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 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22
Augustus Seeber was born July 5, 1839, in Herkimer County, N. Y. He moved to Leon in 1865 and to South Dayton in 1897. He married May 7, 1864, Charlotte Edick, who was also born in Herkimer County, October 28,
256
1844. They have two children, Vern, born September 22, 1869, he married Carrie Wood in 1891, and resides at South Dayton; Hess, born February 2, 1878, he married Hannah Fox in June 1897, and they reside at Little Falls, N. Y.
Adam Smith was born June 9, 1832 in Alselce, France. He came to America in 1848, settling at Tonawanda. He moved to Perrysburg in 1856 and thence to Cottage in March, 1876, where he now resides. He married October 17, 1856 Elizabeth Knopf of Buffalo. They had eight children, Henry, born in 1857, Adam in 1859, Chas. in 1860, Phillip in 1863, deceased ; Flora in 1866, Mary died in infancy; Lettie in 1870, and George in 1876.
Hiram Sherman, an Englishman by birth, came to New Albion as an early settler and died there in 1861. He married twice and of his ten children, Alvin H. died January 3, 1901.
Abraham Sprague, son of Reuben and Huldah Sprague was born at Hamburg, N. Y., married Louisa, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Shaw) Oakes. They had two children, Juliette, who married Geo. W. Winslow, and now resides at Smith's Mills; and Emory, born Feb. 1, 1863, now resides with his widowed mother at South Dayton.
Philemon Studley, son of Jonathan and Lois (Huntley) Studley, natives of New England, was born March 27, 1817, settled in Pomfret and finally removed to Dayton, he married first, Elvira Starks, second Chloe A. Adams, and third Alvira Darling. His children were Mary E., Charles A., David, Maria and Marion. Charles and David served in the Civil war, the latter dying in Vicksburg, June 9, 1863.
Benjamin Waite, born in Washington County, came to East Leon with his father in 1830 and died there in 1891. He married Martha, daughter of George Barse and their children were Vermelia, Fred, Lucy and Albert. Albert Waite was born in Dayton, March 7, 1858, and on February 28, 1882 married Ella, daughter of Horace and Adelia S. (Poland) Peck. He is now a farmer and lives near South Dayton.
Elijah Wells, Jr , son of Elijah and Lydia Wells of Massachusetts, was born in Conway in that State, moved to Oneida County and finally to Perrys- burg where he died. By his wife Mercy Hopkins he had these children : Thomas, John, Clarissa, Dexter, Elijah and Luther Elijah Wells was born in Sangersfield, Oneida County, November 1, 1813. He came to Perrysburg with his father and April 7, 1842 married Lovina, daughter of John and Julia Farnsworth who bore him children as follows: John L., Julia A., Clarissa, Jonathan S., Adelbert C. and Eleanor. Mrs. Wells died at the age of seventy-eight. Mr. Wells is still living and resides at Dayton. A. C. Wells married Lillie Smith. John L. Wells enlisted in the 64th Regiment and died at Camp California in 1862 of typhoid fever ..
Alanson Wilcox became a settler of this town at the age of twenty years. He served in the war of 1812. His son William C. was born here in 1845 and was twice married.
Alonzo Wood, son of George, married 1844 Betsey Satterly of Otto. He served in Co. A. 9th N. Y. Cavalry. He is a farmer and resides at Dayton.
257
Lemuel H. Wood was an early comer to Leon where he died in 1853. His son Daniel T. born in 1830, married Sarah Wells. He served in Co. K. 64th N. Y. Vols. He has been assessor of the town for several years and resides at South Dayton.
William Wolfe Jr. was born January 31, 1859. He is a son of William Wolfe who was born November 10, 1833, in Germany and who now resides at Fair Plain. Mr. Wolfe Jr. married January 4, 1880 Minnie Silleman, daughter of Leopold and Louisa (Fass) Silleman and she was born May 24, 1862. Their children are Bertha E. born July 4, 1881, she married February 27, 1897, Merrill Rhodes; Nora M. born June 13, 1885; Laura J. born June 3, 1888; Mabel born November 5, 1890, died September 17, 1892; Esther W. born November 2, 1894; William Arthur born January 13, 1898. Mr. Wolfe is a farmer at Fair Plain.
Frederick Weigand was born in Saxony, Germany, December 4, 1825 and came to America in 1849, settling near Buffalo. He removed to Markham in 1857 where he now resides. October 27, 1850 he married Johanna Kiel, who was also born in Germany August 13, 1826 and came to this country in 1848. To them have been born five children. Emma, born July 28, 1851, married Hiram Pierce and now resides at Gowanda; Charles born April 22, 1853, resides near South Dayton; Louis H. (see Markham); Sarah, born March 28, 1857, married Thos. Phillips and now resides near Eden; Mary, born May 28, 1859, married Louis Limberg and resides in Buffalo.
Frederick Wachter was born in Brague, Switzerland, September 26, 1834. He emigrated to America in 1854, settling at Gowanda. He came to Dayton in 1858 where he died April 30, 1894. April 13, 1856 he married Julia O'Niel, who was born in Ireland, May 14, 1832 and came to America in 1852. Their children were Wm. H., born March 10, 1857, died June 4, 1891; Anna, born March 10, 1859, married Wm. Brader and now resides at New Castle, Pa .; John, born May 10, 1861, now resides at Rochester, N. Y .; Margaret J., born June 23, 1863, married Joseph McCourt and now resides at Dayton; Frederick, born Feb. 27, 1866, died in infancy; Francis X., born Feb. 26, 1868, married Mary Fox and is now a blacksmith at Dayton; Dennis J., born July 29, 1870, married Lucy Morrison; Julia M. born Nov. 30, 1873, married Charles H. Maher, Nov. 27, 1900, they now reside at Dayton.
GIDEON WEBSTER.
Gideon Webster was born at Warsaw, N. Y., April 27, 1812. At an early date he commenced the manufacture of leather at Gowanda, N. Y., (then Lodi) and continued in that business for many years with a reasonable degree of success. He then retired from the leather business and engaged in business as a dry goods merchant at Gowanda and continued in that busniess for a number of years. His goods and store were destroyed by fire at the time that nearly all the business portion of Gowanda was burned. Soon after he settled on what was known as the Waterman farm near the village where he remained until 1867, when he sold his farm and removed to Alleghany City, Pa. There he engaged in lumbering which he followed until 1872 when he removed to
258
Fredonia where he died Oct. 2, 1895. He was twice married. The first time to Maria Spencer, a daughter of Judge Phineas Spencer. She died at an early age and he was then married to Abigail Grannis who still survives him. At his decease he left two children. One an unmarried daughter and the other the wife of Clarence H. Lake, the late Sheriff of Chautauqua County, who now resides at Jamestown, N. Y. Some time about 1860, Mr. Webster became the owner of large tracts of land in the Town of Dayton, which were covered with a heavy growth of pine and other valuable timber. These lands rapidly increased in value and from the timber and the land he obtained a
GIDEON WEBSTER.
considerable addition to his already fairly acquired wealth. He was a man of great tenacity and strength of purpose. He had convictions of his own upon all subjects of which he had any considerable knowledge and he had no hesitation in making them known. He was a man of stern integrity and highly respected by those who were associated with him in business. His keen intellect and unerring judgment made him a man of more than ordinary ability and intelligence. He was faithful to his friends but was not a man to spend much time on those whom he did not like. He was a man of large stature, being more than six feet in height, erect and a fine specimen of physical manhood. He could not do too much for those whom he respected nor to
259
little for those whom he did not like In every community where he resided he was held in the highest esteem and was worthy of that esteem. As one of the pioneers of this part of the state he will long be remembered by those who were the recipients of his favors and who remember his kindly ways. -N. M. A.
George Young was born in Lansingburg, Rensslear Co., N. Y., Oct. 22, 1805, and died at South Dayton, Jan. 11, 1892. He married April 30, 1858, Emily Sherman, who was born Feb. 2, 1820, in Hanover, N. Y., and died Nov. 28, 1898. Their eight children were: Charles, who died when ten years of age; Isabelle, who married Rev. A. W. Bushee, now resides at Traverse City, Mich. ; Emma, who married Mr. Barry, now resides at Albion, Mich. ; George, who resides on the old homestead at South Dayton; Millie, who married J. E. Cushman, now resides at Silver Creek; Grace, who married E. F. Beach, now resides at Hanover Center; Sherman E., who resides at Hamlet; Eva I., who married W. Waxam, and resides near Nashville, N. Y.
J. P. Zanger was born Dec. 27, 1856. He is a son of Phillip Zanger, who was born Jan. 24, 1811, in France and died Feb. 22, 1893. His mother Henrietta Minach, was born in Saxony, Germany and died Feb. 13, 1892. J. P. Zanger married May 18, 1881, Lena Silleman and they have one son Parm Merton, born Nov. 16, 1882. Mr. Zanger is a farmer in Fair Plain.
GOD will not suffer man to have the knowledge of things to come; for if he had prescience of his prosperity, he would be careless; and understanding of his adversity, he would be senseless .- St. Augustine.
IT is belief in the Bible, which has served me as the guide of my moral and literary life. - Goethe.
260
FORMER RESIDENTS.
T
By their own efforts they have been successful.
HE TOWN of Dayton has sent out many noble sons who have been successful and made a mark in life. By industry, economy and perseverance, a goodly number of them have accumlated a competency. These boys were not reared in the lap of luxury. They had nothing but their own exertions and indominatable will to depend upon, and they proved their best capital. The sons of many rich men who begin life with the capital which so many poor young men covet, frequently die beggars. It would probably not be going to far to say that a large majority of such monied individuals either fail outright, or gradually eat up the capital with which they commenced their career. The reason is plain. Brought up in expensive habits, they spend entirely too much. Educated with high notions of personal importance, they will not "stoop" to hard work. Is it not astonishing, therefore, that they are all passed in the race of life by others of less capital, but more energy, thrift and industry? For these virtues, after all, are worth more than money. In fact, they make money, and after it is made it enables the possessor to keep it, which most rich men declare to be more difficult than the making. Dayton is proud of these sons for they are examples of what hard work, perseverance and economy will accomplish.
EUGENE A. NASH.
Eugene A. Nash was born near Nashville, Chautauqua County, March 28, 1837. His great-grandfather on his father's side was of English descent and served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war from the State of Connecticut. His grandfather, on his father's side settled in the town of Dayton in 1810 and served on the Board of Supervisors from that town for many years. He had a brother Aaron Nash, killed in battle in the war of 1812 at Black Rock. He had a nephew Oscar Winship, who distinguished himself as an officer of the regular army in the Mexican war. The father of Eugene Nash was born in the town of Dayton in 1811. He went to California in 1849 and died there the same year. Mr. Nash lived on a farm until he was about fourteen or fifteen years of age. He then attended a term of school at Gowanda and a term at Silver Creek. The balance of the time he worked on a farm until he was sixteen years of age, when he went to the state of Wisconsin, taught
261
district schools two terms and worked on a farm when not otherwise employed. He then took a four years' course in Albion Academy in Wisconsin and graduated, standing first in his class. After graduating he taught Latin and mathematics in that academy one year and then received an urgent offer to continue his connection with that institution. He entered the junior class of the classical course of the State University at Madison, Wis. He next entered the senior class after passing the examination at Alfred University of this state, where he graduated in 1860 in the classical course and received the degree A. B. Being in debt he engaged with I. K. Thatcher in building
EUGENE A. NASH.
a book store and in putting in a stock of books. They soon sold the store and stock of books at a small profit, Mr. Nash's part of which was used in taking a course at the Albany Law School from which institution he graduated in 1861, receiving the degree of L. L. B. On his graduation he was admitted to the bar. On August 8, 1861, he enlisted as a private in the 44th N. Y. Vols. which was also known as the People's Ellsworth Regiment. Before leaving the rendezvous at Albany he was promoted to the position of second lieutenant and after the battle of Hanover Court House was appointed acting adjutant of his regiment. After the seven days fight in Virginia he
262
was promoted to the rank of captain for gallant and meritorious conduct in battle. For about one year he served as Asst. Inspector General of the Third Brigade, First Division, Fifth Corps. After the battle of the wilderness he commanded his regiment until the battle of Bethesda Church. He passed Casey's Board in the spring of 1864 after an extended examination, was commissioned lieutenant Colonel of the United States Colored troops and assigned to the command of the twenty-third United States Colored troops. This last command he was unable to assume on account of a wound received after passing the examination and before receiving the commission. He was in every battle in which his regiment was engaged, except when disabled by wounds. He was twice wounded. He served in the army for over three years. After the expiration of his term of service he was offered the colonelcy of a regiment to remain in the army, but was disabled by wound from accepting the same. After the war he received from Alfred University the degree of A. M. He spent the winter of 1865 in the employ of the State, after which he went to Kansas City and resumed the study of the law. He commenced the practice of law at Cattaraugus in 1868 and continued to practice at that place until 1873 when he was elected county clerk and removed to Little Valley. While practicing at Cattaraugus, H. M. Herrick studied law with him and after his admission they formed a co-partnership which continued until Mr. Nash removed to the County seat. After the expiration of his term he formed a partnership with C. Z. Lincoln for the practice of law which continued until the latter part of the year 1885. A year afterwards he formed a partnership with Burdette A. Rich and later John M. Willson was taken into the firm, the new partnership being known as Nash, Rich & Willson. Colonel Nash was a member of Assembly from the second district of Cattaraugus in 1884-1885 and the latter year was a member of the Judiciary Committee. He was a member of the Board of Supervisors for eighteen years, four from New Albion and fourteen from Little Valley. He married Agie C. Clark of Perrysburg. Colonel Nash has taken an active interest in military affairs since the war and in everything that tends to benefit the "old soldiers." He was the chairman of the commission to build the County Clerk's office and is at present the attorney for the Seneca Nation of Indians.
LUTHER ALLEN.
Luther Allen Sr. came to the town of Dayton about the year 1818 and resided here most of the time until his decease, Feb. 20, 1847. At his decease he left two sons and one daughter. He was twice married; the first time to Huldah Benedict who was the mother of two of his children and who died in 1837. He was married the second time in 1840 and by this second wife was born Luther Allen, the subject of this sketch. He was born at Gowanda, July 20, 1846. His father died in February, 1847, when the son was but seven months old. His mother Lois (Leland) Allen died but a few years afterward. He was cared for by his sister and brother and resided with his brother, N. M. Allen and with his sister until he was about sixteen years of age, when he removed to Milwaukee and became interested in the Railroad
263
business. Sometime before he attained his majority he became the station agent at Racine, Wis., from which place he went to Chicago in the employ of the L. S. & M. S. R. R. and was soon promoted to the position of travelling auditor of that road. After some years service with them he accepted the position of auditor of the Northern Pacific which he held until the completion of that road when he resigned to accept a similar position with the Toledo, Wabash and Western. After remaining there for some years he engaged in the banking business at Cleveland, Ohio, where he was married and where he still resides. He has also been the superintendent of a railroad in Michigan and latterly has been one of the principle officers of the Globe Iron
LUTHER ALLEN.
Works at Cleveland, Ohio, which company has been engaged in the construction of steamships and has built some of the largest and finest on the lakes. Mr. Allen is now engaged in the construction of a railroad in northern Ohio. He has held many important and responsible positions among which is the Presidency of the Chamber of Commerce of Cleveland, Ohio. Eight years ago he was elected on the republican ticket as one of the electors for the state of Ohio. President Mckinley being elected on the same ticket as an elector. Mr. Allen is a man of extraordinary business ability and a man of great energy and activity. He is universally respected and honored by all who are favored by his acquaintance.
264
FENTON M. PARKE.
Fenton Marion Parke, son of Andrew G. and Mary D. (Hall) Parke, was born in Leon, N. Y., September 21, 1866. He received his education in the public school at Wesley, and at Chamberlain Institute, Randolph, from which school he graduated in 1888. All his time except while in Chamberlain Institute was spent on his father's farm, until he was of age. He taught his home school from 1888 to 1889. During the latter summer he studied at Chautauqua, and taught as principal of the Village school at Leon, 1889 and in June 1890, he entered upon the study of law in the office of Messrs. Henderson & Wentworth, at Randolph, where he remained until fall, when
FENTON M. PARKE.
he accepted a position as instructor of the Commercial Department at his old school, Chamberlain Institute. Here he taught and continued law studies. At the close of the year he went to Buffalo and entered the office of Judge Hammond, preparatory to a law school course. Before the fall opening of the law school, his health, which had been very poor from boyhood and during all his school career, became completely impaired; after a serious illness he was obliged to abandon his studies and seek more active business. He soon became associated in 1892, with Kingsley, and helped build up one of the largest real estate, loan and fire insurance businesses in Buffalo, making
265
a specialty of high-class business, residence and manufacturing properties. He has been very successful and has succeeded in accumulating a good property. Most young who go from the country to the city are unable to stand the glare of the electric lights, fall in with bad associates, become dissipated and soon drop out of sight. Such has not been the case with Mr. Parke, his associates have been good and he has a large acquaintance among a good class of Buffalo's business and professional men He is much in- terested in educational, philanthropic and church matters, and has done considerable along these lines in his adopted city.
PROF. GEORGE E. WALLER.
A man whose life has not only been one of usefulness and educational activity, but of genial, quiet manner and kindly deeds is Prof. G. E. Waller, a prominent and highly respected citizen of Little Valley, N. Y. He was born November 21, 1860, in the town of Hartford, Wash. Co., N. Y. When six years of age he moved with his parents to the town of Dayton, locating at Wesley. He was educated at Houghton Seminary, Allegany County, after which he began teaching and has had experience in teaching from the district school to the high school. He taught his first term of school on Wells hill, in the town of Leon in 1880-1881, after which he spent a considerable time in attending school. Following this he taught at Wesley and Perrysburg, he was principal of Dayton Union School from 1889 to 1892. In September,
266
1892, he went to Little Valley as principle of the school in that town. When he took charge of the school there it was a union school employing four teachers. In 1895 the school was admitted to the University of the state of New York, with the rank of senior grade; in 1897 it was raised to the rank of High School and employed seven teachers. On April 7, 1899, he resigned his position as principal of that school to accept the appointment of School Commissioner of the newly created Third Commissioner District of Cattaraugus County. In November 1899, he was elected to the same office, which he now acceptably and creditably holds. Prof. Waller married August 12, 1891, Lottie W. Graves, who is also a teacher of ability. They have one child Harold Graves, born October 7, 1895. Prof. Waller has always labored faithfully and efficiently in the advancement of education.
CHARLES HULL EWING.
Charles Hull Ewing was born July 11, 1868, at Randolph, N. Y. He is the son of Robert Finley Ewing, the founder of the village of South Dayton, and Aurelia (Culver) Ewing. He lived in Randolph until he was eight years of age, when his father moved to South Dayton. His boyhood was spent here and his early schooling was received here and in Cleveland, Ohio. He prepared for college at Oberlin, Ohio, and graduated from Yale University in the class of 1893, where he received a Phi Beta Kappa appointment for excellence in scholarship. After finishing his schooling he spent two years in
267
.
manufacturing in the lumber regions of Mississippi, and since 1896 has been engaged in the real estate and loan business in Chicago, Illinois. He is an exceptionally bright young man and has been very successful.
HORACE H. HUBBARD.
Horace H. Hubbard was born at Dayton, near where the village of South Dayton now stands, in the year 1846. He is the oldest son of Philander W. and Jane (Newcomb) Hubbard and lived with his parents and worked on the farm until he was seventeen years of age attending the common schools of the
HORACE H. HUBBARD.
town when he could be spared from farm work. He then attended Alfred University at Alfred, N. Y., after which he clerked for about two years in the general store at Perrysburg, N. Y. He next went to Buffalo to accept a position as invoice and shipping clerk in the Buffalo Union Iron Works and remained with them for about two years. After leaving the Iron Works he married and removed to Almo, Michigan, where he farmed for eight years. From there he removed to Dayton and was employed in a saw mill and at the carpenter's trade until about 1886, when he again went west and entered the service of the Northern Pacific Ry. Co., working on telegraph construction until the spring of 1888 and then as clerk of a land examination party during
268
that summer. In the fall of 1888 he located at Cheney, Washington, and purchased a book, stationery and fruit store there which he owned for about ten years. In June, 1898 he went to Spokane, Washington, and purchased a grocery store which he conducted until the fall of that year when he was elected Auditor of Spokane County on the Republican ticket. While in Cheney he held a leading position in the affairs of that city, being a member of the city council two years and mayor one year. He also has been prominent and active in the politics of the county and state and has been a delegate to many state and local conventions. Mr. Hubbard has filled the office of Auditor satisfactorily to the people and in November 1900, was elected for a second term. He owns a nice home which he has built since going to Spokane at 2004 Sharp Avenue where he now resides, surrounded by the comforts of life. He has numerous mining interests which are located in the Colville Reservation, Wash., in the Trout Lake Country, B. C. and in the Couer D. Alene District, Idaho. These properties are becoming very valuable. Mr. Hubbard is a member of the F. & A. M., Red Men, Junior Order of American Mechanics, Eastern Star and is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce of Spokane, Washington. Mr. Hubbard was married in Dayton, February 8, 1868 to Miss Adell Neare, daughter of Charles Neare. They have three children, Clarence G., who is a passenger conductor on the North- ern Pacific Ry., and now resides in Spokane; Edith D., wife of Marshall M. Taylor, a merchant of Wallace. Idaho, and Rollin C., who is Deputy County Auditor and resides with his parents.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.