History of Livingston County, New York, from its earliest traditions to the present together with early town sketches, Part 114

Author: Doty, Lockwood R., 1858- [from old catalog] ed; Van Deusen, W. J., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Jackson, Mich., W. J. Van Deusen
Number of Pages: 1422

USA > New York > Livingston County > History of Livingston County, New York, from its earliest traditions to the present together with early town sketches > Part 114

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Charles H Root was born and reared in the old homestead. His early edu- cation was obtained in the district schools of the neighborhood, the Geneseo State Normal school and the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, all of which he at-

BIOGRAPHICAL

tended winters. The summer months were spent assisting his father in the care of the farm. At the age of nineteen he took a position in a grain and coal business at Fowlerville, N. Y., and two years from that time he accepted a similar position with the Retsof Mining Company, of Retsof, N. Y. He remained with this Company six years, during which time the Genesee and Wyoming Railroad Company was organized. Mr. Root was one of the incor- porators of that company and became its first General Freight and Passenger agent. He then accepted the position of Superintendent of the Lehigh Salt and Mining Company of LeRoy, N. Y. remaining with them three years, when the mines were closed by the salt trust. During his connection with this Com- pany he helped organize and became a stockholder in the Lehigh and Pavilion Railroad and was elected to the office of General Freight Agent. In 1894 he purchased the real estate and insurance business uf W. M. Chapman, of LeRoy, N. Y., which he conducted some three years and sold out. Meanwhile, he had succeeded in purchasing the several interests in the Wheatland Land Plaster Company, interested New York capital in the concern, reorganized the com- pany, and incorporated it under the name of the Consolidated Wheatland Plaster Company, which is now being profitably conducted. They have added to this

plant facilities for the manufacture of plaster of Paris and wall plaster.

Mr.

Rout has served as secretary, vice-president, and is now president and treasurer of this company. In 1898 be organized the Oatka Chemical Company for the manufacture of "Black Death," an insect poison, and he occupies the office of Vice-president and Treasurer of this concern. In January. 1901, he was em- ployed by Chicago capitalists as General Freight and Passenger agent of the Gulf and Mississippi Transportation Company and office manager of the Ameri- can Salt Company, with headquarters at Belle Isle, La. He remained there over a year, when his other business interests demanding his attention, he re- turned to Caledonia and shortly afterward became one of the organizers of the Caledonia Marl and Lime Company and was elected its secretary. In June, 1895, he was united in marriage with Katherine P. Merritt, daughter of Mial A. Merritt, the leading contractor and builder of LeRoy, N. Y. They have four children: Miriam, born September 10. 1896; Pierson Vallance, born June 1, 1898; Mary Elizabeth, born August 15, 1899, and Reginald Dean, born Au- gust 1, 1903. Mr. Root is a thoroughly wide awake business man. He is en- ergetic, original and progressive and enjoys to the fullest extent the confidence of the several business men and capitalists who have unhesitatingly placed their capital under his management. He is, in politics, a Republican and a staunch adherent to party principles, and has served the Livingston county Republican League as its secretary.

FRANK C. BONNER, -Proprietor of the Bonner House, Geneseo, N. Y., was born at Lima, N. Y., September 24, 1869. Samuel Bonner, his great grandfather, a native of Scotland, came to America and located on a tract of land in the town of Sparta. His son, Benjamin, was born there in 1807,

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY

remained with his father on the farm until the latter's death, when he purchased the interest of the heirs and became the sole owner of the property. He sold this place in 1855 and purchased a farm near the village of Lima. He married Jane Logan, a daughter of Edward Logan, of Sparta, and to them were born three children; Samuel, Edward Logan and Rose J. Edward was killed in the battle of Trevillian Station, June 12, 1864. Samuel Bonner, the elder son and the father of Frank C. married Cornelia Goodrich, in 1865. She died in 1875, leaving three sons; Edward L., Frank C. and William S. William is the pro- prietor of a thriving hotel in Ovid, N. Y. Samuel Bonner bas for the past ten years resided in the village of Lima but retains and manages his farm prop- erty which aggregates nearly five hundred acres.

Frank C. Bonner received his education at the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary and for some time thereafter assisted his father in the management and care of his farms. July 24, 1899, he purchased the Wallace Hotel, at Geneseo, which he renamed the Hotel Bonner. He thoroughly repaired and entirely refur- nished the establishment and has since conducted it along modern lines. With all improvements and conveniences neat, tastily furnished rooms and serving excellent meals, the Bonner Hotel ranks among the best and has a most liberal patronage. The date of his purchase of the hotel property marks the date of his marriage with Alice Larned, daughter of Oliver Larned, a former well known merchant of Lima. Mrs. Bonner has one son Raymond.

R. H. MOSES, -Of Mount Morris, came to that village in 1870 from Cuba, Allegany county, N. Y., where he was born April 28, 1837. Mr. Moses was born and raised on the farm his grandfather, Reuben Moses, acquired from the government. Reuben Moses, a native of Bloomfield, N. Y., journeyed by ox team from that place to Cuba in 1820 and took up one hundred acres of land upon which he erected a homestead, and there he toiled, suffering the privations and enduring the trials incident to the early pioneer days. He thus paved the way and laid the foundation for future happiness and prosperity, which were bestowed upon his family and their descendants. His son, Samuel S., the father of our subject, possessed of a progressive, enterprising spirit, was engaged for many years in the lumber trade. This lumber he floated in rafts down the Allegany and Ohio rivers to Cincinnati. He accumulated consider- able landed property and owned some 500 acres in the vicinity of his father's original purchase. A staunch Democrat. he was always thoroughly alive to the best interests of his party, was well posted on all political topics and might have become a power in his locality were he not averse to mixing politics with business.

Reuben H. Moses, our subject, conducted a dry goods store for a time in Cuba, afterwards sold out and came to Mount Morris, where he has since resided. He became well known here as a dry goods merchant, having conducted the leading store in that line from 1870 to 1878. He then took the position of superintendent of the large stock farm of 2800 acres near this village then

BIOGRAPHICAL

owned by William Fitzhugh, now a part of the Wadsworth farm. He occupied this position three years. Later he became private secretary to Hiram P. Mills and continued in that capacity some three years. Mr. Moses, like his father, is a Democrat, and has filled numerous offices in the town and county. He has served the town of Mt. Morris as collector, supervisor and assessor, the latter office he has held eight years and still holds. He has served the village in the capacity of treasurer, trustee, clerk and is now its assessor. In 1860 he mar- ried Mary L. Moses, daughter of Alfred Moses, ot Cuba, N. Y.

GRANT E. MOSES, -Of the firm of Hunt and Moses, merchants at Dalton, was born at Granger, N. Y., May 28, 1868. He attended the schools of that place and later took a two years' course in the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary. He then entered Eastman College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., from which he grad- uated in 1887. In 1889, in company with William W. Hunt, he purchased the Lyman Ayrault stock of goods at Dalton, and they have since that date carried a general stock of merchandise. This business is today in a flourishing con- dition. The place presents a clean, inviting appearance and appeals to the class of trade to which they cater. In 1897 Mr. Moses was appointed postmas- ter under the Mckinley administration and was reappointed in 1901.

AARON BARBER, -Although a native of Rush, Monroe county, has passed nearly all his life in the town of Avon, Livingston county, where he now re- sides. His paternal grandfather, also named Aaron Barber, was a native of Connecticut, a blacksmith by trade and a skilled mechanic. He died in middle life leaving a widow and a family of small children. The eldest of these chil- dren. Aaron, Jr., was the father of our subject. The family at once removed from Connecticut and for a time resided in Onondaga county, afterwards coming to Livingston county, and for years made their home in Lima, where the eldest son secured employment and being enterprising and industrious suc- ceeded in making a home for the family. He afterwards engaged in the butch- ering business which he followed three years and removed to Ogden, Monroe county, where he had previously purchased a tract of heavily timbered land consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, a small portion of which he had cleared some time previously. Here he remained two years with his wife, whom he married before leaving Lima. He then bought a small farm in Rush on which he resided five years and came to Avon, where he purchased one hun- dred and sixty acres of improved lands two miles north of the village. For nine years a log cabin served as their home.

He then erected the handsome residence that is now occupied by the subject of this article and resided therein until his death in 1868 at the age of sixty-four. His wife was Lois Stevens, a daughter ot Phineas and Mary Stevens, and three children were born to them: Mary L., Aaron and F. Amanda. Mary married Dr. James E. Jenks of Avon,

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY

and is now a widow with two children, William and Louisa M. Amanda married Holliday Williams, of Prattsburg, Steuben county, and is also a widow with three children, Frank, Aaron and Lois.

Aaron Barber, the third of the name, was born in the town of Rush, July 6, 1836. He was well educated, having as a boy attended the Avun schools and later the Lima Seminary and Rochester Academy. He was joined in marriage with Caroline B. Hall, daughter of William E. and Esther M. Hall, of Bloom- field, Ontario county. Mr. Barber has always been a steadfast supporter of the Democratic party. His first presidential vote was cast for Stephen A. Douglas in 1860, and with an unwavering belief in the Democratic doctrine he bas steadily thrown his influence and support in that direction. Mr. Barber

His farm began life as a farmer and has always followed that occupation.

comprising seven hundred acres of rich, productive land, is well stocked and kept in the finest condition. A fine large herd of short-horned cattle have proved a source of much pleasure and profit to their owner, who has been engaged in their breeding for over a quarter of a century. This herd is con- sidered the equal in point of excellence to any in the country.

He has within recent years made many improvements, including handsume farm buildings with modern equipments for the care of stock. Mr. Barber bas always conducted this place upon strict business principles and has succeeded in converting it into one of the handsomest and most profitable stock farms in the county. He is a shareholder and for a number of years has held the office of President of the State Bank of Avon.

DeLANCEY A. CAMERON,-The leading contractor and builder of Cale- donia, was born at St. Louis, Mo., July 11, 1871. He received his education in the public schools of that city and afterward entered Yale University, grad- uating from the scientific department of that institution in the class of '91. Having made a study of civil engineering he was employed in that capacity by the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company during the construction of that road. He came to Caledonia in 1897 where he opened a lumber yard and engaged in contracting and building. In 1903 he became interested with Charles H. Root in the Consolidated Wheatland Plaster Company, with offices at Caledonia and works at Wheatland, N. Y., and is now its President. 'This company manu- factures all gypsum products, including land plaster, calcined plaster, wall plaster, etc., and also has begun making concrete building blocks, using sand and gravel found on its own land. For this reason Mr. Cameron is especially interested in all forms of masonry construction. In 1902 he was united in marriage with Mary Louise Moore, daughter of the late Robert Moore, for many years an extensive coal dealer in Rochester, N. Y.

Mr. Cameron comes from Scotch parentage. His great grandfather, Juhn Cameron, a native of Inverness, Scotland, married Catherine, a daughter of Alexander Cameron, of Argyleshire, Scotland, and soon thereafter came with his wife to America. They located in Geneva, where for a time he was en-

BIOGRAPHICAL

gaged in the mercantile business with Colonel Grieves. The year following (1805) he sold his interest to his partner and came to Caledonia, where he opened a store of general merchandise. This was the first and for some time the only store in Caledonia and was conducted by him until 1815 or '16. He died August 7, 1820, and his wife followed him June 8, 1849. There were eight children born to them: Angus, born July 10. 1805; Margaret, born March 4, 1808; Mary Ann, born March 21, 1810; Alexander, born December 10, 1811; John Greig, born July 31, 1813; Caroline, born May 13, 1815; Jean, born March 25, 1817; and Charles. born August 5, 1820. The son, John Greig, became a prominent lawyer in the West, and his son Angus, the father of Delancey, following in the footsteps of his father, became a lawyer of nute in both St. Louis and Rochester. He later in life removed to Brooklyn, N. Y., where he died in 1888.

FRANK E. HOVEY,-Supervisor of the town of Avon, was born in Lima, N. Y., September 1, 1856. His boyhood was passed on his father's farm in Lima and his education was obtained at the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary. His father, Calvin B. Hovey, at the time of his death in 1880, was possessed of con- siderable landed property which he had acquired through his own efforts during lifetime of ceaseless toil. 6 Frank E. Hovey married Estelle M. Sheldon, daughter of R. T. Sheldon of Mendon, N. Y., in 1878, and their family consists of two children, Lucy S., and Raymond E., the latter a student in the Roches- ter Business University. In 1889 Mr. Hovey moved to Avon and took the man- agement of the Herbert Wadsworth farm at Ashantee, serving in that capacity thirteen years. This is the home farm and embraces a large tract of land, mention of which is made more fully in the article on the general history of the town of Avon. He then purchased the farm on which he now resides. This farm consists of 142 acres of rich, productive, soil, well watered, well fenced and well tilled; and a beautiful modern residence with convenient stock and feed barns places this farm in rank among the best medium sized farms in the state.

GARRET S. MILLER .- Of Tuscarora, N. Y., was born in the town of Mount Morris, February 15, 1840. His father. Bartley Miller, came to Tusca- rora from New Jersey in 1831 and settled on a farm within two miles of that village. In 1869 he and his son Garret S. Miller bought the grist mills in Tuscarora owned by David LaRue and within a year from the date of purchase Mr. Miller died, leaving the entire care and management of the property to his son Garret, who without previous experience in the milling business soon found himself taxed to the utmost in successfully overcoming the many obstacles peculiar to the trade of those early days. But endowed with his father's determined spirit he mastered these difficulties and soun placed the concern on a prosperous footing. He was for a number of years also engaged in buying and shipping stock and other enterprises which with his keen business judgment and careful management resulted profitably. He married Corintha Twining, of

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY

Tuscarora, in 1872, and they have a daughter Mary who is the wife of Charles Sedam and has one son. Mr. Miller owns several farms in the vicinity of Tuscarora which he conducts in the same careful manner that he does his bus- iness and they are proving a source of satisfaction as well as profit to the owner.

HENRY E. AVERILL, -A successful merchant in the village of Hunt's and town of Portage was born in that town May 7, 1853. His paternal grand- father, Daniel, a native of England, was born in -1785. When a young man he came to America and first located at Bridgeport. Conn., where he taught school and was afterward married. Some years later he came to Portageville and was one of the first teachers in that village, only one other having preceded him for one term only. He afterward bought a farm on which he resided until only a few years before his death, which occurred in Montreal at the age of seventy- one. His son Latham, the father of Henry, was born in Portage in 1830. Early in life he followed farming but afterwards for a number of years he was engaged in lumbering in Northern Michigan. He was head sawyer in one of the largest mills in that state and at the outbreak of the Civil war was in charge of about three thousand men who were in a lumber camp on the Muske- gon river. When Fort Sumter was fired upon he with several hundred of his men went to Grand Rapids and enlisted in the Cavalry service. 'They were immediately sent to the front and were engaged with the enemy in the battle of Gettysburg. After the Rondout engagement and during the second day's battle, his regiment with two others were detailed to drive the rebels out of Hanover. They, however, ran into a trap laid by the enemy and were totally routed. Out of the nine hundred Union soldiers comprising his regiment only three hundred survived. Mr. Averill was wounded in the elbow and after lying on the battlefield forty-eight hours was taken prisoner but before being taken off the field was left as dying. He was afterwards found by his friends and taken to Hanover hospital and later to the home of a private family. He was laid up about nine months, received an bonorable discharge and returned to Portage. He remained in Portage three years and went to Michigan, where he again engaged in the lumber business and where he resided until his death in 1901. He married Catherine VanAllen and four children were born to them. of whom Henry was eldest. Henry Averill married Clara D. Edmonds, of Hunts. Ile began his business career as a clerk in the store of Thomas S. Glover, of Warsaw, N. Y. In 1876 he returned to Hunts and in company with John Williams opened a store for the sale of dry goods, groceries, etc., and five years thereafter he purchased Mr. William's interest in the business and has since been the sole owner. He received the appointment of postmaster under the Mckinley administration January 1, 1898, which office he still retains.

TIMOTHY DELEHANTY,-Was born in Geneseo, August 10, 1863. He was educated at the state Normal School at Geneseo and later graduated from the Rochester Business University. In 1889 he became identified with the local plant of Belden & Co., produce dealers, and has since managed their large local

BIOGRAPHICAL

interests. They employ about sixty-five hands. In 1900 Mr. Delehanty was united in marriage with Anna M. O'Connor, of Rochester, and they have one daughter, Julia Adelaide.

ROY A. PECK,-Editor and proprietor of the Caledonia Era, was born at Titusville, Pa., September 25, 1875. When he was eight years of age his par- ents removed to Hazelton, Kansas, where he later obtained an education, after- ward entering the Ohio Valley Business College, at Marietta, Ohio, from which he graduated in 1895. The year following he came to Caledonia and for two years served as secretary and treasurer of the Caledonia Natural Gas Company and also acted as correspondent for three of the Rochester daily papers. In May, 1901, he opened a job printing office and began the publication of the Caledonia Era, a live, enterprising newsy paper, which under Mr. Peck's admirable management has attained to a place in the front rank of the newspapers of the county. His father, Alpheus H. Peck, at one time a farmer and once a successful merchant, is now living in retirement in Caledonia. He was born November 21, 1831, and was thrice married, his first wife being Eliza Kirk- patrick, a native of Scotland, whom he married in 1853. She died in 1865 leaving two children, Jane Isabelle, who married James C. Tennent, a capitalist of Caledonia, and Elbert B., of Indianapolis, Ind., married Maud Weaver, of Adrian, Michigan. Mr. Peck again married taking for his second wife Car- oline Smith, to whom was born one child who died in infancy. Mrs. Caroline Peck died in 1868. His present wife, whom he married in 1873, was Eunice M. Kellog, a native of Pennsylvania, and they have one son, Roy A. The financial success and present good standing of the Caledonia Era, from a news- paper standpoint is due entirely to the careful and intelligent management of Mr. Roy Peck. who started the enterprise with a determination to succeed, safely conducted it through the trying period of its earlier existence, and its advertising columns today denote the confidence of the business men of the place in its qualities as an advertising medium.

ISAAC B. KNAPP,-Who holds the responsible office of sheriff of Living- ston county. was born and has always lived in the town of Ossian. Joel I. Knapp, his grandfather, was a native of New England, and came with his family to Livingston county in 1814, locating in Ossian, where he purchased a tract of forest land. The log house he erected at that time served as their home for many years and in it were born nearly all of their ten children. A frame building later took the place of the log structure as a home but the lat- ter building was not destroyed and is still standing. Their son, Harvey W. Knapp, the father of Isaac, followed agricultural pursuits all his life. When twenty-one years of age he began working by the month for Isaac Burrell. who later became his father-in-law. Mr. Knapp finally purchased a farm and

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY

was for some years engaged in the lumber business. His wife, Elizabeth Burrell, was one of eight children of Isaac Burrell, an early settler of Ossian who was a lumberman and owned and operated a saw mill as well as being a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Knapp reared a family of three children: Mary Elizabeth, Margaret J., died in 1860, and Isaac B. Harvey W. Knapp was born March 12, 1812, and died March 5, 1895. His wife, who was born August 13, 1825, still survives him.

Isaac B. Knapp was born January 6, 1861. He attended the district school as a boy and remained on the home farm until his marriage with Inez M. Hess, which took place February 1, 1881. Inez was born in Wayland, N. Y., and was one of five children of Alfred Hess, a native of Steuben county. Her grandfather was a prominent business man of Perkinsville and later became a resident of Dansville. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Knapp; Harvey S., married Emma J. VanMiddlesworth June 17, 1903. She is a daugh- ter of Harrison Van Middlesworth. a substantial farmer and ex-superivsor of the town of Sparta. Eva married Henry Fries, of Ossian, June 25, 1892. Nora, Margaret, Dwight and Inez. Mr. Knapp is a loyal republican and for a num- ber of years has been prominent in the politics of the county. He has held various public offices, having served four years as Justice of the Peace and in 1894 was elected supervisor of the town of Ossian, which office he held four years. In the fall of 1903 he was elected by a good majority to the office of sheriff of the county and is proving a most able and efficient official.

WARREN D. SHULTS, -Of Mount Morris, was born at Avoca, Steuben county, N. Y., June 25, 1854. His education was obtained first at the district schools of Wheeler and Avoca, and later he took a three year course in the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary. At the age of seventeen he entered the office of a produce dealer at Bath, N. Y., where he remained until 1874. In 1877 he accepted a position as salesman and collector for a large produce house in New York and continued in that capacity until 1881, when he engaged in the produce business on his own account having an establishment, first on Reed street and then on Barclay street in New York. In 1887 he disposed of his business and returned to Avoca where he remained until 1891 when he became associated with the firm of Ferrin Bros. (Inc., ) produce dealers, and has since been the resi- dent manager of the Mount Morris branch. In 1887 he was united in marriage with Emma Frances Pierce of New York City. Mr. Shults is a member of the F. & A. M. Mount Morris lodge No. 122, and R. A. M. Chapter No. 137, Avoca Lodge No. 538 1. O. O. F. and Cyrene Commandery No. 39 K. T. of Rochester.

WILLIAM W. HUNT,-Of the firm of Hunt and Moses, has been identified with the business interests of Dalton for the past fifteen years. He was born in Oneida county, N. Y., September 3, 1850, and when two years of age his parents removed to Nunda. He received his education at the Nunda academy,

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History of Livingston County, New York, from its earliest traditions to the present together with early town sketches, Part 114

Author: Doty, Lockwood R., 1858- [from old catalog] ed; Van Deusen, W. J., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Jackson, Mich., W. J. Van Deusen Number of Pages: 1422

Author: Doty, Lockwood R., 1858- [from old catalog] ed; Van Deusen, W. J., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Jackson, Mich., W. J. Van Deusen
Number of Pages: 1422