USA > New York > Niagara County > Landmarks of Niagara County, New York > Part 48
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Tuttle, George M., was born at Stafford, Genesee county, N. Y., May 29, 1871, and is a son of Thomas B. Tuttle, a druggist at Le Roy in the same county. George M. Tuttle attended the Le Roy Academic Institute until he was seventeen years of age, when he took a course at Cornell University and was graduated from there in the spring of 1892. In the fall of the same year, he returned to Cornell, took a course in law, and was graduated with honors in the spring of 1893, having completed the two years' course in one year. He then came to Niagara Falls, where he entered the law offices of Cromley & Lawrence, continuing there until December, 1895, at which time the partnership of Cromley & Lawrence was dissolved and the partnership of Law- rence & Tuttle was formed. Mr. Tuttle is one of the rising young attorneys at Niagara Falls and enjoys an enviable reputation.
Watts, J. C., one of the most successful and enterprising merchants of Hartland, was born in the town of Royalton, September 4, 1856, and is a son of William and Sarah Watts, natives of England. They came to America in 1855, locating in Niag- ara county, where they engaged in farming. They had eight children: William (deceased); Mary, now Mrs. H. D. Montoma; Emma, now Mrs. Gleason; Matthew, Ella (deceased), J. C., and George. Mr. Watts was educated in Hartland, after which he engaged in farming for four years, then as a wheelwright at Lockport for a period of eight years and is now engaged in general merchandise at Johnson's Creek, N. Y. July 22, 1879, he married Mary A. Bougie, and they have three sons: Charles B., Willie H., and John D. Mr. Watts is a staunch Republican and was postmaster under Harrison. He is a pleasant and genial gentleman and is enjoy- ing a lucrative business.
Warren, Charles A., was born in Newfane, February 6, 1857. His father, Barney Warren, was born in Clinton county, N. Y., July 21, 1817, and came to Niagara in 1829, where he was engaged in farming and dealing in agricultural implements. In 1842 he married Roxey J., daughter of Mr. Lindley. Charles A. Warren was ed- ucated in Lockport, learned the hardware business and in 1878 moved on to his present farm, making a specialty of dairying. In 1877 he married Alice E. Alex- ander, and they have three children: Frank B., Frederick W. and Alice. Mr. War- ren has served as president of the Niagara County Agricultural Society for three years and was elected supervisor in 1895, and served for two years; on April 20, 1897, he was appointed dairy inspector for Erie, Niagara and Orleans counties by Charles A. Weiting, commissioner of agriculture.
Winslow, George C., was born in Buffalo, October 16, 1844, a son of Edward Thomas and Sarah Frances (Coit) Winslow. Edward Winslow was a member of old Company D, Buffalo City Guard, of Buffalo and a participant in the Mckenzie Re- bellion in Canada, also one of the proprietors of the American Express Company when it was seven years old: he died at Geneva, N. Y., in 1849. George C. Wins- low removed to Lewiston May 6, 1875; he bought a part of the Calvin Hotchkiss farm
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on the River Road comprising 112 acres, where he remained until 1884, when he went to Chicago, remaining there one year, then returned to Lewiston and has ever since resided there, where he has one of the finest places on the river, as regards scenery and location. While residing in Buffalo Mr. Winslow was a member of Company D, 74th Regiment for nine years, and also of Eagle Hose Co. No. 2, for five years. He is a member of the Empire Knights of Relief and is popular socially. He is a musi- cian of much ability and helped to organize the band in 1880 and in the fall of 1896 helped to organize the Lewiston Drum Corps. In 1872 Mr. Winslow entered the controller's office where he remained upwards of two years. Mr. Winslow has been twice married; his first wife was Carrie L. Davis, whom he married October 8, 1873, and who died in 1885 leaving one daughter, Sarah Frances Winslow. In 1895 Mr. Winslow married Gertrude Coates Byrne, of Lewiston, daughter of Eliza and John D. Byrne. Miss Winslow is a teacher in the kindergarten at Covington, Ky.
Wynkoop, Charles, was born in Montgomery county, Pa. September 24, 1804, and came to Niagara county with his father, Abram Wynkoop, 1822. Starting in the middle of the woods they cleared up the land, having to go to mill at Lewiston and Niagara Falls. In 1825 he married Sarah, daughter of John and Margaret Buchanan. Mr. Wynkoop has always been a farmer and has done as much, or more. to clear up the town of Lockport as any other one man. Of strict integrity, he has ever advanced the best interests of his town and townspeople and has ever aided any enterprise intended to benefit his fellow men, and at the close of life of over ninety-three years, receives the respect of all his associates. Mr. Wynkoop is a member of the Lutheran church and a lifelong Democrat, casting his first presiden- tial vote for Andrew Jackson.
Woolworth, W. H., was born in Longmeadow, Mass., a son of William and Nancy (French) Woolworth. His parents removed to Vermont when he was one year old, where they resided seven years on a farm and later returned to Massachusetts, where the family made a permanent residence. W. H. Woolworth, at the age of nineteen years, learned the trade of carriage and wagon maker, which he pursued for several years in different places in the east, when he came to Central New York and en- gaged in various mechanical pursuits, also in fruit preserving. Subsequently he be- came interested in the manufacture of tableware, silver plating, etc. He removed to Niagara Falls in 1882, and after living there about ten years bought a farm on the lower Niagara River, two miles south of Youngstown, where he has a summer resi- dence. He was married in 1847 to Emma Campbell of Vermont. His wife died, leaving two children, Helen (deceased) and Arabelle, now Mrs. M. J. Newhouse. He afterward married Caroline A. Macknet. They had one son, Felix M. Wool- worth, teller of Electric City Bank, who married Morelli Kingsley of Glens Falls, N. Y. Their children are Howard, Chester and Richard. The Woolworth family is an old American one, dating back to 1678, when Richard Woolworth came to America and settled in New England.
Wallace, William C., was born at Suspension Bridge, N. Y., August 3, 1869, and is a son of William H. Wallace, a prosperous druggist, now retired. William C. Wallace attended the public schools at Suspension Bridge and De Veaux Prepara- tory College, later taking a course in Phillips Exeter Academy at Exeter, N. H.,
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from which he was graduated in the spring of 1888. He then entered the office of Eugene Carey, at Niagara Falls, and read law until 1890, when he attended the Buffalo Law School for two years, and was admitted to the bar of the State of New York in 1892; returning to Niagara Falls, he formed a partnership with Eugene Carey and has since enjoyed a large and profitable practice. April 30, 1894, he mar- ried Mathilde Corson daughter of Cornelius Corson, president of the Daniel Sloat Company, New York city, and they have one child, Anne C.
Warner, Hon. Henry E., was born at Albion, Orleans county, N. Y., May 20, 1864, a son of Sheldon E. and Sarah (Porter) Warner. He was educated in the common schools, graduated from the Albion High School in 1882, and from the Albany Law School, from which he received the degree of LL. B. in the class of 1885. He read law with Signor & Wage of Albion, and was admitted to the bar as soon as he was of age. He first located at Holley, Orleans county, N. Y., where he remained about six months. He then removed to Albion, where he practiced law until 1888, when he came to North Tonawanda, and in 1894 he entered into copartnership with the Hon. James P. Lindsay. As a lawyer Mr. Warner is not only a prominent member of the Niagara county bar, but years ago, as an author, published three legal works, namely, "Law of Evidence," "Service of Papers " and "Questions on the Code." It is, however, as a public man, that he has earned his widest, if not greatest dis- tinction ; he was village attorney of North Tonawanda from 1892 until 1896, and in the fall of 1895 was elected to the Assembly, having a majority of 604 votes, and was re-elected in 1896. In the Legislature of 1896 he was on the committees on canal and excise, and in 1897 was a member of the judiciary, banks, caucus and public in- stitutions committees ; he was also a member of the special trust investigation com- mittee. Mr. Warner not only looks closely after legislation beneficial to his constitu- ents directly, but has the ability to engage intelligently in State legislation generally, and has made a highly creditable record for himself at Albany. He has always taken deep interest in the welfare and development of North Tonawanda, and has done much to advance its interests in many ways. In 1886 Mr. Warner married Catherine E. McCarthy of Barre, Orleans county, and they have three children: Paul, Margaret and Mary.
Wendt, Fred E., was born in Lewiston, August 29, 1865, a son of Christian and Rachael (Metcher) Wendt. He has always carried on farming and is also engaged in fruit growing. In 1896 he established a coal office in Sanborn, where he does a thriving business. He is also agent for agricultural implements, representing the Johnston Harvester Company, Cortland Wagon Company, the Madison Drill Company, the Robinson Chilled Plows and Planet, jr., Cultivators for S. A. Allen & Co. He also represents the Stoddard Manufacturing Company of Dayton, O., in bicycles, and sells fertilizers for M. E. Wheeler & Co. of Rutland, Vt. In the fall of 1890 Mr. Wendt married Ernestine Kroening, and they have four children: John, Henry, Tilly and Fred. Mr. Wendt is a Republican, and an enterprising and successful young business man with a prosperous career before him.
Woodford, Henry E., was born at Tipton, England, May 23, 1835, a son of the late John and Alicia Woodford. Henry E. Woodford received his education under private tutors in England, and emigrated to America in 1854, settling in Toronto,
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Ontario, Can., where he entered the office of a leading newspaper and remained until 1856. In that year he went to England and returned to America in 1859, when he entered the employ of the Grand Trunk Railroad Company as freight agent at Stratford, Ontario, Can., remaining there for three years and a half, when he re- moved to Quebec and served as freight clerk for the same company. In 1864 he re- moved to Suspension Bridge, N. Y., where he was appointed clerk for the American Express Company, and later, in 1868, was made agent for that company at Clifton (now Niagara Falls, Ont.), Canada, remaining in that position for nine years, at which time he returned to Suspension Bridge, acting in the same capacity for the same company. In 1886 he established his present business of brokerage and ex- change and later purchased the Niagara Rapids Mill, which he still operates suc- cessfully. May 22, 1867, he married Catherine Hoffman, a niece of John A. Roeb- ling, who built the original Suspension Bridge over the Niagara River at Clifton, Ont., and who was the designer of the world famous Brooklyn Bridge between New York and Brooklyn. Mr. Woodford is an extensive property owner, a director of the Bank of Suspension Bridge, and a stockholder and election inspector of the new steel arch bridge over the Niagara River.
Ware, Cleland A .- This enterprising and successful insurance man was born in the town of Warren, Herkimer county, N. Y., April 26, 1862. He was educated in the public schools and the Lockport Union School, from which he was graduated in the class of 1882, and afterward took a scientific cource at the University of Roches- ter. After completing his schooling he entered his father's office, that of the Lock- port Journal, as his bookkeeper, where he remained for a period of ten years, which proved a valuable schooling which was afterwards of great value to him. He at this date removed to Detroit and embarked in business on his own account, in which he continued for three years, when he returned to Lockport and engaged in the in- surance business, which business both at Lockport and Le Roy, N. Y., he has since conducted with gratifying success. Mr. Ward is associated with many societies, among which are the I. O. O. F., A. O. U. W., K. of St. J. & M., Lockport Wheel- men, of which he was one of the founders, the Lockport Gun Club and a number of others. October 15, 1884, he married Mary F. McQueen of Lockport, and they have four children.
Wichterman, Chauncey, son of G. D. Wichterman, one of the pioneers of Royal- ton, was born in the town of Royalton, Niagara county, March 12, 1842, and resided with his parents on the farm in that town until he enlisted in Co. H, 151st Regt., N. Y. Vols., on September 1, 1862, for three years, or during the war, and served until the close of the war, being honorably discharged June 26, 1865. In the spring of 1870 he came to Wheatfield and engaged in farming and has lived here ever since. December 28, 1865, Mr. Wichterman married Mary L. Bratt, also of Royal- ton; they have five children: John, Lillian, Iona, Emma and Margaret. Mr. Wich- terman is one of the leading men of Wheatfield and has held prominent offices in the town; he has been justice of the peace for eight years, assessor for three years and supervisor for six consecutive years. He has been vice-commander of his post and was one of its charter members and has declined preference for other offices to which his friends were desirous to elevate him.
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Pettit, Wilson M., M. D., was born in the village of Wilson, Niagara county, N. Y., April 6, 1852. In 1875 he began the study of medicine in the office of Doctors Bishop and Evans, and was graduated from the New York Homoeopathic Medical College in 1879. He immediately began the practice of his profession in Lockport, where he has since resided and carried on a very successful business. On June 26, 1889, he married Emma Hollenbeck of Shawnee, Niagara county, N. Y., and they have four children: Harold, May, Hazel and Margaret. He is a prominent member of Red Jacket Lodge No. 646, F. & A. M., the Select Knights, Empire Knights of Relief, the Safety Fund Insurance Society, and of Cataract Lodge No. 54, I. O. O. F. He is also serving a second term as member of the Local Board ol Health.
Wells, David M., was born in Pendleton, N. Y., March 19, 1849, a son of William and Ruth (Gillings) Wells, natives of England. The grandparents, William and Martha Wells, came to America when William was but a boy, settling in Pendleton on a farm. The maternal grandparents. Edward and Elizabeth Gillings, came to America when Ruth was but thirteen years of age and spent most of his time in Lockport, dealing in fruit. David J. Wells was reared on the farm in Pendleton and made farming his life occupation and now owns the homestead farm. In 1872 he married Flora, daughter of Rufus H. and Betsey J. (Olcott) Weaver, and they have two children; Effie R., wife of Edwin N. Olds of Cambria; and William D. at home. In politics Mr. Wells is a Republican and they are members of the Presby- terian church, Mr. Wells being one of the elders.
Watters, Fowler A., M. D .- Among the younger members of the profession none are more prominent than Dr. F. A. Waters of Lockport. He was born and reared in that city and received his preliminary education from the public schools of his native city. In 1888 he determined to study medicine and accordingly entered the office of Drs. Evans and Hurd as a student, where he remained until 1889 when he entered the Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia, from which he received his degree of M. D., in 1892. In the fall of that year he began the practice of his profession in Lockport, where he has since resided. He is a son of John and Jane (Patton) Watters; his father was of German descent and his mother Scotch. Dr. Watters is a member of the A. O. of F., Knights of S. F. I. and the Western New York Homeopathic Medical Society.
Worden, E. H., was born in Niagara county, February 15, 1862, a son of Paul B. and Angelina (Pool) Worden. After receiving a liberal education he entered the employ of the New York Central Railroad as ticket agent and operator, remaining with that company seven years. He then became manager of the Postal Telegraph Company in 1887, which position he still retains, although he is engaged in the in- surance business also. Mr. Worden is a Republican and has been delegate to county conventions for several years; was secretary of the Board of Health three years, and is a prominent Odd Fellow, in which he was district deputy grand master one year, elected to serve another year. In 1883 he married Lillian A. Ross, and they have four children: Clarence, Harold, Bessie and Annabel.
Williams, William A., a native of Germany, was born December 19, 1845, and came to this country with his parents in 1857, settling in Niagara county, N. Y., where he attended the public schools and the Lockport Union School. His first busi-
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ness experience was as a clerk in the hat store of Howard Strong, where he re- mained for three years. He then entered the service of Jason Collier & Sons, dry goods merchants, and continued with this firm until 1868, when he engaged in busi- ness on his own account, in company with Messrs. Lerch & Van Dusen, under the firm name of Lerch, Williams & Van Dusen, and after the death of Mr. Van Dusen, in 1869, the business was conducted by Lerch & Williams for ten years. In 1878 the firm of Williams Bros. was organized, which is now one of the largest wholesale and retail dry goods houses in the city. April 5, 1867, he married Miss Emilie Hutzel of Niagara Falls, F. Y., and they have two children, a son, Eric Johann Williams, and a daughter, Katherine Hutzel Williams.
Wilson, Robert D., was born in the town of Newfane, June 12, 1853, a son of Daniel and Elizabeth Wilson. His father was born in Yorkshire, England, and came with his parents to America in 1823, when twelve years of age. In 1840 he bought the farm which Robert D. now owns and cleared all but fourteen acres of the farm; the road leading west was made of logs and they were flooded with water a good part of the time. He died October 25, 1885. His wife was also born in Yorkshire, England, in 1825, and settled on the Ridge road near Wright's Corners on what is known as the Dr. Peck farm. They were married November 16, 1843, and they had two sons and two daughters: Martha J., born October 6, 1844, died April 11, 1847; William T., born March 24, 1846; Libbie, born April 2, 1849, mar- ried John Fainsworth of Cambria; and Robert D., the subject. Robert D. received his education in the public schools of Newfane, after which he engaged in farming. In 1887 he with Mr. Kelley, Mr. P. D. Miller and Mr. Rilman, formed the first stock company that was organized in the town of Newfane, known as the Newfane Basket Manufacturing Co., of which Mr. Wilson is secretary and trustee. February 6, 1878, he married Alice L. Miller (born February 2, 1855), and they have one daugh- ter, Emma J., born June 12, 1886. Mr. Wilson has served as county committee- man two years, and is engaged in fruit growing and general farming.
Wadhams, Norman E. G., was born at Whitehall, Washington county, N. Y., August 24, 1829, a son of Heman Wadhams, a butcher of that place, now deceased. Mr. Wadhams was educated in the public schools at Albion, whither his parents had removed while he was yet in infancy, and at the age of thirteen he left school and for two years was employed on a large farm near Albion ; in 1845 he removed to Lockport, where he attended the locks for thirteen years. In 1864 he was appointed deputy collector of customs at Youngstown, N. Y., and held that office until 1886; the latter fourteen years being located at Niagara Falls. In 1890 he was reap- pointed to same office of which he is now an incumbent. Mr. Wadhams is justly proud of his war record, having enlisted as a private at the first call for troops in the ranks of the 28th N. Y. Vol. Infantry, experiencing two years of hard fighting at the front, being mustered out in 1863 as first lieutenant of Co. C. He is a prominent Mason and a member of the G. A. R., and is highly respected by all who know him. July 3, 1851, he married Christiana E. King of Lockport, and they had two sons and five daughters.
Zeiger; Charles, was born in Bavaria, Germany, April 11, 1845, and is a son of Louis Zeiger, who immigrated to America in 1848, settling in La Salle, N. Y.,
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where he purchased a farm and operated the same for eight years. Charles Zeiger attended the public schools at La Salle until 1856, when his parents removed to Ni- agara Falls, where his father entered business as a grocery and liquor dealer. In 1864 his father established the present hotel and restaurant which Charles Zeiger operates as Zeiger's Hotel. He is thrifty and prosperous and enjoys the high esteem of all who know him.
Zimmerman, N. B., was born in North Tonawanda, a son of Nelson and Arvilla Zimmerman; his grandfather, Alexander Zimmerman, was a soldier in the Revolu- tionary war. N. B. Zimmerman is a machinist and worked for Armitage, Herschell & Co. for seven years; also other machine shops, including Niles's Tool Works, for three years; he has now been engaged in the bicycle business for three years, being one of the leading bicycle dealers of Niagara county and has a high reputation as a business man. The principal wheels handled by him are the Fenton, Crescent and the World; he also does all kinds of repairing and carries all kinds of bicycle sup- plies. Mr. Zimmerman is a member both of the subordinate Lodge and Encamp- ment in the order of Odd Fellows and is noted for his ability in degree work. In 1891 he married Emma Freck.
Meyers, Hiram Benedict, now a banker and bond buyer, but better known as a newspaperman, was born at Pendleton, Niagara county, N. Y., September 10, 1871. His father was Capt. Henry Meyers, who was one of the early settlers on the Holland Land Company's purchase in Erie county, and who in 1870 was married to Miss Mag- delane Hartman of Pendleton. From farming Captain Meyers became interested in canal and harbor property and finally in the shipping business, and now lives in North Tonawanda. Hiram Meyers spent time in the schools at Pendleton, Lock- port, Tonawanda, Brockport, Jersey City, N. J., and Brooklyn, N. Y. He began newspaper work in New York city and in 1891 settled in North Tonawanda where he worked in the capacity of reporter and assistant editor on the Tonawanda News and correspondent for Buffalo papers. When the Buffalo Courier opened its bureau in the Tonawandas Mr. Meyers was installed as manager and held that position un- til the Courier went out of existence in May, 1897. During the interim and since then he corresponded for various metropolitan daily as well as weekly and monthly trade papers. He also did some original writing which was mainly in the humorous line. When the Courier went out of existence Mr. Meyers was at once started on the career of a banker and bond buyer with the banking house of James H. Rand, having charge of the bond department of that institution and which office he still holds. In October, 1897, Mr. Meyers was married to Miss Ilione Woodbury, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin S. Woodbury, of Boston, Mass., and purchased a house in the Christiana Street district, North Tonawanda, N. Y.
Silverthorne, A. K., was born in Muscatine county, Iowa, April 5, 1865, and went to Chicago with his parents when quite young, where he began the lumber business with his brother, W. E. Silverthorne. In 1891 they came to North Tona- wanda, and it can safely be said that no firm in the place does a larger business or enjoys a higher reputation for honorable dealings. They have a dock frontage of 800 feet and their yards are 600 feet in depth. During the year 1896 they handled over twenty-eight million feet of lumber. January 6, 1889, Mr. Silverthorne married
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Mattie Fassett, and they have two children: Frederick W., and Margaret. His parents were David and Francis (Hodgkins) Silverthorne; his grandfather, Oliver Silverthorne, came to this country at the close of the Revolution and settled in Penn- sylvania.
Kerr, W. B., Wheatfield, was born in Cambria county, February 17, 1849. He began railroading when a youth, his first position being that of day watchman in a deep cut; he followed railroading for eighteen years advancing to the position of conductor. He then became connected with Carnegie Bros. for three years, when he went to the Isabelle Furnace at Sharpsburg, where he remained three and a half years. In 1890 he came to Tonawanda and took charge of the Iron Works, remodel- ing the entire plant, tearing down part of the old structures and erecting new. These works cover an area of twenty-six acres and give employment to 380 men. Mr. Kerr is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Royal Arcanum. In Septem- ber, 1878, he married Lyde Thompson, and they have two children: Mary B. and W. T. Kerr. Mr. Kerr's parents were John K. and Mary (Blakely) Kerr. Mr. Kerr is one of the prominent and enterprising men of North Tonawanda.
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