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 76
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Joseph Smith came from Northumberland county, England, to North Carolina. His descendants moved to Rhode Island. Of these, John Smith, of Scituate, Rhode Island, was the grandfather of George Smith, and was connected by inter-marriage and common ancestry with the Hopkinses, Wilkinsons, Harrises, and other prominent families there. His wife, and the grandmother of George Smith, was Miss Hopkins, a near relative of Stephen Hopkins, the signer of the Declaration of Inde- pendence. They had six sons, viz :- Richard, Joseph, Jonathan, Oziel, Thomas, and Hope, all of whom served in the Revolutionary Army, either as commissioned officers or common soldiers. Thomas was killed in one of its battles. Their fourth son was the father of Col. George Smith. Oziel Smith was born in Scituate, where he married Margaret Walton, the mother of George Smith. They moved to Clarendon, Vt., where she died June 10, 1793, aged 39 years. Oziel Smith afterwards moved to Livonia, N. Y., where he died September, 1818, aged 78 years.
Some of Margaret Walton's relatives held office under the British government at the breaking out of the Revolution, and adhered to its cause. The majority of the relatives-some of whom were Quakers- sided with the colonies.
George Smith's school opportunities, owing to pecuniary losses of his father, and the limited resources of a new and sparsely settled country, were limited to three months in a common school at ten years of age, and about teo weeks at the age of fourteen.
While working at the carpenter and joiners' trade he studied evenings by getting a pile of shavings which he could reach with one hand aod throw on the fire for a light while he held his book in the other.
Thus availing himself of every opportunity, he improved till he taught a common school in the winter. He afterward studied surveying, which,
in connection with farming, he made a principal business during the lat. ter portion of his life.
In the winter of 1798, he came from Vermont to Lima (then Charles- town.) N. Y., in the employ of Joel Roberts, driving a team of two yoke of oxen and a horse, loaded with agricultural implements, making the journey in twenty-two days, and arriving in February. He remained in Lima until the spring of 1801, when he moved to Livonia, then Pittstown, to work with John Woolcot at the carpenter and joiners' trade and mill- wright business. In the winter of 1Sc3, he worked on the Court House at Batavia, and in the fall of that year erected a saw-mill for the Holland Land Company at Oak Orchard Falls, now Medina, N. Y.
Though not a professed politician, he early took an active interest in the political questions of the day. In ISoo he took the only Republican news- paper taken in his neighborhood, which was published at Hartford, Conn. He became prominent in promulgatiog its doctrines, and gave his first vote in that year for Thomas Jefferson for President; and voted at every succeeding Presidential election, including Grant's second term, and also at the fall election of 1873, about five weeks before his death.
He married Sally Woodruff in January, 1807, and they settled on the "Col. Smith Homestead Farm" in Livonia, where she died February 17, 1835. aged 51 years. She was a daughter of Nathan Woodruff, who moved with his family from Litchfield, Conn., in ISor. She rode on horseback all the way, carrying a weaver's reed on her lap to use in the new country. She was tall, of fair complexion, with dark brown hair and blue eyes ; of cheerful and benevolent disposition, and ever ready with sympathy and relief for the suffering of others. She had a strong consti- tution and good health until bitten by a rattlesnake, when crossing a field in Livonia, at the age of nineteen. The poison rankled in her sys- tem ever after, filling her remaining years with suffering, which only ended with her death. She was the mother of seven sons, only three of whom survived her, - Lewis Edwin, born November 25, 1812; George Woo!cot, born May 16, 1815, and Daniels Oziel, born February 20, IS19.
COLONEL GEORGE SMITH.
Lewis E., who after some common school and academic educational advantages, studied law. He attended the Cambridge University Law School under Judge Story and Simon Greenleaf. He practiced the pro- fession some years at Livoria, held some town offices,-including Super- visor four years in succession-represented the county of Livingston in the Legislature in 1868 and 1869, and moved with his family to Rochester, N. V., April, 1871, where he now resides.
George Woolcot, who, after graduating at Hamilton College, N. Y., taught an academic school at Livonia, then studied medicine, and finally settled in New York City, where he now resides, practicing his profession successfully by the sole use of animal magnetism.
Daniels O., became blind when thirteen years of age, and attended the school for the blind in New York City, devoted his time mostly to music, and died in October, 1854, aged 35 years.
Lewis E., married Lucy Boardman, of Trumansburg, Tompkins county, N. Y., the daughter of Allyn and Phebe Boardman, January 11, 1354. They have one son, George Herbert Smith, born December 11, 1857.
The two sons, Lewis E., and George W., and the grandson George Herbert, are the only surviving descendants of George Smith.
Col. George Smith was married again December 23, 1843, to Widow Helena 11. Slout, of East Bloomfieldl, Ontario county, N. Y. She died March 6, 1845, aged 51 years.
George Smith was five feet eleven and one-half inches in height, of strong constitution and muscular frame, and weighed one hundred and seventy pounds. Hehad dark complexion, black hair and eyes, and great physical strength : was of a cheerful and social disposition, loved to tell and hear a good story, and won inany firm and lasting friends.
After holding the office of Ensign and Captain of a company in a regi- ment commanded by Lieut .- Col. William Wadsworth, he was commis- sioned by Gov. Tonkkins, in May, 1811, "first Major " of the regiment commanded by Lieut .- Col. Joseph W. Lawrence. When the war of IS12 commenced, he volunteered his services and was accepted. His regiment not being called for, he was assigned to the regiment of Col. Peter Allen, and marched to the Niagara frontier. When the order came to attack Queenstown he was detached, and ordered to take charge of the boats and transportation across the river. As the main part of our forces reached the other side, Gen. Wadsworth with a small force took boats for the purpose of supporting the movement, and taking command of the at- tacking party. He directed Major Smith to raise the flag of his regi- ment : he promptly stepped into the boat and unfurled the colors, and they all passed safely over though under the constant fire of the British artillery. He had the honor of planting this flag on the British battery when captured. When this service was performed, he was sent out under Col. Winfield Scott of the regular army to drive away the Indians who were firing at our troops from a piece of woods, which was promptly ac- complished. These duties performed, he picked up the musket of a dead soldier and joined the ranks for further service. After the Heights were retaken by the British, he was made prisoner at the general surren- der, and taken to Fort George, and at the end of a week was released on parole and returned home. In May, 1816, he was commissioned by Gov. Tompkins, Lient. Col. of the 94th Regt. of Infantry, and in Sept. 1817, commissioned by Gov. Clinton, Colonel of the same regiment. He served two or .hree years and then resignedl.
He was appointed Justice of the Peace by the Governor in 1819, and held the office about eight years.
He had a strong practical intellect, abhorred all shams and acts of dis- simulation, and had little respect for lawyers who would talk on either side for pay. One day during his official term as justice, as he was get- ting in hay under a threatening sky, he was reminded of a suit to be tried. HIe left the field, heard the testimony, and immediately declared judge- ment for the plaintiff ; when the defendant's lawyer, with an expression of surprise on his face, said, "Your Honor, I was about to offer some remarks on the testimony and law in the case. " He replied, "Never mind now, when I have more leisure we'll attend to that if you wish. "
He was largely instrumental in getting Livingston County set off, and was on its organization in 1821 elected its first representative. and sat in the Legislature of 1822, where he wore a suit of clothes made of wool grown on his own sheep, and spuo and wove by his wife.
He was again elected in 1823, with Hon. George Hosmer, of Avon, and sat in the several sessions of 1824. In 1820 he was elected supervisor of Livonia, the name of which town was selected by him in 1808. He held that and other town offices from time to time, sometimes being elected when his party was in the minority.
He early embraced the doctrine of the ultimate salvation of the whole human family, was for years a member of the Universalist Church, and died happily a firm believer in its doctrines, retaining his mental faculties to the last. He believed with the poet that "an honest man is the noblest work of God." ard showed his faith by his works through a long and somewhat eventful life. He was ever the victim of his benevo- lence in indorsing and becoming surety for others. He would scold some about the delinquents, then pay his losses cheerfully, and work oo, earn- ing more money by his labor than any man of his time in Western New York. Ile always commanded the highest wages for planning and erect- ing public buildings, mills, mill dams, and bridges, and works of difficult mechanical construction. He was always industrious and despised idle- ness ; unlike the "bosses " of the present day, who look on with gloved hands, he would direct and oversee his twenty men, and at the same time do as tuuch, if not more work than any one of them. This habit lasted him through life. When in his ninety-fifth year he said his eyesight was so poor he could not read over fifty pages a day. and he wanted some- thung to do, and did plan. "set out, " and, with the aid of a common laborer, frame and erect a small barn for his son in Rochester.
Though not a visionary, he had for years before his death occasional " visions, " as he called them, and of which he spoke as they occurred. The vision appeared in the form of a scroll unfold- ing before him, on which was written, in large plain letters, not always in the same words, but always to the same import,-and which night or day, with eyes open or closed, he could read, -that an era was approaching when the civilized nations of the world would adopt substan- t'ally a Republican forin of government, and that the religious sects would all come to a like uniformity in belief and practice, and that this would occur in Dec., 1892.
He resided in Livonia until April, 18,1, when he moved with his son to Rochester, N. Y., where he died December 9, 1873, aged 94 years, 9 months and 6 days.
He became a member of the Masonic order early in life, was honored with prominent and responsible positions therein, and was buried near his early homestead in Livonia with the customary services of that fraternity
363
LIVONIA-EARLY SETTLERS.
two hardy pioneers is Morris Woodruff, who lives in the town of Geneseo.
A grandson, Buell D. Woodruff, son to Austin, now lives on the farm originally located and cleared by Solomon Woodruff.
Other early settlers here were Daniel Lindsley, about 1793; Higby and Peter Briggs in 1794, David Benton and Jesse Blake in 1798, Nathan Woodruff, Ruel Blake and Thomas Grant in 1801, and Smith Henry previous to the year 1800. The most of those settlers were from Con- necticut.
The first death was that of a child of Mr. Higby in 1797. Dorias Peck taught the first school in 1798-9.
The first school house stood on the land of Sol- omon Woodruff, in what is now the garden of Buell D. Woodruff.
Isaac Bishop kept the first store in 1803-4. Mr. Higby built in 1795 the first saw-mill on the outlet of Hemlock lake, and the first grist-mill was built on the same outlet in 1799 by Seth Simonds, of Bristol, for Thomas Morris, of Canandaigua.
About the year 1800 John Bosley built near Lakeville the mill widely known as "the Bosley mill." This mill was afterwards burned down, and in 1822 Edmund Bosley erected another mill on this site, which was also burned.
In 1835 Lucius F. Olmstead & Co. again re- built it, and the mill is now owned by Clark & Sons.
The first frame house was built for David Ben- ton in 1801, and the builders were Col. George Smith and John Woolcot.
A son to John Woolcot, Harry B., aged seventy- seven years, now lives here.
Col. George Smith * was one of the most promi- nent and influential men of this town. He was born in Dorset, Vt., March 3, 1779, and came to the Genesee country in 1798, locating in Lima, where he lived till 1801, when he removed to Li- vonia and began life here as a millwright, carpen- ter and joiner in company with John Woolcot.
In the war of 1812 he bore a prominent part. In 1819 he was appointed justice of the peace, which office he held eight years. At the organiza- tion of the county in 1821 he was elected Member of Assembly, and again in 1823, and sat in the four sessions of 1824. He died in Rochester, N. Y., at the home of his son. Lewis E. Smith, December 9, 1873. His wife, Sally Woodruff Smith, died Feb- ruary 17, 1835.
* See biography and portrait on another page.
The only living descendants of George Smith are Lewis E., George Woolcot, and a grandson George Herbert Smith, son to Lewis E. George W. is a practicing physician in New York.
Hon. Lewis E. Smith, son of George Smith, was also a man of note in the town of Livonia. He was born November 25, 1812, and laid the founda- tion of his education in the common schools of the town. He afterward attended the Canandaigua academy and the academy at Wyoming, Wyoming county, N. Y. Resolving to enter the legal pro- fession, he studied law with Amos Dann, of Avon, in 1835, then with Judge John B. Skinner, of Wy- oming, N. Y., and in 1838 entered the office of Samuel Northrop, Esq., at Livonia Centre. He also took a course of study in the law school of Cambridge University, Mass., in 1844-5. under Judge Storey and Simon Greenleaf as professors of law. In July of 1842, he was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court, State Court of Chancery and Circuit and District Courts of the United States, and in that year formed a co-partnership with Sam- uel Northrop at Livonia Centre. This relation existed until about 1848, when Mr. Northrop re- moved to Hemlock lake and Mr. Smith remained in practice at Livonia Centre until 1850, when, on account of ill health, he retired from business. In 1867 he was elected Member of Assembly and was reelected in 1868. In 1871 he removed from Livonia to Rochester, N. Y., where he now re- sides.
Oliver Woodruff, brother to Solomon, the pio- neer, was born in Litchfield, Conn., in 1755, and with his wife and family of six children moved to Livonia in the latter part of 1803. He had been to this town twice before, coming once to bring a load of goods to the elder Wadsworth.
Oliver and Nathan Woodruff located a tract of land and divided it, Oliver's lot being the one that lies just south of the Presbyterian church at Livonia Centre. When he arrived in the town he found quite a settlement, among the people being Solo- mon Woodruff and others of that name, the Gibbs, the Pitts, Turners, Goulds, and many others.
Up to the time of his incoming there had never been a meeting held in this locality, and in the early part of 1804 he began to hold meetings in the log school house, he reading and explaining the scriptures. This was the beginning of the re- ligious movement that resulted in the formation of the Presbyterian church at Livonia Centre, of which Oliver Woodruff was a deacon until his his death in 1845.
364
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
At the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, Oliver was preparing to enter Yale College, but abandoned his plans for a higher education and devoted himself to the service of his country. He enlisted for six months as a private in a company commanded by Captain Baziliel Beebe, in Col. Wooster's regiment, and marched to Ticonderoga. He returned home in December of 1775, and in February, 1776, again enlisted for nine months in Capt. Beebe's company, in the regiment com- manded by Col. Philip B. Bradley. After the battle on Long Island, at which he was present, the regiment was marched to Bergen, opposite New York city, where they remained till the British gained possession of New York, and then ascended the Hudson river fourteen miles where they built Fort Lee. During the winter, part of the regiment in which he was included was or- dered over to Fort Washington.
That fort was captured by the British Nov. 16, 1776, and twenty-six hundred patriots laid down their arms, to be sent into British prisons. Eight hundred and seventeen, among whom was Oliver Woodruff, were sent to New Bridewell, where for three months they suffered from cold and starva- tion.
Of the thirty-three belonging to Capt. Beebe's company only Mr. Woodruff and two others sur- vived. At length an exchange of prisoners was effected, and, sick and emaciated, Mr. Woodruff returned home and many months passed before he regained his health. He died in Livonia in 1845.
His descendants now living are Washington Woodruff, Mrs. Stacy, and Mrs. Sedgwick, of Dansville, and Oscar Woodruff, a grandson, editor of the Dansville Express.
Orange Woodruff was another early settler here, and a brother to Solomon Woodruff. Of his descendants, a son, Cyrus, now lives in Canan- daigua, and another son, Dr. Landon Woodruff, is a resident of LeRoy.
Matthew Armstrong, Elias Chamberlain, Leman Gibbs, Capt. Robert Dixson, and Darius Jacques, were also early settlers and men of no inconsider- able prominence. Matthew Armstrong, with his sons John and William, and his daughter Mar- garet, came to Livonia in 1805 from Lycoming county, Penn., and settled on the farm now owned by John Armstrong.
Matthew Armstrong was one of the first as- sessors of the town. He died in 1829.
John, when a lad of four or five years playing
before his cabin door, was severely bitten by a mad wolf, and still bears the scars of the wound. The wolf was killed by the pursuing neighbors, but not until it had bitten numerous animals that afterward died from the poisonous effects of its fangs.
Elias Chamberlain came to Livonia in 1805, locating in the south part of the town, near what was known as Holdens, and afterwards Jackson- ville. Here he remained one summer, then moved to Conesus, where he built a log house, in which he lived about two years. During this time his wife died, and he removed to near South Livonia. He died about 1835. A son, Samuel G. Cham- berlain, now lives just south of Livonia Centre.
Capt. Robert Dixson, a man of much note in the town, was born in Groton, Conn., April Ist, 1791. In 1793 he removed with his parents to Paris, Oneida county, N. Y. September, 21, 1813, he was married to Miss Rhoda Wilkinson, and on the 18th of February, 1814, they came to. Livonia to commence their married life in this new country.
Here Robert Dixson lived sixty-seven years- always honorable, always devoted to the cause of education, morality and religion. Although in no sense an office seeker, so much did he possess the esteem and confidence of his fellow citizens that he was elected to the office of Supervisor ten times -nine terms in succession-from 1826 to 1834, and again in 1854. His hand struck the first blow towards the erection of the first church in the town-the Presbyterian church at Livonia Centre. He died February 8, 1881, in his ninetieth year. His wife died in October, 1879.
Darius Jacques, in 1813, settled in Richmond, Ontario county, N. Y., where he purchased a small farm. In 1815, he married the widow of Levi VanFossen, of Hemlock Lake, and in 1816 moved with his family, consisting of a son and daughter- Russell R., and Caroline-to the mills at Hemlock Lake.
His only descendant is Russell R. Jacques,* proprietor of the Jacques House, a quite noted summer resort on the shore of Hemlock lake.
Leman Gibbs, whose name is also quite promi- nent in the history of this town, was born in Litch- field, Conn., August 15, 1788, and came with his parents, Eldad and Esther Riggs Gibbs, to Livonia in the latter part of the winter of 1801, locating about a mile north of Livonia Centre. His edu- cation was obtained chiefly under the tutorage of * See biography upon another page.
365
LIVONIA-TOWN OFFICERS-LIVONIA CENTRE.
Rev. Dr. Hotchkiss in Bloomfield, N. Y. At the age of eighteen he began to teach school, pursu- ing that occupation several winters. A man of integrity and strong common-sense, he naturally became the recipient of public trust. His first office in the town was that of constable, and he was afterwards appointed deputy sheriff. For nearly thir- ty-five years he held the office of Justice of the Peace. From 1841 to 1845 he held the office of Supervisor, and was again elected to that office in 1852.
When the county of Livingston was formed he was appointed Side Judge, which office he filled till, under the present Constitution, the office of Ses- sions Justice was substituted, when he was imme- diately chosen for that office. In 1854 he was elected to the Assembly of the State.
TOWN OFFICERS .- The first Town meeting was held at the house of Solomon Woodruff, but at what date is unknown, as the town books were burned in January of 1878, destroying all records prior to 1827. It was probably held in 1808 or 1 809.
The first Supervisor was Lyman Cook, elected at this meeting; Theodore Hinman, Town Clerk ; and George Smith, John Warner and Matthew Armstrong, Assessors.
Col. George Smith was Supervisor in 1820. From 1821 to 1823 that office was held by Icha- bod A. Holden.
Ruel Blake was chosen Supervisor in 1824-25, and Robert Dixson began a nine years' term in 1826. From 1827 to 188: the Supervisors and Town Clerks were as follows :--
Supervisors.
1827-31. Robert Dixson. 1832-34. 1835. Augustus Gibbs.
Town Clerks. Henry Pierce. Charles l'. Pierce.
1836-37. George Smith.
Augustus Gibbs. 66
Shepard Pierce. Charles P. Pierce. 66
Charles P. Pierce. Samuel Hough. Leman Gibbs. Charles P. Pierce. Joseph Wells.
Charles P. Pierce.
George F. Pratt.
Thomas A. Royce.
George Smith. Wm. S. Gilbert. 66
Charles P. Pierce. Gates Clark. Eli Holeman.
Austin Woodruff. Irving Parmelee. G. A. Mosher. Wm. McCoy. 66 C. L. Shepard. Henry Dixson. Leman Gibbs. Sam'l H. Northrop. Manson F. Gibbs.
Robert Dixson.
1856. Wm. B. Lemen. Geo. F. Ramsdell.
1857-58. Lewis E. Smith.
1859-60.
66 * Jerome B. Patterson.
1861-65. Bradner J. Blake.
1 866-67. Willard W. Wheeler. Willard S. Chapin.
1868-69. David Gray.
1870-71. John B. Thurston.
66
1872. Jerome B. Patterson. 66 Henry A. Barton. James A. Mosher. 66
1873. 1874-75. 66
1876. Sol. G. Woodruff.
1877. Chas. H. Richmond. Albert Swan.
1878. Sol. G. Woodruff.
66
1879. Chas. H. Richmond.
ISSO.
66
The officers elected April 5, 1881, were :- Super- visor, Buell D. Woodruff; Town Clerk, Albert Swan ; Justice of the Peace, Lovette P. West ; As- sessor, Daniel B. Bosley : Collector, Marvin W. Lindsley ; Commissioner of Highways, Abram W. McClintock ; Overseers of the Poor, Nixson Mc- Crossen, Stephen Wheaton ; Constables, James VanNess, Thomas Welch, Willian Ganung, Wm. J. Carnes, Walter Westbrook; Game Constable, Wm. J. Carnes ; Inspectors of Election, First Dis- trict, Lemuel C. Short, Grove W. Mathur ; In- spectors of Election, Second District, C. Arthur Patchin, Jesse Blake.
SCHOOL STATISTICS .- The town has 13 school districts, in which, during 1880, school was taught 406 4-5 weeks, employing 18 teachers at a total cost for wages of $4,504.92. Number of children in districts over five and under twenty-one years of age, 839. Number of children attending school some portion of the year, 685. Average attend- ance, 397. The libraries of these districts are valued at $45, on which during the year there was nothing expended. The amount expended for school apparatus during the year was $78.45 ; for school houses, sites, fences, repairs, furniture, etc .. $323.25. Total incidental expenses for the year, $720.13. Total valuation of districts, $1,701,424.
POPULATION .- The population of Livonia in 1870 was 2,705, of which number 2,402 were native, 303 foreign, 2,693 white, and 12 colored. In 1875 the town contained 2,889 inhabitants ; 2,567 being native, 322 foreign, 2,885 white, and 4 colored. At the last census of 1880, the total population was 3,204, an increase in ten years of 499.
LIVONIA CENTRE.
Livonia Centre, situated near the center of the town, contains two churches, one store, post-office,
* Lewis E. Smith resigned, and at a special meeting held November, 1860, Bradner J. Blake was elected to fill the vacancy.
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