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 83
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Ansley, Marcus, Geneva, was born on the pre-emption line at the old homestead, March 15, 1826. He was educated in the public schools and in early life was a farmer. He began the nursery business in 1870, and has 120 acres in nursery and fruit orchard, having 12,000 trees bearing fruit. He has married twice, first Mary J. Dorman of Sen- eca, by whom he had four children : Frank S .. Flora, Lucy A., and Marcus D. Mrs. Ansley died in 1864, and he married second, February 20, 1867, Mrs. Cornelia M. (At- water) Moore. They had three daughters: Mary L., who died aged twenty-one years; M. Belle, and Minnie C., both residing at home. Mrs. Ansley's first husband, William B. Moore, was born in the eastern part of this State. He was educated in the public schools and was a jeweler and farmer. February 20, 1867, he married Cornelia M. Atwater, of Lyons, Wayne county, and they had three children : William S., Fred H., and Clinton B.
Adamy, D.D.S., W. Lynn, Geneva, was born in Broome county, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1891, cominencing practice in Geneva the same year. His father, S. W. Adamy, is a dentist in practice at Union, N. Y.
Adams, Edwin A., Farmington, was born in Farmington, October 7, 1856, was edu- cated in the public schools and Macedon Academy, and has always followed farming. He married twice, first Mary Southworth, and had one daughter, Edith, who is attend- ing school, and residing at home. Mrs. Adams died July 16, 1886, and he married second, Jessie C., daughter of Marshall and Margaret McLouth, of Farmington, Feb- ruary 27, 1889. They have one son, Vernon P., born October 1, 1890. Mr. Adams's father, George A., was born in the town of Manchester, January 21, 1816. He was educated in the common schools, and was always a farmer until he retired in 1885. January 15, 1845, he married Cynthia, daughter of Calvin and Cynthia Parker, of the town of Manchester. They had four children: Mason, who married Nellie Petty ; Melvin and Manson (twins) both deceased, and Edwin A. Mrs. George A. Adams died July 18, 1882, mourned by a bereaved husband and many friends.
Allen, William H., Canandaigua, was born in Bristol, March 7, 1825. The grand- father, Chauncey, was a native of Stratford county, Conn., who came with his family
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to Ontario county in 1792, locating on land in the town of in Bristol. Chauncey married Rhoda Shephard, of Connecticut, and they had five sons and two daughters. Howell, the father of William H., was born in Bristol in 1799. He had a common school education and followed farming in Bristol. When his father came to this coun- try he took up 320 acres, and Howell had the management of this until his father's death, when the property was divided, and his share was his home until he died in 1864. He married Sophia Lewis, of Bristol, and they had eight children, five of whom are living: Austin, a coal dealer of Canandaigua; Shephard, a farmer of Battle Creek, Mich. ; Levi, of Wayne county ; James, of Cheshire; and William H. The latter was educated in the common schools and Lima Seminary, and took up farming. For a num- ber of winters in his younger days he taught school. His first purchase of a farm was in 1853, when he bought fifty acres in Bristol. He gradually added to this until he had 200 acres, and owned besides 300 acres in other farms. In the fall of 1882 he moved to Canandaigua, and the next year bought ten acres in Bristol street, where he has erected a beautiful residence. Mr. Allen is a Republican, and while in Bristol was superintendent of schools and assessor. He married in 1855 Sarah, danghter of Benja- min Gregg, of Bristol, and they had two children : Ida, wife of Eugene Simmons, of Canandaigua; and Nettie, wife of Alvin Highby, of Buffalo. Mrs. Allen died February 17, 1888, and he married second, in November, 1889, Minnie, daughter of William W. Hadley, of Brooklyn, N. Y., and widow of Cyrus Briggs of Honeoye.
Bailey, Franklin, East Bloomfield, a native of East Bloomfield, born March 25, 1812, is a son of Zadock, a son of William, a native of Leeds, England, who with three brothers came to Newport, R. I., and there owned a large tract of land where the city of Newport now stands. William Bailey afterwards went to Providence, where he died. He had three sons and a daughter, and was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Zadock was born in Providence, R. I., in 1777, reared in Sheffield, Mass., by Rev. Jud- son, and in 1793 came to East Bloomfield. He married Hannah Merrills, a native of Gorham, Litchfield county, Conn., and a daughter of Sylvester Merrills. Mr. Bailey and wife had three daughters and a son. His death occurred in 1776. Franklin was educated in East Bloomfield school, and at the age of twelve years he started in life for himself working on a farm. After a short time he began working in a hotel at Lima, and remained three years, when he went to Chicago and engaged as stage driver from Niles, Mich., to Chicago for three years, and then returned to East Bloomfield. Soon after he located at Albany and formed a partnership with Hiram Brunley, Josh Maxwell & Co., and for five years engaged in transportation on what was known as the Buffalo & Ohio Line. Then for two years he ran a packet boat from Schenectady to Utica, and finally became general passenger agent for the New York Central and Great Western and Michigan Central Railroads, in which capacity he acted for twenty-eight years. In 1865 he purchased 200 acres of land in East Bloom- field, and has here since resided. He has increased his original purchase to 352 acres, and made many improvements, so that he now owns one of the finest farms in the State. Mr. Bailey is a Democrat and an active politician. He has been twice married, first in 1844 to Elizabeth S. Reston, a native of Leeds, England, and daughter of John and Elizabeth Reston, of Leeds, who came to Poughkeepsie, where for nine
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years Mr. Reston was professor of languages. He afterwards went to Albany and there engaged as a teacher. He died in 1845, and his wife in 1855. Mrs. Bailey died April 25, 1882, at the age of sixty-eight years. In 1889 Mr. Bailey married second, Mrs. Caroline T. Linkfield Carroll, a native of Oneida county, and a daughter of Edward and Sophronia (Husted) Linkfield, the former a native of Rutland, Vt., and the latter of Oneida county. Mr. Bailey was one of the organizers, and for many years was warden of the Episcopal church of East Bloomfield. He was one of three men who contributed very largely to the building of the church, and also one of the build- ing committee. Mrs. Bailey was the widow of Gen. K. Carroll, by whom she had four daughters. Mr. Carroll was an attorney of Camden, N. Y., who was in 1872 a member of the Assembly. His children are : Ada E., wife of Frederick Wager, an attorney of Rome; Theressa, wife of Arthur C. Woodruff, an attorney of Camden; Genevieve, wife of Prof. Parsell, of Clinton Liberal Institute. Mrs. Parsell studied vocal music in Paris, and is now a teacher in the institute; and Grace K., an expert stenographer, who is engaged in teaching at Fort Plain.
Brocklebank, Benjamin S., was born at his present residence in Canandaigua, Decem- ber 18, 1835. The grandfather, Samuel, was a native of New England and one of the earliest settlers here. John B., the father of our subject, was born in this town in 1797, and married Chloe Sanger. They had seven children, five of whom are living : Walter S., a farmer of Hopewell; Electa Negas of Michigan ; Emily C. Anderson of Wyoming; John of Battle Creek, Mich. ; and Benjamin S. John B. died in March, 1858, and his wife died July, 1852. Benjamin S. was educated in Canandaigua Acad- emy, and assisted on the farm until twenty-two years of age. He then started for himself by renting the farm adjoining on the north. After spending one year there he bought a farm of 145 acres in school district No. 20, where he made his home until 1880, when he returned to the old homestead, which he has ever since made his home. This is a good farm of 100 acres where Mr. Brocklebank does general farming. He has never taken any active interest in politics or public affairs, but is one of the repre- sentative farmers of this town. He married, March 18, 1868, Ellen, daughter of John S. Jones of Victor, and they have had two sons, Floyd B., who conducts the farm in the west part of the town, and L. Ray, who lives at home. Mrs. Brocklebank died July 3, 1892, aged fifty-three years. She left many friends to mourn her loss. She was a devoted wife and mother, and a member of the Presbyterian church of Victor.
Blaine, Millard F., Geneva, son of John G. and Angeline (Gamber) Blaine, was born at Varick, Seneca county, March 4, 1849. He was educated at the Genesee Con- ference Seminary at Ovid, and graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan in 1879, and practiced one year at Rockford, Ill. From 1880 to 1884 he was manager of the Union Needle Company of Middleboro', Mass., and was managing partner of the Kirkwood Hotel at Geneva six years. In 1891 he organized the Gen- esee Carriage Company, and is the largest stockholder. He is trustee of the village, is a Republican, and takes an active interest and part in political affairs. In 1872, he married Alice Gidding, daughter of William D. Gidding of Romulus.
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
Bently, M.D., Francis E., Canandaigua, was born in Van Buren, Onondaga county, April 23, 1816, a son of Isaac Bently of that town. The earliest ancestors of this family came to this country from England in 1740. The father of our subject was born in Rhode Island, and came to Onondaga county in 1804, locating in Pompey, and in 1811 moved to the homestead where Francis B. was born. Subject was educated at Caz- enovia Seminary, and attended Geneva Medical College two seasons, graduating Janu- ary 24, 1841. He then went with his preceptor, Dr. Root of Memphis, with whom he practiced for three years, and then moved to Cheshire, in the town of Canandaigua, where for the last fifty years he has had a very extensive practice. He has now re- tired from active work and is taking a well merited rest. He has been a member of the Ontario County Medical Society from its organization (about 1848) and has held all the offices in the society. He is also a member of the New York State Medical As- sociation. He married first June 25, 1843, Sophia Ball of Marcellus, Onondaga county. His second marriage, December 27, 1847, was with Almira, daughter of Squire War- ren Brown of South Bristol, and they have two sons: Frank, who conducts the farm in Canandaigua, and Victor, who is a musician.
Brown, Charles L., Victor, was born in Lodi, Seneca county, March 25, 1852. He was educated in the public schools and Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College of Ro- chester. He is at present in the drug store of Frank E. Cobb. Mr. Brown has been treasurer of the village, collector of the town, and is serving his second term as town clerk. He has also been secretary of the American Legion of Honor. January 27, 1880, he married Mary A., only child of Montgomery and Johanna Camp of Victor, and they have two children : Vera H. and Tuthill G. Rev. John M. Brown, father of Charles L., was born in 1818, and received an academic education. He married Eliza A. Graham of Orange county, and they had two sons and a daughter: William G., Charles L., and Alice G., who died aged twenty-four years. Mr. Brown was retired from active service in the church (M. E.) after fifty years of continuous ministry, with- out missing an appointment. He enlisted in the Eleventh New York Volunteers for three years and was honorably discharged at the close of the war. His position was such that he received very fine locations and churches, and in the conference served on several important committees.
Brewster, the late Nathan P., was born May 9, 1820, and was by occupation a woolen manufacturer at Shortsville, N. Y. September 4, 1845, he married Harriet A., daughter of Allen and Sophronia (Compton) Payne of Farmington. They had two children : Anna A. and Mary E. Mr. Brewster died in 1859. Mrs. Brewster's father, Allen Payne, was born in Farmington, November 22, 1801, and married Sophronia Compton, by whom he had seven children, as follows: Amanda, born July 25, 1824; William, born June 4, 1826; Harriet A., born October 22, 1827 ; David, born July 13, 1829: William J., born December 6, 1832; Marvin A., born June 19, 1834; and Han- nah M., born May 9, 1837. Allen Payne was one of the largest land owners in the town of Farmington. He died October 31, 1837, and his wife April 5, 1885.
Barnes, Washington, Geneva, was born in the town of Seneca (now Geneva) April 10, 1819. He was educated in the schools of his day. He afterward resided in Michi-
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gan, where he also attended school. In early life he was a miller and farmer. In the year of 1872 he embarked in the nursery business with all the improved varieties of a first-class nursery conducted on first-class honest business principles. He has married twice, first August 8, 1844, Jane A. Mead of Benton, Yates county, and they had seven children : Joshua M., Jane A., Catherine C., Frances and Sarah A. (twins), George W., and Charles F. Mrs. Barnes died in 1860, and he married second, October 8, 1862, Mary A. Davies of the town of Milo, Yates county. Mr. Barnes's father, Thomas, was born in Ireland, and came to the United States with his parents when he was nine years old. He married Elizabeth Goundry of the town of Milo, Yates county, and they had twelve children. The ancestry of this family is Irish, English and Welsh.
Barnes, James W., Canandaigua, was born in Seneca in 1830, a son of John R., a farmer of that town, who lived on the farm settled by his father, James. John R. mar- ried Maria Goundry of Seneca, who bore him ten children, of whom four sons were in the War of the Rebellion. John R. died in 1863. aged about seventy two years. The early life of James W. was spent on the homestead. He was educated in the common schools, after leaving which he entered the dry goods store of P. A. Button at Geneva, with whom he remained, in Geneva and Canandaigua, about eight years. He then went with Richardson & Draper, and when in 1871 Mr. Draper established a bank here Mr. Barnes went with him as cashier, which position he filled until 1890. He then formed a copartnership with C. N. Williams, making the banking firm Williams & Barnes, which still exists. Mr. Barnes married in 1876 Martha, daughter of Stanton S. Cobb of Canandaigua.
Barker, J. Albert, Canandaigua, was born in Canandaigua, August 7, 1851, son of John, a gardener of this town, and a native of England, who came to this country in 1850. He located in Canandaigua, where he lived until his death in 1881. Of his five children four are living. Our subject was educated at the common schools, then entered the store of A. S. Newman, where he remained until 1885, spending fifteen years there, then opened a store in his present location on Main street, where he has built up a very successful business. He deals in all kinds of medicines, drugs, toilet articles, paints, varnishes, etc. Mr. Barker married in July, 1877, Julia, daughter of James Glass, a native of England, who was a gardener here, and they have one son, Willie Glass, now in his fifteenth year. Mr. Barker is a member of the K. of P., an honorary member of the Mutual Hook & Ladder Company, and both he and his wife are mem- bers of the St. John Episcopal church.
Boyle, William, Canandaigua, was born in Phelps, December 7, 1858, a son of Joseph, a butcher of that town, who was a native of New York city. The early life of Will- iam was spent in Phelps and Clifton Springs. He was educated in the common schools and Canandaigua Academy, and after leaving school engaged with Price the baker in this village, with whom he remained three years. In 1875 he went into the butchering business. In September, 1887, he in company with John Gartland established a mar- ket here, which they conducted until August 8, 1892, when Mr. Boyle sold his interest to his partner and moved to his present location at 157 Main street, where he has a large commodious market, and always carries a good stock of meat, poultry and game.
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
Mr. Boyle married in June, 1886, Caroline Senglamb of Canandaigua, and they have one child, William, in his fifth year. Mr. Boyle is a member of the Catholic church.
Babb, Ira P., West Bloomfield, was born in Livonia, Livingston county, July 28, 1825. His parents, Hosea and Polly (Witherill) Babb, came early in the century, he from Massachusetts and she from Vermont, to Livonia. His father died in West Bloom- field in 1882, aged nearly eighty-five years. Ira P., when eleven years of age, worked on a farm and then four years in Lima at a trade, carpentering and wagon making. He came to West Bloomfield and settled at Factory Hollow nearly forty years ago, engaged principally in building houses. In 1848 he married Louisa A. Matteson of Minden. They had six children, of whom these survive : Araminda (Mrs. Skellinger of Honeoye Falls) ; Jennie (Mrs. Tack of Batavia); William A., at home; and Frank E., a house builder in New York, and a graduate from Cooper Union, in architecture.
Boardman, H. M., Gorham, was born in Gorham, March 4, 1829, a son of Jesse C., a son of Jesse, who was a native of Connecticut and an early settler of Cayuga county. Jesse C. was born in Cayuga county in 1778 and came to Gorham when a young man, and married first Mary Bunyan, a native of Seneca, by whom he had nine children. His second wife was Betsey French of Middlesex, a daughter of Ozias French, a major in the War of 1812. Mr. French was one of the first settlers of Middlesex. By his sec- ond wife Mr. Boardman had two sons and four daughters, and died in Gorham in 1845, and his wife in 1853. Subject was educated in the common schools and Genesee Col- lege, which afterwards became Syracuse University. He graduated from that college, and then entered the Methodist ministry, which he followed seven years. His health failing, he engaged in farming, which he has since followed. He owns 150 acres of land on which he erected good buildings, and also has one of the finest orchards in the town. He is a Republican, but never desired public office. For twenty-one years he has been superintendent of the Rushville Sunday-school, and was president of the County Sunday-school Association for many years. March 3, 1853, Mr. Boardman married Christine Rapalee of Yates county, by whom he had eight children : Myrtie M., Myron R., Lemuel D., Kittie S., Mary C., Willie F., Ellen E., and Henriette M., all living.
Allen, Ellery G., Farmington, was born in the town of Oppenheim, Fulton county, November 12, 1843, and came to Farmington with his parents July 5, 1848. He was educated in the public schools and Lima Seminary. April 14, 1870, he married Jennie M., daughter of Ichabod W. Briggs of Macedon, Wayne county, and they have six children : Jennie M., George S., Lewis F., Charles E., Willard H., and Carrie B. Mr. Allen has been supervisor of his town six years and chairman of the board one year, justice of the peace eight years, and has had charge and settled up nineteen different estates. Mr. Allen's father, George S., was born in Greenfield, Saratoga county, Au- gust 28, 1802. He was educated in the public schools and is a farmer. September 14, 1826, he married Sally Bowen of that county, and had five children: one died in infancy : Lydia J., who married Orlando White; Phoebe B., who married Joseph H. Reynolds ; Lewis F., who married December 19, 1873, and Ellery G. His father died February 16, 1874, and his mother June 8, 1885. His grandfather, Daniel L. Allen, was born in
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Massachusetts, July 31, 1753, and married Lydia Smith, who was born September 29, 1762, and had five children. For his second wife he married her sister, Mary Smith, and had six children. Mrs. Allen's father, Ichabod W. Briggs, was born in Schoharie county, March 24, 1809, and married Sara C. - , and had nine children : Albert H., Lottie M., Jennie M., Jeremiah B., Charles M., Kittie S., George O., Icha- bod and Margaret (twins). This family is the fifth generation from George Allen, who came from England in 1635, locating at Weymouth.
Boyce, Chester A., of Boyce Bros., Canandaigua, was born in Rensselaer county. His first business venture was as a butcher in his native county. He has also worked at carpentry, and in 1876 came to Canandaigua, where he engaged in the grain and produce business. He was for five years on the corner of Railroad avenue and Pleasant street, and occupied the Star building for three years. In the spring of 1891 he, in company with his brother Henry, leased the Canandaigua elevator and store house of H. C. Lucas, erected by him in 1880, with a storage capacity of about 18,000 bushels, and they are the leading grain and produce shippers of this section. They have handled during the last year about 75,000 bushels of grain, besides handling 1,500 tons of hay, and large quantities of potatoes and apples. Mr. Boyce is a member of the M. E. church, as is also his family. He married in 1878 Anna Mellions, of Rensselaer county.
Barnes, Hurdman, Canandaigua, was born in England, April 14, 1814, and came to this country when seventeen years of age, where he worked two or three years for William Gorham on the farm. He married, in England, Martha Shaw, who died June 16, 1862, aged fifty-three years, leaving no children. Mr. Barnes married second, in June, 1864, Elizabeth Mitchell, widow of William Meeks, of Canandaigua, and they have had five children : Martha, Mary, Jesse, Frederick and Ellen, all of whom live at home. Mrs. Barnes died April 14, 1884. He took little interest in public affairs, but devoted his time and attention to his farm interests. The homestead consists of ninety- four acres, in good condition, on which the principal crops are grain and fruit, with four acres of vineyard. The home and residence of this pleasant family was erected about 1860 by Mr. Barnes, for whose memory the above is written.
Beam, Smith A., East Bloomfield, a native of Sodus, Wayne county, was born in 1835. He is one of eight children of John and Margaret (Delong) Beam, natives of Connecticut, who in an early day settled on a farm in Sodus, Wayne county, where Mr. Beam died in 1885, while on a visit to his son, Smith A. The latter was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools. In 1861 he married Hester A. Black, a native of Smithfield, and daughter of Loring Black, and they have one child, Loring J., born August 5, 1872, in Canandaigua. He received a common school education, and is engaged in farming. Mr. Beam also has an adopted daughter, Louise Setz, whose par- ents were John and Barbara Setz, of Churchville. She is a milliner. In 1865 Mr. Beam went to Canandaigua, where he resided six years, then moved to East Bloomfield and purchased sixty-four acres. This he afterwards sold, and in 1880 bought the farm now owned by the family, where Mr. Beam remained until his death, November 12, 1892. He was a Democrat, and he and his wife were members of the Baptist church of Can- andaigua.
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
Bowdy, James T., Victor, was born in Canandaigua, was educated in the district schools, and followed farming. He was a soldier in the war of the great Rebellion, serving in Company E, One Hundred and Fifty-ninth N. Y. S. Vols., was with General Banks in the Red River expedition in Louisiana, and with General Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley, and was honorably discharged at the close of the war. July 19, 1887, he married Emma J., daughter of the late Stephen H. Blood, of Victor, and they have two children : James L., born October 30, 1889, and Clara L., born May 14, 1892. Mrs. Bowdy's father, Stephen H. Blood, was one of the reliable pioneers of the town, was born February 26, 1807, and educated in the district schools, also a farmer. December 4, 1861, he married Louisa J., daughter of Orrin R. and Ruby (Hotchkin) Knapp, of Minden. They had two children: William H., who married Constance Clark, of Kansas City, where they reside, and Emma J. Mrs. Blood's husband's father Israel M., was born August 19, 1762, in New Bedford, Mass., and came to Western when a young man. December 11, 1796, he married Sarah, daughter of James Upton of Victor, and they had nine children ; Rosell L., Norman B., Nathaniel, Stephen H., James M., Anna, Lucy N., Jemima B. and Daniel D. Mrs. Blood's father, Orrin R. Knapp, was born at Mount Washington, Berkshire county, Mass., November 18, 1795. October 19, 1817, he married Ruby Hotchkin, and they had three children and were born in Cornwell, Litchfield county, Conn. They came to this State when Mrs. Blood was eight months old. She was an excellent school teacher. Her mother's uncle Joseph, was in the Revolutionary War. Mr. Blood's father, Israel M., was in the War of 1812, at Buffalo. Mrs. Blood's father, Orrin R. Knapp, was in the War of 1812, at Boston, Mass. Mr. Bowdy's father, Ambrose, is a pensioner of the Mexican war. Stephen H. Blood died January 31, 1884, on the homestead that the family have owned and resided upon forty years. He was an earnest worker and member of the M. E. church.
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