USA > New York > Erie County > Sardinia > History of the original town of Concord : being the present towns of Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York > Part 70
USA > New York > Erie County > Collins > History of the original town of Concord : being the present towns of Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York > Part 70
USA > New York > Erie County > Concord > History of the original town of Concord : being the present towns of Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York > Part 70
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
Edward Scott.
Mr. Scott was born in Coventry, Kent county, R. I., March 9, 1794. Jan. 10, 1816, he married Miss Olive Madison, who was born at West Greenwich, Kent county, R. I., Oct. 1797. They have five children : Halsey, born May 10, 1818, in Rhode Island, died at Detroit, Mich., Nov. 8, 1861. Leonard, born Sept. 25, 1822, in Sardinia, and died there Nov. 8, 1854. Celestia, born April 3, 1827 ; married Reynold Tillinghast March 5, 1848, at Sardinia, where they now reside. Eliza E., born March 8, 1835, at Sardinia; married Burrell L. Johnson Nov. 9, 1853. They live in Sardinia.
Charles Spencer.
Mr. Spencer's father, Asaph Spencer, was born in 1804, in Westminster, Vt .; from there he went to Hinsdale, N. H., where he was married to Roxy Stearns,. From Hinsdale, they moved to Otto, N. Y., in 1826, and to Sardinia, " Prattham," in 1828, where they now reside. When they came to Sardinia, the only settlers on the " Prattham " road were Deacon Beach, Isaac Bradshaw, and John Philips, Jr.
Mr. Spencer had four children : Fannie married George Firman and since died. Caroline married J. W. Peckham and died April 21, 1871. Warren ; and Charles, who was born in Sardinia, Sept. 30, 1835, where he has since resided. His busi- ness is farming and milling. He was married Feb. 11, 1858, to Sarah E. Griffith, daughter of John Griffith. They have five children ;
Kinnie C., born 1858. Arthur C., born 1863. Belle, born 1867. Clark R., born 1870, and Frank C., born 1873.
Kinney C. Spencer.
Kinney C. Spencer, the subject of this sketch, was born in Sardinia, Erie county, N. Y., Dec. 1, 1859. His father's name is Charles Spencer ; his mother's maiden name was Sarah Grif- fith. He lived with his parents in Sardinia, and attended school
885
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
at Springville a number of terms, until 1880, when he came to Concord and bought the saw-mill one and one-fourth miles east of Springville, of Peter Zimmer. This he run until the Fall of 1882, when he sold out and returned to Sardinia, where he now lives. He was married Jan. 1, 1879, to Miss Emma Ruple. They have one child :
Clyde Spencer, who was born Oct. 27, 1880,
Cyrenus F. Starkweather.
Cyrenus F. Starkweather, son of Sidney Starkweather and Belinda (Cook) Starkweather, was born in Hamburg, N. Y., Jan. 19, 1838 ; came to Sardinia at fourteen years of age, where he resided until his death, Oct. 28, 1882. He was mar- ried Feb. 11, 1863, to Abigal Rider, daughter of Reuben Rider. They have one son now living, Carlton S. Rider, born Sept. 16, 1872. Mr Starkweather was a farmer by occupation. Two of his brothers, Samuel and Wallace served in the Union army.
Hiram C. Tanner.
Mr. Tanner was born May 13, 1833, in Wales, Erie county and came to Holland in 1858. His father's name was Amos S. Tanner, born 1796, and died in 1849. His mother's maiden name was Sally Boughton, of Stephentown, Rensselaer county, N. Y.
Mr. Tanner was married in Sardinia, Jan. 1, 1861, to May Orr, who was born in Holland, N. Y., Aug. 8, 1838. While a resident of Holland, Mr. Tanner was engaged in dealing in cattle and produce. He moved to Protection, N. Y., in 1866 and was engaged for two years in mercantile business. Since 1868, he has been proprietor of the hotel at Protection.
JJames H. Vosburg.
James H. Vosburg, son of Henry J. Vosburg, was born at Kinderhook, Columbia county, N. Y., Feb. 10, 1822 ; came to Concord in 1832. In 1847 he bought land of the Hol- land Company on lot seven, township seven, range six, in Sar- dinia, where he has since resided. He was married Dec. 15, . 1846, to Delia Graff. They have three children : Henry J.,
886
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
born Nov. 20, 1848. Jane Maria, born March 15, 1850 ; mar- ried Charles Zimmer. William M., born March 9, 1854.
Sterling Titus,
Son of James B. Titus, was born in Eden, N. Y., June 9, 1831, and this town was his home until 1866, when he removed to East Concord, N. Y., where he lived for eight years. In 1874 he sold his farm there and bought the Colwell place in Sardinia, where he has since lived. In 1856 he was united in marriage to Miss Annis Horton by whom he has three children, viz: Viola, Sarah and Willie. Sarah was married in the Fall of 1882, to Leverett Hitchcock and lives in Ashford. Mr. Titus is a Dea- con in the Free Baptist Church of East Concord.
Roger P. Ward.
Mr. Ward was born in Champion, Jefferson county, N. Y., June 21, 1816. His father, Thomas Ward, was a native of Ire- land ; his mother, whose maiden name was Susannah Kelner, was a native of Germany. They were married about 1802, in Jefferson county, N. Y., and came to Sardinia about 1818 or 1819 and settled on "Shepherd Hill," on part of the farm now owned by Addison Wheelock. After living there six years they moved to the north-east part of the town. They had seven children: Nancy, married Jonathan Thomas and died in Holland about 1868. Polly, married Rufus Hawks and was killed in 1860, by a run-away horse. Lawrence C., married Rebecca Brown; lives near Grand Rapids, Mich. William, married Douzilla Ballard ; lives in Holland. Rosannah, mar- ried Averta Odell; lives in Holland. Roger P., married Lu- cinda Avery ; lives in Sardinia. Eliza, married George Sweet ; lives in Pennsylvania.
In speaking of early times in Sardinia, Mr. Ward (Roger P.), said he " first attended school in 1822 or 1825 to a Mr. Conklin, in his house, which stood where Fred. West now lives and went bare-footed all winter." Other early teachers were Betsy Steele, Lawrence Ward and E. H. Drake.
Referring to wild animals he relates that a wolf came near their house one night and howled; several others down toward a swamp near by immediately answered. They went out and
887
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
drove the wolf away. The next morning in going down to the swamp they found the tracks of several wolves.
Mr. Alanson Colby was out one evening coon hunting and having occasion to climb a tree the wolves surrounded him and kept him up there all night. In speaking of the June frost in 1816, he said his " father, on the morning of the 9th of that month, in going across the fields to a neighbor's. a mile or two away, and wearing shoes and stockings with holes in them, got his shoes full of the thickly accumulated frost in going through the grass and froze his heels so that they peeled."
Mr. and Mrs. Roger P. Ward have four children :
Angeline, married James Waggoner; lives in Sardinia. Thomas, married Judith Crawford ; lives in Holland. John Edwin, married Sarah Orr; lives in Sardinia. Louisa, married William Haggerty ; lives in Arcade.
Mr. Ward's father, Thomas Ward, died about 1849 ; his mother about 1855.
Frederick R. West.
Mr. West was born Jan. 12. 1821, in Tompkins county, N. Y .; came to Yorkshire with his father's family in 1828. In 1843 he came to Sardinia, where he has since lived. His occu- pation has always been farming. Mr. West has been twice married, first in 1850 to Huldah Thompson, who died June 16, 1855 ; a second time to Mrs. Mary Bowen, May 1, 1862. By his first wife Mr. West has two children :
Clarissa E., born May 10, 1851. Alpheus B., born Feb 17, 1853.
Ashbel West.
Ashbel West was born May 10, 1789; came to Sardinia in 1843 ; was married Feb. 14, 1843, to Eliza Hanford, who was born April 22, 1792; was a farmer; his father's name was Elijah West, born in Massachusetts, and died in Tompkins county, N. Y., at the age of ninety-six years. Ashbel West came from Tompkins county in 1828 to Yorkshire, Cattaraugus county, where he lived until 1843. He was at the burning of Buffalo in the war of of 1812.
-
888
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
FAMILY RECORD.
Caroline E., born May 21, 1815 ; married Oct. 6, 1833, to Asa Packer, of Arcade, and lives in Machias. Hanford S., born Oct. 22, 1817. Cordelia, born March 22, 1819 ; married Charles Long in 1846 ; lives in Sardinia village. Frederick R., born Jan. 12, 1821 ; married in 1850 to Huldah Thompson, who died, and he was married a second time to Mrs. Mary Bowen. Abigail, born Dec. 6, 1823 ; married in 1844 to Joseph Butler. of Bloomington, Du Page county, Ill. Minerva, born May 5, 1825 ; married in 1856 to Harvey Butler ; she died in Illinois in 1873. Emily, born June 12, 1827; died April 15, 1862. Elijah, born July 4, 1830 ; married and lives in Chicago.
Hanford C. West.
Hanford C. West was a son of Ashbel West and Elizabeth Hanford. His father was a native of Massachusetts, and served in the war of 1812; was at the burning of Buffalo. His mother was born in Delaware.
Mr. West was born Oct. 2, 1817, in Tompkins county, N. Y .; moved to Yorkshire about 1830, and to Sardinia, where he now resides, in 1845. About 1840 Mr. West went to Illinois, and remained there five years ; then came back, and in 1853 made an overland trip to California. He started from Chicago, drove one hundred head of cattle, six horses and a mule; was six months making the journey, including a week spent at Salt Lake City. He remained in California about three years, when he returned and has since resided in Sardinia.
Mr. West was married July 3, 1857, to Alvira Newton, who was born March 3, 1836, in Jefferson county, N. Y., and came to Sardinia in 1849. They have three children :
Charles W., born Oct. 11, 1859; Duaine A., born March 20, 1861. Ella J., born Nov. 27, 1864.
Wilcox Family.
John Wilcox, grandfather of William Wilcox, was born in England about 1757. Came to America in the early part of the Revolution, and at once enlisted in the American army, where he served until the close of the war, when he married
889
BIOGRAPHICAL, SKETCIIES.
Mary Crosby of New York city, who was born in 1757 and died in 1832. He resided at New York city for a number of years, where his two oldest children were born ; from there he moved to Litchfield, Herkimer county, and from there to Sardinia in 1813, where he lived as a farmer until his death about 1823. He had a family of eleven children.
John, married Melinda Palmer; died in Illinois in 1874. Charlotte, married Zacharia Townsend ; died in Litchfield, N. Y., in 1861. Henrietta, married Archibald Perry; died in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., in 1865. Jeremiah, married Melinda Abby ; died in Ashford, N. Y., in 1855. Hiram, born in 1790 ; died in Illinois in 1850. Samuel, born in 1792 ; married De- borah Smith ; died in Concord, N. Y., in 1859. Oliver, born in 1794 ; married Hannah -; died in Ohio in 1850. Mary, born in 1796; married Stephen Townsend ; died in Litchfield, N. Y., in 1850. Roswell, born in 1798 ; died in Illinois in 1855. Polly, born in 1800; died in Litchfield, N. Y., in 1855. Charles, born in 1802 ; married Barbara Wilkes; died in Minnesota in 1875.
Elijah Wheelock.
Mr. Wheelock was born in the Town of Litchfield, Herki- mer county, N. Y., in 1794, and came to Sardinia in 1838. In 1819, he was married to Lucretia Taylor, who was born in the Town of Volney, Oswego county, N. Y., in 1797, and who died in Sardinia in 1841. Mr. Wheelock is still living, at the re- markable age of eighty-nine years. They had a family of children, viz .:
Franklin W. married Diantha Reynolds; she died in 1843 ; married again to Louisa Johnson ; he died April 22, 1872. Harrison, born in 1822 ; married Miss Jeannette Brewer ; moved to Iowa ; served two years in the War of the Rebellion, and died in 1863. Addison, born Jan. 29, 1824 ; married Minerva Parks, in 1848. Alzina, born 1827: married Albert Dawley, and died in 1851. Matilda, born 1829 ; married Philip Fris- bee, and resides in Pennsylvania, Caroline, born in 1834 ; mar- ried William Moses and lives in Pennsylvania.
Since the above was written, Mr. Wheelock has died (Oct., 1883), aged about ninety years.
890
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Addison Wheelock.
Addison Wheelock, son of Elijah Wheelock, was born in the Town of Olney, Oswego county, N. Y., Jan. 29, 1824, and at the age of fourteen years he came with his father's family to the Town of Sardinia, which has since been his home. As a general rule, the sons of the early settlers had but limited means for improvement. The Summers were spent in chop- ping and clearing land, and only three months of the Winter was allowed for schooling, and we presume young Addison
HAND FAN,
fared no better than the rest. However, he was possessed of two sterling qualities that greatly aided him in making his way in the world, viz .: energy and perseverance. By the help of these, he has qualified himself for all the practical concerns of life, and by good management and perseverance he has acquired a goodly competence. He has the respect and confi- dence of his fellow-townsmen, who have upon several occa- sions honored him with positions of trust and responsibility, the duties of which he has discharged with fidelity. In 1875,
891
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
'76 and '79 he represented his town on the Board of Supervis- ors. In 1848, he was united in marriage to Miss Minerva Parks, who has borne him two children, viz .:
Lucy A., born in 1854 ; married Cyrenius Holmes, Feb. 9, 1874, and resides in Sardinia. William Addison, born in 1863, and died at his father's home, Oct. 6, 1883, a favorite. Willie was a bright and promising youth, and his sudden taking off has cast a great shadow o'er the hearts of the sorrowing parents and friends who have the heartfelt sympathy of the entire community in this their affliction.
892
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
CHAPTER XXIII.
FAMILY SKETCHES OF PERSONS NOT RESIDING WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE PRE- CEDING TOWNS.
John Calvin Adams.
John Calvin Adams was born May 1, 1793, at New London, Conn .; died July 25, 1847, at Franklin Mills, Ohio. He learned and worked at the trade of a blacksmith. He was the first Postmaster at Collins Center ; was a merchant there several years. At the time of his death, he was engaged in farming. He was a descendant of the Massachusetts Adams family, his father being a nephew of Samuel Adams, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Hepzibah Chadwick, his wife, was born March 18, 1787, at Lyme, Conn .; died Jan. 14, 1853, at Franklin Mills, Ohio. They were married Jan. 1, 1817, at Chatham, N. Y. They had children, viz .:
George Rodney C. Adams, born Aug. 16, 1818, at Chatham, N. Y .; by occupation a farmer ; now retired and lives at Gales- burgh, Mich. He married Henrietta Olin, at Franklin Mills, O., Oct. 8, 1843.
Samuel Cary Adams, born Dec. 22, 1820, at Chatham, N. Y .; learned and worked at the carpenter and joiner trade ; after- wards studied law; was admitted to the bar ; is a practicing attorney, and resides at Buffalo. He married Harriet White. daughter of Isaac White, at Collins, N. Y., Oct. 20, 1842.
Ezra Chadwick Adams, born July 14, 1823, at Collins, N. Y .. a physician, and lives at Alamo, Mich. He married Mary Stratton, Sept. 17, 1844, at Franklin Mills, O.
Charles Chauncey Adams, born April 27, 1830, at Collins, N.
893
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Y .; a farmer, and lives at Riley Center, Kan. He married Melissa P. Southwick, March 20, 1853, at Franklin Mills, O.
George Rodney C. Adams, has four children living. Hepsy Ann married a Mr. Russell, a farmer, and lives near Gales- burgh, Mich. Milo O., married ; is a hardware merchant at Galesburgh, Mich. Sarah A. married a Mr. Towne, a farmer and lives near Galesburgh, Mich. George, married ; is Post- master at Galesburgh, Mich.
Samuel Cary Adams has four children living : John C., un- married ; one of the firm of Young, Lockwood & Co .; resides at Buffalo, N. Y. Hannah M., married Mr. A. L. Rowland ; a farmer and resides near Galesburgh, Mich. Harriet A., un- married, and resides with her father at Buffalo. Carrie, unmar- married, and resides with her father at Buffalo.
Ezra C. Adams has three children living : Charles C. mar- ried a merchant, and resides at Alamo, Mich. Frank married a commercial traveler, and resides at Plainwell, Mich. Ala, unmarried, and resides with her father at Alamo.
Charles Chauncey Adams has four children living: Flora, unmarried, and resides with her father at Riley Center, Kan. Ida, married a farmer and lives near Riley Center. Etta mar- ried a farmer and lives near Riley Center. Charles C., unmar- ried and resides with his father.
John Brooks.
John Brooks was a son of Nathaniel Brooks and Lucy (Richards) Brooks of Connecticut. The family consisted of Abijah, Jesse, John, Theophilus, Roxana, Polly, Hannah and Joseph.
John was born in Connecticut, April 20, 1790; married Lydia Booth, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth Booth, March 21, 1816. The family of John and Lydia consisted of Lucy, John Jr., Elizabeth, Diantha, Nathaniel, Belinda, Lydia and Andrew J., of whom four only are now living, viz .: Lucy E .. Diantha, Nathaniel and Andrew J. The oldest, now Lucy Gould, is living at Emmettsburg, Iowa, with her son, J. E. King, merchant, and former Sheriff of Palo Alto county, Iowa. Eliza- beth Diantha Aldrich lives at Boston with her daughter, Rox- ana Pierce. Nathaniel lives at Colden village ; has four
894
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
daughters, all married, and two sons (medical students). Belinda Taber died at Elma, Nov. 28, 1870, leaving four sons and three daughters. Lydia Hall died at Wales Center, April 20, 1873, leaving three daughters.
Andrew J. Brooks.
Andrew J. Brooks, son of John and Lydia Brooks. was born in Concord, Aug. 5, 1832; attended school at Springville Academy in 1849 and '50 ; attended lectures at the Albany Medical college in 1856 and 1858, at which college he gradu- ated, and located at Marilla, Erie county, N. Y., in 1859, where he has since practiced. He was married in 1863, to Melvina A. Clark, and has a family of three boys and two girls. The oldest son, R. E. Brooks, is now teaching school on Townsend Hill, where his grandfather taught nearly sixty years ago.
John Brooks died at his home in Colden, Erie county, June 7, 1858, was at one time Colonel; also held the office of side Judge. He was a member of Living Stone Lodge of F. and A. M .. of Colden, N. Y., from its first organization until re- moved to the Grand Lodge above."
Mrs. Lydia Brooks died at the home of her daughter Lydia B. Hall, at Wales Center, N. Y., April 10th, 1870. Of their children John, Jr. and John, Jr. (son), died in infancy.
Lucy has two sons by her second husband ; one is a farmer in Iowa, and one an editor in Minnesota.
Diantha has one son and one daughter.
A. H. Briggs, M. D.
Dr. Briggs' father, Joseph B. Briggs, was born in Woodstock, Vermont, and came to this county in 1828. His ancestors are traceable to the New England Puritans. The doctor's mother was the oldest daughter of Col. Cyrenus Wilber, who repre- sented the county in the Assembly of 1838.
Dr. Briggs was born Sept. 9, 1842, in Lancaster, Erie county, N. Y. He attended school at the Batavia Union School, Aurora Academy and Genesee Wesleyan College, at Lima, N. Y. In 1868 he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Samuel Potter, of Lancaster ; was with him three years and three months. Attended during that time three full courses of
895
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
lectures at the Buffalo Medical College, graduating Feb. 20, 1871 ; commenced practice in Buffalo May 1, 1871.
Dr. Briggs was the first post-mortem examin er in the county. He held that office over three years. He was for one year District Physician for the 2d District of Buffalo. For two years, 1880 and 'S1, he was Health Officer of the city. During 1881 he established a system of inspection of emigrants in transit, which has since been adopted throughout most of the northern states. In 1881 he was appointed First Grand Medi- cal Examiner of the A. O. U. W., for New York state, which position he still occupies. He is also Sergeant of the 65th Regiment of National Guard.
Dr. Briggs was married in 1863, to Meckre Baker, daughter of Dr. Baker, of Andover, N. Y. They have one son and one daughter.
George W. Briggs.
Mr. Briggs was born in Collins, in 1850, where he lived until he was twenty-two years of age. Has taught school eleven terms. Was seven years in the employ of William A. Johnson, a cheese manufacturer. Became a resident of East Hamburg in 1881 ; was elected Justice of the Peace of that town in 1882. Is now Deputy Sheriff on Sheriff Koch's staff. Mr. Briggs was married in 1875 to Orcelia A. Pike. They have had two children : Nora M., born Dec. 8, 1876; died Aug. 8, 1880, and Norman E., born in Concord Aug. 3, 1879.
Harrison T. Foster.
Harrison T. Foster, son of Talcott and Lucy Foster, was born in Byron, Genesee county, N. Y., June 20, 1827. His father was a native of Massachusetts ; his mother of Connecti- cut. He was the only child of a second marriage on the part of both parents, but had several half brothers and sisters. His father died when he was seven years of age, and with the aid of his mother he managed the farm until he was eigh teen ; mean- while he had formed the acquaintance of Miss Clarissa Strick- land whom he married September, 1846. Taking his amiable young wife and his mother he at once removed to Michigan, but before the next Autumn they were all attacked with
896
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
malarial fever ; the mother died, and as soon as himself and wife were able to travel they returned to their native town. The following year he purchased sixty acres of land in Alden (now Marilla), about a half mile west of what is now Marilla village, on which he constructed a rude dwelling into which he moved and commenced logging and clearing his land. This he followed for about three years.
About this time an accident occurred which changed the whole course of Mr. Foster's life. A yoke of oxen. the only team he possessed and for which he was owing, broke loose from their moorings and filled themselves with corn to such an extent that one of them died and the other was rendered valueless,
Mr. Foster was in debt for his land, having made but partial payments on his purchase. He was unable to buy a team, and make payment on his land. In this crisis of his affairs Joshua Axtel, the keeper of a small grocery in the Village of Marilla, offered to purchase the land ; a bargain was made, Mr. Foster taking in payment the grocery store and stock of goods, valued at five hundred dollars, an eighty acre lot in Wisconsin and a mortgage of $300 on land in the Town of Darien. Failing to sell his grocery stock, he formed a copartnership with Charles Walker, who had a small stock of dry goods and groceries in the village. They built a small store with their own hands, and moved into it in May, 1852. The following July he bought Mr. Walker's interest, and carried on the business himself two years. He then sold to Jonathan B. Bass ; and the following year was spent in settling accounts and lumbering.
Having become familiar with and liking the mercantile busi- ness, Mr. Foster availed himself of the first opportunity of re-entering it. In September, 1855, he formed a partnership with Jefferson H. Brooks, and bought the store opposite the Spring hotel in Marilla. This partnership continued until Jan- uary, 1865, when Mr. Foster bought Mr. Brooks' interest, and formed a partnership with Henry D. Harrington, who had been a clerk in the store for the previous five years.
In 1873, G. C. Mouchow was taken into the firm, which con- tinued until 1878, when Mr. Foster bought out Mr. Harring- ton and formed a partnership with Mr. Mouchow, which con- tinues to the present time, 1883, under the firm name of H. T.
897
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Foster & Co. The firm with its different partners, was always successful, never made an assignment, was never sued at law, and is doing a profitable business at present.
In addition to his mercantile business, Mr. Foster has been an active politician. He was first elected Supervisor of his town in 1860, and held that office five years in succession, and then after one year he was elected two years in succession, then declined being a candidate. But in 1881, a sharp contest aris- ing between the City of Buffalo and the towns of Erie county in regard to equalization, the towns saw the necessity of send- ing men of experience and ability to represent them on the board, and Mr. Foster was again elected. He has been for the last three years, and is now, a member of the board. He has held the office of Postmaster for the last twenty-three years with the exception of two years; was Justice of the Peace four years, and during the war he was made a member of the com- mittee to superintend the raising of volunteers and paying bounties. These duties he performed with so much energy and ability that not a man in his jurisdiction was forced into the army by draft.
Mr. Foster's first wife died in 1870; he subsequently married Mrs. Lord, daughter of George W. Carpenter, one of the first settlers on the Indian Reservation. At the time of her mar- riage with Mr. Foster Mrs. Lord had two daughters, Mary and Estelle. Mary married William H. Johnson in 1873 ; died in 1874, leaving an infant boy. Estelle married Everett L. Hedges, of Marilla, in 1882 ; died in 1883, leaving an infant girl. Both of these children are living with Mr. Foster as his own.
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.