USA > New York > Chautauqua County > History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume II > Part 43
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The childhood of Benjamin Simeon Dean was spent in his native place, and he attended as a lad the local district school. His early educational advantages, however, were decidedly meagre, and he left his studies
and secured a position in a printing office when but twelve years of age. He remained in this employ, the Randolph "Register," for three years and thoroughly mastered the trade of printing during that time of apprenticeship. Later he went to Emlenton, Penn., and secured a position as forman of the print- ing room of the Emlenton "Register." After one year of this work, Mr. Dean was admitted as a partner in the ownership of this paper, the firm being known as Sampson, Kittell & Dean. This association continued until the year 1880, when he withdrew from his part- nership and returned to New York, settling at Olean, where he became city editor of the Olean "Daily Times." He later occupied the same position with the Olean "Daily Herald," and remained thus employed until 1884, when he returned to Randolph and became a partner in the firm of Roberts & Dean. This con- cern purchased the Randolph "Register," and Mr. Dean assisted in operating it for about a year. It was in 1885 that he came to Jamestown, where he had been requested to take the position of city editor on the Jamestown "Daily News." Mr. Dean not long after- wards purchased this journal and ran it until 1897, making it one of the representative sheets of this part of the State. In the meantime he had turned his atten- tion to the study of the law, a profession in which he had always taken an exceedingly keen interest, and in 1897 was admitted to the bar and commenced active practice here. Since that time he has continued in this line and has specialized to a large extent in constitu- tional law. He has built up a large practice and rep- resents a number of large industrial and business con- cerns. Mr. Dean has now risen to a position of lead- ership in the bar here, and holds the respect not only of the community-at-large, but of his colleagues on account of the high standard of professional ethics which he has always maintained. He has until recently been connected with the Salisbury Axle Company, of which he is still the general counsel, and he is a direc- tor and general counsel for the Peru Auto Parts Com- pany, of Peru, Ind.
Mr. Dean has always taken an active part in the gen- eral life of Jamestown, and is keenly interested in its political affairs. He is a staunch member of the Re- publican party, the principles and policies of which he has always strongly supported, and has held a number of important offices here. He was corporation counsel of Jamestown for one term, and was also a member of the Board of Health for a similar period. He is a conspicuous figure in the club life of this community, and is president of the University Club and the Satur- day Night Club of Jamestown.
Benjamin Simeon Dean was united in marriage, June 27, 1883, at Attica, N. Y., with Emyle C. Blasdell, a native of Gowanda, N. Y., and a daughter of Richard and Laura (Cook) Blasdell, old and highly respected residents of that place. Mr. Blasdell was born in Canada and came to the United States as a young man, settling at Gowanda, where he was for a num- ber of years the proprietor of a hotel. To Mr. and Mrs. Dean one daughter has been born, Bonny Blas- dell, who is now occupied as a teacher in the James- town High School.
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ABRAHAM BECKRINK-To say that Mr. Beck- rink is a well known market gardener of Jamestown would be understating the truth, for his reputation extends far beyond the limits of his own community. As a citizen no less than as a business man he is highly valued, always taking a helpful interest in all that makes for progress and improvement of conditions
Harry Beckrink, father of Abraham Beckrink, was born in 1832, in Holland, that country being the orig- inal home of the family. It is interesting to note that the name has been variously spelled, one branch of the family writing it Bakrink. In 1844 Harry Beckrink was brought by his parents to the United States, mak- ing the voyage in a sailing vessel. The family settled in Chautauqua county, N. Y., where the father followed his trade, which was that of a wagon maker. Harry Beckrink attended the district school in the Peck Set- tlement, near Jamestown, and on reaching manhood devoted ten years of his life to farming. Later he moved to the town of Westfield and there, for eight years, was employed on a farm. During this time, by dint of industry and economy, he accumulated suffi- cient money to purchase fifty acres of land in the town of Clymer, which he improved and operated, adding to it from time to time as his means allowed. Becoming, eventually, the owner of two hundred acres of well cultivated land, he made general farming his occupa- tion until 1909, when he retired from active work. He is now living in the home which he made for himself by hard labor, thrift and wise and skillful management of the resources at his command. He votes the Re- publican ticket, and is a member of the Dutch Re- formed church. Mr. Beckrink married Jane Gertrude Schruers, born in Holland, daughter of John Schruers, who, with his wife, emigrated to the United States when their daughter was still a child. Mr. and Mrs. Beckrink became the parents of the following chil- dren: Abraham, mentioned below: Henry J., a farmer of Clymer; Mary, married John T. Legters, of Clymer ; Katharine, became the wife of John Ernink, of Clymer; Frederick, of Clymer; Lydia, married John DeCooney, of Clymer; Harrison, of Clymer; Sarah, married Albert Mentz, of Erie county, N. Y .; Hattie, became the wife of William Mina, of Clymer; James, of Clymer; and Emma, married William Heslink, of Clymer. In addition to these eleven children, Mr. and Mrs. Beckrink have forty grandchildren and ten great- grandchildren. Like her husband, Mrs. Beckrink is a member of the Dutch Reformed church. She and her husband, aged, respectively, seventy-five and eighty- seven years, are still active, taking a lively interest in family matters and community affairs.
Abraham Beckrink, son of Harry and Jane Gertrude (Schruers) Beckrink, was born Oct. 28, 1863, in the town of Clymer, N. Y., and spent his boyhood on his father's farm, acquiring his education at the district school. At the age of thirteen he went to Oil City, Penn., where he lived in the family of his uncle, Wil- liam Schruers, working at market gardening in the summers and attending school during the winters. In this way he spent ten years, becoming thoroughly familiar with all the details of the cultivation of vege- tables. In 1887, Mr. Beckrink returned to Chautauqua county and purchased a small tract of land in Ellicott
township, near the Jamestown line, where he engaged in market gardening on his own account, finding a sale for his product in Jamestown. He remained on his farm until 1892, when he removed to Jamestown and established himself on Buffalo street. He bought a tract of land known as the Lucius Davis place on which were a house and barn, and there he now oper- ates 45 acres of well cultivated land, giving, as he has ; now done for very many years, his entire time and l attention to the cultivation of vegetables for the James- town market, and this he does all the year round. He . constructed on his place four greenhouses containing : 800 square feet of glass, and he now gives much time ' to the cultivation of spring plants, including tomato ) plants. He is the leading market gardener in James- town and its vicinity, and by industry and strict atten- tion to his field of labor has built up a successful busi- ness. Politically Mr. Beckrink is a staunch Republi- can, but has no desire for public life and has never permitted the use of his name as a candidate for office. In his business dealings and in his intercourse with his neighbors he makes the "Golden Rule" his standard of conduct.
Mr. Beckrink married, at Clymer, N. Y., Jan. 4, 1888, , Sarah Willimina (-) Slotboom, born in Clymer, daughter of John A. and Madeline (Kooman) Slot- boom. Mr. Slotboom was formerly a well known citi- zen of Jamestown, but now resides in Oregon. Mr. and Mrs. Beckrink are the parents of three children: Marvin, whose biography follows this; Pauline, gradu- ated from the Jamestown High School, class of 1913, and now resides at home; and Warren, now a student at the High School. Mrs. Beckrink is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. She and her hus- band are mutually devoted to each other and their children, and find their greatest happiness in the home circle.
Abraham Beckrink has been the architect of his for- tune, and is now a successful business man and sub- stantial citizen, respected, trusted and cordially liked not only by those of his home community, but also by many of the residents of a large portion of Chautau- qua county.
MARVIN BECKRINK-The younger generation of Jamestown's citizens have no more aggressive rep- resentative than they possess in the man whose name stands at the head of this article. This statement applies with equal force to Mr. Beckrink's qualifica- tions as a business man and a citizen, and to its truth his friends and neighbors will bear abundant testi- mony.
Marvin Beckrink was born Nov. 22, 1889, at Tiffany- ville, now Falconer, N. Y., son of Abraham and Sarah Willimina (Slotboom) Beckrink. His earliest educa- tion was received in the public schools of Jamestown, whence he passed to the high school, graduating in 1908. He was reared, under the instruction of his father, to the market gardening business, and since leaving school has been associated in the concern. He has proved himself a valuable asset to the business, having inherited much of his father's ability and force of character. In politics Mr. Beckrink is a Republican, but has never cared to participate actively in the work
MR. AND MRS. ABRAHAM BECKRINK
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of the organization. He belongs to no orders nor societies, but is known as a fair-minded citizen, always ready to "lend a hand" when the welfare of the com- munity seems to require it.
Mr. Beckrink married, March 29, 1913, Blanche Mar- garet Donaldson, horn at Clintonville, Venango county, Penn., daughter of Samuel R. and Bessie (Hoffman) Donaldson. Mrs. Beckrink was, before her marriage, a student at the training school for nurses attached to the Pennsylvania State Hospital, North Warren, Penn. Mr. and Mrs. Beckrink became the parents of one child, Virginia Beckrink. Mrs. Beckrink, who was a devoted wife and mother, passed away Aug. 5, 1918.
Marvin Beckrink is a son and grandson of men who, for the space of seventy-five years, have made the family name respected in Chautauqua county, and everything indicates that by his own record he will cause it to be regarded with additional honor.
SAMUEL SWEET-When a man labors from his boyhood until he has reached the latter years of middle life, from early morning until evening, then it is only a just reward if he can retire from active work and enjoy the competence so earned. When such a man has won the respect and trust of the community in which he lives, by virtue of the honest, upright meth- ods he has used in business, then indeed "he can look the world in the face for he owes not any man." This is most applicable in the case of Samuel Sweet, who lives a retired life, free from business anxieties, in the full enjoyment of his home and family in Jamestown, N. Y.
The parents of Samuel Sweet were people of very moderate circumstances in Bristol, England; the father, Isaac Sweet, was a soap maker, and with his wife, Sarah (Powell) Sweet, brought up a family of several children. They were all members of the Church of England, and the children were sent to the parish schools of Bristol when very young. The parents spent their entire lives in Bristol and died there.
Samuel Sweet was born in Bristol, Oct. 7, 1841, and lived there until he was fifteen years old, when he determined to make an effort to better his fortunes. He left his native land for America in a sailing vessel, the voyage lasting six weeks before he landed in New York. He did not linger in that city, but went West immediately, to Cleveland, Ohio, by the Lake Shore Railroad, his brother, Isaac, having previously located in that city. The lad secured employment in a wooden ware factory, doing piece work for which he received about $15 a week. Here he continued until the call to arms came at the outbreak of the Civil War; he answered the call of his adopted country at once, en- listing in Company A, 7th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. O. J. Crane. Their colonel was Col. Creighton of the 12th Army Corps, and they saw active service for a year and a half, being in many battles of note, such as Cedar Mountain, Antietam and Winchester; at the last mentioned engagement Mr. Sweet was severely wounded by a ball passing through his body from right to left, penetrating his right lung. He was ordered to the camp hospital where he remained two months, at the end of which time he was honorably discharged for disability.
Mr. Sweet then returned to Cleveland, resumed his occupation at the wooden ware factory, continuing it until 1868, when wishing to make a change he came East as far as Corry, Penn., where he was again em- ployed at his trade of making wooden ware. In 1874 he journeyed still further East, locating in Faulkner, Chautauqua county, N. Y., there forming a partnership with E. W. Fenton under the firm name of Fenton & Sweet, manufacturers of butter packages. The output of this factory found a ready market in all sections of the country and proved to be a very successful venture, it being continued for fifteen years, when Mr. Sweet sold out his interest in the concern and went to James- town, N. Y. He now decided to enter a new field and built a house which included a store within its walls. Here he entered into the grocery business, which he conducted for six years; at the end of that time he sold out his stock and rented the store, retiring to enjoy at leisure his delightful home at No. 201 Forest avenue, his temperament being very home loving and domes- ticity its keynote; his family was the chief interest of his life, his devotion to them having evoked comment and admiration.
While in Cleveland Mr. Sweet married Regina Huber, a native of Germany, born Nov. 1, 1843, died Dec. 20. 1919, daughter of Jacoh Huber. She resided in Jamestown for thirty years. She was a member of the Ladies' Aid Society of the Pilgrim Memorial Con- gregational Church and the Birthday Club. She proved herself to be a devoted wife and a fond and wise mother to their three children. They are: I. Walter, who is in the employ of the State Public Serv- ice Commission of New York City; he married Kath- erine Frisbee. 2. Nellie, married (first) W. S. Pres- tey, now deceased, and she married (second) James Hayward, and resides in Jamestown, N. Y. 3. Sarah, (Sadie) married Charles M. Nichols.
Mr. Sweet is not a seeker for any political office, although he is a staunch upholder of the Republican party. He was brought up in the Church of England, or as it is called in America, the Episcopal church, but if one were to ask Mr. Sweet what his religious faith is he would probably say "The Golden Rule is my church." He is a member of James M. Brown Post, No. 285, Grand Army of the Republic. A self made and a self-educated man is Samuel Sweet, for when he arrived in this country he was a poor immi- grant boy, but by perseverance and energy he now is one of the leading citizens of Jamestown, honored and respected by all who know him; a man of kindly disposition and charitable to the poor and needy. His record as a soldier is a very creditable one ; he offered his life to the land of his adoption, and that it was not sacrificed is one of the blessings he has to be thank- ful for.
TIFFANY AND HENDERSON FAMILIES- Nathaniel Johnson, a man of education and sterling character, living in Woodstock, Vt., and later of Jef- ferson county, N. Y., was induced by his friend and comrade of the American Revolution, Major Samuel Sinclair, to move with his family to Sinclairville, Chautauqua county, where he settled in 1816. His wife was Mary Nye Johnson, who died Dec. 11, 1838,
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at the age of seventy-four. Mr. Johnson died in James- town, while on a visit to his son, Forbes Johnson, Oct. 31, 1828, at the age of sixty-five.
A daughter Hannah was married, Oct. 8, 1816, to Sylvanus Lyon Henderson, a soldier of the War of 1812, who also settled here in 1816, and for more than half a century was actively connected with the growth and business interests of the place. He was a master of Sylvan Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Sinclairville. Judge Abner Hazeltine in his work on "Free Masonry in Chautauqua County," contributed to the "Centennial History," has this to say:
At the great excitement that followed 1826. when it was believed by enemies of Free Masonry that it had received its death blow, the lodges and chapters of this county surrendered their charters and jewels and ceased Masonic labor. Most of their records became scattered or were destroyed, and had it not been for the great care of Judge Foote, Hon. Thomas B. Camp- bell and Sylvanus L. Henderson, of Sinclairville, none would have been preserved.
Sylvanus L. Henderson died April 6, 1870, aged seventy-seven; his wife survived him many years, and died at Sinclairville, March 3, 1891, aged ninety-one.
Of their children, a younger son, William Wallace Henderson, was born Sept. 11, 1828, at Sinclairville. From boyhood his scholarly taste led him to collect the best books and his library grew in time to be one of the most excellent in this region. While still in his native town, as later, during his long residence in Jamestown, his library was a source of culture and inspiration to many who were permitted to share its influence. Mr. Henderson became an acknowledged authority on questions of history and archaeology, literature and natural science, and formed many warm and lasting friendships with men prominent in fields of scholarship and culture, who as visitors to this locality discovered in him a congenial and responsive spirit, and a valued correspondent. As a young man, studying medicine under the late Dr. Henry B. Hedges, he then attended the Medical College of the University of Buf- falo. He finally adopted the profession of pharmacy, which he continued for nearly 50 years. He became master of Sylvan Lodge of Masons, like his father before him. At majority he allied himself with the anti-slavery movement, and was of those who founded the Free-Soil party, casting his first vote for John P. Hale for president. His innate love of justice and live interest in public affairs led him to active participa- tion in politics, and he was many times committeeman and delegate to local and State conventions of the Re- publican party. His appointment as postmaster by Abraham Lincoln is still an interesting possession of his children. In 1871, he was appointed by U. S. Grant, collector of internal revenue for the 31st Dis- trict of New York, and after its consolidation with the 27th District, was reappointed its collector with his office at Elmira.
In 1876, Mr. Henderson moved with his family to Jamestown, where he formed a partnership with Maj. E. P. Putnam, as Henderson & Putnam, and was the leading pharmacist and bookseller for twenty years, at the corner of Main and Third streets.
He was ever active in the business and social life of the city, and was highly esteemed by an uncommonly
wide acquaintance in city and county, because of his sympathetic and helpful interest, wise counsel and kindly courtesy. Many younger druggists of this region acknowledge the value of his encouragement in entering upon the study of pharmacy, and in their terms as apprentices and clerks under his wise and experienced guidance. Mr. Henderson was for many years the chairman of the Board of Education, a warm friend of Prof. S. G. Love, whose policy of advancing the schools of Jamestown he ably furthered. His con- sideration of the teachers' interests never failed.
He was a charter member of the New York State Pharmaceutical Association, president of the Chautau- qua County Pharmaceutical Association, and of the Pharmaceutical Association of Jamestown. He was a member of the Board of Curators of the Department of Pharmacy, University of Buffalo, from its organi- zation in 1886. As an authority on local history and archaelogy, he assisted representatives of the Smith- sonian Institution in locating and opening Indian mounds and other pre-historic remains in this region. He was known as the founder of the Chautauqua County Society of History and Natural Science, and associated with him his friend from boyhood, Hon. Obed Edson, Prof. Samuel G. Love, and others. He was secretary of the society for a quarter of a century, its treasurer for some years, and contributed some important papers to its archives.
William W. Henderson married, in 1867, Martha Yevonette Tiffany, of Jamestown, a daughter of Silas Durkee and Lucy (Hyde) Tiffany; Silas D. Tiffany, whose biography occurs in former county histories, was one of the earliest settlers and business men of James- town. He was a man of scholarly attainments and a true gentleman of the old school, and his wife a lady of much refinement, very generally beloved. Mrs. Hen- derson is cherished in the memory of this community as a woman of much distinction and charm of person and character, and possessed of intellectual qualities and artistic gifts of a high order. She endeared her- self to all who knew her, and her influence was recog- nized in many fields of philanthropic and social life, where her position was one of prominence. Mrs. Hen- derson died Feb. 20, 1903: William W. Henderson, Nov. 17, 1910, (in Buffalo). Two children survived this union, Lucia Tiffany, with whom we are here especially concerned, and Nina Stoneman, who became the wife of William H. Henchey, of Detroit, Mich.
Lucia Tiffany Henderson was born at Sinclairville, Chautauqua county, N. Y. After the family moved to Jamestown, in her childhood, she was a pupil of the Glidden Private School; she was afterward a student at the Jamestown grammar and high school, then attended the Bartholomew English and Classical School, of Cin- cinnati, Ohio. She studied later under private tutors, and was for a time employed in her father's book store. She completed the course in the Library training school of Drexel Institute, Philadelphia, and in the fall after graduation took a position in the Buffalo Public Library as cataloger, afterward as assistant reference librarian, remaining in that library nearly nine years; in 1906, Miss Henderson came to James- town to take her present position as librarian of the James Prendergast Free Library. She has been very
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A. C. Merrill
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FOUR GENERATIONS OF THE E. F. MERRILL FAMILY FALCONER, N. Y.
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active in her professional work and has done much to make the Prendergast Library the efficient institution it now is in the growing community it serves. She is ever alert to secure improvements for the library, and to develop its usefulness still further. She has always been actively interested in social, club and church rela- tionships, responding willingly and helpfully to the many demands for her counsel and cooperation. In religious belief, Miss Henderson is a Unitarian and attends the First Unitarian Church, of Jamestown. Miss Henderson is a member of Jamestown Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution; member and ex-president of the Fortnightly; member of the New Century Art Club, and of the Mozart Club, of which her mother was a founder and vice-president for years. She has held the office of vice-president and of secre- tary of the New York Library Association, and is a member of the American Library Association.
EDWIN F. MERRILL-It is rather an unusual circumstance to find any line of business actively oper- ating in three successive generations of the same fam- ily; yet such is the case with the Merrill Undertaking Company of East Randolph, N. Y., and Falconer, N. Y. On June 7, 1919, the fifty-seventh anniversary of the founding of the business was marked. The grand- father of Edwin F. Merrill established it at East Ran- dolphı, in 1862, later taking into the business his son, Marcus Fenton Merrill, and in course of time the grandson also was taken into the business, making the third of his race to be so engaged. Edwin F. Merrill is not a chance undertaker, taking it up over night and making a living by it, instead he is regularly trained in what is now regarded as a profession, having studied anatomy, embalming, sanitation and disinfection, pass- ing the examination of the New York State Board of Undertakers, Aug. 28, 1905. In January of that year he had successfully passed the necessary examinations in the above mentioned studies, qualifying himself for the later tests by the State Board. Edwin F. Merrill was born in Chicago, I11., May 2, 1869. His father, Marcus Fenton Merrill, and his mother, Mary D. (Lapp) Mer- rill, living there at that time. The former died in 1902.
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