USA > New York > Livingston County > History of Livingston County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 102
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Richard McMahon, Company E, 136th Infantry, enlisted September 20, 1862 ; died of typhoid fever at Fairfax Court House, Va., November 26, 1862, and lies buried there.
Amos F. Blair, Corporal, Company E, 136th Infantry ; served until the close of the war. Now in Townsend, Ohio.
Thomas O'Hara, Company F, 140th Infantry, enlisted in 1863. Present location unknown.
Lucien Gibbs, Company C, 147th Infantry, en- listed July 30, 1862 ; came home on furlough Jan- uary 11, 1863, and died on the 2d of the following month.
Albiron More, Company E, 136th Infantry, en- listed July 20, 1862. Now in North Plains, Mich.
Solomon Wood, Sergeant, enlisted in 1861 in the 27th Infantry and served two years; was wounded and taken prisoner at the first battle of Bull Run ; was exchanged January 3, 1862, and returned to the regiment ; reënlisted September 5, 1864, in Company K, 15th Engineers. Dead, date not known.
Harvey James Wood, Company K, 15th Engi- neers, enlisted September 5, 1864. Present loca- tion unknown.
Edward Timmons, Company E, 136th Infantry, enlisted August 15, 1862. Now in Lima.
485
LIMA-WAR RECORD.
Patrick Welch, Company M, 8th Heavy Artil- lery, enlisted January 5, 1864 ; was transferred to the moth New York Infantry in June, 1865; was wounded at the battle of Deep Bottom, August 15, 1864. Now in Lima.
Winslow Salter, 13th Infantry, enlisted in Aug- ust, 1862 ; was wounded at the second battle of Bull Run in 1862; taken prisoner and paroled, and was afterward discharged on account of dis- ability. Now in Battle Creek, Mich.
Robert Sweaton Whisker enlisted July 27, 1861, in the 102d Infantry ; was badly wounded at the battle of Chancellorsville, and was in the hospital eight months; returned to his regiment and was with it during its term of service ; reënlisted March 16, 1865, in First New York Dragoons. Now in Lima.
John O'Day, Corporal, Company E, 140th In- fantry, enlisted August 23, 1862; was slightly wounded at the battle of Fredericksburg, Decem- ber 13, 1862 ; remained with the regiment during its term of service. Now in Lima.
Isaac White, Company A, 146th Infantry, en- listed July 30, 1863 ; was wounded at the battle of the Wilderness, absent from regiment some four months, returned and was taken prisoner before Petersburg, held three days with nothing to eat, and was then paroled. Now in Michigan.
John Jefferson Hanna, Company K, 148th In- fantry, enlisted August 25, 1862 ; was taken sick shortly after entering the service and was in hos- pital nearly a year ; returned to the regiment and was discharged at the close of the war. Now in West Bloomfield, N. Y.
Edgar Gardiner Plimpton, Company G, 104th Infantry, enlisted February 23, 1862 ; was taken prisoner on the Weldon railroad, confined at Salis- bury, N. C., seven months; was paroled and re- turned to Elmira, N. Y., where he died of typhoid fever April 2, 1864. Remains buried there.
James Murray Bailey, Company M, 8th Heavy Artillery, enlisted January 3, 1864; was severely wounded at the battle of Cold Harbor, June 3, 1864, and was afterward discharged on account of disability. Is now a prominent Universalist minis- ter in Pennsylvania.
Henry Franklin Bushnell, Company G, First New York Dragoons, date of enlistment not known ; died in hospital at Chappel Point, Va., May 23, 1865, and was buried there.
Seth Parker Buell was mustered September 5, 1862, as Second Lieutenant in 136th Infantry ; was promoted to Captain shortly after entering the
service; health failed and he was obliged to resign. Now in Pittsburg, Pa.
David O. Bushnell, Company G, First New York Dragoons, enlisted August 13, 1862; was mortally wounded at the battle of Newton, Va., September 1, 1864, and was buried at Winchester, Va
Isaac Beebe, Corporal, Co. G, First N. Y. Dra- goons, enlisted July 28, 1862. Present location unknown.
Florintine Brown, Co. M, 8th Heavy Artillery, enlisted January 19, 1864. Now in Lima.
James Tubbs, Co. M, 8th Heavy Artillery, en- listed Jan. 19, 1864. Present location unknown.
George Overt, Corporal Co. E, 136th Infantry, enlisted April 20, 1862. Present location not known.
Caleb Clow, Co. K, 188th Infantry, enlisted October 6, 1864. Now in Lima.
Charles Edwin Hyde, Co. D, First N. Y. Dra- goons, enlisted July 19, 1862.
Samuel A. Salter, Co. K, 15th Engineers, en- listed Sept. 4, 1864, and served until the close of the war.
Franklin Levi Fifield, Co. K, 15th Engineers, enlisted Sept. 4, 1864. Was with his regiment un- til the close of the war. Now in Honeoye Falls, N. Y.
William Henry Salter, Co. K, 13th Infantry, en- listed in August, 1862.
Henry Walter White, Co. B, 76th Infantry, en- listed July 31, 1863. Was discharged for dis- ability January Ist, 1864. Now in Michigan.
Hiram Harrison Reynolds, Co. K, 148th In- fantry, enlisted Aug. 18th, 1862. Was detailed in October, 1863, as hospital steward.
Horace Chambers, Co. K, 15th Engineers, en- listed Sept. 3, 1864, and served with his regiment until the close of the war ; dead, date unknown.
Horatio E. Chapin, Sergeant Co. K, 15th En- gineers, enlisted Sept. 3, 1864. Served with regi- ment until end of Rebellion.
Henry Merritt Talman, Corporal Co. M. 22d Cavalry, enlisted March 25, 1865. Now in St. Louis, Mo.
Owen Carragher, First N. Y. Dragoons, en- listed in August, 1862. Served faithfully during the war and was honorably discharged with the regiment.
Martin Quigley, Corporal; date of enlistment unknown ; was a veteran of the Crimean war; killed near Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 28, 1863, by falling from the cars as his regiment was being
486
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
transferred from the army of the Potomac to the army of the Cumberland.
James A. Hamilton, Quartermaster, 27th Regi- ment, died in Geneseo in 1877.
Samuel Hamilton, 113th Regiment, died about 1876.
J. T. Baccus, died in Lima in 1879.
Barney Kusick, died about 1874.
Patrick Noonan, died since close of war.
Michael Boyle, First Veteran Cavalry ; dead, buried in Lima.
James O'Brian, 136th N. Y. Volunteers ; dead, buried in Lima.
Marion Campbell ; dead, buried in Lima.
Lizzie Campbell, an heroic hospital stewardess, died in Lima, date unknown.
Alexander Mias, Andrew J. Darrow, left dead on battle field.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ALEXANDER MARTIN.
Alexander Martin was born January 10, 1800, and was a son of Stephen and Bethiah Martin. Stephen Martin was born January 26, 1761 and died December 19, 1834. He was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and at the time of his death was drawing a pension from the government for services rendered his country in her struggle for independence. His wife, Bethiah (Barrows) Mar- tin, was born May 4, 1764, and died March 13, 1841. They had eleven children, of whom Alex- ander was the ninth, and all are now dead.
Alexander came to North Bloomfield over sixty years ago, where his father had a small foundry, and when he became of age, he assumed the busi- ness. Alexander took the care of his father and mother until their death, and continued the business for a number of years. At that time there was no competition in that line anywhere near, and his customers came from a long distance, exchanging grain and barter of all kinds for his goods. By that means he acquired an extensive acquaintance and a reputation for fair dealing and honesty throughout the country.
March 26, 1823, he was married to Ruth, daugh- ter of Simon and Ruth (Hall) Harwood, Her father was born August 23, 1766, and died March 3, 1816, and her mother died October 18, 1838.
In 1826 Mr. Martin purchased and moved into the house in which he lived till his death. He and his loving wife spent over fifty years together amid the comforts of a pleasant home, and surrounded with a large family of children and grand-children. Their golden wedding was celebrated in 1873,
when five of the ten children that had been born to them were present. In July, 1875, his wife died and in the same year his son, B. Franklin, also died. His surviving children are Amasa H. and A. Dwight, of Lima, Mrs. T. H. Holden, of Honeoye Falls, and Mrs. J. W. Davis, of Livonia Station.
In October, 1876, Mr. Martin married the widow of Amos Hitchcock, and daughter of Eleazer Har- wood. She was a cousin of his first wife, was born January 29, 1814, and is still living. In 1822, Mr. Martin united with the Masons at Allen's Hill, and was one of the last two surviving mem- bers of Union Lodge, No. 50, of Lima, who re- mained true to the trusts of Free Masonry through the Morgan excitement. He was Master of Union Lodge at one time, and also was a member of Morning Star Chapter of Lima.
In politics he was a Democrat until :848, when he entered into the Free Soil movement and upon the formation of the Republican party became one of its members, ever supporting its measures and policy with earnestness and consistency. He rep- resented the town of Lima in the Board of Super- visors several terms; and enjoyed the respect and confidence of a large circle of friends and acquain- tances in his own and neighboring counties.
He had not been in active business for several years preceding his death. His was one of the few examples we have in these days of one who had accumulated a competency by close applica- tion to business in early life, industry and frugality, without deception or fraud of any kind; one of whom no one could say that he had wronged them, and in whom the poor and needy ever found a friend and benefactor. He died August 8, 1877, from neuralgia of the heart and without a mo- ment's warning. His funeral services were attend- ed on the Friday following, from the Universalist church of North Bloomfield, where he had been a constant attendant and one of its chief and earnest supporters for many years.
JAMES LAWRENCE ALVERSON, LL. D.
James Lawrence Alverson LL. D., was born in the town of Seneca, Ontario county, N. Y., Oct. 6, 1815. His father, Stephen Alverson, was the son of Uriah Alverson, who died in Cazenovia, N. Y., at the age of one hundred and two years, having lived an honored and useful life.
Stephen Alverson married Amy Smith, the dangh- ter of David Smith, and to them were born ten children. After their marriage, they lived awhile in Utica, N. Y., where their ellest child, Richard, was born. They then removed to the residence of Mr. Smith in Seneca Falls, near Geneva, where their other children were born,
In 1818, Stephen Alverson removed to Perry, N. Y., which was then in the midst of a dense forest, and connected with neighboring places only by an Indian trail. Mr. Alverson was a pioneer, both at Seneca Falls and Perry, Ile and his family were
Alexander Martin
Das. L Merrow
487
JAMES LAWRENCE ALVERSON, LL. D.
hardy and knew how to endure privation and toil. He and his wife were consistent Christians. She was distinguished for superior natural abilities, great discernment and practical wisdom.
Dr. Alverson was fortunate in having such par- ents, from whom he inherited a fine constitution, and under their training and example he was pre- pared for the noble and successful career he pur- sued. He remained with his parents on the farm in Perry till his eighteenth year when he became a student in Genesee Wesleyan Seminary. From his early childhood he manifested great love for study, and devoted all the time he could command, to reading. He was thoughtful and earnest in his inquiries, and his conduct was in every way be- coming and exemplary. At the early age of eleven he became a member of the church. This course was then much more unusual than now. His mother regarded him as a Christian from the age of five years.
After completing his preparatory studies in the Seminary, he entered the Wesleyan University, at Middletown, Conn., from which he graduated with honor in 1838.
On the sixth of the following September he mar- ried Emily Bennett, the daughter of Jeremiah and Mary Bennett. She was descended from a hardy, pioneer family. Her grandfather, James Bennett, emigrated from Vermont to Genesee county when it was a wilderness, driving nine horses and a yoke of oxen the entire distance, over roads almost im- passable. He was a good and influential man, and though a layman he established and conducted religious services in the community where he re- sided till the services of a clergyman could be obtained willing to share their hardships. Her parents were worthy people, highly respected and esteemed. Her father lived a life of strict integ- rity and usefulness, and her mother gave a noble example of cheerfulness, equanimity and self-denial.
After his graduation, Dr. Alverson became the principal of an academy in Elmira, N. Y., and in 1841 a teacher in the Oneida Conference Seminary, now the Central New York Conference Seminary, located in Cazenovia, N. Y. In 1844 he became a teacher in Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, of which he became principal in 1847. From 1849, till his death, he was the Professor of Mathematics in Genesee College. In 1860 he received from his Alma Mater, Wesleyan University, the degree of LL. D., and at different times, from other sources, testimonials of the high respect in which he was held. He labored faithfully and earnestly in the discharge of his duties, and with increasing influence and fame. He held a high rank among the scholars and educators of the country. Having naturally a good constitution, his habits being regular, tem- perate and in every respect exemplary, he gave promise of a long life. Unfortunately he was led to make unusual exertions under unfavorable cir- cumstances, and as a consequence he was violently seized by disease, and after a brief but very painful illness, he died, Sept. 12, 1864. His premature death caused a profound sensation, and cast a dark
shadow of gloom over the literary institutions of Lima and the whole community. A large con- course of people, many coming from a distance, gathered at his funeral to show for him their respect and esteem. The sermon was preached by his intimate friend, Rev. Joseph Cummings, D. D., LL. D., President of the Wesleyan Univer- sity, who as a former President of Genesee College, had been associated with him in his work in that institution and also in other difficult and very im- portant works.
He died with a full and joyful assurance of the favor of the Redeemer, to whose service he had consecrated his life.
His Christian death was a fitting close to an honorable, useful, devoted life. Of him we may well say " Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, from henceforth: Yea ! saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them."
Dr. Alverson was a man of marked and varied abilities. His personal appearance was fine and indicative of true dignity and esthetic tastes. His habits and demeanor, even in minute things, were faultless. Whoever met him recognized him as a gentleman of refinement and culture. He had a lofty scorn of all that is low, mean and degrading. He was usually calm and had great self-control. Like all men of delicate feelings, he was retiring and reserved to all but intimate friends, hence he was often misunderstood, and termed cold and unfeeling ; but when he was aroused by real distress and calamity to others, his flowing tears and strong emotions indicated a warm and noble heart. For years, with more than a woman's tenderness and care, he cherished one bound to him by closest ties, who as an invalid was often helpless and en- dured much suffering, striving by personal atten- tion to lessen her pain, disappointment and sor- row. He did not repine or become discouraged in adversity, but with cheerfulness used the good in the present and hoped for better fortune in the future.
He was cautious in forming his opinions but tenacious in retaining and firm in npholding them. He had great power over others, and great skill and tact in retaining his influence. As a citizen he favored all measures that were calculated to promote good order and improve the best interests of society. His personal efforts were untiring to secure these objects.
His life work was given to his profession as a teacher. For this he was well qualified by natural endowments and acquirements ; and considering his methods and the results of his work he had few superiors.
His mental powers were harmoniously developed and their action was controlled by a sound judg- ment and the dictates of conscience. His life, passed in the quiet of scholarly and professional pursuits, presents no wonderful or startling inci- dents. Most well ordered and useful lives are of this character. They may not exhibit the brillian- cy that attracts, but they are free from the errors
488
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
and indiscretions too often associated with genius. If there are no striking deeds that excite the ad- miration of friends, there are none that cause to them humiliation and shame while they give glad- ness and triumph to foes.
Dr. Alverson was not one of the multitude swayed by the will of the ambitious and selfish. He was an independent thinker and naturally a leader, exerting a powerful influence over others.
His work is not ended ; his life is renewed in its transforming power over the lives of others. Though dead, he still speaks, and when his name shall no more be mentioned on earth it shall be re- membered in Heaven,
WILLIAM VARY.
William Vary was born in the town of Berlin, Rensselaer county, N. Y., July 2, 1807. He was the son of Samuel and Esther (Thomas) Vary, the former of whom was born in Duchess county Sep- tember 24, 1764, and died in Columbia county, having settled there from Rensselaer county Octo- ber 9, 1833. The mother was born in Providence, R. I., April 29, 1769. They were the parents of ten children, four boys and six girls, only three of whom are now living, namely :- Mehitable, Abial T., now living in Marshall, Mich., and Deborah, the widow of the late Daniel Smith, of Wayne county, N. Y. Mr. Vary was a mill-wright by trade, but also carried on a small farm, and reared his boys in the latter occupation. They received their education at the district schools of the town in which they lived. In :836 the widow of Samuel Vary moved with her five children, one of the number being William, to Lima, where she resided till she was eighty-three years of age, when she made her home with her daughter in Wayne coun- ty, where she died July 12, 1860. Her remains lie buried in Oak Ridge cemetery in Lima.
Calvin, William and Abial carried on the farm they had previously purchased, and which is now occupied by Burton A. Vary. They all lived together four years, and then Calvin, Hannah, Me- hitable and the mother moved on to the farm now occupied by William L. Vary.
After the division of the family, Calvin, William and Abial carried on farming together several ycars, till the latter bought a farm in Caledonia and moved there. In the spring of 1861 he moved to Michigan, where he now resides. William contin- ued to work his farm until December 12, 1865, when he moved to the village of Lima,
October 12, 1833, he was married to Sarah A., daughter of l'eleg and Freelove (Arnold) Thomas, of Greenbush, N. Y. She was born December 21, 1810. They had two children, viz :- Mary Jane, born December 26, 1838, and died April 11, 1867, and Burton A., born November 3, 1841, now re- siding on the old homestead. Mrs. Vary died January 26, 1849.
December · 20, 1849, Mr. Vary married for his second wife, Mary E. Thomas, a sister of his first wife, and she died November 28, 1854.
November 5, 1857, Mr. Vary married Sarah A. Kinear, of Lima, by whom he had one son-Wil- liam L., born May 12, 1860. Mr. Vary was the architect of his own fortune. Without the aid of inherited wealth or social prestige, he made his way from poverty to affluence, and to a high position as one of the prominent agriculturists of his town. His greatest pride and enjoyment was in his well-ordered farm and the associations and comforts of his delightful home and the society of his many friends. He died September 14, 1873.
GEORGE HOSMER BENNETT.
George H. Bennett was born in Avon, June· 9, 1820. He is the son of Augustus A. and Maria (Pierson) Bennett. The father was born in Con- necticut, July 27, 1789, and the mother was born May 30, 1799. Augustus A. was the fifth of a fami- ly of sixteen children. His father was a mason by trade, and was also a local Methodist preacher, who, not being blessed with an abundance of this world's goods, was unable to give his children anything but a limited education. Augustus attended school only about six months. He learned the mason's trade and worked with his father at that business till he was twenty-one years af age, his parents, in the meantime, having moved from Vermont, where they had lived since he was an infant.
When Augustus became of age, he located at Livonia, N. Y., where he worked at his trade, em- ploying his leisure hours in the study of Blackstone, and was afterward engaged in teaching school, during which employment he spent every spare moment in perfecting himself for the pursuit of his chosen pro- fession-law. He studied with Judge Timothy Hosmer, then First Judge of Ontario county, and was admitted to the bar in 1816, after which time he formed a co-partnership with George Hosmer, son of the Judge already spoken of.
March 10, 1818, he was married, and followed the practice of his profession in Avon the sixteen years following, during twelve of which he was alone, having, after four years' practice, dissolved with his partner.
In 1833, he located in Lima, where he remained until 1839, when he mysteriously disappeared and has never been heard of since. He was a man of magnificent presence, of large legal attainments, and ranked among the foremost lawyers of Western New York. His wife died May 4, 1879. Six chil- dren were born to them, viz :- Sarah A. wife of Jeremiah Whitbeck, of Rochester ; George H. ; Mary W. wife of Leander Mix, of Batavia, now of Wheeling, West Virginia ; Charles J. a resident of Australia, for the past thirty years ; Jane E. wife James L. Page, of Rochester ; and James A. who married Rowena Warfield, of Ontario county, and
Photo. by Merrell. Geneseo.
GA Demult
489
GEORGE HOSMER BENNETT-FRANKLIN B. FRANCIS.
is now residing in Prattsburgh, Steuben county, N. Y.
George H. lived at home till he became seven- teen years of age, and attended the Genesee Wes- leyan Seminary at Lima. He then went west to Lima, Ind., where he remained one year, then returned to Lima, N. Y., where he worked on a farm during the following year.
He again went west and located at Austinburg, O., where he spent two years attending the acad- emy, and then again returned to New York State and located in Avon, where he immediately com- menced preparing him- self for a physician. In 1844, he was enrolled as a student with Dr. John F. Whitbeck, then of Lima, with whom he remained four years. He then attended one course of lectures at the Geneva Medical College, and one course of lectures in the medical depart- ment of the University at Buffalo, whence he was graduated in 1848. Immediately following this he settled in Lima, where he has since fol- lowed his profession with great diligence.
Oct. 25, 1848, Mr. Bennett was united in marriage with Eliza C., daughter of Ernest A. and Mary (Johnson) Dunlap, of Ovid, Sen- eca county, N. Y. She was born August 5th, 1825. Her father died in 1827, aged about thirty-seven years. He was a farmer and surveyor, and was clerk and sur- rogate of Seneca county two terms, and died while still in office. Her mother died in 1848 aged forty-eight years. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dunlap, viz :- Mary Jane, who died at the age of twenty ; Eliza C., and Ernest Augustus, who died in infancy.
To Dr. and Mrs. Bennett have been born eleven children, as follows :- Mary Jay, wife of W. W. Pierce, of Des Moines, Iowa ; Charles A., who died at the age of twenty-six ; Sarah M., who died in infancy ; Emma M., wife of Sidney T. Palmer, of Wayne county, N. Y .; George D., now a prac- ticing physician at Honeoye Falls, N. Y .; John W., a medical student in the University of Penn- sylvania, at Philadelphia; Eliza P., Helen E., Jason J., Ernest W., and Amanda J.
The doctor united with the Presbyterian church twelve years ago, and his wife has been a member of the same for twenty-five years.
F. TO. Francis
In politics Dr. Bennett is a Democrat. Person- ally he has never indulged in any desire for politi- cal preferment, though at all times deeply inter- ested in the general welfare of his party. He has kept pace with the advancements of the age, pos- sessing strong powers of application and a well balanced mind. He is best known in the com- munity as a physician, though always looked up to as a man of ideas. His cheerful countenance and disposition make his presence in the sick room, in no ordinary way a source of consolation to his patients, and the high regard in which he is held by all classes, clearly shows that he not only enjoys but is eminently entitled to the name of friend.
FRANKLIN
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