Landmarks of Niagara County, New York, Part 44

Author: Pool, William, 1825-1912, ed
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: [Syracuse] : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 820

USA > New York > Niagara County > Landmarks of Niagara County, New York > Part 44

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Comstock, E. T., Wheatfield, was born in Cambria, Niagara county, N. Y., and was educated at the Lockport High School, and the University of Buffalo, from which he was graduated in 1896. He opened an office at once after graduating, at North Tonawanda, as successor to Dr. Wright. He is a member of the Psi Omega Society, which includes dentists all over the Union. Dr. Comstock's parents were Artemus and Evaline (Forsyth) Comstock, both natives of Niagara county. His father was member of Assembly in 1878 and 1879.

Staats, William H., was born in Monroe county in 1842, a son of Abram and Minerva D. (Gray) Staats, natives of New York. His mother and father came to Monroe county after marriage, where they stayed a short time, then moved to Lock- port, where he was engaged in the cotton factory. He went to the war in 1861 and never returned. There were seven children in his family, four of whom are living. Sarah J. Richardson, resides in Newfane; James, resides in Lockport; William H. and Mrs. Carrie C. McCollum, reside in Newfane. William H. Staats received his education at Newfane and Lockport, after which he engaged in coopering for a number of years. In 1861 he went to Wisconsin and joined Co. E, 1st Wisconsin Regt. Vol. Infantry, and was assigned to General Buel's army. They first went to Louisville, Ky., then to Nashville, Tenn., Huntsville, Ala., Perryville, Ky., where he was at the front in this hard fought battle and in which he lost an eye. He served nearly two years and was discharged in the spring of 1863, coming at once to Niagara county. Mr. Staats is a member of Jacob Brauker Post No. 547. Novem- ber 9, 1870, he married Mary C. Sherman, born in Maumee City, O., and they had one child which died in infancy. Both are members of Newfane Council No. 85, Royal Templars. Mr. Staats rents his farm and is now engaged in other business.

Utz, Otto F., was born at Niagara Falls, N. Y., October 31, 1865, a son of Charles Utz. He attended the public schools of his native town and later took a course in Eastman's Business College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. For a number of years he

traveled as a grocery salesman and from 1891 to 1896 served as bookkeeper for the Miller & Brundage Coach Company at Niagara Falls. In the latter year he was elected chief of the Niagara Falls Fire Department and is still an incumbent of that office

Gentz, John, was born in Germany in 1846, and came to America in 1850. In 1864 he enlisted in Co. B, 10th U. S. Infantry and served in the Army of the Potomac, participating in the battle of the Wilderness, May 6, 1864; Spottsylvania, May 14, 1864; North Anna River, May 24, 1864; Cold Harbor, June 2 and 3, 1864; the Siege of Petersburg and Weldon Railway, August 18 to 21, 1864. He was wounded at Weldon and lay in the hospital for four months at Whitehall, Pa. He was honorably discharged at Fort Snelling, Minn., in 1867; in that year he came to North Tonawanda and in 1884 embarked in the grocery business, which he has since successfully conducted. Mr. Gentz is a member of A. R. Scott Post No. 129,G.A.R., and is its present commander, He was village trustee for four years and was chairman of important committees during his term of office. In 1869 he married Fredericka Demler, and they have one son, A. C. Gentz, born November 16, 1870. A. C. Gentz is an active Republican worker and was nominated for town clerk by his party in the spring of 1897. He is a member of the Odd Fellows and the Fraternal Mystic Circle. In 1892 he married Anna Ballard, and they have two children, Irene and Clarence.

Cushing, Sarah L., M. D., has been a resident of the village and city of Lockport for nearly forty years and the prominence attained is such as to warrant some men- tion in these pages. Dr. Cushing has occupied a special sphere in the successful care and treatment of the sick and afflicted, having been especially qualified to con- stitute the successful nurse. Mrs. Cushing devoted her energies to the study of medicine and the successful treatment of the afflicted. She was born near Troy, N. Y., in August, 1817; she attended the district schools and was graduated from the Albany Female Academy in 1841. In 1858 she was graduated from the Starling Medical College at Columbus, O., where she settled in the practice of her profession until the war broke out, when she went to care for the sick and wounded, distribut- ing sanitary supplies to the soldiers. After a time she was taken sick and compelled to give up her position. She then settled in Lockport, N. Y., and resumed the prac- tice of her profession, where she has since resided. The doctor is in all respects a self-made woman, one who through the adversities of an orphaned childhood, the loss of husband and an only child, and the conquest of obstacles fit to dement any save the most courageous, has learned the reality of sorrow, and from the start has made the cause of humanity her own. Her great love for her work is best told in her own words, when she says: "During busy days or sleepless nights, with many disappointments and much hard work, never for one moment have I regretted having chosen the practice of medicine."

Davison, Norton E., was born in Clarence, Erie County, N. Y., December 14, 1845. His father, John Davison, a native of parish of Newton, county of Northumber- land, England, settled in Onondaga county in 1810 and afterward moved to the town of Somerset in 1833 and to Clarence in 1837, where he was identified as a farmer; he died in 1864. Norton E. Davison was educated in the common schools,

and in 1866 married Phoebe J., daughter of Lyman B. Burdick, whose father, Rowse Burdick, was one of the first settlers on Tonawanda Creek in 1823, where the family were among the prominent farmers of the town. Mr. and Mrs. Davison are the parents of four children: Edwin E., Lyman L., Nellle L. and Belle. In 1894 Mr. Davison moved to Royalton Center, where he engaged in the mercantile business.

Jaenecke John G., was born in Martinsville, June 5, 1856, and has lived in this place all his life. He was a farmer until thirty years of age, when he engaged in the hotel business and conducts one of the largest hostelries in the county. October 27, 1881, he married Bertha Ziehl and they have three children: Wilhelmine, Benja- min and Pauline. Mr. Jaenecke is a fireman and has been a trustee and president of the company; he is also a trustee of the German Lutheran church and is a Repub- lican in politics. He rebuilt his hotel in 1896, and is a genial and popular man. His parents were Charles F. and Annie (Schwartzenholz) Jaenecke, natives of Ger- many. Charles F. Jaenecke came to America in 1845 and was a blacksmith and farmer; he died in 1892 and his wife in 1893. Mrs. Jaenecke's parents were Charles and Mary (Reck) Ziehl.

Tulley, Thomas H., was born in Boonville, N. Y., June 2, 1842, a son of Charles and Mary (Welch) Tulley, natives of the north of Ireland. When Mr. Tulley was yet an infant, his parents moved to Allegany county and he came to North Tona- wanda at the age of ten. For twenty-two years Mr. Tulley followed sailing on the lakes and boating and in 1886 embarked in the grocery business, which he still con- ducts successfully. He is a member of the A. O. U. W. and also Independent Or- der Foresters, of which he is at present treasurer. Mr. Tulley is a prominent Dem- ocrat in North Tonawanda and was on that ticket for village assessor in the spring of 1897. He married Mary Kane, and they have six children: Thomas H., Martin E., George A., Francis Nelson, Helen and Mary.

Dutton, E. M., was born in the town of Hartland, October 16, 1857, a son of Will- iam and Cynthia Dutton. William Dutton was born near Rochester, N. Y., in 1814 and came to Niagara county when a young man, locating in Lockport, where he mar ried Cynthia Richardson, daughter of Ephraim and Amy Richardson, then moved to Pendleton, where he lived several years, he then moved to Hartland and died in 1894 Mrs. Cynthia Dutton was born in Lockport, N.Y., in 1821, and died in 1883. E. M. Dutton engaged in farming until twenty-three years of age when he engaged in the mercantile business with his sister, Mrs. Mason, under the firm name of E. M. Dutton & Co. In February, 1885, was married to Miss Carrie Shaw, daughter of Walter and Lydia Shaw, of Newfane, and they have one daughter, Mabel, aged eleven years. E. M. Dutton was appointed postmaster at Newfane in 1889, under Republican ad- ministration and held the office the full term of four years and five months until his successor was appointed, by the Democratic party. Mr. Dutton was elected clerk of Newfane in 1895 by the Republican party. His mother's father, Ephraim Rich- ardson, cleared up the county farm and was a carpenter by trade. He was killed while working on the old Spaulding mill at Lockport, by a premature blast.

Schneider, John C., was born in Niagara county, a son of the Rev. Theobald Schneider. He attended the public schools and later took a course in the Buffalo Normal School; he then entered the North Western College, from which he was

graduated in 1885, after completing the Latin scientific course and had conferred upon him the degree of B. S. For some time following his graduation he taught in the public and union schools at Niagara Falls and Suspension Bridge and later be- came assistant to Prof. N. L. Benham, the superintendent. Ill health caused his resignation in 1889, since which time he has been engaged in the real estate and in- surance business and has met with marked success. Mr. Schneider is a man of liberal education, of practical mind and is popular in both business and social circles. He is an active worker in the church and is president of the Niagara County Christ- ian Endeavor Society.

McBrien, Frederick R., M.D., was born at Newtonville, Ontario, Canada, January 23, 1869, and was a son of Alfred N. McBrien, M. D., of that place, now deceased. Mr. McBrien attended the public schools at Port Perry, and later the Whitly (Ont.) Collegiate Institute; at the age of eighteen he entered Trinity College of Medicine at Toronto, Ontario, and was graduated from there in 1891. In the same year he removed to Niagara Falls, N. Y., and opened an office, where he still continues to practice his profession.

Fassett, H. V. S., is a scion of an old American family which dates its history back to Revolutionary days, when some members of the family fought on the patriot side. Mr. Fassett's grandfather, Asa Fassett, was a brigade inspector with the rank of major; his father, James A. Fassett, a veteran of the late Civil war, is still living and has been one of the foremost men of the Twin Cities. In 1873 he embarked in the lumber business in Tonawanda, and January 1, 1881, formed a partnership with A. A. Bellinger, (which still exists), to do the business of receiving and forwarding lumber, etc., for Eastern points. For some time Mr. Fassett has been unable to engage actively in business and his son, H. V. S. Fassett, represents him in the firm. H. V. S. Fassett was born in Albany, N. Y., and educated there. He came to North Tonawanda in 1873 and has been associated with the great lumber interests in this city since their inception. The firm of Fassett & Bellinger handle from seventy to one hundred million feet of lumber annually. In 1882 Mr. Fassett married Theodora C. Booth and they have two daughters, Mabel S. and Theodora V.

Jaenecke, E. G., was born in Martinsville, October 29, 1849, a son of Charles and Annie Jaenecke, natives of Germany. Mr. Jaenecke followed farming and engineer- ing for some years before going into business, and in 1890 started his general store in Martinsville, which he has since successfully conducted. Mr. Jaenecke is a Re- publican in politics and was trustee of the Fire Department for a year; he is also a trustee of St. Paul's German Lutheran church. He married Hermina Praker, and they have four children: Alfred, Louise, Belva Cohoe and Amelia.

Kinsella, Michael, was born in Ireland in 1824, a son of John and Catherine Kin- sella. His mother died in Ireland, and Mr. Kinsella came with his father to America in 1848, locating in the town of Newfane, where his father died. Michael Kinsella bought a farm in 1875 and has seventy acres, all but two under cultivation. He is a breeder of cattle and horses and is a good farmer, having a fine home. In 1857 he married Margaret Wall of Newfane. He has three brothers and three sisters: Lizzie, Frank and Mary, all dead; John resides in Newfane, Thomas in Spencer- port, and Hannah G. Barray lives in Buffalo.

Tallon, John M., Wheatfield, was born in York county, Ontario, Canada, August 6, 1856. He learned the trade of barrel maker with his father, who conducted a coop- erage at Vaughn Mills, Ont., for some years; he came to the United States in 1874, and after returning to Canada for a time, finally settled in North Tonawanda in 1885, where he has successfully conducted a cooperage on Thompson street. He makes about 45,000 fruit and flour barrels and 5,000 kegs annually, and employs as high as nine men in the busy season. Mr. Tallon is a member of the C. M. B. A. and is a Democrat in politics. He married Ellen McCann of North Tonawanda.

Fowler, William C., was born in North Tonawanda, September 3, 1869, and worked for some time in the shingle business with his father. He afterwards worked in the lumber yard of the T. L. & Saw Mill Company; then for eight years was cashier in the freight office of the New York Central Railroad, and on April 25, 1896, entered into partnership with E. A. Koetsch, forming the jewelry firm of Koetsch & Fowler, which holds a foremost place among the business houses of the county. Mr. Fowler is a member of the 25th Separate Company and also of the First Methodist church; he is a member of Masonic Lodge No. 247, Tonawanda, N. Y. His parents were Robert and Mary Fowler. His father died in May, 1895, and was well known as a rafter of timber and afterwards a shingle manufacturer.

Myrick, F. A., Wheatfield, was born in Taunton, Mass., and has been connected with the lumber business since he was nineteen years old. He came to North Ton- awanda in 1882 and about six years ago he bought a planing mill which he conduct- ed for five years. After acting as a buyer for a New York lumber house for some time he started into the lumber business for himself in 1893. His business is strictly wholesale and he handles from six million to eight million feet annually. In 1890 he married Maud G. Hittel, and they have one son, Paul Myrick. Mr. Myrick's parents were W. C. and Myra F. (Paul) Myrick. The Myricks have been in America since ante-Revolution days and one of his ancestors, on his mother's side, was a Revolutionary soldier.

Dinan, William, jr., was born at Lewiston, N. Y , June 24, 1854, and is a son of William Dinan, a worthy farmer, who later in life became superintendent of Oak- wood Cemetery at Niagara Falls. Mr. Dinan received his education at the publie schools of Lewiston. His father had purchased a farm of 150 acres of fertile land in Boyd county, Ky., whither he removed with his family in the spring of 1870, but re- turned to Niagara Falls in the spring of 1871. Upon his arrival in Niagara Falls William Dinan, jr., entered the employ of the International Hotel as barman, where he remained for two years. At this time (1873) Mrs. Col. Peter A. Porter engaged him as coachman and he served her in that capacity until her removal from Niagara Falls in 1875. He then returned to the International Hotel, where he worked as omnibus and carriage driver for four summers, spending vacations in travel in the South and West. He was of a roving disposition and spent the following five years in Colorado, California and Oregon in prospecting, mining and general travel, return- ing to Niagara Falls on July 4, 1884. He was persuaded to remain in the East and in the fall of 1886 built a substantial home for himself, and on April 19, 1886, mar- ried Louise A. Wegner of Buffalo. He was appointed as patrolman on the police force on April 23, 1886, and served the town in that capacity until March, 1892,

when he was given a commission as chief of police of Niagara Falls, which office he now holds.

Denham, Rev. B. Q., was born near Bloomington, Ill., September 22, 1865. He was educated at the Salem Academy, Salem, Mo., and the Illinois Wesleyan Univer- sity, Bloomington, Ill. He engaged in business pursuits for four years in Kansas City, Mo., finally entering the ministry in 1890, as pastor of the Christian church, Olathe, Kan. He was formally ordained to the ministry, March 15, 1891. He re- mained at Olathe for sixteen months, doing a successful work, when he went to Kansas City, Kan., as pastor of the Central Christian church of that city. Here he remained for four and a half years, adding over seven hundred members to the church. July 1, 1896, he took the pastorate of the Church of Christ of North Tonawanda, N. Y., where in the first eight months of his work one hundred members have been added to the church, giving it a membership of four hundred and seventy, being the largest protestant membership in this city. He is a lecturer of recognized ability, and has won a high reputation as an orator, preacher and Christian worker. Mr. Denham publishes a weekly paper in connection with his work, called Onward. He also contributes to the national Christian Endeavor organ of his denomination, the Lookout, of Cincinnati, O. He served one term as president of the Kansas Christian Endeavor Union. He is now corresponding secretary of the New York Christian Missionary Society. While in Kansas he led the fight for the extermination of the lotteries of that State, and won the fight. He has dedicated four churches and ordained three men to the ministry of the gospel. In his different fields of labor, and as an evangelist he has added 1,135 members to the churches of Christ. In 1888 he married Azubah Squier, of Hardin, Ill., and they have three sons: Leland, Ralph and Charles.

Schwartz, Daniel W., was born near Marburg, Germany, November 18, 1864, a son of John Schwartz. He was educated in Germany and immigrated to America in 1880, entering the hotel business with his uncle, George W. Schwartz, at Niagara Falls. Upon the death of his uncle in 1887, Mr. Schwartz bought the hotel property from the estate and has since been eminently successful as proprietor of the Hotel Schwartz. He is a man of genial manner and strict integrity and has won many warm friends and the full respect of all who know him.

Hepworth, John T., was born in Buffalo, N. Y., a son of W. H. and Annie Hep- worth. Mr. Hepworth was educated in his native city and his father established a dry goods business in the Twin Cities and John T. was a partner with him for some . time. In 1891 he went out of the dry goods business and embarked in the insurance and real estate, which he still conducts. Mr. Hepworth was a member of the 25th Separate Company for five years and is a Prohibitionist in politics. In 1891 he mar- ried Emily R. Pinner. In addition to his other business, Mr. Hepworth is also a notary public.

Brown, Wesley P., was born at Peru, Berkshire county, Mass., October 15, 1838, and is the the youngest son of Elija Brown, who was by occupation a farmer. Mr. Brown attended the public schools at Pittsfield, Mass., whither his parents removed during his infancy. At the age of seventeen he entered the employ of the New York Central Railroad Company, as fireman, and afterward became an engineer for that

company, which position he held for eighteen years. Since October, 1875, he has been engine dispatcher at Niagara Falls and has complete charge of the locomotive department of the works of the New York Central Railroad Company at that place. He has the full confidence of the company, and is faithful in the discharge of the responsible position.

Waud, Denby, was born at St. Catherine's, Ontario, Canada, November 11, 1843, a son of Robert Waud. He attended the public schools of his native town and at the age of fourteen began to learn the bricklayer's trade, afterwards the barber's trade, which he followed until his appointment as a special inspector of customs at the port of Niagara, which office he still holds. In July, 1871, he married Mary Deimer, and they have four children. Mr. Waud is a member of the I. O. O. F. and F. & A. M., and is held in high esteem by his fellow citizens.

Holman, Frank N., was born in Springville, Erie county, N.Y., July 27, 1864, and was educated at Griffith Institute and Hamilton College, from which latter institu- tion he was graduated in the class of 1885. He read law in Buffalo with Humphrey & Lockwood and Green & Marcy, and was admitted to the bar in June, 1887. In November, 1893, he came to North Tonawanda, but also has an office in Buffalo. In 1890 Mr. Holman married Pauline Mueller. His parents were Frank B. and Melinda (Newton) Holman. His grandfather, Joel D. Holman, was a Vermont man and was the son of a Revolutionary soldier who served in Washington's army. Mr. Holman's grandmother was a Rockwell and her grandmother married the great- grandfather of General Grant. Mr. Holman took a very prominent part in the presidential elections of 1892 and 1896. In 1892 he was employed by the New York Reform Club and was assigned as speaker to the States of Wisconsin, Iowa, Minne- sota, Michigan and Indiana and delivered forty-eight addresses in these States dur- ing that campaign. In the campaign of 1896 he was on the stump for the National Democratic ticket for three weeks, in and around New York city.

McBean, George, was born at Atherton Mills, Ontario, Can., but has resided in North Tonawanda since ten years of age and has been engaged in the lumber busi- ness since 1871. He was with A. M. Dodge thirteen years and with Dodge & Bliss four years. The officers of the company are Delos Bliss, president; W. F. Brown, secretary and treasurer ; George McBean, manager, at North Tonawanda. At this place they handle from thirteen to fifteen million feet of lumber annually and their spacious yards are admirably equipped, containing a cottage, offices, mills and sheds. Mr. McBean is one of the representative business men of North Tona- wanda and is a member of the Masonic fraternity and the Odd Fellows; also chair- man of the Republican City Committee. Mr. McBean's father, Alexander, was also a prominent man of the place and was president of the village for many years.

Lynch, Daniel M., was born at Niagara Falls, N. Y., February 3, 1858, and is a son of Daniel Lynch, a wholesale and retail dealer in boots and shoes. Mr. Lynch was educated at the public schools and at St. Mary's Institute, in Niagara Falls, and in 1873 entered his father's store to learn the business and is at present manager of one of two large stores under the firm name of Daniel Lynch & Sons. The business was established in 1849 and has continued to increase until the opening of an addi- tional store became a necessity.

Gassler, William F., was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, August 9, 1843, where he attended the public schools, and later learned the trade of baker. At the age of twenty he was enlisted in the German army, where he served four years, then ob- taining papers of furlough he came to New York city in 1866, where he worked at his trade until 1869, when he removed to Niagara Falls, where he worked for Will- iam Hutzel as baker for eighteen months. On January 21, 1871, he established him- self in the bakery business, in which he continues at the present time. He was nat- uralized during the second administration of President U. S. Grant. In 1870 he married Rosina M. Gann, of Niagara Falls, and has one son, William F. Gassler, jr, He is a Mason and a member of the A. O. U. W. He is also a veteran of the 42d Separate Company, N. G. N. Y.

Arkush, Solomon F., was born in New York city, December 22, 1857, a son of Isaac J. and Sophia Arkush, natives of Russia Poland, who came to this country in 1856. When six years of age his parents removed to Denver, Col., but returned to New York city in 1867. After a short stay in New York city they located in Schen- ectady, N. Y., and Syracuse, N. Y., where he received his early education in the public schools. In 1873 they again removed to New York city, and in the same year he entered the house of the Butterick Publishing Company, remaining with them until 1877, when he decided to take up the cutter's profession. Until the year 1884 he held positions as cutter with well known firms of New York city and with the firms of Yates & Company and Danziger Brothers, of Syracuse, N. Y. In 1884 he re-entered the employ of the Butterick Publishing Company at New York city as de- signer in the men's department, and associate editor of the "Tailors' Review," where he remained until 1893, when he removed to Niagara Falls, N. Y., and formed a partnership in the merchant tailoring business with one Morre, the firm being known as Morre & Arkush. In March, 1894, on account of difficulties with his part- ner, the Supreme Court granted a dissolution, and appointed S. F. Arkush receiver of the firm, and in six months he closed up the affairs of the firm, paying all creditors in full. On February 4, 1895, he was appointed to the position of city clerk by Mayor David Phillips, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation, of L. P. Dayton. He was reappointed by Mayors Cutler, Schoellkopf and Hastings, during their suc- cessive terms of office. On May 17, 1877, he married Helen F., daughter of William F. and Mary E. Evans of Niagara Falls. He has four brothers and three sisters liv- ing in New York city, where his parents died; the mother in 1873, and the father in 1887.

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Landmarks of Niagara County, New York, Part 44

Author: Pool, William, 1825-1912, ed Publication date: 1897 Publisher: [Syracuse] : D. Mason & Co. Number of Pages: 820

Author: Pool, William, 1825-1912, ed
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: [Syracuse] : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 820