USA > New York > Seneca County > History of Central New York : embracing Cayuga, Seneca, Wayne, Ontario, Tompkins, Cortland, Schuyler, Yates, Chemung, Steuben, and Tioga Counties, Volume II > Part 32
USA > New York > Cayuga County > History of Central New York : embracing Cayuga, Seneca, Wayne, Ontario, Tompkins, Cortland, Schuyler, Yates, Chemung, Steuben, and Tioga Counties, Volume II > Part 32
USA > New York > Wayne County > History of Central New York : embracing Cayuga, Seneca, Wayne, Ontario, Tompkins, Cortland, Schuyler, Yates, Chemung, Steuben, and Tioga Counties, Volume II > Part 32
USA > New York > Ontario County > History of Central New York : embracing Cayuga, Seneca, Wayne, Ontario, Tompkins, Cortland, Schuyler, Yates, Chemung, Steuben, and Tioga Counties, Volume II > Part 32
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George Leonard Boyce .- Numbered among the progressive and highly successful business men of Canandaigua is George Leonard Boyce, widely known dealer in hay, grain and produce, with offices at 37 Niagara Street. He was born in Canandaigua, New York, September 7, 1886, the son of Elias Henry and Syl- vania M. (Devoe) Boyce.
Elias Henry Boyce, deceased, was for many years a prominent figure in the business life of Canandaigua. He was born at Wil- ton, Saratoga County, New York, June 9, 1851, the son of Leonard Boyce, who was born at Saratoga Springs in 1817. The latter died April 1, 1895, and is buried at Saratoga Springs. He married Miss Mary Houston, who was born June 10, 1816, and died in June, 1866. To Leonard and Mary (Houston) Boyce were born two sons: Chester A. and Elias Henry. In 1875 Elias Henry Boyce came to Canandaigua and the following year he became associated in the hay, grain and produce business, with his brother, Chester A. Boyce. The firm continued as Boyce Brothers and in 1891 leased the Canandaigua elevator and warehouse, which had a capacity of 18,000 bushels. This business continued as the lead- ing enterprise of its type in Ontario County until 1921, at which time Chester A. Boyce retired. He died two years later and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Canandaigua. In 1921 the son of Elias Henry Boyce became a partner and the company continued
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as Boyce Brothers Company until February 8, 1932, at which time the senior member of the firm, Elias Henry Boyce, died. He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Canandaigua. Elias H. Boyce was married March 27, 1878, to Miss Sylvania M. Devoe, of Sara- toga Springs, New York. To them were born two children: 1. Florence L., born April 17, 1879, married John C. Scott, shoe mer- chant, of Canandaigua. They have a daughter, Sylvia, who mar- ried Edwin Booth of Plainfield, New Jersey. 2. George Leonard, the subject of this sketch. Sylvania M. (Devoe) Boyce died March 19, 1932, and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.
The first members of the Boyce family to come to this country from England settled in Vermont about 1815 and were farmers.
George Leonard Boyce obtained his education in the public schools of Canandaigua and spent two years at Gooding School for Boys. In 1904 he became a partner in the shoe business with his brother-in-law, John C. Scott, and the firm continued for nine years. He disposed of his interest in 1913 and at that time became associated with his father and uncle in the wholesale hay, grain and produce business. As mentioned above, he succeeded his uncle in 1921 as a member of the firm and since the death of his father in 1932 Mr. Boyce has conducted the enterprise alone.
Mr. Boyce was married (first) on June 21, 1906, to Miss Lydia M. Rose, the daughter of Jared and Sarah Rose. To them were born three children: 1. Ruth S., born April 15, 1909, married Owen S. Riffle, lives at Canandaigua. 2. George Henry, born July 10, 1911, a graduate of Canandaigua Academy, class of 1930, com- mercial photographer, lives at Canandaigua. 3. Chester Edgar, born October 29, 1912, a student. Lydia M. (Rose) Boyce died July 10, 1929, and is buried at Farmington, New York. Mr. Boyce married (second) on May 29, 1930, to Miss Edith D. Morris, daugh- ter of Frank L. Morris, of Warsaw, New York.
Mr. Boyce has always been a Republican. He is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is a member of the Mutual Hook and Ladder Company. As a breeder of Cocker spaniels, Mr. Boyce has been known throughout Central New York as a kennel man for the past twenty years, although he has never entered his dogs in the local shows.
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Joseph Cooper, deceased, was recognized as one of the substan- tial and highly esteemed citizens of Ontario County, and for a number of years served as postmaster of Stanley. He was born near London, England, April 21, 1862, the son of Frederick and Rebecca Cooper.
Frederick Cooper was an early settler of Wayne County, New York, having come to this country from England in 1863. He was a farmer and about 1870 removed to Stanley, Ontario County, where for a number of years he conducted a tile manufacturing business. At the time of his death he was living at Seneca Castle. There were five children in the Cooper family, of whom Joseph, the subject of this sketch, was the oldest.
The first birthday of Joseph Cooper was celebrated while en route to the United States from England. He later attended the public schools of Stanley and Seneca Castle, and as a young man learned the trade of shoemaker. He located at Stanley about 1906 and served as postmaster there from 1921 until the time of his death, February 27, 1926. Mr. Cooper is buried in No. 9 Ceme- tery, Ontario County. He was married in 1892 to Miss Jennie Hutchinson, the daughter of James and Martha Hutchinson, prominent farmers of Ontario County, who lived at Seneca.
To Joseph and Jennie (Hutchinson) Cooper were born three sons: 1. James Frederick, born August 28, 1894, educated in the public schools of Stanley and Penn Yan, and for seven years em- ployed in a clerical capacity with the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany. He was then associated in the grocery business at Stanley with his brother, Floyd T. Cooper. Upon the death of his father in 1926, James F. Cooper assumed the duties of postmaster of Stanley and still serves in that capacity. He is married and has two children, Joseph Edward and Carol Nancy. 2. Floyd T., born May 16, 1896, educated in the public schools of Stanley and Penn Yan, also employed for several years in the offices of the Penn- sylvania Railroad Company. He now is owner of a grocery estab- lishment at Stanley, having purchased his brother's interest in the business in 1926. He is a World War veteran. 3. Harold Joseph, born August 15, 1906, educated in the public schools of Stanley and Geneva, now identified with the Eastman Kodak Corporation, at Rochester, New York.
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Mr. Cooper was a lifelong Republican and for many years served as school tax collector. He was an active member of No. 9 Presbyterian Church, of which he was trustee.
John Henry Coon .- Among the well known and highly es- teemed citizens of Ontario County is John Henry Coon, who lives retired at Stanley. He was born in Columbia County, New York, September 22, 1855, the son of Isaac and Almira (Becker) Coon.
Isaac Coon was a native of Rensselaerville, New York, born May 20, 1824. Throughout his life he was interested in general farming. He died June 29, 1904. He was married September 28, 1850, to Miss Almira Becker, daughter of John P. Becker, also natives of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Coon were the parents of five children.
The boyhood of John Henry Coon was spent on his father's farm and he attended the district schools. He also is a graduate of Hudson Academy, and taught school in Columbia County for several years. In 1879 he located in Yates County as a teacher and remained there until 1887, at which time he settled at Gorham, Ontario County. Three years later he came to Stanley and in 1890 purchased an interest in the general mercantile establish- ment of Charles D. Hill, which was continued for seven years under the firm name of Hill & Coon. At the expiration of that time Mr. Coon disposed of his interest in the business and opened a retail meat business at Stanley. He retired from active business in 1913 and in that year accepted the appointment of postmaster of Stanley, in which capacity he served until 1922.
Mr. Coon was married December 22, 1887, to Miss Martha Car- son, the daughter of James M. and Margaret (Grove) Carson, natives of Seneca, Ontario County. The Carsons settled in this section in 1800 and there were eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. James M. Carson, all of whom are now deceased except Martha (Carson) Coon. To Mr. and Mrs. Coon were born two children: 1. Floyd T., born September 24, 1888, died in infancy. 2. Almira Margaret, born on September 9, 1898, a graduate of Penn Yan
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Academy and Geneseo Normal School, class of 1917. She is a teacher in the public schools of Niagara Falls, New York.
In politics Mr. Coon has always been a Democrat. He and his wife are prominent members of the Presbyterian Church No. 9, and he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Claude Cobb Williamson, M. D .- One of the representative pro- fessional men of Ontario County is Doctor Williamson, who has engaged in practice at Gorham since 1909. He was born at Phelps, New York, August 11, 1884, the son of James W. and Anna Estelle (Cobb) Williamson.
James W. Williamson was a native of Yates County, New York, born at Italy, January 29, 1859. He was a school teacher and farmer and died July 8, 1929. He is buried in Riverside Cem- etery, Plainville, New York. Mr. Williamson was married Decem- ber 27, 1882, to Miss Anna Estelle Cobb, daughter of Edwin D. and Sarah Ann (Peer) Cobb, of Phelps. To Mr. and Mrs. Williamson only one child was born, Claude Cobb, the subject of this sketch.
Claude Cobb Williamson obtained his early education in the public schools of Clifton Springs and was graduated from Clifton Springs High School in 1903. He then took up the study of medi- cine at the University of Buffalo, from which he received the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1908. He served for eighteen months as interne at the U. S. Marine Hospital, Riverside Acci- dent Hospital, of Buffalo, New York, and Park Avenue Hospital, Rochester, New York, and began his private practice at Gorham in March, 1909. He is an active member of the Ontario County Medical Society and the New York State Medical Society.
During the World War Doctor Williamson enlisted for service in 1918 and received the commission of first lieutenant in the Medi- cal Corps, U. S. Army. He was discharged with the rank of cap- tain, December 25, 1918, and now holds that commission in the Reserve Corps.
On July 3, 1905, Doctor Williamson was united in marriage with Miss Mary Theodora Hopkins, the daughter of Orville and
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Elizabeth (Fraser) Hopkins. Mr. Hopkins is identified with the Marine Trust Company, of Buffalo, in an official capacity. Doc- tor and Mrs. Williamson have two children: 1. Horace James, born February 25, 1909, a graduate of Lafayette High School, Buffalo, and Cornell University, Bachelor of Science, class of 1932. 2. Marion Estella, born September 5, 1910, a graduate of Geneva High School, and the F. F. Thompson Hospital Training School for Nurses, at Canandaigua. She is now identified with that hospital in a professional capacity.
Doctor Williamson is a Republican, a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Ameri- can Legion and the Grange. He is Past Master of Rushville Lodge, F. & A. M., Knight Templar, member of Damascus Tem- ple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Rochester, New York, and Past Monarch of Umarken Grotto, M. O. V. P. E. R., of Geneva.
Doctor Williamson is the owner of an 80-acre farm near Phelps, which is part of the original David Peer homestead of 1,000 acres. It has been owned by members of the Williamson family for more than a century and is among the interesting spots in this section.
Frank Eugene Whitney .- A member of one of the oldest and most honored pioneer families of Ontario County, Frank Eugene Whitney is recognized as a substantial citizen of Seneca Castle, where he has served as assessor for a number of years. He was born in the town of Seneca, Ontario County, October 21, 1872, the son of Daniel H. and Martha (Van Gelder) Whitney.
Daniel H. Whitney was born in the town of Seneca, Ontario County, October 19, 1819, and died January 1, 1910. He is buried in Whitney Cemetery, Seneca Castle. He was the son of Cheeney and Olive (Colwell) Whitney. Cheeney Whitney was born at Seneca, April 21, 1795, and died in 1885. He was the son of Nathan Whitney, who was born at Conway, Massachusetts, Octo- ber 18, 1761. The latter settled in Ontario County in 1792 and lived in the town of Seneca until his death, April 19, 1838. He was
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a farmer throughout his life, as were all members of this pioneer family.
Daniel H. Whitney, father of the subject of this sketch, mar- ried Miss Martha Van Gelder, and they were the parents of four children, of whom Frank E. was the youngest.
Frank Eugene Whitney grew up in the town of Seneca and attended the public schools. At the age of seventeen years he left school to assist his father on the homestead. He continued as a farmer until 1905 and then located at Seneca Castle, where he has since engaged in business as a dealer in farm implements and machinery, plumbing and heating fixtures, and fertilizers.
On December 5, 1894, Mr. Whitney married Miss Clara J. Page, the daughter of Levi A. and Margaret (Benham) Page, of Sen- eca Castle. Their children are: 1. Maurice, born February 22, 1896, a graduate of Geneva High School and Syracuse University, class of 1918. He served in the U. S. Navy on transport duty during the World War, and is now associated with the Eclipse Machine Company, of Elmira, New York. He is married and has two sons, Roger K. and Hugh Hudson. 2. Harold H., born July 5, 1898, died December 24, 1914, buried in Whitney Cemetery. 3. Margaret J., born January 31, 1900, a graduate of Geneva High School and Syracuse University, class of 1922. She married Wil- liam Hilligas, who is a professor at Cortland Normal School, and she is a member of the faculty of Cortland High School. 4. Har- riet E., born March 24, 1908, a graduate of Geneva High School and Syracuse University, class of 1931. She is an art teacher in Oswego (New York) High School. 5. One child died in infancy.
Politically, Mr. Whitney is a Republican. In 1918 he was elected one of the assessors for the town of Seneca, Ontario County and has served continuously since that time. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church of Seneca Castle, of which he has been an elder for many years. He is also affiliated with Ark Lodge, No. 32, F. & A. M., and for thirty-eight years has been an active member of the Grange, being identified with the County, Pamona, New York State and National organizations. He also belongs to the New York State Fruit Testing Association.
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George Torrey Morey, deceased, was for many years identi- fied with newspaper work in Ontario County as the owner and editor of the "Naples News." He was born at Middlesex, New York, March 27, 1868, the son of Levi B. and Jennie N. (Smith) Morey.
Levi B. Morey was born at Nassau, New York, in 1840, and for a great many years was employed in the offices of the New York Customs Department in New York City. He was married in May, 1861, to Miss Jennie N. Smith, daughter of James Smith, of Middlesex. They were the parents of three children, of whom George Torrey, subject of this sketch, was the youngest.
George Torrey Morey attended the public schools of Middle- sex, and was also a student in New York City. At the age of sixteen years he entered the offices of the Rural New Yorker and remained there until he was twenty-one years old. He then became associated with the New York Ledger, New York Times and the New York World as a reporter. Mr. Morey came to Naples in 1897 and two years later he purchased the "Naples News," which had been founded only a short time before. He continued his suc- cessful management and publication of the paper until the time of his death, May 27, 1931. Mr. Morey is buried in Rose Ridge Cemetery, Naples.
On March 2, 1892, Mr. Morey was united in marriage with Miss Estella Smith, the daughter of George H. Smith, of Brooklyn, New York. She has always been interested in newspaper work and before her marriage was connected with the Rural New Yorker. Since her husband's recent death, Mrs. Morey has con- tinued the publication of the paper and is assisted by her son, Edgar Smith Morey.
To Mr. and Mrs. George T. Morey were born four children, one of whom died in infancy. The others are: 1. Grace L., born July 16, 1896, a graduate of Naples High School, and a teacher for four years in the Livingston County schools. She married Samuel Gil- more, of Avon, New York. She died March 11, 1919, and is buried in Rose Ridge Cemetery, Naples. 2. Ruth Estella, born Novem- ber 13, 1898, a graduate of Naples High School, married Gordon Chester, who is assistant county engineer, Ontario County, and
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they live at 497 North Main Street, Canandaigua. They have two sons, Gordon Chester, Jr., and George Morey Chester. 3. Edgar Smith, born May 13, 1901, now associated with the "Naples News." He was married October 17, 1923, to Miss Florence Bardeen, of Prattsburgh, New York, and they have two children, Edgar S. Morey, Jr., and Nancy Ruth Morey.
Mr. Morey was a Republican, a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He also was identified with the Chamber of Commerce and throughout his life took a keen and active interest in civic affairs and community betterment. He was prominent as a mem- ber of the Finger Lakes Association and a charter member of the Naples Country Club.
John S. Tellier has been a conspicuous figure in newspaper cir- cles in Central New York for more than forty years as editor and publisher of the "Naples Record." He was born at Canandaigua, New York, July 4, 1858, the son of John F. and Mary L. (Wet- more) Tellier.
John F. Tellier was a native of Holland, born at Retrunche- ment Zenland, July 23, 1832. At the age of eighteen years he emi- grated to the United States and settled at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he became well known. He was later a resident of Canan- daigua, New York, where he was foreman in the shops of the New York Central Railroad Company. He was living at Los Angeles, California, at the time of his death, July 21, 1906. On September 9, 1857, Mr. Tellier married Miss Mary L. Wetmore, the daughter of Sumner Wetmore, of Naples. To them were born five children, of whom John S., subject of this sketch, was the oldest.
John S. Tellier grew up at Canandaigua and attended the pub- lic schools there. He learned the trade of printing at an early age and in 1887 purchased the Neapolitan Record, a publication ori- ginally known as the Naples Record, founded in 1870. For a time it had also been published as the Neapolitan-Record. After Mr. Tellier became editor and publisher he renamed the paper the
1
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"Naples Record." It is a weekly publication with a wide circula- tion throughout northern Steuben and Yates counties, as well as southern Ontario County. Throughout his long connection with the paper, Mr. Tellier has remained neutral in politics and his hon- esty and integrity in his chosen profession, as well as his years of experience, mark him as the dean of newspaper men in Ontario County. He is an active member of the National Editorial Asso- ciation, New York State Press Association, and Western New York State Publishers Association.
On January 23, 1883, Mr. Tellier was united in marriage with Miss Clara A. Whiting, the daughter of John P. and Jane (Lee) Whiting, of Naples. They have two sons: 1. Howard W., born November 12, 1887, now associated with his father on the "Naples Record." He is Past Master of John Hodge Lodge No. 815, F. & A. M. 2. Lawrence S., born November 26, 1890. He is a graduate of New York City Law School, class of 1913, served as justice of the peace at Naples for seventeen years, and was admitted to the New York State bar in 1931. He is now engaged in practice at Rochester, New York. He is Past Master of John Hodge Lodge No. 815, F. & A. M., and Past Noble Grand of Nundawaho Lodge No. 714, I. O. O. F. Clara A. (Whiting) Tellier died March 4, 1895, and is buried in Rose Ridge Cemetery, Naples.
Mr. Tellier is a Republican, a member of the Presbyterian Church, and belongs to John Hodge Lodge F. & A. M., Indepen- dent Order of Odd Fellows, Grange, and Chamber of Commerce. He has always been active in civic affairs and was one of the early supporters for the incorporation of the village of Naples, as well as one of the founders of the city water department. He has also been interested in education and at all times has been an influen- tial figure in civic betterment.
John Barnes Parmelee .- Well known as a lawyer and highly esteemed as a citizen, John Barnes Parmelee belongs to an hon- ored pioneer family of Central New York, and is successfully engaged in practice at Phelps. He was born here, November 5, 1884, the son of George Herbert and Lillian May (Pond) Par- melee.
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George Herbert Parmelee was born at Addison, Steuben County, New York, July 27, 1854, the son of Rev. Anson H. Par- melee, who was born at Bristol, Vermont, September 14, 1810. He was an early settler of Steuben County, being a graduate of Burr Seminary, Middlebury College and Andover Theological Seminary. He was a minister of the Congregational Church but preached in the Presbyterian Church, and in 1847 went to Addi- son, and in 1861 he was called to Livonia, and in 1877 to Seneca Castle, and preached until 1884. Reverend Parmelee died in 1894 at Phelps and is buried at Livonia. His son, George Herbert, was the youngest of five children. For a great many years he was the owner and manager of the Phelps Chilled Plow Works, and was also president of the Lawrence Bostwick Manufacturing Company, of Phelps. He took an active and prominent part in civic affairs, having served as village president for two terms and as a member of the Phelps Board of Education for twenty-six years. He belonged to the Grange. Mr. Parmelee died December 31, 1923, and is buried at Phelps. He was married on November 3, 1881, to Miss Lillian May Pond, born May 18, 1860, at Truxton, New York, the daughter of George Pond. He was born June 7, 1814, in the town of Hamilton, Madison County, New York. He married Ann Hurd in 1841. He operated a flour mill in Truxton, Cortland County, New York. They removed to Phelps in 1867 where he conducted a retail shoe store. She still resides at Phelps. There were five children in the Parmelee family. 1. George P., resides in town of Seneca, Ontario County, New York. 2. John B. 3. Grace L., resides in the town of Seneca, Ontario County, New York. 4. Louis W., deceased. 5. Richard H., resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
John Barnes Parmelee attended the grade and high schools of Phelps, and was graduated from Phelps High School in 1904. He received the degree of LL. B. at Syracuse University in 1908, and during the same year was admitted to the New York State bar. For three years Mr. Parmelee was associated with two leading law firms of Rochester, namely, Smith, DeGraff, Castleman & Mosher, and Perkins, Duffy & McLean. He came to Phelps in 1912, and for a time was identified in practice with E. B. Part-
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ridge. Since 1913 Mr. Parmelee has carried on a general practice here, and specializes in surrogate practice. He is also identified with the insurance business, having purchased the agency of W. D. Norton in 1921, who conducted the agency at Phelps since 1870, and Mr. Parmelee has conducted the agency under his name since that time.
Mr. Parmelee was married December 5, 1912, to Miss Carrie Monroe VanNostrand, born in Romulus, New York, December 25, 1881, the daughter of Augustus T. and Emma (Monroe) VanNos- trand, of Phelps. A. T. VanNostrand was born July 21, 1855, at Romulus, New York. He was the son of John and Rachael (Todd) VanNostrand. Emma (Monroe) VanNostrand was born Janu- ary 11, 1858, at Romulus, Seneca County, New York. She was a daughter of David and Helen (Salyer) Monroe. A. T. VanNos- trand married Miss Emma Monroe November 17, 1880. Augustus T. VanNostrand conducted a hardware business at Romulus, New York, from 1885 until 1907 when he removed to Phelps and became associated with the Zenith Foundry Company. He is one of the organizers and vice president and director of the Phelps National Bank. He is a director of the Ovid National Bank of Ovid, New York.
To Mr. and Mrs. Parmelee have been born two sons: 1. Her- bert VanNostrand, born September 8, 1913, attends Phelps High School. 2. John Monroe, born February 16, 1915, attends Phelps High School.
Politically, Mr. Parmelee is a Republican, and for a number of years was a member of the Republican County Committee. He has been president of the local board of education for eight years. He and his family are members of the First Presbyterian Church of Phelps, of which he was a former trustee and now treasurer of benevolences. He also is affiliated with Sincerity Lodge, No. 200, F. and A. M., and Delta Chi fraternity. He is an active mem- ber of the Ontario Bar Association, and Western New York Bar Association.
During the World War Mr. Parmelee was Food Administrator for the town of Phelps, a member of the Home Defense Unit, and active in all the other local war agencies.
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