History of Ontario county, New York : with illustrations and family sketches of some of the prominent men and families, Part 71

Author: Aldrich, Lewis Cass, comp; Conover, George S. (George Stillwell), b. 1824, ed
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 1002

USA > New York > Ontario County > History of Ontario county, New York : with illustrations and family sketches of some of the prominent men and families > Part 71

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Steele, Hiram, East Bloomfield, September 13, 1806, a son of Daniel, who was a son of Luke, who was born in Connecticut in June 1739, and died in 1789, being of the fourth generation of that name in this country. He married Esther Cassen, and had three children ; Harvey, Daniel and Loraine. Daniel was born in 1775 in Connecticut, and about 1797 came to Ontario county. He married in 1799 Lucy Buell, by whom he had four children : Charlotte, born October 25, 1800; Marana, born October 13, 1804; Hiram, born September 13, 1806; and Theron, born in March, 1810. In 1805 he set- tled on 102 acres which he improved. He died March 14, 1813. His widow married -- Baker, and had one child, Daniel. She died in January, 1850, aged seventy-two. After the death of his father Hiram lived with his uncle, Harvey Steele, until twelve years old, and then with Joel K. Salmon until twenty-one, having earned his own liv- ing since his father's death. He worked by the month until March, 1832, when he bought with his brother 135 acres in Bloomfield. Three years later he sold this and bought 150 acres in Lima, and seven years later sold his interest to his brother, and farmed on shares for a few years. In 1847 he bought fifty acres, and later 140 acres, then sold fifty, and located on 140 acres immediately south of the depot. He now owns twenty acres immediately south of the village. From 1863 to 1866 he was a mail agent on the Central Railroad and has served as constable and collector. He has also been warden of St. Peter's Episcopal Church for sixteen years, still holding the office. He

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is a Republican. His first wife was Nancy MeH. Turner, daughter of Henry and Mary (MeHarg) Turner of Albany, by whom he had four children : Mary E., deceased wife of Colonel C. E. L. Holmes, a manufacturerer at Waterbury, Conn .; Charles A. Steele, of Geneva; Edward D., of Waterbury, Conn .: and Charlotte A., wife of James S. El- ton, a manufacturer of brass at Waterbury, Conn. Subject's wife died May 17, 1878, in her sixty-eighth year. He married second Harriet, widow of Morris Newton, and daughter of Daniel and Abigail (Shepard) Hayden of Waterbury, Conn. Mr. Hayden was one of the first manufacturers of brass in Massachusetts, and he patented and cov- ered by machine the first button made in that way in the world. Mr. and Mrs. Steele are members of the Episcopal Church.

Smith, Llewellyn L .. Canandaigua, was born in Aurelius, Cayuga county, in 1838. In 1867 he and his brother Lucas came to Ontario county where they located in Middle- ville, and conducted a merchant and custom mill there seven years, when he returned to Auburn and remained there five years, and then went to Waterloo, where he ran a flouring mill for a year and a half. From Waterloo in 1881 he came to Canandaigua, where, in company with his brother Lucas, they bought the Canandaigua steam mills, formerly owned by Abel Richmond and Lucas Smith. They have since conducted a very successful business under the firm name of Smith Brothers & Company, the com- pany being J. W. Priest of Canandaigua. They are the leading merchant and custom millers of this county, and the mill has a capacity of about 150 barrels per day. The greater part of the production is sold in Boston by H. O. Fairbanks. Mr. Smith mar- ried in 1857, Juliette, daughter of Jacob Price of Canada. Mrs. Smith died October 27, 1892. They were the parents of one son, Llewellyn, a miller in his father's mill.

Stillman, John Cochrane, Canadice, was born in Springwater, March 26, 1856. Ed- win Sumner Stillman was born in the same town September 26, 1857. Their father, Edwin Amos Stillman, was born in Middletown, Conn., in 1813, and died in Canandice in 1892. He was descended from George Stillman, who came from Steeple, Aspen, England, to Massachusetts in 1680. Edwin A, was educated at Brown University and Newton Theological Institute, originally intending to enter the ministry. He early became interested in Abolitionism, and worked in the cause with J. G. Whittier and other noted men, and in the fall of 1833 was a delegate (at Philadelphia) to the gen- eral convention of Abolitionists. Seeing the attitude of the churches running adverse to the cause, he could not conscientiously enter the ministry. He became a eivil en- gineer and surveyor, and in the construction of the New York and Erie canal he held important positions. In 1845 he was engaged in locating the railroad from Canandaigua to Niagara Falls, and in its construction as resident engineer. He settled in Spring- water in 1854, and was engaged in lumbering, and later came to Canadice. where he took an active part in politics as a Republican. He was postmaster under President Lincoln, justice of the peace for many years, was Republican candidate for Assembly in 1861, when he was defeated by Judge Mason, the opposition candidate. He was later a candidate for the same office under the Greenback party, also for state engineer and surveyor. He established the lumber and cooperage business now conducted by his sons, John and Edwin, the firm being E. A. Stillman & Sons for about thirteen years,

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until his death. In 1842 he married Jennie Cochrane, daughter of Rev. James Coch- rane, a Presbyterian clergyman of Rochester. Seven children survive him : Mabel, who is at home with her brothers John and Edwin ; Ellicott R. and James are in Milwaukee ; Alice B. is the wife of C. N. Legg of Coldwater, Mich., and Florence is the wife of F. F. Betts of Wellsboro, Ind. Mr. Stillman latterly became a Prohibitionist, and died June 14, 1892. John C. married in 1890, Inez Hayward of Richmond, and they have two children, Madge and Blanch. Edwin S. married in 1891, Laura Slingerland of this town, and has one child, Onolee. The brothers have 265 acres of land, of which 235 are in timber. They operate a steam saw mill and planing mill, cooperage and feed mill. They manufacture barrels, principally for apples. They also do custom work in the various departments. This is the only establishment of the kind in town.

Sayre, Wellington K., Phelps, was born in Rensselaerville, Albany county, August 9, 1837, one of four children of Cooper Sayre of the same place. His mother, Julia Ann Kirtland, was born in Durham, Greene county, her ancestors being Connecticut people. His grandfather, Enoch Sayre, was born at Southampton, L. I. In 1839 the family moved to Phelps, the father dying in 1881. He was a man possessed of ability both as a lecturer and a writer. Wellington K. married, January 7, 1880, Weltha Eleanora, daughter of Joel W. and Emma (Billings) Bacon of Waterloo.

Smith, Abram S., Phelps, was born in Waterloo, Seneca county, September 13, 1831, one of seven children of Leonard W. and Mary Ann (Simmons) Smith. His grand- father, William Smith, was one of the early settlers of No. 9, town of Seneca. Abram S. married, November 24, 1858, Catharine S., daughter of Daniel and Sarah (Wiggins) Homan of Phelps, and they have three children : Ada (Mrs. H. R. Warner) ; Louie M. (Mrs. Frank L. Holbrook), and Leah B, Mr. Smith has lived for twenty-three years in the village, engaged in the coal and produce business nearly all that time. He was elected supervisor of the town in 1883 and served for five successive terms.

Simmons, William M., Bristol, was born September 13, 1853, a son of John M., whose father was Constant, a native of Bristol, and one of its early settlers. Constant was born in Bristol and was twice married. First to Ann M. Hyde, by whom he had two children. His last wife was Polly Lee, by whom he had four children. They re- moved to Michigan, where both died. John M. was born in Bristol, March 15, 1831. He married Phoebe, daughter of Gooding Packard, and had two sons and a daughter. For many years he was an insurance agent. He died July 23, 1873, and his wife No- vember 19, 1889. William M. was educated in the common schools of Bristol and taught school a short time, afterwards clerking for W. Reed of Bristol Centre. Decem- ber 24, 1874, Mr. Simmons married Stella A., daughter of Chauncey Symonds, of Michi- gan, and Eveline Bartlett of Bristol. Mr. Simmons and wife have the following chil- dren : One daughter died in infancy ; Belle F. and Edith M. Mr. Simmons is a farmer and in politics a Republican, and was constable and collector for three years. He was elected town clerk in 1892, and re-elected in 1893.

Seamans, Isaac A., lawyer of Naples, was born in Middlesex, Yates county, May 12, 1836, a son of William and Berthena (Adams) Seamans, the father a native of Vermont, who came to Yates county with his father, Oliver, about 1790. The grand-

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father Adams came to the above place as early as 1785, one of the first settlers. Will- iam Seamans removed to Michigan in 1837, when that State was mostly a wilderness, and remained there, a farmer all his life. Isaac A. when ten years old came to live with an uncle in Yates county, where he was educated in the common schools, Rush- ville Academy, and Hillsdale College, Michigan. He commenced the study of law and was admitted to the bar in 1861. Two months later he was mustered into service in Company K, One Hundred and Twenty-sixth N. Y. Vols., as second lieutenant, served until May, 1864, and returned home as captain. He participated in many battles, and received two wounds, one on his head and the other in his hip. He has been a pen- sioner since the war, and is a staunch Republican. He settled in Naples in the practice of his profession in 1865, where he has enjoyed a good patronage. He married, June 17, 1875, Tryphena E. Hartwell, by whom he has one son, Cyrillo E. The family are all members of the M. E. Church.

Simmons, Gooding B., Bristol, was born October 5, 1535, in Bristol. His father was Benjamin, son of Benjamin, a native of Massachusetts, and an early settler of Bristol, who married Phrebe Gooding. Benjamin Simmons, jr., was born in Bristol, July 17, 1813. He married Celia B. Wheeler, of East Bloomfield, born November 30, 1813, a daughter of Benjamin D. Wheeler. Mr. Simmons and wife had two children : G. B., and Juliett, wife of George W. Tilton, of Bristol. He was assessor two terms, and died March 16, 1868. His wife resides with Mrs. George Tilton, her daughter. Our sub- ject was educated in the common schools. January 4, 1863, he married Elizabeth C. Owen, a native of Perry, born August 27, 1844. She is a daughter of Francis D. Owen, born in Oneida county, April 4, 1806, who settled in Livingston county, and on October 16, 1804, married Patty Cornell, a native of Bristol. Mr. Owen and wife had six sons and three daughters. He died March 17, 1855, and his wife July 26, 1862. Gooding B. Simmons and wife have four children : Charlie B., Julietta C., Francis M., Mabel E. Charles B. is engaged in Canandaigua Hotel ; Julietta, widow of William H. Beach, of Bristol; Francis M., at home; and Mabel E., at Canandaigua school. Mr. Simmons is a farmer and has been especially interested in horses. He is a Republican, and he and family attend the Universalist Church of Bristol.

Sanborn, Rev. John Wentworth, Naples, was born in Epping, N. H., November 3, 1848, and while he was young the family removed to Manchester, N. H., where they remained for thirteen years, and where John W. attended the public schools. They then returned to Epping, and while living there he attended the New Hampshire Con- ference Seminary at Tilton, N. H. His parents next removed to South New. Market, N. H., and he then took a full classical course at Phillips Academy to fit himself fo college, also taking a course at Wesleyan University at Middletown, Conn. He was one year principal of Kingston Academy, New Hampshire, and school commissioner, then went to Western New York and entered the Genesee Conference in the fall of 1874. His first pastorate was Spencerport, then at Scottsville, then Gowanda and In- dian Mission, next Perry, and next Batavia; then Albion, Lockport, and Naples. Mr. Sanborn is manager of the New York Indian Exhibit at the World's Fair. While pas- tor in Albion he was invited by the British Science Association to lecture on the In-

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dians before that body and did so at Manchester, England. In 1883 Dartmouth Col- lege conferred upon him the degree of Master of Arts, without solicitation on his part. It was done in recognition of services rendered by him to the cause of education in the authorship of three Latin and Greek Text books, which are used in forty schools and colleges. Mr. Sanborn was first married July 18, 1873, and had two children, Marion and John W., jr. He married his present wife, Adelaide Hiscox, November 23, 1886, and had three children : Arthur Prescott, Olive Adelaide, and Ralph Carlton. The lat- ter was born November 6, 1892.

Stearns, E. A., Gorham, was born in Gorham, July 27, 1859. a son of Addison, he a son of Jonathan, a native of Upton, Mass., whose wife was Sarah Tufts, by whom he had twelve children. In 1803 Mr. Jonathan Stearns settled on a farm in Gorham, near Reed's Corners, and there died in 1863. Mrs. J. Stearns died in 1860. Addison was born in Gorham in 1818. His wife was Eliza J. Fisher, born November 11, 1826, and was one of seven children of Samuel and Jane ( Wilson) Fisher, natives of Pennsylvania and early settlers of Gorham. Mr. Addison Stearns and wife had two children : Charles F., who died aged two and one-half years, and E. A. Mr. Addison Stearns died in 1887. Subject was educated in the common schools and in Canandaigua Academy. He mar- ried Manette Pearce, a native of Middlesex, Yates county, by whom he had three chil- dren : M. Josie (deceased). Irving P., and Laura. Mr. E. A. Stearns is a Republican and a farmer, as was his father and grandfather.

Sears, Henry W., Bristol, was born in Bristol, February 8, 1861, and is a son of De- witt C. Sears, a son of John Sears, whose father, Alden Sears, was a native of Massa- chusetts. Dewitt C. Sears was born in Bristol, July 1, 1823. He was twice married, first to Caroline Smith, by whom he had two children. In 1858 Mrs. Sears died, and Mr. Sears married Laura M. Wilson of Richmond, daughter of Henry Wilson, by whom he had one son, Henry W., and two daughters, only one of whom is living. The last three years of his life he lived retired in Canandaigua. He was a Republican, was jus- tice of peace several years, and town clerk one term. For eighteen years he was deacon of the First Congregational church of Bristol. He died March 1, 1893. Henry W. Sears was reared on the old homestead, where he now resides. February 8, 1887, he married Lizzie J. Taylor of Bristol, daughter of Chauncey O. Taylor, who bore him one child, Howard Dana, born May 26, 1889. Mr. Sears is a Republican and a mem- ber of the Farmers' Alliance of Bristol, and he and wife are members of the Congrega- tional church.

Schutt, A. P., Manchester, was born in the town of Manchester, April 22, 1828. He is a son of John Schutt, and a brother of Mayor Schutt of Manchester. Early in life Mr. Schutt went to California, where he remained for many years. He is now living on his farm in Manchester, containing one hundred acres of fine land. He never mar- ried and his sister takes care of his household affairs. Mr. Schutt is a stalwart Repub- lican and a gentleman of strong convictions, and an earnest party worker. His ances- tors participated in both the wars of the Revolution and that of 1812.

Standish, George Thomas, South Bristol, is the second son of Jonathan B., who was born in Vermont in 1810, and came with his parents when two years of age to South

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Bristol. In 1829 he married Polly Hoage, and they had eight children, five sons and three daughters. He lived in South Bristol till 1865, then removed to Michigan, and in 1889 moved to West River, Yates county, where he died in 1890, his wife having died two months previous. Five children survived them. George Thomas was born in South Bristol, June 24, 1833, and was educated at the common schools, with the exception of two terms at the Lima Academy. Mr. Standish followed boating on Can- andaigna Lake for twenty-four years, and for twenty years was contractor for ties for the N. Y. C. R. R. Co. He is now engaged in overseeing his farm in South Bristol. In 1868 he married C. Adelaide Carpenter, daughter of Robert O. Carpenter of Naples, and they have three children : Dora A, Edna A., and George Q., all attending school, the former at the Normal School at Brockport, and Edna A. at the Union School at Canandaigua. Mr. Standish has been supervisor of South Bristol three terms, and has filled several minor offices in the town.

Snyder, William H., Gorham, was born in Gorham, July 31, 1820, a son of John, who was a son of George, a native of Germany, who early settled in New Jersey and was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He died in Gorham. John Snyder was born near New Brunswick, N. J., Angust 4, 1777, and married Catharine Cortleyou, a native of New Jersey, born September 28, 1784, and they had two sons and eight daughters. In 1807 Mr. Snyder came to Gorham and became an extensive land owner. His wife died in 1827, and he married second Mary Van Norsdall, by whom he had two sons and a daughter. July 5, 1857, he married third Rachael F. Parsons, and he died in 1863. William H. Snyder was educated in the district school and followed farming until 1886, since which time he has lived retired from active life in Gorham. He owns over four hundred acres of land, and for the past thirty-two years has been a Democrat. In 1845 he married Phoebe, daughter of William and Mary Hankinson, natives of New Jersey, who came to Gorham in 1830, and had two sons and three daughters. The children of William H. and wife are as follows: Willard J., Myron H., and Oliver F., all farmers of Gorham.

Smith, Joseph, Geneva, was born in Shaftsbury, Bennington county, Vt., May 1, 1835. He was educated in the commnon schools across the line in this State, and is a farmer. He came to Western New York in 1859, and on November 6, 1863, he mar- ried Jenette A. Eldred of White Creek, Washington county. Mr. Smith's father, Jere- miah, was also born in White Creek, March 6, 1799, and died July 9, 1867. He married Anna Burnett of Shaftsbury, Vt., born November 22, 1799, died January 24, 1879. They had eight children as follows : Hiram, Harvey, Benjamin, Joseph, Martin, Olive, Sophia and Julia. Mr. Smith's grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1776. Mrs. Smith's father, Hiram Eldred, was born in Petersburg, Rensselaer county, August 20, 1807. He married Harriet Goodnough, and they had ten children : Jenette, Jane, Incia, Harriet, Andrew, George, Alva, Juliet, Albert and Alice.

Sutherland, Lot D., D.D.S., Canandaigua, was born in Canandaigua, January 2, 1866, a son of Lewis J. of this town. His life, with the exception of his college years, has been spent in Canandaigua. He was educated at the Canandaigua Academy and then entered the Philadelphia Dental College, from which he graduated in 1887; the same

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year he opened his present office in the Dailey block, which he has since conducted. Mr. Sutherland is a member of the Congregational church. He is a grandson of John Dailey who died in 1886.

Swarthout, Anthony, Geneva, was born in Barrington, Yates county, February 1, 1833. He was educated in the public schools and has always followed farming. March 25, 1860, he married Eleanor Van Ness of Steuben county, and they have eight living children : John V., who married Fannie Hull and has one son, Harold S .; Herbert D., who married Lulu Hull, and they have two sons, Homer A. and Wallace H .; Abbie E .; Willis F., who married Edith Jaynes ; Susan M .; Miner B .; Russell, and Eva R. Five reside at home. Robbie E. died when nearly two years old. Mr. Swarthout's father, George F., was born in the town of Ovid, October 28, 1790. He married Rowena Russell of Barrington, December 3, 1818, and settled in Barrington in 1819. In 1843 he settled in Milo, three miles south of Penn Yan, where he died July 13, 1853. They had twelve children, ten of whom grew to maturity. Mrs. Swarthout's father, John Van Ness, was born in New Jersey, and married Eleanor Hankinson, of his native place, and came to Hammondsport, Steuben county. They had two sons and six daughters. Mrs. Swarthout's uncle, Elijah Rosenkrans, was a soldier in the war of 1812. General McPherson of the late war was a cousin of Mr. Swarthout.

Secor, James R., Gorham, a native of Potter, Yates county, was born March 6, 1821. His father, Isaac, was a son of Isaac, who was a native of Westchester county, and who died in Potter. His wife was Elithere Smith, by whom he had five sons and three daughters. Isaac was born in Westchester county and married Sarah Reed, by whom he had two children : James R., and a daughter, who married James H. Newcom of Benton. Isaac, jr., was justice of peace twelve years, and was assessor and constable. He died in 1850 aged fifty-seven, and his wife in 1885 aged eighty-seven. James R. Secor was educated at the common schools. September 24, 1849, he married Jane Hoeltzel, a native of France, who came to America with her parents. George and Christiana Hoelt- zel, about 1828 and settled in Potter. The children of James R. and wife are: Isaac G., Sarah J., Mary M., Gertrude and Florence. In 1866 he came to Gorham and pur- chased and improved 137 acres of land, which he has increased to 150. Mr. Secor is a Democrat, and has been highway commissioner and assessor,

Stacey, Edwin, Manchester, was born in East Palmyra, December 28, 1822. In 1856 he bought the farm at Halliday's Corners, from Judson Hoes, and has since conducted it most successfully. Mr. Stacey has been twice married. His first wife was Caroline Luce, and some time after her death he married Martha Jane Hillman. He has one child, being issue of his second wife. Mr. Stacey has served repeatedly as inspector of elections, school trustee, etc., and is much beloved and respected by all. His ancestors originally were from the New England States. The participated in the Revolutionary war, and also that of 1812.

Simmons, Elnathan W., Canandaigua, was born in Bristol, June 2, 1811, a son of Richmond, a farmer of that town, who came to this county from Massachusetts in 1794. Richmond Simmons was the son of a Baptist minister of Massachusetts, and married Elinor, daughter of Alden Sears, of English descent. The great-grandfather

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of our subject, Elnathan Walker, was a colonel in the Revolutionary war. The early life of subject was spent in Bristol, where he attended the common schools until fifteen years of age, when he entered Canandaigua Academy and studied under Prof. Spencer and Prof. House about four years. After leaving school he attended the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Fairfield, from which he graduated in 1834, and immedi- ately began practice in this town, where the hamlet of Cheshire is now located. He remained there until 1836, when, on the death of his sister and brother-in-law, he went to Rushville and remained until 1840, and then, his father's health declining, he went back to his old home in Bristol. While living there he was elected supervisor, and also justice of the peace. In 1852 he was elected to the Assembly at Albany. In 1857 he came to Canandaigua, where he remained until his death, which occurred, after a brief illness, May 13, 1893. In 1858 he was elected county clerk on the Republican ticket, and at the breaking out of the war he went out as surgeon of the One Hundred and Forty-eighth N. Y. Vols. Dr. Simmons married in 1850 Maria Pennell of South Bristol, and had three children : Charles R., a farmer of Bristol; Edward W., a drug- gist of Canandaigua ; and Lois E., who lives at home.

Smyth, Edward, South Bristol, is the oldest son of Thomas Smyth, who came from County Down, Ireland, in 1848, and settled in Richmond, Ontario county, where he remained about six years, then removed to South Bristol and engaged in farming and hop growing. He married in 1847 Mary Foy of County Down, and they had ten chil- dren. He died May 28, 1878, survived by his wife and children. Edward Smyth was born in Richmond, January 11, 1849, and removed to South Bristol with his parents when about six years of age. He was reared on the farm and educated at the district school and Canandaigua Academy. He married, July 3, 1873, Mary Jane, daughter of Robert Murray of Canandaigua, and they have four children: Lewis R., born Feb- ruary 10, 1875; Thomas J., born March 1, 1878; Gertrude T., born October 15, 1883 ; and Mabel E., born September 10, 1890. His wife died May 9, 1891. Mr. Smith has been assessor of South Bristol nine years and supervisor in 1890-91 and '92, and holds the office at present, 1893. He was also a delegate to the State Convention in 1892 to nominate a candidate for president. He is one of the leading farmers of the town, and is engaged in general farming and hop growing.

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History of Ontario county, New York : with illustrations and family sketches of some of the prominent men and families, Part 71

Author: Aldrich, Lewis Cass, comp; Conover, George S. (George Stillwell), b. 1824, ed Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & Co. Number of Pages: 1002

Author: Aldrich, Lewis Cass, comp; Conover, George S. (George Stillwell), b. 1824, ed
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 1002