USA > New York > Saratoga County > History of Saratoga County, New York : with historical notes on its various towns > Part 68
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
physician of New York city. Mrs. Delinda P. Morey died at Saratoga Springs, January 15, 1892, in the eightieth year of her age.
Robert E. Morey was reared principally at Lansingburg, this State, and received an acade- mic education, graduating at the age of seven- teen at Onondaga academy, Onondaga county, New York, after which he learned the trade of tanning with his father, and was in business with him until the latter's death in 1876. He then carried on the leather business for him- self at Saratoga Springs until 1892, when he disposed of his interests in that enterprise and erected the beautiful Piscatory hotel on the western shore of Saratoga lake, in the town of Malta, where he owns forty-three acres of fine grounds, and one of the loveliest spots on earth.
On October 20, 1862, Mr. Morey was mar- ried to Helen E. Verbeck, fourth daughter of Sidney Verbeck, of the village of Saratoga Springs. To Mr. and Mrs. Morey was born a family of five children, four sons and . a daughter : Robert E., jr., now engaged in the · general market business at Saratoga Springs; Elizabeth C., who married George N. Weather- wax, agent at the Delaware & Hudson depot, in Saratoga Springs; George L. and Sidney Verbeck -the two latter living at home with their parents; and John P. Morey, who died at the age of eleven years.
In his political affiliations Mr. Morey is re- publican, having cast his first vote for Abra- ham Lincoln in 1864, and uniformly supported that party ever since, though in local matters sought to support the best candidate of either party. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum at Saratoga Springs, and ranks among the most respected and useful citizens of Saratoga county.
H. 1 C. MONROE, M. D., one of the lead- ing and most successful physicians of Schuylerville and Saratoga county, is a son of Dr. Isaac and Mary (Thompson) Monroe, and was born at Granville, Washington county,
487
OF SARATOGA COUNTY.
New York, February 8, 1845. He received his education in the common schools of South Granville and North Hebron academy and Fort Edward institute, and then commenced the study of medicine as a life vocation. After reading for some time he entered the medical department of the university of New York, from which he was graduated with high hon- ors in the class of 1872, and from the hands of whose faculty he received the Mott silver medal for one of the best anatomical and sur- gical specimens prepared in his graduating class of seventy-two members. He took a special course in physical diagnosis of Prof. William H. Thomas, of New York, after which he returned to South Granville in his native county, where he practiced until May, 1872. In that month he came to Schuylerville, where he has remained until the present time, and has a wide and remunerative field of practice. Two years ago he took a post graduate course at the Post Graduate Medical school, New York.
On February 2, 1876, Dr. Monroe married Nancy C. Lettis, a daughter of Peter and Margaret (Putnam) Lettis. To Dr. and Mrs. Monroe have been born seven children, two sons and five daughters : Alice (dead), Mary, Margaret, Ralph, Helen, Frank (now dead), and Elizabeth.
In politics Dr. Monroe is a republican; was elected, in 1880, as coroner of Saratoga county, and faithfully discharged the duties of that responsible position; was elected president of the village of Schuylerville in 1890 and served two terms, and is now a member of the board of education. He is a member of Gran- ville Lodge, No. 55, Free and Accepted Ma- sons. Dr. Monroe is a member of the Union Medical society of Saratoga, Washington and Warren counties, and by reading and study endeavors to keep abreast of the rapid ad- vancement of the medical profession.
Dr. H. C. Monroe is of Scotch lineage. His paternal grandfather, Isaac Monroe, was a native of Rensselaer county, near Troy, and
had two brothers, who became soldiers in the American army during the war of 1812, and were killed in that great struggle. He mar- ried and reared a family of children, of whom were : Dr. Nelson, a physician, who practiced at Whitehall and in New York city; Erastus, who was engaged in farming and in the cabi- net making business at Granville, New York; and Dr. Isaac, father of the subject of this sketch. Dr. Isaac Monroe was born October 5, 1805, near Troy, New York, and received a good English education, after which he taught for some time. He read medicine with Dr. Pond of Granville, Washington county, was graduated from Castleton Medical college of Vermont, and returned to Granville, where he practiced with success forty-five years, un- til his death, which occurred June 20, 1875, when he was in the seventieth year of his age. He was a whig and republican in politics, was prominent in local politics, and had held the most important of the offices of his town. He was twice married. His first wife was Mary German, who died and left one child, Dr. R. G., who was a very skillful physician and sur- geon, and held at one time an important po- sition at the general hospital of Louisville, Kentucky. At his death he was located at Rutland, Vermont. He died in 1839 at the age of thirty years. Dr. Isaac Monroe mar- ried for his second wife Mary Thompson, a daughter of Cephas and Elizabeth (Campbell) Thompson, and by his last marriage had four children : Dr. I. T., Dr. H. C. (subject), An- nie E. Lee, and James N.
WILLIAM S. OSTRANDER, a mem-
ber of the Saratoga county bar, and a prominent and active citizen of Schuylerville, is a son of William P. and Isabel C. (Winney) Ostrander, and was born June 28, 1858, near Grangersville, in the town of Saratoga, Sara- toga county, New York. He received his academic education in the Schuylerville High school and Argyle and Mechanicville acad-
488
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
emies, and then entered Cornell university, from which he was graduated in the class of 1881. Leaving college he read law with Hon. D. S. Potter, of Schuylerville, for a short time, and then prosecuted his studies with the cele- brated law firm of Iselin & Warner, of New York city, for some time, after which he re- turned to Schuylerville, where he completed his legal course under his first preceptor. Soon after completing his required course of reading, in 1883, he was admitted to the bar, and later opened an office at Schuylerville, where he has secured an extensive practice. Mr. Ostrander, while not neglecting the gen- eral practice of the law, yet makes a specialty of corporation and real estate laws, in which important and growing branch of his profes- sion he has met with flattering success. He is a pronounced republican in politics, and an active member of the Reformed church. He has served his town acceptably for three terms as town clerk; has been twice president of the board of education, and is now president of the village of Schuylerville. Although en- grossed with the cares of his law practice, and giving gratuitously much time to the munici- pal affairs of his village, he still retains his interest in the literary life of his alma mater, and is a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraterity, Delta Chi Chapter of Cornell uni- versity. While at college he was the literary editor of the Cornell Era, and since then has contributed articles to many of the papers of the State. In 1884 he wrote and published an interesting and instructive sketch of " Bur- goyne's Campaign." This work gives an ac- curate description of the battles and scope of that campaign.
On October 17, 1883, Mr. Ostrander mar- ried Cora E. Laing, daughter of Giles P. and Isabella (Pond) Laing, of Schuylerville. Mr. and Mrs. Ostrander have three children: Ster- ling, Vibert L., and Marian, who are respect- ively eight, five, and two years of age.
The Ostrander family is one of the old fam- ilies of Holland, and some of its members at
an early day settled in Duchess and Renssel- aer counties, from the latter of which Chris- topher Ostrander (grandfather) came to Sara- toga county. Of his sons, one was William P. Ostrander (father). In connection with Samuel Sheldon he built the Chestnut street annex to Schuylerville, and later he erected the handsome High School building of Schuy- lerville, which ranks among the finest build- ings in the county. Mr. Ostrander was born in Sandlake, New York, February 22, 1823, and for nearly half a century has made his home in the town of Saratoga. He was orig- inally a whig, and when that party went down became a republican. He served as super- visor of Saratoga for five consecutive terms, from 1862 to 1866, and during the war years of that time was very active and successful in recruiting volunteer companies for the Fed- eral army. He is well known as a good busi- ness man, and has been for many years a mem- ber of Schuylerville Lodge, No. 268, Free and Accepted Masons., Mr. Ostrander married Isabel C. Winney, and to their union were born four children: Vibert W .; Fannie M. Marshall, who died in 1872, at twenty-two years of age; William S., whose name appears at the head of this sketch; and Anna I. Clos- son. Mrs. Ostrander is a daughter of Francis K. Winney (maternal grandfather), who was a descendant of the old Winney family, of Al- bany, and the Tefft family, of Rhode Island. He was a farmer and a hotel keeper, and served for several years as a justice of the peace. He married Dorcas Tefft, and their children were: Rowe, Killian F., Nathan T., Frances Mary, Valorus, Gardner, Sarah Ann, John Perry, James W. S., Emma, Emily, Stephen H., Rowe, Isabel C. Ostrander, and Rachel P.
CAPTAIN LEVINUS LANSING,
for many years a wholesale dealer in meats and kindred supplies, and now one of the most prominent and successful auctioneers of north- ern New York, is a son of Reuben and Harriet
489
OF SARATOGA COUNTY.
(Haines) Lansing, and was born March 27, 1842, at Glenville, Schenectady county, New York. The Lansings are of original Holland descent, but have been resident in New York since early times. Levinus Lansing (grand- father), for whom the subject of this sketch was named, was for many years a resident of Glenville, Schenectady county, this State, where he worked at his trade of wheelwright. Later he moved to the town of Charlton, Sar- atoga county, where he purchased a farm and spent the remainder of his active life in agri- cultural pursuits, retiring from business sev- eral years previous to his death, which occurred in 1877, when he was about eighty-five years of age. Politically he was a whig and repub- lican, and married Sarah Finch, daughter of Reuben Finch, a non-commissioned officer in the Revolutionary war. They had a family of eight children : Reuben (father) ; Benjamin, alive; Sarah, who married John Pearce, of Kansas ; Henry, now deceased, who was one of the first daguerreotype artists in this coun- try ; Helen, deceased ; Rachel, now residing at Schenectady ; Lewis, deceased ; and Ab- bie, deceased, wife of Alfred Barnard, now re- siding in Illinois.
Reuben Lansing, the eldest of this family, and father of the subject of this sketch, was born at Glenville, Schenectady county, this State, February 21, 1814. There he grew to manhood, received a good common school education, and resided nearly all his life, re- moving to Mayfield, Fulton county, a few years previous to his death, which occurred in 1872, when he was in the fifty-seventh year of his age. He was a butcher by trade, and in 1862 en- listed in Co. B, 134th New York infantry, with which he served until his discharge in 1863, o11 account of disability incurred in the ser- vice. In politics he was first a whig, but later became a stanch democrat. In 1840 he mar- ried Harriet Haines, of Mayfield, Fulton county, this State, by whom he had a family of eight children : Levinus ; Ellen M., de- ceased ; Lucretia, died young ; John W., now
residing at Schenectady ; Henry, deceased at an early age; James H., also died young ; Daniel W., living with his brother at Burnt Hills, New York ; . and Sarah, deceased. Mrs. Harriet Lansing died in 1875, in the fifty- fourth year of her age.
Levinus Lansing was reared on the farm, where he early learned habits of industry and frugality, and his education was obtained in the public schools and at Charlton academy. After leaving school he engaged in the meat business, and for a number of years conducted a large wholesale trade in that commodity. He recently retired from that business, and at present is giving his principal attention to auctioneering, being called to all parts of the country to conduct large and important sales of goods and chattels.
On September 18, 1861, Mr. Lansing en- listed as a member of Company C, 7th New York cavalry, and participated in all the ser- vices of that regiment until his discharge, March 31, 1862. After his return to Saratoga county he enlisted in the old State militia, and was elected corporal of his company, and shortly afterward promoted to be orderly ser- geant. In 1866 he was elected captain of the company, his commission bearing date of July 21, 1866, and held that office until the com- pany was disbanded, June 5, 1868. On August 14, 1881, Captain Lansing was appointed post- master at Burnt Hills, this county, and accept- ably filled that position for a period of four years.
On the 29th of November, 1866, Captain Lansing was married to Anna M. Orcutt, daugh- ter, of Luther B. Orcutt, of Burnt Hills. She died August 7, 1889, and on March 17, 1892, the Captain was again married, wedding for his second wife Mrs. Jennie Kerwood Higgins, a daughter of Philip Kerwood, also of Burnt Hills.
Politically Captain Lansing is an ardent re- publican, and ever active in the interests of his party, and an able exponent of its funda- mental principles. He is a member of Frank-
490
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
lin Lodge, No. 90, Free and Accepted Ma- sons, of Ballston Spa ; past grand of South Ballston Lodge, No. 499, Independent Order of Odd Fellows ; and the present overseer of Ballston Grange, No. 681, Patrons of Hus- bandry. Captain Lansing's popularity and success as an auctioneer, since he has given his attention to that business, is surpassed by no one in this section.
H ENRY J. PARMENTER, bookkeeper of the Hudson River Pulp & Paper Company, of Corinth, who is widely known as a fine accountant, was born July 31, 1845, in the town of Corinth, Saratoga county, New York, and is a son of Alexander D. and Ro- setta (Cowles) Parmenter. The family traces its transatlantic origin to England, but has been settled in this country ever since the early days of our history. John Parmenter, paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a native of the Green Mountain State, but after attaining manhood removed from Vermont to New York, and settled in the town of Luzerne, Warren county, where he passed the remainder of his life, engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was among the ear- liest settlers in his section, and died at the age of fifty-four, on the farm which his industry and courage had helped to rescue from the savage wilderness. His son, Alexander D. Parmenter (father), was born in Luzerne, Warren county, New York, January, 1812, and was reared in that county. He removed to the town of Corinth, where he engaged in farm- ing for a number of years, and then embarked in the mercantile business in the village of Corinth, which he successfully conducted for a considerable period, and afterward bought and sold lumber here for a number of years. He died at his home in Corinth, May 26, 1884, in the seventy-third year of his age, and his remains repose in Corinth Rural cemetery, in this village. Politically he had been a repub- lican ever since the organization of that party
in New York, and he served as commissioner of highways here for many years, beside fill- ing other local offices. In 1837 he married Rosetta Cowles, a daughter of Hon. Benjamin Cowles, of the town of Corinth, and by this union had a family of five children : James E., Henry J., Margaret A., Frank H. and Addison L. Mrs. Rosetta Parmenter was born in the town of Corinth in 1813, and now re- sides in this village with her daughter, Mrs. Warren Curtis. She is a member of the Bap- tist church, and is now in the eightieth year of her age. Her father, Hon. Benjamin Cowles (maternal grandfather), was a native of Massachusetts who came to Saratoga county, New York, about 1791. He was a prosperous farmer of the town of Corinth, a democrat in politics, and was elected and served two terms in the State legislature as a representative of the second district of Saratoga county. He was also the first supervisor of the town, be- ing elected in 1819, one year after its organi- zation. He served four terms in that office, and occupied a number of other positions of trust and responsibility. He died here in 1854, aged eighty-three years.
Henry J. Parmenter grew to manhood in the village of Corinth, and received a common English education in the public schools of this place. Later he entered Eastman's Bus- iness college at Poughkeepsie, and took a complete course of training in that excellent institution, being graduated therefrom in 1867. He immediately became bookkeeper and clerk for the Palmer Falls Woolen Manufacturing Company, and continued with them until the mills were destroyed by fire in 1870, at which time he accepted a position in the general office of the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad Company, at Fitchburg, Massachu- setts, where he remained until 1874. In the latter year he removed to Glens Falls, New York, where he was employed as a bookkeeper and an accountant for a period of three years, and in 1880 he was tendered and ac- cepted the position of bookkeeper for the
491
OF SARATOGA COUNTY.
Hudson River Paper & Pulp Company, of Corinth, Saratoga county, in whose office he has ever since remained. This pulp and paper mill is perhaps the largest of its kind in this country. Mr. Parmenter has always been careful and methodical in business, and has won wide recognition as a reliable bookkeeper and an accurate and painstaking accountant.
On June 29, 1881, Mr. Parmenter was wed- ded to Euphemie Maxwell, a daughter of David Maxwell, of the village of Ballston Spa, New York. To Mr. and Mrs. Parmenter have been born two children, one son and a daugh- ter: Caro W. and Victor A.
In political faith Mr. Parmenter is a stanch republican, and gives his party a loyal support on all leading questions in National and State politics. He was elected and served as the first clerk of the village of Corinth after its incorporation, and is now treasurer of the school board, a position he has occupied ever since the board was organized. He is a mem- ber of St. John Lodge, No. 22, Free and Ac- cepted Masons, and of St. John Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of Greenfield, Saratoga county, New York.
G EORGE FITZGERALD, now de ceased, who was a well known civil en- gineer, and who saw service both in this coun- try and in Central America, was the youngest son of Col. Edmond and Eleanor (Flynn) Fitzgerald, and was born February 6, 1815, in the house now occupied by his widow, in the town of Half Moon, Saratoga county, New York. He received a superior education in the public schools and at Waterford academy, and afterward studied civil engineering. For a time he was employed in that capacity on the old Erie canal, and later hield a similar posi- tion on different canals in the western part of New York. In 1848 he went to Central Amer- ica with O. W. Childs, chief engineer of a party sent by the Vanderbilts and otlier wealthy men to construct a roadway across the isthmus
of Panama, from Lake Nicaraugua to the Pa- cific coast, and was in that country during the great Walker insurrection. During the latter part of his eight years' sojourn in Central America he was agent and manager of trans- portation for the company. In 1856 he re- turned to the United States, settled up his father's estate, and began the management of his farm, containing four hundred and sixty acres, and situated on the west side of the Hudson river, three miles below the village of Mechanicville. He was a man of great en- ergy and firm purpose, and all his business af- fairs were conducted systematically and with an ability that won success in whatever he undertook. He was a democrat in politics, and his death occurred November 20, 1886, when well advanced in the seventy-second year of his age.
On March 9, 1861, George Fitzgerald and Mary Hamilton were united in marriage by Rev. A. Dunn. This union was blessed by the birth of one child, a daughter, named Alice, now the wife of Willis P. Smith, who resides on the farm owned by Mrs. Fitzgerald.
James Hamilton, the father of Mrs. Fitz- gerald, was a native of Ireland. He was born in 1786, and in 1818 left the Emerald Isle, and crossing the wide Atlantic, landed at New York city in the autumn of that year, from whence he soon "afterward made his way to Saratoga county, and settled in the town of Half Moon. By vocation he was a farmer, in politics a democrat, and in 1820 married Mary Flynn, of this county. To them were born two daughters: Mary, who became the wife of George Fitzgerald, the subject of this sketch, and Eleanor, who died December 12, 1843.
Col. Edmond Fitzgerald (father) was born in Ireland, where he grew to manliood, and received a good education. 2 About 1790 lie emigrated to the United States, and settled in the town of Half Moon. Saratoga county, New York, where, three years later, he married Eleanor Flynn, a daughter of John Flynn. of
492
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
this town. He was a contractor and builder, and for many years did a prosperous business, accumulating considerable property, among which was the large farm already mentioned, where Mrs. Mary Fitzgerald now lives. Po- litically he was a democrat of the old school, and during the war of 1812 served as colonel of a regiment in the American army. He en- listed at the beginning of hostilities, and re- mained in service until the army was disbanded after peace had been declared. In religion he was a member of the Episcopal church, and died December 4, 1838, aged nearly sixty-three years. By his marriage to Eleanor Flynn he had a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters, of whom George Fitzgerald was the youngest. All these children are now deceased.
D ANIEL KNIGHTZ is a gentleman whose career has been somewhat varied and who has been connected with a number of enterprises in this county, though he is now residing on his farm adjoining the village of Half Moon, this county. He is the youngest son of John and Rosanna (Nestle) Knightz, and was born in Half Moon, Saratoga county, New York, July 5, 1819. The family is of American descent. John Knightz (father) was a native of Duchess county, this State, and was born December 3, 1779. After attaining manhood he engaged in farming in his native county, where he resided until 1828, when he removed to Saratoga county and settled in the town of Half Moon, where he purchased a fine farm containing one hundred and sixteen acres. He was a whig in politics, and on April 4, 1802, married Rosanna Nestle, a daughter of John Nestle, of Half Moon, by whom he had a family of twelve children, seven sons and five daughters, Daniel being the youngest son and next to the youngest child.
Daniel Knightz was reared on his father's farm in the town of Half Moon until he had reached his fourteenth year, and received a
good education in the public schools of that town. After leaving school he became a clerk in a general merchandise store at Clifton Park, and was employed as clerk and salesman for a period of fifteen years. In 1849 he pur- chased a farm in the town of Malta, this county, and for two years was engaged in agricultural pursuits. He then accepted a position as clerk at Crescent, where he remained one year, after which he was engaged in farming at Half Moon for five years, and then removed to Still- -water, where he embarked in the hardware and foundry business. After two years he re- turned to Half Moon and later to Crescent, where he opened out a lumber and coal yard, and did an extensive business until 1886, when he purchased a farm of twenty-two acres ad- joining the village of Half Moon, where he now resides.
On December 1, 1846, Mr. Knightz was united in marriage to Sylvinia Tripp, a daugh- ter of Timothy Tripp, of the town of Malta, this county. She died November 12, 1860, and on October 5, 1865, Mr. Knightz was again married, wedding for his second wife Nancy A., a daughter of William Ward, of Glennville, Schenectady county, this State. He has no children of his own, but reared an adopted son, George W. Knightz, who is now a clerk for Jolın Hill at Round Lake, this county. Politically Daniel Knightz is an ar- dent republican, and gives his party a loyal support on all leading questions in both Na- tional and State politics.
W ILLIAM T. STURDEVAN, a well known contractor and builder of Cor- inth, this county, who has been successfully engaged in that business since 1869, is a son of Eli J. and Lydia (Van Dusen ) Sturdevan, and was born at Glens Falls, Warren county, New York, August 3, 1857. The family traces its ancestry back to England, from whence it was transplanted to America at an early day, and has now become quite numerous in New
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.