senate, making in all 39 members, each of whom had an equal voice and vote in the determination of all questions that arose during the trial and in the final vote Judge Barnard was convicted and removed from office and forever debarred from holding any office of trust in the State of New York. Another Justice of the Supreme Court was impeached but resigned his office before the trial. Another proceeding to remove certain judges for misconduct in office but not to impeach them was tried before the Senate alone. Two New York City Judges and one from Chenango County were thus tried. These various trials consumed nearly the whole year.
In the fall of 1868 Mr. Allen was nominated as Representative in Congress by the Republican Convention. But while a candidate for the office he had repeatedly stated that if certain contingencies arose he would not accept the office and as these did arise he refused the nomination although repeatedly urged to accept it.
In the fall of 1868 he was nominated as Republican elector, this was when General Grant was elected to the Presidency for the first time. Grant failed to carry New York State and the Republican Electors in this state were all defeated. Mr. Allen with the rest.
Again in 1876 during the Hayes-Tilden campaign he was again nominated as Republican elector from this state but as this State gave its vote to Tilden, the Republican electors were again defeated. In 1880 when General Grant
RESIDENCE OF HON. N. M. ALLEN.
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was again a candidate for re-election for the third term and at the time when James G. Blaine was also a candidate, the state convention in chosing its delegates to the National Convention named Mr. Allen as a delegate although he was not present at the time. At this National Convention the New York Republican delegation was divided between Blaine and Grant with the majority in favor of Grant .. After several days a compromise was made by the nomination of James A. Garfield who was elected and soon after assassinated.
In 1884 Mr. Allen was again a delegate to the National Convention from his Congressional District. He was for Blaine from the start and so announced himself before the convention which nominated him. Blaine was nominated by the Convention but was defeated by about one thousand votes. That number of votes in this State would have elected him. Blaine's defeat was a great disappointment to Mr. Allen who knew and greatly admired Mr. Blaine and he often said that this defeat was a greater source of disappointment to him than that of any other candidate for whom he had ever voted.
In 1881 Mr. Allen again was elected to the Senate and held the office for the years 1882 and 1883. He was nominated without being a candidate. This was at the time of the Sessions-Bradley bribery affair. L. B. Sessions was a member of the Senate and Assemblyman Bradley charged him with attempted bribery in the election of the United States Senators. Mr. Sessions made a brilliant canvass but could not secure enough delegates to nominate himself nor could his opponent. After a day of fruitless effort Mr. Sessions gave all his votes to Mr. Allen as did his opponent to a considerable extent and Mr. Allen was nominated by a large majority. A man of reputed political sagacity Mr. Allen has been heard to say that in conventions of about one hundred he could often produce more satisfying results with ten delegates than he could with forty.
In 1860 Mr. Allen was elected Supervisor of Dayton and held that office for 36 consecutive years being chairman for 29 years. No man in the state ever held the office for a longer term than did Mr. Allen and never at any time was he defeated by the popular vote in the town at town meeting or general election.
Mr. Allen's educational advantages were limited. His school days ceased before he was eighteen and such schooling as he did receive was all in the district schools of that time. He had however a great love for books and by continually purchasing school books and studying them diligently he acquired a fairly good knowledge of the subjects then taught in the schools of the County. After he attained his majority he was largely employed in the public schools of the County for about ten years. By diligent application and hard work, he passed the necessary examinations and before he was 25 years of age he became entitled to receive a State certificate which he still holds. In 1884 he was appointed by Gov. Cleveland as Prison Labor Commissioner and was first apprised of his appointment by a telegram from the Governor. He held this position for the term which the creating act fixed. Mr. Allen first began the study of law when he was about thirty years of age and then not by entering any lawyers office as clerk but by buying the elementary law books one at a time as he could afford them and then studying them through and through until he became thoroughly acquainted with their contents. In this way he acquired a fairly good elementary library. At about the same time that he began to study the law he began to practice by trying cases in Justice Court and followed this for some time. While he was in the Senate in 1864 he was admitted to practice on the motion of the Hon. Amasa J. Parker, then a judge of the Court of Appeals. He had become acquainted with Judge Parker some- time before and on one occassion had had quite a conversation with him over some legal questions. At the end of this interview the Judge inquired how long Mr.
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Allen had been practicing law and seemed surprised that he had never practiced other than in the Justice Court. It was about two or three weeks after this that as Mr. Allen was sitting in his seat in the Senate Chamber a boy brought him a note from Judge Parker asking him to come to the Chambers of the Court of Appeals in the Capitol where the General Term was then in Session, at his earliest convenience. Soon after he went and was then informed by Judge Parker that he had been admitted to practice in all the courts of the state on a motion made in open court and that all he had to do was to go to the clerk and take the oath of office and get his certificate. Mr. Allen has never forgotten this kindly act of Judge Parker's and always speaks of him in a way to show his gratitude and esteem.
My Grandfather's recollections of the early settlement of the Town of Dayton are to me replete with interest as they go back almost seventy years. The town was at that time an almost unbroken wilderness, through which wild animals roamed in abundance
For the last thirty-five years Mr. Allen has practiced his profession and is a hard worker. He has always had all the legal business that he could attend to. By his industry he accumulated a competency which he lost through no fault of his. The death of his daughter, Mrs. Brand, and that of his son, Hoyt M. Allen, was a heavy blow to him and was followed by the death of other new friends and by other misfortunes. He endured them all without complaint simply enduring what came to him and showing the greatest fortitude in meeting them. At the age of 72 he is still actively engaged in the practice of his profession. His memory, always remarkable, is unimpaired and his intellect shows none of the effects and infirmities of age. His large acquaintance with prominent political and business men and his intimate relations with many of them make his recollections of interest, which may some time appear in print.
JOHN J. VOLK.
John J. Volk, Supervisor of the town of Dayton, was born March 4, 1858, at Guelph, Canada, and came to Dayton with his parents in 1869 (see Geo. Volk). He received his education in the public schools of Gowanda and Dayton, after which he was with his father in the hotel business for eight years. In October 1877, he embarked in the hardware trade, which business he is now suc- cessfully engaged in. He carries a large stock, complete and valuable which includes, every- thing in the line of hard- ware, builder's materi- als, lime, coal, etc. Mr. Volk is a business man of resources and RESIDENCE AND STORE OF JOHN J. VOLK. capability, a gentle-
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man of practical business methods, and is well and favorably known. He enjoys an extensive trade and is prominent and influential in politics, and in social life of which a signal proof was given in February, 1880, in his election as Town Clerk without opposition. This office he held for twelve years to the satisfaction of all. In the spring of 1896 he was elected as supervisor which office he now acceptably holds. His capacity, integrity, tact, and faithful attention to the work envolved, he does with comparative ease and pleasure, and demonstrates that the interests of the town are safe in his hands and will be properly looked after and promoted
MRS. JOHN J. VOLK.
under his guidance. Mr. Volk is an entuhsiastic supporter of the Republican party. He has represented his town for a number of years on the County Committee and is now the treasurer of that organization. Nothwithstanding the extensive business and official exactions upon his time, he yet finds opportunity for due attention to the social claims of life. His sociability finds expression in part in the good fellowship incident to the fraternal orders, and he belongs to several, being a Free Mason in four different bodies, a Maccabee, a member of the A. O. U. W., etc. He is the Finance Auditor of the Knights of the Maccabees of the State of New York,
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and is held in high esteem by the Great Camp officers. This position he has acceptably filled for several years with credit to himself and honor to that order. He married January 8, 1880, Maggie A. Howard, daughter of Daniel Howard, a pioneer resident of the town. She is a fitting companion for her husband.
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MRS. GEORGE C. VOLK.
GEORGE C. VOLK.
Zi
GEORGE C. VOLK.
George C. Volk is an adopted son of the United States and a highly successful business man of the town of Dayton. He was born in Gamelsbach, Germany, August 27, 1869, and emigrated to America in January, 1881, coming direct to Dayton where he has since resided, except for a year at. Buffalo where he went to learn the tinsmith trade. February 1, 1895, he entered into partnership with John J. Volk in the hardware business since which time he has been active, diligent, and energetic. He married November 28, 1894, Althea M., daughter of Adgate T. Gregg. (See this section. )
WINFIELD S. THRASHER.
Winfield S. Thrasher, County Judge of Cattaraugus County, is a native of Cornish, New Hampshire, and was born May 5, 1847. He is a son of Samuel P. and Ann (Haven) Thrasher. His father died in 1871, and his mother is still living at Tilton, N. H., with his sister Flora Simonds. Mr. Thrasher received his education in the common schools of New Hampshire and at Kimbal Union Academy at Meridan, New Hampshire. He taught district schools winters in New Hampshire and after he came to Dayton he
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County Judge of Cattaraugus County.
taught three years here. He came to Dayton in the spring of 1868 and at once entered the law office of N. M. Allen and began the study of the law. He was admitted to practice in Buffalo in June, 1872, and immediately formed a partnership with N. M. Allen which continued until the spring of 1886, including in the firm for about four years Mr. James E Bixby. After 1886 the firm of Thrasher & Bixby continued for about four years when Mr. Thrasher formed a partnership with I. R. Leonard at Gowanda, under the firm name of Thrasher & Leonard which still continues Mr. Thrasher residing at Dayton and Mr. Leonard at Gowanda. On December 30, 1899, Mr. Thrasher was appointed County Judge of Cattaraugus County and was elected
.........
MRS. W. S. THRASHER.
in November, 1900, for a term of six years. During the short time that Mr. Thrasher has been on the bench he has discharged the many important duties of his responsible position in a manner that has been acceptable to the members of the bar and to the general public. He has presided over the courts which he has held with ability, impartiality, and faithfulness. As a lawyer he has met with good success in the county and supreme courts of the state. He takes an active interest in all educational matters and has served several years on the Board of Education at Dayton. Socially, Judge Thrasher is affable and approachable alike to high and low, yet dignified and reserved
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RESIDENCE OF HON. W. S. THRASHER.
when the occasion requires. In 1869, Mr. Thrasher married Mary A. F. Allen, daughter of Norman M. Allen of Dayton. They have had ten children of which eight are still living. Norman S , the eldest, was born in 1870, and in 1894 married Leva Wallace of Markham. Alice M., born in 1872, married to Jas. E. Bixby in 1889. Flora L., born in 1874, and is at present teaching at Machias. J. Ward, born in 1877, and died in 1880. Allen S., born in 1878 and died in 1898. Louis L., born in 1880. Laura Gertrude, born in 1882. Amy Amelia, born in 1884. Ned L., born in 1886, and DeWitt, born in 1888.
ALBERT R. YOUNG.
Albert R. Young, the present reponsible and efficient postmaster at Dayton, and a successful and highly respected business man, was born October 3, 1862. His early life was spent at Russell, Pa., where he received his education. He worked for some time in a general store and post-office at that place for H. T. Russell. He came to Dayton April 2, 1885, where he engaged in a general store with J. E. Houghwot, as partner. At the end of a year Mr. Houghwot sold his interest to D. E. Allen, who remained in the firm for one year and then sold to Mr. Young, who ran the business alone till the spring of 1889. In 1889 the store was entirely destroyed by fire. A month after being burned out, Mr. Young purchased a stock of goods of A. M. Hall and conducted the business in that place until the spring of 1891, when M. E. Howard purchased a half interest and the firm are now carrying on a large business at Dayton village. In February 1890, Mr. Young was elected Town Clerk and held the office until November 1897, when he resigned to accept the appointment of Postmaster. He has held this appointment ever since
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that time. Through the efforts of Mr. Young the rural free delivery was established for the vicinity of Dayton village. In the fall of 1899 Mr. Young established a fruit evaporator at Dayton village, and for the last two years has conducted that business to the great profit and convenience of the farmers of that locality. In 1900 he erected a steel fire proof building 24x48, the lower floor of which is used in connecion wih the evaporator. The upper floor is used as the Town Hall at the present time. Mr. Young is one of Dayton's substantial merchants, and an affable, genial, gentleman.
John B. Young (father) was born at Owsaco, N. Y., October 28, 1836. He was one of a family of the three children, Henry F., born April 13, 1833; Catharine E., born October 30, 1834, and John B. Young. His father's name
ALBERT R. YOUNG.
Postmaster of Dayton.
was Charles Young, born at Albany, N. Y., in 1812 and died 1854 at Auburn, N. Y. His mother's name was Delia (Van Vleet) Young, born at. Owasco, N. Y., in 1814 and died at Tonawanda, N. Y., in 1878.
Harriet (Ackley) Young (mother), was born at Russell, Pa , December 7, 1840. She was one of a family of eight children, six daughters and two sons, William, Thomas, Hulda, Cynthia, Phoebe, Abigail, Mary, and Harriet. Her father's name was Joseph Ackley and he was born at Brattleboro, Vt .. August 22, 1789, and died at Russell, Pa., October 14, 1875. He came from Brattleboro, Vt., to Fredonia, in the year of 1811, making the journey on foot and while there enlisted in the War of 1812, after which he taught school and worked on Cass Run and Still Water until 1817, when he came to Pine
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Grove township, Warren County, and located on the east side of the Conewango Creek, where the village of Russell is now located, and where he lived until his death. He was one of the oldest settlers in that section of the country, and an extensive lumber dealer, employing a number of people rafting and running the lumber down the river to market. Eliza (Ruland) Ackley, his wife was born on Long Island in 1810, and died at Russell, Pa., in 1892. In 1856 John B. Young married Harriet (Ackley) of Russell, Pa., and by her had nine children : Clara E., born October 6, 1857, she died July 10, 1881; Ralph J., born September 21, 1858, he died at Guantanamo, Cuba, November 11, 1898. He married November 5, 1884, Florence Brenneman of Portersville, Pa., who died September 2, 1896, and they had three children, Harriet, Lucinda and Ralph. Ralph J. Young enlisted in the 3rd U. S. Vols. Inf., Co. F., at Macon, Georgia, and went with his company to Cuba where he died. Frances, born June 1, 1860, married Richard J. Lindsey in 1882, they have three sons, Frank, John and Gerald, and reside at Jamestown. DeForest M., was born July 4, 1861, married in 1885, Lucy Garfield at Frewsburg, N. Y., they had three children, Morris A. (deceased), Hattie and Merritt V. ; they now reside at Marietta, Ohio. Albert R. (subject), Delia E., born April 12, 1864, married in December 1887, Geo. Chatley, they have two children Hattie and Beatrice, they now reside at North Warren, Pa .; Hugh R., born November 1, 1868, married in January, 1892, Mary A. Perrine, they have two children, Clair P. and John. Beatrice M., born May 21, 1875, married March 11, 1899, Arthur Fehlman, they have one child Roswell, and they reside at Russell, Pa .; Arthur E., born March 21, 1877; married January 13, 1898, Clara Barnes of Warren, Pa., and they reside at Russell, Pa.
"As nothing truly valuable can be obtained without industry, so then can there be no persevering industry without a deep sense of the vale of time."'
EVAPORATOR AND WAREHOUSE OF A. R. YOUNG.
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MRS. MYRON E. HOWARD.
MYRON E. HOWARD.
MYRON E. HOWARD.
Myron E. Howard, one of the solid business men of the town of Dayton, was born March 13, 1856, in the town of Union, Broome County, N. Y., and is a son of Ansel and Sabina (Brown) Howard. (See Dr. C. Howard). Mr. Howard stayed on his father's farm until seventeen years of age when he went to Lindley, where he was engaged in farming until the spring of 1881, when he came to Dayton and purchased a one half interest in the general store of A. R. Young. They have a good trade and carry a large stock of general merchandise. He married December 24, 1881, Estelle Kelsey, daughter of Jerry and Amanda (Bacon) Kelsey, who was born July 26, 1863. Mr. Howard is a pleasant and companionable gentleman and in business he is recognized as among the best in the town.
JOHN M. PARMELEE.
John M. Parmelee is a prominent town official, a sociai companion and an enterprising business man of Dayton. He was born June 1, 1853, in the town of Mansfield, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y Mr. Parmelee was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools. When sixteen years of age he went to Cattaraugus and there learned the cabinet trade of James H. Rider, with whom he afterward formed a co-partnership which was continued for two years. He came to Dayton in 1874 and started the first furniture store in town. This business he successfully conducted for three years when he sold to M. J. Rhodes and went to Bradford, Pa., where he engaged in the undertaking business. He remained there for one year when he returned to Dayton and was engaged in the carpenter business until 1887, when he formed
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a co-partnership with E. Cook and did a general store business. Thi co-partnership continued for about a year when he sold to Mr. Cook and purchased the general store of A. S. Judd. He carries a large and assorted general stock of goods and has a large trade which he is careful to satisfy. In 1884 he embarked in the undertaking business in which he gives a considerable portion of his time, and is amply prepared to furnish anything to be found in a first-class undertaking establishment. He is a graduate of
yours truly IM Parmelin
"Sullivan's School of Embalming and also the Rochester school, and is a careful painstaking undertaker. He married June 4, 1873, Francis E. Harmon of New Albion. They have had two children, Burdette H., born April 10, 1874, who died October 3, 1878; Anna Iva, born November 27, 1887. Politically Mr. Parmelee is a republican. He has been Justice of the peace since 1888, and has held various other positions in the church and town with credit to himself. He is a good business man and has many friends in the locality in which he lives.
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