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 97
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Payne, William Harold, of Nashville, Tenn., born at Farmington, N. Y., May 12, 1836. His youth was spent in hard work upon his father's farm. He took up the study of algebra and grammar at the age of thirteen years, and unassisted went through these and other studies. At the age of sixteen he entered Macedon Academy, then under the direction of the Rev. Samuel Senter, and studied there nearly two years. In the spring and summer of 1854 he spent three months at the New York
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Conference Seminary at Charlottesville. He began teaching in the district schools of Ontario county in his eighteenth year. On October 2, 1856, he married Evaline Sarah Fort, and for a year and a half he and his wife taught the village school at Victor. In 1858 he moved to Michigan, and in his twenty-third year became principal of the Uuion School at Three Rivers, Mich., his wife assisting part of the time. He re- mained here six years. In 1864 he was elected superintendent of the public schools at Niles, Mich. In 1866 he was invited to take charge of the Ypsilanti Seminary, at that time the most popular public school in the State. In 1869 he accepted the position of superintendent of the Adrian public schools, which position he held ten years. From 1864 to 1870 he edited and published the Michigan Teacher. He received in 1872, from the University of Michigan, the degree of A.M., and in June, 1888, the degree of LL. D. He was twice elected president of the Michigan State Teachers' Association. In June, 1879, he was elected to the chair of the Science and Art of Teaching in the University of Michigan, which position he held nine years. This was the first chair of pedagogy established in an American university. He was inaugurated October 5, 1887, chancel- lor of the University of Nashville, and president of the Peabody Normal College. He is the author of "The Relation between the University and our High School; " " Chap- ters on School Supervision; " "Historical Sketch of the Public Schools of the City of Adrian ; " " Outlines of Educational Doctrine; " " Contributions to the Science of Edu . cation ; " editor of "Page's Theory and Practice of Teaching; " translator of "Com- payré's Histoire de la Pedagogie ; " " Elements of Psychology ; " " Psychology Applied to Education ; " " Lectures on Teaching ; " "Rousseau's Emile." Genealogical .-- He married, October 2, 1856, Sarah Evaline Fort, born Angust 28, 1835, daughter of Daniel L. and Sarah (Van Ness) Fort, he, Daniel, born at Schaghticoke, N. Y., August 6, 1781, son of Lewis; she born May 12, 1795, died October 7, 1862, daughter of Peter Van Ness, son of Cornelius of Albany ; son of Gideon Riley Payne, born at Farming- ton, N. Y., September 18, 1813, died at Ann Arbor, Mich., March 8, 1888, married December 4, 1834, Mary Brown Smith, born November 23, 1815, daughter of William Smith, born September 19, 1787, son of Stephen, son of Jonathan, son of Gershom, son of John Smith, who came from England in 1652 to Dartmouth, Mass .; Wm. Smith mar- ried Lydia Brown, born at Adams, Mass., December 9, 1788, died May 21, 1890, at Adrian, Mich., aged nearly 102 years, daughter of David, born June 16, 1741, son of Stephen, born February 3, 1714, at Cumberland, R. I., son of Joseph and Sarah (Pray) Brown; Gideon Riley Payne had six children (viz .: Wm. H., above, Selinda, born July 5, 1838, Chauncey S., born January 14, 1840, Lydia M., born January 12, 1842, Cynthia Orlena, born August 20, 1845, and Frank Riley, born November 30, 1850) ; son of Gideon Payne of Farmington, N. Y., born at Adams, Mass., January 10, 1765, died at Farmington, 1848, a wealthy farmer (married February 18, 1793, Phebe Hill, born January 12, 1771, daughter of Caleb and Mary), had nine children, viz .: Electa, born January 12, 1795, died January 17, 1795, Zimroda, born March 14, 1796, (married Nathan Stoddard), Mary, born September 23, 1798, died November 29, 1880, (married Sylvester R. Hathaway), Selinda, born October 6, 1800, (married Nathan Power), Cal- vin, horn July 30, 1802, died November 27, 1859, Reuben, born July 4, 1805, died March 23, 1854, William, born March 24, 1807, George, born September 28, 1809,
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Gideon Riley above, born September 18, 1813; Gideon Payne was son of William Payne of Pittsfield and Adams, Mass., born in Rhode Island, farmer, (married Sarah Hawkins, who died in 1822, aged eighty-four), had nine children, viz .: Gideon, born January 10, 1765, I'atty (married a Mason), Lydia (married a Howe), Mollie (married first Elijah Smith, he died in 1793 from the falling of a tree, his death was the first in Farmington, she married second Elihu Parker, he committed suicide by jumping in a well), John died February 18, 1821, William, Joseph, died August 18, 1862, aged eighty-eight, Zimroda, born 1770, died in February, 1838 (married Abiathar Power, born 1770, died 1848), Lucinda (married Jacob Smith) ; son of Gideon of Rhode Island, born at Swanzey, Mass., in 1703, died in Rhode Island in 1756, freeman at Smithfield, R. I., in 1739, (married Rebecca Corser) ; son of John Payne, born at Rehoboth, Mass., April 3, 1658, died at Providence R. I., September 28, 1718, was of Swanzey, Mass., in 1683, surveyor of highways 1686, had large property at Swanzey, Bristol, Provi- dence, etc. (married first, February 3, 1680, Elizabeth Belcher, married second, Martha) ; son of Stephen Payne, born in England about 1620, died at Rehoboth, 1679, (married Ann Chickering) ; son of Stephen Payne, who came with others from Great Elling- ham, Eng., in the ship Diligent, 1638, and settled at Hingham, Mass., moved to Reho- both 1643, had large estates, representative to General Court, died August, 1679. William H. Payne and Evaline Sarah Fort have five children, viz .: Mary Payne, born December 26, 1860; William Riley Payne, born September 24, 1862; married Septem- ber 17, 1885, to Estella Frances Vail; Eva Payne, born October 30, 1865, married Feb- ruary 8, 1893, to Abram Tillman Jones of Nashville, Tenn .; Emma Payne, born July 8, 1867 ; Clara Louise Payne, born October 30, 1876.
Folger, Charles Worth, Geneva, son of Judge Charles J. Folger, was born October 9, 1847. He graduated from Williams College in 1868, then engaged with E. C. Selover in the nursery business. He was purchasing agent in the Bureau of Engraving at Washington, D. C., two years. In 1875 he married Susie Depew, daughter of George W. Depew, and they had five children. Mr. Folger died January 11, 1885.
Black, Hugh R., Seneca, was born on the old homestead in Geneva, August 10, 1822. He was educated in the public schools and has always followed farming. He came to reside in Seneca in 1861, purchasing his present farm and now pleasant home abont that time. November 5, 1857, he married Mary Miller, of Flushing, L. I., and they have one son, William F., who was educated in the common schools and the Union School of Geneva. He is a farmer, and has full charge of the farm, relieving his father from all care. He married Flora, daughter of Marcus Ansley, of Geneva, and they have three children : Lewis D., Hugh R., and Mary J. Mr. Black's father, William M., was born in Maryland, and came to Western New York with his father when thirteen years old. He married Isabella Rippey, and had four children : Hugh R., George W., Mary and John (deceased). His father died in 1855, and his mother in 1867. His grand- father, John Rippey, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. His grandfather, Hugh Black, when he came north gave his slaves their freedom. Twenty-three of them re- fused it and came north with the family.
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
Hall, Gen. Amos, was born in Guilford, Conn., 1761 In his fifteenth year he was enrolled as fifer in a company of troops of the Connecticut line, commanded by his father Capt. Stephen Hall, for service in the War of the Revolution ; later he became a sear- geant of the company, and with his father served through the war. In the right of his father, who died in 1783, he received, July 4, 1786, a certificate of membership in The Order of the Cincinnati, signed by Washington as president, and Knox as secretary. He was with a corps of surveyors, probably in 1789, assisting in the survey of the Phelps and Gorham purchase in Western New York. In April, 1790, he received deeds of village lots in Canandaigua Nos. 3 and 19, north of the Square and west of Main street, and of over 3,000 acres in township ten, fifth range, where he settled soon after, locating about one mile east of the present village of West Bloomfield. In 1790, under appointment as deputy United States marshal, he took the census of the State west of Geneva, reporting a population of 1,084 persons. He was chosen supervisor of the town or district of Big-Tree or Geneseo in 1793-4-5, and supervisor of the town of Bloomfield when organized in 1796, and later for several terms. He was surrogate of Ontario county in 1796-8, member of assembly in the State Legislature in 1798 and for several other terms, State senator in 1810-13 for the Western District, and member of the Council of Appointment in 1809-10. His engraved likeness appears with others in the Documentary History of New York. He received the appointment as brigadier- general of militia in 1800, and major-general in 1810, and in the War of 1812 was in command for a short time of forces on the Niagara frontier, as also in December, 1813, of troops, hastily gathered, when from lack of arms and time for drill and discipline, unsuccessful resistance was made against the incursion of British troops under General Rial at the battle of Black Rock and burning of Buffalo. He was visited by dis- tinguished personages from home and abroad, because of his prominence in civil and military life. In local affairs of importance and in social life he was also prominent. In 1791 he married P'hebe Coe, of Granville, Mass., and brought her to his then far away western home. They became parents of eight sons and one daughter, all born in Bloomfield. One son of promise died in his twenty-first year. The other children came to middle or advanced life, and became in their generation of varied prominence in public, social, and domestic history with descendants following after. Enoch Augus- tine Hall, eldest son of General Amos, was born in 1792, and it is believed he was the first white male child born in the town. He was a merchant for about twenty years, and for a time in the milling and ashery business. He was known familiarly as Colonel Hall, from holding that position for years. IIe was also commissioned brig- adier and major-general, but did not serve actively. He was postmaster four years under Harrison and Tyler, and from 1844 to 1850 was secretary of the Ontario and Livingston Mutual Insurance Company. Before the division of the town in 1832 he was supervisor five years. Ile died June 16, 1850. His wife was Mariette Shelley, who came with her parents to Bloomfield in 1808 from Guilford, Conn. They had these children : Susan Ann (married Edwin A. Hendee) ; Stephen (died in infancy) ; James Henry (married Jane F. Clark) ; Myron Shelley; Cornelia Catharine (married Dr. P. IIarold Hayes) ; Emila Coe (married James E. Ball). His son, Myron Shelley Hall, was born here October 26, 1820. He became secretary of the insurance company after his
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father, from 1850 to 1864 ; United States loan commissioner in 1867-69; and clerk of Ontario county from 1877 to 1880. He carried on farming business by employees largely from 1846 to 1883. January 9, 1849, he married Harriet, daughter of Abner Wakelee, a pioneer of Rochester, and has had six children : James Augustine, who died in 1852, whose widow and three children reside in Buffalo; Myron E., who with liis wife and three children lives in California ; Harriet L, residing with her parents; Mari- etta A., now Mrs. Rev. E. P. Gardner of Chatham, N. J., who has five children ; Cath- arine E., who married Henry C. Dixon of this town, and has four children ; George W., who married Mabel Hendee, and is a dentist in Tonawanda, and has one child. Mr. Hall's brother James Henry was postmaster here four years, justice of the peace sev- eral years, and died in 1865. He left him surviving, his wife, Jane F. Clark, and sons Frederick C., formerly of Hornellsville, now of Yakima, Wash., and has one child, and Frank S., of Lewiston, N. Y. Mr. Hall's eldest sister, Susan A., married Edwin A. Hendee in 1839, he died at the island of St. Croix, West Indies, in 1842; she died in 1846; they had no children. Another sister, Cornelia Catharine, married in 1848 Dr. P. Harold Hayes, now residing in Buffalo; they have children : Dr. F. M. Hayes, Dr. Harold A. Hayes, and Susan H., who married John A. Hobbie, who have fam lies of children, and Catharine E., unmarried, all residing in Buffalo or vicinity. Another sister, Emila C., married James E. Ball, formerly of Le Roy, late of Blue Rapids, Kas., where she died in 1887, leaving one daughter, Marietta Shelley, who married Charles Ekins, now residing at Riverside, Cal., her father with her.
Brace, Romeyn W., the subject of this sketch, was born in Victor, at the old home- stead on Brace street, two miles south of the village, November 30, 1846. He was educated at the public schools, following the occupation of farming until he reached the age of twenty-eight. Then he removed to the village with his father, Thomas B., and engaged in the hardware and machinery business, in which he continued two years. Selling out the hardware trade, he has continued the carriage and implement business up to the present time, occupying a store on north side of Main street. December 11, 1867, he married Mary E., daughter of John L. and Eliza Alverson, of Victor. They have three children : Romeyn T., Mary E., and Leon W. Mrs. Brace's father, John Lewis Alverson, was born in 1814, and married Eliza Cornwell, formerly of Scipio, Cayuga county, and had eight children, three of them dying in infancy. Mr. Brace's father, Thomas B., was born in Victor, January 17, 1812, and died June 29, 1889; he was educated in the public schools, and was for many years a farmer. November 16, 1834, he married Margaret Octavia Jackson of his native town. She was born in Oneida county, February 2, 1814, and died March 8, 1882. They had two children : Minerva L., and Romeyn W. His grandfather, Major William Brace, was born in Stockbridge, Mass., in 1791, came to Victor with his parents when two years old, being two years after the first settlement in the town. He married Lucinda, daughter of Dr. Thomas Beach. Four children were born to them, two dying in infancy, two survived : William, and Thomas B. He served in the War of 1812, and was present at the burn- ing of Buffalo ; he was the son of Elisha Brace, who with his three brothers purchased several sections of land, comprising the northeast corner of the town, of the original
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owner, Enos Boughton, afterward exchanging it for a tract of land known as Brace street, to which they removed. Mr. and Mrs. Brace and children are members of the Universalist church here.
Crosier, Adam, Seneca, was born at Hall's Corners, September 2, 1823. IIe was educated in the schools of that day and was a conductor on the New York and Erie Rail- road until 1850. Since that time he has been a farmer. August 23, 1853, he married Gertrude Haug of Battle Creek, Mich., and they have two daughters : Gertrude, who married Lewis Watson, jr., who died August 19, 1891; she now resides with her parents ; and Clara B., who married Wallace C. Squire of this town. They have one daughter, Edith Christine. Mr. Crosier's father, George, was born in Northumberland, England, in 1784, and came to the United States in 1801 with his parents, locating near Hall's Corners. He married Abigail Crawford of Saratoga Springs, and they had eight children : Jefferson, Adam, Henderson, Thomas W., George W., Elizabeth Isa- bella, and Mary J. His father died January 10, 1873, and his mother June 18, 1870. Mrs. Crosier's father, George Haug, was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, in 1796, and married Katrina Bulier of his native place, and had these children : George, Rosina, John, Christina, Michiel, Caroline, Gertrude and William. The family and six children came to the United States in 1828. Her father died in 1832, and her mother resides her, aged ninety-six years.
Hall, Phillips A., Seneca, was born in Dutchess county, December 15, 1832. He was educated in the district schools of his day and worked at the carpenter's trade with his father until he was twenty-one years old. He then became a farmer. He has been twice married, first August 6, 1854, Susan L. Padget of the town of Phelps, and they had four children : Lavalden J., Emory W., Frank J., and Fred C. Mrs. Hall died November 17, 1871, and he married secondly Mary F. Lightfoot of this town, June 18, 1873. They have one son, William S., who was educated in the public schools and is one of Seneca's enterprising farmer boys, relieving his parents in many ways of various cares, proving a comfort to both. Mr. Hall's father, Samuel, was born in the city of New York, August 2, 1800, was a carpenter by occupation, and married Eliza- beth Gay, by whom he had twelve children. He died April 28, 1870, and his wife November 21, 1889. Mrs. Hall's father, William Lightfoot, was born in Yorkshire, England, October 25, 1805, and came to the United States when a young man. IIe married Frances Sowersby of his native place. This event took place at Perry, Wyom- ing county, and they had four daughters : Ann E., Mary F., Martha B., and Maria J. IIer father died in 1881, and her mother the same year. Mr. Phillips Hall enlisted in the War of the Rebellion, September 12, 1864, and served as private until honorably discharged July 1, 1865, near Washington.
Bill, Paul F., Seneca, was born near Hall's Corners, June 29, 1815. He was edu- cated in the district schools of his day, and has always followed farming. He has al- ways made memoranda of passing events on his own farm and vicinity with pleasure to himself and of much interest to others. February 27, 1845, he married Isabelle Tel- ford, and they had six children : Robert A., the attorney of Jamestown, North Dakota; Sarah J., Margaret T., Carlton F., general agent for D. M. Osborne & Company of
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Auburn, manufacturers of binders, mowers, etc., for the last eight years; George D. (deceased), and Charles L. The latter is not married and is the farmer at home ; Robert A. married Margaret D. Morrow, and they have one living daughter, Lucy M .; Saralı J. presides over her father's house ; Margaret T. married William Fisher of Cleveland, O., and had six children : Worden F. (deceased) ; Ada B., Dayton B., Bessie M., Nathan R., and Benjamin H. Carlton F. married Mary Turnbull, and had one daughter, Anna E .; her mother died in 1885; for his second wife he married in 1892 Emily Todd of Byron, Genesee county. Mrs. Bill died March 28, 1890. Mr. Bill's father, Richard D., was born in Groton, New London county, Conn., November 5, 1772. He first came to this town in 1795, by sloop from New London to Albany, thien up the Mohawk by flat boat, working his passage by poling through Wood Creek and Seneca River, to Geneva on business for Captain T. Allyn, agent of Phelps & Gorham. In 1796 he came in here on horseback and bought by contract, of the Wadsworth Brothers at Big Tree (now Geneseo), lot No. 41 on No. 9, first range, a part of which subject now owns, though he lives on lot 39. By his journal he kept, the distance was 334 miles in eight days. He also came in for Captain Allyn to collect partial pay - ments and interest, in 1801-5-8, on horseback. Subject's parents had five children born in Groton : Joseph A., Richard C. (died in Groton), Lucy A., Emeline E., Robert A., all now deceased. June 9, 1796, when subject's father arrived in Geneva, the frame for the Geneva Hotel was being put up, built by Charles Williamson for the Pultney estate, which is still standing. He married Tabitha, daughter of Robert Allyn, born April 21, 1772, at Allyn's Point, Groton, and came to this town in 1813. They were twenty- four days on the way. They had six children : Richard C., who died in Connecticut, and four who came with them, Joseph A., Lucy A., Emeline S., Robert A., and Paul F., born here. His father died November 7, 1853, and his mother April 3, 1837. His grandfather, Phineas Bill, was born at the old home in Connecticut. The first known of the family was one John Bill, who came from England. His son, Philip. received a grant of land from Queen Ann on the east side of the Thames River, near New London, Conn., with Robert Allyn and others. The subject is of the eighth generation on the side of both father and mother from the first immigrants from England.
Barron, William W., Seneca, was born on the old homestead in Seneca, November 30, 1827. He was educated in the district schools (in the same school house his father was educated in), was reared on a farm, and learned the carpenter's trade, working at carpentry and joining for eighteen years. He then resumed farming, which he follows to this date. February 13, 1859, he married Harriet Eddington, of this town, by whom he had one daughter, Margaret, who married Robert J. Plumb of Scottsville, Monroe county, and they have two sons, Howard and Clarence. Mrs. Barron died March 22, 1866, and he married second, May 3, 1870, Mary J. Taylor of Stanstead, Lower Canada. They had one daughter, Mabel B., who now presides over her father's household, her mother having died January 31, 1888, deeply mourned by husband, daughter and many friends. Mr. Barron's father, Thomas, was also born here, March 1, 1803, and Feb- ruary 4, 1827, married Margaret Watson, by whom he had three children: William W., John, who is in business in Geneva, and George, who died at the age of two years.
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His father, Thomas, died September 17, 1892, and his mother, March 26, 1863. The family is of English origin on both sides.
Black, James, Seneca, was born on the old homestead near Stanley, April 12, 1836. He was educated in the public schools, is a graduate of Alfred University, and has always followed farming. He is also an importer and breeder of Holstein cattle. Jan- uary 8, 1865, he married Carrie P. Means of this town. Mr. Black's father, Moses, was born in Lancaster county, Pa., in October, 1789, and came here with his father in 1804, locating in Geneva about two miles northeast of Bellona Village. He too was a farmer, and married Mary McMaster of Yates county. They had nine children : Three died in infancy ; Elizabeth, Mary A., Newton, Aaron, John and James. His grand- father, Aaron Black, came here from Maryland, where he was born, and purchased 1,000 acres of land. When his father came to this old home there were only six acres cleared. The beautiful maple grove was planted by Mr. Black thirty years ago. Mrs. Black's father, George Means, was born in Pennsylvania in 1815. He married Harriet Reed, and they had nine children, six survive: George N., Charles H., John, Jennie, Carrie P. and Augustus P. Her father died in 1870, and her mother in 1868. Mr. Black is a member of the Holstein Cattle Association. Mr. Black's father, Moses, George Rippey and Mrs. Rippey returned on horseback to the old homestead in Pennsylvania on a visit. When they came to the Susquehanna River it was much swollen, and Mrs. Rippey dashed into the stream while the others followed safely.
Rippey, Mary A., Seneca, the oldest living daughter of George and Margery Rippey, resided with her parents as long as they lived, and now is an honored resident of Stan- ley. Her mother's father, Ninian Chamberlain, was a native of Adams county, Penn., born October 1, 1751. July 5, 1784, he married Elizabeth Ewing of that State. He was employed as master of transportation in the Revolutionary war, through all the vicissitudes and hardships so nobly borne in the struggle for independence. His brother, James, was a colonel in the war. After the close of the war Ninian resumed farming. In 1807 he moved his family to Cayuga county, where he purchased 325 acres of land from Lucius Elmendorf and succeeded well, but a defective title nearly ruined his temporal prospects, still he was not discouraged. He bought a portion of it back with the aid of his seven sons and his wife, who under all circumstances was a true help- mate. To her assistance, in a great measure, he owed his success, having an abid- ing trust in God. In his dealings with his fellow.men his integrity was never questioned. He and his wife were honored and upright members of the Reformed church of Owasco village, then a mere hamlet. He died December 20, 1833, aged eighty-two years, and his wife March 15, 1855, aged eighty-seven years. All their children were at his funeral, and all but one (who died) were at their mother's funeral. They reared thirteen children in lives of usefulness, seven sons and six daughters.
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