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 83
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89
Your Petitioner presumes it is unnecessary to enter into further argument in support of the foregoing proposition than is contained in the report of its committee, which is appended here- to, and which your Petitioner has already asked to have considered a part of this Petition. Yonr Petitioner will be pardoned, however, if it invite especial attention to that part of the report em- phasizing the fact that the plan herein outlined is intended, if adopted, at once to meet the uni- versal demand among English speaking people for a permanent tribunal to settle eontested inter- national questions that may hereafter arise be-
1389
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
tween the governments of Great Britain and the United States.
"While it is contended that it is wholly im- practicable to form such a tribunal without the friendly interposition of other nations on the joint invitation of the Powers who unite in its organiza- tion, it is very evident that a most acceptable per- manent International Court may be speedily se- cured by the united and harmonious action of said powers as already suggested. Should obstacles be interposed to the acceptance by any of the Powers named by your Petitioner, of the invitation to name a representative for such a court, on the plan herein generally outlined, some other equally satisfactory Power could be solicited to unite in the creation of such a Court.
"Believing that, in the fulfillment of its destiny among the civilized nations of the world, it has devolved upon the younger of the two Anglo-Saxon Powers, now happily in the enjoyment of nothing but future peaceful prospects, to take the first step looking to the permanency of peace among nations, your Petitioner, representing the Bar of the Empire State, earnestly appeals to you as the Chief Executive officer of the government of the United States, to take such timely action as shall lead eventually to the organization of such a tribunal as has been outlined in the foregoing recommendations. While ominous sounds of mar- tial preparation are in the air, the ship builder's hammer is industriously welding the bolt, and arsenals are testing armor plates, your Petitioner, apprehensive for the future, feels that delays are dangerous, and it urgently recommends that ac- tion be taken at once by you to compass the reali- zation of the dream of good men in every period of the world's history, when nations shall learn war no more and enlightened Reason shall fight the only battles fought among the children of men."
And your Petitioner will ever pray.
Attested in behalf of the New York State Bar Association at the Capitol in the City of Albany, New York, April 16th, 1896.
Ed. G. Whitaker, President; L. B. Proctor, Secretary.
A copy of this memorial was addressed to the Queen of England and copies of it were sent to the heads of various governments, including the Czar of Russia, and to prominent people throughout the world. When, in 1899, the Czar issued his call for a disarmament conference, to be held at The Hague, another meeting of the New York State Bar Association was called and a committee, of which Mr. Jones was chairman, was appointed to draw up resolutions relative to the subjects to be discussed by such proposed conference. This committee at once recognized the fact that the proposition for disarmament alone was imprac- ticable, but that nations, while fearing to disarm
lest their enemies be secretly increasing their armament, would still be willing to arbitrate their disputes, and it was apparent to them that the first step toward universal peace must be the estab- lishment of a court to which all nations might turn for the adjustment of their differences, and that such a court, once established, its influence and power would surely grow until, eventually, the disposition would become universal to abide by and perhaps to enforce its decrees and disarma- ment would follow. It was accordingly decided that a memorial be addressed to the Czar of Rus- sia and to the President of the United States, recommending the creation of such a court. The memorial prepared in accordance with this resolu- tion was identical with that presented in 1896 to he President of the United States, and an ad- dress by Senator Depew and one by Hon. Edward G. Whitaker were appended to it. This memorial having been duly presented to President MeKin- ley and to the representative of the Czar, copies cf it were transmitted, through the department of state of the United States, to the various dele- gates at The Hague conference, where it after- ward became known as "The American plan." The idea of international arbitration was not new and Americans generally had for many years been known to be in favor of it, but it was this plan that was prominently before The Hague Confer- ence and that was eventually largely followed in the organization of The Hague Court. At first the idea of arbitration met with much opposition, especially from the Continental representatives. It is related that a certain continental delegate at that conference, being unable to read the memo- rial in English, asked an Englishman to tell him what it was, and when it had been duly explained to him, he threw up his hands in disgust at the idea and declared he was going home at once. When the court was finally organized there was much misgiving and many doubts were expressed as to its success but several nations have taken advantage of its existence and settled their dis- putes through it.
While living at Washington Mr. Jones became affiliated with the Masonic order and was for many years a member of Monroe Commandery, Knights Templar, at Rochester. He was also a member of Valley lodge, F. & A. M .: and of the American, New York State and Rochester Bar Associations. He was a member of the Mohonk Lake Peace Conference; of the Bibliophile So- ciety of Boston: of the Society of The Genesee; of the American Peace Society and of the Na- tional Geographic Society. In 1904 he was a delegate from the State Bar Association to the International Congress of Lawyers and Jurists at St. Louis.
On July 5th, 1871. Mr. Jones was married to Miss Gertrude M. Nicholls at Buffalo, New York.
1390
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
who having both education and ability proved of great help to her husband. Four children were born to them, of whom one died in infancy. The remaining three, Gertrude Minnie, William Mar- tin, and Abram Nicholls are still living with their mother at Rochester.
Mr. Jones died May 3d, 1906, after an illness of a year, and was buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery, at Rochester.
FRANK A. BROWNELL.
Frank A. Brownell, a representative of the banking interests of Rochester, and widely known outside of the city as president of the F. A. Brownell Motor Company, builder of motor en- gines, was born in Vienna, Ontario, Canada, Feb- ruary 4, 1859. His father, Myron S. Brownell, was a millwright and inventor, who, in his youth, removed from the United States to Canada, where for many years he was engaged in building lum- ber mills and in allied industries.
In the public schools of his native town, Frank A. Brownell pursued his education to the age of sixteen years and then entered business life, since which time his record has been one of intense and well directed activity. At the age of seventeen he came to Rochester and served an apprentice- ship to the cabinet-maker's trade, making careful preparation for a life of activity and executive business force. He became an expert workman and developed ability as an inventor. In 1883 he began the manufacture of cameras and photo- graphic apparatus, his business increasing rapidly and substantially until he occupied a seven-story building of two hundred feet front and employed one thousand people, the enterprise being one of the prominent productive concerns of the city. He sold his business in 1902 to the Eastman Kodak Company, in which he retained some stock, remaining also with the company for three and a half years as an expert.
In February, 1906, he entered the gasoline motor business. In October, 1907, the business was recapitalized and enlarged, and incorporated under the style of F. A. Brownell Motor Com- pany, of which Mr. Brownell is president and treasurer, with William Deininger and Robert C. Kershner as vice presidents and George C. Whip- ple as secretary. They occupy a large factory, which they erected at No. 634 Lexington avenue, and manufacture a very superior line of high- grade gasoline motors, ranging in size from fif- teen to one hundred and sixty horsepower, which are used in automobiles, trucks, boats, tractors for hauling, threshing, etc. They enjoy the distinc- tion of having built the motor for the first motor
barge accepted by the United States navy, that connected with the U. S. S. Connecticut, flagship of the Atlantic squadron, and built for the pri- vate use of Rear Admiral Evans and his staff. It is a seventy-five horsepower motor and drives the boat at a speed of about twenty-two miles an hour. Many of the motors of the company have won im- portant races in various parts of the country, and the business has attained a foremost place in the field of gasoline engine construction in America. Mr. Brownell also has many other business inter- ests in Rochester, being a director of the National Bank of Commerce, and a trustee of the East Side Savings Bank, while other concerns have profited by his financial support and sound business judg- ment.
In 1882 Frank A. Brownell was married to Helen A. Post, a daughter of William Post, of Rochester, and they have a son and daughter: F. Raymond, who in 1906 pursued a preparatory course at the Mercersburg Academy and is now a student in Purdue University at Lafayette, In- diana, and Mildred H., who is a pupil in Miss Hake's preparatory school for girls.
In his political views Mr. Brownell is a repub- lican, but takes only a citizen's interest to the ex- tent of voting on the political questions of the day. He is a member of the First Baptist church . and is identified with various organizations wherein Rochester is a direct beneficiary. He is a director of the Rochester Athenaeum and Mechan- ics' Institute, one of the strongest educational in- stitutions of western New York; is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and gives active co- operation to many movements which have direct bearing upon the welfare of the city; is identified with several of the popular local clubs ; is a thirty- second-degree Mason and a Shriner. Without special advantages to aid him when he entered the business field he has been and is one of the world's workers, and, while his success seems phenomenal, it but represents the fit utilization of the innate talent which is his and the directing of his ef- forts along the lines where mature wisdom and sound judgment have led the way.
WILLIAM HOLT AVERELL.
William Holt Averell was for thirty years a resident of Rochester and public opinion accorded to him a place among the trustworthy and re- spected business men of the city. He was born in Morristown, New York, on the 1st of August, 1849, and was descended from an old colonial family that settled in Cooperstown, New York. His father, William John Averell, was a native of
1391
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
Ogdensburg, New York, where he became a banker and a gentleman farmer, owning large land inter- ests in St. Lawrence county. His mother, Mary Williamson, was also a member of a prominent New York family. Her grandfather, Nathaniel Williamson, was graduated from Princeton Col- lege and was a leading lawyer of his day; and her father, after having graduated from Annapolis, became an officer in the navy. He died at Ha- vana, where his remains were buried. When her father was in service at Havana Mary Williamson resided in New York city, living in lower Broad- way. It was there that she married William John Averell, of Ogdensburg.
Their son, William Holt Averell, obtained his early education in the schools of Ogdensburg and later attended the Northampton Preparatory School prior to entering Yale University at New Haven, Connecticut. He graduated at that insti- tute in 1872. Returning to Ogdensburg, he re- sided there until 1874, when he removed to Ro- chester and founded the Furnaceville Iron Com- pany. He became partner in the firm of George C. Buell & Company, where he continued in busi- ness until his death October 14, 1904. This en- terprise was developed along conservative yet progressive lines until it became a leading industry of the city.
In 1878 Mr. Averell was married to Mary Blos- som, daughter of George C. Buell and Mary House Blossom. They had three children : William Holt, Elizabeth Buell and Ruth.
Provided with most liberal educational advan- tages, Mr. Averell became a gentleman of broad culture and left the impress of his individuality upon the community in which he made his home. He was a man of strong force of character and his fidelity to any cause which he championed or any principle in which he believed was one of the commendable traits of his character.
CASPER MEISENZAHL.
In the history of Rochester's successful business men, mention should be made of Casper Meisen- zahl, one of the successful German-American born citizens, who is now extensively engaged in coal trade. He had no financial assistance when he started on his business career, but his spirit and strong determination have enabled him to sur- mount difficulties and overcome obstacles, and as a coal merchant he is now conducting a large and profitable business.
He was born in Penfield, Monroe county, March 7, 1854, and is a son of Karl J. and Bar- bara K. (Grim) Meisenzahl, who emigrated here from Beirn, Germany, in the year of 1848, and at that time resided on William street, Rochester,
and the father worked in a stove foundry. City life not being to his liking, he removed to Pen- field and worked for Mr. Barnes for one year. After that he bought a farm in Penfield flats, which he sold later on and moved his family to Irondequoit. His family consisted of five boys and three girls. Casper Meisenzahl was the third son and worked for his father on the farm until he reached the age of twenty-two years. In those days they did not get the education that they are giving children nowadays. His schooling consisted of two years at St. Joseph's School, Rochester, and two winters at Irondequoit.
In 1876 he was married to Mary A. Streb. She was the daughter of John Streb, who was the manager of W. B. Morse lumberyard for thirty years and died at the age of ninety-two years. After he was married he started in the dairy busi- ness, which he conducted at Portland avenue suc- cessfully for eleven years. As he believed he could better his financial condition in other lines of business he disposed of his cows and milk route and went with S. B. Stuart, coal company, in 1886. He furnished teams and men for deliver- ing the company's coal for seventeen years, and was very successful in managing the business. He started with fourteen horses and seven wagons, and at the seventeenth year had fifty horses and twenty-five wagons.
His industry and careful expenditure brought him the capital which enabled him to engage in the same line of business on his own account, and he is now numbered among the leading coal mer- chants of Rochester. From the beginning he met with success, and his increasing sales have brought his trade up to eighteen thousand to twenty thou- sand tons of coal in the past year. He employs at present fifteen men and thirty horses for haul- ing purposes, and the business is steadily growing.
His family consists of ten children, four boys and six girls. He owns considerable property throughout the city, having made judicious in- vestments in realty, and in 1907 was elected pres- ident of the Ontario and Humming-bird Mining Company at Colorado Springs. The peaceful, quiet walks of business life are more to his liking than political conquest, and he has found therein the true sphere of his usefulness and success. His present home is at 736 Portland avenue, where he has resided ever since his marriage.
JOHN M. STULL.
John M. Stull, assistant corporation counsel of Rochester, was born in the town of Rush, Monroe county, New York, September 9, 1870. He is a son of Joseph A. Stull, who was for many years a leading member of the Rochester bar.
1392
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
John M. Stull was educated in the public schools of Rochester and in the University of Michigan. Inherited tendency and natural predi- lection may both have influenced him in his choice of a profession, for in both the paternal and ma- ternal line the legal profession was well repre- sented. He took up the study of law while in his junior year in college and during most of his clerkship was connected with the office of Cogs- well, Bentley & Cogswell. In January, 1893, he was admitted to the bar and began practice alone, continuing so for some time. He was appointed United States commissioner for the northern dis- trict of New York in July, 1896, and held that po- sition until the change was made in the district in 1900, when the city of Rochester became a part of the western district. Mr. Stull received the ap- pointment to the position of assistant corporation counsel under P. M. French in 1890 and has since held that position under three successive city ad- ministrations, for eight consecutive years. He is a member of the Rochester Bar Association and is also a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fra- ternity. Mr. Stull was married on the 19th day of June, 1893, to Miss Mae G. Wray, of this city, a daughter of Henry Wray.
NEHEMIAH OSBURN.
Nehemiah Osburn was a representative of the older generation of Rochester's business men who were early builders of her commercial prominence and activity. One has but to imagine a young man of twenty making the journey on foot from Scipio, New York, to Rochester, dressed in a suit of home- spun and carrying all his wordly possessions in a small bundle, to have a mental picture of Mr. Osburn when he arrived in this city in 1821. Rochester itself gave little promise of future great- ness, although it was a flourishing village situated in a district rich in its natural resources. The tide of emigration, however, was but slowly flow- ing westward at that time. With a capital of but two and a half dollars Mr. Osburn arrived in Mon- roe county, where he was destined in later years to figure prominently in banking circles and in onnection with industrial interests. He had first opened his eyes to the light of day in Pom- pey, New York, August 9, 1801. The family, of English lineage, traced their ancestry to Richard Osburn, who in 1635 landed at Salem, Massachu- setts, after having made the long voyage across the Atlantic in one of the slow moving sailing ves- sels of the period. His son David was the father of Richard Osburn and the grandfather of John Osburn, who in turn was the great-grandfather of Nehemiah Osburn. The latter's grandfather,
John Osburn, was born in Richfield, Connecti- cut, March 2, 1:33, and at an early day removed to Salem, New York, where he was married, March 21, 1761, to Mrs. Eunice (Nichols) Bonton there continuing to reside throughout the remainder of his life. He valiantly fought for American inde- pendence in the Revolutionary war, serving first as drummer boy and afterward as sergeant under Captain Tusdall's north Salem company.
John Osburn, the father of Nehemiah Osburn, was born in Salem, Westchester county, New York, February 12, 1720, and at the age of twen- ty-five was married, in 1795, to Miss Hannah Brown of Suffolk county, Long Island. They re- moved to Cayuga county, New York, and while living there Mr. Osburn enlisted for service in the second war with England. He died at Green- bush, New York, while in the army, leaving Nehe- miah Osburn as the eldest of several small chil- dren, who were thus made dependent upon the widowed mother.
In his boyhood Nehemiah Osburn did every- thing he could to assist his mother in providing for the wants of the younger members of the family. His educational privileges were neces- sarily limited and in youth he was denied many of the comforts and all of the luxuries which were enjoyed by the sons of affluent fathers. Re- moving from Scipio to Rochester when twenty years of age, he here began business as a con- tractor and builder, having already gained some I:nowledge of the carpenter's trade. The years brought him increasing business and he made a specialty of government contracting. He con- structed the United States custom houses at Chi- cago and Milwaukee and the United States court- house at Baltimore, as well as the state house at Lansing and the city building at Detroit, Mich- igan. He was willing to make just a fair profit on his work and thus secured many contracts which others failed to obtain by reason of the higher price asked. As his financial resources in- creased, Mr. Osburn from time to time made ex- tensive investments in real estate, becoming the owner of valuable income property. He was also known in banking circles as a director of the old Commercial Bank of Rochester and of the Mon- roe County Savings Bank, with which he was con- nected from its organization until his death.
Mr. Osburn was married in 1827 to Miss Sarah A. Van Schuyver, who was born in Bristol, Penn- sylvania, in May, 1806, and there resided until a short time prior to her marriage. . She belonged to an old Philadelphia family and was a daughter of Samuel Van Schuyver. She died January 1, 1892, just nine days prior to the demise of her husband, which occurred on the 10th of that month. Theirs had largely been an ideal marriage relation and for sixty-five years, as man and wife, they traveled life's journey together, their
NEHEMIAH OSBURN.
1395
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
marriage being blessed with seven children. One of this number died in infancy, but four reached adult age, although only two are now living: Emory W., a prominent contractor of Rochester ; and Frank A., of Detroit, Michigan.
While Mr. Osburn developed extensive and pros- perous business undertakings he never neglected the higher, holier duties of life which concern man's relations to his fellowmen and his Maker. For sixty-four years his name was on the member- ship roll of the First Methodist Episcopal church, in which he served as a class-leader for more than a half century. He gave generously toward the erection of the first house of worship at the cor- ner of Maine and Fitzhugh streets which was de- stroyed just as it was ready for occupancy. The second church was then erected and later the brick church at the corner of Church and Fitzhugh streets. His trusteeship in that organization ex- ceeded that of any other member of the congre- gation. His life was at all times actuated by hon- orable principles and worthy motives. He was enterprising in business and won prosperity, but regarded this only as a means to an end. He never selfishly hoarded his wealth, bu; gave generously to the church, to charity and to progressive pub- lic movements. The utmost respect was freely accorded him in recognition of principles of life which neither sought nor required disguise. He lived to see Rochester developed from a small vil- lage into a city of metropolitan proportions with extensive business interests and almost limitless possibilities, and he did his full share in accom- plishing the results which marked its growth dur- ing his life time.
ERICKSON PERKINS.
Erickson Perkins, whose prominence in finan- cial circles has made him widely known not only in Rochester, but in New York city as well, has from his entrance into the business world been closely associated with the banking interests of Monroe county. He was born in Rochester, Au- gust 23, 1857, his parents being Gilman and Car- oline (Erickson) Perkins, extended mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume. The pri- vate schools of Rochester and Devaux College pro- vided him his educational privileges, and at the age of twenty-one he became a member of the banking firm of Erickson, Jennings & Company, which was established in 1853 by Aaron Erick- son, and is now conducted as the Union Trust Company. Mr. Perkins is still an officer in the institution and is also a trustee in the Rochester Savings Bank and a director in the National
Bank of Commerce, while in various other busi- ness and financial enterprises he is interested.
On the 18th of April, 1902, Mr. Perkins was married to Miss Elizabeth Ginna, of Plainfield, New Jersey, and they have one son, Erickson Ginna Perkins. Mr. Perkins is prominent so- cially. Since its organization in 1885 he has been treasurer of the Genesee Valley Club and is a member of the Country Club and the Buffalo Club of Rochester. His name is also on the mem- hership rolls of the Union League, the Union and Manhattan Clubs, in New York city. He is classed with those men who are factors in the financial circles of the city and his business prom- inence renders him one of Rochester's best known citizens.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.