Landmarks of Monroe County, New York : containing followed by brief historical sketches of the towns of the county with biography and family history, Part 66

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 66

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).

FAMILY SKETCHES.

decisions. In 1861 he married Mary, daughter of James McNall, and their children are Samuel S., James, and Warren, jr.

Goold, Albert H .- Lewis Goold came from Hanover, N. H., many years ago. Re- moved from there to Fairlee, Vt .; from there to Hyde Park, Vt .; thence to Wash- ington county, N. Y., where he resided seven years, coming to Parma in 1854, where he afterward died. He was a soldier in the war of 1812 with Great Britain. His grandfather received a lieutenant's commission in the Continental army, was wounded at Benington, Vt., and died in Hanover, N. H., a pensioner of the Revolu- tion. In the family of Lewis Goold were three children: Lewis H., Albert H., and Harriet A., the first named also having a family when coming to Parma. He still lives in the town and is a farmer. The daughter died at Medina, Orleans county, N. Y., in June, 1894. Albert H., who for many years has been numbered among Parma's successful farmers, was born at Fairlee, Vt., October 11, 1831, and was twenty-three years old when his father came to Western New York. He lived at home until 1861, when he enlisted in Co. I. 13th N. Y. Vol. Inf. He served seven- teen months, and at the second battle of Bull Run was wounded. He was then in the hospital six months, but rejoined his company and served until May 11, 1863, when he was mustered out and discharged. Returning to Parma he engaged in farming, and has now a fine farm of sixty acres in the central part of the town. In 1866 Mr. Goold married Mary L. Salisbury of Troy, N. Y., by whom he had four children: Minnie H., Clark G., Seth M., and Raymond, who died when five months old

Fowler, Joshua, came from Westchester county in the spring of 1836 and settled south of Pittsford village. He was born in 1774 and died in 1852, and his wife, Jane Fowler, was born 1788 and died in 1866. Their children were William, who died in Pittsford, an accidental death; James, who died in Missouri; Jeremiah, who died in Parma; Chauncey, a miller and farmer now living in Parma; Frances, who married Abram Keifer and lives in Kansas; Jane, widow of George Dusenbury of Ogden ; Benjamin, who died young; Joshua, who died aged twenty; Mary, who married Zachariah Weatherwax, and lives in Middleport; Emeline, deceased wife of William Scott; Lucinda, deceased wife of Jacob Liddy; Josephine, wife of H. H. Cronkhite; Elizabeth, deceased wife of Alvin Nye. Vincent, the eighth of these children, was sixteen years old when his father came to Western New York. He has been a suc- cessful miller for many years, and has operated at least a dozen grist mills in various parts of this State. About 1857 he bought a farm on the Ridge, where he resided till 1883, when he purchased the Deacon Church property in Spencerport, where he has since lived in comparative retirement. In 1842 he married Rebecca A. Field, and their children have been Cortland F., George V., and Franklin J., who com- prised the Fowler Company, the largest and most successful wholesale grocery firm in Iowa, doing business at Waterloo; Arthur W., the third son is a hardware mer- chant at Brockport; and their only daughter, Cora A., lives at home. Wright Field, Mrs. Fowler's father was a former resident of Westchester county, and came to Henrietta in 1832. He died in Parma at the age of seventy-seven.

Smith, John, jr., came to Duanesburg, but early settled in Parma, where he be- came a prosperous farmer. His second wife was Martha Strong, and their children

LANDMARKS OF MONROE COUNTY.

were: Marcus J., Almira, Sara and Rosa, all now living. John Smith, jr., married Lucinda Hiscock, and had these children: William, Isaac, Marcus, Mercelan, Solo- mon, Silas F., Elizabeth, Mary M. and Almira. Silas F. was born in Parma Feb- ruary 20, 1832, and has always followed farming, in which he has greatly prospered, and he has one of the best and most pleasantly situated farms in Ogden, to which town he came in 1866 from Parma. He has served as road commissioner, etc., and taken a leading part in town affairs. His first wife was Arzela M., daughter of Joseph Buell of Parma, and their three children are deceased. His wife died in 1892, and in 1893 Mr. Smith married Dora B., daughter of John Hiscock. William His- cock was the pioneer head of a large family of substantial descendants in Ogden. He came from Duanesburg and located east of Spencerport, where he died August 9, 1823. His wife died in 1847, and their children were: Isaac, who died in 1841; Will- iam, who died in 1814; Lucina, who married John Smith, jr., and died in 1846; John, who died in 1841; Dorothy, twice married, who died in Wisconsin in 1860; Sally, who married Roswell Smith, and is now deceased; James W., a Universalist clergy- man who died in Parma in 1892; George W., who died in Ogden in 1879; Elizabeth, deceased wife of Amos C. Wilmot; and John, who married Orpha Spencer. The children of John and Orpha (Spencer) Hiscock were: Charles S., Henry M., Louisa A. and Dora B.

Wells, I. S., whose residence commands a view of three counties-Monroe, Onta- rio and Wayne-and four towns, was born in Perinton in 1838. His father, the late Jacob J. Wells, settled here in 1813, coming from Montgomery county, N. Y. Of sturdy English stock and sterling personal character, he took an active part in local affairs, his politics being Democratic. He was several times justice of the peace and town assessor. He married Miss Catherine Snediker of Trenton, N. J., who died in 1888. I. S. Wells is the only living child, the other having died in infancy. Mr. Wells was liberally educated, and has by personal research enlarged the scope of his scholarship and the breadth of his views. In earlier life for a time he was engaged in mercantile pursuits at Hornellsville, N. Y., but at present devotes himself to farm. ing and the breeding of choice horses, having bred " Monroe Morgan," "Morgan Queen," "Middy Morgan," etc., first prize winners of New York State Agricultural Society. His accomplished wife, whom he married in 1859, was Clara E. Benedict of this town. They have one child, Minnie E., who is the wife of Morton D. Bene- dict of Fairport, N. Y.

Baker, Mrs. J. S., is the widow of Hon. Jeremiah S. Baker, who was born at Hoosick, N. Y., in 1813, a son of Thomas Baker, who early developed mechanical ability, and with two others erected and equipped the first cotton mill in the State. Jeremiah, was throughout his life handicapped by delicate health and compelled to seek the retirement of farm life for recuperation. He was a leader in the councils of the Republican party, and was at various times supervisor, superintendent of the poor, and member of assembly, where his unassuming manners and efficient legisla- tion made him many friends. He was married, Octobor 8, 1839, to Adeline M. Stur- tevant, who died September 1, 1867, leaving three daughters: Emma B., now Mrs. T. B. Wygant, of Egypt, N. Y .; Frances A., Mrs. W. H. Woolston, of Denison, Ia .; and Mary E., wife of Rev. F. W. Adams, an Episcopal clergyman of Los Angeles, Cal. He married again, in 1869, Miss Almira T. Pepper, who, with an only sister,

FAMILY SKETCHES.

Miss Catherine F. Baker, both of Fairport, N. Y., now survives him. His death occurred on April 3, 1883. A friend in writing of him said; " Many years ago I learned from his own lips of his religious hope and faith. While not forward to ex- press his religious views, it was easy to see he had deep convictions and a firm faith in the word of God, great respect for the Christian church and Christian men of every name. From my acquaintance of over forty years I have always loved and respected him for his sterling character."

Mason, John, was a native of Bedfordshire, England, and came to America in 1828. He resided for a time in Rensselaer county and in Elba and Sand Lake, this county, and finally settled in Ogden in 1837. In 1872 he removed to Irondequoit, where he was a prosperous farmer, where his wife was taken sick, his daughter Mary, who was a widow with two children, went to live with him aud take care of her mother until she died. * He then sold his farm and went to live with his daughter Mary, who had moved back to Rochester, where she owned a house and lot. He spent the remaining years of his life with her and died at the age of eighty-six years. His family were well to do people. His children were Joseph, Enoch, John, Jona- than and Thomas, all born in England, and Mary, Rosetta, Maria and Sylvester born in this country. Enoch, son of John, was born November 23, 1821, coming to America with his parents as above. With the exception of two years spent in fish- ing, in which he was very successful, he has been engaged in farming. At the age of twenty-seven he started out to make his own way in life, working on a farm for several years, and finally bought the place which he now owns. In 1850 he married Lois C. Buell, of Orwell, Vt., and they have had three children: Martha, wife of George Irish; Mary, wife of William Freestone; and Enoch, jr., who died aged twenty-two. Mrs. Mason died in 1889. Although not a church member Mr. Mason supports the Congregational church at Spencerport. He has had no inclination for political life.

Seymour, William H., was born in Litchfield, Conn., July 15, 1802. But four gen- erations intervene between him and his ancestor, Richard, whose name is inscribed on an old monument to the first settlers of Hartford in 1639. Richard came from Berry Pomeroy in Devonshire, according to an old bishop's Bible, still in the pos- session of the family, on which his name is written. William H. was the son of Samuel Seymour and Rebecca Osborn Seymour, and is the sole survivor of five children. Samuel, with his brother Moses, established a hat factory about 1760 in Litchfield. Moses Seymour was the grandfather of Gov. Horatio Seymour of New York State. James, son of Samuel, went to Pompey, where he was in the employ of Henry Seymour, father of Horatio Seymour, to Ovid, Seneca county, and soon after to Murray Four Corners, Genesee county, and engaged as partner with him in the general mercantile business. In 1818 William H. entered the employ of his brother, and in 1823 removed to Brockport which was then the head of navigation on the Erie canal, and continued the same business. James was appointed the first sheriff when the county was organized in 1820. Soon after he removed to Roch- ester, leaving the business to his brother, who continued it till 1844. About 1845 he engaged in the furnace business, manufacturing the first McCormick reaper used in the field, and after Mr. McCormick removed to Chicago, he invented the first self- raking reaper, known as the New Yorker, and other improvements.

LANDMARKS OF MONROE COUNTY

True, George E .- In 1635 Henry True, from Yorkshire, England, emigrated to America and settled in Salem, Mass. After living in New England for four genera- tions, the direct descendants of Reuben True-Moses, William, Hannah and Betsey, with their children, Moses, jr., Ransom, Urcula and Nancy (descendants of Moses) and Elias, Sherburne, Levi and Amelia (descendants of William), removed from Plainfield, N. H., and settled in Monroe county about the year 1818. In 1821 Ezra, Ransom, Elias and Levi, came to the town of Ogden where they lived until their deaths. Ezra and Elias died in 1871, Levi in 1872, and Ransom in 1893. As citizens they took a prominent part in local affairs and were always deeply interested in church and educational work. Ezra True was captain of a company of militia, was supervisor of the town for several years, as well as school commissioner and over- seer of highways. Elias was an influential citizen and held the office of justice of the peace for a number of years. Levi also held many important offices in the town, and at the time of his death was a leading member and deacon of the Christian church of which he was a founder. These brothers with other citizens combined and dug a well at the place now called Ogden, which was known for many years as Company Well or Town Pump, a name which came to be applied to the place itself. This well was dug to avoid the inconvenience of drawing water from a place about two miles distant, which they had done up to that time. In 1850 a post- office was established and the name was changed from Company Well to Ogden. The descendants of their families still living in Ogden, are Seraph Walker (grand- daughter of Ezra True), Joshua, William and Martha (children of Ransom), and the sons of Levi True, James and George G. George True has always taken a promi- nent part in the affairs of the town, and has been always one of the first to engage in any enterprise for the public welfare. He received his education at the Brock- port Collegiate Institute, and Hillsdale College, and was a successful teacher for several years. Since then he has taken an active interest in school work. It was under his direction that the school house was erected at Ogden in 1888. This build- ing was not only very pleasing to the inhabitants of the town, but was mentioned in the report of the superintendent of public instruction as being one of the finest dis- trict school buildings in the State.

Parks, William H., was born near Rochester, October 14, 1844. His father was a native of Westchester county, and came to Rochester in 1835. He bought a tract of land on the north side of the city. In 1860 he removed to Kendall, Orleans county. In 1868 William H. was married to Hattie S. Watson, who died in 1886; by her he had two children, Watson A. and Edith M. He married Hattie E. Adams in 1887, by whom he has one child, Roy J. His attention was given to farming until 1888, when he removed to Brockport, where he has been actively engaged in pro- moting various business enterprises, and dealing in real estate.

Clark, Herbert M., was born in Henrietta in 1844, only son of Jeremiah Clark, and grandson of Joel Clark, who was a native of Connecticut, born in 1767. The latter entered the Revolutionary army in 1781 at the age of fourteen, as a drummer boy, with his father and older brother, serving through the war. He moved to Bloom- field in 1799, and to Henrietta in 1816. In 1823 he bought of Cornelius Charles Dix, of the Hague in Holland, what now comprises a portion of the Clark homestead, where he spent the balance of his life. He died in 1847 at the age of eighty. Jere-

FAMILY SKETCHES.

miah was the youngest of seven children, born in Victor in 1812, being four years old when they moved to Henrietta. He spent his active life as a farmer in Henri- etta on the homestead, and was a dealer in live stock for many years. In 1843 he married Sarah C. Richardson, born in Perinton in 1823. They had five children: Herbert M., Isabell A., Clara S., Sarah E., and Florence L. In 1855 he erected the fine residence which now stands on the homestead. In 1869 his wife, Sarah C. Clark, died at the age of forty-six. In 1872 he was married to Miss Elizabeth Barnes. He died July 7, 1891, in the eightieth year of his age. Herbert M. has devoted most of his life to farming. In 1866 he went to Michigan, where he en- gaged in teaching music. In 1868 he married Electa S. French of Kalamazoo county, near Vicksburg, where they resided until in 1892; they returned to Henri- etta and bought the old homestead of 150 acres, where, on January 16, 1895, after a short illness, Mrs. Clark died, mourned by all who knew her, leaving a family of seven children-Emily S., Lee, Merrill, Wilber, Isabell, Frank, and Herbert M. jr.

Childs, Rufus, died in 1876, at Troy, on his return from the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia. He is remembered as a man poor in this world's goods, but of strong, forceful character, sterling integrity, and as ever maintaining a high and consistent Christian character. He came from Sand Lake, Rensselaer county, to Parma, about 1835. His occupation was that of carpenter and millwright. In his religious views he held strongly to the Freewill Baptist church, and was one of its most active mem- bers. He was for a long time justice of the peace, and held other positions of trust and responsibility. His wife held to like religious views, and also maintained the same consistent course, and was of strong force of character and moral worth She died in 1888. Of their children-twelve in number-five died in extreme infancy, and seven grew to maturity and are now living, with the exception of one daughter, Juliett, who died in 1894. The remaining children are Mariah, May A., Louisa, Maranda, Gilbert C., and Edgar V. Gilbert was born February 2, 1838, attended district school until he was fifteen, and then entered the shop of his brother-in-law, and learned the trade of wagonmaker. Later on he attended school abroad, first at Hillsdale, Mich., for a short time, and then at Whitestown. On his return to Parma, he resumed his occupation of wagon-making, which he conducted until 1863, when he moved to Fairport. While there he suggested to George C. Taylor, engaged in the compounding of medicines, the feasibility of establishing a newspaper in connec- tion with his recently purchased printing outfit, used in advertising; as an induce- ment, he offered his services to look after the editorial department without fee or reward. He entered upon this task with no conception of the magnitude of the job, and, as he afterwards said, with more zeal than literary ability. Be this as it may, the Fairport Herald was born of Mr. Childs's suggestion, and at once sprang to vig- orous growth. Upon the death of Mr. Childs's wife in 1876, he returned to North Parma and established himself in his old line of business, which he is still conduct- ing. Mr. Childs has always taken an interest in politics, but in local affairs was never ambitious to share in the honors, consenting to act only in municipal matters, both at his home and in Fairport. In 1866 he married Francis Elizabeth Clark, an accom- plished music teacher and graduate of Cortland Academy. By this union there were born J. R. Childs, at present telegraph editor of the Rochester Union and Advertiser; Henry O., teacher of music, of Rochester, where he is organist of the Park Avenue

LANDMARKS OF MONROE COUNTY.

Baptist church. His only daughter, Clara Louisa, is a graduate of Brockport Normal School, and now at Jamaica, L. I., engaged in teaching. Mr. Childs takes kindly to newspaper work, and is a well-known correspondent.

McLaren, John .- Among the first pioneers of Webster was John McLaren, who came from Fulton county with his parents, John and Catharine McLaren, who bought and settled on a farm in the town of Penfield, known as the Woods Four Corners in 1803. At the age of twenty-one he bought a farm of 130 acres in the town of Webster, and as it was nearly all woods, he cleared it up, and lived on the farm at the time of his death, which occurred in 1886, at the age of eighty-eight years. He lived a long and useful life, beloved and honored by all. In the year 1839 he married Aurelia Taylor, of Pittsford. Their wedded life was nearly fifty years, and she survived him only five weeks; she died at the age of eighty-five years. They were both mem- bers of the Presbyterian church of Webster, and he was a deacon of the same for forty years. Their son, William McLaren, and their daughter, Catherine Elizabeth Mohr, both reside on the old homestead, each having a portion thereof.

Brooks, Charles D., is a son of Ezra (whose father was Michael), born in Victor in 1833. His father and grandfather came from West Stockbridge, Mass., to Victor, Ontario county, N. Y., in 1799, and his mother, Desire Lusk, was also from Massa- chusetts. The Brooks and Lusk families came together, bought land and settled. Michael had six children: Ezra died in 1835, at the age of thirty-eight, when Charles, his youngest child, was about two years old. Of his others, John died in childhood; Jared in 1852; and Michael resides in Union City, Michigan. Charles D. married Lucy, daughter of Richard I. Hand, the latter a son of Josiah, who came to Men- don from Montauk Point, L. I., about 1820. The Hands were English, whose earliest American ancestor, John Hand, was a leading member of a company that emigrated from Maidstone, Kent, England, in 1635; he was one of the original pat- entees of East Hampton, L. I., and whose name stands first in the documents relat- ing to the purchase of land from the Montauk Indians. Ten years after the death of Ezra his widow went with her sons to Michigan, remaining several years, but in 1851 returned with Charles to Mendon. In 1862 Charles enlisted In Company K, 1st New York Mounted Rifles, and served in the Army of the James, receiving his discharge in December, 1865. After the war he went on to the Hand farm, north of Mendon, for several years, buying his present farm in the southeast part of the town in 1883. His two sons are Marion P., who is in the postal service at Buffalo, and William H., on the home farm. Mrs. Brooks spent many years of hard work on a genealogy of the Lusk family, which she had nearly completed when her labors were interrupted by an attack of paralysis in 1893.

Grinnell, J. W., son of Abner, and grandson of John, was born in Cattaraugus county in 1829, and came to Webster in 1834, and was brought up on a farm. He began his business career about twenty-two years ago at the completion of the R. W. & O. R. R., as a dealer in produce. In this he continued until 1884 when, in part- nership with J. A. Hopkins, he engaged in the coal business; this existed until 1893, when he purchased his partner's interest, and has since successfully carried it alone, and under his honorable and liberal management has built a business of which he may well feel proud. He has two large two-story warehouses located near the

FAMILY SKETCHES.

depot, and a large coal trestle adjoining the railroad tracks. Mr. Grinnell is proba- bly one of the largest dealers in produce in the county. A fact worthy of mention is that about sixteen years ago he furnished the fruit for a banquet held in London, England, by Queen Victoria. He is engaged quite extensively in fruit evaporating. His business has always been conducted upon principles of liberality and honor for which all his transactions are noted and through which his success has been gained and maintained. He owns a large farm located on the lake road, which has been the homestead of his family for over sixty years. He was married in 1853 to Miss Sarah E. Allen, daughter of Mr. William Morley Allen, of Ann Arbor, Mich., one of the pioneers of that section. He has one son and two daughters; Mr. M. A. Grin- nell, who is assisting him in the management of his business; and Carrie A. and Addie L., who are both married and have families. Mr. Grinnell has always taken a great interest in church matters and for many years has been a trustee and stew« ard of the Methodist Church.

Barnett, George F., was born in Bridgewater, Oneida county, N. Y., August 30, 1804. His father, Samuel Barnett, a native of Amenia, Dutchess county, N. Y., and his mother, Rachel Street, of Litchfield county, Conn .; both were of English extrac- tion, their ancestors being among the early settlers of Connecticut. Mr. George Bar- nett came to this county in 1826, settling in Brockport while it was still a very small village, just beginning to feel the impetus occasioned by the opening of the Erie Canal. Here he first engaged in business as a builder and contractor, manifesting in this the same energy and fidelity that has characterized his life. In 1850 he established agricultural works, which were successfully carried on until 1886, when the death of a partner closed the business. In 1828 he married Catherine Lyell, daughter of Mr. Asa Thorpe of Galway, Montgomery county, N. Y., and to them five children were born, three of whom survive. Mr. Barnett is one of the leading men of his town, enjoying the respect and affection of all who know him. Char- itable, gentle in judgment, in manner, unostentatious and unassuming, in his old age he is reaping the fruits of a well-ordered and well-spent life.

Spurr, Capt. Samuel, was born in Lenox, Madison county, June 12, 1820, a son of Amasa, a native of Massachusetts. The family trace descent from Germany, and were very early settlers of Massachusetts. In 1838 our subject came to Holley, Or- leans county, and was early identified with the freight and passenger service of the Erie Canal, beginning in 1836. He followed this business up to 1862, making a spe- cialty of the passenger traffic, until the completion of the N. Y. C. R. R., then gave his attention to farming, and in 1844 he married Sarah Arnold, daughter of Elisha Arnold of Portland, Chautauqua county, N. Y., who died in 1846. He married, second, Eleanor D., daughter of Richard Noye, of Buffalo, N. Y., and their children are William F. and Richard N., Mrs. Jennie Taylor and Mrs. Cornelia Kane; and Sarah A., died March 24, 1884, and Samuel A., died December 12, 1887. Our sub- ject is one of the represetative men of the town, interested in all public matters.

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 66

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