USA > New York > Steuben County > History of Steuben county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 74
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Yashica B, never
Da. JOSHUA B. GRAVES was born in Bridport, Addison Co., Vt., Dec. 14, 1806.
His father, Increase Graves, was elergyman of the Congregational Church, and for forty years was pastor of one church at Bridport, Vt., remaining there until his death, which occurred at the age of eighty y cars.
llis mother, whose maiden name was Stetson, sister of the first of the name who kept the Astor House of New York City, died at the age of upwards of eighty years at Bridport, Vt.
Dr. Graves spent his minority until he was eighteen on the farm and attending common school. Ile received an academical education at Castleton, Vt., remaining there one and a half years.
About the time of reaching his majority he entered the Vermont Academy of Medicine, under Prof. Woodward, from which he was graduated M.D. in the year 1828, having been for two years previous to his graduation assistant surgeon in the surgical and anatomical departments of that institution.
Dr. Graves commenced the practice of medicine in the city of Troy, N. Y., where he remained for five years For the following two years he was a student of theology with N. S. S. Beaman, D.D., and at the end of that time was ordained in his father's pulpit in Vermont, and was successively a pastor of a church at Stockbridge, Mass., for one year; for one year at Otego, N. Y .; for two years at Deposit, N. Y .; and five years at Honesdale, Pa .; and in the year 1842 settled in Corning, N. Y., and was pastor of the Presbyterian Church of this place for three years.
During the first year after coming to Corning he resumed the practice of medicine and surgery, and has remained in the practice of his chosen profession until the present time. Ilis ride extends through not only Steuben County, but in adjacent counties, and espe- cially in surgery he is called to distant localities. In this particular branch Dr. Graves has excelled for many years, and is known for his skill in successful operations in all the various departments of surgery, and very especially in Ocariotomy, having saved five cases out of seven. Dr. Graves is said to have performed the only opera- tion of Casareun Section in Steuben County, which occurred in 1855, a record of which may be found in the American Journal of Obstet-
ries, vol. iv., published in 1872. Ile is a member of the Steuben County Medical Society, a permanent member of the State Medical Society, and honorary member of the Meigs and Mason Medical Society, of Ohio.
For his first wife he married Armitta L. Davis, of Troy, N. Y. Of this union he has one surviving daughter, Mrs. John Myers.
Ilis wife died in 1845, and the same year he married Mrs. Maria A. Mills, of Corning. Of this marriage one daughter survives, Mrs. William S. Green. Mrs. Graves died in June, 1872, and in the year 1873, Aug. 28, he married Alice E. Lyman, of Iowa. They have an adopted son, Charles Richard Graves.
Dr. Graves has always ranked at the head of the medical profession in the vicinity where he resides, and his thorough knowledge and skill in medicine and surgery has led others to seek his counsel in difficult cases, and particularly is he called upon in a legal way to give testimony as an expert in cases requiring actual knowledge and experience in difficult cases.
Dr. Graves has gained much notoriety, and his publications have received favorable notice from critics, as they have appeared from time to time in the various journals of the State and United States; and his counsels in many cases have added much to standard works on medical science, and will be highly valued by the younger mem- bers of the fraternity.
He has been for several terms a trustee and president of the village of Corning, and also trustee and president of the Board of Education, and originated and wrote the first charter of the village.
Generally, Dr. Graves has heen connected with the Democratie party, and was the unsuccessful candidate for the State Legislature about the close of the war, and also for the State Senate in 1869, his party being in the minority some three thousand.
Ho was appointed the first surgeon in the Twenty-ninth Congres- sional District for the examination of recruits at Elmira, at the beginning of the war of the Rebellion, and formed the first Board of Examiners in the State ; and, through the recommendation of Gen. A. S. Diven, Dr. Graves' plan for the examination was adopted through the western and central portions of the State.
267
TOWN OF CORNING.
Dr. George W. Pratt, best known as the veteran editor of the Corning Journal, was among the early practicing physicians of this village. Dr. Pratt was born in Milo Yates Co., N. Y., in 1821. His father, Joel B. Pratt, came to Painted Post, and settled at the mills, a mile below Corning, in 1834. Dr. Pratt began his medieal studies with Dr. William Turbell, of Corning ; he then studied about two years with Dr. Boynton, at Elmira, and graduated at the Medical College at Geneva, N. Y., in January, 1845. In March of that year he commenced practice in Corning, and practiced till September, 1849, when he removed to Marshall, Mich., where he practiced and edited a paper till April, 1851, and then returned to Corning and practiced medieine here till 1853, when he bought out Mr. McDow- ell, and became fully engrossed in the Corning Journal, of which he had become editor and one-third proprietor, in July, 1851.
Dr. J. B. Graves is one of the oldest practitioners in the village. He was born in Bridport, Vt., in 1806, graduated at Castleton, in that State, in 1828, and practiced medicine in the city of Troy. In 1842 he came to Corning, and in 1843 began a successful medical practice, which he still continues. (See biography of Dr. Graves.)
Dr. Charles M. Graves, son of Dr. J. B. Graves, a grad- ate of the University of Kentucky, practiced in Corning about five years prior to his death.
Dr. A. T. Mills is a native of Corning, and graduate of the Medical University of New York. In 1863 he com- menced practice with Dr. Graves, and has continued ever since.
Dr. W. S. Purdy was a former resident and practitioner at Bradford and Addison, and settled in Corning in 1869. He was born in Newburgh, N. Y., and graduated at Geneva in IS33.
Dr. A. M. Gamman graduated at the New York Medical College in 1876, and settled as a physician in Corning the same year.
Dr. William J. Bryan settled in Corning in 1869, and practiced here till his death, in July, 1877. He was a graduate of the Homoeopathic Medical College at Cleveland.
Dr. E. W. Bryan, brother of the above, and graduate of the same college, began practice here in October, 1877, and until November, 1878, was in partnership with Dr. Gamman.
Dr. Eber Van Keuren, formerly practicing at Bath and Hammondsport, settled in Corning in February, 1877. Ile graduated at the Berkshire Medical College, Pittsfield, Mass., in 1845.
Dr. George Hallenbeck commenced practice as a phy- sician in Corning, in 1876. He is a graduate of the Med- ieal Department of the University of New York, in class of 1875-76.
Dr. J. D. Gilbert is in practice at Knoxville.
Dr. Benedict, deceased ; Dr. N. R. Seeley, now in El- mira ; Dr. R. H. Gilbert, of New York City, the original projector of the Metropolitan Elevated Railway of New York ; and Dr. J. N. Skelton, formerly practiced in Corn- ing.
FIRES IN CORNING.
On the 18th of May, 1850, the noon strokes of the tower-clock in the old Presbyterian church steeple were
continued by a din of alarm-bells, and a dense volume of black smoke rose above the roof of the Corning House, from the shops of the Corning and Blossburg Railroad. The flames immediately communicated with the Corning House, which in an incredibly short time was wrapped in fire. There was no effective fire-apparatus in the village. The wind, strong when the fire broke out, soon increased to a gale. The flames from the Corning House leaped the streets in every direction, and sealed the doom of the busi- ness portion of the place. Building after building went under till not a store nor a shop nor a public-house, we believe, remained standing when the disastrous day closed. This catastrophe is known in local history as the " great fire." To this day trees may be seen on the south side of Erie Avenue with their front sides scarred with the ex- treme heat.
In the spring of 1851 a second large fire occurred, start- ing in the barns of the old Clinton House, and destroying nearly all property on the north side of the street to the Dickinson House.
On the 30th of June, 1856, a most disastrous conflagra- tion again swept the western portion of the business street. The fire broke out in the old foundry of Payne & Olcott, about half-past four o'clock in the afternoon, and burned till near midnight, sweeping both sides of Market Street for nearly a whole block each way. It passed over to Erie Avenue, and destroyed several dwellings, stopping only after the most laborious exertions to stay its progress in the rear of the present Erie Station and Arcade Block. The loss in this fire was set down at $150,000. The two fire- engines did good service, but assistance from Bath was called in.
Again, on the 16th of July following, the eastern por- tion of Market Street was laid in ashes. The fire started in the large wood-built Dyer Block, at three o'clock in the morning, and was not got under control till some time after daylight. Property to the amount of $125,000 was de- stroyed. Many of the fine brick stores which had risen on the ashes of the great fire of 1850 were among the first to succumb.
Subsequently fire swept through where now is the Arcade Block, destroying a fine stone flouring-mill on the site of the present Erie Passenger Depot, which was re- moved from the extreme west end of town.
Other minor fires have visited the devoted town, till it has seemed almost a hopeless task for the people to rebuild. Yet, in the face of discouragements and disasters seldom equaled in a place no larger and within so short a number of years, the good village has reached, if not yet the fur- thermost expectation of its founders, yet a place of enduring and growing importance among the towns of the Southern Tier. The trials of its people have not been endured with- out triumphs, and there has been an active, determined spirit on the part of its citizens to build up its institutions on a firm and prosperous foundation.
MASONIC RECORD.
We find in the lodge at Corning the following memo- randum, furnished by the late Philo P. flubbell, of the oldest Masonic organization in Steuben County :
268
HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK.
"EZRA AMES, Grand Iligh Priest of Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the State of New York, issued a Dispensation for a Lodge of ' Mark Masters' (Royal Arch Chapter first degree) to Frederick Stewart, Robert Campbell, John Knox, Ansel MeCall, Areha Campbell, Solo- mon Campbell, Sr., and Nehemiah Hubbell. to open a lodge in Painted Post, under the name of ' Steuben Mark Master Lodge. No. -. ' Frederiek Stewart, First Master ; Solomon Campbell, Sr., Senior Warden ; John Knox, Junior Warden.
" Dated City of Albany, Sept. 23, A.L. 5806, A.D. 1806."
SYMBOLIC MASONRY.
Painted Post Lodge, No. 117 .- From records in the possession of this lodge at Corning, it appears that the lodge was instituted in June, 1808, under the name of Painted Post Lodge, No. 203. Application for a Dispen- sation was made Dee. 28, 1807. It was read in Grand Lodge and referred March 7, 1810. Its first officers were installed (working U. D.) July 14, 1808: John Knox, W. M .; Benjamin Patterson, S. W .; Solomon Campbell, J. W .; Thos. MeBurney, Treas. ; Samuel Colgrove, Sec. The warrant was issued March 14, 1812.
John Knox continued to be W. M. from 1808 to 1814, inelusive, and was succeeded by Joseph Gillett, who held the office till 1818. John Knox was again Master from 1818 to 1822, and was followed by Henry Stevens during 1822, and Laurin Mallory, 1823 to 1826. Daniel E. Brown was then made Master of the lodge, and so re- mained throughout the Morgan excitement till 1831.
The lodge was afterwards reorganized as Painted Post Lodge, No. 117, which is its present designation.
Officers for 1878 .- Joseph J. Tully, W. M .; John S. Earl, S. W .; A. D. Robbins, J. W .; Charles M. Gamman, Treas. ; George Hitchcock, See .; Daniel Campbell, S. D .; Edward Byrne, J. D .; A. Butterworth, S. M. C .; Thos. Chittick, J. M. C .; C. H. Voorhees, Chap. ; T. S. Pritch- ard, Marshal ; Geo. B. Hill, Tyler; L. C. Kingsbury, H. Pritchard, Q. W. Wellington. Trustees.
Regular communications, first and third Tuesday even- ings, except during June, July, and August, one meeting only, on the first Tuesday. Eleetion, Dee. 17, 1878.
Past Masters .- Wm. A. Spencer, C. M. Gamman, J. H. Lansing, C. H. Thomson, R. L. Hill, T. S. Pritchard.
CAPITULAR MASONRY.
Corning Royal Arch Chapter, No. 190, chartered Feb. 7, 1866 .- The following were the first officers : C. H. Er- win, H. P .; Simon Van Etten, E. K. ; H. D. Edwards, E. S .; William Ketchum, C. of H .; Chas. M. Gamman, P. S .; Edward Clisdell, R. A. C .; George M. Smith, M. 3d V. ; T. S. Pritchard, M. 2d V .; F. A. Brown, M. 1st V .; C. II. Thomson, Treas .; W. S. Hodgman, See .; Jacob Martin, Tyler.
Officers for 1878 .- T. S. Pritehard, M. E. H. P ; C. E. Greenfield, E. K .; R. L. Hill, E. S .; L. C. Kingsbury, Treas. ; Geo. Hitchcock, Sec .; Victor Haischer, C. of HI .; A. D. Robbins, P. S. ; John S. Earl, R. A. C .; Joseph J. Tully, M. 3d V .; E. C. Maltby, M. 2d V .; A Ilaiseher, M. 1st V. ; Rev. Fred. K. Fowler, Chaplain ; Geo. B. Hill, Tyler.
Regular convocations, second and fourth Wednesday evenings ; election, Dec. 25, 1878. Past High Priests : C. S. Cole, Ed. Clisdell, G. W. Fuller, J. H. Hiteheox.
CRYPTIC MASONRY.
Corning Council, R. and S. M., instituted June, 1876. -First officers : Henry A. Balcam, T. 1. M. ; R. L. Hill, R. I. Dep. M .; T. S. De Wolf, IH. Pr. C. of W .; C. H. Thomson, Treas. ; O. W. Burress, Recorder ; F. D. Kings- bury, C. of G .; G. W Fuller, C. of C .; M. Rosenbaum, Steward ; A. D. Robbins, Sentinel.
Officers for 1878 .- C. H. Thomson, T. I. M .; T. S. De Wolfe, R. I. Dep. M. ; T. S. Pritchard, Ill. Pr. C. of W .; C. S. Cole, Treas. ; E. Clisdell, Recorder; F. D. Kingsbury, C. of G .; G. W. Fuller, C. of C .; D. F. Brown, Steward; A. D. Robbins, Sentinel; H. A. Balcam, Past T. I. M.
Regular assemblies, second Friday evenings of each month ; election, Dec. 13, 1878.
A.'. AND A.'. S.". RITE.
Corning Lodge of Perfection. Ineffable. Instituted Sept. 14, 1866 .- First officers : George M. Smith, T. P. G. M .; Chas. H. Thomson, M. of T. Dep. G. M. ; R. J. Burnham, V. S G. W .; Austin Lathrop, Jr., V. J. G. W. ; Henry Sherwood, G. O .; Chester S. Cole, G. T .; O. W. Bump, G. St. K. of St. S. and A .; John H. Way, G. M. of C .; John Toles, G. C. of G. ; Hiram Pritchard, G. H. B. ; Jacob Martin, G. Tyler.
Officers for 1878 .- J. H. Hiteheox, T. P. G. M. ; D. F. Brown, H. of T. Dep. G. M .; G. W. Fuller, V. S. G. W .; H. T. Curtis, V. J. G. W .; C. F. Houghton, G. O .; C. S. Cole, G. T .; A. Lathrop, Jr., G S. K. of S. and A. ; F. D. Kingsbury, G. M. of C .; C. E. Greenfield, G. C. of G .; 11. Pritchard, G. H. B .; J. L. Scott, G. Tyler.
Regular meetings, second and fourth Monday evenings. Election, Adar 3d.
Corning Council, Princes of' Jerusalem. Historical. In- stituted Sept. 14, 1866 .- First officers : R. J. Burnham, M. E. S. P. E. G. M .; George M. Smith, G. H. P. G. D. M. ; Austin Lathrop, Jr., M. E. S. G. W. ; Chas. H. Thom- son, M. F. J. G. W .; O. W. Bump, V. G. S. K. of S. and A .; Chester S. Cole, V. G. T .; John H. Way, V. G. T. of C .; John Toles, V. G. M of E .; Jacob Martin, G. T.
Officers for 1878 .- D. F. Brown, M. E. S. P. G. M .; II. B. Berry, G. H. P. D. G. M .; Geo. Whitmore, M. E. S. G. W .; L. A. Hazard, M. E. J. G. W .; M. L. Wood, V. G. S. K. of S. and A .; C. S. Cole, V. G. T .; E. T. Walker, V. G. M. of C .; P. L. Ilinman, V. G. M. of E .; B. L. Davies, G. T.
Regular meetings, second and fourth Monday evenings. Election, Tebeth 20th.
Corning Chapter Rose Croix. Philosophical. Insti- tuted Sept. 14, 1866 .- First officers : Austin Lathrop, Jr., M. W. and P. M .; R. J. Burnham, M. E. and P. K. S. W .; Chas. H. Thomson, M. E. and P. K. J. W .; Geo. M. Smith, M. E. P. K. G. O .; C. S. Cole, R. and P. K. T. ; O. W. Bump, R. and P. K. S .; H. Pritchard, R. and P. K. H .; J. H. Way, R. and P. K. M. of C .; John Foles, R. and P. K. C. of G.
Officers for 1878 .- F. D. Kingsbury, M. W. and P. M .; A. D. Robbins, M. E. and P. K. S. W .; T. S. Prit- chard, M. E. and P. K. J. W. ; G. W. Fuller, M. E. P. K. G. O .; C. S. Cole, R. and P. K. T .; G. Hitchcock, R. and P. K. S .; H. Pritchard, R. and P. K. H .; E. A.
le. Hd. Thomson
COL. CHARLES H. THOMSON was born in Belchertowa, Hampshire Co., Mass., Aug. 21, 1830.
llis paternal ancestors came from London, England, and settled in the castera part of Long Island, and soon afterwards removed and settled in Connecticut.
llis maternal ancestors emigrated from Wales, acar Chester, Eng- land, and settled in Ilartford Co., Conn., in 1660.
His grandfathers hoth were residents of Tolland, Conn. His mater- nal grandfather was an officer in the war of 1812, whose father was a soldier in the Revolutionary war.
Ilis father, Dr. Iloratio Themson, was a native of Tolland ; married Cordelia Chapman, of the same place. lle was a practicing physician for some thirty-four years ; first for some two years in Tolland, and the remainder of the time in Belchertown, to which place be moved soon after his marriage. His wife died about the year 1834, and Dr. Thomson subsequently married Lucy M., daughter of Ilon. Mark Doolittle, of Belchertown, Mass., a lady of rare excellence, and who trained her stepsons, Charles and George F., M.D., in all that makes true manhood.
Dr. Thomson died in the fall of 1860, at the age of fifty-seven, and was succeeded in practice hy his youngest son, George F. Them- son, M.D., who holds a representative place in the medieal fraternity of that county.
Charles H. was eldest soa, and spent his minority at school. He received his preliminary education at the Belchertown Classical School and New Salem Academy, and at the age of sixteen entered llamilton College, N. Y. At the expiration of his freshman year he went to Williams College, from which institution he was graduated Aug. 21, 1850.
In September, 1850, he came to Corning, and became a law student with llen. George T. Spencer, and was admitted to the bar in March, 1853, and at once entered upon a partnership with Judge Spencer, and has continued in Corning in the practice of his profession until the present time, being a member of the law-firms of Spencer & Thom- son, Thomson & Mills, Speneer, Thomson & Mills. During the past five years he has occupied an office alone.
In the year 1850 he also opened an insurance and real-estate office, which he has continued until the writing of this sketch, and is, with one exception, the oldest insurance agent in Westera New York. The firm-names in the insurance business have been Thomsen & Dyer, Thomson & Farrington, Bigelow & Thomson, and Cole & Thomson.
Mr. Thomson has been prominently identified with politics, and has been interested in important national questions. He was formerly a member of the Whig party, and is now a Republican. While a member of the Whig party he held the office of justico of the peace
for one term, and was for one year one of the trustees of the village of Corning.
In April, 1861, he was appointed postmaster at Corning by Presi- ident Lincoln, which office he held until Aug. 22, 1872. For many years he was chairman of the Republican County Committee, and as a member of the Republican State Committee had the entire super- intendence of the soldiers' vote in 1864. lle has been a member of the State and National Committees of the Union League of America since its organization, in 1863, until the present time, and was an al- ternate delegate to the Cincinnati Republican Convention of 1876.
For about twenty years he has been connected with the New York State Militia and National Guard of New York, and has held every grade of office from lieutenant to and including colonel, by which latter title he is familiarly known. He was for several years vice- president of the New York State Military Association.
Sinec the organization of the fire department in 1851, Col. Thomson has been a member, and since the same was chartered has been a trustee and president thereof. In connection with Robert Oleett (now deceased), in May, 1857, he organized the Alliance Hook-and-Ladder Company, of which he has been foreman and is now president.
Interested in the literature to be read by the young people of Cora- ing, which performs a great part in fixing their tastes for reading and usefulness as members of society in after-years, Col. Thomson soon after his settlement had begun the collection of hooks for a library, and in the year 1873 may be said to have founded the present library of Corning, which will remain a monument of merit to his memory.
Col. Thomson is a member of all the Masonic bodies recognized in the county. Ile is a P. M. and life-member of Painted Post Lodge, No. 117, F. and A. M., and is a P. D. D. G. M. of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York; was one of the original members, and has been treasurer, and is a life-member of Corning Chapter, No. 190, R. A. M. He was one of the original members, and is a life-member, has heen treasurer, and is now T. I. M. of Corning Council, No. 53, R. and S. M. In 187I he was one of an official deputation te England from the Graad Council of R. and S. M., of the State of New York, to estab- lish councils in that country. He is a Sir Knight of St. Omer's Com- mandery, No. 19, K. T., of Elmira; a Past Sovereign of Kadesh Conclave, at 1fornellsville : and a permanent member of the Grand Council of the State of New York of Knights of R. and C. He was the founder and is a life-member of all the bodies of the A. and A. S. Rite in Corning; has been Commander-in-Chief of the Corning Con- sistory since the time of its organization, and received the thirty- third degree, June 19, 1869.
In the year 1855, Sept. 26, he married Adelaide, daughter of Ilon. Thomas A. Johnson, of Corning. Their children are Themas II., Adelaide L., and Cordelia C.
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ALONZO H. GORTON was born in the town of Corning, this county, May 18, 1828.
His grandfather, Rufus Gorton, was one of the pioneer set- tlers of Corning, was engaged in the lumber business, and carried on a grist-mill, and was among the early thrifty and enterprising business men. At about the age of fifty he went to Michigan, and engaged in farming, and died in that State about the year 1863.
Of his children, seven sons and two daughters, Samuel Gor- ton, father of the subject of this narrative, was fourth child, born April, 1802, in the town of Corning; was a millwright by trade, and spent some eighteen years in the State of Michi- gan, working at his trade and farming. Married Sarah Ann Daley, of Milford, Chemung Co., N. Y. Of this union were born two sons, of whom only Mr. Alonzo H. Gorton sur- vives. His mother died at Corning, in 1864, nged about fifty- two. Ilis father, still hale and hearty, resides with his sister at Athens, Pa.
Mr. Gorton's minority was mostly spent on the farm, having very little opportunity for any education from books. Very soon after reaching his majority he came back to his native town from the State of Michigan, where the family had re- sided for some years, and began work at his trade as a car- penter, and also engaged in car building. This he followed until the year 1857, when he engaged with the State in the reconstruction of the dam on the Chemung River, at Corning. From 1858 to 1860 he spent in pattern-making for a foundry here. By this time Mr. Gorton had acquired much experience in general business, and his integrity with all with whom he had been connected had won for him their full con- fidence.
In 1860 he began at the bottom of business for the Fall Brook Coal Company, occupying almost every position, until, in 1864, he was given the superintendency of the " Corning, Co- wanesque and Antrim Railway," formerly called the " Bloss- burg and Corning Railway."
When Mr. Gorton first became connected with this road as superintendent it extended only from Corning to Lawrence- ville, to which additions have since been made to Antrim, and another branch to Elkland, Pa., and in the year 1877 another road was completed from Corning to Geneva, called the "Syracuse, Geneva and Corning Railway," of which he is superintendent.
He has been connected with the Democratic party since his first vote, and identified with the local interests of the village of Corning during his residence here. For many years he has officiated as one of the trustees of the village, and for two terms was president, and is said to have been one of the origin- ators of the water-works of the place.
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