USA > New York > Herkimer County > History of Herkimer county, New York > Part 51
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RUGENE WALRATH
Was born in the town of St. Johnsville, Montgomery county, on the 13th of February, 1845. He comes of German ancestry, who were the early settlers of the valley. His father was Martin Walrath, who was a native of St. Johnsville and a respectable farmer, and died in that town in 1885. His mother was Julia Flanders, of Fulton county, and she died in 1892. They had twelve children, as follows: James, now living on the homestead farm; Harlan, deceased ; Martha, deceased; Martin, now living in St. Johnsville ; Rugene, the subject (the two latter were twins) ; Charles, deceased; Mary, married Romeyn Youran, of St. Johnsville, and living ; Adam, a physician, living at Lassellsville, Fulton county ; Joseph, living in St. Johnsville : Alvin, in business with Rugene at Little Falls ; George, living at St. Johnsville, and Edwin, who died in in- fancy.
Rugene Walrath received his education in the district schools, supplemented with three months in a commercial school, which he left at eighteen years of age. He had previous to that time served as a clerk for a period in a store in St. Johnsville, and had de- termined that he would follow mercantile business. After leaving the commercial school he clerked a few years at St. Johnsville, and then entered the employ of Burch & Company, of Little Falls, in a similar capacity. In 1873 he went into the office of the Little Falls Knitting Mill Company, of which Titus Sheard was president, to serve
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HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
as book-keeper. Ilere he continned about six years until 1879, when he was elected president of the company, succeeding Mr. Sheard. This position he filled with ef- ficiency until 1886, when he resigned and became associated with J. J. Gilbert in the organization of the Astoronga Knitting Mill. Here he remained until 1891, when on Ist of June he left that mill, and in July he took the old mill formerly operated by Green & Girvan under a lease, fitted it up with knitting machinery and gave it the name of the Riverside Knitting Mills. The mill was started in October of that year, and is run chiefly in the manufacture of what are known as French Balbriggan cotton under- wear. The business during its short term of existence has been successful, and prom- ises to develop under Mr. Walrath's energetic management into a large establishment. About 100 hands are now (1892) employed. In the various positions of a business character, the duties of which have been entrusted to Mr. Walrath, he has demon- strated his possession of habits of industry and capacity to direct enterprises of broad scope, while his business intercourse with others has been marked by principles of in- tegrity and honorable dealing.
Mr. Walrath is independent in politics, but was formerly a Democrat. His first political office was justice of the peace; he was elected supervisor in 1882 and held the office for six years. viz. : 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886 and 1888. It is remarkable that three times he was elected by the Democrats without an opposing candidate. He served as trustee of the village one term and was on the school board one term. He is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Walrath's public services in these various offices have been such as to gain the approval of the community and to promote its walfare.
Mr. Walrath was married on the Ilth of October, 1876, to Ida E. Lewis, daughter of George H. Lewis, of Utica. They have three children, Harlan, Raymond and Ru- gene.
WILLIAM D. GARLOCK, M. D.
The first of the family of this name to come to America inimigrated with the German Palatines who settled first on the Hudson river and later in Schoharie, and still later in the Mohawk valley, of whom the reader has learned in early pages of this volume. Whether the family of Garlocks came directly from the Palatine or not is an unsettled question. It is probable that the original immigrant was named Christopher, who with his descendants was prominent in the early struggles of the patriots along the Mohawk in their irrepressible conflict with the Indians and their no less relentless white foes, as well as in the peaceful labors of clearing and tilling farms. Descended from these pioneers, through his great-grandfather Adam, is Nelson Garlock, who was born in the town of Manheim and is still living. Ile has been a successful farmer and enjoys the respect of the community in which he is so well known. He married Catharine Yoran, who is descended from the Snell and the Timmerman families, members of both of which acted conspicuously in the early events occurring in the Mohawk valley. She is still living. Their children were four, as follows : Marguerite, married to James
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
Rodney Douglass, of Hunter, N. Y .; Mary E., married to Harry Golden, of Little Falls; Kate ; and the eldest, William D., the subject, born April 2, 1855.
William D. Garlock inherits the sturdy characteristi s of his ancestors. To this fact may be credited to a considerable degree his unusual capacity for work and study, which has enabled him, at a comparatively early age, to attain his present honorable position in his profession. Leaving the district schools he attended the Little Falls Academy two years, finishing there in 1871, when sixteen years of age. In December of that year he entered the Hungerford Collegiate Institute at Adams, N. Y., where he graduated in July, 1874. After two years passed at his home, and when his decision was formed to make the practice of medicine his life-work, he entered Cornell Univer- sity for a special two years' course in laboratory work and dissection under Professor Burt G. Wilder, preparatory to beginning his medical studies, which he took up on leaving the university in the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York city. He graduated from the latter college in 1881 and in November of that year settled per- manently in Little Falls. While in New York he studied physical diagnosis under Zemansky, at the out door poor department of Bellevue Hospital, pathological anatomy under Delafield and Pruden, and post mortem examination under George Peabody at the New York Hospital. With bis exceptional capacity for hard study and rapid men- tal assimilation, it will be readily understood that Dr. Garlock carried out his determin- ation to neglect no effort that would contribute to his future professional ability and attainments and that through such effort he accomplished his purpose. In Little Falls he soon secured the recognition to which he was entitled, both in and out of his profes- sion. He has been a member of the Herkimer County Medical Society since 1882; a member of the New York State Medical Association since 1885, and president of its First Branch in 1892. He was a member of the International Medical Congress in 1887, aud was chosen president of the Herkimer County Medical Society in 1890. In these various professional positions Dr. Garlock has demonstrated his fitness to fill them with honor to himself and for the welfare of the organizations.
It has been Dr. Garlock's practice-a practice cultivated because of his natural love for the work-to always investigate and study the causes of diseases, looking upon that knowledge as the best foundation for success in any line of practice. This has led him to write somewhat upon medical topics and many of his papers have found professional acceptance when read by him before various medical societies. When vice-president of the County Medical Society, in December, 1885, he read a paper on " The Alkaloids of Decomposition," in which he treated of their importance in the study of typhoid fever, etc. The views presented in this paper were somewhat in advance of the ac- cepted knowledge of the time, but they are now generally received by the profession. He has frequently presented papers at various meetings of the County Medical Society on various subjects connected with the progress of medicine and the pathology and treatment of diseases. Before the State Medical Association he read a paper on " Typhoid Fever in Children," and another before the same association on "The Origin and Medicinal Treatment of Uric Acid ('alculus of the Kidneys."
In 1892 he reported to the State Medical Society a conspicuous case of "Cancer of the Liver Complicated by Gall Stones and Renal Calculi." When chosen president of
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IHISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
the county society Di. Garlock's address was upon " Aphasia," and while a vice-presi- dent of the State Medical Association the same subject was further pursued in an ad- dress on " The Action of the Brain as Revealed by Recent Studies of Aphasia."
The foregoing facts will demonstrate to the professional rcader that Dr. Garlock's position among his medical brethren is one of merited distinction, while his career among his many patients has been such as to win their confidence and respect. In politics he is independent with Democratie leanings, but takes only the part devolving upon all good citizens in the political field. He is a member of the Presbyterian church.
Dr. Garlock illustrates the great truth that a physician's studies should end only with Jis life. It is conceded by his medical associates that there is not in Herkimer county a more faithful or intelligent student, and it necessarily follows that the successful be- ginning of his professional life foreshadows greater eminence and honor in coming years.
With a wife lovely in person and character, and intelligent, dutiful and affectionate children, the future is full of promises of happiness for him and his.
Dr. Garlock was married on the 22d of November. 1881, to Gertrude Bidleman, daughter of Major Morgan Bidleman, of Manheim, who was one of the most liberal- minded and successful of farmers, as well as a genial gentleman of rare social and busi- ness qualities. He was very influential in town and county affairs, and his advice was sought by many. Her mother was Ann Windecker, a direct descendant of Han Yost Petrie, one of the Palatine settlers. Dr. and Mrs. Garlock have three children: Mor- gan Bidleman, Louise and Gertrude Catharine.
EUGENE E. SHELDON.
The ancestors of the subject of this sketch came originally from England at an early date and settled in Rhode Island, where Joseph Sheldon, the great-grandfather of Eugene, was born in 1743. At some time prior to 1766, Joseph Sheldon moved to Dover, Dutchess county, N. Y., and there, in the year 1766, married Ruth Aikin, of Pawling, Dutchess county, but whose birth-place was also Rhode Island. Joseph Sheldon, after living for a time in Dutchess county, moved with his family to Wills- borough, Essex county, N. Y., locating on a farm upon the shore of Lake Champlain, where he died in 1836, aged ninety-two; his wife Ruth died in 1832, aged ninety. Edmund Sheldon, grandfather of Engene, was born in Dutchess county in 1769. moved with his father, about 1781, to Willsborough, was married 1797 to Mary Ann Haight, and died in 1850, aged eighty-one. Mary Ann, his wife, the grandmother of Eugene, died in 1880, aged ninety-nine years and eight months.
Aikin Edmund Sheldon, the father of Eugene, was born at Willsborough in 1804, on the farm on which his grandfather first located, and on a portion of which he is still residing. On January 17, 1833, he married Phoebe Perry, a native of Essex county, born September 19, 1804, and who died April 4, 1887. Aikin Edmund and Phoebe
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
P. Sheldon, his wife, had seven children, four of whom, besides Eugene, are still living. The eldest, Amelia, is the wife of Silas S. Lee, esq , and resides at Five Lakes, Michigan. The next eldest, Augustus C. Sheldon, is a lawyer by profession, and resides at Mine- apolis, Minu. He is also interested in irrigation enterprises, and is president of the Rio Verde Canal Company of Arizona, one of the largest aud most important irrigation enterprises in that territory. The other living children of Aikin Sheldon besides Eugene are two daughters, both younger, Charlotte M. and Emma A. Charlotte M. is the wife of G. W. Lee, esq., and both sisters reside on the homestead in Wills- borough, N. Y.
Eugene E. Sheldon was born in Willsborough, Essex county, N. Y., June 13th, 1844. He acquired sufficient preparatory education for admission to college by attending the excellent common schools in the vicinity of his home, and afterwards the academies at Essex, N. Y., and Barre, Vt. He entered Middlebury College, at Middlebury, Vt., in 1866, and was graduated with honors from that institution in 1869. While in college Mr. Sheldon became a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon society, one of the leading college societies in this country. In September, 1869 Mr. Sheldon commenced teach- ing in the academy at Little Falls, N. Y., and continued during the school years of 1869-70 and 1879-71, during the latter and greater part of that period as principal.
In October, 1871, he entered the Columbia College Law School. from which he was graduated in 1873, and in June of the same year was admitted to the bar at a General Term of the Supreme Court held at Buffalo. In the fall of 1873 he opened an office in Little Falls, where he has ever since continued in the active practice of his profession. Beginning practice alone, he was afterwards in partnership, from June, 1882, to August, 1888, with Sidney W. Petrie. In politics Mr. Sheldon is a Republican, and has done good service for his party.
His standing in his profession, and the confidence reposed in him by his fellow citi- zens, led to his election to the office of district attorney, which he held from January Ist, 1886, to January 1st, 1889. In November, 1889, he was elected county judge and surrogate, and is still the incumbent of that office. It is not too much to state that Judge Sheldou has performed the duties of his official positions with honor to him- self and to the entire satisfaction of his constituents. As a lawyer he has attained success by fidelity, hard work, and persevering devotion to his business. While in the office of district attorney he was engaged in the trial of several cases of importance, among them being the concluding labors of the prosecution in the famous Druse murder case, resulting in the first execution in Herkimer county. Another capital case in which he supported the cause of the people was that of Mondon, which was sent back for a new trial. The prisoner finally plead guilty to murder in the second degree, and is now in prison for life. In the civil case of Veeder against the village of Little Falls, to recover for the death of her husband who was drowned in the canal, several new points of law were brought up, and the case was carried to the Court of Appeals. Judge Sheldon won for his client a judgment of $4,000. Another important civil case which he conducted was that of Leonard A. Brockett, of Salisbury, against the New Jersey Steamboat Company, for injuries received. A verdict was obtained for $5,500. Motion was made for a new trial, and the appeal was carried to the United States
HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
Supreme Court, where the judgment was affirmed ; this case is reported in the United States Supreme Court Reports.
In the office of county judge, Mr. Sheldon bears a reputation for fairness and impar- tiality, and a knowledge of the law which render his decisions acceptable to the bar and highly creditable to his ability as a magistrate.
Judge Sheldon was married April 3, 1872, to Fannie Lovell Ward, daughter of Alva and Phila L. Ward, of Little Falls. They have two children, Francis Eugene, born May 31, 1873, and Louise Dorothy, born April 2, 1876.
MORGAN C CRIST.
Philip Crist was born in Orange county, N. V .. February 7. 1783, and came with his forents to the town of Fairfield, Ilerk mer county, in the spring of 1795, and settled upon a farm about one and one-half miles southwest of Fairfield village. Here he worked upon his father's farm for several years. He then learned the carpenter and joiner's trade, at which he worked for a number of years. He married Lydia Jackson, oldest daughter of Jacob Jaekson, and at the death of his father, he with Stephen, his older brother, bought the farm and in a few years Philip obtained full possession of the old homestead, which he held until the time of his death, January 19, 1872. Philip and Lydia Crist had four children : Abram, horn May 24, 1815, died December 15, 1810; Jacob J., born June 9, 1819. died May 13, 1>92; Hawley, born September 30, 1827, died July 28. 1852; and the subject, Morgan C. Crist, was born near Fairfield village, June 10. 1822 Ile lived upon the farm with his parents, working and attending the district school until he was fifteen years of age. He then entered the seminary at Fair- field and took a co irse of three years, obtaining quite a liberal education. At the age of eighteen years he commenced teaching and taught several terms very successfully. At the age of twenty-two he was elected to the office of town superintendent of coul- mon schools, which offier he held five years. On the 19th of September, 1850, he mar- ried Maria Louesa Brayton, daughter of Daniel Brayton, a resident of the town of Fair- field. On account of Mr. Brayton's feeble health, and a desire that his daughter should be near him, by his solicitation they decided to remain with him and occupy the old homestead on which Mrs. Crist was born, until the death of her father, which occurred February 4, 1869. During this time Mr Crist held many town offices, among them commissioner of highway, nine years; supervisor, two years; justice of the peace, four years. Ile spent much of his time in official business, and his judgment and advice were often songht in business matters. In 1869 Mr. Crist purchased a small farm near Mid- deville upon which he erected a house and moved into it March 2, 1870, and be- ng extensively interested in real estate, now spends most of his time looking after his farmis. Mr. and Mrs. Crist have one son, Daniel B., born November 4, 1856. He was married to Nette Jackson, December 11, 1883. A man of liberal education, an intelligent thinker upon current events, a strong character founded and built upon principles of integrity, Mr. Crist has always lived in the enjoyment of the esteem and respect of all who know him.
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
Daniel Brayton, father of Mrs. Crist, was born in Smithfield, R. I., January 7, 1785; in 1793 he moved with Stephen Brayton, his father, to Adams, Mass., and in 1808 they came to Fairfield, N. Y., and purchased a farm in the Arnold neighborhood, in the sontli part of the town, upon which he lived till the time of his death. Daniel Brayton was a prominent man in his time, having been called by his fellow-citizens to fill the most im- portant offices in town. He also at one time held the office of captain of a company of infantry, and on the 10th day of April, 1822, he was appointed major of the Fortieth Regiment of Infantry, of the State of New York, by Governer De Witt Clinton, a title which he held during the remainder of his life.
THE HINCKLEY FAMILY.
Elijah Hinckley, born March 25, 1765, and Gardner Hinckley (Ist), born October 19, 1766, sons of Samuel Hinckley (5th) and his wife, Mary Vincent Hinckley, were born in Pomfret, Conn. They were descended from Samuel Hinckley (Ist). who, according to old records, "emigrated from England in the latter part of March, 1635, in the ship Her- cules, of 200 tons, from Pemberton, County of Kent, not far from London. He first settled in Scituate, Mass., where he continued to reside until 1639, when he, together with the larger part of Minister Lathrop's congregation, removed to Barnstable, Cape Cod, within the limits of Plymouth Colony. One of his sons was for many years Governor of Plymouth Colony."
The two brothers, Elijah and Gardner, were taught the carpenter's trade. They came to Russia, then a part of Norway, to what was then called " Kingsland," a part of " The Royal Grant." about 1796. Tradition says that they brought axes with them on their journey to help clear the way through the forest. On October 8, 1796, Elijah Hinckley and Elisha Pool bought 400 acres of land of John Pettit, near what is now the village of Gravesville, paying therefor 307₺. Soon after Gardner Hinckley bought ont the interest of Mr. Pool in the land. and it was divided between the two brothers, each receiving about 200 acres. These farms are now in the possession of some of the descendants of Elijah Hinckley, and are still known as the Hinckley farms. The brothers cleared sonie land, built houses of logs and returned to Rhode Island to to be married. The comfortable farm house which Gardner soon after built on his farm is still standing, in good preservation and still painted red. He is described by those who knew him well as a tall man of gracions and pleasing address, energetic in his business, hospitable and generous and a cordial friend. He died at his home in Russia in 1842 of the dreadful sconrge that swept through that region, called the "black tongue." His wife died in 1826. They had no children.
Elijah Hinckley married Sally Vincent, born in 1770, of Westerly, R. I. The Vin- cent family trace their descent from William Vincent (Ist), who emigrated from Eng- land about 1660. The family was well connected in England, and old painted pictures of the coat-of-arms of the Vincent family, which they presumably brought from Eng- land with them, are still in the possession of their descendants. There is a legend
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IHISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
about one of the family, who was a Christian martyr about the beginning of the fourth century.
William Vincent (Ist) settled in Greenwich, R. I. One of his sons, Nicholas, married his stepsister, Elizabeth Reynolds, whose father, Robert Reynolds (second husband of William Vincent's widow), was "one of the judges on the bench at the condemna- tion of Charles the First, and who, on the death of Oliver Cromwell, came to America with a number of the other judges and settled North Kingston, now called Exeter R. I." One of the ten children of Nicholas and Elizabeth Vincent was Mary, who mar- ried Samuel Hinckley (5th), the father of Elijah Hinckley, and another was Dr. William Vincent, sr., of Westerly, R. I., who was the father of Sally, who married Elijah Hinckley. Elilah and Sally, his wife, settled in what is now the town of Russia in 1796 or 1797. They soon built a good frame house and acquired a comfortable estate. They had several children, of whom two only, Samuel (7th), born ...... 1801, and Gardner (2dl), born October 2, 1808, survived their infancy. Sally Hinckley died in De- cember, 1808, and for his second wife Elijah Hinckley married Zeruiah Sarviah Vin- cent, his sister-in-law. She had no children. He was an invalid for many years and lived quietly on his farm, much respected for his integrity. He died March 29, 1822. Mrs. Hinckley died at the homestead June 8, 1847.
Samuel Hinckley (7th) married Mary S. Atwood, born at Saratoga, N. Y., daugliter of Esek and Margaret Sackrider Atwood, in January, 18.10. They had one son, Elijah Gardner, who was born in 1842, and who died in 1870. Elijah G. married Martha Johnson, of Williston, Vt. They had two children, Anson Johnson, who died, aged fourteen years, and Mary Agnes, now living. In his early manhood Samuel Hinckley was a superintendent of railroad building, associated with his friend, Mr. Charles Case, but losing his health, he bought the home farm in Russia of his brother and lived there until his death in 1873. His wife died there in 1875.
Gardner Hinckley (2d) inherited a delicate constitution. Ele lived at home on the farm until the death of his father, when, being in his fourteenth year, he chose William Graves, of Gravesville, for his guardian, and spent some of his time with him, going to school. At the age of sixteen he bought his brother's share in the home farm and went in business for himself. His opportunities for education in his boyhood were limited, but he had a love of reading and study which continued all through his life, and in his busiest years he spent many hours with his books. In September, 1829. he married Elizabeth Atwood, born August 7, 1810, daughter of Esek and Margaret Sackrider At- wood. Esek Atwood was born not far from Burlington, Vt. Ile was well educated, and was for many years a teacher. His first wife, mother of Elizabeth Hinckley, was born of Quaker parentage in Upper Canada. In 1843 'Esquire Atwood moved to the town of Wilmurt and lived there many years and held various town offices. He was supervisor, justice many times, etc. He died at the home of his son Thomas, in New Rochelle, N. Y., about 1862. Gardner and Elizabeth Hinckley had six children, two of whom died in infancy. The survivors are Samuel Gardner, Caroline Dyer (Mrs. John W. Stanton). Mary Elizabeth and Sarah Helen, all living in Hinckley, N. Y. Samuel G. married Sarah Fern, of Montgomery county. They have five children liv- ing, Emma Josephine, Elijah Gardner, Edward Fern, Samuel, and Theodore Ballou.
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