USA > New York > Genesee County > History of the Genesee country (western New York) comprising the counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Schuyler, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates, Volume IV > Part 68
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BOYD McDOWELL
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the party to survive the ordeal. Later he was held as a prisoner at Quebec until peace was declared. While passing through the Chemung valley as a prisoner on his way to Niagara, he was so impressed with the beauty of the scene that he determined to return and establish his home there. After the close of the war he returned to Tioga Point, now Athens, Pennsylvania, and served for a time as a clerk in the store of Mathias Hollenbeck. Later he returned to his home in Cherry Valley and together with Ruth Drake, daughter of Samuel Drake, whom he married in the spring of 1786, came over the Pocono mountains and up the Susquehanna river from Wyoming to Chemung, where he settled upon land later surveyed as Great Lots 3 and 4 in the old town of Chemung. Daniel McDowell was endowed with great strength and a courage- ous spirit and was known to the Indians as "Keto" the "iron man". He was the first town clerk of the town of Chemung in 1788 and its second supervisor in 1790. He died November 28, 1806, and is buried in Riverside cemetery, Chemung. He and Ruth (Drake) McDowell had the following children: Phoebe, who married Abraham Mil- ler; Sarah, who married a Mr. Benight and moved to Beloit, Wisconsin; Hannah, whose second husband was Samuel S. Seely, from whom Hon. William G. Rice of Albany is descended; Julianna, who married Major General Samuel McKean, United States senator from Pennsylvania; John Guy McDowell, of whom we speak hereafter; Samuel Drake McDowell, who moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Alexander Addi- son McDowell, who reared a family in Bradford county, Pennsylvania.
The oldest son of Daniel McDowell and Ruth Drake was Judge John Guy McDowell, born in Chemung, February 25, 1794. He served as a lieutenant in the war of 1812. He was an exceptionally capable business man and also took a prominent part in political and legislative affairs. Before he was twenty-one he was a merchant in Ithaca, New York. While state senator, although not a lawyer, he served as judge of the court of appeals of the state of New York. He obtained the passage of the act incorporating the Chemung Canal Bank in 1833, becoming its first president, a position he held from 1833 to 1844. He also obtained the passage of the act providing for the building of the Chemung canal connecting the Chemung river with Seneca lake. Also the act erecting the county of Chemung in 1836. He was chosen a presi- dential elector from the state of New York in 1852 and was the candidate of the democratic party for congress in 1854. He died January 1, 1866, and is buried in Riverside cemetery, Chemung. He was married to Laurinda Lowman, daughter of Jacob Lowman and Hulda Bosworth Lowman, December 1, 1815. They reared the following children: Daniel Drake McDowell, Jacob Lowman McDowell, Mckean McDowell and Robert Morris McDowell; Esther, who became the wife of Alfred Ben- nett; and Julia, who became the wife of Hon. Jefferson Burr Clark, and they were the parents of Mrs. Charles J. Langdon of Elmira.
The youngest son of Hon. John G. McDowell was Maj. Robert M. McDowell, who served with distinction upon the staffs of Generals Howard and Slocum as chief topo- graphical engineer of the left wing of Sherman's army, in its march from Atlanta to the sea. Major McDowell died in 1909 and is buried in Woodlawn cemetery, Elmira, New York. He was a very capable and successful engineer in the development of coal mining in the west.
The second son of John G. McDowell was Jacob Lowman McDowell. He was born March 24, 1822, and died November 24, 1901, nearly eighty years of age. He engaged in farming and milling in Chemung until 1868, when he moved with his family to Elmira and engaged in the insurance business with the firm of Swan & McDowell and later as McDowell & Miller, and still later as McDowell & Fitch. For many years he was chairman of the democratic county committee under the leader- ship of Governor David B. Hill. He was a member of the board of education, county treasurer of Chemung county from 1882 to 1889, and candidate for county clerk in 1891, being defeated by Captain Arthur S. Fitch, who later became his business partner. He was actively engaged in business to the last of his life. He was mar- ried to Fannie Whiting Boyd, daughter of Oliver D. Boyd, in Saco, Maine, on De- cember 28, 1847. Their children were Alice, who became the wife of Erwin J. Bald- win, for more than fifty years a leading lawyer of Elmira; Florence and Edward, who died in early youth, and Boyd McDowell, born July 24, 1857.
Boyd McDowell graduated from Grammar School No. 2 in Elmira in 1872, from the Elmira Free Academy in 1876, and from Syracuse University in 1881, with the degree of Ph.B. He began the study of law in the offices of Ruger, Jenny, Brooks & French in Syracuse and was admitted to the bar in 1883. For several years he was associated with Hon. Edgar Denton in the firm of Denton & McDowell and is now practicing with his son, Robert P. McDowell, in the firm of McDowell & McDowell.
Boyd McDowell was married to Carrie E. Pitkin, a graduate of Syracuse Uni-
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versity, and daughter of Ozias C. Pitkin of Syracuse, on October 8, 1889. He has been active in the practice of his profession in Elmira for more than forty years, and identified with many enterprises advancing the interests of Elmira. For more than thirty years, and since its incorporation, he has been secretary and a trustee of the Steele Memorial Library. He has served as a member of the board of education and as a member of the Elmira City Planning Commission, and for six years, from 1914 to 1920, was corporation counsel of the city of Elmira. He has been president of the Chemung County Bar Association. He incorporated the Elmira Humane Society and served for many years as its secretary and President. In 1910 he became secretary of the Elmira Municipal Waterworks League and successfully carried through the purchase of the waterworks by the city in 1915. Early in his practice he was iden- tified with the building of many trolley and telephone lines in the city and county. He served as a director in many business enterprises, one of which, the Elmira In- dustrial Association, had much to do with the building of Elmira Heights and the growth of Elmira. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Psi Upsilon, Union Lodge, F. & A. M. and many other organizations.
Boyd McDowell has two children: A son, Robert Pitkin McDowell; and a daughter, Miss Elizabeth McDowell of Montclair, New Jersey.
Robert Pitkin McDowell was born October 14, 1890, graduated from Elmira Free Academy in 1908, from Syracuse University in 1913, with the degree of A. B .; from Columbia University in 1916, with the degree of LL. B. and was admitted to the bar in the fall of that year. In April, 1917, he enlisted in the United States army for service in the World War, was commissioned at Madison Barracks a second lieutenant on August 15, 1917; promoted to captain at Camp Dix in March, 1918; major at St. Mihiel, France, in September, 1918, and was quartermaster of the Seventy-eighth Division on the staff of Major General McRae through the Meuse-Argonne campaign. In 1921 he was commissioned lieutenant-colonel and made quartermaster of the Ninety- eighth Division of the United States Organized Reserves. In February, 1923, he was appointed United States commissioner for the western district of New York. On August 15, 1917, he was married to Ruth Elizabeth Adams, daughter of Willard G. Adams of Weedsport, New York, a graduate of Syracuse University. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pitkin McDowell have three sons: Robert Adams, born July 5, 1918; Willard Boyd, born August 6, 1920; and John Adams, born September 6, 1922. These three great-great-great-great-grandsons of John MacDowel, who settled in Cherry Valley in the early half of the eighteenth century, give promise that this pioneer family will not soon die out in Chemung county.
ROY CLEVELAND BRADSTREET.
One of the well known members of the younger generation of Rochester busi- ness men is Roy Cleveland Bradstreet, president and founder of the Bradstreet-Hazard Co., Incorporated, dealers in real estate. A native of this city, Mr. Bradstreet comes from a family that has long been identified with its civic, economic and social development. His grandfather, Nehemiah C. Bradstreet, was mayor of Rochester in 1863 and an influential person in democratic circles for many years. As a pioneer of the shoe manufacturing industry here he did much toward building up this phase of Rochester's industrial life. His son George, father of Roy Cleveland Bradstreet, was born and educated here. In mature life he became secretary to the general manager of the New York Central Railway at this point, living in the city of his birth throughout his life. He is survived by his widow, who previous to her mar- riage was Miss Carrie M. Briggs.
Roy Cleveland Bradstreet was born in Rochester on the 1st of December, 1880, and obtained his early education in the grammar schools of the city. Later he be- came a pupil of the Howard Bradstreet Preparatory School, with the intention of qualifying for entrance to Yale University. Before he had formally entered Yale, however, he became deeply interested in salesmanship through a connection he had established with the Seamless Rubber Company of New Haven, Connecticut, a subsid- iary of the United States Rubber Company, and saw in this line of work such a promising future that he gave up his plans for a university education. In 1907, after about ten years of experience in this field, he resigned his position to return to his native city and organize a real estate firm known as the Bradstreet-Hazard Co., Inc., of which he is now the president. This company has been prominent in advancing the realty development that has contributed no little toward making Rochester one
ROY C. BRADSTREET
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of the most attractive residential cities in the United States. Its residential dis- tricts are famous the country over for the artistic manner in which they are laid out; their beautiful homes for people of modest means, as well as persons of wealth, and the amount of civic pride they evidence. Of these subdivisions the Bradstreet- Hazard Co., Inc., is responsible for Shoremont, Monroe Manor, Holden Tract, Braddock Heights Tract and Berman Farm. In addition the firm does an extensive general real estate and insurance business. Mr. Bradstreet is also president of the Brad- dock Heights Corporation and the Kenfield Realty Company. He has taken a prom- inent part in the work of the Rochester Real Estate Board, in which he is now holding the office of vice president.
In Windsor, Ontario, on August 4, 1908, Mr. Bradstreet was united in marriage to Miss Alma M. Henderson, daughter of Walter L. Henderson of Windsor, Ontario. Mr. and Mrs. Bradstreet have a daughter: Muriel Louise, born in Rochester, January 10, 1915. Mr. Bradstreet's city residence is at No. 111 Westchester avenue and his summer home is at Grand View Beach on Lake Ontario. Mr. Bradstreet belongs to the North Presbyterian church and is a member of the Central class, Central Pres- byterian church. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order, belonging to Ancient Craft Lodge, A. F. & A. M .; Ionic Chapter, R. A. M., of which he was high priest in 1924; Cyrene Commandery, K. T .; Doric Council, R. & S. M .; and Damascus Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He is also a member of the Rochester Club, the Rochester Ad Club, the Rochester Chamber of Commerce, the Rochester Automobile Club, the Rochester Historical Society and the Sons of the American Revolution. Mr. Brad- street's activities have brought him to a foremost position among the city's represen- tative business men in his line.
HOWARD V. R. PALMER.
Howard V. R. Palmer, one of Rochester's representative business men, was born at Union Hill, Wayne county, New York, December 23, 1879, a son of Oscar C. and Amelia (Botsford) Palmer, the former a native of Lakeside and the latter of Webster, this state. In the maternal line Mr. Palmer is descended from one of the oldest fami- lies in this country, tracing his ancestry to Thomas Lyon, born in England about 1621, and his descendant Caleb Lyon who settled Carthage (now Rochester), in 1809; Chris- topher Foster who settled Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1635, and Henry Botsford of Mil- ford, Connecticut, in 1639. Luke Foster, a descendant of Christopher, was among the first to locate at "Turkey Bottom," later called Cincinnati. In 1864, when a young man of eighteen, Oscar C. Palmer enlisted in Company B, Eighth New York Cavalry, and served in Sheridan's cavalry under General George A. Custer during the last year of the Civil war. He was wounded in action, April 9, 1865, during the battle of Five Forks, often referred to as the decisive battle of the civil war. He was trans- ferred to Appomattox Courthouse for two weeks, thence to Washington, D. C., going from there to Philadelphia and to Rochester, where he received his honorable dis- charge. He became one of the foremost agriculturists of Wayne county, New York, and passed away February 1, 1919, while the mother's death occurred on the 4th of March, 1920. They had a family of two sons: Myron B., a prominent physician of Rochester; and Howard V. R., of this review.
Mr. Palmer supplemented his early training, received in the public schools of Webster, New York, by attendance at Hobart College and then obtained a position as civil engineer, with the New York Central Railroad, devoting several years to that work. He next entered the employ of D. Appleton & Company of New York city, one of the great publishing houses of the east, and rose to the position of advertising manager, serving in that capacity for several years, following which he accepted a similar position with the Atlas Portland Cement Company of New York city and subsequently became connected with the advertising department of the Eastman Ko- dak Company of Rochester, with which he remained for six years. On February 1, 1921, he purchased an interest in the Sheffield-Fisher Company, printers, and has since been its secretary and a director of the firm. He is highly esteemed by his business associates and his cooperation has proven a valuable asset to the firm which he represents.
In Dumont, Bergen county, New Jersey, June 27, 1907, Mr. Palmer married Miss Helen Moore, a daughter of Peter E. and Charlotte Moore, prominent residents of that locality, and the children of this union are: Catherine Christy, who was born in Dumont, June 6, 1908, and is a student at the East high school of Rochester; Howard V. R., Jr., who was born in Dumont, February 8, 1911, and is also a public
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school pupil; and Richard Voorhis Palmer, who was born in Rochester, March 15, 1923.
Mr. Palmer is a member of the Rochester Ad Club, of which he was formerly vice president and director; the Rochester Club; the Rochester Athletic Club; the Rochester Historical Society; the Sons of the American Revolution; the American Institute of Graphic Arts, and the Sigma Phi Society. In November, 1924, Mr. Palmer organized the Hobart Club of Rochester, the first organization of its kind in the country and served as its first president. He is a member of the Protestant Episcopal church. He takes the interest of a good citizen in public affairs and is recognized as a man of broad views, wide experience and exemplary character.
REV. THOMAS BERNARD KELLY.
Rev. Thomas Bernard Kelly was made administrator of St. Josephs' parish in Batavia in 1921, owing to the feeble health of Rev. William T. Wilber, pastor of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church since 1904. Father Kelly was born in Salamanca, Cattaraugus county, New York, on the 23d of December, 1887, his parents being John Patrick and Mary Loretta (Crotty) Kelly, the former born in Bergen, New York, on July 23, 1859, and the latter in Salamanca, this state, on January 29, 1869. His grand- parents emigrated to this country from Ireland.
Thomas Bernard Kelly was a lad of six summers when the family home was estab- lished in Ellicottville, New York, where he attended the grade and high schools to the time of his graduation in 1906. It was in February, 1907, that he entered Niagara University of Niagara Falls, New York, and seven years later he was ordained to the priesthood at the new cathedral in Buffalo by the Right Rev. Charles H. Colton, receiv- ing holy orders on the 6th of June, 1914. He was made assistant pastor of the church of St. Mary of the Angels in Olean, New York, where he remained until January 20, 1920, when he was transferred to Batavia, here taking up his duties as assistant pastor of St. Joseph's church three days later. At the end of a year, owing to the in- capacity of Father Wilber, Rev. T. B. Kelly was made administrator of the parish and his consecrated labors in this connection have been attended with splendid results. Rev. P. J. O'Donovan was sent to act as his assistant in May, 1924.
Fraternally Father Kelly is identified with the Knights of Columbus and he has served as chaplain of the local council. His name is also on the membership rolls of the Batavia Rotary Club, the Batavia Chamber of Commerce and the Stafford Country Club.
JUDGE CHARLES H. PIPER.
The record of forty years' service as police justice of Niagara Falls stands to the credit of Judge Charles H. Piper, who has a high conception of the dignity and re- sponsibility of his calling and honors his profession by adherence to the solid virtues and enlightened principles underlying the law. He is a native son of the city and a member of one of its old and prominent families. He was born October 17, 1860, and his parents were Charles H. and Charlotte (Hulett) Piper, the latter of whom was also born in Niagara Falls, in which city her marriage occurred. Members of the family proved their loyalty and patriotism by service in the Revolutionary war and Judge Piper's maternal grandfather, Theodore G. Hulett, was a pioneer in the settle- ment of Niagara county, to which he came in the year 1823. Charles H. Piper was a native of New Hampshire and became a resident of Niagara Falls in 1850. He was one of the leading attorneys of the city and was called to public office, discharging his duties in a highly creditable manner. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Piper, five sons and two daughters, all of whom are living.
Judge Piper was the second in order of birth. He completed a course in the De Vaux College and read law in the office of his father, from whom he received valuable instruction and advice. He was admitted to the bar at Rochester in 1882 and began his professional career at Niagara Falls, where he practiced for two years. Since 1884 he has presided over the police court of Niagara Falls, and his decisions indicate a keen intellect, careful analysis, a thorough knowledge of the law and an unbiased judgment.
Judge Piper married Miss Lizzie J. Pfeiffer, who was a daughter of Bernard Pfeiffer, of Niagara Falls, and their union was severed by her death in 1895, when thirty-six years of age. For three years the Judge was a member of the New York National Guard and during the World war he was one of the Four Minute speakers, also serving the nation in other capacities. He is a stanch democrat in politics and
REV. T. BERNARD KELLY
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has been a delegate to county and state conventions of the party. He is an Episco- palian in religious faith and a vestryman of his church. Judge Piper is a member of the Ongara Club of Niagara Falls, and his fraternal relations are with the Masons and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He is a student of human nature as well as of the principles of jurisprudence and has always been a patient and diligent inquirer after the truth. He is devoted to the legal interests intrusted to his charge, and the reputation. that comes from the performance of duty well done is his just reward.
ALLYN T. GILBERT.
Allyn T. Gilbert, publisher of the Newark Courier, has met with noteworthy success in the newspaper business and exerts a strong influence in journalistic circles of Wayne county. He was born in Manchester, New York, May 23, 1887, a son of Joseph and Emily (Tilden) Gilbert, the latter also a native of the Empire state. The parents were married in Palmyra, New York, and reared a family of five children, four sons and a daughter, all of whom are living. Joseph Gilbert was a native of England and came to New York state in 1876 in company with his father, being at that time a boy of twelve. He took up the study of law and rose to a position of prominence in the profession, serving for two terms as district attorney of Wayne county. He died in 1917, when fifty-three years of age, and is survived by the mother.
Allyn T. Gilbert was the third child in their family. He was graduated from the Newark high school and subsequently became identified with architectural work and building operations in Rochester. He was numbered among the successful contractors of that city, in which he resided until 1917, when he purchased the Newark Courier, a weekly newspaper established in 1851. He has since conducted the paper, which covers Wayne county and is the largest country weekly in the state in both subscriptions and advertising patronage. Mr. Gilbert also controls the Newark Commercial, which he established in 1922, and in the same year purchased the Palmyra Courier, which he likewise conducts. His publications are operated along the lines of modern and pro- gressive newspaper education and embody the best elements of journalism. They are carefully edited and devoted to the welfare of the districts which they serve.
In 1912 Mr. Gilbert married Miss Alice M. Kelley, a daughter of W. H. Kelley, of Newark, and they now have four sons: William, Frank, David and Richard, aged respectively eleven, eight, six and two years. Mr. Gilbert is a consistent member of the Episcopal church and a stanch republican in politics. He has won the respect of men of all parties for courage with which he defends his convictions and the honor- able manner in which he does so. During the World war he issued a daily paper in order to awaken public interest in the War Chest fund and also rendered valuable service to the government as a member of the local War Chest and Liberty Loan com- mittees. His fraternal relations are with the Loyal Order of Moose, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Masons. He belongs to Newark Lodge, No. 83, F. & A. M .; Newark Chapter, No. 117, R. A. M .; to Palmyra Commandery, K. T .; and Damascus Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Rochester. He is connected with the Retail Merchants Association, the Community Association and the Country Club, all of Newark, and is also a member of the Fellowcraft Club, the Western New York Press Association and the State Press Association. Mr. Gilbert is a molder of public opin- ion in Wayne county, a power in civic and industrial advancement, and his influence is one of broadening activity and strength in the field in which he is operating. He combines in his character all the qualities of a useful and desirable citizen and stands high in the regard of his fellowmen.
GAMBLE WILSON.
Gamble Wilson, a prominent argriculturist and landowner of Groveland, is widely and favorably known in Livingston county and with its history he is largely familiar. He has always resided in this section of the Genesee Country and has contributed his full quota toward its development. He was born on a farm in the town of Groveland, May 9, 1867, a son of Robert and Matilda (Toland) Wilson, the former of whom is deceased. They reared a family of eight children and all are yet living.
Gamble Wilson is the oldest of the children. He received a public school educa- tion and remained on the home farm until he reached the age of twenty-three. He
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then entered the business world and for twenty years devoted his efforts to the evapor- ation of apples. In 1904 he erected a building in Groveland, in which he established a hardware store, successfully conducting it for seventeen years, but selling the business in 1921. He has since engaged in farming and is the owner of much valuable land in Livingston county. He believes in scientific methods and brings to his occupation a true sense of agricultural economics, never allowing a foot of his land to be unproduc- tive. He is also a director of the Groveland State Bank and is known as an astute, farsighted business man whose judgment is sound and practical.
On the 1st of October, 1890, Mr. Wilson was united in marriage to Miss Evelina Gamble, and they have one child, Marion. Mr. Wilson is a stanch adherent of the democratic party and takes the interest of a good citizen in public affairs. He served for fourteen years on the town board and for five terms was town supervisor, render- ing valuable public service in both offices. He is a Knight Templar Mason and has taken the thirty-second degree in the Scottish Rite. He is also a Shriner, and his religious views are in harmony with the doctrines of the Presbyterian church. He is a member of the Livingston County Historical Society and served as its president in 1923-4. Mr. Wilson has been active in pushing forward the wheels of progress in Groveland and measures up to the highest standards of personal honor and present- day business ethics.
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