USA > New York > Saratoga County > History of Saratoga County, New York : with historical notes on its various towns > Part 66
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In politics Mr. Carpenter is a straight re- publican. The story of his life is fitly told in his years of struggle and toil, and in his final establishment of a permanent industry whose past and present prosperity has added largely to the wealth and business of Saratoga Springs.
F RANK M. CRAWFORD, an enter- prising and successful business man, is a son of John F. and Mary A. (Moriarty) Craw- ford, and was born at Saratoga Springs, New York, April 3, 1855. The Crawfords come of the old nobility of Scotland. Wallace Craw- ford (great-grandfather), emigrated to the United States when a young man, and became one of the earliest settlers of Saratoga county, where he married, reared his family and died.
Benjamin Crawford, his son, was born at Sar- atoga Springs, where he married and followed the occupation of farming and carpentering until his death in 1865, at the age of seventy- six. He was a republican, served in the old militia, and his son, John F. Crawford (father), was born in Saratoga Springs. He married Mary A. Moriarty, who was a native of Troy, New York, and of French extraction. She died in 1877, at the age of sixty-one years. Her father, Rev. J. D. Moriarty, was a minis- ter of the Methodist Episcopal church, and founded the church of that denomination in Saratoga Springs.
Frank M. Crawford grew up in the village of Saratoga Springs, and received his educa- tion in the public schools and the high school of that place. He then accepted a position as clerk in a boot and shoe house, in which he remained for nine years. In 1880 he began business for himself, in the same line of trade, with R. C. Fonda, under the firm name of Crawford & Fonda. They continued together until 1887, when Mr. Crawford bought Mr. Fonda's interest in the business, and has since conducted it alone, under the name of F. M. Crawford only. His place of business is at 419 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, where he has a large and tastefully arranged establish- ment, plentifully stocked with a fine line of boots and shoes. He enjoys a prosperous trade, and is one of the prosperous business men of the village.
In 1883 Mr. Crawford married Jessie B. Hart, daughter of Rev. J. S. Hart, of Sara- toga Springs, and to their union have been born four children, one son and three daugh- ters : Irving, Emily, Bessie and Jessie.
Frank M. Crawford is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church ; Rising Sun Lodge, No. 103, Free and Accepted Masons ; Rising Sun Chapter, No. 131, Royal Arch Masons; Washington Commandery, No. 33, Knights Templar ; and Oriental Temple of the Mystic Shrine, of Troy. Ile is also a member of Ilathorn Lodge of the Independent order of
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Odd Fellows ; of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and Royal Arcanum. In his party affiliations Mr. Crawford is a republican, and a popular gentleman.
w ILLIAM H. GROESBECK, V.S.,
of Saratoga Springs, is one of the skilled and experienced veterinary surgeons of New York. He is a son of Hugh and Mary (Ingersoll) Groesbeck, and was born October 2, 1834, in the town of Wilton, Saratoga county, New York. He was reared on the farm, received his education in the public schools and Hebron academy of Washington county, and at twenty-one years of age became a clerk in a wholesale and retail grocery house at Saratoga Springs, where he remained until 1861. In that year he formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, William E. Dexter, and they ran a livery stable for four years. At the end of that time Mr. Groesbeck opened a drug store at No. 380 Broadway street, which he conducted for three years, and then turned his attention to his present veterinary busi- ness, which he has pursued continuously here ever since, excepting the years 1884 and 1885 that he spent in New York city, where he practiced as a veterinary surgeon.
In 1859 Mr. Groesbeck married Marian L. Dexter, daughter of Stephen Dexter, of Sara- toga Springs. They have three children, one son and two daughters : Frederick H .; Mary E., wife of Peter Witzel, of New York city; and Grace L., who married Harry Grubb.
In politics Dr. Groesbeck is a republican. He is a second cousin of the prominent lawyer, W. S. Groesbeck, who took an active part in the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson.
The name of Groesbeck is found occurring in the history of southeastern and eastern New" York for the last two centuries. Hugo Groes- beck, whose grandson, Leut. Hugh, was the grandfather of Dr. Groesbeck, came about 1690 from Amsterdam, Holland, and settled
in Duchess county, this State, where he reared a family, and where many of his grandchildren were born. His grandson, Lieut. Hugh Groes- beck (grandfather), was born in 1758, and after serving as a lieutenant in the revolutionary war, came to the town of Wilton, where he followed farming until his death in 1838. Of his chil- dren, one was Hugh Groesbeck (father), who died in 1850. He was a life-long resi- dent and prosperous farmer of the town of Wilton. He was a whig and a Methodist, and married Mary Ingersoll. Mrs. Mary Groes- beck was a consistent member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church, and passed away in 1872, when in the sixty-second year of her age.
C EORGE H. BENNETT, one of the leading and influential citizens of Schuy- lerville, is a son of Horace and Sophia (Skid- more) Bennett, and was born at Fort Miller, Washington county, New York, March 9, 1834. His paternal grandfather, Phineas Bennett, was one of the pioneer settlers of his section in the Upper Hudson valley and followed lime burning in Washington county for many years. He was a democrat in politics and served as a soldier in the war of 1812, being in the battle of Plattsburg, and several other severe engage- ments along the northern frontier. Phineas Bennett was an industrious and thoroughgoing man, and died in 1856, aged sixty-five years. He married Sarah Fisher, and their children were : Phineas, Richard, Horace and Eliza- beth Smith. The third son, Horace Bennett (father), was born April, 1808, in Washington county, and died September, 1870, at sixty- two years of age. He learned with Selah Fisher the trade of miller, which he followed during his lifetime in various parts of Wash- ington and Saratoga counties. He was adem- ocrat, and resided after marriage near Middle Falls, in his native county. Mr. Bennett mar- ried Sophia Skidmore, who was a daughter of Lysander and Martha Skidmore. To their union were born five sons and three daughters:
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OF SARATOGA COUNTY.
George, Anna Maria, Eliza J., George H., Edward, Egbert, Fayette and Sarah A., who was accidentally killed at Harris' mills by a log rolling over her.
George H. Bennett attended the common schools of his native county and Schuylerville academy, and then learned with William M. Palmer, the trade of miller, which he followed at various places in Rensselaer and Washing- ton counties until 1859. In that year he formed a partnership with Henry W. Dennis, and they leased the mill at Schuylerville, which Mr. Bennett now operates. At the end of three years Mr. Bennett purchased his partner's in- terest, and since then has operated the mill most successfully. He does a general milling business, but makes a specialty of rye grind- ing, and has a large trade. In 1882 he be- came the pioneer of the flour, feed, grain and coal business at Schuylerville, where he has met with remarkable encouragement in that line of business, and has built up an extensive and lucrative trade. He is a member of the Reformed church, and has served for several years as a member of the board of education of school district No. I, of the town of Sara- toga. During his first term as a school official he became largely instrumental in securing the erection of the present handsome and com- modious high school building of Schuylerville. Mr. Bennett is a strong democrat, and has al- ways been active and efficient in the support of his party. He has also been prominent in the financial affairs of his village, having served continuously since 1889 as a director of the National bank of Schuylerville.
On May 6, 1854, Mr. Bennett married Helen S., daughter of Hector and Charlotte (Stewart) McRae, who are of Scotch descent. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett have three children : James, who married Lilly Newton, and is engaged in milling at Schuylerville ; William E .; and George M., who wedded Charlotte McNaughton, and has charge of his father's coal business.
William E. Bennett was born at Schuyler- ville, January 22, 1863, received his education
in the public and high schools of his native village, and in 1882 registered as a law student with P. C. Ford. He was admitted to the bar in September, 1886, and has continued ever since his admission in active and successful practice. He is a democrat in politics, and a member of the Reformed church. He was elected justice of the peace at Schuylerville in 1888, and was reëlected to the same office in 1892, being the only democratic candidate that was successful on the town ticket in 1888, and receiving a large majority at the March elec- tion of 1892. In December, 1891, William E. Bennett married Edith, daughter of Leroy and Jane (Osborne) Clark.
E DWARD H. HOYT, a well known and successful manufacturer and business man of Saratoga Springs, this county, was born November 22, 1860, in the town of Greenfield, Saratoga county, New York, and is the young- est son of Rev. Z. T. and Sarah M. (Foote) Hoyt. The Hoyt family is of English descent, and was planted in America over two hundred and fifty years ago, since which time they have been widely scattered through the New Eng- land, middle, and western States. James Hoyt, paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a native and life-long resident of Connecticut, where he was extensively en- gaged in farming. His son, James Hoyt (grandfather), was born in Connecticut, from which State he came to New York about the beginning of the present century and settled in the town of Greenfield, Saratoga county. He was a prosperous farmer, and owned four hun- dred acres of land in the western part of that town, where he died about 1851, aged sev- enty-four years. Politically he was a whig, and for many years took an active interest in public affairs. He married Rachel Starr, and liad a family of eight children. One of his sons was Rev. Z. T. Hoyt (father), who was born December 3, 1812, on the old homestead in the town of Greenfield, this county, where
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he grew to manhood and received his prelim- inary instruction in the common schools. After leaving the country school he entered Union college at Schenectady, New York, and began his preparation for the ministry of the Pres- byterian church. He was duly graduated from that institution in 1840, and Union Theologi- cal seminary, New York, in 1844; began his ministerial labors in Hastings, Michigan, which have now extended over more than half a century. For the past thirty-eight years he has been pastor of the Presbyterian church of South Greenfield, this county. In politics he is a prohibitionist, and has all his life been a strong opponent of the traffic in alcoholic liquors. In 1846 he married Sarah M. Foote, a daughter of Jesse Foote and Angelica Van Buren Foote, of the village of Mayfield, Ful- ton county, New York. To their union was born a family of four children, two sons and two daughters: Sarah F., who married E. Irvin Scott, of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; James T., a lawyer, now located in New York city; Emma R., living at home; and Edward H., whose name heads this sketch. Mrs. Sarah M. Hoyt was born at Mayfield, Fulton county, on November 8, 1822, and was a devoted mem- ber of the Presbyterian church all her life.
Edward H. Hoyt was reared principally at South Greenfield, this county; attended the public schools for a time, and completed his education at Pulaski academy, Pulaski, Os- wego county, this State. In 1887 he engaged in the manufacture of toilet paper at Saratoga Springs, and is now doing a large business in that line. His plant is located at Nos. 2, 4, and 6 Benedict street, where he is just com- pleting an additional building thirty by one hundred feet in dimensions. He is also inter- ested largely in the Hoyts patent toilet paper box, manufactured in Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, and resides on a fine farm of nearly two hundred acres in the town of Milton, this county, to the superintendence of which he devotes part of his time.
On October 24, 1883, Mr. Hoyt was united
by marriage to Hannah C. King, youngest daughter of William M. King, a prosperous farmer of the town of. Milton. To Mr. and Mrs. Hoyt have been born three children, two sons and a daughter: Frances M., William K., and James.
In his political affiliations Mr. Hoyt has always been democratic, and of late years has taken considerable interest in local politics. In 1891 he was made the candidate of his party in this senatorial district for the position of State senator, and his personal popularity was so great that he reduced the regular republican majority of three thousand down to three hun- dred. No better proof could be offered re- garding his high standing in this section of the State, where he is best known. He is a mem- ber of Washington Council, No. 76, American Legion of Honor, of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and of the farmers' organiza- tions of New York State, particularly the Pat- rons of Industry, in which he has always taken a great interest.
E PHRAIM FORD, whose life, while not one of intense activity, yet has been one of practical utility, general usefulness, and un- usual success, is an intelligent citizen and prosperous farmer of the town of Stillwater. He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Vanden- burg) Ford, and was born in the house in which he now resides, in the town of Still- water, Saratoga county, New York, February 7, 1820. His paternal grandfather Ford was born and reared in Ireland, and in the latter part of the last century came to the town of Stillwater, where he purchased a large tract of land which he cultivated until his death. He was an anti-federalist in the early days of American politics, and wedded Esther Ed- monds, by whom he had four children, two sons and two daughters: John, Thomas, Bet- sey Woodruff, and Jane, who died in early womanhood. John Ford (father) was born in 1791 near the present village of Stillwater, and
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OF SARATOGA COUNTY.
received the advantages only of the limited education of that day. He was a farmer by occupation, and in early life removed from his father's farm to the farm of one hundred and ninety-six acres, of which one hundred and fifty-two acres are now owned by the subject of this sketch, and which then was a part of the original Vandenburg tract that was one mile in width and six miles in length. In 1836 he purchased a second farm, which was near Bemus Heights, and on which he resided from that year up to his death, on March 12, 1865, when in the sixty-sixth year of his age. Mr. Ford wedded Elizabeth Vandenburg, and their union was blessed with eight children: Eph- raim, Elias, Jane Smith, George (dead), Eliza- beth (deceased), Martin, John, and Elizabeth (2), who died in childhood. Mrs. Ford, who was born in 1801 and died in 1878, was a daughter of Evert Vandenburg, who was of Dutch descent, and came into the town of Stillwater in colonial days. Evert Vanden- burg took up a tract of land afterward known as the Vandenburg tract, and once when In- dians were passing through, prior to the Rev- olutionary war, he rescued from them, at con- siderable risk to himself, a white child that they had captured and were carrying off into the wilderness. Mr. Vandenburg, who died in 1816, was married and reared a family of five children, two sons and three daughters: Eliza- beth Ford (mother), Margaret Smith, Corne- lius, Everett, and Sarah Hamilton.
Ephraim Ford was reared on his father's farm, received his education in the early pub- lic schools of his town, and assisted his father in farming until he was thirty-seven years of age, when he engaged in shipping lumber, grain and produce from Montreal, Canada, over the Champlain canal and the Hudson river to New York city. He was very suc- cessful in this line of business, which he fol- lowed up to 1871, in which year he purchased a farm of one hundred acres on Saratoga lake, where he remained for four years. He then sold his farm at a handsome profit and pur-
chased the one now owned by W. P. Sey- mour, of near Stillwater. On the Seymour farm he lived for ten years, and at the end of that time, in 1885, he purchased the house and one hundred and fifty-two acres of his father's old farm, on which he has resided up to the present time. This farm is very fertile, highly improved and wonderfully productive, and has been considered for many years as one of the finest farms to be found in the county. Mr. Ford is a democrat, and a member of the Sec- ond Baptist church of Stillwater, and ranks as one of the substantial farmers and reliable citizens of his community. He has always recognized in life that for every day, the dull- est and busiest alike, some special duty waits, and he has invariably performed that duty, so that his business of to-morrow will never be clogged by the neglect of to-day or the indif- ference of yesterday.
Ephraim Ford, on December 18, 1855, mar- ried Elizabeth Cartwright, daughter of Thomas and Mary (McKeshney) Cartwright, of Scotch and English descent respectively. To Mr. and Mrs. Ford have been born four sons and one daughter: Warren, born November I, 1856, married Marie Strang, was a veterinary surgeon and farmer, and died December I, 1890: Walter C., born January 5, 1859, and died October 5, 1863; Edward M., born No- vember 1, 1869; and Fannie L., at home withi her parents.
r ANIEL E. LA DOW, an energetic and successful business man and a member of the old and well known sash and blind manufacturing firm of Barnes & La Dow, of Mechanicville, is a son of Jacob and Eliza A. (Denton) La Dow, and was born at Saratoga Springs, Saratoga county, New York, Novem- ber 19, 1839. Ilis paternal grandfather, Dan- iel E. La Dow, was a native of New York, and passed the larger part of his life in the town of Malta, where he was a farmer. He was a whig and Baptist. and had seven chil-
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dren : Stephen W., Jacob, Eliza Beardsley, Eleanor Thomas, Martha Lipscomb, Julia Cooper and Rheuma Rogers. Jacob La Dow (father) was born in 1817, and received a good English education, which he has largely sup- plemented by reading. He has fine mechani- cal ability, has erected several water mills and applied successfully to them hydraulic pro- cesses of his own invention. He has mas- tered by his own application the trades of car- penter, wheelwright and machinist. He owned and operated several water power flouring mills, was in the lumber business with James Morgan at Glens Falls for some time, and then engaged in the blind and sash business at Ballston Spa, which he followed one year. At the end of that time he started a machine shop, and four years later removed to Still- water, where he became a member of the door, sash and blind manufacturing firm of Cornell & La Dow, which removed in 1864 to Mechanicville. Three years later he retired from the firm to become a partner in the same line of business with A. H. Barnes, under the firm name of Barnes & La Dow. In 1869 Mr. La Dow was succeeded by his son in the firm, and since then has not been engaged in active business life. Mr. La Dow married Eliza A. Denton, who was a daughter of Daniel Denton, and who died in 1845, leaving two children : Daniel E. and T. Augusta Barnes. Mr. La Dow wedded for his second wife, Mary E. Vaughn, and by this marriage has four children : Orville D., J. Charles, Robert V. and Lily Blaisdell.
Daniel E. La Dow received his education in the common and private schools of Glens Falls and Stillwater academy, and then was engaged in the sash and blind manufacturing business with his father until 1863, when he went to Troy, this State, where he operated a sash and blind factory for two years. He then embarked in the knit goods business at Waterford, as a member of the firm of Allen, Stewart & Scott, but one year later withdrew from the partnership to remove to Stillwater,
where he started a knitting mill, being the pioneer in that business in Stillwater, which he sold out and left in 1868 to become a mem- ber of the manufacturing firm of Collins & La Dow, of Troy, New York, from which partnership he withdrew in 1869. In that year he became a member of the present firm of Barnes & La Dow, which does the largest sash and blind manufacturing business in Sar- atoga county. In connection with their large and lucrative manufacturing business the firm carries all kinds of timber, lumber and build- ing supplies. Mr. La Dow is a republican in politics, has held all the offices of his village, and during his administration as president he urged and secured the purchase of the steam fire engine of Mechanicville, as well as organ- ized the hose company, both of which bear his name. He was instrumental in organiz- ing the First Baptist church of Mechanicville, of which he is a deacon. Mr. La Dow has always been prominent and active in every enterprise for the progress and prosperity of his village. He is president of the Young Men's Christian association, also one of the trustees of the Round Lake association, one of the best known institutions of the State of New York; while serving as president of the school board was largely instrumental in se- curing the erection of the new Union Free School building. He is a member of Ells- worth Lodge, No. 192, Ancient Order of United Workmen, and Montgomery Lodge, No. 504, Free and Accepted Masons. Activity and usefulness have ever been distinguishing characteristics of Daniel E. La Dow, whose business life has been one of honesty, honor and success.
On March 25, 1867, Mr. La Dow married Elizabeth P. Haight, daughter of J. W. and Mary (Mosher) Haight, of Stillwater, New York. To Mr. and Mrs. La Dow have been born two children : Jared S., who is assisting his father in his manufacturing business; and Fred W., who died in October, 1881, at eighteen months of age.
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DAVID T. LAMB, of Waterford, whose
career in the business world is a remark- ably good illustration of the success that can be attained in life by industry, enterprise and integrity, is a son of Joseph and Martha (Thompson) Lamb, and was born in the town of Half Moon, Saratoga county, New York, September 1, 1814. He was reared on the home farm, received a practical but limited education in the early schools of his town, and after arriving at manhood he left agricultural pursuits to engage in the general mercantile business at Lansingburg (opposite Waterford) on the Hudson river, in Rensselaer county, where he remained until 1845. In that year he removed to Waterford, and embarked in the hotel business. He conducted the house that is now known as the Clifton house for eleven years, and then disposed of his hotel property to give his entire attention to con- tracting, in which he had been somewhat in- terested for some years. He soon widened out his contracting business, and became a large and successful contractor on public works. He continued in contracting from 1856 to 1889, and during that time was actively engaged in his own and adjoining counties on contracts of some of the most important public works of the northern Hudson valley, one of which is the beautiful and durable iron bridge that now spans the Hudson river between Troy and West Troy.
In 1889 Mr. Lamb retired from the active pursuits of life, although he still takes in- terest in the material development of his town and county, and has continued to serve as a director of the Union Bridge Company of Waterford. He served for several years as a director and the vice-president of the old Saratoga County bank, which was the first bank that was established in the county, and for twenty-five years acted . as a direc- tor of the Waterford & Troy Electric rail- road, which he was largely instrumental in building up from the horse street car line pur-
chased by the company soon after its forma- tion.
On April 29, 1837, Mr. Lamb married Em- eline Voorhees, a daughter of German Voor- hees, of the town of Half Moon. They have one child living, Mary A., who is the wife of Theodore A. Clixton, of the city of Troy.
In politics Mr. Lamb is a straight democrat, and served for fifteen years as supervisor of the town of Waterford, two of which he was chairman. He was also president of the board of trustees of his village, and as a village and town official discharged successfully and sat- isfactorily every duty of each of his positions. While engaged in business he was thorough- going, energetic, clear-headed and honorable in all his transactions. He owns a fine farm and other valuable property, which has all been accumulated by his own exertions and enterprise. His unusual prosperity, extending and increasing through half a century, marks him as a man of ability, judgment and indus- try. Mr. Lamb is in all respects worthy of the success that he has won, and has done much, both directly and indirectly, to advance the interests of his village. He is liberal, public spirited and hospitable, and always one of the foremost in any enterprise for the good of his community.
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