USA > New York > Monroe County > Rochester > History of Rochester and Monroe county, New York, from the earliest historic times to the beginning of 1907 > Part 82
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John Winthrop, of Pequot, governor.
Thomas Welles, of Hartford, deputy governor.
Magistrates-John Webster of Hartford: Cap- tain John McCullick, Hartford: Samuel Wyllys.
Hartford; Captain John Talcott, Hartford; Ma- jor John Mason, Saybrook ; Daniel Clark, Wind- sor; Nathan Gould, Fairfield; John Gosmore, Southampton, L. I .; John Ogden, Southampton, L. J.
Deputies-George Steele, of Hartford; John Welles. Hartford; Richard Butler, Hartford; Wil- liam Phelps, Windsor; William Gailord, Wind- sor; Richard Trott, Wethersfield; John Deming, Wethersfield ; Jonathan Brewster, Pequot ; James Morgan, Pequot ; Mathew Canfield, Norwalk.
James Morgan seems to have impressed this carefully selected body of men with a high sense of his sterling honesty and integrity of character, as it appears that in a controversy between the general court and the New London plantations re- garding boundaries and jurisdiction it was ordered that the matter should be submitted to three ar- hiters, mutually agreed upon. New London at once named its own townsman, James Morgan. really a party in its own interests, but neverthe- less, the general court as promptly accepted him and withont naming another agreed to submit to his sole decision, which, when made. seemed to have satisfied all parties.
The father of Dayton S. Morgan, Samuel Mor- gan, married Sara Dayton in 1816, of the New Jersey family of that name. He settled in the town of Ogden. Monroe county, being a prosper- ous miller and farmer. Here Dayton S. Morgan was born, being the only son of these parents, his mother dying soon thereafter. In the financial reaction of 1836. Samuel Morgan became over- whelmed and lost his property. Hle also became broken in health and survived but a short time. Dayton S. Morgan was then seventeen years of age and was obliged to make his own career. He had secured such educational benefits as could be obtained from the district schools of that time. After his father's financial reverses, by in turn teaching district school and studying hard at night, with great struggle and deprivation he finally obtained a course at the Brockport Col- legiate Institute, which institution later became transformed into what is now the Brockport State Normal School.
Dayton S. Morgan secured his first regular em- ployment as a clerk in the Erie Canal collector's office. It was his first intention to prepare for a legal profession but finally decided it would take too many years of unprofitable application. being obliged to carn his own living. In 1840 he de- cided to adopt a business career and in 1841 se- cured his first position. The following year he became associated with E. Whitney, a merchant of Brockport, who for those times was doing an ex- tensive business, retailing dry goods. buying grain, etc. His ambition to anecced and his per- severance and application had gained for him a reputation as "a young man who was bound to
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succeed," to the extent that in the spring of 1844 he was invited to enter into a partnership with William H. Seymour, a merchant of Brockport, and one of the wealthiest men of that section at that period. Mr. Morgan had been able to save only a few hundred dollars and stated this fact in answer to Mr. Seymour's proposition but the reply was that it was not his money that was sought but rather his ability and application. The firm of Seymour & Morgan was then founded and in connection with a large mercantile business established the Globe Iron Works in Brockport and began the manufacture of stoves and agricultural implements. In the following year, the Hon. E. B. Holmes, of Brockport, member of congress. while in Washington, met Cyrus HI. McCormick, of Walnut Grove. Virginia, who was attending to the taking out of patents on a reaping machine of his invention and told him of the Globe Iron Works of Brockport and the character of the men in charge, advising him to go there. This he did, bringing for the inspection of Seymour & Mor- gan his reaping machine. It was extremely crude. having no driver's seat, the plan for raking off the grain being by a man who should walk beside the platform of the machine. The gearing for operating was very imperfect and the cutting sickle was but a thin strip of steel on the front elge of the platform, serrated reversely every four or five inches of its length: yet though so crude, immature and imperfect, it was a machine with which it was possible to ent grain when all conditions were favorable. Trials were minde which suggested various improvements. The ma- chine was cut down here and strengthened there and generally brought into hetter form. A sad- dle was provided for the men to sit astride, who used an ordinary hand rake in removing the grain from the platform but the driver walked or rode a horse alongside the machine. ' The experiments and negotiations resulted in an arrangement whereby Seymour & Morgan engaged themselves to build a quantity of Mr. McCormick's reapers. as improved. for the harvest of the following vear. In pursuance there were built at the old Globe Iron Works by Seymour & Morgan, one hundred of these reapers for the harvest of 1846, the first quantity of harvesting machines ever built by one concern, put upon the market and sold, and thus the historical fact was established that the old Globe Iron Works at Brockport, Monroe county. New York, became the first reaper factory in the trorld.
The firm continued the manufacture of these machines until 1848. They then introdneed a ma- chine of their own design, known as the "New Yorker," which gained a world-wide reputation. For the harvest of 1851 they ventured to make five hundred of these machines and the people then wondered how and where they could all pos-
sibly be sold. At this time Mr. Morgan purchased Mr. Seymour's interest in the patents that con- trolled this reaper and licensed other manufac- turers to build for specified territory. The quad- rant shaped platform, today still universally used ou reaping machines, was brought out by the firm and other manufacturers licensed. In connection with it and other inventions Mr. Morgan was obliged to bring several suits for infringement, some of which became famous, involving very. large sums of money, and were not finally de- termined until reaching the United States supreme court at Washington. In these litigations wide attention was attracted. Men of prominence, some of whom became particularly so in the af- fairs of the nation, were associated as counsel. Among these were Abraham Lincoln, Edward M. Stanton, who became secretary of war during the war of the Rebellion; William H. Seward, who was New York's whig governor in 1838; Judge Henry R. Selden, of Rochester, and others.
In all these patent litigations Mr. Morgan was finally successful. Eventually Mr. Morgan be- came sole owner of the concern, which was subse- quently incorporated under the name of D. S. Morgan & Company, and continued aa its presi- dent and active head up to the time of his death. A few years thereafter this large company, the out- growth of the pioneer of its kind, bowed to the march of progress of the day and became absorbed by combination with other interests. After dispos- ing of its manufacturing interests the corporation which Mr. Morgan founded erected in the heart of the city of Buffalo, New York, the first so-called steel constructed office building built in that city, one of the most complete in the country, known as the D. S. Morgan building.
Mr. Morgan also became interested in various railroads, and at one time served as vice president of the central branch of the Union Pacific Rail- road Company. He was also one of those orig- inally interested in organizing in 1869 the Central Crosstown Street Railroad in New York city. He was a large and judicions investor in real estate and acquired much farming, timber and city property. Convinced of the future of the city of Chicago, he purchased in 1872 the five hundred acres of land upon which that city's suburb, West Pullman, is now built. This tract be retained up to the time of his death.
Personally. Mr. Morgan was quiet and nnassum- ing in manner, refusing political preferment and avoiding publicity. While a man of great dig- nity, he was affable and approachable and always glad to receive suggestions from any one in his employ. He possessed unusual will power, un- dannted tenacity and a high order of business talent, with honesty and pureness of purpose. At the time of his death he was president of the Brockport State Normal School board, a vestry-
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man of St. Luke's Episcopal church at Brock- port, and a member of the Rochester Historical Society. During Iris lifetime he performed many acts of charity in helping others whom he deemed deserving. Such he always performed without ostentation, avoiding publicity, and many impor- tant acts of consideration for others were unknown until revealed after his death by those benefited. Indicative of his character, when he had acquired a competence, many years after his father's finan- cial reverses and death, he reimbursed to those the losses which had been incurred through his father's misfortune.
In 1864 Mr. Morgan was married to Miss Susan M. Joslyn, of Brockport, who survives him and re- sides in The Homestead, the old family residence in that village. Their children are George D. Morgan, William P. Morgan, Sara Morgan Man- ning, Susan Morgan Maev, Henry Morgan, Gifford Morgan and Gladys E. Morgan.
HON. WALTER SAGE HUBBELL.
Hon. Walter Sage Hubbell, lawyer and law- maker, who is also connected with various cor- porate interests and who as a public-spirited citi- zen has contributed in no small degree to general progress and improvement in Rochester, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, December 24, 1850, his par- ents being Charles and Anna M. ( Sage) Hubbell. The mother was a daughter of Orin Sage, a large shoe manufacturer of Rochester, New York. The Hubbell family removed from Connecticut to the Empire state. The original American ancestors came to the new world as passengers on the May- Rower and the line of descent is traced back to Governor Bradford. Members of the' family in both paternal and maternal lines were soldiers in the early wars and some of them became quite distinguished. Charles Hubbell was born in Bal- ston Springs, New York, and on removing to Rochester became engaged in the banking busi- ness, which he condneted for several years. He afterward went ' to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he acted as cashier in a bank until ill health forced him to relinquish the position and he removed to Keokuk, Iowa, where he remained until 18:1. In that year he became a resident of San Diego. California, where he remained until his death. which occurred in 1903, when he was eighty-five years of age. He had long survived his wife, who died in 1882 while on a visit in Rochester, New York. They were the parents of five children, who yet survive.
Walter Sage Hubbell acquired his early educa- tion in the schools of Keokuk, Iowa, and at the age of sixteen years came to Rochester, where he
entered the University of Rochester, pursuing the classical course until his graduation in 1871 with the degree of Master of Arts. He is now a inein- ber of the Alpha Delta 'Thi fraternity and also of the Phi Beta Kappa.
With broad literary knowledge to serve as the foundation upon which to rear the superstruc- ture of professional learning, Mr. Hubbell took up the study of law and was admitted to the bar in January, 1826, after thorough preparatory read- ing in the office of George F. Danforth of Roches- ter, New York, who was afterward one of the judges of the court of appeals of this state. Ile hegan practice in Rochester on the 1st of January, 1822, and has since remained an active member of the legal fraternity with a large, lucrative and distinctively representative clientage. He has not become a specialist but has continued in the gen- eral practice of law and in the trial of important causes has displayed comprehensive knowledge of the principles of jurisprudence and a retentive memory which has frequently excited the admira- tion of his colleagues. Aside from his profession he is connected with several important business enterprises. Ile is a director and attorney for the Alliance Bank, a director of the Fidelity Trust Company. second vice president of the Eastman Kodak Company of New Jersey, a diree- tor and secretary of the Eastman Kodak Com- pany of New York, a member of other kodak companies and a director of the Curtice Brothers Company. He has also figured promi- nently in the public life of the city and state and in the years 1884 and 1885 represented the east- ern district of Monroe county in the state as- sembly. He is one of the trusters of the Univer- sity of Rochester, a trustee of the Rochester Theo- logical Seminary and a trustee of the Rochester Orphan Asylum-associations which indicate his interest in humanitarian principles and the intel- lectual and moral development of the community.
In June, 1877, Mr. Hubbell was married to Miss Lcora A. De Land, a daughter of Judge D. B. De Land, of Fairport, New York, and they have four living daughters : Minnie D., Anna D., Bertha D). and Margaret D. Their second danghter, Ger- trude, is deceased. Mr. Hubbell, a gentleman of social nature, finds scope for a kindly spirit in his associations as a member of the Genesee Val- ley Club of Rochester, the Country Club of Roch- ester and the Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained the Knight Templar and thirty-second degrees. He also belongs to Kent Club of Roches- ter and to the Rochester Bar Association, of which he was president for one year. He is president of the board of trustees of the First Baptist church and is actively and helpfully interested in nearly all movements and measures which have for their object the welfare and upbuilding of the city and the advancement of those interests which are a
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WALTER SAGE HUBBELL.
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matter of civic virtne and of civic pride. A fluent, forceful and entertaining speaker, he is often called upon to address publie gatherings at various entertainments and banquets. Rochester ac- knowledges his worth as a citizen, as a lawyer and as a business man of kern discernment, while his many social acquaintances entertain for him warm friendship and regard.
GARRY BROOKS.
Na history of Monroe county would be complete without mention of Garry Brooks, who is today the oldest citizen within her borders. He reached the century milestone on life's journey on the 5th of July, 1906, and his mind bears the impress of the carly historie annals of the country. He has lived to see the country emerge victoriously from three international wars and one great civil strife.
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, on the cension of the one hundredth anniversary of his birth said: "In all Monroe county, perhaps in all western New York, there is only one man who can say this morning that his life has rovered one hundred years, and he is Captain Garry Brooks. of Fairport, who rounds out a full century of years today. When he first saw the sunlight in Connectient, Rochester was not yet on the map; indeed, six years were to pass before the first house would be erected upon the site of what is now a rich and powerful city. The Erie canal, upon which he was to travel in later years, was only a dream in the minds of men who were looked upou as being mildly insane; the second war with England was more than half a deraile in the future; the American clipperbuilt ship, the swiftest commercial sailing craft the world has seen, was yet to come: the first steamboat, Ful- ton's Clermont, was only begun; steam railroads were utterly unheard of and a quarter of a cen- tury was to pass before the locomotive would become an accomplished fact in America; forty years before the telegraph would come into gen- eral use, and the span of a man's life, three score veais and ton, before spoken words would he heard through what men now call the telephone. Fifty years were to pass before the republican party. of which Captain Brooks has been a mem- ber for fifty years, wonhl put its first presidential candidate into the field. Tippecanoe had not been fought. Illinois had not yet become a territory and the western frontier was not far from where Cleveland and Detroit now are. Those were the ancient davs, and vet Captain Brooks is today. on his one hundredth birthday. ns hale and hearty as many men twenty years his junior. His eye
is clear, his mind is unclonded, and the grasp of bis hand is as strong and cordial as it was twenty- five years ago."
It is not only compatible but absolutely impera- tive that mention be made of Garry Brooks in this volume. A native of Connectient, he was born in New Milford on the 5th of July, 1806. The Brooks were Crusaders from Normandy, who planted the standard in the Holy Land and came into England with William the Conqueror. An- cient English records say the family of Brooks or Brooke issued originally from the house of La- tham or Leighton in Cheshire, England. The name has been spelled in various ways: Brooks, Brookes, Brook, Brocke, Broocks, Brooke and Brukes. The Brooke family of Whitechurch, Hampshire, England, was represented in the latter half of the sixteenth century by Richard Brooke. gentleman, and his wife Elizabeth Twyne. The brasses of Richard Brooke and his wife Elizabeth are surrounded by the Brooks arms. The coat of arms: on a cross engrailed, per pale, gules, a sable ; crest : a brock or badger, proper. The bodies of Richard Brookeand his wife Elizabeth, of White- church, lie in the old churchyard. Their son. Thomas, born in 1553-4, married Susan Forster and died in 1612. Thomas Brooke was a barrister at law in the Inner Temple and sot for White- church in the Parliament that summoned to meet at Westminster, March 19, 1603-4. He was the elder brother of Lord Robert Brooke, who re- ceived the Connecticut grant. Among the chil- dren of Thomas and Susan Brooke was John Brooks, who came to America. He was born in Cheshire. England, in 1615. In 1639 he was a signer of the first covenant of New Haven. He was one of the earliest settlers at Wallingford, Con- nectient, of which New Cheshire was a part, in 1670. Hle died at Wallingford, Connecticut, in 1690 or 1695, and made his will nine days before his death. William Brooks came as passenger on the Matthew of London, May 21, 1635. aged twenty-five years. He was probably a brother of John Brooks. The latter was married in 1640 to Sarah Osborn, widow of John Peat, or Peet, who caine to America in the Hopewell. She was n daughter of Richard Osborn, of New Haven and Fairfield, Connecticut. Among their children was John Brooks, born Jannary 31. 1643. He pur- chased his first land in Stratford, Connecticut, March 18. 1678-80. He came from New Haven with his brother Henry and was at Wallingford about 1:23, later removing to Stratford.
The next in the line of direct descent is Benja- min Brooks, who was born at Stratford. Connec- tient. October 22, 1685, and there died December 30, 1745, at the age of sixty-one years. He was married March 12, 1712, in Stratford. to Mary Fairchild, who was born in Stratford in 1691 and there died in 1740 at the age of forty-nine years.
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They had seven children, the third of whom was the Rev. Thomas Brooks.
The birth of Rev. Thomas Brooks occurred Oc- tober 26, 1219, at Newtown, Connecticut. He was a graduate of Yale College and was ordained as first minister at what was called Newberry So- ciety, September 28, 1758, the church being gath- ered at the same time. In 1788 the name was changed to Brookfield in honor of its first pastor. It is credited to the memory of good Pastor Brooks that his ministry continued through a period of forty-two years. Ile continued to reside in Brook- field until his death, which occurred September 13, 1799, when he was eighty years of age. His first wife. Hannah Lewis, was born at Stratford. Connecticut. April 15. 1:35, and died April 12, 1769, at the age of thirty-four years. He after- ward married Sarah Burrett. On the headstone in the ancient cemetery at Newtown, Connecticut, near the present village of Hawleyville. Fairfield county, appears this modest record: "In memory of the Rev. Thomas Brooks, who departed this life September 13. 1799, aged eighty years. "Mors riti vita est.'
"Oh. mortal, wander where you will. Your destiny is cast. The rising stone and verdant hill Proclaim your destiny at last."
On the second headstone is inscribed: "Here lies interred the body of Mrs. Hannah Lewis, first wife of Thomas Brooks, who died April 17. 1:69. aged thirty-four years. Born 1235." A third headstone bears the inscription: "Here lies in- terred Rebecca, the wife of Rev. Thomas Brooks. Died June 13, 1805, aged seventy-nine years. Born 1726."
The ancestry of Hannah Lewis, first wife of Rev. Thomas Brooks, is traced back through sov- eral generations, William Lewis, a native of Eng- land, came to America on the ship Lion, landing at Boston, September 16, 1632. He settled at Cambridge and removed to Hartford, Connecticut, in 1636, becoming one of the original proprietors. In 1659 he removed to Hadley, Connecticut, and was representative in 1662 and for Northampton in 1664. His wife Felix died at Hadley in 1671. and in 1675 he removed to Farmington, Connec- tient, where he died in 1683 at a very advanced age.
His only son, Captain William Lewis, was born in England and came with his father to America on the Lion in 1632. He lived successively at Cambridge, Massachusetts, at Hartford and at Farmington, Connecticut. He was in 1665, 1667 and 1674 approved by the court as captain of the Farmington Traine Band. He was also deputy there in 1689 and 1690, the latter year being also the date of his death. In 1644 he married Mary
Hopkins, danghter of William and Mary ( White- head) Hopkins, at Stratford, Connecticut. After the death of his first wife Captain William Lewis, of Farmington, wedded Mary Cheever, daughter of the famous schoolnaster. Ezekiel Cheever. He bad ten children by his first marriage and one son by the second marriage.
Benjamin Lewis, the first of the name at Strat- ford, Connecticut, was born at Wallingford in 1650 and removed to Stratford in 1676. He was married to Hannah Curtice, who was born Febru- ary 2. 1654, and died at Stratford, Connectiont. in 1728. She was a daughter of Sergeant John and Elizabeth (Wells) Curtice. Her father, born in England in 1613-14. served in the Swamp fight December 14, 1675, and died December 2. 1707. This wife died in 1681-2.
Deacon Edmund Lewis, born in Stratford. Con- hertient, in 16;9, died in 1757. He was married Vav 21, 1702, at Stratford. to Mary Beach, a daughter of James Beach and a granddaughter of John Beach. Mrs. Mary Beach Lewis died in 1756 and Mrs. Sarah Lewis, second wife of Deacon Edmund Lewis, died in January, 1:92. The chil- dren of the first marriage were: Sarah. born in 1:01. the wife of Ephraim Barrett; Edmund. born October 3, 1:10; Hannah, in 1712; and Martha in 1216.
Of this family Colonel Edmund Lewis was the father of Hannah Lewis Brooks. He was born in Stratford. Connecticut. October 3, 1710, and there died May 14, 1557. He was married there in June. 1229. to Sarah Burrett, who died in Stratford in June, 1:56. Their children were: Ebenezer Lewis, born March 9, 1730-1; Edmund Lewis, January 4. 1733-4 : and Hannah. April 15. 1235. After losing his first wife Colonel Edmund Lewis wedded Frances Keys, a widow, who died December 14, 1768.
Samuel Lewis Brooks, son of Rev. Thomas Brooks and the father of Garry Brooks of Fair- port, was born in Newtown, Connecticut. in 1:53. and died in Penfield, Monroe county. New York. January 3. 1849. aged ninety-six years. He set- tled at Penfield hefore 1806. That the Brooks family were prominent in the pioneer village is indicated by many of the old records. The first Presbyterian church there was organized February 7. 1806, with Thomas Brooks, Jr., and Esther ( Burr) Brooks, as among the original fifteen members. There are no records of pastors pre- vious to 1816, in which year Lemuel Brooks, son of Samuel Brooks, was installed, serving to 1829. while his unele, Thomas Brooks, Jr., was deacon of the first church and ruling elder in 1814. There were forty-one by the name of Brooks par- ticipated in the Revolutionary war from Connec- tient. Captain Samuel Lewis Brooks was one of the heroes of the Continental army and com- manded a battery of artillery under Washington
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at West Point. Later he served under General Lafayette and was with the latter during the siege of Yorktown and the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. He lived to enjoy the fruits of liberty for more than two-thirds of a century. His first enlistment in the anty in June, 1276, was for a year, and in June, 1727. he re-enlisted for six years. He served as gunner, being dis- charged in June. 1783. at West Point, New York. He served under Captain Robert Walker, Captain Jacob Reed, Colonel Ellmore, of Connecticut, and Colonel John Lamb. On the 23d of April. 1818, at the age of sixty-two years, he made application for a pension, which was allowed. At that date he was a resident of New Milford, Litchfield county. Connecticut, but in 1824 removed to Mou- me county, New York, where he died in 1846. I is a noteworthy fact that the combined lives of Rev. Thomas Brooks, the grandfather. Captain Samuel L. Brooks, the father. nud of Garry Brooks cover the period from 1219 to 1907 of one hundred and eighty-right years.
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