USA > New York > Livingston County > History of Livingston County, New York, from its earliest traditions to the present together with early town sketches > Part 119
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123
PROFESSOR L. N. STEELE,-Principal of the Mount Morris High school, has held that important office since the fall term of 1896, coming here from Lyons. N. Y., where he had served two years as vice principal of the public schools of that place. Prof. Steele was born at East Bloomfield, N. Y., in 1868. His education was begun in the East Bloomfield Union school, after which he entered the Normal school at Brockport, N. Y., graduating in 1889 and in 1893 he graduated from Hamilton College. His thorough educational training, together with a systematic course of self culture, has well fitted him .. for the responsible position he occupies. The Mount Morris High School of today comprises nine grades and a high school with thirteen teachers in all, and from 520 to 540 scholars in regular attendance. The academic department has more than doubled in attendance since 1896, when Prof. Steele became Prin- cipal. In 1897 an addition was built to the main building-which allowed an increase of three grades over six, the former number -- two recitation rooms a library and an office for the superintendent. The present preceptress is Miss Laura Mills Latimer, a graduate of Syracuse University, and her assistant is Miss Fannie Baker, a graduate of the Geneseo Normal School.
CHARLES W. GAMBLE, -A prominent attorney of Mount Morris was born July 23, 1869. His preliminary education was obtained in the High School of that place and later he entered the University of Rochester, graduating from the classical course of that institution in 1892. He then took up the study of law with his father with whom he remained three years as a student, when after having been admitted to the bar he became a partner. Upon the death of his father in April, 1896, Mr. Gamble succeeded to the entire practice. In June, 1897, he was joined in marriage with Miss Myda Welch, and they have two children: Dorothy Shull, and Katherine Harriet. Mr. Gamble has held the office of Justice of the Peace seven years and has served as police justice of
107
BIOGRAPHICAL
the village. He has also served as railroad commissioner for the town of Mount Morris two years. He is one of the enterprising young attorneys of the county and has met with merited success. He is a member of F. & A. M. Lodge No. 122, Bellwood I. O. O. F. and the K. O. T. M. His father, the late Thomas G. Gamble, was an energetic, forceful attorney, prominent in political and social circles. He was born in the town of Groveland, this county, Decem- ber 21, 1834. His wife, formerly Harriet Wisner was a daughter of Ira Wis- ner, of Nunda, and a niece of the late Reuben P. Wisner, who achieved prom inence as a lawyer in this county.
WILLIAM KRAMER,-One of Dansville's progressive and public spirited citizens, is a native of Germany, Gettresbach, province of Hessen Darmstadt, being the place of his birth, and July 31, 1842 being the date. Bernard Kra- mer, his father, learned the trade of cooper, which he followed in his native country until 1847 when he came to America bringing his eldest son. Adam with him. He settled for a time in Dansville where he worked at his trade until 1849 when he and his son went to New Orleans, and while there his sight became impaired and he returned to his family in Germany. In 1856 after recovering his sight he returned with his wife and children to Dansville where he followed his trade till the time of his death in April, 1872, at the age of sev- enty-two. His wife whose maiden name was Eva Elizabeth Freidel was a native of Germany and died in Dansville, aged seventy three. They had five children. as follows: Adam who died in California in 1858; Catherine, who married Louis Hess, of Ottawa, Ill; Fred, George and William.
William Kramer came to Dansville at fourteen years of age and soon secured employment. first as clerk in a grocery store and later in a clothing store. In 1862, filled with patriotism and a strong desire to assist in the protection of his adopted country's honor he enlisted in Company K 130th Regiment New York Infantry. This regiment in the fall of 1863 was mounted and united with the cavalry forces of the Potomac and thereafter known as the First New York Dragoons. Mr. Kramer was promoted to Corporal in 1862, to sergeant in 1863, and to sergeant-major in 1865. He was wounded the 10th of May, 1864, by a minnie ball at Beaver Dam Station, Va., which necessitated his confinement in a hospital for six weeks. At the close of the war he received his discharge at Cloud's Mills, Va. in July, 1865. He then returned to Dansville and accepted a position as clerk in a clothing store, where he remained until 1872, when he formed a co-partnership with his brother Fred and established a clothing busi- ness in the Krein block under the name of Kramer Bros. William Kramer pur- chased his brother's interest in the business in 1886 and continued alone until 1893 when he admitted his son Fred as a partner, the firm name being William Kramer and Son. Mr. Kramer married Margaret Huber, of Dansville, and their family consists of six children, four of whom are living: Mary E. who married Edward C. Schwingel of Buffalo, N. Y .: Fred L., Carl B., and Florine. William died at the age of eighteen and a twin sister at the age of
-
108
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
three months. Mr. Kramer is a member of the Masons Lodge and Chapter, and the Odd Fellows. He has been commander of Seth N. Hedges Post G. A. R., and officer of the day. For several years he has been a member of the Board of Education and has served his village, town and county in various capacities from corporation clerk to supervisor. He is president of the Mer- chants and Farmers' National Bank of Dansville.
LEWIS C. O'CONNOR, -A prominent attorney, and postmaster of Geneseo, was born at LeRoy, N. Y., January 17, 1870. When four years of age his parents came to Geneseo, where he later acquired his preliminary education in attending the village schools and the State Normal. In 1890 he entered the offices of Hon. Kidder M. Scott and Lubert O. Reed, then district attorney, as a law student. and in September, 1893, entered the law department of the Uni- versity of Michigan. He was admitted to the bar in 1894 and opened an office in Geneseo. In politics Mr. O'Connor is a Republican and for a number of years has been a prominent factor in the local field. He served the town of Geneseo as clerk seven years and for four years as police justice of the village. In May, 1898 he was appointed postmaster under the Mckinley administration and was reappointed by President Roosevelt in 1902. He was united in mar- riage with Elizabeth F. Bryant in August, 1902. Mr. O'Connor is one of the active, enterprising progressive young professional men of the county. Zeal- ous in the performance of his duties as the Goverment's agent, and handling intelligently and in the main successfully such legal problems as are placed in his hands.
WILLIAM COGSWELL,-A highly esteemed citizen of Dansville, and pro- prietor of an extensive lumber yard at that place, was born in Dansville, Octo- ber 3, 1850. His paternal grandfather, Daniel Cogswell, was a native of Con- necticut, where was born and reared his son, Daniel Jr., the father of our subject. At middle life. Daniel Sr., removed with his family to Schuyler county, N. Y., where he bought and improved a farm on which he passed the remainder of his life. He was twice married, the father of William being a child of his second union. Daniel Cogswell, Jr., passed his early days on the farm of his father in Schuyler county. Some sixty years ago he came to Liv- ingston county and located at Dansville, where for years he owned a grocery store. In 1855 he began dealing in lumber which he sold to the wholesale trade in Rochester, and four years thereafter he established the business now being carried on by his son William. He continued as active manager of this business until his death in February 1876, at the age of fifty-seven years. His wife. formerly Miss Hattie Owen, of Schuyler county, died November 12, 1904. Of their children, Mary, now deceased, married Jacob J. Gilder, Elura married Henry C. Fenstermacher, and William married Mrs. Malissa Sprague of Alex-
109
BIOGRAPHICAL
ander, N. Y., on December 28, 1904. and now lives at the homestead on West Avenue, Daniel Cogswell, Jr., was prominent in political and religious mat- ters. He was an ordained minister of the Advent church and preached in Dansville and surrounding villages. He was for many years a Justice of the Peace. He also served as village trustee, assessor and Highway commissioner. William Cogswell has successfully carried on the lumber business since the death of his father. He also like his father has been prominent in political matters. He has served for twelve years as both village and town assessor, and for many years was a member of the Protective Fire Company and is now an honorary member though exempt from active duty. He is also a member of the Maccabees and the local order of Red Men.
CHARLES W. WOOLEVER,-Of Dansville, N. Y., was born in Mount Morris, July 2, 1848. His first business experience was with the late L. C. Bingham in the hardware business at Mount Morris, with whom he remained two years. In 1865 he engaged as clerk in a drug store where he remained un- til 1872 when he accepted the position of superintendent of the Wyoming Coal and Mining Company near Evanston, Wyo. He remained with this company one year, when seeing a favorable opening for a drug store at Evanston he re- signed his position and established a drug business at that place which he con- ducted six years and sold out. He then for a short time ran a drug store in Chicago, and in July, 1879, came to Dansville and purchased the drug business formerly owned by Hamilton and Parmelee which he has since conducted. Mr. Woolever has always been actively identified with the political interests of the neighborhood. He has served as town clerk, town auditor, and for ten years was a member of the village Board of Education. He is a member of Phoenix Lodge No. 115 F. & A. M., of which he is Past Master. In 1876 he married Mary S. Durr of Dansville, and their family consists of five children: Sophie, Jane L., Mae F., Elizabeth and Fannie L.
Dauphin
THE WARD FAMILY-About the year 1760 George Ward, with his wife, Mary Greer, and son Thomas, left their home, in Durhamn, England, and sailed for America. They settled at Hanover. Dolphin county, Pennsylvania, near the city of Harrisburg. 'Thomas was born in England in 1759. He enlisted and served in Wisner's regiment through the Revolutionary war. In 1796 he came to Livingston county and located on a tract of land in what is now the town of Groveland, eight miles south of the village of Geneseo. He married Mary Howd and five children were born to them: John, Samuel, Thomas G., Elizabeth and Ann. John, the oldest son was born in 1794, married Olivia Watrous, January 2, 1831 and had five children: Mary Ann, Augusta, Olivia A., John W. and Henry Dana. Olivia Watrous was a daugh- ter of Captain Josiah Watrous, a noted officer of the state militia and a soldier in the war of 1812. He was a descendant of Jacob Watrous who, in 1647, had
110
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
assigned him a tract of land embracing what is now the city of New London, Connecticut.
John Ward became prominent in the early history of the county. In 1822, when Livingston county was first contemplated, five of the leading men of this region namely, Myron H. Mills, Charles H. Carroll, W. H. Spencer, Daniel H. Fitzhugh and John Ward, met and drew up a petition that resulted shortly thereafter in the formation of the new county. To John Ward was intrusted the conveying of the document to Canandaigua where it was deposited with the county clerk. He made the journey on horseback, and a leather pouch at his side encased the petition. These five men then formed a body to promote the interests of the county, and they performed a noble work along the lines of progress, at a time when the future growth and prosperity of the county demanded intelligent and concerted action on the part of its leaders. These men have all passed away but much of the fruits of their labors still remain and stand as monuments to their zeal and industry. John Ward was appointed postmaster, February 15, 1819, and was the first to hold that office in the town of Groveland. He resigned the office November 3, 1829. He remained in Groveland until 1848 when he sold the farm to Patrick Gilbrath and removed to the village of Geneseo, where he resided until 1863 when he purchased a farm in the town of Leicester. In 1867 he disposed of his farm in Leicester and purchased the place in Avon now occupied by his son John W. He resided on this place until his death which occurred August 22, 1867. An interesting family relic of Colonial days is a back comb, made of pure turtle shell, which was worn by Mary Howd Ward at General Washington's funeral and is now in the possession of her grand-daughter, Miss Clara O, Dake, of Rochester, N. Y., and the family clock, brought from England, by George Ward in 1760 and carried overland from Pennsylvania to the new home in Groveland, and is now owned by William Ward Dake. This clock has been in continual service for upwards of two hundred and fifty years and is, today, the equal of modern clocks as a time keeper.
John W. Ward was born in Geneseo, October 14, 1844. He attended the dis- trict school and a course in the Temple Hill Academy completed his education. When fifteen years of age he engaged as clerk in a Geneseo store where he remained until 1863, when he removed with his parents to their farm in the town of Leicester, remaining there until the spring of 1867 when the family removed to Avon, locating on the place now occupied by John W. Ward. In 1874 he engaged with the Rochester Scale works, as salesman, with whom he remained fourteen years. He then became salesman for the Hawley Salt Com- pany, of Warsaw, N. Y., and one year later engaged with the LeRoy Salt Com- pany. In 1898 that company passed into the hands of the National Salt Com- pany, and in 1902 was reorganized as the Empire State Salt Company. Mr. Ward has retained his position with this concern during its changes in ownership, and continues to represent its interests on the road. On September 30, 1869 he was joined in marriage with Amelia D. Lindsley, daughter of Solomon Lindsley of Livonia, N. Y., and they have one son, Allen W. born November 7, 1871, who resides in Avon.
111
BIOGRAPHICAL
Mary A. Ward married Dr. Jabez W. Dake of the town of Portage, January 16, 1851. The ceremony was performed in Geneseo by Dr. Ferdinand Ward. Dr. J. W. Dake was born at Hunt's Hollow, in the town of Portage, in 1829. He was a graduate of the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, and first took up the study of medicine in the Geneva Medical College, an Old School institution, from which he received his certificate. He afterwards entered the Western Home- opathic College, Cleveland, Ohio, from which he graduated in 1860. He prac- ticed, first in Warsaw, N. Y., where he remained several years, and removed to Albion. Dr. Dake, after a few years, was compelled, on account of ill health, to retire from active practice, and returned to his old home among the hills of Livingston county, where he lived a quiet life for some years in Nunda, N. Y. On restoration to what seemed permanent health, he returned to Rochester, N. Y., and opened an office in the Powers Block, but a few years later was obliged to give up the confinement of office practice, and became con- sulting physician for H. H. Warner, and in his interest travelled through miost of the states of the Union.
An elder brother of his father. Dr. Jabez P. Dake, who was born April 22, 1788, was the first physician of Nunda, riding on horseback, through valleys and forests, over hills, and fording streams in ministering to the sick. He died in 1846 in Nunda, where a monument marks his resting place.
Mr. and Mrs. Dake reared to maturity a family of six children: namely, Mrs. W. G. Humphrey, Clara O., Henry J., George C., William Ward and Charles Alonzo. The last two named being of the well-known firm of the Dake Drug Company, of Rochester, and all reside in that city. Dr. Dake died in Rochester, February 1, 1886. This branch of the Dake family are descendants of George Dake (Deake), who came from Wales with his parents and two
brothers and located in Massachusetts. One brother remained in that state, the other removed to Connecticut and George settled in Westerly, Rhode Island. His son Charles located at Greenfield, Saratoga county, N. Y., in the summer of 1770 and that place, until comparatively recent years, was known as Dake- town. Charles Dake married Anna Gould, who after the battle of Bennington, labored for hours in supplying the wounded and suffering soldiers on the field of battle with water, and her name now appears on the roll as a patriot of the Revolution. Both Charles and his son William were soldiers in the Revolu- tionary war, and were with Washington at Yorktown.
William Dake, a grandson of Charles and the father of Jabez W., was born July 25, 1792, in Saratoga county. He settled in the town of Portage and was one of its earliest pioneers, coming there in 1820. He married Orpha Miller of Greenfield, Saratoga county, and reared a family of five sons and one daugh- ter; Charles Alonzo, Jonathan A., Clarissa E., William G., Jabez W., and Ben- jamin F. It is said of William Dake that he was strong mentally and physi- cally and frequently held offices of trust and honor in his town and county and passed away beloved by all who knew him.
Charles Alonzo Dake, son of William and Orpha Dake, was born in Green- field, N. Y., March 8, 1819. He graduated with high honor at Lima Semin- ary and entered the Buffalo Medical School, going from there to the Cleveland
112
HISTORY OF LIVINGST L )UNTY
Medical College from which he graduated in 1853. He then entered the Hahnamann Institute and graduated from there in 1856, after which he located in Warsaw, N. Y., where he practiced medicine for many years. He was the first Homeopathic physician to practice in Wyoming county. In 1866 he retired from active professional life to his home in Irondequoit, N. Y., where he now resides. He married Maria Roberts of Oak Hill, N. Y., and has one son, Reuben Dake, who has for many years been one of the best known and most progressive men, both in the religious and political life in the town.
Dr. Jabez P. Dake, Sr., elder brother of William, had five sons, four of whom were physicians, Chauncey M. Dake, located in Geneseo, N. Y., being the first Homeopathic physician in the town. where he lived and practiced for twenty years. He married Harriet Cady of Nunda, N. Y., and had one son; he went to Irondequoit, N. Y., in 1862.
PETER W. KERSHNER,-The well known representative for Belden & Co., wholesale grain dealers, has been a resident of Dansville since 1854, at which time he came with his parents from Wayland. His father, Philip Kershner, was a prominent and successful farmer having inherited energy and thrift peculiar to the early Dutch settlers. His father, the grandtather of our subject, came from Pennsylvania in the early part of the past century and set- tled in the town of Wayland, Steuben county, where he cleared his farm and raised a family of children to maturity. Peter W. Kershner was born in Way- land, April 12, 1849. He received a common school education at Dansville and assisted his tather on the farm until 1889 when he embarked in the grocery business which he conducted two years and in 1891 entered the employ of Bel- den & Co., as manager of the Dansville branch of their establishment and occupies that position today. Mr. Kershner is a member of the Dansville Lodge of Masons, the K. O. T. M., and the Order of Red Men. He has been thrice married, his first marriage occurring in 1874 with Louisa Engert, of Dansville. They had two children, Anna E .. a graduate of the State Normal school, has for the past three years held the position of preceptress in the Bolivar, N. Y. High School. Bessie died in infancy. Mrs. Kershner died March 31, 1885. He took for his second wife Frances C. Kershner, who died September 18, 1897. His present wife was Miss Mary Kriley, formerly of Dansville, but at the time of marriage residing at Bolivar, N. Y.
CHARLES J. KELLY,-Attorney, of Mount Morris, was born at that place June 24, 1879. His education thus far has been confined to the public schools of that village, from which he graduated in 1896. He then entered the office of C. W. Gamble and began the study of law, remaining with Mr. Gamble until March, 1902, when he opened offices and began the practice of his profession. Success attended him from the beginning, as in the short time he has been
113
BIOGRAPHICAL
practicing he has handled several important cases. With a natural aptitude for the legal profession Mr. Kelly seems gifted and in every way qualified to become a successful participator in many a hard fought legal battle.
THE BRADNER FAMILY, -In the year 1715 John Bradner left his home in Edinborough and came to America. He settled in Cape May, N. J., where he remained until 1721 when he removed to Goshen, N. Y. Three years previous to his leaving home he graduated from the University of Edinborough and soon after his arrival in America was ordained a Presbyterian minister at Philadelphia. Pa. Rev. John Bradner was the head of this branch of the Bradner family in America. He married Christina Colvill, a daughter of Prof. Colvill, of Edinborough University, and reared a large family of children. His son John, married and passed his life as a farmer in Gosben, N. Y. Josiah, a son of John, married Lucy Ranney of Rome, N. Y., in 1790, and settled on a farm near Utica, N. Y. Two children were born to them, Lester and Lucy. Lucy married John Smith, of Ogdensburg. Lester was born in 1791. Early in life he served a clerkship in a store at Utica and in 1813 came to Dansville, where for four years he conducted a grist mill and also operated a distillery. He then purchased a farm of six hundred acres near Dansville and also engaged heavily in the mercantile business, conducting at one time five stores in as many different localities in Allegany and Livingston connties. He was a pro- gressive man, successful in his undertakings and a leader in the social and political life of the community. His name figures prominently in the chron- icles of the early history of the town of Dansville and the county of Living- ston. He married in 1817 Fanny Hammond, a descendant of Isaac Hammond, who was one of the founders of Newton, Mass. Amariah Hammond was born
in 1773 and came to Dansville from Westmoreland county, Pa., in 1795. took up a tract of six hundred acres of land, all of which lies within the limits of the village. He was the first settler and erected the first dwelling house in the village, a log cabin built in 1796. He was a son of Captain John Ilam- mond, a Revolutionary soldier and a nephew of Lebbeus Hammond, the noted Indian fighter, of whom so much has been written. He married Catherine Cruger, a daughter of General Daniel Cruger, and bad two children, Fanny and Minerva. The latter became the wife of James Faulkner, another early settler of Dansville. Lester Bradner Sr., died in 1872. Lester Bradner, the only surviving member of the family of Lester and Fanny Bradner, was born November. 1. 1836. He attended the Dansville schools as a boy and later
He
entered Yale University from which he graduated in 1857. He then engaged, for some fifteen years. with the Illinois Central Railroad at Chicago. after which he returned to Dansville, where he has since resided. He was joined in marriage, in 1865, with Lucy Charmley, of New Haven, Conn., and they have one son, Rev, Lester Bradner, Jr., a graduate of Yale, and now rector of St. John's church at Providence, R. I.
114
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
D. FOLEY, -A successful merchant of Dansville, and one of its enterpris- ing citizens and property owners, has been a resident of Dansville practically all his life, coming here with his parents, when an infant, from Rochester, where he was born November 17, 1837. He received his schooling and passed his early life in an uneventful manner, finally drifting into a clerkship in a grocery, at which he worked until 1872, when he purchased a one-balf interest in the Thomas Earls grocery and six years later bought out Mr. Earls' interest from which time he has been exclusive owner. Mr. Foley has always taken a deep interest in politics, believes implicitly in a Republican form of govern- ment and casts his vote for representatives of that party. He has a number of times been elected to the office of Corporation Trustee. His marriage with Miss Celia Tierney, of Dansville, occurred April 21, 1862. Mr. Foley is a valued member of the Livingston County Historical Society.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.