USA > New York > Franklin County > Historical sketches of Franklin county and its several towns > Part 75
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S. E. Blood, born at Hebron, N. H., June 4, 1822, came to Fort Covington in 1853, and entered the employ of William Hogle as a clerk, after which he engaged in the merchant tailoring business for a number of years. From 1863 to 1869 he was clerk in a hotel of Sam. Browning at Tadousac, Que., and in the latter year was appointed deputy collector of customs at Fort Covington. Of quiet manner, excel- lent judgment and forceful action, he was long a leading citizen of the place, and not the least important of the little group of possibly a half dozen men who for years practically controlled the action of the Repub- lican party in the town. He died March 4, 1897.
William Henry Barney, born at Richmond, Vt., August 5, 1838, came to Bangor about twenty years later. His father was landlord of the hotel at North Bangor, and William had a share in its management. He enlisted as first lieutenant in the 98th regiment, and was promoted to a captaincy. Upon his return from the army he engaged in trade at North Bangor with Baker and Clinton Stevens, and afterward con- tinued the business with them in Malone. He was later in the photo- graphic business, and in insurance, and was postmaster. For a time he was captain of the old 27th Sep. Co., N. G. S. N. Y., and in a number of political campaigns was first tenor in the famous Republican glee club of Malone. He went West in 1897, and for a number of years was a conductor on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. He then lived a life of leisure at Albuquerque, New Mexico, until 1917, when he returned East.
William D. Brennan, born at Gloucester, Ont., December 29, 1839, came to Malone in 1851, and began life here as a water carrier for a gang of men who were completing work on the newly built railroad. Afterward he accepted employment of whatever sort he could get, always of a menial sort until his cheerful alacrity and quick intelligence had attracted attention, and brought him better opportunities. He worked his way through Franklin Academy, and was a student at Middlebury College when his patriotic impulses took him into the army.
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He was commissioned a lieutenant in the 142d regiment, was pro- moted to a captaincy, and later was brevetted major. There was no braver man in the army. At the battle of Chapin's Farm in 1864 he lost a leg. Upon the conclusion of his army service he became pro- fessor of mathematics in the academy at Potsdam, and pursued the study of law while teaching. He was admitted to the bar in 1866, and located at Malone - gaining an excellent rank at the bar, building up a large practice, and commanding the respect and confidence of his clients and of the community generally. Major Brennan was county treasurer for nine years from 1867, and in 1878 was elected to the Assembly, followed by two re-elections. He was a hard-working, con- scientious representative, and in his third term was chairman of the committee on ways and means, a distinction up to that time enjoyed by no other Franklin county member since Mr. Wheeler's incumbency of the same assignment thirty years before. At the time of this appoint- ment Mr. Wheeler was a candidate for United States Senator, with Major Brennan in charge of his canvass, while the Speaker was for Mr. Platt, and desired an early caucus, which the friends of Mr. Wheeler generally felt was prejudicial to his interests. However, Major Brennan signed the call for the caucus, and was severely criticised therefor. This criticism manifestly weighed upon him, and, added to the fact that he had not been well for some months, broke him down. Melan- cholia developed, he had to relinquish his work at Albany early in February, and returned to Malone to recuperate. March 7, 1881, he started for a ride to and through Duane, and committed suicide by taking strychnia. Major Brennan held strong convictions on all ques- tions, and for a dozen years was one of the most effective and popular campaign speakers in the county, was always deeply interested in all matters affecting Malone and the county, and personally was esteemed by everybody.
Charles A. Burke, born in Bombay January 21, 1843, worked on a farm and attended Fort Covington Academy in his youth, and then studied law. Admitted to the bar in 1868, he practiced in a small way at Hogansburgh and elsewhere in the northern part of the county for a couple of years - finally locating in Malone in 1870, in partnership with Henry G. Kilburn, and having continued to practice here ever since. At one time he also operated a planing mill and sash and door factory in company with John Kelley. Mr. Burke has always been a pronounced Democrat, and in younger years was one of the most active
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and influential workers in that party. He was often chairman of the county committee, and during the first Cleveland administration was postmaster of Malone.
Charles Webster Breed, born at Leominster, N. H., May 19, 1844, removed in his youth to Plattsburgh with his parents, and while enjoy- ing an outing at Chateaugay Lake engaged to enter a drug store at Chateaugay as clerk. When the 96th regiment was being organized at Plattsburgh in 1861 Mr. Breed joined it with a number of others whom he had helped to recruit at Chateaugay, and was commissioned a first lieutenant. Sickness compelled him to resign from the service, and, returning home, he located in Malone, where he has since continued to reside, and for the greater part of the time was conspicuous in the town's business and civic affairs. He was in the drug business for more than a generation, became as he gained means and standing a zealous advocate of the establishment of industrial works in the village, and for many years gave excellent service to the Republican party as a member of its county committee and as a campaign organizer. Mr. Breed had initiative in large measure as well as superior executive capacity, and his pride in Malone and interest in its welfare were intense. He was for years the foreman and leading spirit of one of the crack companies of the old volunteer fire department, which owed its excellence in large part to his efforts, and later served as the depart- ment's chief engineer. To Mr. Breed's planning and advocacy was chiefly due the reorganization of the department upon lines which still continue - with a semi-paid force, an electric fire alarm system, and horse service for hauling the apparatus. He was also one of the group of a half dozen earnest, public-spirited men who secured for the village a reorganized waterworks system, with Horse brook as its source of supply, and was the president of the new company for a dozen years or more. Mr. Breed had an active interest in our schools, and served on the board of education with efficiency. Since the purchase of the water- works by the village Mr. Breed has led a retired life, but without losing any of his interest for Malone's welfare and prosperity.
William C. Breed, son of Charles W., was born in Malone June 24, 1871. After graduation at Franklin Academy and Amherst College, he began the study of law in New York, with Edward H. Hobbs, a former Malone man, and in 1898 opened an office in New York on his own account. His progress in the profession was marked from the
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beginning, and after a few years his rank was recognized as well toward the top of the younger practitioners. Latterly he has had great prominence as the legal representative of large trade and industrial interests, both in court procedure and in conference and negotiation with governmental departments at Washington and with Congressional committees concerning legislation and interpretation of anti-trust statutes. Mr. Breed is now recognized as one of the ablest and most valued of attorneys concerning these and similar policies, and his opinions always count strongly with the big men with whom he is in frequent association. Appointed chairman of the New York city com- mittee of one hundred to organize and prosecute the big May drive for the hundred million dollar Red Cross fund, Mr. Breed enlisted his workers, planned the methods to be employed, and supervised the cam- paign so efficiently that the subscriptions were carried to the amazing total of forty-two million dollars, or seventeen million dollars in excess of the city's quota. It was a grand piece of work, recognized as one of of the very best made anywhere in the country, and with the credit for success belonging more to Mr. Breed than to any other single man.
Jay O. Ballard, born in Mexico, Oswego county, January 8, 1858, began business life in a store, and then became a traveling salesman for a time. He located in Malone in 1887, engaging with C. C. Whittelsey in the manufacture of clothing, but not successfully. In 1891, how- ever, he resumed the business in partnership with his brother-in-law, Colonel William C. Skinner, and has built up a very prosperous estab- lishment, erected a well equipped factory for the manufacture of cloths, employs more than a hundred hands, and turns out large quantities of garments of various kinds which find a ready sale. Mr. Ballard is actively and efficiently interested in most matters that touch the town and county's interests, and is liberal both with purse and time in their support. Though without military education or experience, he was drafted at one time because of his sound business judgment and execu- tive ability to be the commandant of Company K, N. G. S. N. Y., and made an excellent record. He is president of the Alice Hyde Hospital Association, and gives to the affairs of the institution much time and thoughtful effort.
Lorenzo Coburn, born in Constable December 27, 1812, became principal of Franklin Academy, after which he had many wanderings and various occupations. He was a miller and merchant in a small way
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at Constable, and then engaged in market gardening - having been the first to supply residents of the village of Malone in a systematic way with berries and early vegetables. In his later years he lived in Kansas, New Jersey and South Dakota, and always the place of his latest location was the best and most promising in the world. For many years he sent letters regularly to the Palladium, and, regardless of the text, he invariably made them interesting. He died at Vermillion, S. D., July 28, 1898.
Amos G. Crooks, born in Malone January 9, 1827, gained business experience through employment by large interests in Vermont and in Pennsylvania between 1849 and 1869. He returned to Malone in the latter year, engaging here at first in the commission business, and then as a dealer in stoves and tin. In 1879 he established a wholesale and retail grocery business, the former branch of which soon became so large and successful that the latter was abandoned. Admitting his sons to partnership, the concern took the name and style of A. G. Crooks- & Co. It had a large and prosperous business until 1918, when it sold to the Northern New York Grocery Co. Mr. Crooks was of fine judg- ment, and undoubted probity. He died February 2, 1890.
William P. Cantwell, born at Norton Creek, Canada, in 1829, was graduated from the University of Vermont, studied law in Montreal, and in 1851 was admitted an attorney in that city, where he practiced and did newspaper work for two years, when he removed to Malone. His fine scholarship, studious habits and persistence in fighting his cases with great fertility of resource soon won for him a leading place at the Franklin county bar. He was in particular a master of all of the fine points and technicalities of procedure, and a skillful pleader. There was hardly a case of large importance during the period of his greatest activity in practice that he was not retained on one side or the other, and his zeal, assiduity and resourcefulness always made him a force to be reckoned with. Because of failing eyesight he withdrew from active practice of the law in 1899. Mr. Cantwell was a Democrat, but of the Union stripe during the civil war. In 1858 he was elected school commissioner, and while Albon P. Man was absent in the army acted as district attorney in his stead. He was often the candidate of his party for public office - a number of times for school commissioner, for Congress in 1872 against Mr. Wheeler, and in 1877 for county judge. Though he always polled a good vote, the county was so strongly
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Republican after 1860 that he was always defeated, and never held office except that of school commissioner. Mr. Cantwell was earnestly interested in all public matters, both general and local, and often was active in participation in them. He was a strong supporter of the public schools, was one of the founders and early trustees of the Northern New York Institution for Deaf-Mutes, and was identified with various business affairs outside of the lines of his profession. During the time that the owner of the Gazette was postmaster, before the civil war, Mr. Cantwell was in charge of the editorship of the paper. He died sud- denly at the breakfast table October 31, 1905.
William F. Creed, born in Fort Covington in March, 1847, came to Malone in 1873 to become a clerk and afterward teller in the National Bank of Malone. In 1877 he was appointed cashier of the Farmers National Bank, and so continued for over seven years. During the latter part of this period . he became active in Democratic county politics, and in 1884 was a Presidential Elector. A little later he was appointed auditor in the New York custom house under Daniel Magone, and afterward a State bank examiner and then deputy State super- intendent of banks. While serving in the latter capacity he was offered and accepted a lucrative position in a bank in Buffalo, but remained there only a short time -removing to New York city, where, with a desk in the brokerage office of Flower & Co., which put him in close touch with big operators, he became a speculator in Wall street at a time when prices were moving rapidly and wildly; and to-day Mr. Creed was rich, and to-morrow almost or quite poor. It was a feverish, wearing life, because it kept a man on edge both day and night, and not improbably the excitement and anxiety of it broke his health. He died while on a visit to Fort Covington November 9, 1903.
James F. Carrigan, born at Windsor, Vt., in 1861, began his business life as a telegraph operator, and soon afterward became spare station agent, serving at various points on the Central Vermont, and every- where so acceptably as to command the attention and approval of the management. In 1892 he was assigned to Malone as trainmaster on the O. & L. division of the Rutland R. R., and has since been promoted to be assistant superintendent of the division. Efficient, attentive to his duties and always courteous, Mr. Carrigan enjoys everybody's good will, and does his work thoroughly and well.
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David Decatur Darius Dewey, born in Malone October 14, 1826, engaged for ten years in teaching after his graduation from the Albany Normal College in 1849, and was then for a time instructor of teachers' institutes in Wisconsin, where he followed also the business of sur- veying. Returning East, he located at Moira, and for many years was one of the most influential, useful and respected citizens of the town. He was railroad station agent, merchant, surveyor, and manufacturer of lumber and starch. Mr. Dewey served Moira repeatedly as supervisor, and was school commissioner for six years. He died October 15, 1906.
William S. Douglas of Chateaugay was a farmer on an extensive scale, a manufacturer of potato starch and, with his son, Hiram A., proprietor of a large tannery. He died March 24, 1887, aged 71 years.
Calvin S. Douglass, who had been prominent in Chateaugay as a merchant and miller, died in September, 1887, aged 70 years.
William G. Dickinson was born in Bangor, and in 1846 became a partner with his father, Joshua, and brother, Wells S., in the mer- cantile business. A few years later he established a store himself in Malone, and during the civil war and for a year or two afterward was easily the leading merchant of the place, at least as regards the finer class of dry goods. In 1867 he sold the business, and, forming a'partner- ship with a brother-in-law, engaged in the wholesale grocery business in New York city. The venture not proving altogether successful, it was closed out after three years, and Mr. Dickinson located at Duluth, Minn., where he represented a railway company for a year or two, and then removed to Kansas to take charge of the land interests of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. for a number of years, and is credited with having founded more than a hundred towns in the State. From Kansas he went to National City, Calif., to manage a big land develop- ment scheme, including the construction of a waterworks and an irriga- tion system. No more genial, enterprising, popular or straightforward man ever lived in Franklin county. He was county treasurer here from 1861 to 1867. He died at National City July 14, 1891.
Wells S. Dickinson, also a son of Joshua, was born in Bangor August 16, 182S, and at the age of eighteen years became a partner with his father in the mercantile business and also in the manufacture of potato starch. The latter interest soon commanded more of his attention than any other, and at one time he was the owner, in whole
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or in part, of no less than eight starch mills in Franklin and St. Law- rence counties, besides being the principal dealer in the commodity in this section of the State. He served the town of Bangor as supervisor for a number of ternis, was elected to the Assembly in 1859, and to the State Senate in 1871 and again in 1873. Next to William A. Wheeler, whose chief political lieutenant he was, he had more influence and evinced more interest in politics than any other Republican in the county. He was three times a delegate to national conventions, and it was principally through his efforts and enthusiasm that the nomination for Vice-President came to Mr. Wheeler in 1876. Later he was the repre- sentative of the Northern Pacific R. R. for a number of years in market- ing its lands and building towns in Dakota, and then at Washington to guard against strike legislation in Congress. He was a man of tire- less energy, keen, honest and capable in business, and any candidate for a Republican nomination in Franklin county who was fortunate enough to enlist his support was almost always sure of winning. He died in Malone January 19, 1892.
Edwin E. Dickinson, son of Wells S., was born in Bangor August 31, 1852, and after graduating from the University of Vermont joined with his father in the mercantile business, and then studied law at Malone. In 1877 he was appointed private secretary to Vice-President Wheeler, and made his home with him at Washington and Malone for four years. He was chairman of the Franklin county Republican com- mittee in 1880, and made one of the finest campaigns ever known here. Locating in New York city in 1887, he became interested after a year or two in the Boynton Furnace Co., of which his father-in-law was the founder and head. After Mr. Boynton's death, Mr. Dickinson became president and treasurer of the company, and continues with it in that capacity. The concern has a branch in Chicago, and does a large and prosperous business. Mr. Dickinson evinces all of the family character- istics of energy, enterprise, public spirit, spotless character, and engag- ing personality. No one is a more agreeable and charming companion and friend.
Charles Durkee, born in Burke, January 9, 1827, was at an early age manager of the branch store of E. L. Meigs at Brushton, and shortly afterward was appointed postmaster at Malone, in which place he had become a partner of Rufus R. Stephens in the drug business. Later he engaged in general merchandising in Malone with Sidney W. Gillett.
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At the outbreak of the civil war he was colonel of a State militia regi- ment, and endeavored to have his command join the Union army as a body - the only Democrat, I think, in this section of the State who was prominent in the old militia organization who took such a stand, or, indeed, manifested any real anxiety for Union army service, though of course there were hundreds of Democrats not so connected with the militia who sprang to arms as individuals. Failing to rally his regiment of militia for enlistment as a unit, Mr. Durkee joined in the autumn of 1861 in recruiting the 98th regiment of volunteers, which originally was expected to be composed exclusively of Franklin county men, but which, in fact, finally comprised seven companies from this locality and three from Wayne county. Mr. Durkee was commissioned as its lieu- tenant-colonel, and served with it in that rank and also as its colonel for about a year, when he resigned. Returning to Malone, he engaged again in the mercantile business, but with unfortunate results. During the last three or four years of his life Colonel Durkee was without fixed occupation except that he held various appointments in the State canal and prison departments. He was jovial, fond of companionship, and personally popular and esteemed. He died January 7, 1879.
Ira A. Darling, born at Morristown, Vt., March 7, 1828, studied medicine, and located for practice at Brushton in 1851 - from which date he was a good deal of a " rolling stone" for nearly twenty years, having practiced between times in Chicago, West Virginia, Nicholville, Malone and Dickinson. In 1869 or 1870 he located at West Bangor, and, besides giving attention to the work of his profession, engaged in a number of commercial enterprises, and became active as a local Republican worker. He died October 4, 1891.
George W. Dustin, Ist, born in Dickinson in 1837, was a soldier during the civil war, and was connected afterward with the regular army for several years, in the quartermaster's department in the West. There- after he was variously occupied in Franklin county, and in 1887 was elected sheriff. Upon the expiration of his term of office he engaged in the drug business at Brushton. He was prominent as a Mason and Odd Fellow and also in Grand Army circles. Of imposing presence, and a genial companion, he had probably the largest acquaintance of any man in the county. He died July 15, 1897.
George W. Dustin, 2d, was born in Dickinson January 25, 1848, and began life for himself as a farmer, and then as a merchant at Dick-
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inson Center. Clean, manly, genial and accommodating, he early gained the regard and confidence of his townsmen, and was chosen supervisor. Becoming interested in politics, and Diekinson having a strong elaim to Republican party recognition, Mr. Dustin won the nomination for county clerk after a hard fight in 1879, and of course was elected and re-elected. In 1886 he entered the employ of A. B. Parmelee & Son, and while with them was appointed a deputy collector of customs at Malone. In 1892 he removed to Baltimore to take the agency with Capt. H. B. Meigs of the Aetna Life Ins. Co. for the State of Mary- land, but four years later sold his interest in the business to return to Malone and re-engage in the management of the A. B. Parmelee & Son land and timber business. Since the death of Morton S. Parmelee in 1897 Mr. Dustin has been in sole charge of the properties and affairs of the establishment, and has built up in connection with it an important and successful real estate business of his own. In addition, he never fails to evince a strong and useful interest in local matters and enter- prises, and has held with credit to himself and benefit to various inter- ests many places of trust in the town. He was for one term a member of the local board of managers of the St. Lawrence Hospital for the Insane at Ogdensburg.
Chandler Ellsworth was born in Fort Covington in 180}, and was a lifelong resident of the town. He owned a farm of six hundred aeres, and his buildings were said to be the best farm buildings in the county. Of upright life and possessed of sagacious judgment, he commanded gen- eral confidence and accumulated a fine property. IIe held many town offices, including the supervisorship, and was at times the candidate of the Democratic party for county positions. He died November 22, 1888.
Few men of the civil war period were better known in Malone than Lucius D. Ellsworth, shoemaker, who was also a teacher of singing schools, and himself a vocalist of more than ordinary merit. In church choirs, at concerts by home talent and at social gatherings he was always ready to lift up his voice in glorious song, and his two most popular selections were " Had I But Ten Thousand a Year" and " The Sword of Bunker Hill." Mr. Ellsworth went to the war as a captain in the 98th regiment, returned to Malone upon the expiration of his term of service, and in 1867 removed to Illinois, where he died July 4, 1900, aged eighty-two years. The place of his birth and the date of his locating in Malone are unknown to the writer.
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