History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume III, Part 64

Author: Downs, John Phillips, 1853- , ed; Hedley, Fenwick Y., joint editor
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Boston, American Historical Soceity
Number of Pages: 688


USA > New York > Chautauqua County > History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume III > Part 64


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With the ending of hostilities, Colonel Endress re- turned to Jamestown and resumed his former business activities. About 1900, he became interested in asso- ciation work, seeing the great benefits to the retail dealer which should come from organized effort. He was one of the organizers of the New York & Penn- sylvania Retail Coal Association, of which he was its president during the five years of its greatest success, and in 1905 was elected president of the International Council of Coal Merchants, the executive head of all the retail coal associations in the United States and Canada, and reelected the following year.


In 1902, he erected an extensive cold storage and manufactured ice plant on his coal yard property, and in 1904 incorporated his entire business under the name of the Chautauqua Refrigerating Company, of which he was the president and sole owner. This plant has since been enlarged and the ice business developed until now it is the leading industry of its kind in the city. In 1917, finding corporation restrictions burdensome, he dissolved the corporation, taking back the business and operating it under his own name. During the eight years, from 1900 to 1917, he was engaged in the whole- sale coal business under the name of Endress & Mitch- ell, operating throughout Western New York and North- western Pennsylvania. With the outbreak of the war with Germany, in the spring of 1917, Colonel Endress was made a member of the Home Defense Committee of Chautauqua County, and appointed county director of the military census, a work of considerable magni- tude. At the same time he was elected chairman of the Chautauqua County Chapter, American Red Cross, charged with its reorganization on a war footing. The work of this chapter, with its handling of a quarter of a million dollars, is one of the brightest chapters in the war history of the county, its record placing it among the best chapters in the Atlantic Division, reflecting great credit on everyone connected with its manage- ment. In recognition of his work and ahility, Colonel Endress has been unanimously reelected chairman ever since. Colonel Endress is an officer of the Military Order of the Porto Rican Expedition, and by inheri-


Wir sily hugh Eundwenn


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tance, a member of the New York Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion. He is also a member of Camp Porter, United Spanish War Veter- ans, and belongs to the Army and Navy Club of Amer- ica. During his entire life in Jamestown he has been a communicant and faithful member of St. Luke's Epis- copal Church, for many years a member of its vestry, and at present its senior warden.


He married, Aug. 27, 1879, Dora Elizabeth Willey, daughter of Charles B. Willey, of Dansville, N. Y., of French and Scotch descent, who died Dec. 21, 1912, leaving two children, viz .: William Fitzhugh, mentioned below; and Helen Elizabeth Chew, born Oct. 18, 1895, educated at the National Cathedral School of Washing- ton, D. C., and married, June 16, 1919, to Frank Howard Field, of Sandusky, Ohio, whose parents were formerly residents of Louisville, Ky., descendants of the Buck- ners of Virginia. Mr. Field is a graduate of the University of Michigan with the degree of Mechanical Engineer, served in the navy during the World War as inspector of engineering materials, aeronautic United States Navy, in air-plane production, and is now assisting Colonel Endress as manager of his business interests. Mr. and Mrs. Field reside with Colonel En- dress at No. 500 Pine street, Jamestown, and have one son, Richard Endress Field, born Oct. 30, 1920.


(XVII) Captain William Fitzhugh Endress, United States Army, son of Colonel William Fries Endress, was born in Dansville, N. Y., July 17, 1880. By priority of birth this boy became the child of his father's "Class of 1879" of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In recognition of this fact he was presented with the class cup, a beautiful chased silver cup, lined with gold and emblazoned with devices emblematical of the various branches of engineering science. Captain Endress spent most of his early life in Jamestown, attending the pub- lic and private schools and later took the course at Shattuck Military Academy at Faribault, Minn., gradu- ating in 1898, being sergeant-major of the battalion. After a year spent at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Insti- tute (his father's alma mater), he secured the ap- pointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point from Congressman James W. Wadsworth, graduating in 1905, sixth in his class of 115. He chose the engineers and was promoted in the army second lieutenant, corps of engineers. He was promoted first lieutenant in 1907, and captain in 1913. His first as- signment to duty was at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and afterwards at Washington Barracks, D. C., and in Cuba during both the first and second occupations. During the latter term he was in charge of the construction of a military road in Pinar del Rio Province, his work eliciting the following words of commendation from the commanding officer :


While in the work he displayed great energy and good judgment and showed qualities of mind and character unusual in so young a man. I always regretted that Cuba should not have had earlier the benefit of his services. (Signed) WILLIAM M. BLACK, Colonel, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. (Afterwards Chief of Engineers).


He was a graduate of the Engineer School, class of 1908, and the following year was sent by the government to Cornell University for a special course of one year in mechanical and electrical engineering, from which


college he received the degree of M. E. in 1910. For the three years following he was stationed at Wash- ington Barracks, Washington, D. C., as instructor and director of electrical and mechanical engineering at the Engineer School. In April, 1914, he was ordered to the Panama Canal Zone and made superintendent of the Gatun Locks, then approaching completion. His work was to organize a permanent working force, and to see to the operation and maintenance of the locks. Person- ally he put through the two first ocean-going steamers, the "Allianca" and the "Ancon," directing the operation himself from the bridge by a system of hand signals which he himself designed and which were subsequently adopted at the locks on the Pacific end, and are now used by all the pilots on the canal. The smooth and quiet operation of the locks has been commented upon by many visitors to the Isthmus, being in marked con- trast to the noise and apparent confusion in evidence at most great locks throughout the world, this result being largely due to the discipline and efficiency of the force that Captain Endress organized. He was highly commended for his successful handling of the locks by his superior officer, Colonel Hodges, then acting gov- ernor of the Canal Zone, in his letters from which we quote :


Captain Endress was superintendent of Gatun Locks, in charge, first, of the completion and, later, of the operation of the lock-flight and all its appurtenant machinery and auxiliary structures. The work was arduous and complex; and demanded good administra- tion capacity, as well as minute attention to detail. I remember being astonished at the rapidity with which he became familiar with the complicated machinery, and the mechanical skill which he showed in solving the unexpected problems which always accompany the installation and first operation of new devices. On this work he reached a high point of efficiency in a remarkably short time, a result which could not have been attained without unusual ability and application, or without conscientious and tireless devotion to his new duties. During all the time while he was in my division he displayed all those qualities in a marked degree; and I can well believe that, had he been content to spare himself as he might have done, his bodily strength would have endured with safety the strain of the illness which proved his last.


(Signed) H. F. HODGES.


Colonel, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. (Member Panama Canal Commission).


From the many commendatory and appreciative tes- timonials from his commanding officers but one more quotation is selected, that from the builder of the canal, General George W. Goethals :


Captain Endress made an excellent record while on duty with the Canal. On account of his recognized ability and special qualifications in electrical engl- neering, I requested his detail by the War Depart- ment. He arrived on the Isthmus, April 27, 1914, and was at once assigned to duty as Superintendent of the Gatun Locks. In this position he was responsible for the proper maintenance and operation of the locks, including the organization and training of the re- quired personnel. He was unremitting in his interest and industry, and faithfully gave the full measure of his unusual ability to the interests of his work.


(Signed ) GEO. W. GOETHALS, Governor.


Captain Endress was relieved from duty at Gatun in May, 1915, and shortly after was put in command of Company M, 3rd Battalion of Engineers, with station at Corozal, Canal Zone. This company was part of the permanent garrison of the Canal Zone, and it was in the organization of this force, and the establishment of permanent quarters, to- gether with the many duties pertaining to his


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office as chief engineer of the United States forces in the Canal Zone. member of the Canal Defense Board, and other minor assignments, that Captain Endress undoubtedly overworked himself, which the enervating climate forbids, and which unquestionably had much to do with the non-resisting powers of his system to combat the attack of the final fatal disease. At the time of his death he was on his way north to get his family and take them back with him to his station at Corozal. Leaving Cristobal, Sept. 3, 1915. on the steamer "Allianca." of the Panama Railroad Line, he was stricken with the illness which culminated in an attack of pneumonia resulting in his death which oc- curred Sept. 7, 1915, while off Charleston, S. C. The remains were taken to Washington and interred in the National Cemetery at Arlington with full military hon- ors. the grave being near the old Lee mansion, where an ancestor of Captain Endress lived, and but a few steps from the grave of General Guy V. Henry, whom Colo- nel Endress served as aide during the Spanish War. The Jamestown "Evening Journal" in an editorial under date of Sept. 9, 1915, said :


Captain Endress was a most earnest and capable army officer: as a student in the local schools and the military academy at West Point he ranked high, and in his service following his graduation he gave prom- ise of great usefulness to his country. A young man of high ideals, of devotion to his country and his call- ing. he was ever ready to give the very best of him- self ,even his life, for his country. His service with the army. and especially in the enervating tropical climate of the Panama Canal Zone, was as arduous and as important as it could possibly have been upon the field of battle, and the result shows that it was just as dangerous, and yet through it all he was the cheerful and gallant American officer, standing at the post of duty until relieved by the Great Commander of all human forces.


Captain Endress was married in Holy Trinity Cathe- dral, Havana. Cuba, Nov. 20, 1908, to Abby Van Buren Wright, of Chestertown, Md., and left four children : William Fitzhugh, born Jan. 3. 1910; James Wads- worth, born Jan. 12, 1911; Elizabeth, born Sept. 6, 1912; John Zacharias, born Sept. 20, 1914. One or more of them will doubtless follow their father's army career. The family is now ( 1921) living in Berkeley, Cal.


GERRY WILLIAM COLGROVE, county super- intendent of poor, son of Albert H. and Anna ( Sprague) Colgrove, was born in North East, Pa., Sept. 26, 1872.


He was educated in the publie and high schools of Mayville, N. Y., and upon completing his studies was variously employed in farm work and in creameries and cheese factories in the neighborhood of Mayville, N. Y., until about 1900. He became sufficiently ex- perienced in the manufacture of cheese and milk prod- urts to embark in business for himself, and in 1901 purchased the Waterman Cheese Factory located three miles north of Dewittville. He conducted this plant for five year, and then disposed of the business, subse- quently locating in Mayville. In 1910, he was ap- pointed turnkey in the Mayville jail, also undersheriff, holding chat position for eight years. In the latter part ri top; he was designated by the county committee to fill the vacancy in office of superintendent of the poor for Chautimena county to succeed the late Charles E. Dodge, and in the election of November, 1917, was elected by a good majority to this office and assumed


the duties thereof. Jan. 1, 1918. Again, in 1920, he was nominated and reelected for the ensuing term of three years. Since becoming superintendent of poor, Mr. Colgrove has brought about a number of needed im- provements in the county buildings, electric lights were installed, and power is developed from the water sys- tem which in turn is supplied by reservoirs on the farm, thereby bringing about great economy. Numer- ous changes were made in the hospital and almshouse, thus accommodating more people and bettering the sani- tary conveniences. The farm consists of 480 acres, half under cultivation, and 100 head of cattle are maintained.


Mr. Colgrove has at all times been interested in the general affairs of the community. He was at one time town collector for Chautauqua township, and held other minor offices. A Republican in politics, Mr. Colgrove has always served the best interests of the public in this affiliation. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, a member of Peacock Lodge, No. 696, of Mayville; Westfield Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Jamestown Commandery, Knights Templar; Buffalo Consistory, Supreme Princes of the Royal Secret; Ismailia Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Mayville; Be- nevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the Frater- nal Order of Eagles, of Jamestown. He is a member of various social clubs in the county.


Mr. Colgrove married, March 6, 1901, in Summerdale, Chautauqua county, N. Y., Carry May Clark, daughter of Milton W. and Eliza (Stowell) Clark, old and highly respected residents of Summerdale. Mrs. Colgrove has always been interested in public movements and welfare work. She is a member of the Eastern Star Lodge and the Tuesday Club, both of Mayville. She has assisted Mr. Colgrove in his work in Mayville, and is at present (1921) matron of the County Home at Dewittville.


WILLIAM EDGAR KING-This review of the life of William Edgar King is a tribute to the memory of an able and successful lawyer, who was known and hon- ored professionally in local and State courts, learned and eloquent, and had gained a clientele influential and devoted. Not only was Mr. King influentially identified with the legal fraternity, but as a citizen he was ever ready to do all in his power to promote the best welfare and the truest progress of Jamestown.


William Edgar King was born in Bladensburg, Ohio, where he attended the local public schools for a time, later moving to Huntington, W. Va., where he resided for a number of years and where he was admitted to the bar to practice law, later moving to Jamestown, N. Y., associating himself for a number of years with the late Judge V. E. Peekham. He had a broad, com- prehensive grasp of all questions brought before him, being particularly well fitted for affairs requiring exec- utive and administrative ability. Mr. King was man endowed with rarely vigorous and alert mentality, combined with an intense earnest- ness which made itself felt in every department of life in which he found scope for his energy. His sympathetic nature, warm heart and eminently social disposition drew around him a large circle of devoted friends, irrespective of profession, nationality or creed. Mr. King was a member of Crescent Lodge, Knights of


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Pythias; Mt. Tabor Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal church.


Mr. King married and they were the parents of two sons: Ziba, of Sapulpa, Okla .; Edgar, who operates the farm near Akeley, Pa.


Mr. King for a year previous to his death, resided with his family on a farm near Akeley, Pa., but when- ever he remained in the city over night he slept in a small room adjoining his law office, and it was here that his brother found him, he having passed away during the night. He had been in poor health for some time and he had been heard to say that he felt that the end was near, so ere he had approached the confines of old age this ceaselessly active man closed his fruitful and beneficent career. Jamestown was deprived of one of the ornaments of her legal fraternity and his friends, together with his family, suffered an inexpressible be- reavement.


In a professional career of well-nigh thirty years, William Edgar King achieved a wide reputation, and from a man of his type much was still to be looked for. But while we say with sorrow "his sun has gone down while it is still day," we rejoice in the thought of the record which he left to his community, his family and his friends. Below is a tribute from the Jamestown Bar Association :


The Jamestown Bar Association assembles for the purpose of expressing regret over the death of its brother and comrade, William Edgar King.


This regret is relieved in part by the knowledge of his professional brethren that he made the sudden transition in accordance with the philosophic convic- tions which were the fruits of his thorough studies and ripe reflections.


He was a man of sterling worth; a quiet, unassum- ing gentleman; a loyal and devoted friend; a man of broad humanitarian instinct and devoted to the life of his family; his passing removes a genial comrade from the ranks of the profession.


Be it Resolved, therefore, by his brethren of the bar that this tribute to his memory be spread upon the minutes of this body and published in the press of the city and that the secretary be directed to deliver a suitable copy to the bereaved family.


REV. PETER LOZZA-In Chautauqua county, N. Y., there is quite a large Italian-American popula- tion, some hardly speaking any English, so their priest inust of necessity be a native of Italy. Rev. Peter Lozza, the assistant rector of St. James' Catholic Church in Jamestown and the rector of Our Lady of Loretto, the Catholic church at Falconer, N. Y., is very near and dear to his parishioners, and it is to him they go with all their cares and troubles.


Peter Lozza was born in Casteggio, Italy, April 30, 1881, son of Charles and Mary Lozza, residents of that village. The boy's education began in the local grammar school and was continued in a private school, where the high school subjects were taught, the course extending over a period of five years. The young man was then eighteen years of age, and having a very decided prefer- ence for the priesthood, he entered the seminary at Tor- tona, Italy, where he was trained for that vocation. His novitiate continued for six years, at the termination of which he was ordained a priest in Tortona, May 30, 1905.


The young priest's first charge was as assistant to the rector of the Catholic church at Casteggio, where


he remained for three years, going from there to Novi Ligure as priest in charge, remaining in this village for two years, then being sent to Arena; these various charges covered a period of about seven years. In 1912, he came to the United States and immediately went to Jamestown, N. Y., where he was stationed for two years, going from that city to be rector of two churches at Hulburton, N. Y., St. Rocco and St. Lucy. His next charge was the Church of Ss. Peter and Paul at Brockville, N. Y. In January, 1915, Father Lozza went to Buffalo to become assistant rector in the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and at St. Lucy's Church. All his former parishioners had been composed of Ital- ians, but his Buffalo churches were not Italians. He next was returned to Jamestown, Feb. 10, 1918, and is connected with St. James' Church and has charge of the church at Falconer. Father Lozza is devoted to his religion, and holds the esteem and confidence of his people. He is an earnest worker and a great student. His only relative is a sister, Tressa by name, who is living in Italy.


DR. FLOYD WARNER HAYES, who is one of the most prominent of the younger physicians of James- town, Chautauqua county, N. Y., where he has an office at No. 211 Main street, is a son of John B. and Ida L. (Warner) Hayes, old and highly respected residents of the town of Gerry, N. Y., where the former owns a large farm.


Dr. Floyd Warner Hayes was born on this farm at Gerry, Jan. 6, 1890, and as a lad attended the district schools in the county and later the Jamestown High School, from which he graduated in the year 1909. He was prepared for college at that institution, and having determined upon the profession of medicine as a career in life entered the medical school of the University of Buffalo. From this institution he was graduated with the class of 1914, taking his degree as doctor of medi- cine at the same time, and immediately afterwards went to Pittsburgh, Pa., where he entered the South Side Hospital, in order to take special courses in sur- gery. Upon completing these studies, Dr. Hayes came directly to Jamestown, and here began the practice of his profession, it being his intention to specialize to a certain extent in surgical work. He had been thus engaged for about one year, when the United States entered the great World War, whereupon Dr. Hayes offered his services to his country and was commis- sioned, June 20, 1917, a first lieutenant in medical corps, 116th Field Artillery. He was sent to Fort Ben- jamin Harrison as a member of the Medical Officers' Training Camp, and from there to Spartansburg, Va. He continued with the same unit for nine months, and was then sent to Newport News, Va., to embark for France. He took ship for that country, June 6, 1918. He landed in France. June 19, 1918, was stationed at Bordeaux for four weeks, and from there was sent to the artillery range at St. Songe in order to take the six weeks' course there. Here he came into contact with the actual front and did surgeon's work at that place and at Chateau-Thierry. He also held the posi- tion of camp sanitary inspector. He was engaged in active duty at St. Michael Boute from Sept. 13 to 19, and later in the Argonne battle until the signing of the


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Armistice on Nov. 11. 1918. On Dec. 14 he was sent to Verdun, where he remained four days, and then to the embarkation camp at Le Maus. He left there on March 1. 1919, for Brest, and on March 4, 1919, sailed for the United States, where he arrived nine days later. He was honorably discharged from the service, March 31, 1919, holding a commission as captain at that time. Since then Dr. Hayes has resumed the practice of his profession at Jamestown, and is already recognized as one of the capable physicians of the region. He is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Royal Arch Masons, the Royal and Select Masters, the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, the Sovereign Princes of the Royal Secret, and has taken the thirty-second degree in Free Masonry. He is also a member of the Chadakoin Club, the Psi Epsilon Psi and the Theta Epsilon, college fraternities, the Monks Club, the Jamestown Medical Society, the New York State Medical Society, and the American Medical As- sociation. He has recently joined the American Legion, the society founded for all those connected with the military service of the United States in the great war. Dr. Hayes is not affiliated with any political society, but is an independent voter, preferring not to be swayed by partisan considerations in forming his judgments on public issues and candidates. Dr. Hayes is not married.


JAMES D. WOODARD, one of the most prominent business men of Jamestown, Chautauqua county, N. Y., where he has been active for a number of years in various enterprises, is a native of Warren county, Pa., a son of Jed and Amelia (Green) Woodard, old and highly respected residents there.


Mr. Woodard's education was received in the public schools of his native region, which he attended until he had reached the age of fifteen years, when he aban- doned his studies and began work as a clerk in a general store in the locality. Then he learned the tailor's trade at Youngsville, Pa., and later the finishing trade at Sugar Grove, Pa., being employed by Gustave Ander- son, for whom he continued to work at the close of his apprenticeship. He also was employed as a tailor by George Ball Company of Warren, Pa., where he worked on the bench and learned cutting. The young man then went West and for a time lived at Columbus, Ohio, where he secured employment with Samuel Goodman as a cutter and drafter of patterns. He worked at that establishment as a second cutter employed in the manu- facture of uniforms which were made for the Panhan- dle. From there young Mr. Woodard went to Erie, Pa., where he worked as a tailor for William Betts, in Park Row, and at the Reed House. Eventually he re- turned to Warren and worked for George Ball as head cutter until the year when, in association with Mr. Henry Lesser, the head clerk of the same establishment, he opened a similar business on his own account under the frm name of Woodard & Lesser. This enterprise was carried on at Warren and the concern dealt in furnishings, etc., doing the largest business of its kind that had ever been transacted in that place. Mr. Wood- ard and his partner started with a capital of but $3,000, but in spite of large expenses were able to meet all their obligations in the first year and did more business than any other firm in the locality. They continued in this




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