USA > New York > Warren County > Queensbury > History and biography of Washington county and the town of Queensbury, New York > Part 45
USA > New York > Washington County > History and biography of Washington county and the town of Queensbury, New York > Part 45
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Doctor Daniel C. Farr is a member of the Presbyterian church, and has been superin- tendent of its Sunday school for many years, and is a member of the executive committee for the Sunday school society of the State.
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He is active, liberal and progressive, and al- ways keeps in view the prosperity of his scliool and its intimate relations to the progress of morality and religion.
GORODON H. PIERCE, the present postmaster of Salem, and who has been largely interested in the manufacture of roof- ing slate for nearly a quarter of a century, is a son of Hiram and Lydia (Harris) Pierce, and was born at Guilford, Vermont, in 1841. I-Iiram Pierce was of English extraction, and a native of Dummerston, Vermont. He was born in the initial year of this wonderful nine- teenth century of progress, invention and achievement, and lived two years beyond man's allotted age of three score and ten. He was a slate manufacturer and a republican in political affairs. He wedded Lydia Harris, who was born in 1799, at Chesterfield, New Hampshire, who survived her husband twelve years, dying in 1884, at the advanced age of eighty-five years.
Corodon H. Pierce was reared at Guilford, Vermont, received his education in the com- mon schools and Claremont academy, New Hampshire, and then was engaged in the gen- eral mercantile business in Massachusetts for some time. After disposing of his stock of goods he left Massachusetts and went to Guil- ford, Vermont, then Brattleboro, Vermont. Was engaged in the same business in both towns, where he embarked in the manufac- ture of roofing slate, which business he con- ducted there up to 1870. In that year he came to Salem, where he continued to operate his slate quarries successfully until 1891, when he was commissioned postmaster of Salem by President Harrison, resigning the man- agement of his slate business so as to give his time fully to the postoffice.
In`1861 Mr. · Pierce was united in marriage with Sarah J. Boyden, of Brattleboro, Ver- mont, who died in 1868.
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Corodon H. Pierce attends the Presbyterian
church, and contributes to its support. He is a stanch republican and an active worker for his party whenever occasion requires him, and was president of the republican organiz- ation in the presidential campaign of 1888.
M ELVIN THOMAS, breeder of Guern-
sey cattle, Ohio improved Chester swine, Mammoth Bronze turkeys, etc., of Middle Falls, was born in the town of Easton, this county, February 18, 1861, and is a son of Smith and Phœbe (Wilbur) Thomas. The name is of Weich origin, the founder of the family in New England coming from Wales, and settling in Connecticut, being among the early settlers of that State. Jared Thomas (great-grandfather) is supposed to have been born in that State. His son, whose name was also Jared, was born in Washington county, New York, and owned and operated a large farm in the town of Easton. He was a zeal- ous Quaker in religious belief, strong in his anti-slavery proclivities. He was twice mar- ried. His first wife was Matilda Mead, by whom he had four children : Abel, Phœbe, Smith and Hannah. His second wife, Sally Mead, was a sister of his first wife, by whom he had no issue. His death occurred in Jan- uary, 1864, aged sixty-six years. Smith Thomas (father) was born August 14, 1829, in the town of Easton, receiving his education prin- cipally by self study, and remained on his father's farm until he had come of age, and has since been engaged in general farming. He is a prohibitionist in political opinion, and is a member of the Society of Friends, and since 1870 has been one of the trustees of Mar- shall seminary, a Quaker institution, located in the village of Easton. He wedded Phœbe Wilbur, and by her has had three sons and three daughters : Cora, Melvin, Jared, Anna, Fones and Abbie.
Melvin Thomas received his elementary ed- ucation in the district schools of his native town, and afterward took an academical course
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at the Marshall seminary. At the age of twenty he commenced teaching school during the winter season, and farmed in summer. In the spring of 1885 he rented the farm on which he now resides, where he carried on general farming until 1888, since which time he has made a specialty of blooded stock and fowls, and in addition to his cattle, swine, etc., he expects to breed the Lincoln stock of sheep. He sells and ships his stock to almost every section of New England and the south and west, and experiences little trouble in finding ready sale for all he raises. At the New York and New England fair, held at Troy, in 1893, received first and second prizes on mammoth bronze turkeys raised by him ; and also at the general fair, held at Cambridge ; and first at New York State fair, held at Syracuse; and first, second and third at Madison Square, New York city. He made some forty entries at the fairs, taking prizes on them all. He is an extensive advertiser in the leading farm journals throughout the country, and expects to breed on his farm the French Coach horse. He has probably received more prizes and met with more encouragement than any other blooded stock grower in northern New York.
Mr. Thomas is trustee of Marshall seminary, is a leading member of the Patrons of Indus- try ; member of the Society of Friends, and of the political Equality club. Formerly he was identified with the Republican party, but now is a prohibitionist, and was one of the organizers of that party in the town of Eas- ton, and served as secretary of the county Prohibition convention, held at Salem in 1885. He helped to organize the Prohibition club in his town, and of which he is secretary and treasurer ; he is also a member of the farmers' co-operative association. Mr. Thomas has always been identified with the various move- ments and enterprises intended for the better- ment and development of his town.
On December 3, 1884, he married Sarah J. Lawton, and has four children : Grace L., William Saint John, Jared Fayette and Edith
Rosetta. Mr. Thomas has recently purchased a large farm near Quaker Springs, New York, and has moved there, and will continue breed- ing the choicest stock in the county.
W ILBUR FRYER, ex-supervisor, and a member of a well known family of the town of Easton, is a son of Jacob and Sarah (Wilbur) Fryer, and was born October 10, 1841, in the house where he now resides, in the town of Easton, Washington county, New York. The family originally came from Holland, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, coming from that country prior to the war of the Revolution, locating in the vicinity of Al- bany, and residing there all his life. He was the father of a number of children : Philip (grandfather), John, Jacob, Agnes Hush, Ann Pierce, and Betsy Cloud. At his death he was over eighty years of age. His son, Philip, re- moved into the town of Easton, where he re- sided several years, and died at Easton Cor- ners in that town. He was a whig in politics and served as a private soldier in the war of 1812. He wedded Bridget Sweet, and had nine children, five sons and four daughters : Valen- tine, John (was drowned in Saratoga lake at the age of about thirty-five years), Charles, William, Jacob the oldest, Mary A., Susan, one who died in infancy, and Sarah. Philip Fryer died at the age of eigthy years or over, in 1872, near Easton Corners.
Jacob Fryer (father) was a farmer by occu- pation, and worked with his father some at the cooper trade, and the most of his life was spent in the town of Easton. After accumulating two hundred dollars, while yet a very young man, he purchased a small tract of land, where he engaged in potato raising and also specu- lated considerably in that product. In 1840 he bought the farm where his son Wilbur now re- sides, comprising one hundred and seven acres. He was a member of the Society of Friends and a republican in politics. His wife was Sarah Wilbur, by whom he had two children:
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Thomas, who died in infancy, and Wilbur. Jacob Fryer died January 8, 1894, in the eighty- second year of his age.
Wilbur Fryer received his early education in the common schools of his town, and after- ward attended the Greenwich academy then taught by Prof. James Dobbin. Leaving school at the age of twenty, he was for some thirty years engaged with his father in farm- ing and potato buying. He is one of the lead- ing republicans of his town, having served one term as supervisor, which office he did not seek, but at the earnest solicitations of his friends he accepted it, giving general satisfac- tion to the business men of his neighborhood in his administration of that office. He is a member of the Patrons of Industry, and takes a deep interest in the proceedings of that order.
On November 13, 1866, he wedded Patience Haviland, daughter of Caleb Haviland. To this marriage have been born two children: O. J. and W. Byron. Mrs. Fryer's family are of Pittston, her father being a farmer in that section, where he owns a large farm. Some members of the family are members of the So- ciety of Friends : being eight children beside Mrs. Fryer : James L., Elizabeth Wilbur (dead), Jane Newcomb, Emma Lawson, Anna (deceased), H. J., Nettie Herrington (dead), and Cornelia Hall.
L EMON THOMSON, M. D., a promi-
nent physician and surgeon of Glens Falls, is a son of Edward and Mariah (More- house) Thomson, and was born at Johnsburg, Warren county, New York, July 19, 1857. Edward Thomson, was a native of Athol, in the same county, and is now living a retired life in Glens Falls, in the sixty-ninth year of his age. He followed the trade of blacksmith in connection with farming, and since 1885 he has been a citizen of Glens Falls. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and a life-long member of the Republican party. His father, Charles C. Thomson, was a na-
tive of New Jersey, and became one of the early settlers, with his brother Benjamin, in the town of Johnsburg. They went there to live when they were only nine and eleven years of age respectively, with Jolın Thurman, after whom the town of Johnsburg was named. Charles C. Thomson was reared in that town, where he learned the trade of blacksmith, dying at Johnsburg, March 1, 1860, having been born in 1790. The founder of the Thom- son family in America was the great-great- grandfather, who came from the north of Ire- land and settled in New Jersey long prior to the war of the Revolution. His son, who was the great-grandfather of Dr. Thomson, was a graduate of Princeton college, and afterward became a lawyer and died early in life, leaving the two sons above mentioned, Charles C. and Benjamin. Edward Thomson wedded Mariah Morehouse, who was born in the town of Hebron, Washington county, and is now in the sixty-third year of her age. Her father, Thomas Morehouse, was also a native of Washington county, subsequently removed to Warren county, where he died at the age of seventy years.
Lemon Thomson, M. D., was brought up at Johnsburg, and received an academical edu- cation. After leaving school he commenced the study of medicine in the office of Dr. John Swinborne, now deceased, of Albany, who in his day was one of the most erninent surgeons in the State. Dr. Thomson afterward gradu- ated, on March 1, 1882, from the Albany Medi- cal college, and then remained with his old preceptor till January 1, 1883, when in April of that year he went to Europe, where he visited various hospitals in London, Paris, Christiana, Copenhagen and Stockholm. He then studied for one year in the university at Berlin, and also one year in the university at Vienna. Returning home at the end of that time, he located in practice at Glens Falls, and on December 1, 1885, opened the Glens Falls hospital and dispensary, which he con- tinued to manage up to 1888, when he was
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appointed under the Harrison administration, United States pension examiner, in which ca- pacity he served till Cleveland came into office, when Dr. Thomson sent in his resignation, and has since been engaged in the general practice of medicine.
On June 5, 1886, Dr. Thomson was married to Luli Rugge. They are the parents of two children : George Rugge, aged six, and Kath- leene Louise, aged four. Dr. Thomson is a member of the Glens Falls Lodge of Masons, No. 121, of Glens Falls, and the Red Men's Tribe, No. 139. In politics he is an active and influential republican. Dr. Thomson claims that he learned more of the true princi- ples of surgery under his old preceptor, Dr. Swinborne, than in all the hospitals of Europe that he visited. He believed in conservative surgery and used the knife only when it was absolutely necessary. Dr. Thomson was closely associated with him for three years, and the last year was first assistant in his dispen- sory.
T THEODORE C. WALLACE, a promi-
nent and the oldest physician of the vil- lage of Cambridge, and a graduate of Yale col- lege, in the class of 1848, was born in the town of Easton, Washington county, New York, September 6, 1829, and is a son of James and Patience S. (Anthony) Wallace. James Wal- lace (father) was a native of County Down, Ireland, who came to the United States in 1820, at that time being about thirty years of age; and after his arrival in this country he first located in Troy, where he afterward be- came a contractor on public works. He did extensive contracting and accumulated consid- erable wealth. His wife was Patience S. An- thony, who was a daughter of John Anthony, of Rhode Island. To this marriage were born three sons and three daughters: Dr. Theodore C., Eliza B., widow of Henry H. Stevens, re- siding at Baltimore, are all now living of the children. James Wallace died in 1833, in the city of Troy, at the age of about forty years ;
his wife passed away in 1857, aged seventy-two years. She was an active member in the Methodist Episcopal church, and the last ten years of her life were spent in Wilmington, Delaware.
Dr. Theodore C. Wallace, after his gradua- tion from college, commenced the study of medicine in Wayne county, under the tutelage of Doctors Hillman and Polloch, and later read in Troy and under Prof. Alden March, of Albany Medical college. After preparing himself to enter college he matriculated at the Geneva Medical college, from which institu- tion he was graduated in 1850. He first com- menced the practice of his profession at Pal- myra, Wayne county, New York, where he was engaged in the practice for two years, when he accepted the position of surgeon on the Collin's line of steamers running between New York city and Liverpool, England, remaining in this capacity for four years. In 1859 he located in Cambridge, where he has remained ever since, excepting a time he was serving in the United States army. He is a leading mem- ber of the Washington County Medical society, of the Union Medical association, of the New York State Medical society, and is also a mem- ber of Cambridge Valley Lodge, Free and Ac- cepted Masons. He has been a member of this lodge for thirty-four years, and for five years filled the office of master ; is also a mem- ber of Apollo Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of Troy. In his political tenets he is a stanch democrat, and has served as health officer of the village.
On December 20, 1861, Doctor Wallace en- listed as assistant surgeon of the 93d New York regiment. In September of the following year he was promoted to surgeon of the 6ist New York, and on March 7, 1864, he resigned on account of ill health, receiving his discharge on account of general disability. During his service in the army he participated in every battle in the army of the Potomac ; was in the Peninsula campaign, first fight at Antietem, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg,
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Mine Run and Cold Harbor, receiving his dis- charge from the latter place. While at Chan- cellorsville he was taken prisoner, but was held only about one hour, when he was rescued.
On December 6, 1859, Doctor Wallace was wedded to Mary J., a daughter of Daniel Rice, of the village of Cambridge.
C APT. GEORGE NEDDO, who has for the last eight years held the important position of marine insurance adjuster for some of the best companies in the United States and Canada, was born in Rouse's Point, New York, which he has always made his home, on April 26, 1840. He is a son of Peter and Mary (Belele) Neddo, who were both born in the Dominion of Canada, and where they were married, coming to the United States in 1837. Peter Neddo was forced to leave his native country on account of his being one of Papin- eau's soldiers, and was given his choice to leave the country or be hanged. He located immedi- ately after his arrival in the village of White- hall, where he resided until his death occurred in 1856, having been born in 1802. He was a member of the Catholic church, and by oc- cupation was a boat-builder. His wife died in 1885, at the age of eighty-one years ; she was also a member of the Catholic church.
Capt. George Neddo grew to manhood in Whitehall, receiving his education in the schools of that village, and after leaving school, at the age of sixteen, commenced work at ship- carpentering, at which he continued up to the breaking out of the war in 1861. In that year he enlisted in Co. A, 6th Vermont infantry, as a private, and served for three years and three months, being discharged at Brattleboro, Ver- mont, October 20, 1864, with the rank of cap- tain. In 1865 he commenced work again at boat-building at Whitehall, where he has con- tinued manufacturing canal boats ever since. He has completed since engaging in this busi- ness himself, one hundred and sixty canal boats, which is a greater number than has been
built by any other man in Whitehall. In 1888 he accepted the position of marine insurance adjuster, operating north of Troy and in Can- ada, for some of the best insurance companies. Captain Neddo has been twice married : first in 1865, to .Mary Brown, of Whitehall ; her death occurred in 1866, leaving one child, a daughter, Kate, who is the wife of John Mor- ris, formerly of England, but now a resident of Whitehall ; his second marriage was in 1867, to Delia Archabault, of Canada. By the last marriage there have been born four sons and six daughters : Mary, Oliver, Delia, Emma, Henry, Eva, Clara, Thomas L., Robert C., and Phronie, who died in 1893, in her seventh year.
In political opinion Captain Neddo is a stanch republican, served on excise board, and has been village trustee, and takes an active interest in the success of his party.
H ON. CORNELIUS LANSING AL-
LEN, who served from 1851 to 1859 as a justice of the supreme court of New York, from the fourth judicial district, was a son of Hon. David and Elizabeth (Lansing) Allen, and was born at Lansingburgh, New York, July 17, 1800. The Allen family in this county trace their ancestry back to Lieut. Gideon Allen, who served in the British army during the reign of Queen Anne. Hon. David Allen (father) was an eminent lawyer, served in both houses of the legislature, and was surrogate for one term of Rensselaer county. He mar- ried Elizabeth Lansing, a daughter of Cor- nelius and Hester (Vanderhuyden) Lansing.
Judge Allen was graduated from Princeton college in 1818, read law with Hon. David Russell, of Salem, and was admitted to the bar in 1821. He was successively in partnership with Mr. Russell and Hon. B. Blair, and then was by himself until he retired from the active practice of his profession. Judge Allen was elected to the supreme court in November, 1851, and served for eight years. His career as a lawyer and a judge was marked by zeal
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and quickness to grasp the salient points of a law case. He held many offices of trust and responsibility in his village, being president of Washington academy and the National bank of Salem.
Judge Allen, in 1828, wedded Sarah H. Russell, daughter of Hon. David and Alida (Lansing) Russell, of Salem.
N ELSON G. BAKER, a successful busi- ness man at Sandy Hill, since 1868, and dealer in sewing machines, pianos and organs, is a son of Morrell and Elizabeth (Taylor) Baker, and was born in what is now the town of Fort Ann, Washington county, New York, April 14, 1841.
Morrell Baker was also a native of this county, and for many years he carried on the manufacturing of woolen goods at Fort Ann, and afterward removed his business to Oneida, Warren county, where he continued to manu- facture goods up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1855, at fifty-seven years of age. He was a man of prominence and influence in his community, successful in business, and a leading member of the Baptist church ; a whig and republican in his political opinion, and held the office of justice of the peace and other town offices. His father, Nathan Baker, was born in Massachusetts. Morrell Baker was twice married : his first wife was Lydia Ann Baker, of Fort Ann, by whom he had three children, two of whom are now living : Mrs. Catharine C. Baker, living near Chicago, and Julia, who married Carver Brewster, of Kansas; his second wife was Elizabeth Taylor, who was a native of the town of Argyle, and whose death occurred in 1854. in the fifty-fourth year of her age. She was a member of the Baptist church, and a daughter of John Taylor, who emigrated from Scotland in the latter part of the eighteenth century, and settled in the town of Argyle. He was of Scotch-Irish extraction, and a member of the United Presbyterian church of Argyle; being engaged in farming
during all his life, and died at the age of ninety- two years.
Nelson G. Baker was principally reared and educated in Lake county, Illinois, and after leaving the common schools attended an aca- demy for several terms. In July, 1862, he en- listed in Co. B, 104th Illinois volunteer regi- ment as a private, and remained in the service for one year, when he was discharged on ac- count of disability. He participated in the battle of Stone river, where he was taken pris- oner, afterward exchanged and discharged, he returned to this county and accepted employ- ment with his cousins, a lumber firm at Platts- burgh, and remained with them, in the capa- city of a traveling salesman, with headquarters at Plattsburg, for a period of five years. In 1868 Mr. Baker located at Sandy Hill, and with a small capital started in his present business, which has steadily prospered year by year. Dealing in the very best makes of machines and musical instruments, he has suc- ceeded through persistent effort, to sell the best as cheap as any other house, thereby ·commanding at present a large and lucrative trade.
Nelson G. Baker, in May, 1867, was married to Abbey A. Giddings, daughter of William B. Giddings, of Poultney, Vermont, and has three children living : Wilbert G., Arthur G., and Herman C. He is a member of the Episcopal church at Sandy Hill, and Collin Post, Grand Army of the Republic.
E. W. SKEELS, one of the leading busi- ness men and well known dealers in vegetables and meats, of the village of White- hall, was born in the northern part of the town of Whitehall, Washington county, New York, June 26, 1847, and is a son of Samuel G. and Hannahı (Belden) Skeels. Samuel G. Skeels was born in the same house in which was born the subject of this sketch, in the year 1816, and for the past four years has been a resident of the village of Whitehall, removing
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there from his farm. He has always been en- gaged in general farming until he retired from business a few years ago. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and is a stanch republican in politics. He wedded Hannah Belden, a member of one of the old and early settled families of Washington county, noted for its longevity. Her native place is the town of Dresden, this county, where she was born in 1821, and is still in the enjoyment of good health.
William Skcels (grandfather) emigrated from Woodbury, Connecticut, to Washington county, and became one of the early settles of the town of Whitehall, where he resided for sixty-eight years, dying in 1860, at the age of eighty-one. His wife, Ann Rich, was born at Londonderry, New Hampshire, and also be- longed to one of the pioneer families who early made homes on this soil. Her death occurred in the eighty fourth year of her age. The Skeels are of Scotchi descent.
E. W. Skeels was reared to manhood on the farm, and after leaving the district schools hie went to Castleton, Vermont, where he attended the Castleton seminary. Leaving here at the age of sixteen years, he began teaching dis- trict school, which he followed for nine win- ters. At the age of twenty-five he gave up teaching to engage in farming, having pur- chased a farm in the town of Whitehall. He successfully carried on farming for five years, when at the end of that time he removed to the village of Whitehall, where he has since been engaged in the meat and vegetable busi- ness, his sales aggregating fifteen thousand dollars annually, and he has the leading estab- lishment of the kind in the village.
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