Landmarks of Monroe County, New York : containing followed by brief historical sketches of the towns of the county with biography and family history, Part 63

Author: Peck, William F. (William Farley), b. 1840; Raines, Thomas; Fairchild, Herman LeRoy
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Boston : Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1160

USA > New York > Monroe County > Landmarks of Monroe County, New York : containing followed by brief historical sketches of the towns of the county with biography and family history > Part 63

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).

White, A. M., was born in the town of Sweden November 13, 1845, and now re- sides on the land settled by his grandfather, John White, in 1821; he is a son of L. S. White, also of this town, who removed to Painesville, O., in 1851, and has since lived in Ohio and Michigan. He married Anna, daughter of Rev. Moses Gillett. A. M. White returned to Sweden in 1866 and made his home with his uncle, Chauncey S. White, who was a prominent and successful farmer and business man in his town, and commanded the respect and esteem of all who knew him. He represented Sweden in the Board of Supervisors for the years 1859-60; he was a life-long and very useful member of the Sweden Presbyterian church, and an honorable, upright man. He died March 11, 1880. A. M. White married, in 1868, Sara M., daughter of Lucas Holmes, and they have three children, Mrs. Margaret M. Decker, Burton A. and John H. White.

Allen, G. H. (deceased), was born in Brockport March 24, 1825, a son of George, a native of Fairfield, Conn., who came to Brockportin 1819. He married Mary, daughter of Thomas Hart, and was a merchant during his lifetime. George H., his son, married Mary, daughter of Hon. Jeremiah E. Cary, and their children were Joseph M., an at- torney of New York city, Mary H., Elizabeth B., and Margaret. Mr. Allen was always identified in advancing the best interests of his town, In 1852 he entered into part-

LANDMARKS OF MONROE COUNTY.

nership with W. H. Seymour and D. S. Morgan, manufacturers of reapers, and in 1874, in connection with J. H. Kingsbury, purchased Raines Brothers' banking busi- ness, and at the reorganization of the D. S. Morgan works he was elected treasurer of that corporation. He also served as a member of the Local Board of the State Normal School of Brockport for many years, and at his death was president of the board. He was called upon to fill numerous positions of honor and trust, but it was difficult to obtain his consent to accept office of any kind. His death occurred July 4, 1892, in his sixty-eighth year, mourned by all who knew him.

Chapman, H. D., was born in the town of Hebron, Washington county, N. Y., September 24, 1829, a son of Steven Chapman, who came to Wyoming county in 1837. He was a millwright by occupation, and a man of' upright character who had the esteem of all who knew him. H. D. Chapman was educated in the common schools and engaged in agriculture. In 1874 he removed to Brockport, and engaged in the fruit business. In 1877 he began evaporating fruit, and now has an output of about 30,000 pounds of dried fruit per year. In 1854 he married Jennett, daughter of Reuben Mather. and they have one daughter, Mrs. Ella Wilson. Our subject takes an active part in all local affairs, and has served as commissioner of highways. He has also been an active Sabbath school worker for forty years, and is interested in the Y. M. C. A. of Brockport; also in all institutions which have for their object the upbuilding of suffering humanity.

Murray, William, a native of County Down, Ireland, was born in 1818, a son of Robert and Agnes (Croll) Murray, who had twelve children. Six of these, and the father, died in Ireland. The rest of the family came to America, William being the first to come. He went to South Bristol and engaged at farm work for Colonel J. M. Parmley for six years. He then married Rose Smyth, who was reared in his native county, and he then rented a farm of 800 acres in South Bristol. He remained there four years, then went to the Henry Shelters farm for two years, then on a farm he bought in Lima for twelve years. He then lived on a rented farm for seven years, which he conducted with great success, then came to the Daniel Gillett farm where he afterwards lived. When he landed in New York in 1842, he had but twenty-five cents; he now owns the Gillett farm, which cost him $15,000, all made by hard work. There were seven children, of whom three died, two in infancy and John at the age of twenty-one. The other four are Sarah (Mrs. Thomas McKenna) of Canandaigua; Susan, William, and Robert T., all living on the home farm. William married Ellen Jennings of Honeoye Falls, and had six children. Mr. Murray suffered the great loss of his life in 1893, when his wife died. The family are devoted members of the Catholic church,

Newman, William M., senior member of the firm of Newman & Son, one of the leading manufacturers of Fairport, was born at Enfield, Tompkins county, September 1, 1826. He is the elder of five sons of the late Nathaniel and Hannah (Davenport) Newman. The family is of English nativity and among the earlier settlers of Pawl- ing, Dutchess county. James, the father of Nathaniel, was a captain in the Revolu- tion. William is the builder of his own fortune. Beyond a single term at the Ithaca Academy, his education was acquired in the common schools of his native town. His business life began at Byron, Genesee county, where he was for five years en-

FAMILY SKETCHES.

gaged in mercantile business, coming in 1856 to Fairport as an employee of the late D. B. De Land, in whose employ he remained for twelve years. In 1874 he estab- lished the business now operated by Newman & Son, manufacturers and dealers in baking powder, soda and saleratus, spices and extracts, which has grown into one of the important industries of Fairport. Mr. Newman is a citizen of character and in- fluence. He has filled many positions of local trust and responsibility, and took an active part in the prohibition movement in Fairport. A prominent member of the Baptist church, he was in 1892 their historian, and prepared an exhaustive and mas- terely résumé of its temporal and spiritual affairs, dating from 1842. His first wife was Permelia E. Nelson, a daughter of Rev. C. Nelson, who died after twelve years of married life. Her children were Willard D., Ida, and Lena P., the latter alone surviving, and is a teacher in the Deaf and Dumb Institute of Rochester. Mr. New- man married as second wife Mrs. Susan Leonard, a sister of his first wife, and they have had two children, Arthur B. and Mary D., wife of Prof. Carey De W. Brown, of the High School at Erie, Pa.

Newman, Arthur B., town clerk of Perinton, was born in the village of Fairport June 21, 1863, the only son of William M. Newman, the well known manufacturer. Having graduated from Fairport Union School and spent a year at the University of Rochester, where he was a member of the Delta Psi College fraternity ; he entered in 1883 the sophmore class at Cornell, designing to follow architecture, in which he had already received practical training in the office of Walker & Nolan of Rochester, but owing to impaired eyesight he was forced to relinquish that career, and in 1888 became as- sociated with his father as a partner, the firm of Newman & Son dating from Janu- ary 1, 1888. In 1889 he married Louise, daughter of Jeremiah Gould of Syracuse, and their two sons are Roy M., born July 17, 1890, and Herald G., born April 16, 1894. Mr. Newman's personal popularity is unbounded, and to such men as he preferment comes unsought. A director and treasurer of the local Y. M. C. A., and a trustee of the village, he was also elected in March, 1894, clerk of the town of Perin- ton. He has also made a study for many years of the microscope and has a collection of over one thousand mounted slides, a good microscopical library, and is a member of the Royal Microscopical Society of England and the American Society of Micros- copists. He has also done considerable work in amateur photography and chemis- try (as applied to baking powder, soda and other branches connected with his busi- ness).

Van Voorhis, James, was a native of Passaic county, N. J., descended from an old and noted Holland Dutch family. In 1816, James, who was a harness maker, drove with his team to Western New York, located in Wayne county, and'after ten years settled per- manently a little north of Parma Center, where he became a successful farmer and busi- ness man. His children were John, Albert and Catherine, born in New Jersey ; and Albert 2d, Rachel A., wife of William Mckinney, born in Wayne county; Ralph and Hannah J., wife of John Van Derbeck, born in Parma. Ralph was born July 19, 1826, and at the age of twenty-one he worked his father's farm, continuing until 1853, when he went to Michigan and bought a farm near Kalamazoo, but ill health forced him to re- turn and he located at Parma Center as a blacksmith. A little later he bought a farm in Riga, living there a year. After working for a time on his brother's farm, ¢

LANDMARKS OF MONROE COUNTY.

Mr. Van Voorhis purchased a farm in the northeast part of the town of Ogden, which he still owns, and where he resided until 1887, when he removed to Spencerport. Ralph Van Voorhis has always been an industrious and reliable man. He began business with but little means, but has by energy and thrift obtained a competence. He has been a member of the M. E. Church since childhood, and for more than thirty years has been its trustee, being now steward and treasurer. He has twice crossed this continent, and in 1878 crossed the Atlantic Ocean and visited Europe and the eastern continent. He is much interested in Indian relics, of which he has several of note. His first wife was Mary Fowler of Riga, by whom he had two chil- dren, who died young. He married second, Harriet A., daughter of Gilbert Reynolds of Pittsford, and widow of Henry Colt. Gilbert Reynolds came from Putnam county in an early day, and died in the town of Pittsford at the advanced age of ninety-four years.

Willey, Sylvanus C., was among the early settlers of this town, coming from Westmoreland, Oneida county. He married in 1823, and located on the town line between Greece and Ogden, where he lived many years, but later removed to Spen- cerport, where he lived retired until his death. His wife was Malinda Atchinson, and their children were Sophia M., who married John D. Brigham of Ogden; Elivia V., who married Amos Colby of Ogden; Arsinoe V., who married George Shipman of Niagara Falls; Ogden S., now in Indiana; Alvin A., who died young; Carrie M., who married Frank M. Grove of Ovid; and Miranda A., of Ogden. Mr. Willey was a man much respected in the town, and died in March, 1876, and his wife in April, 1892. John D. Brigham, son of the pioneer John, married Sophia M. Willey in 1845, and they had five children: Alvin W., of Rochester; Virginia, wife of Allen B. Welch of Bloomfield; Florence 'A., wife of Christie J. Pierce of Ogden; Ella May, who married Frank K. Austin of Owasco; and Cora M., wife of Charles Decker of Owasco. Mr. Brigham died in Ogden October 28, 1894, aged seventy-four years. He was assessor several years and for twenty-one years a trustee of the Congrega- tional church of Spencerport.

Klem & Hendricks .- Among the stirring young business men of Webster may be mentioned the firm of Klem & Hendricks, who, after working some years for the Rochester Moulding Company of Webster, started in business for themselves in the manufacture of mouldings in 1892, and after carrying on business for a time in the old structure near the railroad, in 1894 leased the Rochester Moulding Company's plant, where they employ from thirty to forty hands.

Bowerman, Luther B., was born in Fairfield, Me., in 1823, a son of Joseph Bower- man of that place, who was one of four children of Harper Bowerman, a Quaker of Maine. Joseph, father of our subject, was a farmer and settled in South Wheatland in 1827, where he spent his last days, a man well known and honored for his honesty and integrity. Like his father, he was a believer in the Quaker doctrine. His wife was Alice Estes, whose father was Benjamin Estes. Their children were Luther, Sarah, Daniel, Adaline, and Elmer. The former at the age of twenty-four conducted the homestead, working also at carpentry. He spent 1845 and 1846 in Illinois, thrash- ing grain. In 1848 he married Martha, daughter of Thomas Shadbolt of Wheatland, and resided with his father-in-law until 1852, when he removed to his present farm

FAMILY SKETCHES.

of 103 acres of choice land, all under cultivation. Mr. and Mrs. Bowerman have had three children: Mariette, who died aged twenty-two; Mrs. Alice Cox, of Chili; and Homer T., deceased, who married Elizabeth Mallock of this town, and had three children : Homer E., Etta A., and Bertha E. Mrs. L. B. Bowerman died in 1882.

Palmer, Fred, was born in Clarkson, September 4, 1853, a son of Isaac, born in the town of Sweden, July 15, 1809. His father, Simeon, came to Monroe county in 1808 and located in the fourth section, and through life was engaged in the manufacture of pearlash, and also was one the first brick manufacturers in the county. Isaac, his youngest son, is the only survivor of the family. He married Eliza B., daughter of Wright Spencer, and has been a prominent man in his town. He has been variously engaged in farming and the manufacture of drills for grain, and was also one of the builders of the gas works at Brockport. As a young man he studied law, and was admitted to the bar and to practice before the United States Supreme Court. Fred Palmer was educated in the Brockport Normal School, also the Academy of Roches- ter, after which he engaged in the same business as his father, and entered the store of the latter in Rochester. In 1873 he came to Brockport and took charge of the gas works. In 1876 he married Alice, daughter of George Grace, and their children are Isaac, Frederic S., and William N.

Search, Charles W., was born in Henrietta in 1854, a son of Wesley, a native of Pennsylvania, whose father, Lot, removed to Henrietta in 1826 and settled on the farm where he died. Wesley is one of the leading citizens of this town, where he has resided since boyhood. His wife was Polly Hovey, born in this town, a daugh- ter of Luther Hovey, of Massachusetts. Their children are Lewis, Electa, Martin, Isabella and Charles. Our subject began for himself as a farmer in Henrietta. He is a member of the A. O. U. W., and a deacon in the Henrietta Baptist Church. In 1876 he married Carrie, daughter of Robert A. and Harriet M. (Fenner) Martin. They have two children, Claud A. and Cora.

Roberts, William H., was born in Westford, Otsego county, December 5, 1829. His father, Horace, was a native of Litchfield, Conn., and married Rachel Lowrey, who was a descendant of Sir Gawen Lowrey, who came to the colonies with William Penn. Horace Roberts was an agriculturist of Otsego county where he died. In 1852 William H. married Fannie, daughter of Peter Platner, her mother having been Pamelia Howe, daughter of one of the first settlers of the town of Westford. Will- iam H. Roberts came to Hamlin, Monroe county, in 1864, and in 1868 removed to Brockport and engaged in the general produce business, where he is now engaged in business with his son, Charles A. In 1894 they bought the electric light plant at Brockport. Our subject is one of the representative men of his town, actively inter- ested in the growth and welfare of the place.

Oliver, George, was born in Sussex county, England, June 13, 1818, where he was also educated as well as boys were in that early day in England. He learned the trade of harness making, and came to the United States in 1838, locating at Han- ford's Landing, in the town of Greece. After the lapse of some time he began busi- ness on the Ridge Road, and is now just on the corner of Lake Avenue and the above road. This was fifty years ago, and he is now doing a successful business. He mar- ried Mrs. Harriet Richardson, nee Batt, of Canada, and she had one son by her first

LANDMARKS OF MONROE COUNTY.

husband, namely, William H. Richardson, who is an architect in Rochester. Mrs. Oliver died December 14, 1885, aged sixty-five years. His father, John, was born at the old home, married Elizabeth Waters, and had eleven children, of whom George was the seventh.

Ives, Lydia R., widow of the late J. H. Ives. Mr. Ives was a builder and also a jeweler, born at Great Barrington, Mass , August 15, 1815, and settled here in 1855, establishing at that time a jewelry store on Main street. Mrs. Ives, also of Massachu- setts family, was born in Fairport, N. Y., February 18, 1817, her father, the late Peter Ripley, having come to this town in 1814. Their children were Mary A., Henry D., and Emma Lydia, all now deceased. The elder daughter was married to Charles D. Case of Fairport, June 28, 1871.

Brigham, Orville P., oldest son of pioneer John Brigham, was born in Ogden, September 9, 1818. His wife, Delia Barnard, who survives him, was born in Roch- ester, April 15, 1821. They were married January 27, 1842, and their children were Charles H., and Edward D., of Palmyra, Frederick G. of Spencerport; J. Clifford, of Ogden: Clara B., wife of Wesley A. Whittier; and Elbert W., of Ogden. Mr. Brigham died October 22, 1885. He was an upright man and a public spirited citi- zen, also an earnest worker in the cause of temperance. He was a founder and lead- ing member of the Congregational Church of Spencerport. Jehiel Barnard was a native of Oneida county, born in 1789, and in 1812 came to Rochester and bought a lot where the Arcade Building now stands, where he kept a shop, and later had an- other store where the Powers Building now is. In 1837 the family came to Ogden and bought a farm, but in 1856 the old pioneer returned to Rochester, where he died in 1865, and his wife in 1882. Their children were Henry, who died in Virginia in 1877; William, who died in Iowa; Delia, who married O. P. Brigham; Jehiel, a busi- ness man of Rochester; George, who died in Dubuque, lowa; Sophronia, who mar- ried James D. Brown and died in Rochester iu 1882. Jehiel Barnard and Delia Scranton were married in Rochester October 8, 1815, which is said to have been the first marriage celebrated in that village.

Tooley, Norman, was born in the town of Wells, Rutland county, Vt., March 9, 1827, was educated in the common schools, and is a self made man. In 1855 he married Charlotte, daughter of Oliver and Sarah Gould, and they have one son, Prof. Arthur Tooley, of Brockport Normal School. In 1874 our subject came to Brockport, and in 1876 engaged in the coal business, which he still continues. Prof. Arthur Tooley graduated from Brockport Normal School in 1879, and the same year entered the Rochester University, graduating in 1883. In 1884 he was elected princi- pal of the Academic Department of the Normal School there, which position he has since filled. Unostentatious and unassuming, he has ever been ready to further all Christian and benevolent enterprises.

Chapman, Ansel, was a native of East Haddam, Conn., and came to Ogden with his family in 1820, settling on the farm now owned by John Chapman. He was a pioneer in this locality, and for a number of years lived in a small log house. He brought the first team to this locality, and when he first visited the place Rochester had but two hotels. His wife was Abigail Chauncey, a sister of Henry Chauncey, one of the founders of the Panama Railroad. His wife was but sixteen years of

FAMILY SKETCHES.

age when she was married, but bravely withstood the trials and hardships of pioneer- ship. Ansel Chapman died October 6, 1849, and his wife November 15, 1865. Their children were Timothy, for many years a merchant in Rochester; John C., of Ogden ; Francis, who resided many years in Rochester, and died in New York; Catherine T., born in 1820; Elijah, who died young; Russell, who married Ruth Webster, and died in May, 1882; Mary, who died aged twenty-four; Sarah, who died aged seven; Mi- netta and Janette (twins), the first dying aged eleven, and the latter having married a Mr. Mills; and Henry M., who was killed by a horse when a boy. Ansel Chapman took a farm of fifty acres, which he afterwards increased to over 200 acres, but the great improvements on this place were made by John C. Chapman, whose life and energies have been devoted to farm work. The latter was born March 11, 1816, and for the last forty years has been an energetic business man. His sister, who shares with him the comforts of the old home, has been for fifty-two years a member of the Presbyterian Church.

Davis, Martin, was born in 1863 in Honeoye Falls. His father, John M., was born in Lima in 1826, of parents who came from the eastern part of the State, though the Davises were originally from New England. The father of John M. located in Men- don about 1833 on the farm near the Friends' meeting-house. Here John grew to maturity and married Mary, daughter of Israel Wolsey, a sea-faring man, who came to that town from Perinton. John M. Davis was one of eleven children, but one of whom, Moses C., lives in this town, most of the others having settled at different points in the west. John bought and moved upon his present farm after his mar- riage. Of his-four children, two died in infancy, the others being Martin and Olive, who now occupy the homestead farm of 240 acres. John M. Davis belonged to the Society of Friends. He served as supervisor several terms, and represented his district in the State Legislature in 1869. He died in 1891, and his wife a year later. Martin and Olive attended the Rochester public schools, the academy, and Olive later graduated from Wellesley, and Martin from the University of Rochester and the Albany Law School. He has a law office in Rochester, but retains his home on the farm, which is the best in the county.

Harroun, Oliver, came from Cambridge, Washington county, in 1835, and bought the Oliver Olcott farm on Union street, where he died in 1880. Of his six children two reached maturity: Mary J., who married Charles Tarbox, and is now deceased ; and Ira D., who lives on the homestead. The latter was born October 22, 1840. July 23, 1862, he enlisted in Co. B, 108th N. Y. Vols., and was on detached service most of the time. May 6, 1864, he was severely wounded at the battle of the Wilder- ness, and was several months unfitted for duty. In 1862 he married Etta Harris of Ogden, who died in 1864 on returning from Washington, with her wounded husband. Mr. Harroun was mustered out of service March 13, 1863, and returned to the farm, where he has sir ce lived. In 1867 he married Laura S. Kellogg of Ogden, and they have two children, Etta M. and Frank M., both at home. John Harroun, father of Oliver, was a Revolutionary soldier, and a native of Colerain, Mass.

Anderson, John, was born in Oneida county in 1806, and settled in the western part of Ogden in 1828. In 1839 he married Eunice, daughter of Orrin Cooley of Sweden, and their children were James, Nancy, John H., Lucy, Eunice, Orrin, Fred.

LANDMARKS OF MONROE COUNTY.

Mr. Anderson began life here without means, and by perseverance and industry ac- cumulated a comfortable competence. His death occurred in 1870, at the age of sixty-four. He took little part in town affairs, was originally a Republican, but later a Democrat. Of their children, James died in infancy; Lucy died in 1870; Orrin died in 1860. In 1867 Nancy married George B. Stone; they had three children. In 1879 Eunice married Ira Goodridge; they had three children. In 1885 Fred mar- ried Clara Brooks; they had two children. Orrin Cooley came from Oneida county and settled in Sweden, though he was born in Connecticut. He came to the Genesee country as early as 1815, and here resided the most of his life, dying in Allegany county. By his wife, Nancy Howard, he had eight children, of whom three grew to maturity. He married a second time in Allegany county.

Olney, Franklin, one of the old and highly respected residents of Fairport, was born in the town of Columbus, Chenango county, May 14, 1817, the second son of the late Joseph Olney, who settled in Mendon in 1823. The family is of English ances- try, the first representatives settling in Rhode Island. Mr. Olney's boyhood was passed in Mendon upon the farm, and at the age of twenty-four, he, with a brother, purchased a farm in Perinton. In 1843 he married Eliza Benson and went to Wis- consin, where she died in 1845, leaving one daughter, Eliza J., now the wife of a physician in Detroit. Mr. Olney married second in 1848, Anstis Root, who died in 1873 without children, and in 1875 he married Mrs. Margaret C. Wilcox, nee Cole of Fairport. After the death of his first wife Mr. Olney returned to Perinton and in 1870 to Fairport. His political and social sympathies are with prohibition of the liquor traffic, and he was for a number of years one of the village assessors of Fair- port.

Hillman, H. Benjamin, was a native of Cambridge, Washington county, but a pio- neer of Napoli, Cattaraugus county, having come to Western New York in an early day. He was a shoemaker by trade, but followed farming chiefly. In 1841 he and his family settled in Parma, where he died in 1885 and his wife in 1887. Their chil- dren were: Eroy D., of Parma; Lovinus, a physician of Greece, now deceased; Calpherna, wife of E. S. Benedict; Caroline, wife of William Clark; and Clemen- tine, who married John Webster, and is now deceased. Eroy D. Hillman, who is known throughout this locality as an energetic, active, and successful business man and farmer, was born in Cattaraugus county May 18, 1823, and at the age of twenty- five married Harriet Castle. A year later he bought a farm of his own, and lias since been an independent farmer. In connection with agriculture, Mr. Hillman has for twenty years carried on an extensive business in agricultural implements and machinery. He has also been an active factor in county politics, having served as supervisor, and justice of the peace several terms each. The children of Eroy D. and Harriet (Castle) Hillman were Charles, who died in infancy; Alice, wife of George V. Fowler, and Mary, wife of Frank J. Fowler, both of Waterloo, Ia .; Nellie E., wife of Adelbert Bass of Parma, and Benjamin S., a young business man of Waterloo, Ia.

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.

Landmarks of Monroe County, New York : containing followed by brief historical sketches of the towns of the county with biography and family history, Part 63

Author: Peck, William F. (William Farley), b. 1840; Raines, Thomas; Fairchild, Herman LeRoy Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Boston : Boston History Co. Number of Pages: 1160

Author: Peck, William F. (William Farley), b. 1840; Raines, Thomas; Fairchild, Herman LeRoy
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Boston : Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1160