USA > New York > Chautauqua County > History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume I > Part 20
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117
Austin Smith, of Westfield, died October 25, 1904, aged 100 years, 7 months, 9 days- Chautauqua's oldest inhabitant. Said Phin M. Miller of him in the "Centennial History of Chautauqua County" (1902) :
Any attempt even to outline our educational history omitting to mention the name of Hon. Austin Smith would mark the effort a failure. During an active, use- ful and long life he has been closely identified with the cause of education. He was the first principal of the first academy in the county, beginning his work in 1826. In 1830 he settled in Westfield. He was a member of the first board of trustees of Westfield Academy, organ- ized in 1837, and ever its warm and earnest friend. In 1868, when the high school succeeded the academy, he was elected president of the Board of Education. For more than sixty years he was an active, intelligent edu- cational force doing good work for the cause in which he had a peculiar interest. His name has always been the synonym for all that is pure and true.
Austin Smith was admitted to the bar in February, 1830, and began practice in West- field the same year, having Abram Dixon as his partner until Mr. Smith was appointed by Governor Seward surrogate of Chautauqua county in 1840, an office he held four years. He was a member of the Legislature of 1850. 51, and in 1853, on the recommendation of Secretary Chase, was appointed examining agent of the United States Treasury Depart- ment for South Carolina and Florida. Later he filled the office of tax commissioner. On March 16, 1904, he celebrated his centennial anniversary, being at the time in good health. able to receive the friends who called to con- gratulate him, and to have his photograph taken. In 1828 Austin Smith married Sarah H., daughter of the pioneer settler, Col. James McMahan.
At 5:30 a. m., November 26, an alarm called out Dunkirk's fire department to extinguish flames in a boxcar near the Erie depot. On returning from the fire a combination hose and chemical wagon was struck by the Southwest- ern Limited Express train on the Lake Shore railroad, Frank Miller, the driver of the wagon, being killed, the other fireman receiving severe shocks, but no severe injuries.
At I a. m., December 7, the freight house of the Lake Shore, at Westfield, was discovered in flames, and owing to the high wind the build- ing, book records of the office and several freight cars were destroyed before the firemen had the fire under control. The nearby Lake Shore Hotel was saved.
Warren Dalrymple, a veteran of the Civil War, serving in the 112th New York State In- fantry, who had been living alone on the Eggleston farm since the death of his wife.
-
Ces
·th
1
F
t
95
OPENING OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
April 8, 1904, was found dead in his chair, late in the afternoon of December 12.
At the opening session of the 1905 Legisla- ture, S. Frederick Nixon, of Chautauqua county, was for the seventh time elected speaker of the House of Assembly. This ex- ceeded all previous records for length of serv- ice as speaker, six terms having been the limit.
Immediately after the passing of the old year in Mayville, John K. Patterson assumed the duties of district attorney of Chautauqua county, his oath of office having been recorded with County Clerk Gallup, and his bond with County Treasurer Swift earlier in the day. He succeeded Eleazer Green, of Jamestown, and had during the previous four years been Mi Green's assistant.
On January 9, 1905, Chautauqua, among other counties of the State, was awarded by the State Court of Claims money paid into the State Treasury under the law of 1869, which could have been retained to apply to the sink - ing fund for the redemption of bonds issued to aid in railroad construction half a century earlier. The amount returned to Chautauqua county was $44,014.19.
Amid profoundly impressive scenes, a memo- rial tablet was unveiled in the high school . building, Jamestown, during the afternoon of January 13, to the memory of Samuel Gurley Love, born 1821, died 1893, organizer of James- town public schools, and their superintendent, 1865-1890. Frank W. Stevens, a former mein- ber of the Board of Education, made the memo- rial and dedicatory address.
One of the largest security company bonds executed in Chautauqua county up to that time was issued January 14 by Arthur B. Hitchcock for $120,000. The bond was issued on behalf of Theodore A. Case, of Ellington, as committee of the person and property of Henry Allen, of the town of Conewango, who had been adjudged incompetent.
Unusual distinction attended the 74th annual meeting of the Chautauqua County Trust Com- pany, held in Jamestown, January 18, 1904. This arose from the fact that it was presided over by the nonagenarian A. G. Dow, of Ran- dolph, then in his 97th year, and father of Charles M. Dow, president of the company. The veteran director and presiding officer was quite vigorous physically, and his mental facul- ties seemed unimpaired, despite his great age.
Early in the morning of February 16, fire destroyed the interior of the main business block of Brocton, causing a loss of $50,000. Help came from Dunkirk, which combined with the efforts of the local firemen kept the
fire within the limits of the block in which it started.
A storm swept over Chautauqua county on the night of February 17, which was the worst in many years. With a few noteworthy ex- ceptions, every train in the county was held in the snow, and much inconvenience as well as suffering resulted. Rural mail carriers were in many cases tinable to cover their routes, and dairymen were badly interferred with in mak- ing deliveries.
Charles S. Abbott, vice-president of the Eastman Kodak Company, and one of James- town's best known business men, died at Oak Lodge, near Enfield, South Carolina, March 1, 1905. The body was brought to Jamestown for burial.
Dr. Julien T. Williams died at his home in Dunkirk, April 10, 1905. He was a son of Dr. Ezra and Sarah King (Clark) Williams, who were among the pioneer settlers of the county, moving from Oneida county to Dunkirk in 1820. Dr. Williams was born in Dunkirk, No- vember 15, 1828. He was a graduate of Fre- donia Academy, class of 1849, and in Novem- ber, 1851, received his M. D. from Castleton Medical College. He practiced medicine and conducted a drug store in Dunkirk until 1882, then purchased the plant of the Dunkirk Print- ing Company and became editor of the "Dun- kirk Observer." Later he was editor of "The Grape Belt." He was a member of the Dunkirk Board of Education continuously from 1853 until his death ; member of the Assembly in 1864, and again in 1885; and county supervisor, 1887-1891. On the day of his funeral, busi- ness was practically suspended in Dunkirk, and many organizations attended the services in a body. Dr. Williams married Julia King Thompson, of Dunkirk, and they were the par- ents of a large family.
The shops of the Silver Creek Upholstery Company were damaged by fire during the night of June 10, to the extent of $20,000. The firemen could do little to save the inflammable interior, but did wonderful work in saving the two three-story buildings which comprised the plant.
The justices of the Supreme Court in con- vention assembled at Albany, June 19, 1905, elected Jerome B. Fisher, of Chautauqua county, to be Supreme Court reporter for a term of five years, at a salary of $5,000, Judge Fisher receiving thirteen out of twenty-one votes cast.
On June 20, 1905, the Fredonia National Bank was closed by order of the Comptroller of the Currency. The bank was founded in
96
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
1865 by Chauncey Abby, who was its president until his death in 1894. This failure caused a great deal of distress, and legal complication resulted. The finances of the town were some- what involved, and Fred R. Green, cashier of the bank, was arrested on June 23, on serious charges. He was later tried on thirty-five counts and plead guilty to four, involving the charge of falsifying the bank's records. He was sentenced to six years in the State peni- tentiary.
On application of Attorney General Mayer, Justice Hasbrouck, on June 29, appointed Frank L. Smith, of Silver Creek, receiver for the State Bank of Forestville, that institution having been reported insolvent by State Super- intendent of Banks Kilburn.
The building owned by Reade & Smith, pro- prietors of the "Cherry Creek News," in which their editorial rooms and printing plant were located, burned to the ground on the morning of July 5. The "Jamestown Journal" courte- ously extended the temporary use of their facilities to "The News." The Jamestown Panel and Veneer Company suffered the com- plete loss of their plant in Jamestown, together with machinery, material, lumber and finished product, by fire, in the early morning hours of July 4, the loss totalling $30,000. Early in the morning of July 27, fire destroyed practically $30,000 worth of property on the principal busi- ness street of Panama.
On July 27 the State Assembly finally dis- posed of the long drawn out "Hooker Case" by its refusal to remove Judge Hooker from the State bench. The case originated in Chatt- tauqua county in charges against the political integrity of Judge Hooker by the County Bar Associates. The matter came before the Leg- islature finally upon Judge Hooker's demand for an investigation, and after a full hearing the vote for removal stood: 41 Republicans and 35 Democrats. Against removal: 58 Re- publicans and 9 Democrats. Under the Con- stitution, one hundred votes were necessary to remove. This was a celebrated case in the State, and in Chautauqua county it had entered deeply into its politics. Judge Hooker served out his full term as Supreme Court Justice, and until his death, fifteen years later, con- tinued his residence in Fredonia.
Justice George Barker, one of Chautauqua's most distinguished sons, a man of rare ability and for half a century prominent in the politi- cal life of the county, died in Fredonia, July 20, 1905, aged 82. He was twice county district attorney, and for twenty years a Justice of the Supreme Court of New York. In his early
political life he was a firm friend and political ally of Governor Fenton, whose name he pre- sented to the convention which nominated Mr. Fenton for Governor. Justice Barker married, in 1857, Achsah Gleason, who preceded him to the grave, leaving an only child, Mary Eliza, who married John Woodward, of Jamestown, also a Justice of the Supreme Court of New York.
The certificate of incorporation of the Chau- tauqua Worsted Mills was filed in the court house at Mayville, August 5. The capital stock of the company was $200,000 ; the princi- pal office of the company, Falconer ; the pur- pose, the manufacture of worsted yarns, worsted goods and textile fabrics.
On August II, 1905, President Roosevelt was the guest of honor of the Chautauqua Il- stitution. This was the second time the insti- tution had entertained a President. General Grant having been a guest while chief execu- tive of the Nation. After an informal break- fast in Higgins' Hall, President Roosevelt was introduced to a large audience in the amphi- theatre by Bishop John H. Vincent, the silent but impressive Chautauqua salute welcoming the distinguished guest. The President spoke for an hour on Popular Education and Democ. racy, though he protested his address had no specific or definite title. After singing "Amer- ica," the audience was dismissed and the presi- dential party left the grounds.
The first car over the Warren & Jamestown railway, No. 54, reached the Humphrey House in Jamestown, September 2, 1905, making the connection between Jamestown and Warren, Pennsylvania, an accomplished fact after many months of weary waiting.
The Board of Supervisors in annual meeting, October I, 1905, organized by the election of S. Frederick Nixon, chairman ; J. A. McGuin- ness, clerk ; Louis Mckinstry, assistant clerk; J. A. Clary, journal clerk; A. B. Ottaway, attorney. A resolution of regret at the resig- nation of Capt. Frederick W. Hyde, after twenty-two years of service as journal clerk, was passed.
Samuel Frederick Nixon, speaker of the New York State Assembly and chairman of the Chautauqua County Board of Supervisors, died at his home in Westfield, October 10, 1905. He was a man of strong personality, lovable in nature, earnest and aggressive in what he deemed to be right, and a born leader of men. He was identified with many business enter- prises, but was best known for the prominent part he bore in the public life of the county and State. He was always interested in poli-
Dis LE! da
sixt ge
Light age st r
F arem : last eg-tin The
zali =
Cue mngt
.!
: eq
- t
97
OPENING OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
tics, and almost as soon as through college he was elected supervisor. For twenty consecu- tive terms he held that office, and but the Sat- urday before his death his townsmen nomi- nated him for the twenty-first time. Fourteen of those years of service were as chairman of the board, as well as its actual and unques- tioned leader.
He was elected member of the Assembly from Chautauqua, Second District, in 1887, when twenty-six years of age, and with the exception of the years 1890-91-92 held that office continuously. For many years he had had no opposition in his own party for the Assembly nomination, and for the seven years preceding his death he had been elected speaker of the house by the unanimous vote of the Republican members. No other man ever equalled his record of seven consecutive terms as speaker. A few weeks prior to his death he was nominated for the Assembly for the sixteenth time.
He was born in Westfield, December 3, 1860, youngest of the two sons of Samuel and Mary E. (Johnston) Nixon, and grandson of a wealthy family of County Down, Ireland. He was survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter. Speaker Nixon was buried in the village cemetery at Westfield, October 13. A most remarkable gathering of distinguished men,, including Governor Higgins, ex-Gov- ernor Odell, State Senators, Assemblymen and Supreme Court Judges, were present to pay the last tributes of respect to their friend and long-time associate in the State government.
The November elections resulted in the usual Republican majorities for the county office, with the exception of the First Assem- bly District, where William R. Rawson, the candidate of the Independent Republicans and regular Democrats reduced Arthur C. Wade's plurality to 178. Henry K. Williams was elected Assemblyman from the Second Dis- trict, he being substituted after the death of Speaker Nixon, the nominee of the convention.
The Board of County Supervisors with every member present, elected Theodore A. Case, of Ellington, chairman to succeed S. Frederick Nixon, deceased. Harley N. Crosby, of Ellicott, was chosen chairman pro tem. Supervisor Thompson, appointed by the town board to succeed Mr. Nixon, announced the latter's death and moved that the board adjourn out of respect to the memory of their former chair- man.
The Fredonia village board of trustees voted that a sum of about $4,000, which the town treasurer had on deposit in the Fredonia Na-
tional Bank, should be made good to the town. A dividend of twenty-five per cent. had been paid depositors, which with a similar amount ready to be paid, left the treasurer with about half the original amount to pay.
The State Assembly, with the Senate, the Governor, and other State officers and repre- sentatives of the Court of Appeals, and other courts, in the presence of an audience com- pletely filling the great Assembly chamber and representing all parts of the State, on the eve- ning of March 27, 1906, formally honored the memory of Samuel Frederick Nixon, who for fifteen years represented in the Legislature, from the Second Assembly District of Chau- tauqua county, and for seven consecutive years served as speaker of the House of Assembly. After the audience had gathered, the members, present and former, of the Assembly ; the Sena- tors, the elective and appointive State officers, the members of the judiciary and finally Gov- ernor Higgins and his secretary, marched into the Assembly chamber and were seated. Prayer was offered by Rev. George L. McClellan, D. D., Speaker Nixon's family pastor, and musi- cal selections were rendered by a local quar- tette. James W. Wadsworth, Jr., who suc- ceeded Mr. Nixon as speaker, presided and made a brief address. Lewis L. Carr made the memorial address, which was a masterly and sympathetic eulogy of the great speaker. Mrs. Nixon, her children and other members of the family were present and occupied the speaker's room beside the rostrum.
The Chautauqua County Board of Super- visors met in special session for the purpose of redistricting the county under a law requiring that in all counties having two or more Assem- bly districts the supervisors should meet on May 22 for that purpose. It was found un- necessary to make any change in the boundary line of the Assembly districts in Chautauqua county, and a resolution was passed by the board to that effect. The calling of the board together at the time necessitated its reorgani- zation for the ensuing year, which was done with little change from the organization of the previous year, the only one being the election of W. L. Nuttall, of Mina, as chairman pro tem. to succeed H. N. Crosby, of Jamestown.
The Republican county convention in ses- sion at Dunkirk, July 26, nominated for county judge, Arthur B. Ottaway, of Westfield; for surrogate, Harley N. Crosby, of Falconer ; for county clerk, Emerson J. McConnell, of May- ville ; for sheriff, Leon E. Button, of Harmony. The convention endorsed Theodore A. Case, of
Chau -- 7
98
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
Ellington, for State Senator from the Fiftieth District.
The Chautauqua County Traction Company opened its line from Mayville to Westfield, September 15, 1906.
Rovillus R. Rogers, of Jamestown, was chosen president of the Council of School Su- perintendents of New York State at the con- vention held in Jamestown, October 20, 1906.
The vote for Governor in Chautauqua county in 1906 was: Charles E. Hughes, R., 11,786; William R. Hearst, Independent League and D., 5,360. The vote for State officers and Con- gressmen did not vary greatly from the fore- going figures, although Mr. Hughes was the only State officer elected on the Republican ticket. In the county the Republican nominees for the county offices were elected by about the usual figures.
The Board of Supervisors met in annual ses- sion September 24. Augustus F. Allen hav- ing resigned when nominated for the Assem- bly, the credentials of Leon L. Fancher were received, which showed his appointment to suc- ceed Mr. Allen as supervisor from Wards t and 2 of the city of Jamestown. A resolution to move the county seat to Jamestown was voted down. The increased assessed valuation of real estate in the county over 1905 was shown to be $1,387,348.
Justice of the Peace Platt M. Parker, of Fre- donia, one of the best known men of the vil- lage, died November 17, 1906, aged 62. He was born in Fredonia, March 9, 1844, and spent his entire life in the village. He was educated in Fredonia public school and academy, be- came a civil engineer and surveyor, and dealt extensively in real estate. He was justice of the peace for twenty years, village engineer fourteen years, deputy sheriff several years, and for one term under-sheriff of Chautauqua county, serving under Sheriff Jenner. 'Squire Parker was a member of the Baptist church, and Forest Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons. He was a man in whom the community placed the most implicit confidence. Forest Lodge by his request was in charge of the funeral services.
Among the appointments announced in De- cember by the Attorney General-elect, William F. Jackson, was that of Frank H. Mott, one of the leading Democrats of Western New York, to be Deputy State Attorney General.
Orsino E. Jones died at his home in James- town, January 25, 1907. He was a native son of Jamestown, and no man in the city had a wider experience or more varied life. He was a man of strong physique, regular, temperate
habits, and a tireless worker. He was chief of Jamestown's fire department for a number of years, and he did much for the material ad- vancement of Jamestown and gave liberally towards the public institutions and charities. He left no immediate family.
At the age of 86, Lorenzo Martin, one of the best known farmers of his section of the county, died at his farm one mile east of Busti, Sunday, February 17, 1907. He was born in Busti, and when he was eight years of age his parents bought the farm upon which their son spent seventy-eight years of his life. Of the one hundred persons present at his marriage to Mercy Jenkins in 1842, Mrs. Martin alone was living when Mr. Martin died after a mar- ried life of sixty-five years. Three children
survived their father-Mrs. Edwin Knapp, of Tecumseh, Nebraska ; Mrs. Alice M. Spencer, of Jamestown; and Rev. D. L. Martin, who gave up ministerial work in Michigan in 1905 to return to the homestead and care for his aged parents.
Edward C. Brown, of Jamestown, a highly regarded business man, was found dead in his room in the Manhattan Hotel, New York City. He was a son of Col. James M. and Charlotte Brown, his father a Civil War veteran, captain of Company B, 72nd New York Regiment, volunteers, and colonel of the 100th Regiment, killed in battle. His remains were brought to Jamestown, where his widow continued to re- side.
In his ninety-fourth year, James M. Hodges, of Lakewood, passed away, March 23, 1907. He was born in Vermont, but when in his fourth year his parents moved to Erie county, New York, where Mr. Hodges resided until thirty-two years of age, when he came to Chau- tauqua county. He spent fifty-five consecutive years of his life on a farm in the town of Har- mony, but the last seven years were spent with his son Alpheus, in Lakewood. He was a man of splendid health, and until his last illness of ten days' duration, which resulted in his death, he was never sick enough to spend even one entire day in bed.
Edwin A. Bradshaw, vice-president of the Journal Printing Company and chief editorial writer on "The Journal," 1889-1907, died at his home in Jamestown, April 4, 1907. He was a man of most engaging personality, and as a writer was graceful in literary style, but at his best as a paragrapher, having the ability to say much in a few lines. Under the heading, "Noted in Passing," he gave to readers of "The Journal" thousands of paragraphs of rare humor and philosophy. He married, in 1897,
a
1
99
OPENING OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Belle E. Smith, and left a son, Robert Cook Bradshaw.
Marshall Littlefield Hinman, a former presi- dent of the Brooks Locomotive Works, and one of the founders of the plant, died at his home in Dunkirk, May 3, 1907. Mr. Hinman was born in Cattaraugus county, December 12, 18441, and in 1861 first came to Dunkirk, where lte had a leading part in organizing The Brooks Locomotive Company in 1869. He was the first secretary-treasurer of the company, and finally its president. He was president of the Lake Shore National Bank of Dunkirk, 1891-96; president of the Board of Education, 1886-92; mayor of Dunkirk two terms, 1885 until resigning in 1887; president of the board of water commissioners, 1889-1892. On Christ- mas Day, 1901, he joined with the Brooks heirs in making an endowment of $100,000 to Brooks Memorial Library, Dunkirk.
F. W. Stevens, of Jamestown, was appointed chairman of the Up-State Public Utilities Com- mission, to take effect July 1, 1907.
The cornerstone of the new county court house at Mayville was laid with impressive ceremony, July 24, 1907. The exercises were conducted by the Grand Lodge of New York, Free and Accepted Masons, the following Ma- sonic lodges of the county participating in the parade and other exercises of the day: James- :own and Dunkirk Commandaries, Knights Templar ; lodges from Jamestown, Forestville, Fredonia, Dunkirk, Sinclairville, Cherry Creek, Sherman, Westfield, Silver Creek, Brocton and Mayville.
The village was gay with flags and bunting, :very business house and public building in the central part of the village being elaborately lecorated with the national colors. Bands vere playing long before the formal exercises vegan, and the village was filled with repre- entatives from all parts of the county, with nany from elsewhere in the State. The new building is on the site of the old one, which or three-quarters of a century had served the eople of Chautauqua as a court house.
The oration was delivered by Rev. George .. MacClelland, D. D., of Westfield, and was n eloquent impressive review of the history f the county. The usual articles were con- ained in a small compact copper box, which 'as fitted into a corner of the stone. Upon its over was engraved this inscription. "Made nd presented by Thomas Hutson, chairman of ie building committee, July 24, 1907, May- ille, N. Y." All members of the County oard of Supervisors were present.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.