USA > New York > Tioga County > Historical gazetter of Tioga County, New York, 1785-1888. Pt. 1 > Part 33
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James Pumpelly was the eldest son of John Pumpelly, who served with distinction in the early Indian and French wars, and who was present at the siege of Louisburg, and was at the side of Gen. Wolfe when he fell mortally wounded on the Heights of Abraham, in 1759. John Pumpelly, his wife, and five of their children, James, Harmon, William, Harriet, (afterward Mrs. David McQuigg), and Maria, (afterward Mrs. Abner Beers), removed from Salisbury, Conn., to Beers's Settlement, in Tomp- kins county. N. Y., in May, 1802. He died in IS20, at the advanced age of 93 years. James Pumpelly was a surveyor. He commenced by surveying the Owego village plot and laying it out into two acre lots. He then surveyed the West. Half Town- ship, and laid it out into 143 acre lots. In this work he was assisted by his younger brothers. He became agent for large tracts of land, owned by friends in the east. He opened a land office, and engaged extensively in real estate transactions on bis own account, soon becoming one of the largest land owners in this part of the state. He died in Owego. October 4, 1845, leav- ing two sons, George J. and Frederick H. Pumpelly. James Pumpelly did more for the advancement of Owego as a village than any other one of her early citizens. He was the first presi- dent of the village after its incorporation, in 1827, and held that office five successive years. He also represented Broome (now Tioga) county in the assembly of Isto. He was actively interested in educational matters, and it was mainly through his influence and efforts that the first Academy building was erected in Owego, in 1827. He was the first president of the board of trustees of that institution, and held that office several years.
Charles Pumpelly, the second son of John Pumpelly, was born at Salisbury, Conn., in 1;so. He came to Owego in the winter of ISO2-3 and engaged in the mercantile and lumber business. He was successful in his business enterprises and for many years
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was one of the prominent and influential men of the county. He was supervisor of the town of Owego, in 1809, 1810, and from 1821 to 1824, inclusive. He represented Tioga county in the Assembly of 1825, and was a member of the constitutional con- vention, in 1821. He died in Owego on the 6th of January, 1855.
William Pumpelly, the third son of John Pumpelly, was born at Salisbury, Conn., June 17, 1789. He came to Owego, in 1805, . , and entered the service of his elder brother as a surveyor. In 1812, he commenced a mercantile business, and continued until 1844, when he retired. He died in Owego; November 17, 1876. His second wife, Mary H. (Welles) Pumpelly, was a lady of fine accomplishments, an artist, and the author of a volume of poems. His sons are John Pumpelly, of Albany, and Professor Raphael Pumpelly, distinguished as a geologist and mineralogist, of New- port, R. I.
Harmon Pumpelly, the fourth son of John Pumpelly, was born at Salisbury, Conn., August 1, 1795. He was in early life employed for several years in surveying lands for his brother, James. He afterward engaged in lumbering and became wealthy. In 1841, he removed to Albany, of which city he be- came one of the most prominent men in financial circles. He died in that city September 29, 1882. He was a member of the first Board of Trustees of Owego village and was re-elected four times. In 1835, he was president of the village.
Daniel Cruger, Jr., who was the first printer and newspaper publisher in Owego, entered the printing office of a Mr. Webster, in Albany, in 1794, at the age of fourteen years. After he had served his time he established a paper called The American Con- stellation at Union (then in Tioga county) November 23, 1800. In August, 1803, he removed his establishment to Owego, and changed the name of the paper to The American Farmer. Two years afterward he sold the paper to Judge Stephen Mack. From Owego he removed to Bath, where he edited a newspaper for some time. He studied law and was admitted to the bar, in
I Sog. In 1814, 1815, 1816, and 1826, he represented Allegany and Steuben counties in the assembly, and was speaker of that body in IS16. He was district attorney of the seventh New York district from March 17, 1815, to June 11, 1818, and from the latter date continued as district attorney of Steuben county until February 19, 1821. He represented the 20th congressional district in the 15th congress, in 1817-19. While in congress he became acquainted with Mrs. Lydia Shepard, of Ohio county,
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Va., who was in Washington trying to collect a claim of her de- ceased husband against the government. He subsequently married her. He afterward gave himself up entirely to agricul- tural pursuits and the management of his wife's property. He was a director of the Northwestern Bank of Virginia, and it was while attending to the duties of that position he was stricken with the disease from which he died nine days afterward. His death occurred at Elm Grove, Va., July 12, 1843.
Capt. Sylvenus Fox, a carpenter by trade, was born at North Glastonbury, Conn., May 6, 1797, and came to Owego with the · Talcotts, in 1803, when but six years of age. He acquired his title of captain from having been in command of an independent mili- tary company, about the year 1831. He was a public spirited citizen and rendered important service in laying out streets and forwarding various public improvements. He was elected a vil- lage trustee, in 1832, and served eleven years. He was president of the village, in 1840. He died in Owego, August 24, 1871.
William, Nathan, Anson, and Hermon Camp came to Owego from New Preston, Conn., in 1804 or 1805. William, the eldest. was born in 1777, and Nathan in February, 1782. They opened a general country store in Owego. Nathan was a man of literary tastes and founded the village library. He died May 19, 1819. His sons were Frederick, George, and Nathan Camp.
William Camp was killed by the bursting of the boiler of the steamboat Susquehanna at Nescopeck Falls, opposite Berwick, Pa .. May 5, 1826. In 1812, Mr. Camp was appointed an associate judge of Tioga county, and was reappointed iu 1817.
Gen. Anson Camp was born October 17, 1784. He was engaged in the hat manufacturing business and kept a hat store. He was brigadier general of the 41st Brigade of Infantry. He represen- ted Tioga county in the assembly, in 1825. He was president of the village, in 1832 and 1833, and supervisor of the town five years. He died in Owego, March 22. 1838. Gen. Camp was unmarried.
Hermon Camp was born in 1777. He went from Owego to Trumansburg, Tompkins county, in December, 1805, as clerk in a store, which his brothers, William and Nathan, had established there. He became a prominent man in that county. He held the offices of sheriff and member of assembly, and was for several years president of the Tompkins County Bank at Ithaca. He died at Trumansburg, June 8, 1878.
George Sidney Camp, the second son of William and Abigail (Whittlesey) Camp, was born at Owego, February 5, 1816. Hav-
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ing made his preparatory studies at the Owego academy, he entered, in February, 1832, the last term of freshman year, Yale College, from which at the close of sophomore year he removed to the University of the City of New York. He was a winner at Vale, as a member of the sophomore class, of the first prize for English composition. Leaving the university at the close of his junior year he studied law, first in the office of Hon. Stephen Strong, at Owego, and subsequently in the office of Hon. Ger- ardus Clark, at the City of New York, and was admitted to the bar as an attorney, May 18, 1838. He practiced law the first two or . three years of his professional life, in the City of New York, a por- tion of the time, that is from November, 1839, as a partner of Hon. Thomas W. Clerke, who was afterward elected a justice of the supreme court. December 16, 1841, he returned to Owego, where he has ever since resided. He was compelled to seek a country resi- dence by the breaking down of his health from an attack of laryngitis, which became chronic, and of which he has never since been entirely cured ; so that all of his subsequent profes- sional life has been that of one more or less an invalid, subject, as he has thus been, from the slightest cause, to contract a cold that rendered all professional labor absolutely impracticable, and hav- ing been, for periods of four or five years at a time, wholly un- able to try or argue a cause. The effects of this chronic evil yet tell upon his health and life.
During the early residence of Mr. Camp in the City of New York, and in the year 1841, he contributed to the then popular Harper's Family Library, a volume on " Democracy ; " subse- quently, in 1852, translated into Spanish, and published in Bogota, by Lorenza Maria Lleras, secretary of state of New Granada.
On returning to Owego he entered into partnership with Mr. Strong. That copartnership continued, with the exception of the two years of 1846 and 1847, that the latter was in congress, until the year 1856, when Mr. Strong was elected judge of Tioga county. During this period Mr. Camp held the only public office he ever filled, which was that of district attorney of Tioga county, to which he was appointed in IS45.
. In 1851, he had the sole charge, as the attorney of Metcalf Thurston, to mark out the line of defence and make the neces- sary preparation to defend him (as was successfully done), from an indictment for the murder of his brother-in-law, Anson Gar- rison, Governor Daniel S. Dickerson being the leading, and Hon. John J. Taylor, the associate counsel.
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The only case of any general public interest of which he has lately had the principal charge, is the McGraw-Fiske will case, against the Cornell University, which was argued before the general term of the supreme court of the fourth judicial depart- ment of New York, at Utica, in April, 1887 ; and in the argument of which for the family of the testatrix, he was associated with Judge George F. Comstock, of Syracuse, and Hon. Esek Cowen, of Troy. The amount of property at stake in the controversy is a million and a half of dollars, and four days' time were allowed by the court for the argument of the case on both sides.
The only literary labor, aside from the volume of Harper's Family Library, above mentioned, that he has ever ventured upon, was undertaken at the suggestion of his then pastor, Rev. Dr. Samuel H. Hall, and was published in two numbers of the Ameri- can Presbyterian Theological Quarterly Review for April and July. 1865, on the subject of "The Government of the Primitive Church."
During the past fourteen years he has devoted himself, at in- tervals of professional labor, to the cultivation of his farm of 135 acres, that forms the eastern limit of the village of Owego, and to the rearing of thoroughbred Jersey cattle. To these the methods of modern and scientific agriculture have been studi- ously and liberally applied.
Mr. Camp is one of the oldest, if not the oldest lawyer, engaged in the active practice of the law in the New York southern tier of counties, and he can hardly look forward to the much longer continuance of a laborious professional career which already covers the period of half a century.
General Isaac B. Ogden was born in New Jersey, in ISo5. His mother died when he was a child, and he was brought up by his grandmother, Mrs. Canfield, of Smithboro. He learned the trade of a cabinet maker, in Owego, and then spent several years in New York city. He subsequently returned here and engaged extensively in cabinet making, in company with Messrs. Dana and Kingsbury. He was greatly interested in the welfare and improvement of Owego. He held various offices of trust, chief of which was president of the village, from 1846 to 1849, inclu- sive. He was a member of the board of trustees eleven years. General Ogden died in Owego, April 14, 1868.
General Oliver Huntington was born December 22, 1771, and came to Owego in 1804, settling on the Huntington creek (so named in honor of him), about a mile north of the Court House.
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He opened the first drug-store in Owego, and was also engaged in shipping produce down the river. In 1812 he was commis- sioned Brigadier-General of the 4Ist Brigade of New York Infantry. In 1814, he was commissioned sheriff of Broome county, which then comprised, in addition to its present territory, four of the towns of Tioga county. He died in Owego, November 13, 1823. One of his sons, Wait T. Huntington, was a merchant at Ithaca, and was elected clerk of Tompkins county in IS37. He was an ingenious man, and was the inventor of the calendar attachment now in use on clocks, and other valuable patents.
Major Horatio Ross was one of Owego's earliest merchants and a gentleman of wealth. He was born about the year 1755, and came here from Frederick, Md., in 1805, and opened a gen- eral country store. He was a slaveholder and brought his slaves with him. He failed in business, in 1818, and did not resume business. He was deputy clerk of Tioga county from 1823 to 1828. He died in Owego in November, 1828. Major Ross was unmarried.
Jonathan Platt, Jr., was a son of Major Jonathan Platt, Sr., who was one of the earliest settlers of Nichols, to which town he came from Bedford, Westchester county, N. Y., in 1793. He was born at Bedford, October 18, 1783. In 1805, he came to Owego and entered Gen. John Laning's store as a clerk. Five years later he commenced the mercantile business for himself. which he contin- ued with various parties until 1849, when he retired from busi- ness. Mr. Platt was one of Owego's most public-spirited citizens. He was president of the village, in 1834, and a trustee from the incorporation of the village, in 1827, for many years. He was also for many years president of the Bank of Owego. Mr. Platt and David Turner built the "red mills," two miles north of Owego, in 1820. His sons were Charles and Edward J. Platt.
William Platt, another son of Major Jonathan Platt, Sr., was born at Bedford, N. Y., October 29, 1791. He studied law in Owego with John H. Avery, and was the third practicing lawyer to locate in the village. He died in Owego January 12, 1855. Mr. Platt was for many years agent for the tract of land known as Coxe's Patent. His sons were Thomas C., Frederick E., and William H. Platt.
Hon. Thomas Collier Platt was the son of William Platt. Esq., for many years a prominent and highly esteemed member of the bar of Tioga county, and of Lesbia (Hinchman) Platt. He was born at Owego, Tioga county, N. Y., July 15, 1833. His grand-
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father, Major Jonathan Platt, was one of the earliest settlers of Tioga county, having emigrated with his father, Jonathan Platt, senior, from Bedford. Westchester county, N. Y., and settled upon what was for many years known as " the Platt Homestead," in the town of Nichols. One of Mr. Platt's uncles, the Hon. Nehemiah Platt, was a former member of the senate of the state of New York.
Mr. Platt, after pursuing his preliminary studies at the Owego Academy, entered the class of 1853, at Yale College, the com- mencement of the freshman year. He was compelled to leave college, on account of ill-health, in December, 1850; but received from the college, in 1876, the honorary degree of M. A.
On the 12th December, 1852, he was married to Miss Ellen Lucy, daughter of Charles R. Barstow. Three sons, now living, are the fruit of this marriage: Edward T., Frank H., a graduate of Yale College, of the class of 1877, and a member of the New York law firm of McFarland, Boardman & Platt, and Henry B., a graduate of Yale, of the class of ISS2.
Mr. Platt engaged, very early in life, in mercantile pursuits at Owego, and this part of his business career, which terminated in 1873, was attended with remarkable success. During this period, he was elected, at the early age of twenty-six years, (A. D. 1859,) county clerk, and clerk of the courts of the county of Tioga, and officiated during three years in that capacity, to the universal satisfaction of the public.
At the commencement of the civil war of the rebellion, no citi- zen of the county was more active, or efficient, in stimulating the enlistment of volunteers; or, during the whole continuance of the strife, in organizing and promoting the measures necessary to secure enlistments and recruits, and in providing for the sub. sistance and comfort of the families of soldiers who were at the front.
From this time forward, he took a leading and very controll- ing position in the politics of Tioga county ; but he exhibited a marked self control, and great political sagacity, in patiently waiting to serve and promote the advancement of others, before aspiring to any other personal preferment, instead of impatiently and selfishly grasping, as so many other politicians commonly do, at every object, great or small, that comes within their reach.
It was not, therefore, until the contest arose for the member- ship of the 42d congress, that he was nominated, in 1871, as the Republican candidate, by the Republican convention of the 28th
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district of the state of New York. This nomination he declined. But he was again nominated, and was elected, to represent the same district, in the 43d congress, (A. D. 1873 ;) and, again renominated and elected to represent the same district, in the 44th congress, (A. D. 1875 ;) when, having thus served two terms, (4 years,) he declined any further renomination. During these congressional terms, he was a prominent and influential member of the committee on postoffices and post roads; and, also, of the committee on the Pacific railroad. As a member of con- gress, he acquired the unlimited confidence of the Republican administration, and was honored with, and ever afterwards retained, the warm personal friendship of the president, Gen. Grant. The personal popularity of Mr. Platt, which these repeated evidences of public favor sufficiently attest, was faith- fully earned, not only by a laborious and conscientious discharge of his public duties, as a congressman, but by a prompt, uniform, and orderly attention to any matters of private interest, or busi- ness confided to him by his constituents of whatever party.
In 1879, he became connected with the United States Express company, as its general manager and president, and has ever since discharged the duties of those offices, at the City of New York, where he now lives.
In the exciting campaign of. of 1877, Mr. Platt was chosen per- manent chairman of the Republican state convention which was held at the city of Rochester, N. Y .; and, on taking his seat, delivered an address which must be still fresh in the memory of all, as one of singular appropriateness, and exhibiting very marked ability.
In the year 1880, he was appointed by Gov. Cornell a com- missioner of quarantine for the term of three years, and became president of the board. This office he still holds.
Prior to this period, he had become largely interested in a very extensive enterprise for the manufacture and sale of lumber, in the state of Michigan, which was followed by the success which has, so far, universally attended all of Mr. Platt's business undertakings, and which was advantageously and profitably closed out in ISSI.
Mr. Platt was elected, by both houses of the state legislature, a member of the senate of the United States from the state of New York, to succeed Hon. Francis Kernan, whose term ex- pired March 4, 1881. It was known to some of Mr. Platt's most intimate friends that he did not find the position, though so grat-
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ifying to his utmost personal ambition, absolutely free from all countervailing elements ; and he never obtained, with the gen- eral public, the credit to which he was, in fact. justly entitled, of being the first to form, and impart to his more distinguished colleague, his private purpose of resigning ; a purpose which he carried into effect, May 16, 1881.
Mr. Platt was for several years a very efficient member of the Republican New York state committee; and afterwards a mem- ber, and one of the executive committee, of the Republican na- tional committee. He was also a delegate from the state of New York to the last three Republican national conventions.
Mr. Platt has been, for many years, president of the Tioga National Bank of Owego, president of the Southern Central rail- road, and a director of several other railroads. He is also one of the principal proprietors of the very extensive and successful agricultural works at Owego, where the Champion grain drill and Champion wagon are manufactured; the business name of the copartnership being " Gere, Truman, Platt & Co."
It cannot be denied that, in all the vicissitudes of party poli- tics, Mr. Platt has invariably maintained a position of command- ing influence. This position has been due to his very just per- ception and estimation of the characters of men. his personal knowledge of the individual relations and political histories of so many influential politicians, his accurate appreciation of the motives that control human actions, and his sound practical sense and judgment in applying those means and resources to practice. Results have too often borne testimony to his great executive tal- ent and ability to admit of their being questioned by the most jealous and envious critic. Aside from these elements, however, one must have known but very little of Mr. Platt, personally, to have not discovered that his methods of dealing with men are eminently satisfactory, because singularly outspoken, frank and honorable, and exempt from all tergiversation and treachery. One soon learns from him, very distinctly, whether or not he can have his political support ; and if he gets an assurance of it, that support is given with remarkable and unreserved heartiness.
Mr. Platt never forgets a kindness rendered, and is unstinted in his effort to more than repay the obligation. Perhaps it is his greatest defect as a politician, that he is but too apt to be equally mindful of any demonstrations of a contrary character. His old neighbors in Tioga county need not be reminded with what a generous hand he has found positions for, and bestowed per-
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sonal favors upon, so many, that probably to no other man liv- ing in that locality are so many thus indebted. And yet, these have all been most quietly and unostentatiously bestowed ; with- out reclamation for the favor rendered, and without invidious reproaches, if that favor has been ungenerously and ungratefully forgotten.
John R. Drake, for many years one of the most public-spirited citizens of Owego, was a son of Rev. Reuben Drake, and born at Pleasant Valley, Orange Co., N. Y., November 28, 1782. He came to Owego in October, 1809. Judge Drake was for many years engaged in the mercantile business and in the manufacture of lumber. He was first judge of Broome county from IS15 to 1823, and of Tioga county from 1833 to 1838. He was a member of congress from 1817 to 1819; member of assembly in 1834 ; and president of the village of Owego from 1841 to 1845, inclusive. He died in Owego, March 21, 1857. He had but one son, Theo- dore Drake, who resides at Fredericksburg, Va. Judge Drake was a public-spirited citizen, and prominent in all measures for the benefit of the village.
Dr. Godfrey Waldo came to Owego from Plymouth, N, H., in the summer of ISIo, and practiced medicine here until 1839. when he removed to Birmingham. Mich .; thence he removed, in 1845, to Pontiac, in the same state, where he died, September 16, 1848.
Dr. Jedediah Fay was born at Hardwick, Mass., January 30, 1786. He came to Owego, in ISI, and commenced the practice of medicine in company with Dr. Samuel Barclay. He afterward engaged in the mercantile business. From 1830 to the time of his death he conducted a drug store. In 1815 be was commis- sioned captain of a troop of the 8th regiment of cavalry. In 1820 he became surgeon of the 53d regiment of infantry, which posi- tion he resigned three years later. He was postmaster of Owego from 1820 to 1842. He died in Owego, April 23, 1848. His sons are George W. Fay, of Owego, and Frederick J. Fay, of Colum- bus, Ohio.
Isaac Lillie was a school-teacher and land surveyor. He was born at Scotland, Windham Co., Conn., in 1789, and came to Owego in 1814. He died here September 23, 1864.
John Ripley was born at Coventry, Polland Co., Conn., in 1792. and removed to Owego in 1814 He was under sheriff of Tioga county from 1823 to 1832, and justice of the peace from 1853 to
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1857. . He was re-elected in IS58, and continued in office until his death, which occurred January 22, 1860.
Col. Henry McCormick was born at Painted Post, N. Y , March 5, 1791, and died at St. Peter, Minn., May 22, 1874. In 1812, he went to Newtown (now Elmira) and enlisted as a volunteer in the army. He came to Owego to reside in 1814. He was the first gunsmith in Owego. In the latter years of his life he was engaged in farming. He was sheriff of Tioga county from 1828 to 1831, and also a member of the Board of Trustees of Owego village, in 1832 and 1833.
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