USA > New York > Chautauqua County > History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume II > Part 10
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
Luther Rawson Dean was a son of Judge Gilbert Dean and his second wife, Mary (Stewart) Dean. His life from the year 1877 until its close was spent in the town of Portland, Chautauqua county, N. Y., forty-one years of activity, usefulness, business success and up- right, honorable life being included within that period of time. He was a native son of the Empire State, but the beginning of his life was in its extreme eastern part, its ending in its extreme west. He was but in the prime of his splendid manhood when called away, but his life was a successful one. He left behind him a precious memory and his many friends truly mourned liis passing. He was familiarly known as "Ross" Dean all over the Chautauqua grape belt. Luther Rawson Dean was born in New York City, Oct. 18, 1864, and died at his home in the town of Portland, Chautauqua county, N. Y., July 28, 1918, and is buried in Ever- green Cemetery. He was six years of age when his eminent father died in 1870, and from that year until 1877 his widowed mother and her three sons lived in Poughkeepsie, N. Y. There he attended school, part of this period being spent in a military academy. In 1877 Mrs. Dean and her sons moved to the town of Port- land, Chautauqua county, and settled on the farm on the main road, not far from what is now the village of Brocton, known as the "Harris Community." On
the farm of one hundred acres the three boys, Luther, Stewart, and Clyde, grew to manhood, and made the farm a profitable venture, devoting its acres principally to grapes.
Upon coming of age "Ross" Dean was given one- third of the farm and there he continued grape-growing. He delved deep into the science of his business, study- ing the chemistry of soils and fertilizers, the effect of climatic influences, and in time came to be looked upon as an expert.
Mr. Dean married, in the town of Portland, Jan. 8, 1887, Emma Frances Corell, born in Pennsylvania, daughter of Lucius Hollister and Mandana (Harris) Corell. Miss Corell was educated in Portland public and Westfield high schools, and after graduation taught in Portland schools until her marriage to Mr. Dean, whom she survives, continuing her residence at the home built in 1897. In 1904 the mother, Mrs. Mary (Stewart) Dean, died and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery. The sons, "Ross," Stewart, and Clyde, con- tinued grape farming, all being well known citizens of the town.
"Ross" Dean, as profits on his original one-third of the farm accumulated, bought other tracts in different parts of the town of Portland, his holdings totaling about four hundred acres, principally devoted to vine- yards. He was one of the largest grape growers of his town and county, his shipments in one season reaching a total of one hundred cars of grapes sent to outside markets. His expert culture of his vines caused them to yield plentifully and the grade was so high that his fruit brought the top market price.
In 1897 Mr. Dean built the house which is yet the residence of his widow and one of the fine homes of the town of Portland, its well-kept lawns and attractive buildings evidencing the pride the owner took in its construction and maintenance. For two decades this was Mr. Dean's home, and from it he directed his business operations. He became well known all over the country as a scientific grape grower, and was as favorably as he was widely known. His kindly heart and sympathetic nature led him to give freely of his substance to the cause of charity and philanthropy, yet he gave so quietly that few knew the extent of his benefactions. He was extremely independent in his political action, the character of the candidate deciding which side he would support and not the party label. His religion was the Golden Rule, and he ordered his life by that rule. He was of quiet, domestic tastes and thoroughly devoted to his home and family.
Mrs. Dean is a lover of the out-of-doors, of flower culture, and continues to manage the estate along the lines established by Mr. Dean. She was one of the organizers and a charter memher of the Ladies' Home Club, a literary society of Brocton, and in addition to other offices has served the club as its president. She is an attendant of the Methodist Episcopal church. Her only daughter, Grace May Dean, married Charles Wen- borne, of Brocton, and they are the parents of three children : Emily Harless, Mary Stewart, and Charles, Jr. Alvan Rawson Dean, only son of Luther Raw- son and Emma Frances (Corell) Dean, was born Aug. 23, 1905, now (1920) a student in high school.
38
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY
WALTER SMITH-To correctly estimate the value a man's life has been to a community is a difficult task, but one way to arrive at a conclusion is to consider what the history of that community would have been without the services, example and inspiration of that life. By that test some idea of the value of Walter Smith's life to the community we now know as the city of Dunkirk may be arrived at. Walter Smith once wrote :
My associations in the County of Chautauqua were close and intimate from the spring of 1819 to 1840. It led me to know how people emigrating without capital to a heavily timbered country were enabled, by their own industry, with their own general capacity and good common sense, to clear their farms, pay for their lands and become wealthy, and this gained. to look back to the commencement of the clearing of these farms with all the hardships, the deprivation of what would now be considered the ordinary comforts of life, as the happiest period of their lives.
And it was said of Walter Smith :
This remarkable man, for almost half a century occupied a large space In the business affairs of West- ern New York. Throughout his long career. marked with patient endeavor and noble enterprise, he always maintained a reputation for generosity, courage, energy and fidelity. He leaves behind a bright ex- ample of all those manly qualities which give to live its value and reward.
At a time when Dunkirk was seemingly about to enter upon a period of great depression and hope had fled, fortunately the possibilities of the village attracted the attention of Walter Smith, and from that time until 1843 his life was a masterly and persistent strug- gle, always against natural obstacles and often against adverse fortune, to build up Dunkirk to a position of commercial importance equal to the neighboring Lake Erie cities. His devotion and public spirit won him potent influence in the northern part of the county, and so strong was his hold upon the regard of the people of his own village that rival communities face- tiously observed that "Dunkirk had no other God than Walter Smith."
The branch of the Smith family came to New York State from Connecticut, the Smith ancestry tracing from ancient and honorable New England forebears. The founder of the family in New England was Lient. Samuel Smith, who came with his family in 1634, and became a man of prominence in the Connecticut Colony.
Walter Smith was born in Wethersfield, Conn., March 21, 1800, died in Dunkirk, N. Y., Sept. 21, 1874. He attended school in Litchfield, Conn., but at the age of fifteen years was living in Cazenovia, N. Y., engaged as clerk in the general store owned and operated by Jacob Ten Eyck. He was a hoy of energy and ability, so winning the confidence of his employer that the latter trusted him implicitly in important business mat- ters. Ambitious to have a business of his own he toured Western New York in 1819 in search of a loca- tion, and in March, 1819, alighted from his horse in Fredonia, Chautauqua county, thoroughly convinced that he had found the desired location in which to start a business enterprise. He made the necessary arrange- ments, and after returning to Cazenovia, formed a part- nership with his former employer, Jacob Ten Eyck, and in May, 1819, the firm of Ten Eyck & Company opened a store in Fredonia with a stock of goods paid for by Mr. Ten Eyck, Mr. Smith then lacking nearly two
years of being legally capable of transacting business. But he possessed the requisite business quality and in June, 1819, when the merchants, Joseph and Ralph Plumb, failed, he bought their store and ashery. He managed so well and pushed his business so energetically that the first year showed a volume of sales exceeding $20,000. At the end of that first year he repaid Mr. Ten Eyck the money advanced and became sole owner. Each year his volume of business grew larger until in 1825 it reached $75,000, the cash received for goods sold at the time of sale never exceeding 10 per cent. of the aggregate for the year. Goods were paid for in pot and pearl ashe, blacksalts, or produce. Mr. Smith wrote concerning his business of that period :
The sale of pot and pearl ashes varled in different years, both in quantity and price. They were shipped to Montreal until the Erie Canal was finished in 1825, by vessel to Black Rock, by open boat to Schlosser, by ox teams hauled from there to Lewiston, from thence by vessel to Cape Vincent, then by batteaux down the St. Lawrence to Montreal and sold by Horatio Gates Company and the proceeds remitted to New York to my order. In order to furnish the farmers a market for their produce I obtained a contract to supply the gov- ernment stations along the lakes with provisions and the farmers of Chautauqua county furnished every- thing needed except white beans, which I purchased in Ohio.
Mr. Smith bought of the farmers of his section everything they produced and wanted to sell, and orders on his store or due bills over his signature became the prevailing currency of the county. It was the money paid them for black salts, house ashes, and farm pro- duce that enabled the farmers to make their early pay- ments on their lands. In 1826, in the heyday of his prosperity, Walter Smith transferred his capital, his prestige, and his remarkable talent for business to Dun- kirk, but before doing so had so used his influence that General Lafayette was induced to visit Fredonia, Mr. Smith planning the visit and bringing him from Erie, through Chautauqua county to Fredonia, where a ban- quet was served. The next morning a procession escorted General Lafayette to Dunkirk where he boarded the steamer "Superior," Mr. Smith bearing the fuel expense, and by invitation accompanying the party to Buffalo.
In Dunkirk Mr. Smith entered into partnership with George A. French, the mercantile business which they conducted being carried on under the firm name Smith & French. Walter Smith gave his energy to promotion of new enterprises; a passenger and freight line was established between Dunkirk, N. Y., and Warren, Pa .; water communication was opened with Buffalo; steam- boats were induced to call at Dunkirk; and a new im- pulse was given to trade, travel, and improvement. He so stimulated the settlement of Dunkirk that by 1830 it is estimated that the population had increased from fifty to three hundred. Walter Smith was one of the first projectors of the New York & Erie Railroad, and in its incipient stages the leading and most efficient man in the State to promote it. He spent the greater part of the winters of 1831 and 1832 in Albany, bringing the importance of the road to the attention of the Legisla- ture. It was largely through his efforts that the road was chartered, April 24, 1832. Through his influence a clause was incorporated in the charter requiring the running of a certain number of trains into Dunkirk daily, thus securing to it permanently and beyond con-
Hutter . Smith
Studien .carry
Avery
39
BIOGRAPHICAL
tingency the benefit of the road. The wisdom of this provision is now apparent in this year of 1920. There were then but five thousand miles of railroad in the whole world, yet Mr. Smith saw with a remarkable elearness of vision the revolution in business that rail- roads were to make. At a meeting of the projectors he said that "the day would come when cattle fattened in Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio would be brought to the New York market." His prediction was derided at the time as visionary. He owned a half interest in the Dunkirk Company which he sold to New York City parties in 1830 and at once secured the other half by purchase. In 1835 he laid the foundations for the Loder House, a brick hotel which stood on the south side of Third street, by far the most imposing and largest building in Dunkirk. He built the first grist mill in Dunkirk, condueting the water through a raceway from Canadaway creek, three miles away. All this and much more he did to build up the town and county and of him it was said :
No man in the State was his superior in planning, forecasting and executing great business operations. He never held any public office but pathmaster, and only accepted that office because it gave him some authority in laying out and improving roads.
He continued active business operations until the year 1837, the great "panic" year, when the banks of the entire country suspended payment and upon Dunkirk "un- merciful disaster followed fast and followed faster." The town seemed blasted beyond hope of recovery and Wal- ter Smith, upon whom the fortunes of Dunkirk rested, was overwhelmed in the fate which blasted the fortunes of every business man of the community. Overwhelmed, but not disheartened, he saved what he could from the wreck, and in 1843 moved to Vermilion, Ohio, where he became manager of an extensive iron plant. In 1852 he returned to Dunkirk, where he continued to reside for twenty-two years until his death, Sept. 21, 1874. During those years he was the same active, interested, public-spirited citizen, but never resumed husiness on a large scale.
Mr. Smith married, May 8, 1825, Minerva Pomeroy Abell, daughter of Mosely Abell, of Fredonia. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were the parents of five children: Mary Augusta, who became the wife of John M. Barbour, justice of the Superior Court of New York City; Kate Eliza Meyers; Walter Chester; Sara Dwight, married (first) Hoyt G. Palmer, (second) A. J. Avery, of Dun- kirk; Cornelia Tyron.
The following quotation grandly sums up the ehar- acter and disposition of Walter Smith :
There was nothing trivial, narrow or false in his character. He had no aims but were worthy, no as- pirations but to extend means and opportunity for use- fulness. In all his changing fortunes, under bright or clouded skies, he was ever the same genial, intelligent companion, worthy and upright citizen, true and stead- fast friend.
ANDREW JACKSON AVERY-The discovery of natural gas was of wonderful benefit to the residents of a large area of territory, Western New York and Pennsylvania richly participating in that benefit. But natural gas at first was more of a curse than a benefit, and it was not until the genius of man harnessed the flow, led it beneath factory boilers and into the kitchen
range, the heating furnace and through residences to the grates, that it became a blessing. Andrew Jackson Avery was one of the men who was responsible for the harnessing of this giant force, and in Bradford, Pa., in 1878, with his partner and brother-in-law, John McDougal, found a means of utilizing natural gas for domestic purposes. So well did they plan and execute that now, forty years later, their inventions are still in use. This was the beginning of the great industry that has meant so much in material wealth and domes- tic eomfort to the business men and homemakers ot the United States.
Avery or Averey Arms-Ermine, on a pale engrailed azure three lions' heads couped or.
Crest-An ounce (leopard) couchant argent bezantée ducally gorged or.
Andrew Jackson Avery was born in Watertown, Jefferson county, N. Y., Oct. 30, 1829, died in Dunkirk, N. Y., Aug. 11, 1902, and is buried in Forest Hill Cemetery, Fredonia. He was educated in Watertown schools, and began life as a carpenter's apprentice. He remained in Watertown until of legal age, then went to Oswego, N. Y., where he worked at his trade for a time, later abandoning it in favor of gas fitting, a trade he thoroughly mastered in all its branches. Later, as before mentioned, he formed a partnership with John McDougal, and under the firm name, Avery & McDougal, conducted a successful business. From gas fitting they enlarged their lines and finally they became interested in the erection of gas plants for the manu- facture and distribution of gas. They erected plants in many New York eities, notably one in Hornell and one in Dunkirk, the latter being installed in 1867. Mr. Avery was in full charge of the erection of the Dunkirk plant, Mr. McDougal superintending the Hornell works. They also built the gas works at Fulton, N. Y., and in all these cities they were the pioneer gas man- ufacturers.
In 1876, Avery & McDougal entered the Pennsylvania gas field locality at Bradford, where they invented the necessary machine, appliances and devices that ren- dered it possible to introduce natural gas into the home and use it as a heating and cooking agent. Their inventions were practical, and a great revolution was quickly, quietly and peacefully accomplished through the vision, enterprise and courage of these pioneers of a now great industry. Avery & MeDougal were also the inventors of a successful device or process by which leakage at the gas wells was prevented. Mr. Avery was also associated with Charles E. Hegen- bourg, of Dunkirk, in piping the gas from the wells in Indiana to Chicago, and was largely interested in other gas field activities in different sections. During all these years, or many of them, his home was in Dunkirk, where he built the fine brick residence on Central avenue yet occupied by his widow.
Mr. Avery was a man of strong character, honorable and upright in life, and possessed of all manly qualities. He always manifested a deep interest in Dunkirk, its people and institutions. He was an active member of the Board of Trade, and was for many years its hon- ored president. He also served as trustee, vice-presi- dent and president of the Forest Hill Cemetery Asso- ciation of Fredonia, held the last-named office during
40
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY
the years 1899-1901. In politics he was a Democrat, but his interest in political affairs was that of a public- spirited citizen only, his five years' service as police commissioner of the city of Dunkirk being rendered through a sense of duty he owed his adopted home. Sound in judgment, he acted upon his conception of what was a proper course of action, and was a true independent. He was devoted to his home and family, was fond of out-of-door sports, and could often be found upon the golf links of the Willow Brook Club, of which he was a member. He was a member of the Protestant Episcopal church.
Mr. Avery married (first) July 22, 1857, at Oswego, N. Y., Catherine S. Cole, a sister of Jane Adelle Cole, who married Mr. Avery's partner, John McDougal. Mrs. Catherine S. (Cole) Avery died in Dunkirk, July 19, 1885, the mother of five children: 1. Fred, died in infancy. 2. Kate, married Edward C. Perry, and died in August, 1918. 3. Mary, married Henry N. Jarvis, of Buffalo. 4. Elizabeth, married Charles D. Armstrong, of Dunkirk. 5. McDougal, married Margaret Enright, of Buffalo. Mr. Avery married (second) Aug. 10, 1887, Sara D. (Smith) Palmer, daughter of Walter and Minerva P. (Abell) Smith, and widow of Hoyt G. Pal- mer, of Dunkirk. Mrs. Avery continues her residence in Dunkirk, where she is well known and esteemed. She is a Red Cross worker, and a member of St. John's Episcopal Church.
THE ARTHUR FAMILY, which for more than a century has had worthy connection with Chautauqua county, N. Y., and should be considered as one of the early pioneer settlers of the county, and of the section now known as Falconer, had its American origin in the emigration from Scotland of Robert Arthur, a strong- minded, deeply-religious man, who in the eighteenth century left his native land to escape persecution because of his religious convictions and of his firm adherence thereto despite threats and physical suffer- ing. The present generation of the Arthur family of Falconer, represented by Charles K. Arthur, Jane A. (Arthur) Cass, and Alice M. (Arthur) Simmons, also included a worthy patriot, J. Marvin, who died of wounds received at the battle of Cold Harhor, June 15, 1864, which battle became particularly historic because it was there that the Union advance was substantially checked, which circumstance caused General Grant to send the dispatch in which was the sentence so often quoted: "I propose to fight it out on this line, if it takes all summer." The present gener- ation of the Arthur family is the fourth in descent from the American progenitor, Robert Arthur, and the Arthur genealogy connects with the historic family to which Daniel Boone, of international fame, belonged, Robert Arthur having married Susan Boone, a near relative of that celebrated man.
Robert Arthur, upon his arrival in America, took his family into Pennsylvania, and settled on the banks of the Susquehanna river, in the county of Westmore- land, that State. In those days the Susquehanna river was an important waterway, and the settlers upon its hanks lived mainly by lumbering, taking rafts of lumber down its tortuous course to the sca, often going as
far as Baltimore and further points in Chesapeake bay, a very long journey, for a more winding crooked stream than the Susquehanna is not to be found in the Northern states, its sweet-sounding Indian name being very appropriate, signifying a crooked stream of water: "Hanna"-a stream of water; "Susque"- crooked. The lumbering done by Robert Arthur had of course primarily as its object the winning of the land from the wilderness, and in course of time he had cleared a sufficient acreage for their needs. Event- ually, he sold his property in Westmoreland county, Pa., and took his family into Warren county, that State, locating at Irvington, where the family lived for many years. Robert Arthur died in that place. He was honored by his generation of pioneers because of his upright life and his firm adherence to the principles that governed the lives of Presbyterians. The children of Robert and Susan (Boone) Arthur were: John, James, Samuel, Matthew, Charles, Rebecca, who married John McKinley; Susan, who married into the De France family: Eleanor, married William Skipman, and lived at Warren, Pa.
John Arthur, eldest son of Robert and Susan (Boone) Arthur, was born in Scotland, and came with his parents to America when they emigrated, settling on the banks of the Susquehanna river, and later living at Irvington, Warren county, Pa., later locating at Youngsville, that county, having acquired a land- holding at that place. He, like his father, made good use of his lumber, rafting logs down the Allegheny river for many years. In 1809 he left Youngsville and Pennsylvania, and thereafter lived in Chautauqua county, N. Y. He purchased some land on the banks of Chadokoin river, at a spot then known as The Rapids, but now a part of the village of Falconer. He was of enterprising, ingenious mind, and upon his fifty ‘ acre tract at The Rapids built a number of flat boats and thereafter acted as a carrier, taking cargoes down the Allegany river to Pittsburgh, and sometimes to Cincinnati, Ohio. Although away from home on river trips for the greater part of his time, he held to his tract of land at Falconer until his death, which occurred there in November, 1854, and he always recognized it as his home, in fact his wife was of a Chautauqua county family, and all their children were reared in the county. John Arthur was a staunch Democrat in politics, and was a factor of some con- sequence in political movements of that time in Chautauqua county or, to be more correct, in his district of Chautauqua county. He was respected as a manly Christian: he was an earnest and active member of the local church of the Methodist Episco- pal denomination, as was also his wife, Isabelle (Wilson) Arthur, sister of William Wilson, first settler in that part of Chantanqua county, now known as Ellicott township, he having first settled in the wilderness at that place in 1806. John Arthur and his wife, Isabelle (Wilson) Arthur, died in Falconer, and were buried in the Pine Hill Cemetery. To them were born ten children: 1. Robert, regarding whose life more is written hereinafter. 2. James, who died in Fal- coner. 3. William, whose death occurred at Bath, N. Y., where he was buried. 4. John, who died in Fal- coner. 5. Mary Ann, who married David Townsend,
41
BIOGRAPHICAL
of Falconer. 6. Isabelle, who became the wife of John Oltenburg, and thereafter lived in Wisconsin, where she died. 7. Susan, who married Arthur Mckinney. 8. Jane, who married E. F. Doolittle. 9. Charles, who died in Pennsylvania. 10. Bryson, who died in infancy. Robert (2) Arthur, son of John and Isabelle (Wilson) Arthur, was born in Youngsville, Warren county, Pa., March 27, 1806. He was three years old when John Arthur moved his family from Youngsville to The Rapids, now Falconer, Chantauqua county, N. Y. In his boyhood, he attended the district school nearest his home, but was not very old when he took farming occupations entirely. For a while he assisted his father in the cultivation of their fifty acre tract at The Rapids, and in course of time he accompanied his father on rafting trips down the Allegany river. In this way he grew to manhood, to a stalwart, self-reliant manhood. He acquired a farm-holding, and did con- siderable work as a hauling contractor. Many of the old brick buildings of Jamestown were built of bricks hauled by Robert Arthur from Sevant. He continued in that traffic for many years, and also industriously farmed. He was a man of fine physique, and lived to a venerable age, being in his ninety-fourth year when death came to him, Aug. 12, 1898; and he was strong and active until the last year of his life. He also was buried in Pine Hill Cemetery, Falconer, his death bringing to his family expressions of respect and desires to honor his memory from almost all who had known him well. He lived a manly, industrious, upright life, was a good neighbor, and very kindly clisposed. He was a Republican in political allegiance ; was devoted to his home; and throughout his life showed himself to be a true lover of nature. He was a skillful farmer, a good judge of and very fond of horses, and his active outdoor life and steady habits probably added many years to what would have been his normal span. He was married, in the vicinity of his home, to Parmelia Smith, a native of Canandaigua, Ontario county, N. Y., daughter of Lambert and Levina (Smith) Smith, the former being of German anteced- ents, and the latter of English. She died May 29, 1866, and was buried in Pine Hill Cemetery. The children of Robert and Parmelia (Smith) Arthur were: I.
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.