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 6
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Mr. Osgood was married to Miss Eliva J. Win- ship, of Parma, New York, who was born at that place and was a daughter of George W. and Mi- nerva J. (Whitcomb) Winship, the latter a sis- ter of H. E. Whitcomb. Mrs. Osgood came to Rochester with her parents when only seven years of age. her father being one of the early
RUFUS F. OSGOOD.
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HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
farmers of Monroe county. She has two sisters residing in this city: Mrs. J. J. Servis, who is living on Durgin street; and Mrs. Edwin Terrill, residing on Blossom road. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Osgood have been born three children. Jean W. is the wife of Horace J. Mann, of Brockport, New York, and they have two children. Anna B., who was graduated at Brockport, spent two years as a student in Cornell University and is now living at home. Charles R., who was a student in the Rochester high scoool and the Rochester Univers- ity, is now teaching in the Commercial College in New York city. He married Gertrude Hickson, of Rochester, and they have one son, their home be- ing in Brooklyn.
In his political views Mr. Osgood was a repub- lican, but he never sought to figure prominently in public life. He was a man of strong domes- tic tastes and tendencies and was a great student, posessing a remarkably retentive memory. He found keen pleasure in study and research and was recognized as a man of scholarly attainments. After a useful and well spent life he died March 4, 1897. Mrs. Osgood now resides at No. 33 Meigs street in a beautiful home, and she and the family are members of the Park Avenue Baptist church in Rochester, while in society they are much esteemed.
ADOLPH RYDQUIST.
The gradual development of Rochester from a small town into one of the great manufacturing centers of the country has been brought about through many agencies and represents the com- bined labors and efforts of various men of dili- gence, industry and keen foresight. Adolph Ryd- quist, as a manufacturer of metal specialties and mechanical novelties, is well known as a repre- sentative of industrial life, and in addition to a large domestic trade extending throughout the country he has an extensive export business. Born in Munkedal, Sweden, on the 26th of September, 1873. Mr. Rydquist is a son of Jonas and Sophia (Strum) Rydquist, who were also natives of Swc- den. His paternal grandfather, Johannes Ander- son, was a cooper by trade and died when about ninety years of age. In his family were three daughters and two sons who lived to mature years, including Jonas Rydquist, who was like- wise born in Sweden. He became a carpenter and blacksmith, following those trades in early man- hood, while later he was a farmer and contractor. He is now connected with a paper mill in Sweden. He married Sophia Strum and unto them were born three sons and two daughters: Carl; Aman- da, the wife of August Zachariason ; Adolph ; Gus-
tave; and Hilda. The parents are members of the Lutheran church.
Adolph Rydquist was reared in Sweden and acquired his education there. He also mastered the cabinet-making, pattern-making and machin- ist's trades in his native country, working with his father for some time. He first gained a familiarity with these lines, however, in a train- ing school which he entered when eleven years of age. The advantages of the new world attracted him, and in 1893 he came to America, settling first in Chicago. He afterward went to Wisconsin and later to Minnesota, subsequent to which time he again worked in Chicago, while he was after- ward in Cleveland, in New York city and in Buf- falo. On the 5th of January, 1902, he came to Rochester and for a brief period was in the em- ploy of the Case Manufacturing Company. He was next with the Sieger Geer Company with whom he continued until their retirement from business. On the 15th of January, 1904, he em- barked in business on his own account and is now conducting a well equipped factory at 177-189 West Main street. Here he manufactures metal specialties and mechanical novelties, also a special line of vending machines and display cases. He employs from fifteen to twenty people and the out- put is shipped throughout this country and to various foreign ports, including China, Germany, the Hawaiian Islands and South Wales. From the beginning the new venture has proved profita- ble and the years have witnessed a constantly growing trade.
Mr. Rydquist was married on the 8th of June, 1904, to Miss Gerta Gustavson, a daughter of Gustave Swenson. They now have one child, Elna Geraldine. Mr. and Mrs. Rydquist are Luther- ans in religious faith and Mr. Rydquist is a mem- ber of the Elks society. He has had no reason to regret lis determination to come to America, but on the contrary has found good business oppor- tunities here and has fully sustained his country's requtation, as voiced by an eminent lecturer, that "Sweden is the home of the honest man."
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JOHN A. BERNHARD.
The life record of John A. Bernhard stands in contradistinction to the old adage that a prophet is never without honor save in his own country, for the subject of this review is a native son of the city in which he resides and where his labors have been so directed as to win him recognition as one of the strong attorneys at law. His natal dav was August 5, 1859, and his parents were Adam and Phillipine (Young) Bernhard, both of whom were natives of Germany. Crossing the
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HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
Atlantic to the new world in 1848, they settled at Rochester and for almost sixty years Adam Bernhard has been a prominent and respected business man of the city. He is still engaged in merchandizing, although he is now past the age of eighty years, and his record should put to shame many a man of less resolute and determined spirit who, grown weary of the struggles and trials of business life, would relegate to others the burdens that he should bear.
John A. Bernhard was educated in Rochester Free Academy, from which he was graduated in 1879. He then began the study of law and was admitted to the bar in 1882, after which he at once entered upon the practice of his profession, in which he has since continued. For the first six months he was with a partner and since that time he has been alone, devoting his time and energies to all departments of general law practice. He realizes fully that the greater part of the work of the lawyer is done in his office and not in the courtroom, and he prepares his cases with great thoroughness and care, so that he is always ready to present his cause in clear and logical manner, giving to each point in the case its relative valne and never losing sight of the important point upon which the decision of every case finally turns. He is a member of the Rochester Bar Association and thus keeps in close touch with the members of the fraternity in his native city.
On the 14th of May, 1884, Mr. Bernhard was married to Miss Minnie E. Hertel, of Rochester, and unto them were born two children, Robert and Frank E., both in school. Mr. Bernhard is a member of the Knights of Pythias fraternity and has taken high rank in Masonry belonging to Germania lodge, A. F. & A. M., of which he is senior warden, while in Rochester Consistory he has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scot- tish rite. He is also a member of the Mystic Shrine, of the Independent Order of Foresters and the Knights of the Maccabees. He likewise be- longs to the Exempt Firemen's Association and was one of the organizers of the Pi Phi fraternity, which was founded in 1878. He has a very wide acquaintance in the city of his nativity and the circle of his friends is almost co-extensive with the circle of his acquaintances.
B. J. FRYATT.
Though born across the border in Canada, the enterprising and progressive spirit of B. J .Fryatt have made him a typical American in every sense of the word. By constant exertion associated with good judgment he has raised himself to a prominent position in business circles, having the
friendship of many and the respect of all who know him. Mr. Fryatt is the proprietor of a general store in Despatch, and his varied interests make him widely and favorably known not only in his home city but also in the surrounding dis- tricts as well.
Mr. Fryatt was born in Toronto, Canada, March 3, 18:1, a son of George Fryatt, who emigrated from England at an early day and located on a farm in Canada. When but a year old the son was taken by his parents to Michigan, in which state he was reared and educated. He began his business career as a clerk in a general store at Forester, Michigan, where he remained for two years, during which time he gained practical methods of business life. On the expiration of that period he went to Detroit, Michigan, where for four years he was employed as a clerk in a dry-goods establishment, and then went upon the road selling goods for a firm in the latter city, being employed in this capacity for two years. During this time he had through his economy saved a sum of money sufficient to justify his em- barkation in business on his own account and to this end, in 1897, he came to Despatch, where he built the first store building in the town, this be- ing used at the present time for a printing office. In this structure he oponed a general store and his business grew to such mammoth proportions during the first two years of its existence that in 1899 he was obliged to seek more commodious quarters, at this time removing to the new build- ing which had been erected by Mr. Eyer. He is here conducting a general store, carrying a full line of groceries, dry goods, ladies' and men's fur- nishing goods, furniture, carpets, paints, oils, drugs, etc., having built up a large and Incrative patronage in these various commodities, and in ad- dition to this enterprise he also conducts an under- taking establishment, this being in charge of a licensed embalmer. Mr. Fryatt keeps on hand a funeral car, hacks, etc., necessary for the conduct of such an enterprise and in this connection is widely known throughout this section of Monroe county. He occupies a floor space sixty by seventy fect, with basement, and has in his employ ten people. His efforts have been crowned with suc- cess-a success which is richly deserved, for it has come to him through his own energy and well di- rected labors, for he started ont in the humble capacity of a clerk and as the years have gone by has steadily worked his way upward until he is now in control of one of the most important com- mercial enterprises in his section of the country.
Mr. Fryatt was married in Penfield, in 1901, to Miss Retta Gale, who was born in that village, a daughter of Rufus Gale. In 1905 Mr. Fryatt erected a modern ten-room house on Main street, and here he and his wife are comfortably and pleasantly situated, surrounded with all the com-
B. J. FRYATT.
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HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
forts and conveniences of life and a host of warm friends. Mr. Fryatt gives his political support to the democratic party and in 1903 he was unani- mously elected fire commissioner for a term of three years, but with this exception he has always refused office. His fraternal relations are with the Masons and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In no sense a man in public life, he has, nevertheless, exerted a wide influence in the city of his residence, and in business circles as a finan- cier and promoter of an extensive commercial en- terprise he is widely and favorably known.
ROCHESTER BUSINESS INSTITUTE.
The commercial school now known as the Roch- ester Business Institute was organized in Septem- her, 1863, by Bryant, Stratton & Chapman, with J. V. R. Chapman of Rochester as principal, under the name of the Bryant, Stratton & Chapman Business College. In 1866 L. L. Williams asso- ciated himself with Bryant & Stratton and as- sumed the principalship and management of the school. The institution was then styled the Bry- ant, Stratton & Williams Business College. In 1867 Mr. Stratton died, necessitating a change in the management of all of the Bryant & Stratton schools, numbering at that time nearly fifty. L. L. Williams purchased the interest of his partners in the Rochester school, and conducted it alone until July, 1875, when he associated himself with Mr. F. E. Rogers, a commercial teacher of experi- ence. The school continued under the management of Williams & Rogers until May 12, 1899, when it was incorporated under the name of the Williams & Rogers Rochester Business Institute, with L. L. Williams president of the corporation; F. E. Rogers, vice president; S. C. Williams, secretary ; and A. S. Osborn, treasurer.
In 1879 Williams & Rogers conceived the idea of preparing a series of text-books for the use of the Rochester school. Their first book was on the subject of bookkeeping, and it was so unlike any of its predecessors in form and treatment of the subject, and contained so many attractive fea- tures that there was an immediate demand for it from other commercial schools throughout the country. Indeed, the demand became so great and so insistent that Williams & Rogers found them- selves with a publishing business on their hands with which they were entirely unprepared to cope. A few months of experience, however, enabled them to develop facilities for taking care of the business, which ultimately developed until they had a large business in Rochester, a branch house in Chicago and another in New York, and deposi-
tions in twelve other large cities. This publishing business continued to grow in magnitude and im- portance until in 1900 it was sold to the American Book Company, of whose business it is now one of the leading features.
Since the sale of the publishing business, Messrs. Williams & Rogers have given the Rochester Business Institute considerable attention in an ad- visory way, but the general management of the in- stitution now rests in the hands of Mr. S. C. Wil- liams
The school has grown from an attendance of about forty students the first year Mr. L. L. Wil- liams was in charge to an annual attendance of from seven hundred to eight hundred pupils. The Rochester Business Institute has educated quite a large proportion of the commercial teachers of the country. The call upon the school for such teachers is due not only to the superiority of its course of study but to the fact that an older and better prepared class of students are attracted to it than are to be found in most schools of its char- acter.
The school occupies the fifth and sixth floors of the Young Men's Christian Association building, where it has accommodations for five hundred stu- dents at a time. The portion of the building de- voted to the school was built with special reference to the requirements of the institution. The school is on the high tide of prosperity. Its patronage is not only increasing from year to year but the calls upon it for commercial teachers, bookkeepers, stenographers, and young people to serve in other lucrative and responsible capacities in the business world greatly exceed the entire enrollment of the school.
MARION R. WILDER.
Marion R. Wilder, of Charlotte, was born in Greece township, Monroe county, New York, May. 27, 1852. He is the son of Ira and Mary (Goodell) Wilder, both natives of Vermont, who came to Greece township when they were very young, their parents being pioneers there. It was there that they were married and spent the most of their lives in farming interests. Mr. Wilder passed away at Charlotte at the age of seventy-two, while his wife died at the age of seventy-five in the same place. They were the parents of three sons and three daughters.
Mr. Wilder spent his early years on his father's farm, acquiring his preliminary education in the district schools, an education which he supple- mented later by a high-school course when his parents removed to the village of Charlotte. It was at this time that the mining interests in Cal-
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HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
ifornia were attracting both the young and old, and Mr. Wilder, in company wih his brother, fol- lowed this tide of emigration. For two years he worked in the mining districts in that state, but has since been connected with the railroad busi- Dess. Ile was a conductor on the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad for eighteen years. For the next seven years he served in a like capacity on the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad and then took a position as conductor on the New York Central Road. For the past six years he has been stationed at the Yates Coal Company's yards. In connection with his railroading interests he buys and sells real estate, and for four years was interested in the ice business at Charlotte.
Mr. Wilder was married in 1874 to Julia Denise, a native of this township and a daughter of Daniel S. Denise. There were two sons born to this union ; George and Charles. Mr. Wilder was married a second time, his second wife being Sarah M. Up- ton, a native of Spencerport and a daughter of James Upton. His sons were both educated in the Charlotte high school. The elder, Charles D. Wilder, married Gertrude Dennis, of Charlotte, and they have two children, Marion R. and Vir- ginia. He is assistant postmaster in Charlotte. The second son, George W., married and is in the west.
It has been said that railroad men have little time and few interests outside of their duties on the road, but Mr. Wilder is an exception. He has always b.en interested in the progress of his home town and in every movement which has added to its beauty or growth. He has built a beautiful home on his three acres of land on the boulevard and takes great pride in keeping the place most attractive. His many friends always find here a hearty welcome.
BURTON G. BENNETT.
Burton G. Bennett, general insurance agent at Rochester, was born in Moreland, New York, De- cember 8, 1864, a son of John M. and Clymena M. (Shutts) Bennett. The father was a farmer by occupation, owning and controlling two hundred acres of land. The son pursued his education in the common schools and in the Dundee Prepara- tory School. When eleven years old he traveled with the family to Prescott, Arizona, the journey westward from Junction City, Kansas, being made with ox teams and consuming five months. As they proceeded on their way over the trackless plains and through the forest districts until they reached their destination, Mr. Bennett of this re- view became familiar with the experience of life in the far west, where he remained until 1879, when
he returned to the east and in 1883 came to Roch- ester. Here he attended the Rochester Business Institute and then entered the office of the North- western Mutual Life Insurance Company in a clerical capacity. He rapidly worked his way up- ward, winning promotion in recognition of his ca- nability and fidelity, and when the general agent died in 1898 Mr. Bennett was named as his suc- cessor. The office has been one of the most suc- cessful in the United States since that time. Mr. Bennett is very energetic, is a good organizer and with a keen perception sees the entire territory, recognizing its possibilities and making practical plans for the continuance of the work therein.
In 1888 occurred the marriage of Mr. Bennett and Miss Kathro B. Udell of Rochester.
WILLIAM T. FONDA.
William T. Fonda, treasurer of the Mandeville & King Company, seedsmen, is one who through- out his entire business life has recognized the fact that the present and not the future hold the op- portunity and thus he has advanced until he is a force in commercial circles, especially active in the financial management of various enterprises. His life record began in Rochester in 1849. His father, Jacob Fonda, was a native of Schenectady, New York, and on removing to this city engaged in the fur, hat and cap business in the old "hat- ters' row" on State street. He married Maria Tufts.
Their son, William T. Fonda, was reared in Rochester and after attending the public schools became a student in Satterlee's Academy. He en- tered business life in connection with his father in the hat and cap trade and later was with S. B. Peby & Company, dealers in saddlery and hard- ware, with whom he remained for two years. He then went to Fairport, where he was with the Bank of Fairport for a short time, after which he re- turned to this city and was with the Commercial National Bank for thirteen years. Subsequently he engaged in the manufacture of shoes for twelve years under the firm style of Fonda, Kellogg & Snow, and in 1902 he became -treasurer of the Mandeville & King Company and of the James Viek's Sons, both seedsmen. He is also vice presi- dent of the Vick & Hill Company, wholesale flor- ists of Barnards. New York. Each change in his business connections has represented a forward step, bringing him a broader outlook and wider opportunities. He has utilized his advantages in excellent mannner and has become recognized in business circles as one whose judgment is sound. whose sagacity is far-reaching and whose energy is almost limitless.
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HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
Mr. Fonda was married to Miss Hattie G. Met- calf, of Canadaigua, and has two children. Well known in Masonry, he is a life member of the Monroe commandery, K. T. His political allegi- ance is given to the republican party and lie mani- fests a public-spirited interest in citizenship and in the welfare and progress of Rochester. He has a keen sense of humor and of fair play-qualities which make him a favorite and have made his justice and fairness in the business world one of his salient characteristics.
DELOS P. TENNY.
Delos P. Tenny is a representative of one of the oldest families of Monroe county, having here been represented for almost a century. He was born in the town of Parma, April 3, 1843. Thirty-two years before, in 1812, his paternal grandfather. Asa Tenny, had settled in the town of Parma and and had taken up eighty acres from the govern- ment entering his claim at the land office. Almost this entire section of the state was an unbroken wilderness covered with a dense forest growth and amid the green woods roamed the wild animals, while it was not an unusual thing for Indians to make excursions into the leafy wilderness in search of game. There were no roads and the white settlers followed paths marked by blazed trees or cut their passage through the wilderness as they were obliged to do. Asa Tenny was not only an honored pioneer settler of the county who aided in extending the frontier, but was also a pioneer in the development of the fruit-raising in- dustry, which is now the greatest source of profit to Monroe county. Believing that fruit might profitably be raised in this locality, he set ont trees and time demonstrated his wisdolu. Asa Tenny had previously been a resident of Madison county, New York, and he belonged to that class of heroic men who braved dangers and difficulties in order to carry the seeds of civilization into new and undeveloped regions.
His son, Peter Buckley Tenny, was born in Mad- ison county, New York, in 1804. and was there- fore but eight years of age when brought by his parents to Monroe county. Here his remaining days were passed and he reached the venerable age of seventy-nine years, passing awav in 1883. His wife, whose maiden name was Lucinda S. Smith, was born in 1806, and died in 1890. Their family numbered twelve children.
Delos P. Tenny, of this family, was born April 3, 1843, in the town of Parma and for over forty years has resided in one house. His farm com- prises twentv-seven acres, all of which is devoted to the raising of fruit. He cultivates apples,
grapes, peaches, pears and plums and most of his trees and vines were planted by himself. He raises only the finest varieties of fruits and has competed for prizes in various fruit shows, in which he has been a successful competitor. At the Paris Exposition in 1900 he succeeded in winning the bronze medal on apples against the whole world and the silver medal at St. Louis in 1904 on the best collection of apples.
On the 15th of November, 1866, Mr. Tenny was married to Miss Fannie E. Lee, whose birth oc- curred May 22, 1845. Unto them were born two sons, Charles B. and Loyd S. The former was born September 10, 1871, attended the Brockport Normal School and was graduated from the Roch- ester University. He afterward pursued a course in the Theological Seminary in Rochester and for more than five years has been a missionary in Japan. On the 16th of June, 1905, he wedded Miss Grace Webb, of Rochester, who is now with him in the Orient. Loyd S., born December 24, 1876, pursued similar preparatory courses in the acquirement of his education and was graduated from Rochester University. For the past three years he has been employed in the government department of agriculture at Washington, D. C., his duty being to look after the transportation of oranges from California and Florida. He mar- ried Miss Abbie Warn, of Washington.
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