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 7
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A few years ago Delos P. Tenny erected a beautiful residence with all modern equipments and improvements. Water is piped throughout the house, which is heated by furnace and lighted by gas, which he manufactures on the place. The dwelling is surrounded by a spacious and well kept lawn and the beauty of the place in summer is en- hanced by the wide spreading willows and tower- ing elms, making this an ideal home. In an ac- tive life Mr. Tenny has ever fully sustained the enviable reputation borne by the family and he deserves much credit in winning for western New York the splendid reputation which it bears as one of the famous orchards of the world.
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EDNOR A. MARSH.
Ednor A. Marsh, a well known attorney practic- ing at the bar of Rochester, was born in West Sparta, New York, September 12, 1864, his par- ents being Albert L. and Helen (Ogden) Marsh, both of whom were natives of West Sparta. The grandfather, Charles Drake Marsh, settled in West Sparta in 1814. He was born in Mayfield, New York, February 27, 1798, and was a son of Abel Marsh, who came from Vermont to Mayfield in the '20s. He was killed in 1830 by a yoke of oxen running away. Among his ancestors was Joseph
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HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
Marsh, who served as an ensign in the Revolution- ary war. The family were farmers and were among the first settlers in West Sparta, driving across the country from Albany in a wagon before the advent of railroads. They aided in the recla- mation of their district for the uses of the white man, cleared land there and built their own log house. The Ogden family were also equally well known in pioneer times.
Albert L. Marsh was a farmer by occupation, devoting his entire life to the work of tilling the soil. He died in 1896 and was survived for ten years by his wife, who passed away in June, 1906. In their family were three sons: Selwyn, a farmer of Starkey, New York; Ednor A., of this review ; and Darius A., an attorney of Brooklyn, New York.
Ednor A. Marsh was reared to farm life and after acquiring his early education in the schools of Genesco, New York, went to Lima, this state, where he matriculated in the Genesee Wesleyan Sem- inary, from which he was graduated in the class of 1884. He then began the study of law in the office of Judge Hubbard of Geneseo and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1889. He had spent one year in travel prior to entering upon his law study, and following his admission he began practice in Roch- ester in partnership with C. J. Browning. This relation, however, was maintained for only a short time, for on the 1st of December, 1889, Mr. Marsh was appointed clerk of the surrogate court and so continued until January 1892, when he was appointed deputy county clerk. He held that posi- tion until April, 1895, when he resigned to enter the firm of Keeler & Salisbury, at which time the firm style became Keeler, Salisbury & Marsh. He remained as a partner of Mr. Keeler for ten years, at the end of which time he withdrew from the firm and has since been practicing alone. The ex- tent and importance of his business is the best evidence of his ability and of his success. He has a large clientage and has been connected with many important cases that have been brought to the courts of the district. He now belongs to the Rochester Bar Association and is accorded a cred- itable place in the ranks of the legal fraternity in this city.
On the 26th of December, 1889, Mr. Marsh was married to Miss Lina Scott, of Geneva, New York, and they have three children : Helen, Byron and Donald. Well known in Rochester they have many friends and the hospitality of many of the best homes is freely accorded them. Mr. Marsh is a supporter of the republican party and formerly was active in its ranks. Mr. Marsh belongs to Rochester lodge. No. 660, A. F. & A. M .; to Ionic chanter. R. A. M .: to Cyrene commandery, K. T .; to Genesce Valley council. Royal Arcanum ; to the Masonic club, and to the guild of St. Paul's
church. His thorough belief in and conformity to the teachings and tenets of these orders indicate him to be a man of high principles and his many good qualities are uniformly recognized by those who know him in Rochester.
COLONEL HENRY S. REDMAN.
Colonel Henry S. Redman, for eighteen years superintendent of the courthouse of Monroe coun- ty, was born August 2, 1844, in Clarkson, this county, his parents being Perry and Julia Ann (Harris) Redman, the former a native of the Empire state and the latter of Vermont. The pa- ternal grandfather was born in Holland and came to this country in his youth, settling in the town of Clarkson, where he followed farming. It was his team that was used in carrying Morgan, who exposed the secrets of Masonry, across the coun- try. Perry Redman was also a farmer by occu- pation and lived and died in Monroe county.
Colonel Redman of this review was reared to farm life, spending his boyhood days on the home- stead and in Brighton village, where he attended the high school. He was there as a student at the outbreak of the Civil war, and on the 19th of December, 1863, several years before he had at- tained his majority, he joined Company L, of the Twenty-first New York Cavalry, known as Gris- wold's Light Cavalry. With this command he served until the close of the war and was honor- ably discharged on the 28th of July, 1865.
A contemporary biographer has said: "His own record, when he started to the front as a seven- teen year old boy, is one of which any man might be proud. He participated in twenty-seven en- gagements after he went- to the front, December 19, 1863, falling on the field at Ashby's Gap, shot through the lungs and left for dead over night. He was captured by Moseby, escaped and was honorably discharged July 27, 1865, for disability arising from wounds received in action. It would be difficult to crowd into the space of eighteen months a more brilliant war record than that of the young man, who sought to enlist, ran away from home only to be brought back by his father, and finally went to the front in the darkest days of the war, after he reached his eighteenth year."
After the war closed Colonel Redman served his time with the National Guard, retiring on the 1st of January. 1876. with the commission of first lieutenant in Battery B, S. N. Y. He has, occu- pied his present position as superintenent of the courthouse at Rochester for eighteen years and has made a creditable record for faithfulness and reliability.
On the 3d of July. 1866, Colonel Redman was married to Miss Harriet E. Jones, of Webster,
H. S. REDMAN.
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HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
Monroe county, New York, who died in December, 1889, and on the 12th of August, 1901, he was again married, his second union being with Miss Catherine Ayres. By his first marriage he had a daughter, Cora Alice, now the wite of A. Dutcher.
Colonel Redman is a member of all of the Ma- sonic bodies, belonging to the blue lodge, chap- ter, council and commandery. He has also taken the thirty-second degree of the Scottish rite and is connected with the Mystic Shrine. He has been one of the most effective and faithful workers of the Grand Army cause of any man in the county. He holds membership wtih Myron Adams post, No. 84, G. A. R., of which he has been commander for eight years. He was also assistant quarter- master general under Department Commanders Joseph P. Cleary, James S. Graham and Henry N. Burhans, and was assistant inspector general on the staff of the commander-in-chief, Leo Ras- sem. He was one of the earnest, and has always been among the most zealous, workers in Grand Army affairs. As a veteran he upheld his flag in the Civil war and although he was severely wounded in action he served his time in the Na- tional Guard and he has given the best years of his life to Grand Army interests. Having always been loyal in his citizenship, Colonel Redman is entitled to special mention in this volume.
MARTIN BEIR.
One of the most straightforward, energetic and successful business men of Rochester is Martin Beir, secretary and treasurer of the Milton Clark Company. It is true that all the days have not been equally bright, but he has managed to turn seeming failures into victory and has based his dependence upon the safe, substantial qualities of energy and the utilization of opportunity. Born in Germany in 1822, he is now in his eighty-fifth vear, but is still active in business, attending to his daily dnties. Such a record should put to shame many a man of less resolute spirit, who, grown weary of the struggles and trials of a busi- ness life. would relegate to others the burdens that he should bear.
Mr. Beir is indebted to his native country for a good education. He pursued a collegiate course at Stuttgart and afterward entered a mercantile house, where at the age of nineteen he became head bookkeeper and cashier, retaining that posi- tion until he started for the United States in 1847, attracted by the splendid business opportuni- ties and advantages of the new world. Arriving in America, he made his way direct to Rochester and entered into partnership with his brother Ashel, under the firm name of A. Beir & Brother.
The business relation between them was main- tained until 1854, when Martin Beir went to New York city, where he engaged in the wholesale mil- linery business under the firm style of Brentano & Beir. In 1859 he came to Rochester and estab- lished the Flour City Oil Works, but the plant was destroyed by fire. It was subsequent to this time that he engaged in the insurance business in New Jersey, but in 1870 he again came to Rochester and began his present business of fire insurance. He operated at first under his own name and after- ward under the firm style of Martin Beir & Com- pany. Today business is conducted under the name of Milton Clark Company, Incorporated. This is one of the best known insurance agencies of western New York, the consolidation with the Milton Clark Company occurring on the 1st of March, 1901, since which time a constantly grow- ing business has been enjoyed, until the premiums issued in 1906 amounted to one hundred and forty thousand dollars.
While on a visit to his native country Mr. Beir was married, on the 22d of February, 1852, to Miss Clara Hirsch, a daughter of Wolf and Eva Hirsch. Mrs. Beir was seventeen years of age at the time of her marriage and passed away at the age of thirty-nine, and her husband, ever remaining true to her memory, has never inarried again.
It will be interesting in this connection to note something of the ancestral history of Mr. Beir, whose parents were Isaac and Jeannette Beir. The latter was a daughter of Ezekiel. There were no family names at that time among the Jewish peo- ple of the old country, as they were simply desig- nated as being the certain son or daughter of the father, for example, Isaac, son of Jacob. About 1828, however, the government established a law compelling people to adopt family names and vari- ous devices were accordingly resorted to. Thus came the adoption of Blumenthal, Rosenblum, Hirsch, etc., as people took the names of flowers, animals or other animate or inanimate objects. Isaac Beir, the father of Martin Beir, was a deal- er in horses and cattle in Germany and died in his native country at the age of seventy-two years, while his wife passed away at the age of seventy. Of their family of seven sons and three daughters, Martin Beir alone survives. He was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife when she was thirty- nine years of age, and only two of his children are yet living. The elder, Celia, became the wife of Isaac Beir, a second cousin and a member of the firm of Smith, Beir & Gormly, wholesale dry-goods dealers of Rochester. They have five children : Arno Martin, Leo A., Clara B., Etta R. and Irene S. Cora is the wife of A. M. Blumenstiel, a de- signer of the clothing firm of Steinbloch & Com- pany, clothing manufacturers of Rochester. Mr. Beir has two great-grandchildren. His grand-
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daughter, Clara Beir, became the wife of Samuel L. Ring and they have two children, Charlotte R. and Lawrence Martin, aged respectively five and two years.
Mr. Beir has never selfishly hoarded his wealth for his own interests. On the contrary he is a patron of almost every charitable institution and is a man of most benevolent and kindly spirit. giv- ing freely and generously of his means to amelior- ate the hard conditions of life for others. In busi- ness he sustains an unassailable reputation for hon- esty and integrity of character, and in insurance circles it is a well known fact that companies ac- cept his statements without question, having im- plicit faith in him. He is a life member of Valley lodge, A. F. & A. M., and is high in the ranks of the Independent Order of B'nai Brith, of which he has served as district deputy, his membership be- ing in Temple Brith Kodesh. He was one of the founders of the Jewish Orphan Asylum and has been a most liberal contributor to various other benevolent organizations. Without invidious dis- tinction he may well be termed one of Rochester's foremost citizens and his life record is notable by reason of the fact that he is still active in business at the age of eighty-five years.
WILLIAM VOGEL.
William Vogel, who during a busy life-time was connected with the agricultural interests of Gates township, was born in Baden, Germany, arrived in Monroe county in 1837 and departed this life in 1889, at the age of seventy-five years and ten months. His name was Leonard Vogel, but be- cause of the confusion of tongues he changed the name to William upon coming to America. He was married ere he left his native land and two children had been born unto him. With his little family he crossed the Atlantic and came dircet to Rochester. After a few days spent in that city he removed to Binghamton, New York, and for about two years worked on the railroad, being made fore- man. On the expiration of that period he returned to Rochester and was employed at general lahor in the city for a few years. He next took up his abode at Bergen, where he was engaged in farm labor, and subsequently settled in the town of Og- den. Coming to the neighborhood in which his sons now reside, he afterward removed to Cold- water, in Gates township, and hought a farm of eighty-seven and a half acres, upon which he lived up to the time of his death. In 1866 he bought the present farm of his son Casper, which he cul- tivated in connection with his home place. He owned altogether two hundred and cleven aeres of rich and productive land and was practical and
progressive in his methods of tilling the soil. He operated a threshing machine for about ten years and his life was one of industry, characterized by devotion to duty at all times. He held member- ship in the Holy Ghost Catholic church of Cold- water and gave his political allegiance to the de- mocracy.
As stated, Mr. Vogel married ere leaving his native country, his wife being Euphemia Walter, who was born in Baden, Germany. She survived her husband for about two years, passing away in 1891, at the age of seventy-seven years. In their family were nine sons: Sebastian, now deceased ; Frank, of Gates township; Charles : Joseph; Wil- liam, who has also passed away; John, of Gates township; Casper ; Anthony ; and Aloysius. John, Anthony and Aloysius reside upon the old home- stead, while Joseph and Casper own together a good farm of one hundred and forty-four acres in Gates township. They have two dwellings upon the place and three barns and sets of sheds. They run their business conjointly and carry on general farming, making a specialty of the raising of grain. They also conduct a threshing outfit and are very busy in this way in the harvest season. Both brothers are recognized as men of good busi- ness ability and enterprise and are meeting with excellent successs.
Joseph Vogel was married to Miss Mary Tra- bold, a native of Monroe county and a daughter of Henry Trabold. They have five children : Ren- ben, Isabella, Hubert and Irene and Raymond, twins. They also lost their fourth child, Mary Malinda, when she was four years of age. Casper Vogel wedded Anna Trabold, a sister of his broth- er's wife and a native of this county. Their chil- dren are Priscilla, Gabriella, Leonard and Elsie. They, too, lost their fourth child, Henry, who died in infancy. The families are well known in Mon- roe county where the brothers have spent their en- tire lives.
ABRAM DE POTTER.
Abram De Potter was born in the town of Greece, Monroe county, in 1868. His father came to this country from Holland some sixty years ago to engage in agricultural pursuits and located first in Greece, removing to Rochester when our subject was five years old. It was here in the public schools that Abram De Potter received his carly education, supplementing it later by a course at the Rochester Business University, from which he was graduated. Unlike most boys, his interests were in the country, where he enjoyed the fields and the flowers and where he had assisted his father in the duties upon the home farm. His
ABRAM DE POTTER.
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HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
years were spent in this way until he had reached his majority. He then bought a farm at No. 930 Blossom road and has since branched out into the real-estate business, buying and selling land in Brighton and Greece. In addition he has taken many building contracts, and is at present in- terested in putting a street through his land and building houses upon the same.
Mr. De Potter was married in Brighton in 1891 to Emma Norris, a native of this place and a daughter of J. F. Norris. Her grandfather, Jabez B. Norris, was a prominent nurseryman here long before the canal was built. One child has been born to this union, Raymond A.
Mr. De Potter, while very much interested in his own large and prosperous business, has always had time to serve his town in any capacity in which they desired. He was assessor for several years, was president of the village of Brighton and was elected supervisor of the Twenty-first ward in 1905, being the first supervisor from this ward. He has ever discharged his duties with marked ability and fairness, for he is a most loyal, public-spirited citizen. As a business man he has been conspicuous among his associates, not only for his success, but for his fairness and honorable methods. In everything he has been eminently practical, and this has been manifest not only in his business undertakings, but in his agricultural, social and private life.
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PROFESSOR S. A. LATTIMORE, Ph D., LL. D.
Professor Samuel Allan Lattimore, Ph. D., LL. D., widely known in scientific circles, professor of chemistry in the University of Rochester and chemist to the New York State Department of Agriculture since 1886, has attained national dis- tinction in his chosen field of research and labor. He was born in Union county, Indiana, May 31, 1828, and after attending the public schools he engaged in teaching for a year, at the age of eighteen. His more advanced literary training was received at DePauw (Indiana) University, which he entered in 1846, being graduated therefrom with a bachelor of arts degree as a member of the class of 1850. He was then appointed classical instructor in his alma mater and two years later was elected professor of Greek. During this pe- riod his ability was gaining for him wide recogni- tion, and in 1860 he was called to the Genesee College, at Lima, New York, where he accepted the chair of chemistry. In 1867 he was elected professor of chemistry in the University of Roch- ester, where he organized the laboratory of analyti- cal chemistry in Anderson Hall.
Professor Lattimore's broad scientific knowledge has been called forth in the public service in which connection he has done important work. In 1872 he was appointed chemist to the board of commis- sioners chosen to furnish a water supply to the city of Rochester, and was directed to examine person- ally and to make chemical analysis of the waters of all streams and lakes supposed to be available sources. His report to the commissioners, which was published in 1873, showed that the waters of Hemlock and Canadice lakes were of exceptional purity, and he accordingly recommended their se- lection, and his recommendation was adopted. On the establishment of the New York state board of health in 1880 he was appointed one of the six chemists whose duty was to ascertain and report to the board on the general subject of the adultera- tion of food in the state, upon which subject at that time little positive knowledge existed. In 1886 ne was appointed chemist to the New York state de- partment of agriculture, which office he still holds. He has served twice as a member of the commis- sion appointed by the president to make the annual assay at Philadelphia of the gold and silver coin- age of the several mints of the United States.
As few men have done, Dr. Lattimore has rec- ognized and fulfilled his obligation to his fellow- men. He is one of the world's workers and his labors have been far-reaching. He was one of the organizers of the Western New York Institution for Deaf Mutes and for four years was president of its board of trustees. He was also one of the char- ter members of the board of directors of the Me- chanics' Institute, and also one of the charter members of the board of trustees of the Reynolds library, of which board he has been president for the last two years. He was one of the organizers of the Rochester Microscopical society, which after a successful career of several years was merged into the Rochester Academy of Science. He has been a member of the American Chemical society since its formation and for many years a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sci- ence. In 1873 he received the degree of doctor of philosophy from DePauw University, of Indiana, and the degree of doctor of laws from Hamilton College, New York. He has lahored untiringly to promote scientific knowledge among the masses, realizing its value in the every-day affairs of life, and to this end he began a course of free lectures in 1874, continuing the same each winter for sev- eral years before the workingmen of the city. These lectures were on popular scientific subjects and were abundantly illustrated with physical and chemical experiments. At that time the city hall had just been completed and the entire upper story was finished as an auditorium capable of seating about eighteen hundred persons. By the invitation of Hon. George G. Clarkson, then
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mayor, the first use of this hall was for Professor Lattimore's lectures to workingmen. The inter- est taken in these annual courses of lectures was shown by the fact that the hall was usually filled to its utmost capacity and on some occasions many were turned away for lack of even standing room.
In 1885 Mortimer F. Reynolds, president of the Rochester Savings Bank, without solicitation, surprised Professor Lattimore with the offer of twenty-five thousand dollars for the erection of a chemical laboratory for the University of Roches- ter. The offer was accepted and the building was completed the year following. This substantial building embodied the latest features of laboratory construction and stands as a memorial to the do- nor's brother, William A. Reynolds, a former trus- tee of the university. From 1886 to 1896 Pro- fessor Lattimore was chairman of the executive committee of the faculty of the university and from 1896 to 1898 he served as acting president of the university.
For a number of years Professor Lattimore has served as an authorized visitor on behalf of the State Charities Aid Association to the Rochester State Hospital for the Insane. For several years he was a member of the city board of health, in which connection he did much to promote the san- itary conditions of Rochester. It would be super- fluous in this connection to enter into any series of statements as showing Professor Lattimore to be a man of broad, scientific knowledge and attain- ments, for this has been shadowed forth between the lines of this review. His researches and in- vestigations have been carried far and wide into the realms of scientific knowledge: nor has his work been alone that of a scholar. He has demon- strated its worth in practical form in his efforts in behalf of the health department of the city and in connection with the work of various benevolent and charitable institutions. His labors have there- fore been of the utmost benefit to his fellow men, and Professor Lattimore has justly merited the honors and distinction which have come to him as a man of superior scientific attainments.
HARLAN W. RIPPEY.
Harlan W. Rippey, engaged in the practice of law at the Rochester bar, is one of the native sons of the Empire state, his birth having occurred in Wadsworth, Livingston county, on the 8th of Sep- tember, 1874. Ilis father. Joseph N. Rippey, was born in Seneca, New York, and was a farmer by occupation. He served as an officer of his town and also filled several positions of trust. The family was of German-French extraction and early representatives of the name settled in Pennsylva-
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