USA > New York > Saratoga County > History of Saratoga County, New York : with historical notes on its various towns > Part 63
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
450
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
a member of Schuylkill Lodge, No. 16, Free and Accepted Masons, of Schuylerville, and has been useful in many ways toward promot- ing the best interests of his fellow townsmen, beside constantly laboring for the prosperity of his village. He owns some valuable houses, lots and farming lands, and during the Indian troubles in Minnesota, lost over twenty-five thousand dollars worth of property.
On July 23, 1856, Mr. Chubb married Eve- line Bartly, who was a daughter of Robert Bartly, and died in November, 1860, leaving two children : E. A., who married Minnie Mc- Cready, and is engaged in business with his father ; and Ellen F., who was graduated from the Albany State Normal school, and is now a teacher in the Victory public schools. For his second wife Mr. Chubb, on January 1, 1866, wedded Hannah Woodcock, daughter of Israel Woodcock, of Dresden, Washington county, New York.
JUDGE ADAM MOTT, who held the
office of supervisor of the town of Clifton Park for five years, and sat on the bench as associate judge of Saratoga county for a period of three years, was born in the town of Sand Lake, Rensselaer county, New York, May 30, 1821, on the farm where his grandfather set- tled in 1795, and where his father was born, lived and died. The facilities for obtaining an education were very meagre in that day, but young Mott attended the common schools of his neighborhood and secured the rudi- ments of a practical education, which he after- ward improved by wide reading and close study of men and things, as they were pre- sented to him in everyday life. In December, 1839, he wedded Eliza M. Pink, of his native town, who died in December, 1867, leaving two children, a daughter who became the wife of Abijah P. Philo, of Stillwater, this county, and died in May, 1886, leaving two children : Arthur P. and Eliza P .; and a son, DeWitt C. Mott, who married Rosa B. Flagler, and has
one daughter - Bertha Mott. On January 1, 1877, Adam Mott was again married, this time to Mrs. Hannah Usher, widow of Hiram Usher, and a daughter of Shubael Taylor, of the town of Half Moon. His second wife is still living, being now in the fifty-sixth year of her age.
Adam Mott filled a number of important offices in Rensselaer county. In 1846 he was appointed under-sheriff of the county, in which capacity he assisted in the execution of two criminals at Troy, both convicted of murder and both executed on the same day in January, 1848. In 1849 he was nominated by the whig party for sheriff of the county, but the ticket was defeated by the democrats. In 1851 Mr. Mott was elected justice of the peace, and in 1852 and 1853 he represented his town in the board of supervisors of Rensselaer county. In 1854 he removed to West Troy and took charge of the repairs on the first section of the Erie canal. The following year he became weighmaster on the canal, and in 1856 pur- chased and moved upon a farm in the town of Clifton Park, Saratoga county, where he re- rided until 1861, when he removed to the vil- lage of Clifton Park. Here he has resided ever since, engaged in auctioneering and set- tling up estates. In 1861 he was elected jus- tice of the peace in the town of Clifton Park, and continued to discharge the duties of that office with great acceptability until 1872. In 1863 he was elected one of the justices of ses- sions for Saratoga county, and reelected in 1865, and again in 1868. In 1872 his business called him to Illinois, where he resided two years, and then returned to Clifton Park. In 1876 the Republican party elected him super- visor of the town, and reelected him to the same office for five successive terms. He also served three years as superintendent of the county's poor.
Judge Mott is still well preserved and ac- tive. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he has served as trustee for many years. They spent
451
OF SARATOGA COUNTY.
the winter of 1888-89 together in southern California, and were much pleased and bene- fitted by the glorious climate of that wonder- ful section of our country. Judge Mott still takes an active interest in politics, but not so extensive as in his carlier years. Mrs. Mott has one son by her former marriage, George H. Usher, who is now manager of the business of the Postal Telegraph Cable Company in New York city.
OM'R A. EDSON HALL, of Sara-
toga Springs, New York, is commissioner of schools in the Second district of Saratoga county, said district comprising ten towns, in- cluding one hundred and eleven school dis- tricts, employing one hundred and eighty-six teachers. Mr. Hall is a gentleman who has won deserved recognition as an educator, is among the most active, enterprising, and use- ful citizens of Saratoga county, is a son of Rev. Aaron and Judith S. Hall, and was born September 21, 1859, at Watervliet, Albany county, New York.
The Hall family is of English descent, and was planted at an early date in Vermont, where it is now quite numerous. John Hall, great-grandfather of Com'r Hall, was a Ver- mont farmer, and lived and died in his native State. His son, John Hall (grandfather of Com'r Hall), was born at Bristol, Vermont, and spent his life in that State, engaged also in farming. He had a family of fourteen chil- dren. He died at his home in Vermont in 1830, at the age of seventy-two years. One of his fourteen children was Aaron Hall ( father of Com'r Hall ), who was born at Bris- tol, Vermont, October 28, 1816. He attended the common schools of his native place when a lad, and was afterward graduated from the Troy Conference academy, Vermont. In 1840 he joined the Troy conference of the Metho- dist Episcopal church, in which he has ever since been a constant and successful worker, and now enjoys the distinction of being the
oldest active member of that important body. For more than half a century he has gone up and down within the bounds of this confer- ence, engaged in the labors of a Methodist itinerant, and zealously doing the work of the divine Master. Previous to the war his in- tense opposition to slavery was the cause of much dissatisfaction among some of his min- isterial brethren. Upon one occasion he was brought before his conference for preaching anti-slavery doctrines. He lived, however, to see his brothers in the ministry and his entire church come over to the grounds he then oc- cupied, and to know that even the memory of these differences is fast fading from the minds of men. For many years he has been con- n'ected with Odd Fellowship, being past grand of Greenfield Centre Lodge, No. 308, of that order. In 1858 he married Judith Farnum, daughter of Joseph Farnum, of Willsborough, this State, by whom he had a family of four children, three sons and a daughter: A. Edson Hall, whose name heads this sketch; Rev. Charles L., of the city of Troy ; Dr. W. G. B., a practicing physician of Brooklyn; and Sarah Ida, who became the wife of Roger Haviland, of Glens Falls, this State.
A. Edson Hall spent his boyhood in differ- ent places where his father was stationed as a preacher. He received his preliminary edu- cation in the common schools. He afterward attended Argyle academy, Washington county; the Claverick college, and Hudson River in- stitute, of Claverick, Columbia county, this State, and the Troy Conference academy at Poultney, Vermont, from which latter he was graduated June 26, 1878. After completing his education he taught in the schools of Sara- toga county for four years, and then was en- gaged as salesman at Cohoes. In 1884 he came back to Saratoga county, and for two years acted as agent at Porter's Corners for the Greenfield Mutual Mercantile association, after which he moved to Greenfield Center, and in partnership with Charles W. Spaulding engaged in the mercantile business for him-
452
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
self, the firm being Spaulding & Hall. In 1889 he was appointed postmaster at Green- field Center. He was in business for a period of five years, but in 1890 Mr. Hall sold out, having been elected school commissioner. In 1891 he resigned the postmastership in order to devote more of his time to the schools of his district. On March 5, 1884, Com'r Hall was united in marriage to Isabella Campbell, daughter of Robert Campbell, of the city of Cohoes. Mrs. Hall, for five years before her marriage, was a teacher in the schools of Co- hoes. Their union has been blessed with the birth of one child, a daughter, named Helen Campbell. In his political affiliations Mr. Hall has always been a republican. In addi- tion to serving as commissioner of schools and postmaster at Greenfield Center, he was also clerk of the town of Greenfield for a period of four years. He is a member and past grand of Greenfield Centre Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is also a member of St. John's Lodge, No. 22, Free and Ac- cepted Masons, and of St. John's Chapter, No. 103, Royal Arch Masons. In religion he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he has served as steward and class leader seven years. He is also closely identi- fied with Sunday-school work of his denomi- nation, having been the efficient superinten- dent of the school at Greenfield Center during the past seven years.
WILLIAM V. BALCH, M. D., a
skilled and successful physician of Gal- way, and a descendant of one of the Pilgrim band that came over in the Mayflower, is a son of Vistus and Margaret (Dockstader) Balch, and was born at the village of Johnstown, in Fulton county, New York, December 17, 1849. His immigrant ancestor was among those who came over in the Mayflower and settled at Plymouth, the story of whose founding will live in song as well as on the historic page until the end of time.
SAHEL P. HAWLEY, a farmer re-
siding at Half Moon, this county, and a worthy descendant of the old Hawley family of Albany county, was born in the town of Half Moon, Saratoga county, New York, Jan- uary 1, 1836. He is the eldest son of Lewis and Elizabeth (Philo) Hawley, and was prin- cipally reared on his father's farm in liis native town, where he attended the public schools, and laid the foundation of the superior educa- tion which was afterward completed at tlie Half Moon academy and a high school in the State of Vermont. After finishing his stud- ies he engaged in farming from choice, and has followed agricultural pursuits all his life. He cultivates a fine farm, containing two hun- dred acres of valuable land, on the east side of the village of Half Moon, where he resides. Mr. Hawley is one of the enterprising, pro- gressive farmers of this county, whose opera- tions are conducted according to approved modern methods.
During all his life Mr. Hawley has been a stanch supporter of the Democratic party, and takes an active interest in political affairs.
In 1864 Mr. Hawley wedded Maggie E. Baughton, youngest daughter of Hon. Chaun- cey Baughton, of the village of Waterford. To Mr. and Mrs. Hawley was born a family of three sons : Chauncey B., now a farmer of the town of Half Moon ; Cornell S., a clerk in the office of the secretary of State at Al- bany ; and Harvey L., engaged in the general mercantile business in the village of Half Moon, this county.
The Hawleys are one of the oldest families of New York, and their residence in Albany county antedates the revolution. In that county Andrew Hawley, paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born and reared, but in later life removed to Saratoga county, settling in the town of Half Moon, where he continued to reside until his death in 1841, at the age of seventy years. He married Sarah Ward, of Albany county, and reared a family of eight children. One of his sons was Lewis
453
OF SARATOGA COUNTY.
Hawley (father), who was born in the town of Bunn, Albany county, this State, April 21, 1801. There he grew to manhood, and re- ceived his education in the common schools. In 1830 he removed to the town of Half Moon, Saratoga county, and one year later married Elizabeth Philo, a daughter of Asahel Philo, a farmer of this town. They had a family of two sons and one daughter: Asahel P., the subject of this sketch ; George A .; and Phœbe E., now the wife of John Sherman, a pros- perous farmer of the town of Clifton Park. Lewis Hawley was a farmer by vocation, own- ing one hundred acres of valuable land in the town of Half Moon, where he resided until his death in 1870, when in the sixty-ninth year of his age. Politically he was a democrat, in religion a strict member of the Baptist church, and always stood high in the community where he lived. His wife died in 1880, aged seventy- two years.
E RASTUS R. FORTE, a prominent dealer in agricultural machinery and wagons, at Jonesville, this county, who has been justice of the peace at that place for nearly a decade, and is well known through- out the county, is a son of Captain Cornelius F. and Alida (Wilbur) Forte, and a native of the town of Clifton Park, Saratoga county, New York, where he was born July 31, 1844. The Fortes are of French extraction, though residents of New York since early times. John Forte (paternal grandfather) was a prosperous farmer of the town of Clifton Park, where he passed nearly all his life, and where he died in 1830, aged fifty years. He married Alida Fonda, and had a family of four children, one of whom was Cornelius F. Forte (father), who was born on the old homestead in the town of Clifton Park, in 1821. Soon after attaining manhood he embarked in the hotel business in the town of Half Moon, and after running the hotel for some time, purchased a farm in that town, and gave his later attention to the
business of farming. He died in June, 1876, at the age of fifty-five. Politically he was a republican, and during his life held all, or nearly all the offices of his town. In religion he was a strict member of the Dutch Reformed church, in which he served as deacon for many years. For a long time he was connected with the old State militia, and held a captain's commission, being familiarly known and ad- dressed as Captain Forte. In 1840 he married Alida Wilbur, a daughter of Samuel Wilbur, of the town of Clifton Park, and by that union had a family of three sons : John T., who died in infancy; Erastus R., the subject of this sketch ; and John N., who died in 1878.
Erastus R. Forte was principally reared on the old home farm in the town of Clifton Park, receiving a superior English education in the public schools and the academy at Jonesville. After leaving school he followed farming, gen- eral merchandising and speculating for a num- ber of years, after which he engaged in. the agricultural machinery and implement busi- ness at Jonesville, where he has built up a nice trade. He handles all kinds of farm ma- chinery and agricultural implements, wagons, sleighs and harness, and his business extends to all parts of the surrounding country.
Politically Erastus R. Forte is a republican, and has been repeatedly elected to the office of justice of the peace, in which he has served with great acceptability for more than nine years. He is a member of Clinton Lodge, No. 140, Free and Accepted Masons, of Wat- erford ; and a past grand of Jonesville Lodge, No. 132, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Squire Forte is also connected with Clifton Park Grange of Patrons of Husbandry, and takes an active interest in everything calcu- lated to improve the conditions of agriculture or benefit the farming community.
On June 27, 1867, Squire Forte was united in marriage to Huldah Vischer, a daughter of Francis Vischer, of the town of Clifton Park. To their union has been born two daughters : Minnie, now the wife of Rowland J. Wood, a
454
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
prosperous young farmer of the town of Clif- ton Park ; and Anna A., the wife of Willard C. Sheppard, a prosperous merchant of Jones- ville, New York.
JOHN EVERS, a man of many years' successful business experience, and the energetic proprietor of the celebrated Water- ford molding sand banks, is a son of Bernard and Ann (Stokes) Evers, and was born at Waterford, Saratoga county, New York, Sep- tember 8, 1840. He was reared at Waterford, received his education in the common schools, and then assisted his father in operating his celebrated molding sand banks until the death of the latter in 1868, when he succeeded him in the proprietorship and general management of the business. He employs a number of men, and ships his sand in large quantities to many different sections of the country. This sand is of such an excellent quality for the purposes for which it is used that it has no competitor in the markets of the country. It is used in all the molding departments of the first-class foundries of the United States. He has received testimonials from many leading manufacturers, endorsing the excellence and superiority of the Waterford molding sand. In connection with operating his sand indus- try, he is engaged largely in the coal and wood business, and enjoys an excellent trade among the fuel consumers of Waterford. Mr. Evers is a worthy representative of his enterprising and respected father, and has largely devel- oped a new source of wealth to his county by supplying foundries and many other manufac- turing establishments with a superior article of universal consumption.
On October 15, 1873, Mr. Evers was united in marriage with Sarah Roe, a daughter of James Roe, of Waterford, who came from Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Evers have two chil- dren, both sons : Thomas F. and Malcolm J.
In political opinion Mr. Evers is a democrat. He is a member of the school board of his vil-
lage, and has entered upon his second term as a justice of the peace for the town of Water- ford. He is a Catholic in religious belief. He owns considersble real estate, conducts a large business, and is one of the substantial and reliable citizens of Saratoga county. He served for some time as a member of the Knickerbocker Fire company, No. I, and in various ways has contributed to the advance- ment of his village.
John Evers is of Irish descent, and his father, Bernard Evers, was born and reared in county Longford, province of Leinster, Ire- land. After attaining his majority he sought to better his fortunes by coming to the United States, and in 1822 landed at Quebec, pro- vince of Quebec, Canada, which he soon left to settle at Waterford, where he resided until his death, which occurred March 25, 1868, when in the seventieth year of his age. He commenced life for himself at Waterford as a day laborer. He afterward worked on the con- struction of the Champlain & Erie canal, and having thus acquired a small sum of money, he embarked in the coal and wood business, in which he was remarkably successful. He was the first man to discover the celebrated Waterford molding sand, and was actively en- gaged for many years before his death in ship- ping this sand to various sections of the United States. Mr. Evers was a very stirring, ener- getic man, and acquired a valuable estate dur- ing the latter years of his life. He was a Catholic in religion, and always gave a hearty support to the Democratic party. He wedded Ann Stokes, who was a native of the same county in Ireland as himself, and who passed away May 5, 1867, at fifty-six years of age. To their union were born ten children, five sons and five daughters.
W ILLIAM A. COLLAMER, one of the leading farmers and landowners of the town of Malta, who for a number of years was connected with the train service of the Hud-
455
OF SARATOGA COUNTY.
son River Railroad Company, is a son of Wil- liam A. and Anor (Newton) Collamer, and a native of the town of Malta, Saratoga county, New York, where he was born August 16, 1828. The family is of Italian extraction, but have been native Americans for nearly two hundred years, having been planted in Massa- chusetts colony long prior to the Revolutionary war. Anthony Collamer, great-great-grand- father of the subject of this sketch, lived for a time in what is now known as the town of Scit- uate. The town was held by him under the title of a grant from England. His son, An- thony Collamer (great-grandfather), was a ship carpenter by trade, afterward commanded a vessel, and served as a soldier in the Revolu- tionary war with two of his sons. He resided in Connecticut for many years, and in that State his son, Barker Collamer (grandfather), was born and reared. He learned the trade of ship carpenter with his father, and worked at that business for a time. He served in the Continental army, and soon after the close of the Revolutionary war removed to Saratoga county, New York, purchasing a farm in the town of Malta, where he spent the remainder of his days in agricultural pursuits. He died in 1856, in the ninetieth year of his age. Po- litically he was a democrat, and during his residence in the town of Malta he held, at one time or another, all the offices of the town. In religion he was a Methodist, and married Sarah Anthony, and reared a family of chil- dren. One of his sons was William A. Colla- mer (father), who was born on the old home- stead in the town of Malta in 1807, and died at his home in the town of Waterloo, New York, October 11, 1892, aged eighty-five years. He followed farming all his life and became quite prosperous. In politics he was a Jack- sonian democrat, and during his more active years took a deep interest in local politics. He served in a number of official positions, in- cluding those of supervisor of the town and justice of the peace. For many years lie was an ardent member of the Methodist Episcopal
church, and did much in support of its various interests. In 1823 he wedded Anor Newton, a daughter of David Newton, a prosperous farmer of the town of Malta, and by that mar- riage had a family of six children: David N., Jane Ann, William A., Catherine M., Char- lottie E., and Anor A. Collamer.
William A. Collamer grew to manhood on the paternal acres in the town of Malta, this county, and acquired a good practical educa- tion in the public schools, finishing his studies at a select school in Ballston Spa. At the age of twenty he accepted a position as baggage- master on the Hudson River railroad, running between New York city and Albany, and some time later became a conductor on that road. The latter position he held for a period of seven years, and then retiring from the road purchased the old homestead, a farm in the town of Malta, where he has ever since re- sided, extensively engaged in agricultural pur- suits. His farm contains five hundred acres of valuable land, located one-fourth mile west of Wiggins' Corner, and is in a fine state of cultivation and well improved.
On April 8, 1855, Mr. Collamer married Harriet A. Wiggins, a daughter of John Wig- gins, of Wiggins' Corner, this county, and to their union was born a family of three chil- dren, one son and two daughters: John E., married Helen Hall; Anor, married John Duncan, superintendent of the Hudson River Paper and Pulp Company's mill at Mechan- icville; and Jennie P., who became the wife of Frederick Flagler, a farmer of the town of Half Moon, this county.
Adhering to the political traditions of his family, Mr. Collamer has always been an ar- dent democrat, and has frequently been called on by his fellow citizens to serve in official positions. He was elected supervisor of the town some eigliteen years ago, and served continuously for five years, and completed an - other term of tlirce years in 1887. In the lat- ter year he accepted an appointment by the governor as loan commissioner, and he now
456
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
holds the appointment of member of the ad- visory council of the World's Congress Auxil- iary in farm culture. At different times he has filled about all the minor offices of his town. He is a Master Mason, holding mem- bership in Franklin Lodge, No. 32, at Balls- ton Spa, and is also connected with Enter- prise Lodge, No. 1492, Patrons of Industry. Mr. Collamer is widely known in this section of the Empire State, and universally esteemed for his many excellent qualities.
JOEL W. SMITH, an intelligent and ac-
tive business man and the editor and pro- prietor of the well known and popular Water- ford Advertiser, is a son of Jacob W. and Sarah (Sutherland) Smith, and was born in the town of Half Moon, Saratoga county, May 30, 1844. The Smiths are of German descent, and set- tled in New York about 1685. One member of the family in Duchess county was William Smith, the paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch. William Smith became an early settler in one section of the town of Half Moon, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death in 1838 at sixty-seven years of age. His son, Jacob W. Smith (fath- er), was born in 1806, and in 1866 removed to the village of Clifton Park, where he has re- sided up to the present time. He has always been engaged in farming, and in politics was an old-line whig until that party went down, since which time he has supported the Repub- lican party. Mr. Smith married Sarah Suth- erland, who was a native of this county, and died July 16, 1886, at seventy-six years of age. She wasa consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and her father, Rev. Lewis Sutherland (maternal grandfather), was of Scotch descent. He was born in the United States, became a minister in the Methodist Episcopal church, and preached for a number of years in this county before his death. He died in 1853 at the age of sixty-nine years.
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.