USA > New York > Livingston County > History of Livingston County, New York, from its earliest traditions to the present together with early town sketches > Part 60
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Dr. George C. Jones, late of Geneseo, was born in Steuben county in 1855. He graduated from the Rogersville Union Seminary in 1874, then taught schools six years and then entered the medical depart- ment of Buffalo University, from which he graduated in 1886. He first practiced in Scottsburg nine years, and moved from there to Geneseo in 1895, where, after a successful professional career, he died in 1903. At that time he was president of the county medical society, and for years before had been its treasurer.
Dr. F. W. Green has practiced medicine in Geneseo since his grad- uation in 1889. He was born in Nunda in 1844. His later schooling was in Dansville Seminary and Nunda Academy. He enlisted at the
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breaking out of the civil war, when only seventeen years old, and par- ticipated in a number of important battles. On account of a wound, he received an honorable discharge in 1864 when he returned to Nunda and engaged in teaching. . He was elected school commissioner for the southern district, and held the office six years. Then he took up the study of medicine, and in due time graduated from the medical department of Buffalo University.
Another Springwater physician is Dr. Allen B. Becker, and he was born there in 1860. He was educated in the Geneseo State Normal School and the University of Baltimore, graduating from the latter institution in 1890. Since then he has practiced in his native village and town.
Dr. Charles H. Richardson was born in Churchville in July, 1840, and died in Livonia in March, 1904. After a course of study in the Riga and Webster academies he entered the Buffalo University, and graduated from its medical department in February, 1860. He then served a few months in the Buffalo General hospital, and in Deceni- ber, 1860, went to Livonia and commenced practice. In 1862 he was appointed assistant surgeon in the 104th regiment N. Y. V., and went to the front. He was in the military service two years and eleven months, and was present at every notable battle of the Army of the Potomac from the second of Bull Run to the surrender at Appomat- tox. For several months he acted as surgeon chief of the artillery brigade of the corps, for some time had charge of a division hospital, and was promoted from assistant surgeon to surgeon. He resumed practice in Livonia soon after the close of the war, and was kept busy by his numerous patients until a short time before his death. He was elected supervisor of the town three times, and was president of the village five years.
Dr. George Henry Jones is a Fowlerville physician who was born in Ontario county in 1855. He moved to Livingston county with his parents when he was eight years old, and soon afterward to LeRoy. He graduated at the Academic Institute in LeRoy in 1873, and from the medical department of Michigan University in 1877. He took charge of Dr. Clark's office in Batavia for a short time, and then set- tled down to practice in Fowlerville, succeeding Dr. F. P. Stickney. He has served nine years as coroner and seven years as U. S. pension examiner.
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Dr. J. Ten Eyck Bettis was born in Albion in 1846, and was edu- cated in the Albion public schools and academy. He studied medicine in the Cleveland Homeopathic Medical college, and graduated from it in 1869, then took a post graduate course in the New York Homeopath- ic college, graduating from this in 1876. He practiced a short time in Albion and Nunda, and then went to Livonia, where he has remain- ed in successful practice.
Dr. Frederick Augustus Wicker has practiced medicine at Hemlock and in the town of Livonia since June, 1889. He was born in Con- necticut in 1863, but became a resident of Livingston county with his parents in 1870. He graduated from the Geneseo State Normal School in 1884, took a one-year course in Williams college, then pur- sued his general studies in the Rochester University, and his medical studies in the Buffalo University, from which he graduated in 1889. He has been postmaster four years and president of the Hemlock Lake Agricultural society two years.
Dr. John P. Brown of Nunda was born in Springwater in 1853. He was a pupil in the Geneseo State Normal School two years, and taught six years in various schools, during which period he attended medical lectures at the Buffalo University, and afterward continued his medi- cal studies in the University of New York, from which he graduated in 1881. He first practiced in Tuscarora nine years, and then went to Nunda, where he has had a large practice. He is a member of the New York State and American Medical Societies. He has been presi- dent of Nunda village four terms.
Dr. John Denton was born in Ulster county in 1852. His academic studies were pursued at Monk's private school in Elmira, and his pro- fessional studies in the medical department of Bellevue hospital, from which he graduated in 1879. Then he began practice in Moscow, succeeding Dr. L. A. Denton, his brother, and was there until 1891 when he moved to Retsof, succeeding Dr. D. V. White, and remains there. In addition to his regular practice he is physician for the Ret- sof Mining company and the Genesee and Wyoming railroad.
Dr. Robert Rae is a practitioner in Portageville. He was born in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, in 1835, lived there until he was twenty years of age, and attended the parish school and the Wallace Hall academy. He then began the study of medicine at the Edinburgh Medical col-
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lege, and later, in 1858, continued it in the University of New York, from which he graduated. He located for practice in Portageville, but enlisted in 1862, and was appointed assistant surgeon of the 130th N. Y. V., known as the First New York Dragoons. He was captured by the rebels in June, 1864, and confined in rebel prisons until Decem- ber of that year, when he was exchanged. Afterward he remained with his regiment until the close of the war, and during seven weeks of the time was under fire at the siege of Charleston. He was pro- moted to the position of major. He resumed practice at Portageville after the army was disbanded, and has had an extended ride in Liv- ingston and Wyoming counties. He has held the office of coroner many years, and for twelve years was a member of the board of pen- sion examiners. He is a member of the New York State Medical Society.
Dr. Isaac A. M. Dyke was born in Belmont, Allegany county in 1854 and was educated in the Lewis private graded school of that vil- lage. He began the study of medicine with Dr. P. Baker of Andover, remained with him three years and then entered the Buffalo Univers- ity, and in 1876 graduated from its medical department. In April of that year he opened an office in York and has practiced there ever since. His ride extends over many miles in all directions, and he has been remarkably successful in the treatment of intricate and critical cases. He is now supervisor of the town of York. His great grand- father was on the staff of General Washington in the war of the Revolution.
Dr. Frederick J. Bowen is a Mt. Morris physician. He was born in Harmony, Chautauqua county, in 1865. His education included courses in the Jamestown high school and the South Bend, Indiana, high school, from the latter of which he graduated in 1886. From 1883 to 1888 he was assistant superintendent of the South Bend Elec- tric Light Company, and thus acquired the necessary funds for com- pleting his medical education, he having meanwhile studied consider- ably in the office of two South Bend physicians. He entered the Col- lege of Physicians and Surgeons in Chicago, and graduated there in 1890. He located in Tuscarora, N. Y., practiced in that place seven years, meanwhile taking a course in the New York Post-Graduate School of Medicine and serving several months in Randall's Island
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hospital. He moved to Mt. Morris in 1897, and is still practicing
there. He has been a U. S. pension examiner since President Mckinley's first administration, and has been twice elected coroner.
Dr. Solomon Taintor of East Avon was born in Colchester, Con- necticut, in 1828. He was educated in the famous Bacon academy of that place. After teaching awhile he attended medical lectures at Woodstock, Vt., and afterward continued his medical studies in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York. Ill health compelled him to desist for a time, but he finally returned and graduated in 1854. Again his health failed, and he engaged in the less exacting business of travel for a firm that was publishing county maps. After his marriage in 1856 he attended medical lectures in Philadelphia, and then went to East Avon, his wife's maiden home, and practiced there two years successfully, when lung troubles compelled him to stop. During the civil war he was in the army awhile as a volunteer surgeon. Afterward he published maps as one of the firm of Matthews and Taintor and then S. Taintor & Co., and on account of his health did not again return to professional work, but spent his last days on a farm, where he died on New Year's day, 1902.
Dr. Fred R. Driesbach has practiced in Dansville since 1889. He was born in South Dansville, Steuben county, in 1865, was educated in the public schools, Dansville Seminary and Geneseo State Normal school, taking in the last a four-years course and graduating in 1886. His medical education was obtained in Columbia University, where he received the degree of M. D. in 1889. From that year until 1893 he practiced with Dr. James Crisfield in Dansville, and since then has continued practice by himself in that village. He is a skillful and popular doctor, and his standing may be inferred from the facts that he is coroner of Livingston county, has been president of the board of pension examining surgeons since the beginning of President McKin- ley's administration, and has been one of the examiners since Har- rison's administration.
Dr. B. P. Andrews graduated from the Homepathic Medical Col- lege of New York, in 1877 at the age of 21, and commenced practice in Dansville the same year, and has remained there with a steadily increasing practice. He is a native of Preston, Chenango county, and his general education was obtained in its public schools and Oxford
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Academy. He is regarded by the profession as one of the leading physicians of the county, and often receives calls from patients in other villages and towns besides his own. As president and chief organizer of the Village Improvement Society of Dansville, he has done much to improve and beautify the village. His great grand- fathers on both sides were soldiers of the Revolution.
Dr. Charles V. Patchin is the family successor of his father as a practitioner in Dansville, the latter having been one of its prominent physicians from 1840 until his death in 1869. Dr. Charles V. was born in Dansville in 1853. His academical education was obtained in the Dansville Seminary and Cook academy at Havana, N. Y. His medical education included three courses at Bellevue Hospital Medical college, New York, from which he graduated in 1881. From that time until now he has practiced in Dansville and his ready skill both as a physician and surgeon has given him plenty of professional work. He is a member of the New York State Medical society, was one of the consulting physicians of the Dansville Medical and Surgical hos- pital during its existence, and is examiner for several life insurance companies.
Dr. Albert E. Leach has practiced in Mt. Morris since May 1893. He was born in Brooklyn in 1866, and moved to Lyons with his parents when two years old, where he received his academic schooling, graduating in 1883. He then entered the Philadelphia school of Phar- macy, and then for a year or two was employed as a drug and pre- scription clerk. He entered the New York Homeopathic Medical col- lege, and graduated from it in 1891. He went to Rochester and prac- ticed a year with Dr. Collins, and while there served as interne in the Rochester Homeopathic hospital. From Rochester he went to Mt. Morris, where he has been a successful practitioner, and a health officer of the town for five years. Dr. Leach's great-grandfather on his mother's side, Comfort Smith, was one of the first pioneers of Lima and erected on Honeoye creek one of the first grist mills of the town. His father was a civil engineer of note, and assisted in the construc- tion of the Erie canal.
Dr. Frank B. Dodge, another Mt. Morris physician, was born in Leicester, in 1857. He graduated from the State Normal school in Geneseo in 1877, and then took a medical course in the Baltimore Col-
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lege of Physicians and Surgeons, graduating from it in 1880. He opened his office in Mt. Morris in 1881, and has been a busy practi- tioner, but found time for other duties. He was appointed postmaster at Mt. Morris by President Mckinley, and still holds the office, is chairman of the board of education, and was coroner for twelve years. Dr. Dodge is a direct descendant of Francis Cook, William Latham and James Chilton, all voyagers on the Mayflower from Deutschland ' to Plymouth Rock. His grandfather was one of the early pioneers of Leicester.
Dr. Robert J. Menzie has practiced in Caledonia nearly forty years. He was born in the town of Riga in 1833. After studying in the dis- trict schools and the old Riga academy he attended a medical school at Pittsfield awhile, and afterward entered the Buffalo University, where he received his medical diploma in 1866. He at once opened an office in Caledonia, and has conservatively remained there as a healer and consoler. He is recognized as one of the leading physicians of the county. He is a member of the American Medical Association and the New York State and Central New York medical societies. Dr. Menzie has found time to interest himself in local public affairs and has served as school trustee for eighteen years.
Dr. Hugh Hill is a Dalton physician, and has been a life-long resi- dent of that place. He was born there in 1836. After receiving a common school education he studied medicine, passed an examination before the then board of censors, and opened his office in Dalton, where he acquired and has retained a large practice. He is a member of the district, state and national eclectic medical societies.
Dr. Roy A. Page of Geneseo was born in Nunda in 1870, and received his preliminary education in the public school of that village. He then entered the New York Medical College, and graduated there in 1884. After serving one year in the Homeopathic Hospital in Roches- ter, he settled down for practice in Geneseo, where he has had a grow- ing success by reason of faithful and skillful professional work.
Dr. H. LaMont is an Ossian physician and was born in that town in 1855. He took a course in the Geneseo State Normal school after he left the district school, and then taught several years, but studied medicine during vacations. In 1877 he entered the Erie Medical col- lege in Cincinnati, and graduated there in 1880. His first practice was in Almond, Alleghany county, where he remained seven or eight
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years, and then moved to Nunda. In 1896 he went to his fine farm in Ossian, and since then has devoted much of his time to raising cattle and sheep, gradually giving up practice. He has served his town two terms as supervisor. His father was one of the "forty-niners" of the California gold fields, going there by ship around Cape Horn, and remaining four years.
Dr. Will S. Trimmer of Livonia was born in Honeoye in 1861, and educated in that village and the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary at Lima, preparatory to teaching several years in village and district schools. He then entered the Pulte college of Cincinnati, O., and graduated from its medical department in 1889. He first practiced one year in Atlanta, N. Y., and moved from there to Livonia, where he has since been an active and prominent physician and citizen. He has been supervisor of the town and coroner several years.
Dr. Frederick A. Strasenburgh of Avon was born at Port Sarnia, Canada, in 1862, and educated in the Toronto public schools. He studied pharmacy a year or more, and was a clerk in a Toronto drug store before entering the Buffalo University, for which he was well prepared by previous medical studies and his experience as druggist. He graduated at Buffalo in 1886, spent one year in practice at East . Avon, then moved to Lima, practiced there twelve years, and then was in Rochester a year before moving to Avon, where he has acquired a large and lucrative practice including an extended country ride. He has held several local offices in Lima and Avon, and for nine years was coroner. He purchased a farm three miles from Avon a few years ago, and there keeps a fine herd of Jersey cattle.
Dr. George W. Squires has practiced at East Avon ever since his graduation from the medical department of the Buffalo University in 1883. He was born at Union Springs in 1857, moved with his parents to Churchville when he was five years old and obtained his preliminary education in the Churchville high school and Lima seminary. After getting his M. D. diploma he practiced two years with Dr. J. W. Craig of Churchville before locating in East Avon. He has been coroner and is now health officer.
Dr. James E. Crisfield was one of the leading physicians of Dans- ville from 1873 until February, 1905, when he died greatly lamented by his neighbors and an extended circle of acquaintances. He was born
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in Seneca county in 1851. His academical training was in the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary of Lima, where he prepared himself for college. He began the study of medicine with Dr. John W. Gray of Avon, and after remaining with him some time entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, and graduated there in 1873. He started his practice in the town of York, but after three months moved to Dansville, where he acquired the largest practice probably of any physician in the county. He was known far beyond his own town and county as an able physician and surgeon, and was often called as a witness in legal cases requiring expert testimony. He was a member of the New York State and Western New York medical societies, and had been one of the presidents of the county society. He was active in politics, public affairs and sports, was a member of the democratic county committee many years, a democratic state committeeman, a delegate to democratic state conventions, and in 1892 presidential elector. He was president of the village, supervisor four years, and postmaster of Dansville four years. He was vice president of the Mill Creek Electric Light and Power company and one of the incorporators of the Brae Burn Golf Club.
Dr. John A. Morrisey is a practicing physician in Lima. He was born in Caledonia in 1867, and had educational training in the Cale- donia High School and Geneseo State Normal school. £
He studied medicine in the University of Michigan, and received the degree of M. D. from it in 1895. He immediately settled in Lima, and has con- tinued his professional work there until now, with a growing practice which has included the successful treatment of many difficult cases. Ile has been town health officer for a number of years, and trustee of the village for the past four years.
Dr. Frank E. Moyer of Moscow was born in Mt. Morris in 1847, and educated in the schools of that village and Nunda, after which he taught three years in district schools before taking up the study of medicine. He studied awhile with Dr. William B. Alley of Nunda and Dr. A. C. Campbell of Mt. Morris, after which he entered the Buffalo University, and received his medical diploma from it in 1872. He practiced one year in Mt. Morris, then three years in Tuscarora, and then established his office in Moscow, where he has remained, with an increasing practice. Dr. Moyer is a member of the New York State and Central New York Medical societies and has been
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president of the latter. During President Cleveland's administration, he was examiner on the board of pensions. He has been a useful member of the Livingston County Historical society and one of its presidents. His father, Aaron Moyer, was one of the early settlers of Mt. Morris.
Dr. Walter E. Lauderdale of Geneseo, whose father was a physician of repute and large practice in and around Geneseo for many years, was born in that village in 1850. After a course in the State Normal school he began the study of medicine with his father. Then he took courses in the Buffalo University, and the New York College of Phy- sicians and Surgeons, and graduated from the latter in 1874.
THE TOWNS.
AVON.
T HE township of Avon, which originally included the town of Rush, Monroe county, and was Nos. 10 and 11 of Range 7, was named Hartford by Hosmer and Thompson, its first purchasers from Phelps, and the name was not changed to Avon until 1808. The town of Rush was set off in 1818.
Avon is bounded north by Monroe county, east by Lima, south by Livonia and Genesco, and west by York and Caledonia, the western dividing line being the Genesee river.
lts area is 24,891 acres and its population in 1900 was 3071.
About 1,000 acres of the town are river flats, and the remainder consists of undulating uplands. The fertile alluvial soil has a substrat- um of gravely sand mostly, but in some parts gravely clay. Great yields of wheat were grown on them during the long wheat period of the Genesee valley, and they now produce a variety of fine crops. The most of the farms on the uplands are also of rich soil, and some of them are as productive per acre as the flats. The farmers of the town are generally progressive, and watchful of agricultural improvement in methods and machinery.
The Genesee valley in Avon and elsewhere has been made more pic- turesque and inviting as civilization has advanced by the thoughtful care of those who cut down the primeval forest in sparing selected trees for shade, and the tree-bordered Genesee is a winding liquid belt of perpetual beauty, on which long ago the flat boats plied between Rochester and Mt. Morris, some of them even going to Dansville. The southwestern corner of the town is traversed by the outlet stream of Conesus lake, and southerly section by a creek which starts from a large swamp in Lima and ends in the Conesus outlet below the hamlet of Littleville.
The mineral springs in Avon have made their locality a popular
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health resort, and caused the construction of several large hotels with conveniences for baths in the medicinal waters. Bathing in them and drinking from them have effected many cures of diseases, some of which were of long standing. The springs are considered especially remedial in cases of rheumatism and skin eruptions.
The Lower Spring originally formed a large pool, and was the one first used for curative purposes. The Indians had discovered some of its properties before the white man appeared, and came to it to be healed of diseases of the skin. The Upper Spring has similar medicinal qualities, and both are waters of hope for the sick. Other springs near by, discovered later, are known as the New Bath Spring, Long's Spring, Congress Spring and Magnesia Spring, and all of them have been much used for curative purposes.
All these springs are within or near Avon village, once known as West Avon, and earlier as Can-a-wau-gus, the Seneca term meaning bad-smelling water. The village had a population of 1601 in 1900. It is in the northwestern part of Livingston county, at the junction of branches of the Erie railroad along the valley, and to Rochester and Buffalo and Corning. It lies mostly on the highlands above the valley, but partly on the flats. It was incorporated May 17, 1853, and the first village election was held July 5, of that year. Its hotels, con- nected with the springs, continue to attract many guests, and it has various stores, fine churches, handsome dwellings, a good newspaper, and a large square adorned with a soldiers' monument. The churches are Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopalian and Catholic. A good union school and a Catholic school provide the home educational facilities. Absence of water power prevented the development of manufactories at this point. A library was established in 1805, and the "Avon Relig- ious Society" was organized in 1810.
East Avon is a hamlet one and one-half miles east of Avon village. It became a little center of trade early in the century but has never grown beyond about 300 residents. It has some small manufactories, a general store, a hotel and a Presbyterian church. The church was organized in 1795 by Rev. Daniel Thatcher, and was the first church in the town. The foundry which turned out the famous Wiard plows was established there by Thomas WViard, Sr., about 1830 and the busi- ness was continued there until 1877, when it was moved to Batavia.
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