USA > New York > Tioga County > Historical gazetter of Tioga County, New York, 1785-1888. Pt. 2 > Part 2
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James Grimes, son of James, was born at the foot of the Green Mountains, in Vermont, in 1793, and when but nineteen years of age enlisted in the war of 1812. His uncle, Moses Grimes, having located in Owego sometime previous to the war, James Jr., came
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on here after its close and engaged first as a farmer with his uncle, afterward as builder. He married first Margaret Whitney, by whom he had eleven children. Ilis second wife was Sarah Dennis by whom he had five children, viz. : George and Frederick, now of Michigan, James A., and Carrie, wife of John H. Bunzy of Owego ; and one who died in infancy. When Mr. Grimes came to Owego there was but one building, and that a log tavern that stood on the northwest corner of Main street and North avenue. The children of John H., and Carrie (Grimes) Bunzy, are Adelbert and Minnie E.
Capt. David Nutt came from Vermont to the town of Owego in IS16, and settled on Apalachin creek, where he cleared the farm now owned by Norman Billings. He built a saw-mill and engaged in lumbering and farming until I844. He married Susan Bell, of Massachusetts, about 1817. There were six children born to them, viz .: Sally, wife of Elijah Sherwood, of Apalachin, Romanzo, now of Iowa, Fidelia wife of Don Carlos Farwell, of Portland, Oregon, Lorenzo, deceased, Maurice, of Alexandria, Dakota, and Mary J., wife of A. Lindsley Lane, of Apalachin, born May 2, 1832. Mr. Nutt died in 1877, aged eighty-one, and Mrs. Nutt in 1882, aged ninety-four.
John Jewett, a soldier of the revolution, came from Putnani county in the fall of 1817, and located on the river road a mile east, of Apalachin. His son Asa married Bathsheba Wooden, by whom he had four children, viz .: Maurice, of Apalachin, Harry, of Owego, Emily, now deceased, and Matilda, wife of Daniel Dodge, of Owego. Mr. Jewett died in 1819. Mrs. Jewett after- ward married Benjamin F. Tracy, and had four children, namely, George, now deceased, Harrison and Harvey, of Apalachin, and Benjamin F., of Brooklyn.
Josiah Morton came from Plymouth, Chenango county, to the town of Owego in ISI8, and located on a farm on what was known as Chapman Hill. He married Lucinda Sholes, by whom he had seven children. His son Levi was eleven years old when his father came to Owego, and has since resided here. He was engaged in shoemaking in Owego for twenty-five years, and then moved to Apalachin, where he has since resided, about forty-three years. He married Margaret Freeland, by whom he had three children-Ellen, wife of George Tracy; Emily, wife of Roswell Camp, of Wisconsin ; Elizabeth, wife of David La Mont, of Owego. Mr. Morton has been married twice since, and is
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now in his eightieth year. The present Mrs. Morton was Maria, widow of James T. Smith.
James Lane, son of James, came from Delaware previous to 1812, and enlisted in the war of that year. Upon his arrival in this county, he located at. Weltonville. In 1817 he married Jane, daughter of Rev. Charles Taylor, a Presbyterian minister, who came from the North of Ireland about 1804. Their children were Samuel, a minister of the United Brethren denomination ; Nancy, who married John VanDemark; Eliza (Mrs. Albert Barton); Charlotte (Mrs. Noah Goodrich); Charles ; Catherine (Mrs. John- son Barton); and A. Lindsley, born April 6, 1831. The latter married Mary J., daughter of Captain David Nutt, January 31, 1856, and by whom he has two children, Don Carlos, born July 31, 1858, and Edgar S., born June 6, 1864. Don Carlos married Frederica, daughter of Augustus Olmstead, in June, ISSI, and has one child, Floyd L., born June 24, 1883. Charles Lane, son of James, Jr., married Mary, daughter of Samuel Brownell, by whom he had ten children, viz .: Egbert, Frank, Frederick, Libbie, Fannie (Mrs. Charles McNeil), Winnie, Eloise, wife of Herbert Johnson, of Barton, Alice (Mrs. D. G. Underwood), Annie and Lewis.
John Livingston, son of Jacob Livingston, of Livingston Manor, Sullivan county, N. Y., was born April 23, 1768. He came very early to Campville, where he settled. He married Magda- lena Palmetier, who was born November 14, 1777, and by whom- he had thirteen children. Their second son, Peter, married Christiana Becker, by whom he had eleven children. viz .: Cathe- rine (Mrs. William Whittemore), Peter, John, Margaret, Hannah (Mrs. Platt Jewett), Elizabeth, Chancelor, George, William, and Anna (Mrs. Fred Boynt). Margaret married Alonzo DeGroat, by whom she has three children, Charles, James, and Eva May. James married Maud Blewer, by whom he has one child, James, Jr.
Thomas Baird, son of Daniel, was one of the pioneers of this county, he having come very early to the town of Candor, where he located about one mile from Speedsville. He married Sally Putnam, of Worcester, Mass., who bore him five children, viz .: John, Aaron, Martha, Thomas, Jr., Mary, and William. Mary was born in Candor, August 10, 1813, and married Luther T. Keith, September 27, 1836. "They had three children, one who died in infancy, S. Elizabeth, who married E. M. Blodgett, May 31, 1863, and whose second husband is W. Van Over, whom she
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married June 23, 1869 ; and George W., who married Anna Court, of Speedsville, N. Y., May 31, 1863. The latter have had four chil- dren, born as follows, viz .: Avery T., March 23, 1864, Mary E., May 7, 1865, Rose A., December 23, 1868, and Willie H., born July 17, 1885, died March 17, 1886. Mr. Luther Keith died May 18, 1884.
Henry Wait came from Half Moon, Saratoga county, N. Y., about the year 1818, and located near the southwestern part of the town, where he had purchased about nine hundred acres of land. His sons, William and Henry, live on portions of the land purchased by him. He is represented as having been a liberal and benevolent man, who did much to improve the roads, and to help the poor settlers who located about him. He married Eunice Shepard, by whom he had twelve children. Mrs. Wait died in 1854, and Mr. Wait died in 1858. George A., son of Henry and Mary (Russell) Wait, married Anna, daughter of George O. and Sarah (Mc Kee) Kile, September 30, 1878, and has one child, Floyd A., born December 21, 1882.
William Williamson, son of Marcus and Mary (McLean) Will- iamson came from Westchester county and settled in Scipio, Cayuga county, N. Y. From thence he came to the town of Owego and settled three miles from Flemingville, and made the first settlement in that locality in 1820. At the time of his set- tlement there the country was a wilderness and his nearest neigh- bor was three miles distant. They often found it necessary when going out at night, to carry a pine torch, and also to build fires about their buildings to keep the wolves away. He married mary R., daughter of William and Abigail (Park) Ferguson. Eight children were born to them and all arrived at maturity. They were, Abigail (Mrs. Hulburt Bates), Mary (Mrs. Reuben B. Locke) Loesa, William H., who was the second to enlist from the town of Owego, served in Co. H., 3d Regt. N. Y. Vols., under Captain Catlin, as corporal, was promoted surgeon and after- ward captain; while home on a furlough, which he spent in recruiting. he was taken sick and died, so never served as cap- tain-Augusta (Mrs. Isaac Smith), Anna, Hannah, second wife of Hulbert Bates, and Theodore. Mrs. Williamson died February 16, 1880, and Mr. Williamson died February 22, the same year.
Oliver Pearl came from Connecticut, about 1820, and located first about one mile west of Wait's church. His children were Hannah (Mrs. Philip Baker), and Mercy (Mrs. Loren Fuller), Daniel, Oliver, Walter and Cyril. Cyril married Rosanna, daugh-
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ter of Thomas Farmer, May 29, 1820. Six of their children arrived at maturity, viz .: Walter, of Nichols, Loring C., of Owego, John F. and Austin, now deceased, Thomas F., of Hast- ings, Neb., and Jane R. Walter, married Catharine Rapplegee, by whom he had eight children, viz .: Mary M., who died in in- fancy, Cyril, Emma J., Marcella, George, Myram and Hattie, who died at the age of eighteen months. Loring C. married Clementina, daughter of Stephen Capwell in 1845, and has four children, viz .: Frances E., wife of Warren A. Lane, of Nichols, Helen R., wife of Emmet Barton, of Schoharie, N. Y., Charles C. and Frederick J., of Owego. Austin married Diana B . daughter of Ebenezer Warner, of Sanford, N. Y., and had one child, Freddie who died in 1854, aged four years.
Myram W. Pearl, son of Walter H. Pearl, married Emma, daughter of George Merrick, December 5, 1878, and has two children, Ada, born April 13, 1880, and Marcella, born August 16, 1883.
Adam Gould came to this town from Washington, Duchess county, N. Y., February 28, 1822, locating south of the river and engaged in farming, having bought 540 acres of wild land there. His wife was Judith, daughter of Paul Coffin, of Nantucket.
William Sherwood came from Duchess county to Trumansburg early in the present century, and from thence to this county, where he located on the lower one hundred acres now comprised in the farm of John Holmes, about the year 1824. He married Polly Wicksom, by whom he had eight children who arrived at maturity, viz .: Elijah, John, Betsey, widow of Cornelius Goes- beck, William H., Nathaniel and Mary J., (twins) all of Owego, Hanna, wife of Alfred Van Wagoner of Duchess county, and Deborah. Elijah married Sally, daughter of Capt. David Nutt of Owego and had eight children, viz .: David W., of Belmont, N. Y., Ursula, wife of Dr. J. M. Barrett, and George J., of Owego, Henry W., a Baptist clergyman now of Syracuse, N. Y., John, who died in infancy, Susie, wife of Dr. Judson Beach, of Etna, N. Y., Edgar, who died at the age of six years, and Deliah, wife of Dr. H, Champlin of Chelsea, Mich. Mr. Sherwood died in October, 1873. William H., married Olive, daughter of Will- ard Foster in 1855. Their children are Elsworth, Grace, and Charles. Elsworth married Flora Abbey and has one child, Roy. Nathaniel Sherwood married Phoebe. daughter of Van Ness Barrett of West Newark, in 1861, and they have had born to them three sons, Van Ness, Samuel and J. Ross.
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Matthew La Mont came from Schoharie county about 1825 and located on the farm now owned by Humphrey C. Slocum, where he controlled the La Mont ferry. He married Ruth McNeil, by whom he had twelve children. His eldest son, Marcus, married Hannah Hoagland by whom he had four children, namely : Abram H., superintendent of the Orphan's Home at Binghamton, Susan J., wife of Rev. William Life, preceptress of Rye Seminary, Cyrenus M., of this town, and Isabelle, who died at the age of sixteen years.
Ralph Hibbard, son of Ebenezer, was born in Norwich, Ct., and was a soldier at New London in the war of 1812-15. He married Jemima, daughter of Zebadiah Maynard of Norwich, and came to Owego in 1825. They had three children, namely : Ralph, A. Maria, and Charles, now of Granville, Mich. Ralph, married Elizabeth, daughter of John Sweet of Owego, by whom he had two children, Frances, and George R., a merchant of Owego. Frances married James E. Jones of Owego, November 4, 1874, and has one child, Flora A., born December 29, 1879. A. Maria is the widow of - Curtis. Mrs. Jemima Hibbard is now in her ninety-first year.
Ezra Tallmadge, the son of John, was born in the town of Malta, Saratoga county, N. Y., February 18, 1797. He was united in marriage with Zilpha Gould, in the year 1821. Here- mained in Malta until 1826, when, at the age of twenty-nine, with his-wife and two children, he removed to this county. The jour- ney was made with an ox-team, and as the roads were bad and the weather unpleasant, they reached their destination under many difficulties. The land which he had purchased being covered with a dense forest, he first took quarters with his family in a log house on a lot located by Anson Camp, since known as the Camp farm, and about two and a half miles from his own place. He then cleared a spot, built him a log house, and cut through the woods a road of nearly two miles in length. About this time he lost a little son, whose death was the first one which oc- curred in the settlement for twenty-six years. At this period there were but three voters in that part of the county. He was a man of strong Christian character and for fifty years was in enjoyment of church membership. A Methodist society was formed near his home, and he was class-leader for many years. Mr. Tallmadge was eminently a good man, faithful in all the sacred relations of domestic life, and faithful as a father in Israel. He died on Sun- day evening, May 5, 1872, aged seventy-five years. Ezra W.
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Tallmadge married Angeline, daughter of Henry and Mary 4 Russell) Waite, June 5, 1864, and by whom he has had five children, viz .: Ida M., wife of Lowell E. Kyle, Philip Albert, who died September 5, 1868, Mary P., Frutilla J., and Gurdon Ezra W., who died September 16, 1886, aged eleven years.
James Blow came from East Winfield, N. Y., in 1827, and cleared the farm now owned by his son Henry. He married Margaret Brown, who. like himself was a native of the North of Ireland. They had twelve children. Of these Henry married Catharine, daughter of John McNeil, by whom he had eleven children, James, Harmon, Minard, Arthur, Elizabeth, Henry, Diana, Margaret, George, Almeda, and Frank L. The latter married Mary Franklin of Pennsylvania, and has two children, namely, Alice and Henry. Francis, son of James Blow, married Amanda, daughter of Sylvester Fox of Owego, January 15, 1841, by whom he had six children, viz .: Harriet, Hiram, Sarah, Francis, Jr., all of Titusville, Pa., Ella, and William, of Owego. William married Emma, daughter of Miner Russell. Mr. Blow died in March, 1885.
Sylvester Fox came from Connecticut to Windown, Pa., and thence to Owego in 1826, and located on the farm now occupied in part by Spencer Bostwick. He married Olive Smith, and eight of their children arrived at maturity, namely, Pernine, Allen, Amanda, widow of Francis Blow, Sylvester. Sarah, wife of Jacob Mericle, Ira, William, deceased, and Merinda, wife of Edward Briggs of Nichols.
George W. Hollenback, for nearly fifty years a prominent business man of Owego, was born in Wyalusing, Pa., August 25, 1So6. He was the eldest son of John Hollenback of Martinsburg, Va., who left his birth-place and settled in Pennsylvania in 1795. He was for many years engaged in business and was on intimate terms with the old time merchants of Philadelphia. A gentleman of the old school, he was distinguished for an ease of manner and a generous hospitality which attracted many friends. His son, George, first came to Owego in 1816, for the purpose of at- tending school. On the fifth of December, 1828, he returned again to Owego and entered the store of John Hollenback as clerk, where he remained until 1831, when he entered into busi- ness for himself, near Towanda. Pa. After his marriage with Miss Jane Gordon, a lady of Scotch-Irish parentage whose ancestors on the father's side were distinguished in Scottish history, he acceded to the earnest wish of his childless relative, and with his
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wife removed to Owego, in 1838, and again entered the store of John Hollenback, who was widely known as one of the most active and energetic business men of his day. In the fall of 1847 Mr. Hollenback, with Jacob Hand, entered into a partnership with Mr. William H. Bell, who had also been a clerk for John Hollenback, under the firm-title of Wm. H. Bell & Co., which parnership continued twenty years. They conducted an exten- sive general mercantile business, and engaged largely in the manufacture and traffic in lumber. On January 16, 1867, the firm, from which Mr. Hand had previously withdrawn, was dissolved by mutual consent, and the property owned by them was divided. Mr. Hollenback retained the store and Mr. Bell took the saw-mill and lumber tract in the south part of the town of Owego, and after the dissolution of the firm of William H. Bell & Co., Mr. Hollenback took two of his sons, George F. & John G., into partnership with him, and continued the general mercantile business until the fall of 1871, when they disposed of their stock and commenced a wholesale and retail crockery busin- ess. This business they continued until October, 1873, when they sold their stock to D. C. Tuthill. Mr. Hollenback took a great interest in public affairs. He died at his home in Owego, December 30, 1878, aged seventy-two years. His wife, who had been an invalid, suffering from consumption for several years, survived him a little more than two years, passing peacefully . away on the morning of April 14, ISSI. Of the four sons and three daughters born to them, the youngest daughter died October 28, 1874. Two daughters remain at the homestead, which was bequeathed to them and their brother Charles E., by their father.
William Henry Hollenback married Mary McLain, of Owe- go, in July, 1868, and by whom he has seven children. He resides on his farm, in the town of Owego. George Frederick, or "Fred," as he was familiarly called, was born in Owego. He received his education here and at the Brookside school, pre- sided over by the Messrs. Judd, at Berkshire, and finally at a private school. In April, 1861. he enlisted in the 3d Regt., N. Y. Vols., and served two years under Gen. I. S. Catlin. In 1878, he married his cousin, Augusta, daughter of George Gordan, of Frenchtown, Pa., by whom he had one child, George Frederick. He died May 11, 1882. John Gordan early evinced a predilec- tion for a mercantile career. After finishing his studies he en- tered the store of W. H. Bell & Co., as clerk. He afterward
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Arbalcampbell.
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spent some time in -Rochester, N. Y. He returned and entered into business with his father and brother. After two or three years, they disposed of the business, and he accompanied his brother to California, where he remained a year. On his return he entered into partnership with C. A. Link, in the clothing business. In October, IS75, he married Miss Lizzie Dean, of New York. They have one daughter. Florence, and reside at Los Angeles, Cal., where Mr. Hollenback conducts a real estate busi- ness.
Charles Edward Hollenback was born in Owego, Feb. 3, 1849. He prepared for college at the Owego academy, under the tutorship of Prof. Prindle. He entered Union college at Sche- nectady, N. Y., in 1868, and was graduated therefrom in the classical course in 1871, taking the first prize in oratory. In Sep- tember, 1871, he commenced the study of law, in the office of Hon. John J. Taylor, and was admitted to the bar in 1874, when he formed a partnership with C. D. Nixon, known as the firm of Nixon & Hollenback, which continued for a year. In 1876 and 1877, he had charge of the law office of Hon. E. B. Gere, who was then member of assembly. He afterward opened an office on his own account, with a large and constantly increasing prac- tice. Mr. Hollenback, or " Dick," as he was called by his friends, was one of the most active of Owego s young Democrats. He was chosen chairman of the Democratic county committee, in 1881, and continued at the head of that committee until he was taken sick. He was the Democratic candidate for district attor- ney, in 1876 and 1882, and for supervisor of the town of Owego, in the latter year. He died November 9, 1884.
James Kenyon, of English descent, was born in Pittsfield, Berk. shire county, Mass., November 1, 1813. When twenty-two years of age he came to Owego, and engaged as a journeyman machinist to Henry Camp, in whose service he remained thirty-five years. lle married Amanda, daughter of .Chauncey Hill, of Tioga, June 30, 1839. Four children were born to them, namely : Albert J., born September 22, 1841, now chief engineer of the U. S. Navy, in which service he has been since the fall of 1861 ; Lesbia A., born June 21, 1844, the wife of William Peck; Anna L., born August 8, 1850, the widow of Charles R. Strang ; and Calvin F., born March 5, 1854, and who died September 8, 1875. Mrs Strang has two children, namely: Samuel P., born March 6, 1872, and Annette Kenyon, born June 7, 1874.
Moses Knight was born February 10, 1808, in Crawford, Orange 25*
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Co. N. Y. He married Mary J. Middaugh, of Sullivan Co., N. Y., November 1, 1832. In 1835 he came to Owego and en- gaged in the clothing business, in which he continued until his death, which occurred June 10, 1862. Their children were Thomas H., deceased, Elizabeth, Mary L., deceased, and William, of Austin, Texas.
Daniel Stanton, born December 14, 1794, came from Norwich, Mass., and located in the town of Nichols in 1830, and in 1836 moved onto the farm now occupied by his son Asa. He married Almira Johnson April 14, 1820, by whom he had eight children, viz .: Maria, who died March 14, 1849, Asa, born August 15, 1822, Elizabeth, widow of Oliver P. Chaffee, Lucinda, widow of Hiram Shays, of Owego, Clarissa, wife of A. J. Stanton, and Levi, of Bradford county, Pa., Jonas, who was drowned September 4, 1853, and Almira, wife of David Smead, of Owego.
William S. Pearsall, son of Thomas, was born October 14, 1796, in Bainbridge, N. Y., where his father located very early, and with his brothers inherited large tracts of land which their father had owned. The latter was a native of Long Island. William, Nathaniel, Gilbert and Thomas came to this town from Chenango county, and settled in and near Apalachin, where they engaged in building mills and in lumbering, shipping large quantities in rafts down the river. In 1837, they had established a lumber business in the city of Baltimore, Md. In 1840, William built a grist and saw-mill at Apalachin, which was the only grist-mill in this section at that time, and which did the mill business of farm- ers for many miles. When they first came here there was but little of the village of Apalachin. Gilbert built and kept a store there. William purchased two hundred acres there, and the larger part of the village is on a portion of this tract. One hundred acres of it he afterward sold to Ransom Steele. William Pearsall married Eliza, daughter of Col. Samuel Balcom, of Oxford, N. Y., a sister of Judge Ransom Balcom and Judge Lyman Balcom, of Steuben county. Seven of the children that were born to them arrived at maturity-George, of Fort Scott, Kas .; Jane, who died at the age of seventeen; Martha, wife of F. C. Coryell; Cornelia, (Mrs. John King) ; Ransom S., of Apalachin ; Col. Uri B., of Fort Scott, who entered the army as a private before he was twenty-one years of age, and upon the close of the war was bre- vetted Brigadier-General ; Mary, of Owego ; and Charles W., of Syracuse. Ransom S. married Adaline, daughter of Clinton and
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Ann Billings, and-has four children, Grace L., William C., Anna L. and Emily.
Stephen Dexter, a civil engineer, was born in Cranston, R. I., May 16, 1792. He lived in Windham, Conn., but many years ago came by invitation to Ithaca, N. Y., to stake out lots and make a map of the village. In 1838 he removed to Owego, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was engaged on the survey for the Erie railroad, and among other works laid out Evergreen Cemetery, Owego. Early in life he married Deborah Thurston, of Exeter, R. I. Mr. Dexter died July 5, 1876.
Anthony D. Thompson, son of Henry, was born in Goshen, Orange county, N. Y., June 4, 1822, and came with his father's family when but three years of age, to the town of Owego. His father conducted a farm and a hotel at Campville for twelve or fifteen years, and then removed to this village and engaged in blacksmithing. With the exception of two years spent in Towanda, Pa., Anthony D. has since made Owego his home. For six years he was engaged with his father in the shop, but failing health compelled him to abandon his trade and he entered the stage of- fice of the Owego Hotel, which stood on the site of the present Ah-wa-ga House. That position he resigned and removed to Towanda, and ran a line of stages for three years between Towanda and Waverly, and at the same time conducted a livery stable at each of those places. Selling his interests there, he engaged in the service of the Erie railroad in 1850, and has con- tinued with them until this time, covering a period of thirty- seven years. His first wife was Sabrina, daughter of Chauncey Hill, by whom he had five children, namely : Clarence A., of the Owego National Bank, Charles S., deceased, A. Lizzie, wife of Walter Curtis, Sadie and Harry G. Mrs. Thompson died Janu- ary 14, 1873.
Dr. Elias W. Seymour, son of William, who was a cousin of the late Governor Seymour, was born in Windsor, N. Y., Feb- ruary 7, 1823. When he was eight years old his parents removed to Binghamton, his father having been elected a representative in congress from that district. He was subsequently appointed judge of Broome county, which office he filled for several years with ability, and which he held at the time of his death, in 1849. The Doctor came to Owego when eighteen years of age. In 1850, he married Louisa L., daughter of John Dodd. He commenced the study of medicine in 1866, attending lectures in Philadelphia, Pa., and in 1870, entered upon the practice of his profession.
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