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 72
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Smith, Isaac B., Canandaigua, was born in Farmington in 1831, a son of David Smith, a farmer of that town. The grandfather, Joseph Smith, was one of the first settlers of this county, and reared a family of children on the farm he settled. David Smith had five children, of whom I. B. was the youngest. Three of these are still liv- ing: D. Waterman Smith, who lives on the old homestead, and Mrs. Wm. G. Lap- ham, widow of the late W. G. Lapham, well-known as the assistant superintendent of the N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R. Isaac B. was educated at Macedon an Canandaigua Acad- emies, also at a school in Dutchess county, where he spent a year and a half. On reaching his majority he went as clerk in the Penn Yan postoffice. and afterwards was on the Elmira and Niagara Falls Railroad. December 1, 1858, he severed his connec- tion with this road and entered the store of Marvin Beeman for one month, and Jan- uary 1, 1859, he bought out the store, which he has ever since conducted, occupying
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the same store he bought in 1859, and carrying a similar line of goods. Mr. Smith has always conducted a very successful business, to which he gives close attention and strict integrity. His store is located at the corner of Main and Beeman streets. He carries a full line of crockery, glass and chinaware, wall paper, window shades, etc. Mr. Smith married in 1862 Rebecca S. Avery of Fredonia, and they have three sons and one daughter: J. Stanley, of the N. Y. C. ticket office ; Frank Avery, a law student with Wyncoop & Rice; George Gray, a clerk in the store, and Josephine L., who is at home. The oldest child, Alice Gray Smith, died August 23, 1868, in her sixth year. Mr. Smith is a member of the Board of Education and is a Democrat.
Simmons, Robert Bruce, Richmond, was born February 10, 1838, where he now lives. His father, Sardis, son of Richmond of Massachusetts, was born in Bristol in 1804, and married Jane L., daughter of Seth Jones of Bristol. In 1835 he purchased the farm now occupied by Robert B., and in 1852 he built the present residence on the site of one built about 1817. Of their four children, one died in infancy, the others being : Robert B., Henry Clay and Charles W. Robert B. was educated at Canan- daigua Academy and Fairfield Seminary. Mr. Simmons taught district school about fourteen years, between 1857 and 1880, and was superintendent of schools in the western district of Ontario county six years. In 1863 he married Esther G., daughter of Deacon Benjamin F. Phillips of Bristol. Mr. Simmons is a Republican and a Uni- versalist.
Smith, J. Stanley, Canandaigua, was born in Canandaigua about twenty-six years ago. He was educated in the academy under Prof. Clarke, and after leaving school was for about four years in his father's store. He spent two years as purser, one year with the Canandaigua Lake Steamboat Company, and one year with the People's Line. January 1, 1891, he engaged with the N. Y. C. R. R. Company as cashier in the freight department till October 1, and then became assistant ticket agent, which position he still fills. He was appointed in January, 1892, to the position of secretary to the Can- andaigua Board of Education, and about the same time he was appointed by the village council to the position of village clerk. He is a member of Canandaigua Lodge No. 245 K. of P., and Canandaigua Lodge No. 294 F. & A. M.
Sayre, Dr. Ellis Brooks, Richmond, was born in Rushville, July 27, 1848. His father, John Sayre, was born in Romulus, Seneca county, in 1814, where he spent his youth- ful days at school and in the service of his father, Coe B. Sayre. In early life he en- gaged in business in Penn Yan, became a lawyer, and settled in Rushville, where he married in 1840, Sarah Peabody, who died in 1859. He was a justice of the peace for twenty-five years and justice of sessions one term. Of his seven children three sons were in the army. The last ten years of his life he spent at the home of his son, Dr. Sayre. The latter was educated at the academy and Union school at Rushville, and at Albany Medical College, when it was under the presidency of Dr. Armsby. He prac- ticed in his native village one year, and then came to Allen's Hill where he has since remained and won a large practice. Dr. Sayre married, June 29, 1882, Anna C., daugh- ter of David P. Bancroft of West Bloomfield, and their only child, Grace Peabody, was born August 12, 1883. Responding to the call of his country Dr. Sayre, while yet very
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young, entered the army as private in the Twenty-sixth New York Independent Battery.
Throop Family, The, Manchester .- Early in the year 1802 Benjamin Throop exchanged his farm in Lebanon, Windham county, Conn., for a tract containing 512 acres in the northeast portion of what is now Manchester. This tract was a portion of the original Phelps & Gorham purchase, and had been previously sold by the men so prominently identified with the early history of Ontario county to parties in Connecti- cut, with whom the exchange was made by Mr. Throop. During the autumn of the same year Mr. Throop, having completed the necessary arrangements and bidden good- bye to his New England home, set out for his destination in what was then an almost unbroken wilderness. The method of transportation was that most common at that time, and consisted of an ox team with a single horse as a " leader " attached to a heavy wagon, and with two or three such teams Mr. Throop, at the age of forty-eight, with his wife, three sons and four daughters, and with such household goods as could be most conveniently transported, set out upon his long, wearisome journey. Many incidents of the journey were of much interest that cannot here be mentioned. Reaching their destination about the middle of November and finding it then too late to build even a comfortable log cabin, the first winter in the "Genesee country " was spent by the fam- ily in a portion of the house of Thomas Rogers, also a settler from New England, who had preceded Mr. Throop three or four years, and had therefore become quite comfort- ably located. This hospitality, so common at that early day, was thoroughly appre- ciated by Mr. Throop, and a warm friendship existed between the families during the lifetime of the older members. In the succeeding spring a log house was erected on the spot now occupied by the residence of J. Allen Throop, and in 1816 the structure now constituting the "upright " of said residence was built. When Mr. Throop first came to this place it was about the center of a six-mile woods, the first house in the direction of Palmyra being that of Thomas Rogers already mentioned, while the nearest neighbor in the opposite direction was also three miles distant. In that early day Ge- neva, sixteen miles distant, contained the government land office, and one, at least, of the few banking institutions of the State. As a consequence much travel to and from Geneva took place and as a further consequence even the original log houses became the stopping place of settlers from the more northern towns, while en route to Geneva, and also for numerous travelers who, having reached this point at or near nightfall, hes- itated to again plunge into the depths of the forest, and sought entertainment for both man and beast at the Throop residence. As Mr. Throop could not turn a deaf ear to these applications, and as the calls became more and more frequent, a "public house " was opened and maintained for thirty years, at first in the log structure, and later in the more modern building erected in 1816. The Throop House became also a favorite stopping place for the red man when on his migratory expeditions between the Oneida and Tonawanda reservations. On one occasion a party of eighteen or twenty, including squaws and papooses, rested for the night on the bar-room floor. Within the recollec- tion of the writer these traveling bands of Indians were common, and as the squaw in- variably carried the papoose, seated on a piece of tough bark attached to a belt passing over the shoulders and in front of the forehead, while the husband and father carried
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only his bow and arrows, a vivid and lasting impression was made thereby. For many years these friendly relations between Mr. Throop and his dusky brethren were main- tained. Many events in connection with these early times of a romantic and stirring nature came to the knowledge of the writer, and among these the loss of children in the forest, and the subsequent search by the entire neighborhood with guns, horns and dogs, was always a source of much interest as related by a revered and honored grand- father. The story of the depredations committed by bears, wolves, foxes, etc., with the methods adopted for their capture, originated from the same source. Benjamin Throop was of Scotch descent, a participant in the stirring events of the Revolutionary War and a relative in a direct line of Governor Enos T. Throop. He was of a kindly genial disposition, and died in 1842 in his eighty-eighth year. His wife, a woman remarkable, alike for her great fortitude, decision of character, and intimate knowledge of current political history, followed him in 1851 at the age of almost one hundred years. Her memory was remarkable and till past her eightieth year she could repeat verbatim en- tire chapters from the Bible. The late Azel Throop inherited what had become the Throop homestead, was a pensioner of the War of 1812, and died in March, 1878, aged eighty-six years. His wife, Fanny Van Dusen, survived him four years, and died at the age of eighty-four. Among the enterprising and intelligent citizens of New York, Mich- igan, Ohio and Illinois are many of the descendants of Benjamin and Rachel Throop, while on the spot where the grandfather first set foot nearly one hundred, years ago, lives J. Allen Throop, eldest son of Azel Throop. The present owner of the " old home- stead" is the father of four sons and a daughter, is a progressive farmer, proud of his calling, a staunch Republican, proud of his party and its history, and an intensely loyal American citizen, proud of the country of his birth.
Taylor, Henry R., Clifton Springs, was born in Benton, Yates county , January 23, 1830. His father was William, son of James, a native of County Down, Ireland, who came to America in 1755, at the age of nineteen. He resided in New Windsor, Orange county. In 1776 he enlisted in the army of the Revolution. He was in New York when it was taken by the British. After his enlistment expired he was often engaged as a militiaman for occasional service. He was engaged in the battle of White Plains, and shared in much of the irregular but trying service along the Hudson River. His wife was Elizabeth Thompson of Plattskill, N. Y., whom he married in 1781. William Taylor was born in 1793, in Orange county, N. Y., moved with his father's family to Ontario county in 1818, lived for a short time in the town of Seneca, then moved to the town of Benton ; married Margaret Coleman in 1821, when they settled in Southwest Benton on a farm where he lived until his death, in 1879. He received a commission as lieutenant in the Forty second Regiment of Infantry from Governor Yates in 1824, and a captain's commission in the One Hundred and Third Regiment from Governor Enos Throop in 1830. Was elected to the office of supervisor for a number of terms and also filled the office of superintendent of the poor for several years. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor had born to them six sons and one daughter, all of whom are still living except one son who died in infancy. Henry R. Taylor, the fourth child, was married October 16, 1860, to Adelia C. Barnes, daughter of James G. Barnes of the town of Seneca. They lived in Benton, one and one- half miles west of Penn Yan, till November, 1871,
x
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when they moved to the town of Hopewell, Ontario county, having bought the farm once owned by the late Jesse Cost near the north line of the town. He now owns 143 aeres and carries on general farming. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have had born to then seven children : William, Sarah Eliza (deceased), Harry S., Margaretta A., Ralph B. (deceased), John Worth, and Mary C. R. Harry S. graduated at the Albany Normal College in the class of 1890, and Margaretta A. from the Auburn High School in the class of 1890; both are engaged in teaching. Mr. Taylor was originally a Seward Whig, hence when the Republican party was formed he naturally found his place in that organization and has not missed voting at every general election since he became a voter in 1851. He was elected to the office of justice of the peace in Benton in 1866, and re-elected in 1870; he also held the office of assessor for one term. He is a mem- ber of the Hopewell Grange No. 79. He and his family are all members of the Pres- byterian church of Shortsville, of which he has been one of the elders for the past fifteen years.
Trickey, Jeremiah, Canandaigna, was born in Munroe, Orange county, June 14, 1836. His father, Stephen, was a native of the same county, where he was born February 23, 1808. He was a son of David, a native of Orange county, who had eight children, of whom Stephen was the oldest. He was for twelve years superintendent of the Tow- send Iron Works in Orange county, and in May, 1837, came to Ontario county to su- perintend a farm of 749 acres owned by Towsend in Bristol, a position he filled until April 2, 1847, when he bought a farm on the Academy Tract of Elam W. Crane. He was a Republican and a supporter of the church, and at the time of the establishing and building of the Union church he was treasurer of the society. By his death (June 13, 1887) this section lost one of its most prominent men ; liberal and charitable to a fault and honored and respected by all who knew him. He married when about twenty-eight years of age, Hannah Davenport of Orange county, and had four children ; the two sons only survive: John D., a farmer of Chapinville ; and Jerenriah our subject. The boyhood of the latter was spent on the farm in Bristol, where he was educated in the common schools and assisted on the farm until 1884, when he bought the farm of his father, and has since been the owner. For fifteen years previous he had conducted the farm on shares for his father. Mr. Trickey has always taken an active interest in public affairs. He has always been in active business, and in addition to farm duties has been an extensive buyer of stock in the west and at home. He married March 27, 1859, Keziah A., daughter of Cyrus Coville of South Bristol, and they had three children : Cyrus, a merchant of Academy ; Alice, wife of John Sutton ; and Sarah, wife of Irva Phillips, who works the homestead farm for Mr. Trickey.
Turck, Frederick, Geneva, was born in the town of Seneca (now Geneva) August 7, 1828. He was educated in the public schools and has always followed farming. Mr. Turck is not married. His father, Andrew, was born in the town of Guilderland, Al- bany county, in 1798, and came here with his parents in 1807. In early life he was a glass-blower and afterwards a farmer. He married Catherine Turner of Geneva, for- merly of his native place, and they had eleven children: Abram, Elizabeth, who died aged seven years ; Andrew J., James, Henry, Catherine, Sophia, Frederick, George,
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who died recently ; Amelia and Margaret. He died November 25, 1888, and his mother in 1857. His father's brother, Samuel Turck, resides with Frederick Turck, aged eighty-seven years.
Tilden, Christopher, Manchester, was born in Charlestown, N. H., April 26, 1827. His father moved to Palmyra early in this century and carried on the stove and tin business for a number of years. In 1844 he moved on the homestead farm of 125 acres in Manchester, which he purchased and of which the subject of this brief sketch in- herited a part upon the death of his father. Christopher Tilden lived upon that farm and toiled for many years. There he was married to Marcelline Holmes of Manches- ter, a descendant of one of Ontario's pioneer families. Finding more land desirable and available Mr. Tilden purchased another farm of 100 acres near Palmyra, upon which he still lives. Mr. Tilden has filled many local and town offices and was a director of the plank road for many years. He enjoys the respect and esteem of all.
Taylor, John B., Geneva, was born in the town of Seneca, now Geneva, October 5, 1823. He was educated in the public schools and followed farming. January 3, 1853, he married Lucinda W. Smith of Waitsfield, Vt., and they had two daughters, Ruth E., a school teacher who resides at home, and Jane E., who died aged four years. Mr. Taylor's father, Horace B., was born April 28, 1799, on the lake road in the town. He married Jane Barnes, born February 20, 1803, and they had eight children : John B., Horace and Jane E. (twins), Elizabeth A., George W., Mary E., Charles W., and Mark S., four survive. Mrs. Taylor's father, Ithamar Smith, was born in Shelburne, Mass . June 6, 1787. October 26, 1817, he married Ruth Barnard of his native place, and they had seven children : Chauncey, Selah, who died in infancy ; Selah second, Luther L., Lucinda W., Abigail II., and Francis B. Mrs. Taylor's grandfather, Selah Smith, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Mr. Taylor's grandfather, John, was one of the early pioneers of this country, coming here at the age of twelve years and passing through Rochester when there were only two log houses there.
Tuttle, the late Anson, Farmington, father of Richard A., was born in the town of Seneca, August 9, 1822. He was educated in the district schools, and after his father sold his farm became a wood-worker in the railway shops at Canandaigua. October 7, 1856, he married Amanda M., daughter of Wilmarth and Saloma Smith, of Farmington. They had six children : Caroline A. married Carl C. Herendeen, of Macedon; Annie I. married Edward W. Stephenson, of Farmington; Mary A .; Joseph W., who married ' Elizabeth C. Padgham, and have two children, Mary E. and J. Eugene; Richard, who resides on the homestead with his mother ; and Nettie E., who died December 17, 1882. Mrs. Tuttle's father, Wilmarth Smith, was born in this town on the farm now owned by Cole Brothers, known as the "stock farm," which was part of the original purchase, and the part now owned by Amanda M. Tuttle was also part of the same purchase, on April 13, 1792; she was the second white child born in the town. In 1812 be married Saloma Eddy, of Northampton, Mass., and had eleven children. Her grandfather, Jonathan Smith, was born in North Addison, Vt., about the year of 1770, and married Lydia Wilmarth, of his native place. They had these children ; Wilmarth, Asa, Orrin and Amanda. Mrs. Tuttle's brothers and sisters were : Dollie, Daniel P., Chloe l'.,
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Abel W., Annie H., Lydia E., Nancy H., Amanda M., Mary M., Darius C. and Orrin B. Mrs. Tuttle's father, Wilmarth, was in the War of 1812.
Thayer, C. C., Clifton Springs, was born in Dana, Mass., January 11, 1840. He pre- pared for Amherst College at Monson Academy, Mass., in 1861, just at the breaking out of the Civil War, but instead of entering college he enlisted in the Tenth Massa- chusetts Militia (three months' service), after which he returned to West Warren, Mass., where he conducted a mission work, out of which there afterwards grew a self-support- ing church. By the advice of some of the directors and professors of Amherst College, he entered the Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, Ill. After one year, and under a special order of General Grant, he entered the army of the Southwest for hospital service, and remained three and one-half years, when he re-entered the Chicago Theo- logical Seminary and graduated in the regular course in 1867. The same year he married Miss Mary F. Spencer, of Ripon College, Wis., and the following spring went under appointment of the " American Board " to the "Central Turkey Mission," Asia, and was stationed at old Antioch. In 1871 he was voted by his mission from Antioch to Aintab for the purpose of starting the Aintab College, and in connection with his associate, Rev. Henry Marden, gathered and trained the first class for the college. After six months of sickness, he returned to America in June, 1873, and after three and one-half years of ill-health he entered Rush Medical College and graduated in 1878. While pursuing his medical course he was called to take the practice of a former pro- fessor in the college, whose health had failed, where he remained for three years, when he was invited to the practice of medicine in the Clifton Springs Sanitarium, where he remained for six years, when he resigned and opened a successful practice in Minne- apolis, Minn., where he lived four and one-half years, till recalled to the Clifton Springs Sanitarium as the chief physician. Dr. Thayer has a daughter in Ripon College, Wis., and a son in Lima Academy, N. Y., both born in Turkey.
Thomson, jr., William, Gorham, was born in Aberdeer, Scotland, January 14, 1851, son of William and Mary Thomson, mentioned elsewhere in this work. Subject was nine years old when he came to America with his parents. He received a common school education, and was taught the milling business, which he followed eight years, and then learned the carpenter's trade, at which he has since worked. In 1882 he married Isabelle, daughter of James Robson, and they had two children, James W. and Robert F., who live at home. Mr. Thomson is a Republican, and was assessor three years. He and family are members of the Presbyterian church at Gorham.
Teece, Thomas, Gorham, a native of Shropshire, England, was born July 18, 1847, one of nine children of James and Jane Teece of that place. His father was a farmer, and died in January, 1851. His mother is still living near Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. At twelve years old Thomas was apprenticed to the dry goods trade for four years, afterwards living on the farm. In the spring of 1870 he came to America, being twenty-two years old, and lived near Gorham and Hall's Corners for five years. In 1875 he married Eleanor, daughter of James and Mary Watkins, of Steuben county. Mr. and Mrs. Watkins came to this country from Monmouthshire, England, in 1845, and lived in Steuben county. Mr. Watkins died in May, 1891, and his wife in July,
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1887. Mr. and Mrs. Teece have had seven children, all of whom are living: Mary J., James H., Mertie, Minnie, Nellie, Sarah B. and Maud E. In 1875 Mr, Teece went to Steuben county where he purchased a farm of fifty-two acres, and farmed it eleven years there. In 1886 he came back to Ontario county and worked a farm on shares near Hall's Corners. In 1890 he purchased a farm of 115 acres near Gorham village, where he now lives. He is a Republican in politics, and a member of Stanley Grange No. 284. Mrs. Teece is a Baptist, but the family attend and support the Presbyterian church.
Tellier, J. S., Naples, editor of the Naples Record. This gentleman is a self-made man, having started out in life for himself at the age of fifteen years, and has made his own way in the world. He has been for the past six years editor and proprietor of the Record, well known throughout the country as a live and enterprising independent newspaper.
Tibbals, David, Canadice, was born in Hartford county, Conn., October 8, 1785. When eight years old his father moved to Galway, Saratoga county, N. Y. There David lived until manhood. He learned the carpenter and joiner's trade, married, and moved to Cayuga county, N. Y., there followed his profession for ten years. In 1816 he bought a farm in Canadice and in 1818 moved on to it and there lived until his death, which occurred September 27, 1868. Mr. Tibbals was the husband of three wives, and the father of seven children. His first wife was the mother of one (Phebe), and died September 17, 1809, in Saratoga county. His second wife was the mother of six chil- dren (Sarah, Wakeman, Charlotte, Peter, Noah and Luther). On April 9, 1832, this wife and mother died a most pitiable death, caused by falling on to a new made fire in an old fashioned log house fire-place. Mr. Tibbals rose early on Sunday morning, built the fire as usual, and went to the barn to do some chores, expecting to return before any of the family were up. When he came in he found Mrs. Tibbals sitting on the floor with her flannel clothing all burned off one side of her, with the fragments of clothing and adhering coals scattered over the floor. She lingered four days and ex- pired. Mrs. Tibbals was an unfortunate woman fromn her youth, being troubled with epilepsy, which caused her premature death. Mr. Tibbals's third consort died April 3, 1864. Of the children of Mr. Tibbals, four are dead : Phebe, Sarah, Peter and Wake- man. Charlotte, it is unknown. Noah and Luther live in Canadice. Noah is on the homestead where he was born.
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