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 72
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 72
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 72
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Daniel H. Persons.
Daniel H. Persons was born in Buffalo, Dec. 22, 1851, where he has always resided. His business is that of wholesale liquor dealer. He is a graduate of Hicks Business College of Buffalo. He was elected Supervisor of the Fourth ward of Buffalo in 1876, and held the office two terms. His father Charles Persons, was Alderman of the same ward in 1875, and Supervisor in 1873.
Col. Josiah Emery.
Col. Josiah Emery was born July 1, 1783, in Dunbarton, N. H., and died Aug. 14, 1873. After a few years' residence in Salem, Mass., he settled in Barre, Vt. In 1809, he married Snsannah Little, and in 1811, removed to LeRoy, N. Y. The following year, he located a timber farm at Willink, now Aurora, which he improved and occupied until his death. He served in the War of 1812, and was discharged as First Lieu- tenant of his company.
His wife died Feb. 5, 1861. They had six children :
Lucius H., born July 26, 1811. Moses L., born March 28, 1815. John C., born Dec. 1, 1817. Josiah, born Oct. 29, 1819. Asher B., born May 12, 1821. Mary S., born March 2, 1824.
Lucius H. Emery has two sons; lives in South Wales. Edwin F. married Fedelia Hodges; is a mechanic in South Wales. Moses L. died Aug. 2, 1840 ; left two sons. Charles E. married Susan Livingston of New York city. William H. served as a telegrapher in the army. John C. Emery lives in Oakland county, Mich., and has six children. Josiah, lives in South Wales on the old homestead, and has had five children : Ella F. died Oct. 15, 1865 ; Edward K. is an attorney-at-law in Buffalo, N. Y .; Albert J. is an attorney-at-law in Dakota ; Mary E. married De Witt C. Blakeley of Aurora ; died June 13, 1882.
Asher B. Emery died Sept. 5, 1839. Mary S., married John H. McMillan, and lives in Aurora ; has three sons :
Frank, married Mary Letson ; lives in Colden. Arthur, mar- ried Emma Dudley ; lives in Aurora. Howard, married Nellie Burlingham ; lives in Colden.
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Justus Scott.
Justus Scott, who died recently in the Town of Otto, Catta- raugus county, N. Y., was one of the early settlers of the Town of Concord, where he lived so long and took so lively an inter- est in its schools, churches and general prosperity as to entitle him to notice in these pages.
Justus Scott was born in the Town of Wallingford, Vt., March 19, 1799. Soon after his birth his father moved to Danby, Vt., where Justus remained with them till 1816. The father was poor and the family had become accustomed to hard work, when he and his elder brother Phineas left home on foot with packs on their backs, to seek their fortunes in the Far West. They traveled sixteen days and arrived at Spring- ville in October, 1816. The first business in which these boys engaged was chopping by the job. They cooked their food and kept bachelors' hall in the woods. Justus soon took an article of a piece of land on the road from Springville to Ash- ford, now owned by John Ellis, being part of lot fifteen, town- ship six, range six. In July, 1817, he married Emily Hardy. They commenced house-keeping on this place in the most primitive style. The body of a fallen tree formed the rear of the house, while the front pillars were crotches driven in the ground, supporting a pole on which rested basswood dugouts for a roof, while the solid earth formed the floor. Brides of the present day might shrink from such a beginning, and find fault with the furniture, the carpeting, the curtaining or the bridal couch. But here this young couple commenced their life work ; happy in anticipation of a future whose contrast would be all the more gratifying. Here they lived for several weeks till a log house could be built, in which they lived till Aug. 7, 1828, when Mrs. Scott died.
About this time Mr. Scott became the owner of a span of horses, an exceedingly rare luxury in those days. These horses strayed into the woods of Cattaraugus county, which was then called the " South Woods." There being no roads, Mr. Scott tracked them to the McClure settlement, now Franklinville and from there to Olean Point, about sixty miles from home, the way they went.
In March, 1830, Scott married Miss Electa Darling, a sister
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of Hon. J. P. Darling, of Cattaraugus, a woman of superior mind, and Jan. 15, 1831, Allen Scott, the present Judge of Cat .. taraugus county, was born. Soon after Scott removed from this town to Otto, N. Y., where he remained till 1848, when he returned to Springville to educate his children. After remain- ng here six years, taking a lively interest in our schools and churches, he returned again to his farm in Otto, where he died in 1881, greatly respected, a man of strong mind and sterling integrity.
R. K. Smither.
Mr. Smither was born at Worcester, England, in 1850; came to America and at fourteen years of age was apprenticed to the drug business, after which, in 1852, came to Buffalo, to accept a position with D. H. Peabody, druggist. In 1874 he married Lucretia, daughter of the late J. S. Newkirk, and grand-daughter of the late Loring Pierce, Buffalo's late pioneer undertaker, who officiated at the burial of more than three thousand of the early settlers of the city, among them the first interments at Forest Law.
In 1875 Mr. Smither embarked in business on his own ac- count, which he has successfully pursued to the present time. His ability as a chemist and druggist was recognized by his election as Vice President of the New York State Pharmaceutical Association in 1881 and President of the Erie county Pharma- ceutical Association in 1883. He represented the 9th Ward on the Board of Supervisors in 1880, '81, '82 and '83. In 1882 he was Chairman of the Board.
H. S. Spencer.
Mr. H. S. Spencer, of Hamburg, removed to that town from Turin, Lewis county, N. Y., in 1864. He is the youngest son of the late Stephen Spencer of the latter place. The family, as the name indicates, is of English origin, being descendants of one of three brothers of that name, who emigrated from England to Connecticut in the seventeenth century.
Later, and among the representatives of this family who became residents of this state, may be mentioned John C. Spen- cer, of Canandaigua and Joshua A. Spencer, of Utica. The
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subject of our notice was educated at Whitestown Seminary and for a time engaged in the business of teaching. At present and for many years, he has had charge of an extensive insur- ance agency, and but few men in the county enjoy a larger personal and business acquaintance.
In 1881 or 1882 he represented his town in the Board of Su- pervisors, being the only Republican ever elected to that office in Hamburg upon party issues. He is at present Cashier of the Bank of Hamburg.
Alonzo Tanner, Esq.
Alonzo Tanner, Esq., was born in Stephentown, Rensselaer county, N. Y., Aug. 8, 1822 : removed with his father and fam- ily to the Town of Wales, Erie county, N. Y., in 1831, and set- tled upon a farm, which is now owned by a sister, and where his boyhood was spent. At the age of seventeen young Tan- ner was given his time and came to Springville, attended the academy for about three years, teaching school Winters for his support. He studied law with Hon. C. C. Severance, and was admitted to the Supreme Court in the Fall of 1847. Residing at Springville from the commencement of his student life in 1839 to 1848, when he removed to Buffalo, where he has ever since resided practicing his profession. By an observance of industry and application through life Mr. Tanner has been suc- cessful in accumulating wealth and attaining to positions of trust. He has held the offices of City Comptroller, Member of the Common Council, Police Justice, and U. S. Assessor of the 30th district. of N. Y. Mr. T. has been twice married ; his first wife died in 1852, leaving him two daughters, now liv- ing in New York. One of whom is Imogene Brown, famous as a church singer and vocalist. He has four sons by his pres- ent wife, two of whom are at present, 1882, clerks in his office.
The Wibert Family.
James S. Wibert moved from the suburbs of Rochester, N. Y., to Erie county about the year 1830, and finally settled in what was designated as " Tubb's Hollow " now Eden valley. where he became proprietor of the old tavern so familiar to the older residents of the county. At the time of his settle- ment in the hollow he was a widower, his children being seven
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in number, viz .: three sons and four daughters, namely, Phœbe H., Anna Maria, Jane Martha, Mary Esther. Thomas William and Isaac, of whom Thomas, Isaac and Jane Martha are deceased. The three surviving daughters are widows, Phœbe H., being the widow of Dr. Battey, residing in Buffalo, and Anna Maria widow of David Gallaway (one of the pioneers of Battle Creek, Mich.) and now resides there, and Mary E., widow of Francis Burt, formerly of Buffalo, also now residing in Battle Creek, Mich. Shortly after becoming a resident of the county, Mr. Wibert married Clara Howard, of Hamburg, who became the mother of two boys, James S., and Henry H. On the 4th day of April, 1841, the day upon which President William Henry Harrison expired, Mrs. Wibert died. Her two sons named above, were sent to reside with Mary and William Taber, an estimable family, members of the Society of Friends, and residing in the Town of Collins. They lived for some time with Mr. and Mrs. Taber, and their son-in-law and daughter, Isaac Russell and wife, also of Collins. Subsequently the two boys resided in Buffalo for a time and afterwards again in Col- lins, until, finally, both became residents of the City of New York, where Henry became associated with his brother-in-law the late Isaac Sherman, who did a good deal for the Repub- lican party, and during the late war a confidential friend, asso- ciate and adviser of President Lincoln, who once remarked to a prominent man that he "regarded Mr. Sherman as one of the ablest men " he had ever met. Mr. Lincoln tendered to Mr. Sherman the position of Secretary of the Treasury, upon the resignation of Secretary Chase. It was during the war period that Henry was the partner of Mr. Sherman in New York, their business being that of dealer in staves. In 1866 they re- tired from active busines, since which time Henry and his fam- ily have spent more or less of the Summer seasons in the Town of North Collins and the village of Springville, their Winter residence being in New York. James, for some years past, has been proprietor of the Mansion House, at Mauch Chunk, Pa. James S., their father, died in 1878, at Battle Creek, Mich., in the eighty-eighth year of his age.
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Caleb Cutler.
Caleb Cutler was born in Worcester county, Mass., in 1771 ; married Edna Parkhurst, in Milford, and removed to Wards- boro, Windham county, Vt., where he resided until 1816, when they came to Willink, Niagara county, now Holland, Eric county, and settled upon lot forty-two, where he resided until his death in 1851. Mr. and Mrs. Cutler had seven sons and three daughters, one son dying in infancy, the others all settled in Holland and Sardinia except one. William C. Cutler, third son of the above, was born in Wardsboro, Windham county, Vt., Nov. 21, 1801, and came with the family to Holland in 1816. In 1828, March 9, he was united in marriage to Mary Morey, by whom he has had twelve children, of whom eight are living, four having died in infancy. William A., born Nov. 14, 1828; Tirzah A., born Sept. 17, 1830, died 1855 ; Maria, born May 4, 1833 ; Eda, born Jan. 20, 1835 ; Tirzah A., born July 7, 1837 ; Hobert, born July 28, 1839 ; Mary, born Nov. 23, 1841 ; Florence, born Feb. 12, 1844; Edward born July 21, 1847, died Jan. 3, 1848 ; Abagail, born Nov. 26, 1848, died Oct. 19, 1850; Abagail 2d, born July 13, 1851. Mr. Cutler says at one time he wanted a barrel of salt, he took a load of oats to Buffalo for which he was offered eleven and one-half cents, salt was five dollars per barrel. This example will show the difference between what the farmers had to sell, and to buy in those days.
Asa Ransom.
Asa Ransom. of Geneva, N. Y., came to Buffalo in the Fall of 1796. It is said that his was the first family that brought into Erie county the habits and refinements of civilized life, and it is said, too, that he was the first white man to locate land with a view of obtaining a legal title, all the claims pre- vious had been merely on the sufferance of the Indians. In 1799, he removed to Clarence Hollow, where he opened a tavern, and where Asa Ransom, Jr., was born, and in 1804 or '05, he erected a saw mill and grist mill there. This was the first mill for grinding wheat in the county, and for several years it supplied the settlers north of the reservation with the "staff of life." In 1807, town meeting was held at Clarence
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Hollow hotel, and its worthy landlord, Asa Ransom, was elected Supervisor. This year, the militia of the western part of Genesee county had formed into a regiment, and Mr. Ran- som was appointed Lieutenant-colonel commanding. The term of this office to him was brief, for the very next year he had to resign, to accept of the more important position as Sheriff of Erie county, to which he had been appointed, and a similar honor was conferred upon him in 1812 and '13. In 1818, Mr. Ransom retired from the office after being ap- pointed four times, and discharging the duties something over ten years.
Asa Ransom Jr.
Son of the former, was born at Clarence Hollow, June, 1801. and is the oldest person now living born in Erie county, Mr. R. possesses in an eminent degree the sterling qualities of his sire, and he has been an important factor in the growth and prosperity of his adopted town (Grand Island). Soon after attaining his majority, he was united in marriage to Miss Betsey S. Clark, daughter of Archibald S. Clark, a prominent actor in the early settlement of the county. In 1837, Mr. Ransom re- moved to the Town of Grand Island, and invested quite exten- sively in lands, and ever since this town has been his home. In 1867 and '68, he represented the town on the Board of Supervisors. Mr. and Mrs. Ransom raised a large family, seven of whom are living.
FAMILY RECORD.
*Levant, born Jan. 21, 1825; Ellen C., born May 1, 1826; married W. D. Witner, lives in Kansas ; Mary A., born April 23, 1827 ; married Harvey Booth ; Archibald S., born Aug. 21, 1828; died March 14, 1829; Clark, born Nov. 7, 1829; mar- ried Saphronia Cutter ; Sarah, born Nov. 29, 1830; married J. D. Vandervort ; Harry B., born Nov. 30, 1832 ; married Zitella Benedict ; Catherine, born Oct 6, 1834 ; died May 11, 1836; Betsey L., born May 11, 1836; married A. G. Kent ; Asa, Jr., born Nov. 20, 1839; drowned June 8, 1872, in the Niagara river ; James T., born Dec. 13, 1841 ; died Nov. 11, 1871.
*Levant has been Supervisor of his town.
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Harry B. Ransom,
Fourth son of Asa Ransom, Jr., was educated for the profes- sion of medicine. But like his ancestors he has been more or less in the active duties of business. For a time he owned and operated a steam ferry that plied between the Island and the main lands, cultivates a farm and has taken a very active part in public affairs. Represented his town on the Board of Super- visors in 1866, '67, '68, '69 and '74, and was a Member of As- sembly in 1870, '71 and '75.
James B. Titus.
James B., son of Robert Titus, whose father's name was Timothy Titus, was born in Hebron, Conn., on the 19th day of July, 1794. At an early age he emigrated to Ostego county, in this state, and on the 2d day of January, 1817, married Esther Yeomans, daughter of Sterling Yeomans, of Richfield, Ostego county. With his young wife, who was four years younger than himself, he started on horse-back for the " Far West," as the Holland Purchase was then known, and settled in the easterly part of the Town of Eden, taking an "article " for a piece of land, on the road called the " Town Line. The Village of Buffalo had scarcely emerged from her fiery ordeal, and evidences of the depredations of the British were yet visi- ble, when they journeyed through to their new home. Roads were then unknown in that locality, and " blazed " trees were the guides which directed the weary traveler on his way. Here began a life of labor and of hardship. The giant tree fell be- fore the axe in the hands of the hardy pioneer and grain and grass were soon seen, where, for time unknown, the sunlight had been hidden from the fruitful earth by the leafy forest. But labor and love brought health and happiness, and a moder- ate degree of prosperity. Mr. T. was prominent in all neigh- borhood enterprises ; for a long number of years he was deacon in the Free Baptist church, and in the militia of the state, rose from the ranks to the office of Colonel, which he held but a short time, by reason of the pecuniary burdens it imposed up- on him. In 1831, he moved from the "Town Line" down to the creek, where a comfortable house was standing provided with those carly luxuries, a big fire-place and a " Dutch oven "
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along side, here he raised his increasing family and spent the happy days of his life ; with but few wants, knowing but little of the misery of the outside world, with good neighbors, pos- sessed of a firm belief in the teachings of Christ and with the aid of an unusually worthy wife, his cup of happiness was nearly full ; here he inculcated in his children those lessons of virtue and morality, which so prominently distinguished the early pioneer from many of the later settlers of the Holland Purchase. In March, 1839, Mr. Titus died after a short ill- ness, leaving his wife with her children to battle alone, and nobly did she do it ; she continued living on the farm keeping her family together, and by industry and that frugal economy which characterized the early settler, she managed to take care of her almost helpless children for nearly six years, when broken in health and spirits, she was prostrated with a linger- ing sickness, and for many years continued an almost helpless in- valid. During the time her family had grown up, some having married and left home, and the rest taking care of the farm, and each contributing his mite in supporting and keeping the household together. Nearly eighteen years ago, the old home- stead was sold, and strangers dwell where so many happy events occurred, and around which cluster memories sweet and beau- tiful in the green of distant youth, to many a saddened heart. The children of James B. Titus are : Nancy, born in 1818; Celina, born in 1820 ; Dolly, born in 1824; James B,, born in 1826; Sterling, born in 1831; Amy, born in 1833 ; and Robert C., born in 1839. Orlando Titus, who was born in 1835, died at his home in Eden, in March, 1882. James B. Titus lives in the Town of Concord.
Sterling Titus came to Concord in 1866, and is now living in the town of Sardinia, just across the east line of Concord, where Esther, his mother, who is now eighty-four years old, is now living. She is still in possession of her faculties, and can tell many interesting stories of the privations and hardships, and of the pleasures too, of pioneer life. Robert C. Titus is living in Buffalo, practicing his profession, the law. He is at present the State Senator of this district, having been elected the second time. Of the girls, all are living: Nancy Gail, at West Falls; Dolly Dayton, at Clarksburg; Celina Richardson
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and Amy Frye, at Springville, in this county. Robert C. Titus is truly a self-made man, and step by step has he risen through efforts of his own, until at the present he stands in the front ranks of the bar of Erie county. In 1877, he was elected Dis- trict Attorney of Erie county, by over two thousand majority being the only one elected that year on his ticket. In 1881, be was elected State Senator by over five thousand majority, and again re-elected in 1883 by nearly one thousand majority, running some two thousand five hundred ahead of the State ticket .
Joseph Kent.
Joseph Kent, an early pioneer of Holland, came from Cor- inth, Orange county, Vt., in 1811, and located with his family in what is now Holland, Erie county, N. Y. Although in em- barrassed circumstances, Mr. Kent would not leave his creditors until they were fully paid. For that purpose he applied for assist- ance to some of his neighbors, who were intending to move to the same place. His neighbors having confidence in his integrity, assisted him to pay his debts. But before he could provide a home'for his family and by his best endeavors pay these new obligations, he sickened and died, leaving his family in desti- tute circumstances. Well might his creditors conclude that in paying the debt of nature he had paid all he could pay, and his debts were canceled. But it was not so to be ; his sons, al- though with the family to support, labored with energy and an honest purpose till the last dollar was paid, and the father was nobly honored by his sons. Need more be said ?
Jonathan Kent.
Jonathan Kent, son of Joseph, was born in Corinth, Orange county, Vt., in 1799. He removed with his father to Holland in 1811, where he has ever since resided. May 15, 1825, he was united in marriage to Polly Davis, who was born Jan. 9, 1807. They have five children :
Albert H., born Jan. 4, 1827. Mary L., born March 30, 1831 ; died April 14, 1841. Corydon C., born Oct. 31, 1836; married Fanny Smith, by whom he had one son, Carlton. Ellen, born Sept. 26, 1846.
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Corydon is traveling for the Buffalo Scale company. Albert married Hannah Smith ; is a successful farmer and lives in Holland.
Joseph Cooper.
Joseph Cooper was a native of Massachusetts, but in early life removed to Vermont. His wife's name was Dolly Page. They have had six children :
Joseph, married Lydia Dustin. Hannah, married Jonathan Colby, in Vermont. Dolly, married Benjamin Crook. Leon- ard, married Eliza Humphrey. Eleanor, married Lyman Clark. Samuel, married Sally Nutting.
In 1811 Joseph Cooper emigrated from Vermont and located in Holland, Erie county, N. Y .: then Willink, Niagara county, on the north part of lot sixty-three, where he resided until his death, at the age of eighty-seven years.
Samuel, third son of the preceding, was born in Corinth, Orange county, Vt., Aug. 11, 1800, and came with his father to Holland in 1811. He still owns and occupies the homestead he helped to redeem from the wilderness. He married Sally Nutting, and has a family of five children :
Page, married Valona Sweet and lives in Holland. Mary- ette, married Seth Cooper. Julia, unmarried. Emma, un- married. Grace, married R. J. Sellek.
Charles E. Young.
Charles E. Young was born at Williamsville, Erie county, N. Y., Oct. 26, 1816. He received his education at the com- mon school, with the exception of one year at the Military School. On leaving school he located in Buffalo, and learned the trade of book-binding and blank book manufacturing, commencing business in 1838. May 27, 1842, he was united in marriage to Aurora M. Barnes, by whom he had five children :
Charles Edward, born in 1844, died in infancy. Charles Fletcher, born July 11, 1846 ; married, has one child. Albert Barnes, born Oct. 20, 1848; married Oct. 20, 1870, to Lizzie Dixon, of Buffalo. His children are : William Dixon and Alice Fletcher. George Foster, born Feb. 28, 1851. Aug. 23, 1854,
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he was married to Eva M. Knight. They have one child. They live in Texas. Clara Lovina, born Sept. 8, 1855.
Mr. Young was first elected a member of the Board of Supervisors in 1854, from the Second Ward in Buffalo ; after- ward from the Tenth, which he continued to represent, with two or three intermissions, to the time of his death. He was intelligent and energetic, and in whatever position placed, dis- charged his duty with fidelity and ability. He was several times elected Chairman of the Board.
Ebenezer Lockwood.
Ebenezer Lockwood, the son of Timothy and Abagail M. Lockwood, was born at Greenwich, Fairfield county, Conn., July 4, 1776. His father was Captain of a company of minute men in the war of the Revolution, and would often relate the following incident, of which Ebenezer was an eye-witness. The Captain had left his company and was with his family. Early in the morning his wife was aroused by the report of fire- arms, and called out to him, "The Red Coats are coming ! ' He replied, " Oh, no!" Soon after she heard a second volley, and called out more earnestly, "The Red Coats are coming ! " He said, "Oh, no! The men are only cleaning out their mus- kets." A moment after she vociferated, " The Red Coats are in sight !" At this he instantly apprehended that the enemy were in the road between him and his company, and there was no time to lose. He jumped from his bed, took his outer gar- ments in his hand, ran toward his company across a salt meadow, at the time covered with water. This movement attracted the attention of the enemy, who sent their bullets after him, which the subject of this sketch, though not five years of age, remembered to have seen skip on the water near his father.
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