USA > New York > Cattaraugus County > History of Cattaraugus County, New York, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers > Part 77
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GER
ARTHUR H. HOWE.
Democrat. His term expires Dec. 31, 1879. He has per- formed service in the clerk's office most of the time since April, 1859, serving under every clerk save one, W. W. Welch, 1871-73.
Mr. Howe was married Dec. 4, 1867. He chose as his life companion Harriet Fox, a native of Ellicottville, this county. She is a daughter of Chauncey J. and Hannah H. Fox, pioneer settlers of this section, and still living at Ellicottville. A portrait and biographical notice of Mr. Fox may be found with the history of the last-named town. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Howe embraces two children. Mr. Howe, both as clerk and deputy, has always been a faithful and indefatigable official, whose continuous and zealous service merits commendation. As a citizen he is also respected and esteemed.
HON. STEPHEN C. GREEN.
One of the leading spirits of Western Cattaraugus, in the embodiment of business ability, combined with genial quali- ties and sterling worth, is he whose name stands at the head of this notice.
Mr. Green was born in Tompkins Co., N. Y., Jan. 1, 1828. His father settled in Jamestown, N. Y., in the year 1833, and our subject resided there until he was twenty- two years of age. At the age of sixteen, however, he was apprenticed to the printing business, and followed it for five years. . At the early age of twenty-one (in 1849) he em- barked in mercantile pursuits, as being more to his tastes
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than the trade he had learned; and he has been engaged in merchandising, with but slight intermissions, ever since that time. His record as a merchant in Little Valley covers most of the time since the spring of 1850, commencing in this village the same season the construction of the Erie Railway was begun.
Sept. 5, 1848, he was married to Miss Laura Ann Thomp- son, of Little Valley, who died June 8, 1867. Dec. 15, 1868, he married Miss Minnie Courtney, of Rushford, N. Y.
In the earlier years of Mr. Green's residence in Little Valley he was elected a justice of the peace, and several times served as town clerk. He officiated also as supervi- sor in the years of 1863 and 1865. In the last-named year he was elected county superintendent of the poor, and in. 1868 was re-elected, filling the office for six years,-making one of the most popular superintendents Cattaraugus County ever had. He was elected to the State Legislature in the fall of 1869, and received a re-nomination in the fall of 1870, by acclamation. He served two terms in that body, sustaining an honorable record. He was a faithful, inde- fatigable representative, always in his seat, and voting upon all questions from convictions of right and duty.
Mr. Green was the first president of the village of Little Valley after its incorporation. He is a thorough patriot in every particular. At the County Centennial Celebration -held at Olean, July 4, 1876-he was the reader of the Declaration of Independence, and enunciated the " inspired revelation of American liberty" with a clear, strong voice, fine emphasis, and a magnetic sympathy with the subject.
Although not a member of any religious organization, he contributed liberally towards the erection of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Little Valley, and more recently towards its repair and in support of the ministry.
Mr. Green is the owner of the " Palace Hotel," at Little Valley (of which a fine view is given elsewhere), and al- though a "natural-born landlord," prefers to let others manage in his stead. Last spring he leased the hotel to Mr. F. K. Alvord, late of Nunda, N. Y., who is its present popular host. S. C. Green is still a resident of Little Valley, -a highly-esteemed citizen, of unsullied personal character, and great private worth.
GEORGE L. WINTERS.
The life of Mr. Winters has been comparatively unevent- ful, and, save in his military career, marked by few incidents except those which are commonly found in the lives of most of our successful and self-made men .. He was emphatically a "man of affairs," industrious, sagacious, and enterprising, early developing those qualities which have so largely con- tributed to his success.
Alphonzo Winters, the father of our subject, was a resi- dent for many years of Cannonsville, Delaware Co., N. Y., from which place he removed to Southport, in Chemung County, this State, where he worked for a few years, mar- ried, and moved West and located in Tecumseh, Mich., when that section was comparatively new, and where he died a few years after his settlement, in 1840, when George was but two years of age. His widow (mother of G. L.), Sally C. Hyde, daughter of 'Squire Hyde, of Southport, N. Y., after the death of her husband, moved with her family to
Portville, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., where her mother then resided. She subsequently married, but the two children of this marriage are both deceased. 'The children of Al- phonzo and Sally Winters were Sarah Eliza and Mary Elizabeth (twins), Alphonzo O., and the subject of this sketch. Mary E. died during their residence in Michigan; Sarah E. has been twice married (to Urial J. Pierce, de- ceased, and Andrew J. Buzzard, both of Humphrey, Catta- raugus Co.), and lives in the town of Humphrey ; Alphonzo married Sarah Ely, of Franklinville, this county, is a farmer, and resides at the last-named place.
GEORGE L. WINTERS.
George L. Winters was born in Tecumseh, Lenawce Co., Mich., April 30, 1838. He started out in life as a school- teacher, teaching several terms; he has also worked at several mechanical pursuits, but has been mostly engaged in farming, for which avocation he has a preference over the many occupations which have engaged his attention.
He contributed his full share of patriotism, and suffered more than the larger proportion of the volunteers in the late war of the Rebellion. Enlisting as a private in Com- pany C, of the 154th Regiment, N. Y. V. Infantry, he rose rapidly, by successive promotions, through the grades of corporal, sergeant, "orderly," second lieutenant, to the rank of captain; but the "fortunes (or rather the misfortunes) of war" prevented his being mustered upon the last-named commission, having an arm shot off in the memorable battle of Gettysburg, being taken prisoner, and having his arm amputated by a rebel surgeon.
March 1, 1865, he was married to Miss Margaret Z. Pierce, daughter of John and Mary Pierce, of Ischua, this county, of which place she was a native.
From the time of casting his first vote until the present time he has acted with the Republican party. He has held no office except the one of which he is the present incum- bent, that of sheriff of Cattaraugus County, being elected thereto in the fall of 1876, in performing the duties of which he gives general satisfaction.
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C
REA
John Alquiler
JOHN MANLEY.
It has been our aim to give in the military chapter of this history, an authentic and reasonably full account of the part taken by Cattaraugus County and her soldiers in the suppression of the Southern rebellion. But no such account can be anything like complete if omitting particular men- tion of the part taken by John Manley, of Little Valley, who, though not a member of the Union army, rendered constant, indefatigable, and invaluable services to the cause, as is attested by a multitude of surviving officers and sol- diers who were in the service.
Having received an appointment as clerk in the Interior Department, at Washington, he was present in that city when the fall of Fort Sumter was announced. A company was that day organized in the Department, in which he was one of the first volunteers; and he served for the defense of the national capital during all the exigencies of 1861 and 1862. For nearly a year he was the only representative of this county in Washington. He witnessed the arrival of the first troops in that city ; and as those from this county arrived was called upon to aid them in various ways, which service was always cheerfully rendered.
In the history of the 37th Regiment is mentioned the letter written by Mr. (afterwards General) P. H. Jones, May 10, 1861, asking Mr. Manley, as the only representa- tive of Cattaraugus in Washington, for information and as- sistance towards the raising of the first companies in the county. This was among the first of the thousands of ap- plications (written and personal) which were made to him during the war, by officers and soldiers, for assistance in a multitude of forms, pecuniary and otherwise. The best
testimony to these facts, and to the manner in which such applications were invariably responded to, is furnished by some of the letters received by him upon those matters, and of which he has more than four thousand now in his possession. From among these the following is given, as showing with what entire freedom-without fear of betrayal-he was made the medium of communication. It is from the letter of a subaltern complaining of the foisting of a stranger as major upon his regiment. " Furthermore, you must be the hearer of all our woes and regimental troubles. Under military regime, there is no one else to whom we can relate the story of our wrongs as to you!" Hundreds of letters asking aid came from privates; numberless ones from line and field officers ; many from soldiers' relatives at home. From the suggestions contained in these letters, many abuses were quietly corrected ; while the confidences of all were ever held sacred. A paymaster neglecting to pay soldiers (of a regiment to him assigned) in hospitals for six months, on the complaint, in a soldier's letter, to Mr. Manley, was or- dered by Secretary Stanton to pay them on the following day ; and that paymaster did so pay them !
On the 26th of May, 1862, Hon. Eleazer Harmon, father of Captain L. G. Harmon, of the 37th, communicated the following kindly notice of Mr. Manley to the Union and Freeman : " Upon a hasty visit to Washington, on the occasion of the recent severe illness of my son, in the 37th New York, I received so much kind attention and real as- sistance from Mr. John Manley, of the Interior Department, that I take great pleasure in making a public acknowledg- ment of my many obligations. Indeed, the soldiers from this vicinity, and their friends, will never know how much
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they owe this gentleman. He is perfectly indefatigable in his efforts to search out and relieve the sick and dying, and in gathering information to send to their friends. . . .
" The whole community is under obligations to this gen- tleman ; and I for one, am happy to bear testimony to his untiring efforts."
The late Hon. James Parker, editor of the Chautauqua Democrat, on the 21st of May, 1862, mentioned him as fol- lows: "JOHN MANLEY .- I cannot resist the temptation to give the name of this gentleman, a clerk in the Interior Department, a conspicuous notice in these columns. His labors for the soldiers have been untiring and unremitting. He has spent a week at a time among the camps, aiding in correspondence and assisting in the transmission home of their pay. He posted himself early in the intricacies of the War Department, forming the acquaintance of the offi- cers there. He holds the charm, somehow, that easily cuts the 'red-tape' that puzzles others; by which means he has been enabled to send many a sick soldier, waiting for his discharge and pay, speedily on his way rejoicing, and bles- sing such a friend. For all these labors, so important to the soldier, he has refused all remuneration. Some soldiers of the 9th New York Cavalry, however, presented him a beautiful Wesson rifle, a silver shield upon the stock bear- ing the inscription ; 'To John Manley, by his friends,' fol- lowed by the names of twenty-one soldiers who presented it."
At Gettysburg a large number of the 154th were cap- tured; the men were sent to Belle Isle, and the officers to Libby prison. From that prison, 10th December, 1863, Captain B. G. Casler wrote Mr. Manley : "Your box of clothing and groceries to us was received, and all in good order. . It makes our condition much more comfortable. We are very much obliged to you, and we hope it will not be long before we can meet you in Washington and repay your trouble. Our health is good."
John A. Hall, Esq., now editor of the Jamestown Journal, writing from Washington to the Democrat, April 8, 1864 : " In your paper of the 1st inst., I noticed the mention of the presentation from the 64th New York Volunteers to John Manley and lady. There are many of your readers who know and have reason to remember with gratitude the recipient of the valuable and appropriate testimonial* of the gallant 64th. Mr. Manley (or the judge, as he is known here) went to Washington before the rebellion was fairly inaugurated, and has been from that time one of the most constant, faithful, and efficient friends the Union soldiers have had anywhere. . . . A man of magnificent presence, it is generally understood that his countenance is as good
as a pass from Secretary Stanton. Every door opens, and every sentinel stands aside, at his approach."
The gallant and beloved Col. Bingham, of the 64th Regi- ment, died at Le Roy, N. Y., in July, 1864, from disease induced by wounds and hardships endured in the service. Mr. Manley exerted himself to procure a final settlement of this officer's accounts at Washington, and transmitted the amount due to the colonel's sister, Miss Bingham, who on that occasion (Feb. 4, 1865) wrote Mr. Manley as follows: " Yours with draft received. I feel under many obligations to you for all your trouble. I heard that you were in Elli- cottville, but not till after you were gone. I told my friends there that I would like to see you, and thank you for your many kindnesses to my precious brother and myself. May God bless you and yours !"
In September, 1872, the Albany Evening Journal, in mentioning the nomination of Mr. Manley for member of Assembly, spoke of him in these words :
" Mr. Manley will have the satisfaction of triumphing over the combined opposition. He is well known through the district, and is a man of conceded ability and much popularity, especially among the 'boys who wore the blue.' His services in their behalf during the Rebellion will never be forgotten. Never did a sick or wounded soldier apply in vain to him for aid, and he has a warm place in many a soldier's heart."
Seeing the foregoing, Major Storrow, who was surgeon at Fort Washington, Md., in 1861-62, with Companies H and I, of the 37th Regiment, and U. S. Regulars, wrote as follows :
" FORT ONTARIO, OSWEGO, N. Y., Sept. 26, 1872.
" DEAR MANLEY,-No one better than myself can testify to the justice and truth of the above sentences. I do not know who you are for as President, or anything of that sort, but I join my cordial indorsement of this tribute to your services to our braves, and to your qualities as a man and friend. Your old-time friend,
" S. A. STORROW,
" Surgeon U. S. Army."
Mr. Manley early joined with others in organizing the " New York Soldiers' Relief Association," in Washington, which did a large amount of work, and he was secretary and on its executive committee during the war. He also during the war continued a weekly correspondence with the press of this county, giving full news of the Cattaraugus troops. These letters were deemed at the time of general interest.
Hon. Wm. Samuel Johnson, in a friendly note to Mr. Manley, Aug. 20, 1861, said, " I thank you very much for even thinking of me, busy as you must be in your posi- tion and in the care of the ' Cattaraugus boys.' At present we have much solicitude lest the rebels make a violent on- slaught upon you. I read with much interest your weekly communications to the Cattaraugus Freeman. That of last week interested us particularly, as it informed us of the release of 'Our Boys' from their associates of the 37th. It was an awful blunder which placed our boys in that regiment. My regards to Capts. Harmon and Clarke, and Lieuts. Baillet, Trevitt, and Jones. I could name a quarter of Harmon's company. I often think of Billy Bird, Sam Woodward, and By. Johnston in particular."
* The testimonial consisted of a gold watch and silver plate. Upon the tea service was the monogram of the 64th, and on each piece was engraved the name of a battle in which it had fought, -- " Fair Oaks," "Glendale," " Antietam," etc. Speeches were made by Lieut. Trevitt, Mr. Manley, Gov. Fenton, N. F. Strong, the distinguished Seneca chief, and others. Mr. Manley certainly was held in high esteem in that regiment. Capt. Crowley, writing to Lieut. Trevitt on the occa- sion mentioned, said, "Inclosed I send you the original subscription to the Manley testimonial. If I did not think it was now too late I would try and write something neat and complimentary to the honor- able John and his lady ; but, as it is, the tribute which the inclosed brings from the best hearts of a brave regiment to him, will be enough without the humble regards and great good-will of his and your friend, R. R. Crowley."
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In March, 1865, Mr. Manley was appointed military secretary, with rank of colonel, on the staff of Governor Fenton, and on the 1st September was detailed as military State agent in New York City, where he remained until the closing of the soldiers' depot in May following, when he re- signed, receiving the written thanks of the Governor for the ability and fidelity with which he had performed his duties.
John Manley is of Puritan stock, his ancestors on both the paternal and maternal side having crossed the ocean in the colonial days and settled in Plymouth County, Mass. He was born in Norridgewock, Me., May 26, 1824. For some years he resided in Augusta, Me., where he was mar- ried, June 24, 1847, to Elizabeth, daughter of Arno Bit- tues (a native of Bordeaux, France, who came to America, and was adopted by Governor Gilman, of Exeter, N. H.). The children of this marriage are three,-Annie Stevens and Laura Bittues, both born in Augusta (the latter married to Samuel Dunham), and John, born at Little Valley, August, 1866.
In October, 1851, soon after the opening of the New York and Erie Railroad, Mr. Manley came to Little Val- ley, and has resided there since that time.
He has taken an active part in the enterprises of the village and county. He was trustee of his school district three years, planned and aided in building the village school-house, one of the best in the county. When he resigned the position of military secretary to the Governor, in 1866, he bought the large " Howe farm," laid out the village of Little Valley beyond its then small proportions, and used his energies to the building up and beautifying of the village. Col. Robert H. Shankland, the veteran and accomplished editor of the Ellicottville Union, though a personal friend for years, gravely charged Manley with the act of "stealing the old county-seat and tugging it over Fish Hill in his carpet-bag." In 1866 he was appointed by the Board of Supervisors (with L. S. Jenks and F. L. Stowell) one of the commissioners, and by his associates was made superintendent, of the construction of the court-house and jail at Little Valley, 1867-68. Toward the expenses of erecting those buildings he gave largely, and also gave the land (five acres) on which they are located.
In July, 1864, he (being then a clerk in the Interior Department) was appointed by the secretary of the interior as special agent for the New York Indians, and he visited all the tribes in this State, paid the annuities, addressed the Indians in regard to their Kansas land difficulties, schools, and agricultural interests. Ile was complimented on his return by the Indian Bureau, and his addresses and reports were published in full in the annual report. He resigned his position in the Interior Department 1st of April, 1865, having served four eventful years with fidelity, and bearing the honorable testimonials of his chiefs.
His appointment by President Grant as commissioner (with Messrs. Scattergood and Shanklin) to locate and lay out villages in the Allegany Reservation, under the law of Congress of Feb. 19, 1875, has already been noticed in the history of that reservation. Having lived in this county twenty-five years, and being fully conversant with the sub- ject, he used his influence to make the villages large to
accommodate the growth of business and white population, and to open it to a proper taxation. In this direction his labors were successful, and the citizens were very generally gratified with his efforts.
Mr. Manley was seven times elected supervisor of Little Valley,-1860, 1867, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, and 1874, being commissioner and superintendent of the construction of the court-house, resigned the office in 1867. In 1873 and 1874, he was a member of the Assembly of New York, elected on the Republican ticket, serving on the committees on internal affairs, claims, printing, military, charitable and religious societies. He served his constituents faithfully and honestly while in the Legislature, and left it with an unblemished record.
In 1856 to 1860 he was secretary, and in 1870 and 1871 president, of the Cattaraugus County Agricultural Society, and in 1873 was a member of the executive committee of the New York State Agricultural Society.
WILLIAM W. HENRY
was born in the town of Collins, Erie Co., N. Y., April 18, 1837. He received a common district-school education be- fore his sixteenth year, at which time he left home to learn
Till Henry
the printing business. After completing his apprenticeship, he continued as a journeyman printer until 1858, when he commenced the publication of the Gowanda Reporter, at Gowanda, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., associated with F. G. Stebbins. He remained in this connection until the break- ing out of the Rebellion. May 19, 1859, he married Amy A. Aldrich.
In October, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company
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A, 64th Regiment New York Volunteers. He was pro- moted to corporal, and subsequently to the position of quartermaster-sergeant. In October, 1862, he was commis- sioned as second lieutenant, and assigned to duty in the line. Immediately after the battle of Fredericksburg, he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant.
Leaving the service in June, 1863, he returned to Gowanda, N. Y., where he resided until 1871, filling va- rious town and village offices, viz., town clerk, justice of the peace, trustee, and president of the village, and super- visor for the town of Persia. In January, 1871, he was
appointed under-sheriff of Cattaraugus County, and removed to Little Valley, which has since been his residence. His service as under-sheriff was during the term of Sheriff William M. Brown.
In the fall of 1873 he was nominated by the Democratic party as their candidate for the office of sheriff, and elected by seven hundred majority, running some two thousand votes ahead of his ticket,-the Republican majority in the county at that time being from eleven to thirteen hundred votes. Mr. Henry is at present filling the honorable posi- tion of president of the village of Little Valley.
ERASTUS N. LEE,
son of Lyman and Harriet Lee, was born in Little Valley, Dec. 2, 1834. Lyman Lee was a native of Guilford, Conn. (born in 1799), but emigrated with his wife, goods, and stock from Bloomfield, N. Y., to Cattaraugus County, in the spring of 1821, and settled on a one-hundred-acre tract of land, where the cheese-factory now stands, and from which not a stick of timber had been cut. He cut enough timber to build a shanty, and moved into it before fireplace or. chimney were built, in the hurry to clear some land to put in spring crops. He put in some corn and potatoes, and three acres of winter wheat from seed brought from Mon- roe Co., N. Y. In April of this year there was a heavy snow-fall, and Mr. Lee and other settlers had to feed their stock by browsing trees and using the straw from their own beds, until not a spear of straw was left in the neighbor- hood. It was not until late in the fall following that their house, with fireplace and chimney, was completed. Mean- while they planted a nursery of apple- and pear-trees, the
latter of which are yet standing. In the fall of 1823, Mr. Lee and Stephen Crosby made an exchange of farms, the one taken by the former being one hundred acres, with twenty acres improved, a log house, frame barn,* and a small nursery of apple-trees. Lyman Lee lived upon this farm until his death, in 1851. His widow still resides there with her son, Erastus, and his family. It was in this, the oldest house standing in the town, that Erastus Lee was born. His mother was born in Tioga Co., Pa., in the year 1800, and is consequently now in her seventy- ninth year.
Erastus N. Lee has been engaged all his life in farming and in mercantile pursuits, having for years carried on a general store at the village of Little Valley. In the year 1866 he represented his town in the Board of Supervisors, and was re-elected the following year. Mr. Lee resides upon the homestead farm before mentioned, in the house in which he was born.
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