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 83
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POSTMASTERS. - The postal facilities of this re- gion were very meager for many years after the first settlements were made: and it was not until 1806 that the postoffice at Geneseo was estab- lished. Mail facilities of an unsatisfactory charac- ter had indeed been established by private enter- prise as early as 1792, on the old Genesee road, accommodating this vicinity, in some measure, from Avon, (Hartford, ) which was on the line of that road.
In 1806, the road from Avon through Geneseo, Williamsburgh and Dansville to Bath was declared a post-road, with a mail once in two weeks, which was then considered an ample service. It was not until 1825 that Geneseo enjoyed a daily mail.
The first postmaster at Geneseo was Major Wm. H. Spencer, who was succeeded about 1829, by Dr. Eli Hill, who held it till 1837, when the office passed into the hands of Dr. Daniel H. Bis- sell, who held it several years, by two appoint- ments, preceding and succeeding Chauncey Met- calf, who held it but a short time-under Harri- son's administration. Dr. Bissell was succeeded by Wallace R. Walker, who held the office until 1853, when Dr. Walter E. Lauderdale was appoint- ed and held it until June, 1861, when Alanson A. Lapham succeeded him. Henry V. Colt received the appointment in 1865, but Mr. Lapham was soon reappointed. He was succeeded by Harvey G. Baker and Wm. W. Killip, who together hek] the office eight years, until the appointment of John F. Bishop, the present incumbent, February 2, 18So.
PHYSICIANS .- The pioneer physician in Gene- seo was John P. Sill, who removed from Cam- bridge. N. Y., to Dansville in 1797, thence, the same year, to Williamsburgh, and the following year to Geneseo, where he practiced till his death, in 1807. He was the father of Dr. Andrew Sill, of Livonia. He was succeeded by Augustus Wol- cott, an acquaintance of the Wadsworths, who came here from Connecticut soon after them and opened an office in his house, which stood on the north-east corner of Main and Center streets, where the Youngs' Block now stands. He was an educated and talented physician and had an exten- sive practice in this and adjoining towns. He sold out to Cyrus Wells, from Richmond, Ontario county, and removed to Ohio about 1821 or '22. Dr. Wells occupied the same house as Dr. Wolcott for a few years, and afterwards built the brick house now occupied by the widow of David Shep- ard, on Center street, nearly opposite the Union school. He practiced here till about 1835 or '36.
Elias P. Metcalf came here from Otsego county soon after Dr. Hill, with whom he was associated in practice for a few years. He continued to prac- tice here till within a short time of his death, which occurred ten or twelve years ago.
James McMaster, who had practiced at an early day in York, came here about 1836, and practiced several years.
Daniel H. Bissell was born in Randolph, Vt.,
· Died Sept. 23, 1862.
391
GENESEO VILLAGE-PHYSICIANS, LAWYERS.
September 21, 1794, and was educated in the academies of his native town and Bloomfield, On- tario county .* He now lives in Geneseo, and is remarkably well preserved, both mentally and physically, exhibiting as much vigor as many men of only half his years. We are indebted to the Doctor's well-stored mind for much valuable in- formation regarding this town and county.
Chauncey M. Dake, a celebrated homeopathist, came here in 1848. He was the first of his school of medicine to locate in Geneseo-probably the first in the county. He practiced here fourteen years and removed to Pittsburgh, Pa. He died in Springwater. During the time he was here, T. C. Schell, a Canadian, and a very prominent physician of the same school, practiced here two or three years. He went to the Sandwich Islands where he remained three years, and afterwards located for a short time at Lockport. Milton Halsted prac- ticed here one year, in 1861. With the exception of Drs. West and Southall, the present practition- ers, these are the only homeopathists who have located in Geneseo.
* The present physicians are : Walter E. Lauder- dale, James A. West, John Craig, Walter E. Lau- derdale, Jr., Marvin C. Rowland and Edward W. Southall.
Walter E. Lauderdale was born in Cambridge, N. Y., April 16, 1806, and graduated at Union College. in 1824. He commenced the study of medicine in the summer of that year, with Dr. Matthew Stevenson, of Cambridge, and attended lectures at Fairfield Medical College. He re- moved to and established himself in practice in Sparta in August, 1828, and was licensed by the Livingston County Medical Society in that year. The University of Buffalo afterwards conferred on him the honorary title of M. D. In 1837, he removed to Geneseo, where he has since practiced.
James A. West was born in Utica, N. Y., April 20, 1835, and graduated at the Hahnemann Medi- cal College of Philadelphia in 1858. He studied medicine in Rochester with Dr. M. M. Matthews, and commenced practice in Geneseo in 1862. having previously practiced till then in Rochester.
John Craig was born in Carnmore, Ireland, June 11, 1810, and received an academic educa- tion in his native country. He emigrated to Sparta in this county in 1831. About 1835 or '6, he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Samuel L. Endress, and after some eighteen months pursued his studies in Rochester with Drs.
Henry and DeForest. In 1838 he entered Yale College, and after examination by the professors of that institution, was licensed by the Censors of the Connecticut State Medical Society, Jan. 24, 1840. In March, 1840, he establishd himself in practice in York. whence he removed in 1865 to Geneseo, where he has since practiced, but not as regularly as formerly since the spring of 1878.
Walter E. Lauderdale, Jr., was born in Geneseo March 19, 1850, and educated at the Geneseo Academy. He commenced the study of medicine in Geneseo with his father in 1870, and attended one course of lectures at the University of Buffalo and three courses at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York city, where he graduated in March, 1874. He commenced practice with his father in Geneseo in 1875, and though young is fast taking the lead in surgical practice.
Marvin C. Rowland was born in Hartford, N. Y., June 4, 1826. He was educated at Lima Academy and the University of Vermont, at Bur- lington. He studied medicine at Salem and Greenwich in his native county, and graduated in medicine at the University of New York, in March, 1862, in which year he entered upon the practice of his profession in Argyle in the same county. In September, 1862, he entered the army as Assistant-Surgeon of the 61st N. Y. Volunteers. He was promoted to Surgeon of the same regiment April 14, 1864, and was mustered out with the regiment in the summer of 1865. On leaving the army he established himself in practice at Lake- ville in this county, and removed thence to Gen- eseo in March, 1877.
Edward W. Southall was born in Dudley, Eng- land, March 5. 1851, and educated by his father, who was for thirty years a school teacher in Eng- land. He emigrated to Buffalo in 1869, and studied medicine in that city with Dr. Rowland Gregg nine months, and Drs. Foster and Brayton four years. During this time he attended lectures, one course each at the New York Homeopathic Medical College, the University of Buffalo, and the Cleveland Homeopathic College, graduating at the latter March 5, 1879. He commenced practice in Buffalo as the electrician of his pre- ceptors, Drs. Foster and Brayton, while pursuing his studies, and June 15, 1879, established himself in practice at Geneseo.
LAWYERS. - The first person to practice law in Geneseo was James Wadsworth, who, though not a regular practitioner, was admitted to practice as attorney and counsellor in 1791, by Oliver Phelps,
· See portrait and biography on another page.
392
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
then First Judge of Ontario county, "to enable persons to sue out writs and bring actions, which, at the present, for want of attorneys, it is im- possible to do."*
We are not advised as to who was the first regular practitioner, but think it probable that it was Philo C. Fuller, who came here in 1815, at the instance and as confidential clerk of James Wadsworth. Mr. Fuller was born in New Marl- borough, Mass., August 13, 1787.
He was elected to the Assembly in 1829-'30. On the death of Moses Hayden, February 14, 1830, he was elected State Senator, and served in 1831- 2. In the fall of 1830, he was elected to Congress from the 30th district, and served till his resignation, Sept. 2, 1836, when he removed to Adrian, Mich., to take charge of a bank there. In 1840, he was elected to the lower house of the Michigan Legisla- ture, and chosen speaker of that body. In 1841, he accepted the appointment tendered him by Postmas- ter-General Francis Granger, as Assistant l'ost- master-General, but dissenting from the policy of President Tyler, he resigned at the expiration of a year. The following year he retired to his farm in Conesus in this county ; but on the election of Washington as Governor, he was appointed the successor of that gentleman as Comptroller, Dec. 18, 1850. At the expiration of the term he returned to his farm in Conesus, where he died August 16, 1855, aged 68.
In 1821, when the county was formed, Orlando Hastings, Calvin H. Bryan, Ogden M. Willey and Ambrose Bennett were practicing in Geneseo.
John Young was born in Chelsea, Vermont, in 1804, and in 1808, removed with his parents, who were in humble circumstances, to Freeport (now Conesus.) He received an academic education at Lima, and in 1820 entered upon the vocation of a teacher. By private study and untiring industry he mastered the best classic authors. When about twenty years old he entered the office of Augustus A. Bennett, of East Avon, as a law student, and completed his studies with Ambrose Bennett, of Geneseo, supporting himself while pursuing his studies by teaching and occasional practice in Jus- tices' courts. He was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court, in October, 1829. He entered upon the practice of his profession in Geneseo, and was soon conceded a front rank in it. He repre- sented this county in the Assembly in 1832, as the candidate of the anti-masonic party. On the re- signation of Philo C. Fuller, Sept. 2, 1836, he was
elected in his place as a Representative in Con- gress, serving the unexpired term till 1837. He was sent to the lower house of Congress in 1841-'3, and was regarded one of the ablest members of that body. In 1843 and '46 he was again sent to the Assembly by the Whig party, and there dis- tinguished himself by his advocacy of the Constitu- tional Convention, and laid the foundation of that popularity which carried him to the Gubernatorial chair in 1846. In July, 1849, after the expiration of his gubernatorial term, he was appointed Assist- ant Treasurer of the United States, in New York city, and died while performing the duties of that responsible office, April 23, 1852, at the age of 48 years.
Hezekiah 1). Mason came here from Moscow previous to 1829. On the 8th of April of that year he was appointed First Judge of Livingston county. Felix Tracy came from Leicester, about the same time as Mason, and practiced here many years, until his death. He was a Member of As- sembly in 1827 while a resident of Moscow, where he had previously practiced. Elias Clark, a native of Conesus, read law with Mr. Bryan while the lat- ter was practicing in Geneseo, and was admitted about 1833. He was Clerk of this county from 1834 to 1837, and represented it in the Assembly in 1839-40.
Benjamin F. Angel was born in Burlington, N. Y., Nov. 28, 1815, and received his early educa- tion in his native town. At the age of ten years he was placed under the tutorship of Rev. Mr. Nash, then rector of the Episcopal Church in Exe- ter. In 1830 he was sent by his parents to the Livingston County High School, in Geneseo, which was then under the management of Seth Swetzer, Cornelius C. Felton and Henry R. Cleve- land. Here he prepared for college, but owing to an attack of opthalmy, did not enter. In 1834 he entered the office of Edmonds & Monell, of Hudson, where he completed his legal studies. He was ad- mitted in 1837, and immediately after formed a law partnership in Geneseo with Calvin H. Bryan, which continued at intervals for twelve years. March 23, 1836, he was appointed by Gov. Marcy Surrogate of Livingston county, holding the office till April 22, 1849, when he was succeeded by Wil- liam H. Kelsey. He was reappointed March 3. 1844, succeeding Mr. Kelsey, and performed the duties of the office until, by the Constitution of 1846, they were merged with those of County Judge. In 1848 he was appointed Supreme Court Com- missioner, then an office of great importance, as
Pioneer History of Phelps & Gorham's Purchase, 333.
393
GENESEO VILLAGE-LAWYERS.
the incumbent performed all the duties of a Judge of the Supreme Court at Chambers. This office he held until 1853, when he was appointed by President Pierce, Consul at Honolulu, which was then one of the most lucrative offices in the gift of the government. After eighteen months he was sent by President Pierce as Special Envoy and Con- missioner to China, to settle a difficulty growing out of a refusal of the United States merchants to pay export duties in consequence of the neglect of the Chinese government to protect them against pirates. In these negotiations he was successful. He returned to the United States by way of the East Indies and Europe, making an extended tour of the latter, also of Egypt.
In 1857, Mr. Angel was appointed by President Buchanan, Minister Resident to Sweden and Nor- way, his appointment, and that of Henry C. Mur- phy to the Hague, being the first made by Bu- chanan. He returned in 1862, and has since been interested in agricultural pursuits, carrying on a large farm in Geneseo. He was President of the State Agricultural Society in 1873, having for sev- eral years previously and subsequently till 1878, been a member of the society.
Amos Alonzo Hendee,* the youngest son of Eph- raim Hendee, who came to Avon from Hubbards- town, Vt., in 1810, was born in Avon, June 15, 1815.
Wm. H. Kelsey, who was born in Smyrna, N. Y., Oct. 2, 1812, abandoned the publication of the Livingston Register at Geneseo about 1840, and engaged in the practice of law, which he continued here till his death in 1879, though he was more of a politician than a lawyer. He was appointed Sur- rogate of Livingston county April 22, 1840, and was succeeded in that office by B. F. Angel, March 3, 1844. In 1850 he was elected District Attor- ney and held the office one term. He was a Rep- resentative in Congress from the 28th district in 1855-'59, and again from the 25th district in 1869- '71.
The present attorneys are :- James Wood, James B. Adams, Adoniram J. Abbott, Solomon Hub- bard, Kidder M. Scott, John R. Strang, Otto M. Hopkins, Henry T. Braman, Walter T. Howard, and Lockwood R. Doty.
James Wood was born in Alstead, N. H., April 1, 1820, and educated at Lima Seminary and Union College, graduating at the latter in July, 1832. The following year he entered the office of John Young, at Geneseo, as a law student, and
was admitted to the Supreme Court at Utica in July, 1844. He was District Attorney of this county from 1854 to 1857 ; was elected State Sen- ator in 1869, and again in 1871. He entered the army in 1862 as Colonel of the 136th N. Y. Vol- unteers, raised in the military district embracing this county. He relinquished that command in January, 1864, and assumed command of the 3d Brigade, (to which the 136th belonged,) 3d Divis- ion, 20th Corps. Later that year he was brevetted Brigadier General. He continued that command till the close of the war, and was mustered out in June, 1865. Since the war he has been brevetted Major-General of Volunteers.
James B. Adams was born in Richmond, On- tario county. June 17, 1830, and educated at Gen- esee and Williams Colleges, graduating at the lat- ter in 1854. He was admitted in December, 1854.
January 1, 1857, he entered upon practice in Geneseo, forming a co-partnership with Hon. Amos A. Hendee, which continued till April, 1864. He was appointed District Attorney of this county in January, 1865, on the resignation of George J. Davis, and was elected in November, 1866, serv- ing one term.
Adoniram J. Abbott was born in Moscow, in this county, October 28, 1819, and educated in the common schools of Leicester, the Moscow Academy, the Middlebury Academy in Wyoming county, and the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, at Lima. In 1843, while attending the latter insti- tution, he entered the law office of Martin S. New- ton, of Lima. He subsequently pursued his legal studies with Messrs. Young & Wood, of Geneseo; Verplanck & Martindale, of Batavia; and com- pleted them with Judge E. C. Dibble, of the latter village. He was admitted at Lockport in Septem- ber, 1848, and commenced practice that year at Dansville, where he continued ten years, when he removed to Geneseo.
Solomon Hubbard was born in Broome, Scho- harie county, October 22, 1817, and educated at the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, at Lima. He commenced the study of law in 1838, with Horatio Shumway, of Buffalo, and was admitted in June, 1844, in which year he opened an office in Dans- ville, where he remained until 1864, when he re- moved to Geneseo. He was elected County Judge in 1863, and held the office two successive terms. In June, 1879, he formed a law partnership with Walter S. Howard, which still continues.
Kidder M. Scott was born in Geneseo, May 13, 1840, and received an academic education in this
* See History Town of Avon.
394
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
village. He pursued his legal studies with Gen. James Wood, of New York, in portions of 1858-9, and subsequently in Geneseo, after the removal of that gentleman to this village. He was admitted in December, 1861, and the following year entered the army as 2d Lieutenant in the 136th New York Volunteers. He was discharged in 1863, as Cap- tain in the same regiment. January 1, 1866, he formed a law partnership with his legal preceptor, which still continues. He was a Presidential Elec- tor on the Republican ticket in 1872.
John R. Strang was born in Galt, Canada, Jan- uary 8, 1840. He entered the Albany Law School in 1858, and in the summer of 1859 entered the law office of Scott Lord, of Geneseo. In Febru- ary, 1862, he joined the army as 2d Lieutenant in the 104th New York Volunteers, which was formed in Geneseo, and after filling all the intermediate grades, except that of Captain, was discharged as Colonel of that regiment in Aug., 1865. On leaving the army, he again entered the Albany Law School, where he graduated in December, 1865. He en- tered upon the practice of his profession in August, 1866. He was elected District Attorney of this county in 1878, and is the present incumbent of that office.
Otto M. Hopkins was born in Springwater, in this county, January 8, 1853. In the latter part of 1872, he entered the law office of Adams & Strang, of Geneseo, and was admitted at Roches- ter in October, 1875. April 1, 1876, he formed a law partnership with John R. Strang, which con- tinued under the name of Strang & Hopkins till May, 1878, when he went to Toledo, O. Return- ing to Geneseo, he formed a co-partnership, Oct. 1, 1879, with James B. Adams, which still continues.
Henry T. Braman was born in Exeter, R. I., May 27, 1845. He read law in Kingston, R. I., where, after his admission, in August, 1868, he was engaged in practice until April, 1877, when he removed to Livonia, and thence, in October, 1878, to Geneseo, at which time he formed a law partnership with John R. Strang, which still con- tinues. He was for three years-1875-7-Clerk of the House of Representatives of Rhode Island.
Walter T. Howard was born in Geneseo, May 11, 1852, and educated in Genesee College at Lima. In 1872 he entered the law office of Solomon Hubbard as student, and was admitted to the bar in 1875. He was Clerk of the Surro- gate's Court from 1872 to 1879, and a few months later formed a law partnership with his preceptor, which still continues.
Lockwood R. Doty was born in Albany, Dec. 2, 1858, and educated at the Normal School in Geneseo. He afterwards attended the law de- partment of Columbia College, where he graduated in May, 1880. He was formally admitted at Buffalo in June of that year, and commenced practice in Geneseo shortly after his admission.
Mr. Doty is the son of Lockwood L. Doty, the accomplished historian of Livingston county, who was himself an educated lawyer. Lockwood L. Doty was born in Groveland, in this county. May 15, 1827, and died at Jersey City, Jan. 18, 1873, leaving unfinished the work which had been the labor of his later years. Though he read law in the office of John Young in Geneseo, most of his life was spent in clerical duties of a varied and arduous nature. Conspicuous among these was his connection, as Chief, with the Bureau of Mili- tary Statistics, an office to which he was appointed on the creation of the Bureau April 8, 1863, and held till 1866. Through his indefatigable efforts much valuable material for the military history of this State has been rescued from oblivion. In 1847, he followed his legal preceptor-Governor Young-to Albany, to fili an appointment in the office of Canal Appraiser. He was soon after made Deputy State Treasurer under Alvah Hunt, and held that position successively under Elbridge G. Spaulding and Stephen Clark. When the latter became President of the LaCrosse and Mil- waukee Railroad Co., Mr. Doty was chosen Secre- tary and Treasurer of that company. During Governor Morgan's first gubernatorial term Mr. Doty was appointed Chief Clerk in the Executive Department, and in 1861, Private Secretary of the Executive Chamber. In December, 1862, he was tendered the appointment of Consul to Nas- sau, N. P., then an important station, because frequented by confederate cruisers, but declined it. Then succeeded his appointment to the Bureau of Military Statistics. He was afterwards. for short periods, Deputy Collector of Customs in New York city, Private Secretary to ex-Gov. Morgan, then U. S. Senator, and Assessor of Internal Revenue for the Sixth District of New York city. But his health gradually and alarmingly failing under the excessive labor to which for years he had been subjected, admonished him to seek the retire- ment of his home in Geneseo, where he soon after, but only for a short period, engaged in newspaper and other literary work. In April, 1871, he was appointed Pension Agent in New York city, and (lied while discharging the duties of that office.
A .IT TLC
ALLEN AYRAULT.
Allen Ayrault was born in Sandisfield, Berkshire county, Mass., October 30, 1793. lle passed the early years of his life at home assisting his parents on the farm and at- tending the district schools. He taught school a number of terms, and when twenty-one years of age left home and came to Geneseo, where he at once found employ- ment in Spencer & Co.'s store, the "Co." being Gen. James Wadsworth and William Wadsworth,
Fle remained with Spencer & Co. but a short time, go- ing to MIt. Morris, where he started business for himself in general merchandising, but continued it for a short time ouly, having been appointed agent for the lauds of Rogers & Murray. lle remained in Mt. Morris until 1819, when he removed to Moscow, still retaining this agency. Here he engaged in the purchase and sale of eattle, pastnring them on the lands for which he was agent, and the profits from these transactions gave him a start in life. Hle carried on a large and lucrative business in Moscow until 1830, when he removed to Gen- eseo, having been elected President of the Livingston County Bank, which was organized in that year, and of which he remained President until the expiration of its charter and close of its business, June 30, 1855.
His management of this bank was characterized by prudence, untiring vigilance, and a watchfulness that nothing could escape. He made it his sole thought and care, and gave it twenty five of the best years of his life, and during that entire period, though the board of direc- tors was composed of many of the best men of Geneseo and vicinity, no occasion was ever found to criticise his official or personal conduct.
Mr. Ayrault belonged to that class of citizens who give stability to the financial status of our country and char- acter to society. lle was a safe counsellor and a judicions manager of his own affairs. His influence in all depart- ments of society and in all associations for business, was characterized by modesty and diffidence, for his judg- ment (expressed withont pretense and generally upon solicitation ) was generally based upon reasons which de-
manded und secured concurrence. Mr. Ayrault was a plain, unpretentious man, never a seeker for publie office or honors, He affiliated with the Whig party, and strove in a consistent manner to enhance its interests, and was in turn honored, on several occasions, by nominations from his fellow citizens for important offices.
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