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 62
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markably successful in gaining their confidence. His fame extended throughout the county. Drs. Hoff and Potter were regarded and proved them- selves distinguished surgeons. They were more noted as such than as physicians.
The present physicians are :- Loren J. Ames, Zara W. Joslyn, Herbert M. Dayfoot, Henry Povall and A. L. Cook.
Loren J. Ames was born in Royalton, Vt., July 12, 1815, and educated at the academy in his native town. He removed thence to Rochester in this State, and-in 1839-to Geneseo, where, in 1840, he commenced the study of medicine with Drs. Bissell and Lauderdale. He attended lectures at Geneva Medical College and graduated there in 1843. He established himself in practice in March of that year at Mt. Morris, where he has since pur- sued his profession. He was coroner of this county for twelve years, and postmaster of Mt. Morris from March, 1873, to May, 1877-
Zara W. Joslyn was born in Mentz, Cayuga county, November 6, 1815, and received an acade- mic education at Wyoming, N. Y. He com- menced the study of medicine in 1839, with Dr. C. C. Chaffee, of Nunda, and in the spring of 1841, entered the Castleton Medical College of Vermont, where he graduated in June, 1842. In November, (853, he removed to Mt. Morris, where he has since practiced.
Herbert M. Dayfoot was born in Georgetown, Canada, February 21, 1846. He received an academic education at Woodstock Institute in Canada, and Rochester University. In 1864, he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Elias Vernon, of Hamilton, Canada. He attended lec- tures at the Buffalo Medical College and the Western Homeopathic College of Cleveland, grad- uating at the latter in 1867, in which year he com- menced practice in Mt. Morris, where he has since continued, with the exception of six months spent in Ithaca.
Henry Povall was born in Bunbury, England, August 14, 1828. He was licensed in 1870 by the Eclectic Medical Association Examining Board of Liverpool, having previously read medicine with a private tutor for fifteen years, during ten of which he was engaged in practice. He emigrated to Mt. Morris in 1878.
A. L. Cook was born in Stephentown, N. Y., September 4, 1822, and received an academic edu- cation at Castile and Perry. At the age of twenty- one he commenced the study of medicine, but abandoned it after one season and engaged in other
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business. In 1874 he resumed his medical studies. He commenced practice at Oil City, l'a., and re- moved to Mt. Morris in the spring of 1878.
LAWYERS .- " Bill" Haskell, a pettifogger, was the first to undertake to expound law in Mt. Mor- ris. He came here about 1812. He was illiterate, but possessed a good deal of native talent. He was an odd, uncouth genius, largely engaged in Justices' courts at an early day. He left here for the Western country about 1835. Simeon Kittle was contemporary with Haskell, who removed to Michigan, and a similar character. Both receded from civilization.
The first representative in Mt. Morris of that elegant diction for which the bar of Livingston county has been so ably conspicuous was George Hastings, who was born in Clinton, Oneida county, March 13, 1807,* and graduated from Hamilton college at the early age of nineteen. His father was Dr. Seth Hastings, of Clinton. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1830, in which year he entered upon the practice of his profession in Mt. Morris, where he resided till his death, August 29, 1866. He at once took a leading po- sition at the bar and had a large practice. He was appointed District-Attorney of Livingston county, May 27, 1839, and held the office till it was made elective in 1847. He was a Representative in Congress from this county from 1853 to 1855, and was County Judge from November, 1855 to 1863. He was a man, who, both in public and private life, evinced great purity and could not be tempted be- yond the line of rectitude. He was a prominent member of the Presbyterian church and noted in its councils. His widow, two sons and three daughters still reside here.
Samnel H. Fitzhugh was born in Washington county, Maryland, in 1796, and graduated at Jef- ferson college in Pennsylvania. In 1817 he re- moved to Canandaigua, where he prepared for the bar in the office of N. W. Howell. In 1820 he married a daughter of Judge Addison, of Wheeling, Va., where he practiced his profession until his re- moval to Mt. Morris in 1831. In 1840, he was appointed Associate Judge of the Court of Com- mon Pleas of Livingston county.
Reuben P. Wisner, who was born in Springport, Cayuga county, January 4, 1815, was the next to engage in the practice of law in Mt. Morris. His early scholastic advantages were restricted by the limited means of his parents, but by assiduously
devoting every leisure moment to the culture of his mind, he made considerable progress in the languages, in rhetoric, logic and history. When old enough he became a farm laborer, working by the month in summer, and in winter engaged at cabinet making. He subsequently became bar- tender and clerk in what was then the principal hotel in Auburn, and there his passion for forensic display was stimulated by the great luminaries who congregated at that political center. By invitation he entered the office of William H. Seward, and after receiving his license remained in that office two or three years as assistant. In 1837 he located in Mt. Morris and formed a co-partnership with Judge Samuel H. Fitzhugh. The practice of the firm soon became extensive and lucrative. Mr. Wisner was an able and successful lawyer and possessed great character-qualities which soon gave him a high position at the bars of this and ad- joining counties.
Clark B. Adams, who had studied law in Nunda, removed thence about 1843 to Mt. Morris and entered the office of Reuben P. Wisner. He was admitted to the bar about 1846, and practiced here till his tragic death on the 9th of December. 1869. He was a man of fine abilities and good practice.
McNeil Seymour was a native of Rome, Oneida county, and was educated at Oberlin College. He came to Mt. Morris in 1843, and entered the law office of George Hastings as a student. He was admitted to practice about 1847, and immediately after opened an office in Mt. Morris, where he practiced till his death in 1870. He represented this county in the Assembly in 1855. He was a man of superior ability, a sound lawyer, and was highly esteemed in the community, alike for his professional skill and probity, and social qualities. In addition to his other accomplishments he pos- sessed a fine discriminating literary taste. He was a brother of the Hon. Norman Seymour, of Mt. Morris, the urbane and efficient secretary of the Livingston County Historical Society.
Scott Lord came here from Buffalo in 1843, im- mediately after his admission, and practiced till his election as County Judge in 1847, the first incum- bent of that office under the elective system. On his clection as Judge he took up his residence in Geneseo, where he practiced till about 1872, when he removed to Utica, where he formed a co-part- nership with Hon. Roscoe Conkling, and imme- cliately took a leading position as a lawyer. He was a Representative in Congress from 1875 to
* Lanman's Dictionary of Congress, 178. Proctor makes the date March 20, 1807.
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VILLAGE OF MOUNT MORRIS - PHYSICIANS, MANUFACTURERS.
1877, and at the expiration of his Congressional term, during which he distinguished himself as a parliamentary debater and tactician, he removed to New York, when his recognized legal ability secured for him a leading position among the mem- bers of the bar, and where he was more recently made conspicuous by his connection with the Van- derbilt will case.
Charles L. Bingham, son of Dr. Charles Bingham, was born in Mt. Morris, April 25, 1827. He received an academic education in his native vil- lage, where, in 1848, he commenced the study of law with George N. Williams. He subsequently pursued and completed his studies with R. P. Wis- ner, of that village, where, immediately after his admission, in 1851, he entered upon the practice of his profession which he continued until August 17, 1869, when he engaged in the banking business, which he still continues in company with his brother, Lucius C. Bingham, who is also engaged in mer- cantile business.
The present attorneys are Albert M. Bingham, Thomas J. Gamble, Ziba A. Colburn, William A. Sutherland, John M. Hastings, Alexander H. Mc- Kay and Frank M. Joslyn.
Albert M. Bingham was born in Perry, N. Y., October 15, 1825, and received an academic edu- cation at the Perry Center Institute. He com- menced the study of law in Michigan, with Judge Leonard, of Mt. Clemens in that State, in 1846, and after pursuing his legal studies there two years, he returned East and resumed them with Scott Lord, of Geneseo. He was admitted in 1850, and commenced practice about 1852, in Moscow, whence he removed April 1, 1860, to Mt. Morris, where he has since practiced, with the exception of a period spent in the army from October, 1861, to Jannary, 1863, in the capacity of ist Lieutenant of Company C, 89th N. Y. Vols. In the fall of 1879, he formed a co-partnership with Frank M. Joslyn, which still continues.
Thomas J. Gamble was born in Groveland, in this county, Dec, 21, 1839, and educated at Tem- ple Hill Academy in Geneseo. He commenced the study of law April 3, 1859, with Wisner & Sey- mour, of Mt. Morris, and afterwards pursued his studies with R. P. Wisner, of that firm. He was admitted in December, 1865, and Jan. 1, 1866, formed a co-partnership with his preceptor, Mr. Wisner, which continued till July 7. 1872. Mr. Gamble has practiced here continuously since. He was Collector on the Genesee Valley Canal from 1876 till its abandonment in 1878.
Ziba A. Colburn was born in Westmoreland, N. H., Dec. 6, 1839. He studied law with McNeil Seymour in Mt. Morris, and was admitted in 1869. He entered upon the practice of his profession in this village in 1870.
William A. Sutherland was born in Hopewell, Ontario county, May 30, 1849, and educated at Genesee College in Lima. In 1871, he became a student in the law office of Judge E. A. Nash, of Lima, (now of Avon.) He was admitted to prac- tice in 1874, at which time he formed a co-part- nership with his legal preceptor, which continued till Jan. 1, 1876, when he moved to Mt. Morris.
John M. Hastings was born in Mt. Morris, July 4, 1853, and was educated at the Union Free School and Academy of that village, and subse- quently at the College of the city of New York, where he commenced his legal studies, subsequently pursuing them with J. E. Lee, A. M. Bingham and Norton & Brown, all of Mt. Morris. He was admit- ted in January, 1875, and commenced practice in Mt. Morris in 1877.
Alexander H. Mckay was born in Sparta in this county March 2, 1853. He is a graduate of Fort Edward Collegiate Institute. He pursued his legal studies while acquiring his literary education, and completed them with John H. Martindale, of Rochester. He was admitted in 1877 and com- menced practice that year in Mt. Morris.
Frank M. Joslyn was born in Mt. Morris, Aug. 22, 1854, and received an academic education at the Union Free School of Mt. Morris. He com- menced the study of law in 1874, with Norton & Brown, of Mt. Morris, and completed his studies with Turner, Dexter & Van Duzer, of Elmira. He was admitted at Rochester in October, 1877, and commenced practice at Mt. Morris in the spring of 1878. In November, 1879, he formed a co- partnership with Albert N. Bingham, which still continues.
MANUFACTURERS .- Mt. Morris has for many years been the seat of important manufacturing interests, and to-day takes a high rank in this branch of industry.
Previous to 1820, Col. Ebenezer Damon was engaged in carding and cloth-dressing on a small stream in the west part of the village, and contin- ued until about 1835. The local name of " Damons- ville," by which that part of the village, as well as the stream, is designated, perpetuates his memory. Fed by the same stream on the steep side-hill, just north-east of the present residence of Dr. M. H. Mills, was the pioneer grist-mill of Mt. Morris. It
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
was a large four-story structure, operated by an immense overshot wheel, and known as the Sholl mill, from its owner, David Sholl, by whom it was built in 1814 or '15. At Damonsville the water was diverted from the brook of that name and brought in an open ditch along the south bank of the deep ravine near Dr. Mills' residence, gaining a fall of twenty feet at the mill. Around the bluff, down the dugway and under the road to the mill, the water was conveyed in a wooden trunk. It was torn down in 1827. The flats around the base of the hill were inundated to the extent of about one hundred acres. They were partially drained by a ditch extending south-east to Casha- qua creek, about one and one-half miles distant, but were never completely drained until the dam was built across the river and the tail race con- structed in 1827. Prior to the erection of the Sholl mill, hard wood stumps and iron mortars were used as a basin to bruise the corn and make samp. Subsequently Dr. Fitzhugh's mill on Cashaqua creek in Sonyea (the Shaker settlement) received the principal business of this village, and earlier the Wadsworth mill at the foot of Conesus lake did a good deal of the milling for this place, espe- cially for Gen. Mills' distillery.
From 1820 to 1830 Riley Scoville raised a quan- tity of hemp on the flats adjacent to the village, and on the horse-shoe flats just west of it, which he water-rotted and dressed by hand. The early settlers generally were engaged in raising hemp on the rich bottom lands, for the reason that it was transported with greater facillty and with less lia- bility to injury than grain or other commodities, and had also a readier and greater market value. It was marketed at Baltimore by the Susquehanna and its tributaries, the shipping point being Ark- port on the Canisteo.
But the enterprise which gave Mt. Morris its importance as a manufacturing center, and also gave a great impetus to its growth, was the con- struction of a dam across the Genesee river and a canal connecting that stream with Canaseraga creek, a little below the mouth of Cashaqua creek, in 1827.
This improvement was the work of John R. Murray and William B. Rogers, of New York, and their associates, General William A. Mills and Jesse Stanley, of Mt. Morris, and was designed to open water communication by the Canaseraga and Genesee between Mt. Morris and Rochester, but was never accomplished, though it has given Mt. Morris a valuable water power. At the intersec-
tion of the canal with Canaseraga creek a guard- lock was built to lower boats to the level of the creek. The first dam was built of timber; the present one is a substantial stone structure, which also accommodated the canal while that was in operation, as it crossed the river at that point. Over this dam was built, in 1831, the first bridge over the Genesee between Mt. Morris and Leices- ter.
In 1831, John R. Murray built, in the interest of his maiden sisters-Mary and Hannah L. Mur- ray-a grist-mill, which was located adjacent to Humphrey's mill which was recently burned. It was rented to various persons ; first to James Campbell and a younger brother. It was burned about 1866. A second grist-mill was built about 1841, by William Gay, who sold it to the Totten Bros. It finally passed into the hands of the late Asel Galbraith and burned during his ownership, about 1864. It was located some twenty rods north of the first one. William P'. Allen bought the property and immediately after, in 1864, erected a saw and planing mill on the site, which he still operates. The works contain one circular log saw, several smaller saws, and one Hopkins planer. In 1878 Mr. Allen added a cider-mill, containing two of Boomer & Boschart's cider-presses, and pur- poses the coming winter (1880) to put in a gener- ator for the manufacture of vinegar.
Near the guard-lock, John Murray Ogden erect- ed a hemp factory about 1834. It was destroyed by fire in 1835, and never rebuilt.
In 1824, John Runyan came from Livonia and manufactured bull-plows, with wooden mold-boards. In 1831, in company with Charles W. King, he established a furnace on Eagle street, and manu- factured the Jethro Wood plow and other castings. About 1835, the establishment was sold to Albertus Childs, Runyan continuing to wood the plows dur- ing his life for Childs and his successors. He died December 4, 1860, aged seventy. Mr. Childs added to the business the manufacture of agricul- tural implements, including a smut machine of his own invention. About 1838, he sold to Gideon Henderson, who sold to James H. Rogers about 1843, when the establishment was removed to its present location on the race. It passed successive- ly into the hands of H. C. Brown about 1850, Dr. Hubbard Foster about 1853, and the Bodine Bros., (John and Joseph) about 1858.
In November, 1869, the Bodine Manufacturing Company of Mt. Morris was organized, with an authorized capital of $150,000, for the manufac-
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VILLAGE OF MOUNT MORRIS-MANUFACTURERS.
ture of the " Bodine Jonval Turbine Water Wheel," which was invented by Truman A. Hill, of Mt. Morris, and patented by him and Col. J. H. Bo- dine, the former owner of these shops. C. Laflin was chosen President, and George S. Whitney, Secretary and Treasurer of the company. From the organization of the company till about 1875, extensive sales were made, about 2,000 wheels hav- ing been shipped to the various States and Terri- tories, besides many to foreign countries. Subse- quent to that time the sales were greatly dimin- ished by the great financial depression of that period. In the fall of 1877, on the death of their President, Mr. Laflin, who had retained the office up to this time, the company sold the entire busi- ness to S. L. Rockfellow, then of Rochester, N. Y. Mr. Rockfellow took possession January 1, 1878, and on the first of March following associated with himself Frank Sleeper, of Mt. Morris. They im- mediately recalled Mr. T. A. Hill, from Jefferson City, Mo., to take charge of the shops. Mr. Hill brought with him the patterns of a grain drill which he had patented under the name of the " Missouri." Messrs. Rockfellow & Sleeper, besides doing a gen- eral foundry business, commenced the manufacture of this drill in limited numbers, adding a phosphate attachment, testing its merits, etc. In the fall of 1879, they found it desirable to enlarge their busi- ness, and organized a stock company, which was incorporated under the name of the Genesee Val- ley Manufacturing Co., for the manufacture of the "Missouri Grain Drill," Fargo's V Tooth Harrow, the Bodine Jonval Turbine Water Wheel, Sad-irons, and to do a general foundry business. L. C. Bing- ham was elected President; S. L. Rockfellow, Vice-President and Superintendent ; W. H. Coy, Secretary and Treasurer. Thenew company com- menced operations January 1, 1880, and are now turning out manufactured goods at the rate of 500 drills, 300 harrows, and 100 tons of sad-irons, etc., per annum. They employ from 75 to 100 men.
In 1831, Albertus and Ebenezer Childs, brothers, and then young men, came here from Massachu- setts, and were the first to introduce the culture of broom corn in this vicinity and the manufacture of brooms with wire. The business has since been continued and has developed into very respectable proportions. There are now ten broom factories in the village of Mt. Morris, employing in the ag- gregate more than forty hands, viz :- Swett Bros., Jacob Remmell, Jacob Sickles, James Kellogg, George A. Miller, Bump & Pray, Hurlburt & Son, Sweeney & Son, Miller & Co., John Samerson.
In 1841, John R. Murray, Jr., and George T. Olyphant erected glass works on the flats north of the village, which subsided about 1848. The nine houses built in that locality were and are still known as the "Nine Sisters," and the locality as "Mullingar." John R. Murray also had a saw and planing-mill near and a little east of the head of the race which was burned down about 1860. About 1848, John R. Murray erected a paper-mill on the south end of the race. It was the last building on the race and stood directly south of the Exchange mills recently burned. Elijah Powers, from Mas- sachusetts, put in the machinery and operated it two or three years. In 1852, James Yeomans rented the mill and carried on the business until 1856, when he became associated with his brother- in-law, R. J. Stanley. In 1857 Mr. Yeomans with- drew. Mr. Stanley continued the business about a year. It was operated for a short time success- ively by Augustus Conkey and J. E. Robinson. Wm. F. Jones, an Englishman, then bought the property-about 1863-and about 1868, removed the machinery to LeRoy. The building was after- wards occupied by Begole & Olp, (Joseph Begole and Joseph Olp,) for the manufacture of spokes; and subsequently by Joseph Begole and J. C. Prout, for the manufacture of barrels. It was burned while so occupied, in 1874. Originally, and during its continuance as a paper-mill, it was used for the manufacture of wrapping and tea paper.
A planing-mill and manufactory of sash, doors and blinds, was established in the building now oc- cupied by Mr. F. B. Seymour, by a man named Chamberlin. Spencer & Ferris succeeded him and carried on the business several years-until 1860- when they were succeeded by the present proprie- tor, Mr. Seymour, who, on taking possession, added to the business the manufacture of moldings and broom handles, of the latter of which he makes about 100,000 per annum. He was associated for a short time with John Ferris, who soon enlisted. The manufacture of sash, doors and blinds was soon after discontinued.
The Exchange Mills (flouring and grist) were built in 1852, at a cost of $18,000, by Harmon Bros., (A. and E. Harmon, of Wheatland,) who sold them in 1864, to Samuel B. and Azel D. Gal- braith, natives of Dansville, the former of whom was engaged in milling business at Oakland, in the town of Portage, from 1857 to 1865, in which latter year he disposed of his mill property at Oakland and took up his residence in Mt. Morris. The Galbraiths operated the mills till their death. They
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
"did a large and prosperous business, and were sympathetic and liberal to the poor, always making advances to them from their mill of the staff of life, without security, and trusting the recipients of their bounty to pay." Samuel B. Galbraith died Dec. 7, 1876, aged 56, and Azel D., May 5, 1872, aged 43. Since their death the mills were owned by their heirs and were operated under the name of Galbraith & Hammond until they were burned on the morning of August 24, 1880.
The Equity mills, (flouring and grist,) were built in 1866-7, by Humphrey & Braman, (W. H. Humphrey and C. F. Braman, ) at a cost of $25,000. Mr. Humphrey bought his partner's interest in the property about 1874, and still owns it. The build- ing was a wooden structure, with four stories besides attic and basement, and contained four runs of stones. It was located on the race on State street, directly opposite the Exchange mills, and was burned at the same time as the latter, which com- municated the fire to it. Mr. Humphrey has already rebuilt on the same site a mill of like ca- pacity and dimensions, 40 by 60 feet. The fall at this point, like that at the Exchange mills, is sev- enteen feet.
A. B. Goff is doing a general machinist business, which he commenced June, 1876. His shop is located on the race which supplies the motive power.
Pennington & Co., (J. W. Pennington,) are en- gaged in the manufacture of the Little Tiger fan- ning-mill, which business they commenced April 1, 1880. Connected with the establishment is a saw and planing-mill, but used only for their work. The building they occupy was erected in 1876 by E. Winegar, who occupied a part of it for a plaster- mill, for which purpose it is still used in part by Winegar & Cornell. Pennington & Co. have also a feed run, which they put in about Sept. 1, 1880. J. W. Pennington also deals in ready-made wagons and carriages, a business he established in June, 1880 ; and he and William Allen have leased the site of the old Farmers' mill, which it is their pur- pose to purchase, and erect thereon a flouring-mill. Mr. Pennington and George W. Barney are also dealers in phosphates, a business they commenced in the fall of 1880.
Messrs. Winters & Prophet, (John C. Winters and John M. Prophet,) are extensively engaged in canning fruit and vegetables. The business was commenced in January, 1878, by Mr. Winters, who associated Mr. Prophet with himself as partner in in April, 1879. They employ from 75 to 100
hands, and sometimes as many as 125, the major portion of whom are women and girls. The busy season lasts from the middle of June to the middle of October. They have 105 acres under cultiva- tion, all planted to sugar corn. They also pur- chased and used the present season the crop from an additional twenty acres. They put up about a half a million cans, averaging two pounds each in weight. Corn is the principal article canned, but cherries, plums, pears, grapes, quinces, tomatoes, apples, strawberries and green peas are put up in their season. The "Empire" brand is labeled on all their goods. The business requires a capital of about $30,000. The works are located on the flats in the north part of the village. In 1880, the firm opened a branch establishment at Medina, where from 50 to 75 hands are employed.
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