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CHAPTER XXV.
FREE MASONRY IN NIAGARA COUNTY.
The ancient order of Free and Accepted Masonry has always been conspicuously represented in Niagara county, where it has an interesting history. Lodges were early established, and were actively maintained until a wave of anti- Masonry swept over the country in 1826, causing a suspension of a large part of the lodges in this State. This phase of the subject has been treated in the early pages of this volume. When this misguided movement died out the old lodges renewed their exist- ence and new ones were organized to meet the demands of increasing population.
The counties of Niagara and Orleans constitute the 37th Masonic district of the State of New York, its number having been changed in June, 1897, from the 24th. The district deputy is Hervey Sanford, of Wilson, who was appointed in June, 1897.
The first Masonic lodge organized in Niagara county was Niagara Lodge, No. 345, F. & A. M., which was chartered June 7, A. D. 1822, at Lewiston, the Grand Master of the State at that time being Joseph Enos. The first officers, who were installed August 8th, were William King, W. M .; Gideon Frisbee, S. W .; Julius F. Heileman, J. W. ; William Hotchkiss, treasurer ; Oliver Grace, secretary. Records ex- tant show that this lodge held regular communications up to and includ- ing May 10, 1827; after that nothing further appears relating to it. Its masters were John A. Webber, chosen December 1I, 1823 ; Tim- othy Shaw, December 2, 1824, and probably re-elected in 1825 ; Gus- tavue N. Pope, December 14, 1826.
A meeting of Lewiston Frontier Lodge, No. 132, was held at the Lewiston Hotel in the village of Lewiston on April 5, 1848, after hav- ing received a dispensation from the Grand Lodge of the State of New York. It was chartered June 10, 1848, Hon. John D. Willard, of Troy,
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being grand master. Caleb W. Raymond was the first master and James H. Page, secretary. On July 5, 1848, the first officers under the charter were installed, as follows : John T. Beardsley, W. M. ; Ambrose Thomas, S. W .; Asahel Lyon, J. W .; Wm. Miller, treas .; James H. Page,sec. On March 22, 1853, the lodge removed to Niagara Falls, where a com- munication was held April 20, the officers being John T. Beardsley, W. M. ; Mr. Drew, of Albion, S. W. ; Mr. Lusk(?), J. W .; G. H. Hack- staff, secretary. The name at this time appears as Frontier Lodge. The name Niagara Frontier Lodge first appears in the minutes July 18, 1854. The lodge now has about 300 members, and the officers for 1897 are James G. Shepard, W. M .; A. H. G. Hardwicke, S. W .; D. F. Bentley, J. W. ; C. M. Young, treasurer ; Michael Topping, secretary.
Lockport Lodge No. 73, F. & A. M., one of the oldest Masonic lodges in Western New York, was organized under a dispensation from the Grand Lodge of this State at the Niagara Hotel in Lockport, the charter bearing the date of June 5, 1824. There were at that time twenty-one members, prominent among whom were Harvey W. Campbell, Hiram Gardner, Orsamus Turner, Joel Gould, William Buell and Eli Bruce. The first leading officers were Daniel Washburn, Alfred Barrett, Norman L. Southworth, Joel M. Parks, Stephen M. Potter, L. E. Rounds, Lloyd Smith and I. Gould. During the anti-Masonry era in 1826 this organi- zation continued its existence and annually elected officers. On the 4th of September, 1839, when the lodges of the State were renumbered ac- cording to their ages by the Grand Lodge, this lodge became No. 73. The officers for 1897 are as follows: John A. Mclaughlin, jr., W. M .; John N. Pound, S. W .; Edward Whitting, J. W .; John McCue, treas- urer; Warner H. McCoy, secretary ; D. R. Bruce, George D. Green- wood, E. W. Bright, trustees.
Ames Chapter No. 88, R. A. M., of Lockport, was organized under a charter issued by Ezra Ames, grand high priest of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of this State, under date of February 6, 1824. There were twenty-three petitioners for the charter. The first officers were as fol- lows : Harvey W. Campbell, H. P .; Almon H. Miller, K .; Seymour Scovell, S .; Oliver Culver, treasurer; John G. Bond, secretary ; Ezekiel Colburn, captain of host; Paul Hawes, Tiler. Regular convocations are held in the Masonic Hall, Lockport. The officers of the chapter for
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1897 are: Edward Beck, H. P .; James R. Compton, K .; Myron D. Clapsattle, S .; William Cocker, treasurer; Van Ness Douglass, secre- tary ; Harry H. Moore, captain of host ; Frank W. Travis, P. S .; J. Adam Koon, R. A. Capt .; William L. Beck, M. 3d Vail ; Frank L. Vandeuser, M. Ist Vail; Joseph H. Rainer, organist; Weston N. Osgood, sentinel.
Genesee Commandery No. 10, Knights Templar, was organized un- der a letter of dispensation granted November 21, 1825, by Dewitt Clinton, who then held the office of most eminent grand master of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of this State. The letter was granted to Henry Brown and eighteen others, giving them authority to open and hold an encampment in the village of Le Roy with the name, Genesee Commandery. Mr. Brown was appointed the first grand com- mander, and the following were the remaining first officers: Orange Risdon, generalissimo ; Frederick Fitch, captain general; Calvin Hal- brook, prelate ; James Brown, senior warden ; Cephas A. Smith, junior warden ; James Ganson, treasurer ; John Hascall, recorder; James Bal- lard, standard bearer; Hollis Pratt, warden ; Anthony Cooley, sword bearer ; Gideon Smith, sentinel. On the 16th day of December, 1825, it was chartered under the name of Genesee Encampment No. 10, and on January 28, 1826, was duly consecrated. Some time during the anti Masonic crusade the encampment was removed to Batavia, where it remained until 1839; in that year it received proper authority to re- move to Lockport. This commandery celebrated its semi-centennial anniversary on the 28th of January, 1876, with appropriate and inter- esting exercises. The officers for 1897 are as follows : Frank E. Smith, eminent commander ; William E. Wicker, generalissimo; E. .. Harry H. Moore, captain general ; Edward Beck, prelate; J. Adam Koon, senior warden; Myron D. Clapsattle, junior warden ; E ... William Cocker, treasurer; E. . Van Ness Douglas, recorder ; Henry C. Hulshoff, standard bearer ; Harrison S. Chapman, sword bearer ; John H. Craddock, warder ; James H. Wilson, third guard ; Frank W. Travis, second guard ; John W. Bickford, first guard; Joseph H. Rainer, organist; Dan Roden- bach, commissary ; Weston N. Osgood, sentinel; E ... Perry Stowell, Harrison S. Chapman, James S. Liddle, trustees.
Hartland Lodge No. 218, F. & A. M., was the second Master Mason's lodge organized in the county. It was instituted at Hartland Corners
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in 1825, but soon succumbed to the wave of anti-Masonry, and the mas- ter's gavel was not heard again until 1850, when labor was resumed at Johnson's Creek, where it has since held regular communications. The charter officers in 1850 were B. K. Cornell, W. M .; Robert Dixon, S. W .; Richard Weaver, J. W. The officers for 1897 are F. A. Feather- stone, W. M .; J. E. Van Ortwick, S. W .; A. M. Armstrong, J. W .; Frederick R. Hays, secretary ; Jay S. Rowe, treasurer.
Cataract Lodge No. 295, F. & A. M., of Middleport, was organized June II, 1853, with Charles Craig, W. M .; Avery S. Delano, S. W .; William S. Fenn, J. W .; in October twenty-two members appear on the - roll. There are now about eighty members, and the officers for 1897 are Truman Jennings, W. M .; Charles W. Laskey, S. W .; George W. Thompson, J. W .; Edward J. Tuttle, treasurer ; Amos A. Castle, secre- tary.
Niagara Lodge No. 375, F. & A. M., of Lockport, was organized January 27, 1855, and chartered by the Grand Lodge of the State July 7, 1855. The original members were Myron L. Burrell, E. D. Shuler, Ora S. Howe, J. B. Chase, Charles J. Fox, G. W. Gould, N. S. Ringue- berg, Jacob Ringueberg and W. W. Douglas. The first officers were Myron L Burrell, W. M .; Elisha D. Shuler, S.W .; Ira S. Howe, J.W .; Nicholas S. Ringueberg, treasurer ; W. W. Douglas, secretary ; George W. Gould, senior deacon ; Jacob Ringueberg, junior deacon ; Beloste Bunnell, tiler. Regular communications are held twice in every month at Masonic Hall. The officers for 1897 are as follows: J. Franklin Gill, W. M .; William L. Beck, S. W .; William H. Killborne, J. W .; Myron D. Clapsattle, treasurer ; Van Ness Douglas, secretary ; Emmet Belknap, S. D .; Anderson Crowforth, J. D .; Hugo P. Lindsey, S. M. C .; A. Raphael Beck, J. M. C .; Rev. G. S. Burroughs, chaplain ; Joseph H. Rainer, organist; Weston N. Osgood, tiler; H. K. Wicker, Charles N. Palmer, W. J. Jackman, trustees.
Ontario Lodge No. 376, F. & A. M., of Wilson, was organized and chartered July 8, 1855, with seven charter members. The first officers were George L. Moote, master; R. I. McChesney, senior warden ; Thomas Lyons, junior warden. Their first meetings were held in the second story of the brick building on the northwest corner of Young and Catharine streets. An uninterrupted prosperity enabled them in
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April, 1866, to purchase this building, which they remodeled, fitting up convenient rooms for their accommodation. The lodge now has about fifty members, and its officers for 1897 are Charles N. Markle, W. M .; S. A. Miller, S. W .; W. L. Draper, J. W .; Elmer E. Gifford, secretary ; M. L. Campbell, treasurer. Hervey Sanford, a member and past mas- ter of this lodge, was appointed district deputy of the 37th Masonic district in June, 1897, by the Grand Lodge of the State.
Bruce Council No. 15, R. & S. M., of Lockport, was organized in December, 1859, and chartered June 5, 1860, with nine charter mem- bers. The first officers were Charles H. Platt, thrice illustrious master ; Charles Craig, deputy master ; Daniel A. Knapp, principal conductor work ; Elisha D. Shuler, treasurer ; W. W. Douglas, recorder ; William Gould, captain of guard ; Richard S. Hoag, conductor ; J. R. Edwards, steward ; P. Murphy, sentinel. Regular assemblies are held at Masonic Hall. The following are the names of the officers for 1897: Edward J. Taylor, thrice illustrious master ; W. J. Jackman, deputy master ; C. N. Palmer, principal conductor work ; Myron D. Clapsattle, treasurer ; Van Ness Douglas, recorder; Harry H. Moore, captain of guard ; Cyrus D. Ormiston, conductor of council ; J. Pierce Bishop, steward ; William Cocker, chaplain ; John H. Craddock, marshal ; Charles N. Palmer, physician; Joseph H. Rainer, organist ; Weston N. Osgood, sentinel.
Ransomville Lodge No. 551, F. & A. M., was chartered June 8, 1865, with thirteen members, the first master being T. D. Miller. The lodge has about seventy-five members, and meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, in Ransomville. The officers for 1897 are as follows: James M. Foster, W. M .; Stephen H. Morriss, S. W .; Will- iam R. Leggett, J. W .; Lawrence Harwick, treasurer ; R. D. Richard- son, secretary ; Wilber T. Pool, chaplain; W. A. Curtiss, marshal ; Isaac B. Henry, S. D .; James S. Townsend, J. D .; William Richardson, S. S .; Emmett Cornell, J. S .; S. H. Frederick, tiler ; W. A. Curtiss, W. T. Pool, Lawrence Harwick, trustees.
Somerset Lodge No. 639, F. & A. M., of Somerset, was organized in 1866 and chartered in 1867, with twenty-two charter members and the following officers : C. P. Clark, W. M .; H. C.Hill, S.W .; Irving W. Hotaling, J. W. Some of the members formed a stock company, pur-
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chased a lot, and erected a two-story brick building at a cost of $1,- 490. Later the lodge purchased this property. The lodge has about forty-five members, and its officers for 1897 are George M. Nellist, worthy master ; George S. Bennett, senior warden; Fred E. Bennett, junior warden ; Charles O. Longmate, treasurer ; John Webber, secre- tary ; Allan A. Huntington, senior deacon ; Peter. P. Landy, junior deacon ; Samuel J. King, S. M. C .; Thomas E. Grout, J. M. C .; Rev. L. J. Gross, chaplain ; James A. Fisk, tiler ; William L. Atwater, Allan A. Huntington, William G. Sprague, trustees.
Niagara Chapter No. 200, R. A. M., of Niagara Falls, was organized under dispensation May 8, 1866, with the following officers; James McFeggan, M. E. H. P .; Samuel L. White, E. K .; F. H. Johnson, E. S .; J. B. Clark, C. of H ; George L. Brown, P. S .; Stoughton Pettibone, R. A. C .; C. W. Williams, M. 3d V .; George Skipper. M. 2d V .; George E. Brock, M. Ist V .; C. Weston, tiler.
The chapter was instituted March 5, 1867, with the following as charter officers: James McFeggan, E. H. P; Samuel L. White, E. K .; Frances H. Johnson, E. S. The high priests have been James McFeg- gan, 1866-67; Samuel L. White, 1868-70; James McFeggan, 1871-75 ; Samuel L. White, 1876; George W. Wright, 1877-87 ; Robert H. Wait, 1888-92 ; Walter Jones, 1893-95 ; Joseph V. Carr, 1896-97. The membership of the chapter is 158, and the officers for 1897 are Joseph V. Carr, H. P .; C. M. Young, K .; James G. Shepard, S .; Fred P. Pierce, treasurer ; Michael Topping, secretary ; Rev. Albert S. Bacon, chaplain; N. B. Chamberlain, C. of H .; Frederick Chorman, P. S .; George F. Diemar, R. A. C .; A. D. Wilson, M. 3d V .; Amos L. Schaffer, M. 2d V .; Charles R. Phelps, M. Ist V .; John G. Broughton, organist ; C. H. Kugel, sentinel.
Red Jacket Lodge No. 646, F. & A. M., of Lockport, was organized in February, 1867, and chartered on the 16th of July of that year with the following as the first officers: Jason Collier, W. M .; Samson H. Robbins, S. W .; James D. Ames, J. W .; B. H. Fletcher, treasurer ; J. R. Crampton, secretary ; S. T. Clark, senior deacon ; E. B. Weaver, junior deacon. The officers for 1897 are as follows; Eugene H. Ferree, worthy master ; J. Hittenmeyer, senior warden ; W. A. Mackenzie ; jun- ior warden; James R. Compton, treasurer; Henry C. Hulshoff, secretary;
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Robert K. Howard, senior deacon ; E. C. Rocklin, junior deacon ; F. L. Van Deusen, S. M. of C .; Orrin D. Prudden, J. M. of C .; Dr. Champlin F. Buck, chaplain ; Joseph H. Rainer, organist ; Frank E. Smith, mar- shal ; Weston N. Osgood, tiler ; trustees, James R. Compton, J. Adam Koon, Abner T. Hopkins.
Lock City Lodge of Perfection, A. A. S. Rite, of Lockport, was char- tered December 18, 1875, with the following as its first officers: John Hodge, thirty-second degree, T. P. G. master; Otis Cole, thirty-second degree, deputy master; Charles Craig, thirty-second degree, ven. sen. gr. warden ; Charles Mitchell, thirty-second degree, ven. jr. gr. warden ; S. A. Mckinney, fourteenth degree, grand orator ; Charles E. Young, thirty-second degree, grand treasurer ; Charles E. Alling, thirty second degree, gr. sentry ; A. H. Robinson, thirty-second degree, gr. M of ceremonies ; J. M. Showerman, thirty-second degree, gr. capt. of guard ; W. B. Flint, fourteenth degree, gr. hospitaler ; S. Taylor, four- teenth degree, gr. tiler. The number of charter members was eighteen. The following are the names of the officers for 1897: George A. Newell, thirty-second degree, T. P. grand master ; C. N. Palmer, eight- eenth degree, deputy grand master; W. J. Jackman, thirty-second de- gree, ven. sen. grand warden; John McCue, thirty-second degree, ven. jr. grand warden; Harry H. Moore, thirty-second degree gd. treas- urer ; V. N. Douglas, fourteenth degree, gd. secretary ; Irving L'Hom- medieu, G. M. of C .; H. C. Hulshoff, sixteenth degree, gd. capt. of G. Hiram Flanders, fourteenth degree, grand orator; H. Buddenhagen, four- teenth degree, hospitaler; Weston N. Osgood, fourteenth degree, tiler.
In Lockport there are also Lockport chapter, No. 73, Order of the Eastern Star, and the Masonic Veterans Association, the latter of which was organized April 23, 1884.
Niagara River Lodge No. 785, F. & A. M., of Niagara Falls (Sus- pension Bridge), was organized February 15, 1882, and the first meet- ing was held on the 22d of the same month, when the following officers were installed: W. M., W. P. Mentz; S. W., M. S. Langs; J. W., R. D. Wing; treasurer, Edwin Terrill ; secretary, Charles F. Liscom ; S. D., O. W. Cutler ; J. D., R. A. Perry ; chaplain, Edward Gilbert. The officers for 1897 are as follows: W. M., O. E. Dunlap; S. W., Fred J. Coe ; J. W., J. Fred Neff ; treasurer, N. E. G. Wadhams ; sec
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retary, J. N. Kitt ; S. D., John G. Woodcock; J. D., Hart Slocum ; chaplain, Gus. J. Silberberg ; tiler, William M. Blake; S. M. C., W. W. Johnstone; J. M. C., Edward R. Day; organist, John J. Broughton.
Gasport Lodge No. 787, F. & A. M., began work under dispensa- tion granted August 26, 1882, with Andrew Hayner, W. M .; George A. Hoyer, S. W .; Ellis S. Richardson, J. W. The lodge met for organization September 4, 1884, when the following officers in addition to the above were elected : Nathan D. Ensign, treasurer ; David R. Richie, secretary ; Louis K. Sawyer, S. D .; William F. Richie, J. D., Charles A. Terwilliger, S. M. C .; Jay W. Hunt, J. M. C .; Thomas A. Lusk, tiler. The lodge was chartered June 7, 1883, and now has about sixty- five members. The following are the officers for 1897: E. J. Richie, W. M .; David Wilson, S. W .; A. J. Underhill, J. W .; John Gra- ham, secretary ; John H. Maynard, treasurer.
Niagara Commandery No. 64, K. T., had its inception in a meeting held at the Columbia Hotel in Niagara Falls, Sir J. V. Carr, proprietor, on the 8th of November, 1893. Sirs O. W. Cutler, George E. Wright, and J. V. Carr were appointed a committee to prepare a petition and apply to Genesee Commandery No. 10, of Lockport, as this territory was in their jurisdiction. On November 25 a second meeting was held at the same place and Niagara Commandery organized with O. W. Cutler, E. Com .; Walter Jones, generalissimo; James G. Shepard, cap- tain general. The petition signed December 16 bore the following names: J. V. Carr, A. Schoellkopf, George Barker, R. A. Schuyler, Thomas McDowell, C. M. Young, D. F. Bentley, F. C. Belden, James T. Dow, George E. Wright, William C. Edwards, James G. Shepard, H. N. Griffith, Walter Jones, O. W. Cutler, George H. Salt. L. Van Cleef, L. A. Boore, Charles Zeiger, and John M. Pickett of Batavia.
On January 1, 1894, a dispensation was received from the Grand Commandery, K. T., of the State, and on the 8th, at the first conclave of Niagara Commandery, the following officers were chosen: O. W. Cutler, E. com .; Walter Jones, gen .; James G. Shepard, capt .- gen'l ; C. M. Young, prelate ; George E. Wright, S. W .; James T. Low, J. W .; J. V. Carr, treasurer; R. A. Schuyler, recorder ; L. A. Boore, standard bearer ; William C. Edwards, sword bearer ; D. F. Bentley, warder ; T. McDowell, sentinel,
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On September 14, 1894, Niagara Commandery No. 64, K. T., was duly chartered, and on the 30th of November it was regularly consti- tuted and dedicated with imposing ceremonies by Very Eminent Sir Horace A. Noble, deputy grand commander of the State, assisted by eleven officers of the Grand Commandery. The officers for 1897 are as follows: Walter Jones, eminent commander ; A. H. G. Hardwicke, gen- eralissimo; N. B. Chamberlain, captain-general ; C. M. Young, prelate ; D. F. Bentley, senior warden; G. E. Wright, junior warden; J. V. Carr, treasurer ; R. A. Schuyler, recorder; E. D. Very, standard bearer; N. J. Bowker, sword bearer; C. J. Doherty, warder ; A. A. Oatman, W. J. Robedo, J. M. Pickett, guards; C. H. Kugel, sentinel; A. H. G. Hardwicke, A. W. Cutler (P. C.), N. B. Chamberlain, trustees.
The Masonic Board of Trustees of Niagara Falls was organized in 1894, and consists of three members from each of the three Masonic bodies of the city. These members for 1897 are as follows: O. W. Cutler, N. L. Chamberlain, and A. H. G. Hardwicke from Niagara Commandery ; Chris. Young, George W. Wright, and J. V. Carr, from Niagara Chapter; Hans Neilson, Benjamin Flagler, and Major S. M. N. Whitney from Niagara Frontier Lodge.
Members of the fraternity in North Tonawanda and vicinity have connection generally with two bodies in Tonawanda, Erie county, namely Tonawanda Lodge, No. 247, F. & A. M., and Tonawanda Chapter No. 278, R. A. M., both of which are outside the 37th Ma- sonic district. These organizations have so many members resident of this county that mention of them should be made here.
Tonawanda Lodge No. 247, F. & A. M., was organized under a dis- pensation in 1851 and chartered in 1852, with Emanuel Hensler as first master, who served till 1854. The present (1897) officers are John G. Wallenmeier, W. M .; George H. Calkins, S. W .; Albert R. Smith, J. W .; Alexander C. Campbell, treasurer ; Edgar C. McDonald, secretary ; E. C. McDonald, Thomas E. Warner and Arlington A. Bellinger, all past masters, trustees.
Tonawanda Chapter No. 278, R. A. M., was organized in April, 1884, and chartered in February, 1885. The first council under the charter was composed of Andrew R. Trew, H. P .; William R. Gregory, king ; Lyman G. Stanley, scribe. The high priests have been Andrew R.
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Trew (deceased), 1885 ; William R. Gregory, 1886-88; Lyman G. Stan- ley, 1889-90 ; James H. Barnard, 1891 ; George W. Millener, 1892-93 ; Edgar C. McDonald, 1894-5 ; Thomas E. Warner, 1896-7. The other officers for 1897 are Robert L. Turk, king; George H. Calkins, scribe ; Alexander C. Campbell, treasurer ; Ransford C. Taber, secretary ; Dow Vroman, captain of the host; Albert E. McKeen, principal sojourner ; Max H. Schroeder, R. A. Capt .; Thomas P. C. Barnard, master third vail; George C. Herschell, master second vail; George L. Berkrich, master first vail; Benjamin M. Treat, sentinel.
PART II.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
GEN. PARKHURST WHITNEY.
ALTHOUGH descended from one of the oldest families of New Eng- land's early settlers, the subject of this biographical sketch won dis- tinction entirely his own, and his prominence as a citizen whose public spirit and energy largely contributed to the material prosperity of the community in which he passed his busy, useful life, is even more sub- stantial than his ancestral greatness. He was one of the pioneers of Western New York, having settled at Niagara Falls in 1810, and was fifth in a direct line of descent from John Whitney, who settled at Watertown, Mass., in June, 1635, of which place he was a selectman, town clerk and constable. W. C. Whitney, ex-secretary of the United States navy, Professors Whitney of Yale and Harvard, and Eli Whit- ney, the inventor of the cotton gin, are lineal descendants from this progenitor.
John Whitney was baptized in St. Margaret's church, Westminster, England, July 20, 1592, and with his wife and five children sailed from London in April, 1635, in the ship Elizabeth and Ann, Roger Cooper, master, landing at Boston in June, and settling in Watertown, Mass. John Whitney was the son of Thomas Whitney, gentleman, and his wife Mary, née Bray, and a great-grandson of Sir Robert Whit- ney. John Whitney was descended from the Whitneys of the Parish of Whitney in Herefordshire, the family name being derived from that of the parish, where the castle and church then stood, but now repre- sented by a group of mounds. Here stands the church in which the Whitneys were baptized from the eleventh century. The parish was
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one of several granted to Turstin the Fleming, a knight of William the Conqueror, and his son Eustace took the name Whitney in 1086.
After the arrival of John Whitney in America there were two sons born to him, from the younger of which Gen. Parkhurst Whitney was descended. Jonathan, the son of Benjamin, settled at Milford, Mass., and his son, also named Jonathan, was a captain in the French and In- dian wars, and Captain Whitney's son, likewise called Jonathan, was the father of Gen. Parkhurst Whitney, and married Esther Parkhurst in 1760. With a few others he laid out and settled the town of Conway, Mass., where he lived until 1790. He was captain of the 7th Co., 5th Regt., Massachusetts militia, during the Revolutionary war and ren- dered valuable service in the cause of the colonists.
In 1789 he came to Ontario county, N. Y., and with others purchased township 10, range I of the Phelps & Gorham purchase. He subse- quently purchased the interests of his copartners and brought his fam- ily there, being one of the earliest settlers in Western New York. He died in 1792 leaving nine children to survive him, of whom Gen. Park- hurst Whitney was the youngest, having been born September 24, 1784. After the death of his parents, he lived with his brothers and sisters till he was nineteen years of age, when he moved to the property his father had devised to him. He married Miss Cowing of Rochester, Mass,, October 10, 1805, and soon after moved to " Old Castle," near Geneva, N. Y. In 1810 he came to Niagara county, and lived on a farm about four miles above the Falls, and in 1812 he came to the village of Niag- ara Falls, and rented Porter's saw mill situated on Canal street, op- posite the head of Main street. He made the first survey of Goat Is- land, and made other surveys for the Holland Land Company and for the State of New York.
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