USA > New York > Franklin County > Historical sketches of Franklin county and its several towns > Part 77
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Hiram Horton, born in Brandon, Vt., in April, 1799, came to Malone with his father, who also was called Hiram, and who located here between 1806 and 1808, and by 1811 had acquired lands which now comprise nearly all of that part of the village lying east of the river and south of Main street, and also a considerable tract on the west side of the river east of Duane street, together with a number of lots in the vicinity of the Rutland Railroad passenger station. The
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properties included a grist mill and most of the water power privileges within the village limits. These lands were then all forest covered, and thus the subject of this sketch witnessed their transformation from a wilderness, first, into fruitful fields, and then gradually into a thriving village. The properties all came into the possession of Mr. Horton by inheritance and purchase, and in disposing of lots to individuals he was apt not to convey quite all that he believed to be covered by his own titles - not infrequently assuming to dietate years afterward to his grantees that they must not occupy or build upon certain lands which they supposed themselves to own, claiming that the forbidden occu- pancy would be an encroachment upon himself or upon a highway. He was exacting and autoeratie in such matters, and also in regard to his water power rights, concerning which latter he had protracted and bitterly fought procedure in the courts. From an early age Mr. Horton was a principal factor in all town and village concerns. He built carding and fulling mills, and the original MeMillan woolen factory, ran a saw mill, and operated the principal flouring mill in the town for over half a century ; was among the earliest and most zealous of the agitators for the building of the old Northern Railroad; accepted an election to the Assembly in 1844 solely in order to procure a charter for the pro- posed company, which predecessors in that body had labored unsuccess- fully for years to obtain, and after accomplishing that work wrought untiringly for a long time to enlist capital in the work; indorsed the company's paper when its funds were exhausted to the amount of half a million dollars ; and with S. C. Wead and John L. Russell contracted with the company in 1847 to donate to it ten aeres of land upon its agreement to locate its construction and repair shops in Malone - thus bringing to the place an industry which has been of incalculable benefit. for sixty years now, and the establishment of which in Malone both Ogdensburg and Rouses Point resented with venomous bitterness. Of marked character, active temperament and inflexible purpose, Mr: Horton was not always easy of approach, nor gentle in manner, but those who knew him best found him generous and kind at heart, and everybody recognized him as public spirited and eminently useful in the community. Besides his service in the Assembly, Mr. Horton was often supervisor, and in 1864 was a Presidential elector, casting his vote for the re-election of Abraham Lincoln. He continued actively in business almost to the time of his death, which occurred August 31. 1872.
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John Hutten, born in Glasgow, Scotland, in September, 1809, emi- grated to Canada with his parents in 1821. He graduated from the University of Vermont, in which institution he was afterward an instructor, and then located at Malone, and studied law with Asa Haseall. He was one of the engineers of the survey of the old Northern R. R. As a lawyer he was the partner of Joseph H. Jackson, Wm. P. Cantwell and Frederic F. Wead. In politics he was first a Whig and then a Democrat. He was elected county judge in 1851. His abilities were of a high order, and he commanded wide respect. He died April 1, 1862.
George H. Hutten, brother of John, was born in Scotland, but passed most of his life in Malone. He was a painter by trade. Of the strongest and most radical convictions, he was an early temperance advocate, an extreme abolitionist, and in his later years a political pro- hibitionist. No man in the community was a more ardent Unionist during the civil war, and he showed his faith and patriotism by enlisting as a volunteer at the age of 54 years. He died suddenly March 24, 1889.
Hiram Harwood, the father of Dr. Watson H., was born in Eden, Vt., but came to Bangor in childhood, and became one of the sub- stantial farmers and respected citizens of the town. He died December 22, 1890.
Daniel N. Huntington, horn at Rochester, Vt., in 1815, came to Malone about 1840 to clerk for William King. A few years later he removed to Chateaugay, where he engaged in the mercantile business for himself for a time, and then returned to Malone to become a partner with C. C. Whittelsey in the foundry business. He was also interested in farming, and at one period was about as extensive a buyer and seller of Malone village real estate as any man in the town. He was super- visor of Malone for two years, and at one time was the principal practicing justice of the peace. He was also for many years the leading insurance agent in the county. He died November 18, 1892.
Francis T. Heath, born in Malone, May 18, 1817, entered the Palladium office as an apprentice in 1835, and was deputy county elerk under Uriah D. Meeker, during which latter service he began the study of law. but was compelled by ill health and imperative engagements along other lines to relinquish his intention to become a lawyer. He returned to a connection with the Palladium, became the editor and
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proprietor of the paper, and continued his connection with it more or less actively until 1856, though in 1814 he engaged also in the grocery and drug business. The grocery line was soon discontinued, however, and in 1876 Mr. Heath retired altogether from active business pur- suits - living thereafter a life of leisure. In 1853 he consented reluctantly to become the Whig candidate for member of Assembly, and was defeated by only a few votes, while the rest of the ticket was buried under three to four hundred majority. His interest and quiet participa- tion in public affairs always continued eager and useful, but with per- sistent refusal except in 1853 and upon one occasion that he served as village president to be a candidate for any office. Mr. Heath was a loyal friend and Christian gentleman, of private life that was spotless and pure, and of good sense and discriminating judgment. He was widely known locally and everywhere respected. He died suddenly of a paralytic shock January 7, 1886.
Albert Hobbs, one of the ablest and most exemplary citizens that the county ever had, was born at Ogdensburg in August, 1820, and came to Constable with his father as a boy. His early purpose was to become a physician, and for a time he studied medicine with Dr. Dana Stevens of Moira ; his inclination turning later to the law, he located in Malone, where he remained until his death. He was elected to the Assembly by the Knownothings in 1855, and to the State Senate by the Republicans in 1863, and in 1867 and again in 1871 was chosen county judge. He was also supervisor of Malone for a number of terms, and in every relation of life was uncompromising and outspoken. Of the temperament and conviction of seemliness that would not countenance the slightest effort on his own part to gain office, his record of office- holding testified impressively the estimate of his ability and character that was widely held by the people. Judge Hobbs was probably the best judge of law that the county ever had, though not the shrewdest practitioner. He died April 11, 1897.
Edward H. Hobbs, born in 'Ellenburgh in 1835, fitted for college at Franklin Academy, and was a student at Middlebury, Vt., when the civil war broke out. Giving up his collegiate course, he returned to Malone, and was active in recruiting the 98th regiment, of which he became adjutant. After his military service he studied law, and engaged in practice in Brooklyn and New York, where he gained a high rank in the profession. He took an active part in Kings county politics, and
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was regarded for years as the most influential Republican in Brooklyn. Major Hobbs was a cousin of Judge Albert Hobbs of Malone. He died August 12, 1907.
Oliver Howard, born in Milton, Vt., April 5, 1821, came to Malone in 1855, contracted for a farm without means to pay any part of the purchase price, and engaged in farming in the eastern part of the town. Hard work, frugal living and shrewd investments gave him more than a modicum of this world's goods, and about 1864 he moved into the village and engaged in merchandising. Mr. Howard was known as a " close" man, and accordingly was more or less misjudged, though when men came to know him they recognized that he was thoroughly honest and just. At the time of his death he was the largest single taxpayer in Malone, and his estate was appraised at $117,000, but was undoubtedly considerably larger. His real estate holdings, especially of business properties and tenements in the village, were considerable. He died June 28, 1888.
William H. Hyde, born at Grand Isle, Vt., July 12, 1826, came to Bangor about 1849 or 1850. He was railroad station agent at North Bangor for a number of years, and when the 60th regiment was organized during the civil war he raised a company for it, and was commissioned captain. Upon his return to Bangor he engaged in the mercantile business, and in 1869 was elected sheriff as a Republican. He was alert, resolute and faithful, and made an excellent official. When the Jewett milk pan was invented he undertook, in partnership with L. R. Townsend, at Malone, the manufacture and sale of the pan, and for years did a large business. The factory was afterward removed to Cortland. Mr. Hyde died at Malone June 16, 1886.
George Hawkins, born in St. Mathias, Que., June 18, 1830, came to Malone in early youth. He assisted in surveying the route for the Northern Railroad. and then engaged in the mercantile business, but with disastrous results, though afterward, notwithstanding he had been legally released from his debts, he paid every dollar of his obligations in full. He was for a number of years associated with Mr. Wheeler and Mr. House in the old State Bank of Malone, and when the National Bank of Malone was organized in 1865 became its cashier, and so remained for about twenty years. He organized the Bank of Chatean- gay, and was its working head until he died. Mr. Hawkins was one of
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the first to suggest the lighting of Malone's streets with gas, and was foremost in organizing the old gas company, in which the stockholders lost almost every dollar that they put into it. He was an enthusiastic worker in the cause of education, and was for many years a member of the board of education. He died very suddenly June 7, 1896.
Allen Hinman was born in Vergennes, Vt., in 1820. After studying medicine he located in Bangor in 1842 for the practice of his pro- fession, and about ten years later removed to Constable, where he remained until about 1865, when he returned to Bangor - ever after making his home there. His health not being rugged, he discontinued his practice, and engaged in the drug business until 1877, from which time he led a retired life. While in Constable he was deputy collector of customs at Trout River, and also served the town as supervisor. In Bangor also he was supervisor and postmaster. He died July 30, 1896, suddenly.
Floyd J. Hadley, born in Westville, July 27, 1852, served his town as supervisor, and in 1885 was elected to the Assembly as a Republican, holding the office for three terms, and winning a creditable standing in that body. At the conclusion of his legislative service he formed a con- nection with the Fidelity and Casualty Company of New York, which continued until his death, which followed a surgical operation. He died in New York July 20, 1895.
William P. Hawley, born in Malone, February 28, 1856, entered the employ of the paper mill in his early youth as a fireman, and was advanced from grade to grade until he became not only an expert paper maker, but familiar with every detail of the business. In 1877 he removed to California, where he engaged in mining for a time, and then returned to making paper for a company in which the late Roswell P. Flower had a large interest. Afterward he built a number of mills for various companies, and then, organizing a company of his own, built and has since operated a large mill at Oregon City, Oregon - enlarging it and adding other mills from time to time until now he turns out a hundred tons of paper per day. The corporation is styled the Hawley Pulp and Paper Co., and Mr. Hawley is its president. The business has yielded him a fortune. Mr. Hawley is interested largely in a number of flouring mills also, and some conception of the extensiveness of his operations may be formed from the fact that in 1917 his corporations paid in war taxes over a half million dollars!
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Joseph H. Jackson, born at New Durham, N. H., June 11, 1:87, studied law in New York city after his graduation from Dartmouth College, and practiced in Albany for a time before locating in Malone about 1833. Mr. Jackson was a man of illustrious abilities, and a remarkably strong lawyer. It used to be said of him that his mind was so disciplined and precise that before putting a pen to paper he had always so thoroughly digested his subject that in reducing his plead- ings or communications to the press to writing there never had to be a single erasure or interlineation. The county probably never had an abler lawyer. He was appointed district attorney in 1841, was elected to the Assembly in 1843, and in 1844 was the Whig nominee for canal commissioner. He died January ?, 1856.
William A. Jones, born at Lancaster, Ont., September 25, 1834, removed at an early age with his parents to St. Lawrence county, and when old enough to fend for himself came to Malone, worked his way through Franklin Academy, then elerked in the drug store of Lauriston Amsden, and at length began business on his own account as a grocer. During the civil war he raised a company for the 112d regiment, and became its captain. He was an efficient and brave officer, and was successively promoted to be major and lieutenant-colonel -in which latter rank he was for a time in command of the regiment. Soon after his return to Malone he was appointed to a elerkship in the New York custom house, and was advanced for efficiency to be a deputy collector, and also at one time to be deputy naval officer of the port. His entire service in the custom house covered a period of more than twenty years - during the latter part of which, and afterward, he made his home at Richmond Hill, L. I. Twenty years ago or such a matter he pur- chased what had once been the Ferguson hop farms in the village of Malone, and thereafter made his home in summer here, and was one of the most thorough, as well as one of the largest, growers in the State. Colonel Jones was companionable and genial, warm in his friendships, public spirited, progressive, and ardent in politics - having been a Republican from his early manhood, and always a party worker. He died December 12, 1909.
William King, born in New Hampshire in 1793, came to Malone in 1831, and established a tannery and boot and shoe shop on Mill street, which he continued successfully for a number of years. In 1837 he engaged in the mercantile business in a long, low frame building that stood on the site of the present King Block, but was moved in 1850 to
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the west of the block, and turned end to the street. In 1848 he admitted his son, William Wallace, and the next year Howard E., to a partner- ship, and a little later disposed of the business as a whole to them. He built on Catherine street, in 1844, the first potato starch factory in the county, and at various times was engaged in a considerable number of enterprises, including farming and lumbering in a large way for that time. Ill educated, he was a man of uncommon natural abilities, was notably successful in his undertakings, and for a long time was a force in all of the town's affairs. He was appointed judge of the court of common pleas in 1843. His home was where the Hyde and F. W. Lawrence Co. stores now are, and was burned March 27, 1847 -- the date having been cited commonly for half a century as the time of the greatest snow storm ever known in Malone. The snow was four feet deep on the level, all of it having fallen that day, and made it impos- sible to get the old fire engine to the ground, and practically prevented efficient fighting of the flames in any way. The house was rebuilt, and stood, with alterations, until 1899. Mr. King's judgment commanded universal respect, and his purpose to be helpful in all proper directions was manifested to the end. He was stricken with paralysis in 1861, and for nearly two years had no use of his limbs, and only a slight command of the organs of speech, but the vigor and clarity of his intellect continued unimpaired. He died August 3, 1863. ,
William Wallace King, born in Keene, N. H., August 18, 1823, came to Malone with his father in 1831. What his boyhood was no now procurable data tell definitely, but as in his time children were seldom reared in idleness, no matter what the circumstances of their parents, it is a safe assumption that in some way he had to " earn his keep." In 1848 he became a partner with his father in the mercantile business, and continued in that line, together with various outside enterprises, until 1875, when he relinquished his interest in the store for some of the firm's other investments. In 1877 failing health and mind compelled his withdrawal practically from all business activities. As long as he was himself, however, he was one of the shrewdest, most energetic and dominating characters, and one of the most extensive operators, particularly in hops and starch, that Malone ever had, and also one of the most successful. He was enterprising and public spirited to a degree, with an aggressive interest in politics, though never seeking or holding public office except that he was county treasurer from 1852 to 1855, that he was once supervisor, and that he was village
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president - the first to hold the last named position who distinguished his service by real progressiveness. It was under his administration that Memorial Park was greatly improved; that care was exercised for the first time to keep the streets cleanly ; and that the space between the sidewalks and the curbs was made greensward and kept nicely trimmed. Much of the new work of an adorning character was performed at Mr. King's personal expense, his own private employee devoting most of his time to village service. The writer recalls having complimented Mr. King upon the great improvements that he had accomplished, but with inquiry as to what the taxpayers would say when they came to learn the cost. Mr. King's reply is worth repeating: "Don't worry about that, my boy; for the people never kick provided they get their money's worth." He was right, and the amazing feature of the matter to-day is that the entire village tax then was only about five thousand dollars, while now it ranges around forty thousand dollars. When not dis- turbed by cares, or thwarted in his plans, Mr. King was one of the most genial of men, with a keen liking for fun, and always willing to pay to have it provided. If anxious or annoyed, few could be more abrupt or gruff. He was an excellent citizen, useful in a multitude of ways. For the last few months of his life he was helpless physically, and a mental wreck. He died September 15, 1881.
Howard E. King, born in Putney, Vt., August 19, 1825, came to Malone with his parents in 1831, and for forty years from the time of attaining his majority was a conspicuous factor in the business and political life of the town and county. As a boy he worked in the old cotton factory, on a farm, and finally as clerk in his father's store - becoming a partner in the latter in 1849, and subsequently acquiring the business with his brother, William Wallace. This partnership con- tinued until 1875, when the senior member retired, and John W. Fay and William H. King succeeded to an interest in the business. Then Mr. Fay withdrew, and H. E. King & Son continued it until they failed in 1899, with liabilities of $82,000. The King store had been regarded for nearly half a century as one of the strongest in this section of the State, and had enjoyed a remarkably large trade. It never pretended to offer low prices, but in a period when barter and charge accounts were more a feature of merchandizing than now it did extend prac- tically unlimited credit, and never demanded settlements while a cus- tomer continued willing to be charged interest on balances. The failure was caused in large part by losses on hops, which the firm
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handled extensively. From the time of the failure to his death Mr. King, broken in health and spirit, lived quietly, and without occupation other than that of collector of village school taxes. He had been super- visor of Malone for nine years, was for a long time president of the Peoples National Bank, and was always interested in politics and public matters. He was courteous, considerate and respected. He died July 9, 1909.
In connection with these King personal sketches it would be inex- cusable to omit mention of King's Hall - a room to which attach more stirring and touching memories than any other in Malone except the churches. Its seating capacity was perhaps four hundred, and its fur- nishings only a small, low platform or stage, and benches for seats. Yet it was for nearly twenty years from 1850 the only assembly room in the town other than the churches and the court room; and in it were given such lectures, concerts and minstrel entertainments as the place enjoyed, and there also most public and political meetings used to be held. Down its stairs and pouring into the street, to the strains of martial music, came the Wide Awakes in uniform and with torches and banners in the memorable Lincoln campaign of 1860, and there, too, a few months later we had one of our first war meetings, when hearts beat riotously and blood ran hot because Sumter had been fired upon. Our first company of volunteers was recruited there in April of 1861. It was in this hall also that many war meetings were held during the ensuing four years, and that much of the Republican party's local his- tory was enacted and written, it having been for twenty years the place for holding caucuses and conventions. Here, too, in the time when there was neither telegraph nor telephone reaching to most of the out- lying towns, the Republicans were accustomed to gather on election night to receive the returns - men driving for long distances through mud and storm to bring tidings from their respective districts, and telegraphic reports coming in to tell of results in the State at large. All hearts overflowed with gladness if the news were good, and from time to time until early morning hours jocular or impassioned short talks were made by Wheeler, Dickinson, Parmelee, Seaver, Hobbs, Kilburn, Brennan, Gilbert and others. If its walls could but speak what a story they might tell ! For all this Republican usage never was more than a nominal charge made, and often there was no bill at all - not even for the gas that was burned. In 1884 the hall was converted into a lodge room for the Odd Fellows, and is now the meeting room for the Grange.
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Abraham Klohs, born in Exeter, Penn., in 1819, was educated as a mechanical and civil engineer, and his first railroad work was on the Reading in the latter capacity. Next he was similarly employed in Ireland for two years, and in 1849 joined the force which was then building the old Northern Railroad (now the O. & L. C. division of the Rutland), and with the exception of two periods aggregating six or seven years remained with the line until his death. After construction was finished his service was altogether as master mechanic or super- intendent, with location at first at Rouses Point, but after 1858 at Malone. Painstaking to give an efficient and safe service, Mr. Klohs was otherwise much of the Vanderbilt mould -resentful of outside inquiry concerning accidents, delays or methods of management, and disposed to hold that "the public be damned "; and when annoyed quite apt to make that view manifest in a direct, emphatic and brusque manner. Otherwise he was genial and sociable, and was a favorite with the men under him and with people generally. Of inventive mind. he perfected many devices which became invaluable in railroad operation, and which he gave freely to the company. Had he chosen to patent these, they would undoubtedly have made him independently rich. Mr. Klohs died at Malone April 14, 1885.
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