USA > New York > Monroe County > Rochester > History of Rochester and Monroe county, New York, from the earliest historic times to the beginning of 1907, Vol. II > Part 27
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Mr. Askin was married in 1865 to Miss Caroline Hipolite, a native of Ontario county, New York, who came to Monroe county when twelve years of age. Her father was Willett Hipolite, a farmer of Ontario county.
HOMER B. ASKIN.
919
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
Mr. Askin is a republican, but without aspira- tion for office. He never fails to support pro- gressive public measures, however, and has been a co-operant factor in many plans for the ad- vancement of Monroe county's best interests. He is a member of the Grange and he and his wife are supporters of the Methodist church at Scotts- ville. Having lived in this community from in- fancy to the present time, his life history is fa- miliar to the residents of Chili township and this part of the county and the record has gained him many friends, for in its essential characteristics it is all that is commendable in business and in public life.
GENERAL THOMAS WARD.
Thomas Ward, a retired brigadier general of the United States army, now living in Rochester, was born in a locality where the very air is infused with the military spirit, his birth place being West Point, New York, and his natal day March 18, 1839. His boyhood was spent at the home of his parents, Bryan and Eliza Ward, and his prelim- inary education was supplemented by a full course in the United States Military Academy, from which he was graduated in 1863. On the 11th of June of that year he was commissioned second lieutenant of the First Regular Artillery and on the 18th of July, 1864, promotion to the rank of first lieutenant came to him. He served with that rank until the 1st of November, 1876, when he was commissioned captain and successively he was promoted to major and assistant adjutant general June 28, 1884; colonel, September 11, 1898; and brigadier general on the 22d of July, 1902. He saw active duty on the contested field during the Civil war and was brevetted first lieutenant June 3, 1864, for gallantry displayed at Cold Harbor, and on the 13th of March, 1865, was brevetted cap- tain for gallant and meritorious services during the war, and was recommended April 27, 1866, by General James H. Wilson (his commanding general in the field) for the brevet of major "for bravery of the highest degree, zeal and good man- agement during the entire service with me and particularly during the rapid and exhausting marches and fights incidental to operations against the South Side and Danville Railroads, known as 'Wilson's Raid'-June 21 to July 1, 1864." And from the official records we quote the following: "Captain Ward was recommended for an addi- tional brevet by his commanding general, for 'brav- ery, zeal and good management during the rapid and exhausting marches and fights incidental to operations against the South Side and Danville Railroads, Virginia' "; but on account of a blun-
der the paper was filed in the war department without further action at the time, and the error was only discovered by accident twenty-three years thereafter as the following correspondence will show :
A letter from the War Department, Adjutant General's Office, March 23, 1889, was written to General Wilson, inviting his attention to the fol- lowing endorsement :
"Wilmington, Delaware, April 27, 1866.
"Respectfully forwarded. I take pleasure in say- ing that the conduct of Captain Ward during his entire service with me and particularly during the rapid and exhausting marches and fights inci- dental to operations against the South Side and Danville Railroads was in the highest degree com- mendable for bravery, zeal and good management. To my personal knowledge, the abandonment of his guns was entirely unavoidable and due to the utter exhaustion of his horses rather than to anything else whatever.
"I take pleasure in recommending him for the brevet of Captain.
(Signed) J. H. WILSON.
Capt. Engrs. & Brevet Brigadier General, U. S. A."
"Stockford, Wilmington, Del., March 24, 1889.
"My Dear Major --
"It gives me very great pleasure to say in reply to your letter of yesterday, that I of course in- tended to recommend you for the brevet of Major instead of Captain, when you actually held that rank in the line, and now I hasten to enclose a letter to the Adjutant General correcting as far as possible the blunder into which I fell in my endorsement of April 27, 1866.
"Regretting more than I can find words to ex- press, that I should have made such a palpable mistake, and that it was not discovered and cor- rected sooner, I am,
"Cordially your friend,
(Signed) JAMES H. WILSON."
"Wilmington, Del., March 24, 1889.
"To the Adjutant General, War Department, Washington, D. C. "Sir-
"Referring to a certain statement made by Major (then captain) Thomas Ward in 1866 in regard to his military history, and also to my en- dorsement thereon, dated April 27, 1866, in which I recommended Captain Ward for the brevet of captain in the United States Army, when he held at the time that rank in the artillery, I beg to say that my intention was to recommend him for the brevet of major and to request that this statement,
920
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
in justice to Major Ward, who was a most gallant and meritorious officer, he filed with the original document now in the possession of your depart- ment.
"Deeply regretting that the obvious error has remained so long uncorrected and trusting that my request can be complied with, I have the honor to be,
"Very respectfully,
"Your obedient servant,
(Signed) "JAMES H. WILSON,
"Late Major General Volunteers and Brevet Major General, U. S. A."
"War Department, "Adjutant General's Office, "April 13, 1889.
"The foregoing request of General Wilson has been complied with. His statement is to be filed with the original letter and Major Ward furnished an official copy.
(Signed)
"R. C. DRUM, "Adjutant General."
As a member of the regular army General Ward was constantly on duty at one post or another, of which we make mention of the following specific instances : General Ward commanded battery in camp in Annunciation Square, New Orleans, Louisiana, May 10th to 20th, 1873, suppressing political riots, and in garrison at Jackson Bar- racks, New Orleans, to July 7, 1873. He com- manded Battery D, First Artillery, during the strikes and railroad riots of 1877, at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, from August 1 to 27, 1877, and at Reading, Pennsylvania, from August 28 to Octo- ber 24, 1877. He was promoted lieutenant colonel and assistant adjutant general August 31, 1893; colonel and assistant adjutant general, September 11,1897 ; adjutant general, headquarters of the army, August 25, 1900; brigadier general U. S. Army, July 22, 1902. He was appointed president of the board of visitors to the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, in June, 1907.
On the 20th of April, 1870, in Oswego, New York, General Ward was united in marriage to Katharine L. Mott. In 1873-4 he was professor of military science in Union College, at Schenec- tady, New York, and that institution conferred upon him the honorary degree of Master of Arts. He belongs to the Phi Beta Kappa and to the Sigma Phi, two college fraternities, while his as- sociation with military organizations extends to the Loyal Legion and the Grand Army of the Republic. In his club life he is connected with the Metropolitan at Washington, D. C., and with the Fortnightly of Oswego. After his retirement from active service, on his own request, after forty years' service in the army, in 1902, he lived for a time in Oswego, New York, but is now a resident of Rochester. His gradual promotion from one rank to that of the succeeding higher
grade throughout the period of his connection with the army was indicative of his possession of all those qualities which constitute the ideal sol- dier and officer.
ELI HAMMOND DANIELS.
The real lessons of life-those which are of practical utility to the majority of mankind- are not gleaned from the records of the great leaders, the statesmen, the politicians and the financiers, for the vast number of the world's work- ers cannot hope to attain positions of world wide or even national distinction. We turn then to the records of those men who in their day and genera- tion have successfully accomplished what they have undertaken and at the same time have followed methods which command the respect and admira- tion of those with whom they have met in the sphere of their activity and usefulness. Regarded in this way the life history of Eli Hammond Dan- iels constitutes an example well worthy of emu- lation, for through a considerable period he was one of Rochester's substantial business men, well known in the city for his honesty and integrity.
He was born in Pennsylvania, March 22, 1817, and was a son of Amasa and Olivia (Hammond) Daniels, who arrived in Monroe county, New York, at an early day, coming here from the Keystone state. They lived for a time in Sweden and afterward removed to Michigan during the youth of their son Eli, later settling in Florence, that state.
In 1856 Eli H. Daniels was united in mar- riage to Miss Celia S. Roberts, also of Sweden, Monroe county, and a daughter of Chester and Hannah (Capen) Roberts, who were early settlers there. He at once went to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he was engaged in business until 1861, when he returned to Monroe county, New York, estab- lishing his home in Irondequoit, where he owned two different tracts of land and carried on farm- ing for a number of years, carefully tilling the soil and gathering good crops. In 1869 he re- moved to Rochester and soon afterward established a livery business, which he carried on in a pros- perous manner for a number of years, and through the careful conduct of his affairs managed to add annually to his competence until at his death he left a very comfortable property to his family. He purchased land and built where his daughter Mrs. Arnold now lives. Unto him and his wife were born two children, but the elder, Carrie, died at the age of eighteen years. The surviving daughter is Mrs. Oscar M. Arnold, who still re- sides on the old homestead.
ELI HAMMOND DANIELS.
.923
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
Mr. Daniels attended the Brick (Presbyterian) church, of which his wife was a member, and to its support he contributed liberally, also giving generously to many worthy objects of a charitable or benevolent nature. His political allegiance was given to the republican party, but he never cared for office, manifesting only a citizen's interest in the political situation of the country. Matters relating to municipal progress and development, however, claimed his attention and co-operation and Rochester profited by his efforts in her behalf. While he never scought to figure prominently in a public light his influence was always on the side of right, progress and improvement, and at all times and under all conditions he was known for his loyalty to truth and for his considera- tion for the rights and privileges of others.
WALTER I. SCOTT.
Walter I. Scott, one of the youngest members of the Rochester bar, who has. however, attained dis- tinction that many an older practitioner might well envy, was born at Southampton, New Hamp- shire, September 29, 1878. He is a son of the Rev. Ernest L. and Belle F. (Robbins) Scott, na- tives of Massachusetts and of Maine respectively. The father was a Baptist minister, well known throughout New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York and Pennsyl- vania. He served as clerk of the Baptist state con- vention of Vermont, where he made an excellent record for the accuracy of his work. He was also on the executive committee of the board of mana- gers of the Vermont board of ministerial union and he held other offices in connection with church work in different states in which he filled pastor- ates, becoming recognized as one of the strong and able divines of his denomination. The maternal grandfather of our subject, Rev. Eleazor Robbins, was also a Baptist minister and on both sides the family are descended from Puritan ancestry, re- lated to Governor Andrew, the war governor of Massachusetts, and to Franklin Pierce, at one time president of the United States. One of the ancestors of our subject in the Robbins line fought at the battle of Bunker Hill and in other engage- ments of the Revolutionary war. Walter I. Scott is a representative of the family in the fifth gener- ation on this side the water.
Owing to his father's removals in the line of his ministerial duties, Walter I. Scott pursued his education in different towns and completed a high- school course at Fairport, New York, where he was graduated in the class of 1897. He afterward went to Haverhill, Massachusetts, where he learned the trade of pattern making in connection
with the manufacture of boots and shoes. He there spent nearly two years, after which he re- turned to Rochester and studied law. He was ad- mitted to the bar in November, 1902, and has since been engaged in the active practice of his profes- sion. Here he has displayed keen analytical. power, combined with strength in argument, and the ex- cellent work which he does in the preparation of his cases as well as in the courtroom has already gained him recognition as an able member of the Rochester bar. He has practiced to a considerable extent both in civil and criminal law and has the record of beginning and completing two murder cases in one month. Although only five years have elapsed since his admission to the bar he has been retained on several murder cases and is mak- ing an excellent record as a young lawyer of marked oratorical power. .
On the 27th of July, 1904, Mr. Scott was united in marriage to Miss Dora E. Covey, of Penfield, New York, and they have one child, Helen Eu- genia. Mr. and Mrs. Scott hold membership in the Penfield Baptist church, take an active inter- est in its work and Mr. Scott is serving as one of the teachers in the Sunday school. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, to the Woodmen camp and to the Independent Order of Foresters and is well known as a young man of genuine personal worth, of high ideals in his profession and of high principles in his daily life.
EDWIN C. SYKES.
Edwin C. Sykes was born in the third ward of Rochester in 1860 and as the years have gone by has become well known in business circles as an electrical contractor and locksmith. His parents were James and Ann Amelia (Cuttress) Sykes, both of whom were natives of England. The father, who was born in 1820, died in 1892 as the result of an accident. While walking down the street he was struck by the tongue of an ice wagon and passed away four hours later. By trade he was a machinist and made his home on Exchange street. His wife, also a native of England, came to America when about fourteen years of age. They were the parents of seven children : William, who died in infancy ; Mary Elizabeth, the wife of William Stevenson, living in Leroy, New York; Caroline R., who resides on Central avenue in Rochester; George, who died in infancy; Charles S., deceased; Edwin C .; and Alvira, who has also passed away.
Edwin C. Sykes in his boyhood days was a pupil in schools No. 14 and No. 3 in Rochester. He entered business life in 1884 in partnership with Thomas W. Atkinson, who was then super-
924
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
visor for the third ward of the city. In 1897 he sold out to his partner and afterward entered into business relations with F. H. Loeffler, with whom he continued for eight years or until 1905, when he again sold out. In 1906 his former partner, Mr. Atkinson, died and Mr. Sykes then bought back his old business from the widow, Mrs. Atkin- son. This is one of the oldest establishments of the kind in the city. At first it was simply a locksmithing store but afterward a large stock of electrical works and supplies and gas lighting materials of all kinds was added and today Mr. Sykes is doing an extensive business as a lock- smith and electrical contractor.
Mr. Sykes was married to Miss Sarah Marshall, who was born in England in 1872, a daughter of Charles and Fannie Marshall. Her mother is now deceased, while her father is employed at the Rey- nolds Arcade, where he has remained for about ten years. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Sykes are Marshall E., Phyllis, William S. and Victor C. The parents are members of the Presbyterian church and Mr. Sykes belongs to the Masonic fra- ternity and to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His political support is given the repub- lican party and he has been treasurer of the Third Ward Loan Association for a number of years. His strong and salient characteristics are such as render him a trustworthy and valued citizen, and in business circles he has made a creditable and enviable reputation.
ROBERT H. PORTER.
Robert H. Porter was born November 1, 1850, on the farm in Greece township which has always been his home and is yet his place of residence. His father, John Porter, was a native of County Kerry, Ireland, born about 1812, and after spend- ing the first seventeen years of his life on the Emerald Isle he came alone to the new world. He then worked in New York city for a number of vears and in 1836 took up his abode in Rochester, where at one time he was connected with its busi- ness interests as proprietor of a grocery store. He then came to Greece township and spent his re- maining days upon this farm, his death occurring in the year 1873. He was a molder by trade and followed that pursuit in New York city. While a resident of the metropolis he was married to Miranda Ayers, a native of Paterson, New Jersey, who died on the old homestead in 1882 at the age of seventy-nine years. In their family were five children, of whom Mary and John are both de- ceased. Miranda became the wife of Wallace Ryall and they spend most of their time in Florida and Alabama, Mr. Ryall being president of the Advance Publishing Company. The other mem-
ber of the family, in addition to Robert H., was James Porter, now deceased.
Robert H. Porter was reared to agricultural pursuits and has always been interested in general farming. He today owns and cultivates an excel- lent tract of land of seventy-five acres, the fields being very rich and productive. In all of his methods he is practical and systematic, as he keeps in touch with the ideas of progressive agriculture. Upon his place are good buildings, most of which were erected by Mr. Porter. In politics he has been a life long democrat but has never been active in search for public office, as he has preferred to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs, whereby he has become one of the substantial agriculturists of Monroe county.
MARCENA SHERMAN RICKER, M. D.
Dr. Marcena Sherman Ricker, who for nineteen years has engaged in the practice of medicine in Rochester, was born in Castile, Wyoming county, New York, and is a daughter of Benjamin H. and Eliza A. (Llewellyn) Sherman, in whose families were two sons and four daughters. The father, who was a native of Rhode Island, and a distant relative of John and Tecumseh Sherman, died in 1887, at the age of sixty-nine years. The mother was born in Bristol, Orleans county, New York.
Dr. Rieker was educated in the schools of her native city, in the seminary there, also at Gaines- ville, New York, and in the Albany Normal Col- lege. She afterward engaged in teaching school for three years but determining to devote her life to the practice of medicine she spent some time in the City Hospital at Rochester and in Cleve- land Homeopathic College, from which she was graduated in the spring of 1888. Immediately afterward she came to Rochester, where she has now lived for nineteen years, residing in the same ward throughout this period. She opened an of- fice for practice and was not long in obtaining a liberal patronage. She has taken post-graduate work in New York and in her practice has made a study of the diseases of women and children. She has also been a contributor to medical jour- nals and is recognized as a learned and able mem- ber of the profession. She is on the staff of the Homeopathic Hospital of Rochester and is a mem- ber of the Monroe County Medical Association, the Western New York Medical Society and the American Medical Association.
Marcena Sherman gave her hand in marriage to Wentworth G. Ricker, of Maine, who is presi- dent of the Ricker Manufacturing Company, manufacturers of overhead trackings and refrig-
DR. MARCENA S. RICKER.
927
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
erators, located at No. 19 Montrose street. Both are members of the Lake Avenue Baptist church, and Dr. Ricker is a teacher in the Sunday school. After ten years of earnest effort, she was rewarded by the establishment of the Baptist Home of Mon- roe county and is now president of its board of managers. She is also visiting physician at the Door of Hope in Rochester and is prominent both professionally and socially. She has won the favorable recognition of the profession in the city as well as of the general public and her labors have been attended by a gratifying measure of success.
JAMES CHAMBERS CORBETT.
James Chambers Corbett, a pattern-maker, who has a wide acquaintance in industrial circles in Rochester, was born in Dauphin county, Pennsyl- vania, on the 22d of March, 1857, and his parents were James C. and Mary Matilda (Bell) Corbett, of whose family of six children only two are living. the brother of our subject being William Bell Corbett. The father, also a native of Danphin county, Pennsylvania, was born in 1816 and was of Irish ancestry, his father having emigrated from the north of Ireland to the new world. James C. Corbett, Sr., was reared in the county of his nativity, where he spent his entire life. In early years he followed the canal but later en- gaged in the lumber business in the town of Sus- quehanna, being connected with that trade up to the time of his demise, which occurred in 1867. His political endorsement was given to the whig party until its dissolution, when he joined the ranks of the new republican party and although never an aspirant for office he was a factor in local political circles in his county, wielding a wide influence. He served for several years as justice of the peace and held some minor town- ship offices.
James C. Corbett of this review was but eleven years of age at the time of his father's death. However, he remained at home under his mother's care and guidance until his eighteenth vear, ac- quiring his education in the public schools of Har- risburg, Pennsylvania. In 1873 he entered upon an apprenticeship as a pattern-maker in the works of the Harrisburg Car Company but left there prior to completing his term. During the sum- mer of 1875 he was associated with his unele, William A. Bell, who was a contractor, on the erection of the Centennial buildings at Philadel- phia. In the following winter Mr. Corbett entered the shops of the Allison Car & Flue Works at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he completed his apprenticeship at pattern-making. Imme- diately afterward, in 1872. he returned to Harris-
burg, where he was employed in the Harrisburg car shops in the line of his trade for five years, and in 1883 he went to Renovo, Pennsylvania, where he was employed as a pattern-maker by the Pennsylvania Railroad. There he continued for six years and in 1889 he came to Rochester, New York, to accept a position with the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad Company in the capacity of pattern-maker, occupying that position until 1899, when he engaged in business for him- self, with shops at No. 227 Mills street. He has since made three removals, to No. 193 Mill street, to Browns Race and to his present location at No. 14 Commercial street. He has been very suc- cessful since establishing business on his own account and now constantly employs six men. As a pattern-maker he has the patronage of many prominent firins and his business is gradually de- veloping along substantial and profitable lines. He is thoroughly conversant with the trade through previous practical experience and his efforts are bringing to him gratifying success.
In December, 1879, Mr. Corbett was married to Miss Alice I. Fackler, of Harrisburg, where he was then living. They have five children. of whom four are living : Robert L., a machinist of Cleve- land, Ohio: Abigail F., at home; Charles A., who is employed at the Traders Bank of Rochester ; and Harvey J. C. Their third child, James C., is deceased. Mr. Corbett is a republican in politics but has no political aspirations, preferring to con- centrate his energies upon his business interests, in which he is making gratifying advancement.
HOLMES B. STEVENS.
Holmes B. Stevens, an attorney at law, was born in the city of Rochester, November 29, 1856, a son of Sydney A. Stevens. He was admitted to the bar on the 6th of January, 1881, and, opening an office in Rochester, has remained in the active practice of law here for twenty-six years.
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