USA > New York > Warren County > Queensbury > History and biography of Washington county and the town of Queensbury, New York > Part 49
USA > New York > Washington County > History and biography of Washington county and the town of Queensbury, New York > Part 49
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Politically Fred W. Allen is strictly inde- pendent, voting for those he considers the best men, without regard to party considera- tions. He is an elder and trustee of the Pres- byterian church, and trustee of the union school of his village. He is also trustee and secretary of the Elmwood Cemetery associa- tion, and foreman of the Penrhyn Engine and Hose Company, of Middle Granville. Mr. Allen is a public spirited citizen and takes an active interest in the welfare of his town, vil- lage and county. He is affable in manner, and among the most popular men of his sec- tion.
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W ILLIAM H. HUGHES, proprietor of the largest slate works in the United States, and treasurer of Washington county, w ho resides in the village of Granville, of which he is president, is a native of Chapmanville, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, where he was born September 5, 1863. His father, Hugh W. Hughes, was born and reared at Nazareth, North Wales, where he lived until 1857. In that year he came to the United States, set- tling first at Dodgeville, Wisconsin, which he soon afterward left to locate in the copper region of Lake Superior, where he was en- gaged in copper mining for a time. In 1860 he removed to Hampton, this county, but in a short time went to Chapmanville, North- ampton county, Pennsylvania, where he re- maine until after the close of our Civil war. His next move was to Rhinebeck, on the Hud- son river, where he engaged in the manufac- ture of black slate. Later he went to Hoosick, Rensselaer county, New York, where he also began the manufacture of black slate, but in 1868 abandoned it and located at Granville, where he passed the remainder of his life. After coming here he embarked in the manu- facture of red roofing slate, but in a year or two abandoned that and opened some sea- green slate quarries in Rutland county, Ver- mont, in the handling of which he became quite successful. He continued the manufac- ture of sea-green slate for roofing purposes until his death in February, 1890, when well advanced in the fifty-fourth year of his age. At the time of his death he was successfully operating eleven sea-green slate quarries, being the largest roofing slate manufacturer in this country, and was widely known as "the Slate king of America." His enterprises gave em- ployment to a large number of men in Gran- ville and vicinity, and he was universally re- spected by the people. He was president of the Granville National bank at the time of his death ; an ardent republican in politics, and a regular attendant and liberal contributor to the Welsh Presbyterian church of this village. -
Notwithstanding the fact that his education was limited, he was a man of fine natural abil- ity, and after experimenting with the different słates of this country until he struck the sea- green roofing slate, he finally scored a remark- able success, accumulated a fortune, and left a large estate at his death. Before coming to this country he married Sarah Leming, who, like himself, was a native of Wales, and a member of an old Welsh family. Mrs. Hughes ' spends her time partly in Granville with her son, William H. Hughes, and partly at Eas- ton, Pennsylvania. She is a member of the Lutheran church.
William H. Hughes was reared principally in the village of Granville, this county, and was graduated from the North Granville Mili- tary academy in 1881. 1 During the next year he visited Europe, and spent some time in different countries and capitals of the old world. Returning to the United States in March, 1883, he went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he established a commission house for selling roofing slate, and was successfully en- gaged in that business for a period of five years. He then traveled for one year, selling roofing slate in all parts of the west and northwest, making his headquarters at Chicago. In 1889, on account of his father's declining health, he returned to New York and became a partner with the elder Hughes in his various slate en- terprises here. The firm name became H. W. Hughes & Son, and the active management was largely assumed by the son. This firm continued in existence until the father's death in 1890, when William H. Hughes purchased his mother's interest in the business, and has since that time conducted this vast enterprise alone, under the name of W. H. Hughes. Under his energetic management the business has increased until it is now fully one-third larger than that done at any time by his father, and being far in advance of any other similar enterprise in this country, fairly entitles him to the designation first given to his father -- Slate king of America. His various works
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give employment to more than three hundred and fifty men, and he is treasurer of the Ver- mont Slate Company, which handles all the sea green slate manufactured in the State of Vermont. Mr. Hughes is also a stockholder in both the Granville banks, and has erected two of the handsomest blocks in that village, one a brick structure and the other a large stone building. These fine business blocks add materially to the appearance of Granville. One is occupied by the Granville National bank and the other by the Farmers' National bank. Mr. Hughes' office is in the stone structure, and is elegantly fitted up and lux- uriously furnished.
On April 28, 1886, William H. Hughes was united in marriage to Julia Forbes. Politically Mr. Hughes is a stanch republican and pro- tectionist, taking an active interest in the suc- cess of his party and its principles. He was chairman of the county republican committee in 1891, and is now serving as president of the village of Granville. In the fall of 1893 he was elected treasurer of Washington county, and entered upon the duties of that office Jan- uary 1, 1894. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, a member of the Mystic Shrine, and is also connected with Mettowee Lodge, No. 559, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and with the Improved Order of Red Men, and the Independent Order of Elks. Mr. Hughes is pleasant and genial in manner, easily ap- proached, and one of the most popular men in Washington county.
H ON. JEROME LAPHAM, president of the First National bank of the village of Glens Falls, and ex-State assemblyman, and one of the most prominent and successful business men of that village, was born in the town of Queensbury, Warren county, New York, December 4, 1823, and is a son of Jona- than Lapham and Elizabeth Heeley Lapham. Jonathan Lapham was a native of the same town, where he was born in 1798, where he
afterward resided, in the town and village of Glens Falls, up to his death, which occurred in 1860. For several years in the latter part of his life he lived in the village of Glens Falls, removing there from the town of Queensbury, where he had been engaged in farming ; a member of the Society of Friends, a whig and afterward a republican in politics. He was united in marriage with Elizabeth Heeley, who was a native of Pennsylvania, and whose death occurred in January, 1877. Stephen Lapham, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, became an early settler in the town of Queensbury. He was a man who commanded considerable influence in his day. The Laphams are of Scotch descent.
Jerome Lapham grew to manhood on his father's small farm, in his native town of Queensbury. His early educational advan- tages were meagre, including only the facili- ties for acquiring knowledge then taught in the ordinary district schools, which he after- ward supplemented by a short term at the Glens Falls academy ; but it was on the farm where he gained health, strength and a robust mental and moral stamina, which have stood in good stead, in the years of his maturity, and added thereto abundant tuition, in that greatest and most practical of all institutions- the great school of the successful and active business life. After leaving the farm, for some three or four years young Lapham was employed in the capacity of salesman in a general mercantile establishment at Glens Falls. At the expiration of this time, he associated himself, in 1845, with James Mor- gan, who constituted the firm of Morgan & Lapham, and were until 1856, a period of eleven years, successfully engaged in the general mercantile pursuits, and in the mean- time had added, in connection with these interests, the buying .and selling of lumber. At the end of this time they disposed of their store and confined themselves exclusively to their lumber business. This firm continued upon their prosperous career, devoting their
,
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time and attention exclusively to their immense lumbering trade, up to the year 1864, when the partnership was dissolved, by mutual con- sent, and Mr. Lapham then practically retired from all active business pursuits. Being a man of considerable executive force and ability as a financier, financial institutions of his sec- tion have enlisted his support and been bene- fited by his advice. Several years ago he was made vice-president of the First National bank of Glens Falls, and in 1885 was chosen president of that institution, and is one of the able and conservative directors of that well known banking house. In addition to his bank interests, Mr. Lapham is a director and vice-president of the Glens Falls Insurance company, which is one of the most ably managed and popularly known fire insurance companies now doing business in the United States, and is a member of its executive com- mittee. Glens Falls, with its population of some thirteen thousand, has an excellent and advanced system of public schools, and here is located the old Glens Falls academy, whose popularity and fame as an educational institu- tion is commensurate with the life and growth of the village. The old academy building has been succeeded in recent years by one of the most beautiful and admirably constructed buildings, which challenges the entire country for one more perfect in its arrangements. Feeling the lack of a thorough educational training in his younger days, Mr. Lapham has for many years been a director of this institu- tion, and he has always taken an active and earnest interest in its welfare ; and is also one of the trustees of the Union school of the village. Mr. Lapham served as supervisor of the town of Queensbury for four years, filling the office most acceptably to all the leading citizens of both parties; he was afterward nominated and elected by his party, the re- publicans, a member of the State assembly, serving in the session of 1864-5. Several times he has served as trustee of Glens Falls and also as president of that village,
In 1846 Hon. Jerome Lapham was united in marriage with Hannah Hoyt, a daughter of C. M. Hoyt, of the town of Greenfield, Sara- toga county. To his marriage were born two children, Byron and Helen ; the latter is now the wife of C. L. Rockwell, proprietor of the Rockwell House. The beautiful home of Mr. Lapham, which was erected in 1872-3, is the center of a happy domestic life, after many years of a successful business career, whichi has been synonomous with truth, honor and sincerity.
H ON. CHARLES ROGERS, who served with distinction in the State sen- ate and the congress of the United States, was born in Northumberland, Saratoga county, New York, April 30, 1800. His father, James Rogers, a leading merchant and business man of northern New York, removed to Fort Ed- ward, where he died in 1810, at the early age of thirty-four years. His mother, a daughter of Col. Sidney Berry, afterward married Judge Esek Cowan. Charles Rogers attended Gran- ville academy until he was fourteen years of age, and then entered Union college, from which he was graduated with William H. Sew- ard and other prominent New Yorkers in the class of 1818. Leaving college he read law with Judge Cowan, and was admitted to the bar, but never practiced, living the life of a country gentleman, except when engaged in politics and serving in the State legislature or in congress.
In 1827 Mr. Rogers wedded Susan A. Clark, only daughter of Dr. Russell Clark, and reared a family of three sons and three daughters.
Charles Rogers entered the political field as a supporter of DeWitt Clinton, and afterward was identified with the whig and republican parties. He served two terms in the assem- bly, was barely defeated as the temperance candidate of his district for the State senate, and in 1842 was elected to represent Wash- ington and Essex counties in congress. His congressional career was short but brilliant,
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and his defense of the right of petition against the slave-holding interest of the District of Columbia was a speech of such eloquence and power as to attract general attention. Of com- manding figure, a fine voice and pleasing man- ners, and impressive and eloquent, Charles Rogers was a power on the stump or in a pub- lic body, while as a conversationalist he had but few superiors. Mr. Rogers was an enthu- siastic supporter of the Union cause during the late Civil war, and in 1872 supported Hor- ace Greeley for president, but took no active part in the campaign. He died January 13, 1874, and left behind him a reputation upon which the breath of suspicion never rested for a moment.
ORNELIUS MEALEY, proprietor of the Greenwich Pharmacy, is another of the successful young business men who de- serve mention in this volume. He is a son of Cornelius and Esther (Hayden) Mealey, and was born at Fort Miller, this county, Novem- ber 11, 1861. He grew to manhood on lris father's farm, near Fort Miller, receiving his education in the public schools of that locality, and the graded school of Saratoga Springs. After completing his studies at the latter insti- tution, he accepted a position as clerk in a general mercantile establishment, and con- tinued to follow that occupation in various places until 1880, when he entered the employ of the dry goods firm of Thomas & Coppins, at Schuylerville. There he remained until this firm abandoned the business at that place, and then Mr. Mealey went to Chautauqua to take charge of the dry goods department of the general store conducted by the Chautau- qua Ore and Iron company. After one year he was transferred to the drug department, and successfully conducted that branch of the business until 1885. In the latter year he went to Malone, Franklin county, this State, and en- tered the employ of a leading druggist of that place. In 1886 Mr. Mealey accepted a posi- tion with Rice Brothers, the large drug firm
of Hudsonville, this State, where he remained until 1887. In the spring of that year he re- turned to Washington county, and leasing his present drug store in the Callamer block, Main street, Greenwich, he opened the Greenwich pharmacy and embarked in the drug business on his own account. By careful attention to business he soon built up a nice trade, which has increased as the years passed by, until it is now quite important and lucrative. Here Mr. Mealey keeps at all times a full line of drugs, medicines, paints, oils, toilet articles, stationery, silverware, and the thousand and one other articles pertaining to these various departments.
On January 15, 1881, Mr. Mealey was mar- ried to Harriet Van Buren, youngest daughter of Joseph Van Buren, proprietor of a gentle- man's furnishing store in the city of New York. To Mr. and Mrs. Mealey has been born one child, a son, named Clarence C. In his po- litical affiliations Mr. Mealey is a stanch democrat, but has never taken any active part in politics, preferring to give his time and at- tention entirely to business. He is a member of the Catholic church, and one of the most highly esteemed young business men of the county.
The Mealeys are an old Irish family, for many generations resident in County Clare, where Cornelius Mealey, father of the subject of this sketch, was born and reared. In 1834, when twenty-two years of age, he came to America and settled in Ontario, Canada. He was a railroad contractor in Canada, but some years later removed to North Creek, Warren county, New York, where he operated a tannery for a number of years. In 1850 he came to this county, and purchasing a farm at Fort Miller devoted the remainder of his ac- tive life to agricultural pursuits. He continued farming until 1889, when he removed to the village of Greenwich and retired from all ac- tive business. His death occurred in 1891, when he was well advanced in the seventy- ninth year of his age. He was a man of fine mind
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and good education, and taught school in his native country for several years before coming to America. In 1852 he married Esther Hay- den, a native of Ireland, who had come to this country ten years previous to her marriage. To them was born a family of children. Mrs. Mealey is a member of the Catholic church, as was her husband, and now resides in the village of Greenwich, in the sixty-second year of her age. Another of her sons is John H. Mealey, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this book.
F FREDERICK FRAZER, a young and sucessful lawyer of Salem, and a member of the New York State Constitutional conven- tion of 1893, was born in the village of Salem, Washington county, New York, September 25, 1859. He is a son of Hon. Lawson and Elizabeth M. (Steele) Frazer, and was reared in his native village, where he received his ele- mentary education in the public schools. Leaving the public schools he entered Wash- ington academy, and after taking its full course, became a student in the law office of his father. He was admitted to the bar in 1887, and since then has been engaged in the active and con- tinuous practice of his profession at Salem. He has a fine law practice, and stands in the front rank of the young and rising lawyers of northeastern New York. Mr. Frazer is un- married, and has been a member of Salem United Presbyterian church for several years ; is also a member of Salem Lodge, No. 391, Free and Accepted Masons. In politics he is an ardent supporter of the principles and course of action of the Republican party. Mr. Frazer has taken an active part in the political campaigns of the last ten years in Washington and adjoining counties. Al- though young in years, yet he has been se- lected by his fellow citizens to fill various offices of responsibility ; was supervisor of his town for three terms, served as justice of the peace from 1885 to 1889, and in 1892 was elected as
a member of the State Constitutional conven- tion from Washington county. Mr. Frazer gives close attention to his law business, and stands high as a man and citizen in his native village.
The Frazers are of Scotch descent, and the early home of the family was in the famous highlands of Scotland. At some time during the last century the family in this country was founded by Frazers from Scotland, who set- tled in New England. A descendant of one of these immigrant Frazers was Isaac Frazer, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, and who left his native State of Connecticut to settle in Hebron, this county, where his son, Hon. Lawson Frazer, was born and reared. Hon. Lawson Frazer (father), after complet- ing his education, read law and was admitted to the bar. He came, in 1855, to Salem; where he has practiced his profession ever since. Mr. Frazer was elected surrogate of Washington county in 1871, and at the end of his term, in 1878, was re-elected, serving two terms, or twelve years, from January 1, 1872, to January 1, 1884. He is an active republi- can and a respected member of the United Presbyterian church. Mr. Frazer was married to Elizabeth M. Steele, who was born in the town of Salem, and is a United Presbyterian in religious faith and church membership.
A LBERT H. LASHWAY, one of the leading millers and successful business men of Washington county, was born in Saint Francis, Dominion of Canada, October 19, 1835, and was brought by his parents, in the following year, to the town of Peru, Clinton county, New York, where he was principally reared, receiving his education in the common schools. After leaving school, for a few years he was a salesman in a general store, when he left there and went to learn the milling busi- ness in the village of Peru, where he was en- gaged in milling up to 1875. In that year he came to Patten's Mill, where he has ever since
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been engaged in milling at his present stand. His mill is of water power, which is supposed to have been built in 1800. He manufactures exclusively feed and buckwheat flour. Mr. Lashway has been a resident of Washington county since the fall of 1864, and three years previous to his coming to the county, he was united in marriage to Mary Doudlaw, a dauglı- ter of Silas Doudlaw, of the town of Peru, Clinton county, where they had removed to from Canada. Nine children, three sons and six daughters, have been born to their union : Albert H., jr., Joseph, Frederick, Mary M., Harriet A., Jennie, Sarah, Lillie and Eva. Mr. Lashway is a democrat in politics and has served as school trustee and collector of the school tax of his town. He has several times refused to accept town offices, on account of his private business requiring all his time.
Albert H. Lashway is a son of Joseph Lash- way and Mary (Duke) Lashway. Joseph Lash- way was born at the same place as Albert H., and came to the United States in 1836, locating in the town of Peru, removing from there to Trout Pond, in Essex county, subsequently to New Sweden, where he lived only a few months, going thence to Au Sable Forks, Clinton county, where he became an employee in the J. & J. Rogers Iron Works, remaining with this firm for sixteen years. In 1850 he removed to the village of Peru, afterward to Plattsburg, where he died in 1865, in the fifty-sixth year of his age. He was a member of the Catholic church. His wife was a native of the same place in Canada, and died in Sandy Hill, this county, in 1891, aged eighty-eight years. She had re- sided in Sandy Hill for twenty-one years pre- vious to her death, and was also a member of the Catholic church. The Lashways are of French origin.
JOHIN KEENAN, a son of Robert and Anna (Logan) Keenan, was born Novem- ber 11, 1809, near Castle Dawson, County Derry, Ireland, and in the prime of life became 22a
a resident of the town of Queensbury. He was successful in the lime business, and then retired from active commercial life .. No one has done more for the material advancement of Glens Falls than John Keenan, who secured the railroad to the village and aided largely in its construction. He was also foremost in se- curing the present water works. He served as president of the village, was one of the heaviest stockholders in the railroad, and iden- tified himself with all measures of improve- ment and reform. A Catholic and a democrat, Mr. Keenan was distinguished in public and private life as an energetic man of good sense and warm attachments.
A LDEN M. CRANDALL, superinten-
dent and general manager of the Benning+ ton Pulp Company, of Middle Falls, who has worked his way up, through his energy and good business qualities, to his present position, was born at Cohoes, New York, March 17, 1855, and is a son of Samuel Crandall. The Crandalls came into the State of New York from Rhode Island, where the grandfather of the subject of this sketch was born. Samuel Crandall spent the early part of his life in Dutchess county, thence he removed to Cohoes, then to Johnsonville, and died in Rhode Island. He possessed a very good education, follow- ing the occupation of farming in early life, which he afterward abandoned to engage in the manufacturing business at Johnsonville. In politics he was a member of the Whig party, and also of the Odd Fellows fraternity. His wife was a Miss Shaw, by whom he had six children : Mary A., Miller, Alden M., William II., and two who died in infancy. Samuel Cran- dall's deathi occurred about 1859.
Alden M. Crandall received his education in the schools of the town of Fort Ann. Leaving school at the age of fifteen years, he became an apprentice, serving a term of three years in learning the trade of tinsmith and afterward worked at that calling for thirteen years. At
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the expiration of that time he accepted em- ployment in the pulp mills at Bennington and Lockport, remaining with them up to 1881, after which time he remained with them in the capacity of wood buyer up to 1887, when he was made superintendent and general man- ager of the entire business, which constitutes two pulp mills and two paper mills, one hav- ing a capacity of six tons daily and the other ten tons, and employ on an average about forty men and use in the neighborhood of three thousand cords of wood. Mr. Crandall is a liberal republican in his political opinion and is a member of the excise board of the town of Greenwich.
On December 10, 1876, Alden M. Crandall was wedded to Julia, a daughter of George Kautz. To their marriage have been born five children : Willis, Jennie, Libbie, Raymond and Alden M., jr.
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