Landmarks of Niagara County, New York, Part 51

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 51

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Pool, W. T., was born on the old Pool homestead in Lewiston, Niagara county, Februry 19, 1854, and has always resided on the old place. He is known as a suc- cessful farmer and public man. He has been justice of the peace three terms, serv- ing from 1884 to 1895, and was elected supervisor in 1891, since which date he has been continuously re-elected, his present term running into 1898, and is now chair- man of the Board of Supervisors. He has served on town and county committees, and was employed in the Constitutional Convention of 1894. He is also a member of the A. O. U. W. and of the Masonic Lodge No. 551, Ransomville. In 1878 Mr. Pool married Hetty Bradlee, who died April 15, 1896, leaving two daughters, L. Evelyn and Ada E. Mr. Pool has always looked closely after the interests of this town in a public way and stands high with the best men of the county.

Pettit, Lauton W., Somerset, one of the wealthy and enterprising farmers of Niagara county, was born in Saratoga county, N. Y., in 1816, and is a son of Elisha

and Hannah Pettit, both born south of Albany. Lauton Pettit was married to Mar- garet Whitlock, February 16, 1843, and they have one son, Joel H., who was born January 5, 1846. Mrs. Pettit died February 12, 1892. Mr. Pettit has held the office of postmaster at Lake Road for thirty-three consecutive years, and is probably the oldest postmaster in the United States. He is hale and hearty at eighty-one years of age. Mr. Pettit's son married and had four children, and after the death of his wife he kept his children together on the farm, doing most of the work himself, until, to give them better school advantages, he moved to Lockport and engaged in the grocery business. The oldest is a graduate of the New York Medical College in the class of 1896, and is a physician and surgeon in Lockport, where he was married January 1, 1897, to Eva Rebasz. Glen, the second son, is engaged in the grocery business with his father, Walter is in school, and Fred, the fourth son, is dead.

Pearson, Robert T., was born in county Durham, England, June 28, 1823, and came to the United States in 1831, with his parents, George and Dorothy Pearson, who settled in the town of Royalton. Robert T. Pearson was educated in the common schools and through his life has been identified as a farmer. In 1855 he married Mary A., daughter of Thomas and Ruth (Ash) Dale, and they have four children: Robert H., Alfred W., Arthur L., and Ruth A. Mr. Pearson is one of the representative farmers of his town, serving as supervisor for three years, and also assessor for three years, and has ever advanced the best interest of the town and townspeople. The title to the homestead farm came from the Holland Land Company to his father.

Potter, John, was born at Queenston, Ontario, Can., December 7, 1835, a son of George Potter (deceased). He attended the public schools of his native town and at sixteen years of age took up the carpenter's trade which he has followed ever since. In 1861 he removed to Niagara Falls, N. Y., and in 1862 entered the car shops of the New York Central Railroad Company, where he has been steadily employed for thirty five years. April 16, 1863, he married Sarah Scott of Lockport, and they have had five children. Mr. Potter is a member of the A. O. U. W. and of Belleview Lodge No. 316, I. O. O. F., of Niagara Falls.

Reed, Albert H., was born in Somerset, Niagara county, N. Y., July 12, 1840, a son of Orson V. and Elizabeth (Breckon) Reed. Orson V. was born in Allegheny county, N. Y., March 14, 1814, and Elizabeth in England February 16, 1816. Orson V. Reed was a carpenter and joiner and died in 1886; his widow died in 1896. Al- bert H. Reed was reared on the farm and educated in the common schools. At fourteen years of age he began working at the carpenter's trade with his father, which he followed for several years, and then engaged in farming. He moved to Suspension Bridge in 1882, where he was superintendent of the whirlpool for two years, then foreman in the sash and blind factory of C. H. Turner two years, and in 1888 came to Wilson where he engaged in the furniture and undertaking business. In politics he is a Republican, and is now treasurer of the village and was town clerk four years. He is a member and past master of Ontario Lodge No. 376, F. & A. M. In 1859 he married Phebe C. Hoag of Niagara county, and they had one daughter, Esther L., who married Walter S. Hill, and has two children, Claud A. and Mabel M. Esther L. Hill died in 1893.

Rosenmüller, Rev. George F., was born at Dayton, Ohio, October 24, 1847, and is

a son of David Porter and Eliza Sheffer Rosenmüller. He was graduated from the high school at Lancaster, Pa., and took a full classical course in the Franklin and Marshall College at Lancaster, from which he was graduated in 1869 in his twenty- first year. He then entered the Divinity School at Philadelphia, from which he was graduated in 1872; in June of that year he was created deacon by the Right Rev. William Bacon Stevens, D.D., LL.D., S. T. D., bishop of Pennsylvania (Protestant Episcopal), and in the following year, 1873, at Reading, Pa., he was made a priest by the Right Rev. M. A. De Wolf Howe, D. D., LL. D., bishop of Central Pennsyl- vania. His first work was at Montoursville, Pa., and parts adjacent, where he re- mained for five years, aud then removed to Sayre, Pa., where he passed another term of five years in successful church work. November 1, 1882, he became rector of the parish of St. Peter's Protestant Episcopal church at Niagara Falls, where he has since remained. December 3, 1879, he married Helen Mercur, oldest child of Mahlon Mahr and Anna H. Jewett Mercur of Towanda, Pa., and to them have been born four daughters: Anna W., Mary K., Helen and Dorothea.

Robertson, W. W., is a native of Putnam, Washington county, N. Y., born No- vember 13, 1841, but resided in Troy, N. Y., the greater part of his life, prior to com- ing to North Tonawanda. He went into a planing mill when a young man, but left it in 1862 to enlist in the 11th N. Y. Independent Battery. This battery operated at first with the 3d Corps, Army of the Potomac, and afterward with the 2d Corps. Mr. Robertson participated in all the battles in which his battery was engaged. He was at Second Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and all the operations on to Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House. After the war he went back to the mill and has fol- lowed this business ever since. In 1882 he came to North Tonawanda and the part- nership of Robertson & Doebler was formed in 1888. They erected a planing mill on Tonawanda Island, where they dress on an average, 100 car loads of lumber per month, or about thirty one million feet annually, and give employment to fifty five men. In 1866 Mr. Robertson married Elizabeth Hawley and they have six children . C. Frederick, Wallace Irving, Covert, James E., Nellie Hawley, and Carrie Eliza- beth. In politics Mr. Robertson is a Republican. He and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Rich, A. D., was born in Otsego county, N. Y., October 16, 1829. His father, Cyrus Rich, was a native of Otsego county, where he always lived and was a farmer; he died in 1856. A. D. Rich was educated in the common schools and after farming it for several years traded his farm for a hotel in Cuba, N. Y. In 1874 he sold out and removed to Middleport, where he bought the Pierce House, which burned in 1884, and he then erected the brick block which bears his name. In 1860 he married Mary, daughter of John Dillenbeck. Mr. Rich is a conservative man of his town and has ever advanced the best interests of his town and townspeople.

Ransom, W. H. H. (deceased), was born in Ulster county, N. Y., October 11, 1816, a son of Peleg and Lettie (Lewis) Ransom, who came from Ulster county in 1842 to the town of Wilson, where they lived and died. Peleg Ransom was a descendant of one of three brothers, who came from England. The village of Ransomville was named for an uncle of the subject, Clark Ransom, who lived and died in the village,

W. H. H. Ransom was a builder and contractor when he came to Ransomville, and about 1850 he engaged in the mercantile business and continued in business until his death, December 30, 1889. In 1867 he formed a partnership with his eldest son, E. T. Ransom, who has since carried on the business under the old firm name of W. H. H. Ransom & Son. E. T. Ransom is a thorough-going business man, and it has been mainly through his efforts that Ransomville has grown to be one of the leading markets for the farmers in Niagara county. He is not only the leading business man of the place, but has been an active politician, having been supervisor of his town a number of years and also represented his district in the Assembly. He is assisted by his brothers, W. H. H., jr., and H. Seymour, the former having been general manager of the store for eighteen years. The firm is also engaged in produce busi- ness and large dealers in grains, wool and all farm products. W. H. H. Ransom was always an ardent Democrat and was postmaster for a number of years, at one time eight years in succession. February 22, 1843, he married Eliza J. Estes, born in Vermont in 1825, a daughter of Nathan and Catherine (McArthur) Estes. The Estes family are descendants of a Mr. Estes who came from France with La Fayette and the McArthurs, are descendants of King Arthur of Scotland. Mr. and Mrs. Ransom had thirteen children, all of whom are living, except one, Herbert M., who died De- cember 1, 1896. Those living are, Elton T., Mary Powley, Oscar M., Lissie Whit- field, Walter J., M. D., Nina Dillingham, Jennie Hopkins, W. H. H., jr., Susie Peterson, H. Seymour, Carrie Thayer and Lottie M. Barry.

Ransom, W. H. & F. A .- The senior member of this firm, Washington H., was born in Lockport, N. Y., March 9, 1842, and has been engaged in the practice of law for over thirty years. He studied law at the Albany Law School and was graduated from there and admitted to the bar. He was a classmate of the Hon. D. Cady Her- rick and President Mckinley. The junior member of this firm, Frank A., son of Washington H. and Kate F. (Stickney) Ransom, was born in Lockport October 9, 1871. He began the study of law in his father's office and was admitted to the bar in Buffalo, January 6, 1894, and since that time has been connected with the firm of W. H. & F. A. Ransom, one of the leading firms of the city of Lockport.

Redpath, Philip E., was born at Clifton (now Niagara Falls, Ont.), Canada, and is a son of Edward Redpath, a prosperous merchant of that place. Mr. Redpath at- tended the public schools at Clifton, and at the age of twenty-two entered the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, and was graduated therefrom in 1884, having completed the three years' course in dental surgery. In the same year he came to Niagara Falls and entered at once into the active and successful practice of his profession. October 17, 1888, he married Jeanie Ware of Niagara Falls.

Richie, William F., was born in Cape Vincent, N. Y., March 21, 1827. His father, William Richie, in 1835 settled in the town of Wilson, where he was identified as a farmer. William F. Richie was educated in the common schools and early in life was engaged in canal transportation ; in 1848 he was a ship carpenter in Cleveland, and in 1850 went to San Francisco and engaged in mining enterprises. In 1867 he came to Gasport and erected the store and elevator now occupied by him, and is one of the largest grain buyers in Niagara county ; in 1865 he married Harriet Marshall, and they have one son and one daughter: Edward M. and Jennie I. Barrett.

Ransom, Lewis, was born in New Paltz in 1818, and in 1839 came to Lockport, where he worked on the enlargement of the Erie Canal. In 1840 he went to Ran- somville and erected the principal buildings of that town, in connection with his brother, W. H. H. Ransom. In 1846 he went south, where he remained for fifteen years, and at the breaking out of the war returned north again, returning to Buffalo in 1861, and in 1864 came to Lockport, where he engaged in contracting and build- ing. In 1865 he married Mary, daughter of Nathan Estes: Mr. Ransom is one of the representative men of his town and of sterling integrity.

Rankine, Richard F., was born in Geneva, N. Y., February 4, 1862, a son of the Rev. Dr. Rankine of that place. Richard F. Rankine received his education in the Canandaigua (N. Y.) Academy and in Hobart College, Geneva, N. Y .; being grad- uated from the latter institution in 1882, with the degree of B. A. In the same year he became identified with the First National Bank of Beatrice, Neb., and in 1884 with the Omaha, (Neb.) National Bank, with which institution he was prominently connected until November, 1894, when he removed to Niagara Falls to accept his present position, as treasurer of the Niagara Falls Paper Co. He is also a stockholder and director in several of the large enterprises at the same place. In 1886 Mr. Rankine married Jennie B. Wilson of Geneva, N. Y. Mr. Rankine is a man of liberal education and is well qualified for the important and responsible position which he now fills.

Scott, Joseph C., was born in Boston, Mass., January 24, 1832, and is a son of Cur- tis B. Scott, who was a carpenter by trade. Joseph Scott attended the public schools and at the age of eighteen went to sea, which he followed for two years. Later he served his apprenticeship at carpentering, and in September, 1854, began working for the New York Central Railroad Co. as brakeman and was afterward promoted to the position of fireman. In 1862 he became an engineer for that company and is still in active service. He has two sons who are engineers with the New York Cen- tral Railroad Co., and who learned firing with their father.

Spencer, Samuel B., moved to Niagara Falls early in the spring of 1896 from Chi- cago (where he was engaged in the lumber business for eleven years), and in com- pany with G. P. Rogers, established his present business, that of lumber and build- ers' supplies. In December, 1887, Mr. Spencer married Mary F. Vanderpool of Nashville, Tenn.

Snyder, A. B., was born in Orleans county, September 26, 1822. His father, Nicholas Snyder, was a native of Bennington, Vt., and was one of the pioneers of Orleans county, clearing up his farm, He married Betsey Downer, wife of Silas Allen. He was through life identified as a farmer and was noted for his strict in- tegrity and his word was as good as his bond. He died in 1870 in his seventy-third year. A. B. Snyder was educated in Clarkson Academy and Cary Collegiate Sem- inary, after which he taught school for fifteen years. In 1854 he married Emeline A. Dunn, who died June 5, 1884, and in 1888 he married Mrs. H. J. Snyder, daugh- ter of Charles Culver of Reading, Steuben county, N. Y. By his first wife he had one son, Fred G. Snyder, born in 1861. Mr. Snyder is one of the conservative men of his town, taking an active interest in educational and religious institutions and has ever advanced the best interest of his town and townspeople.

Seeley, Mrs. Caroline A .- Charles W. Seeley, deceased, was born in Schoharie county, N. Y., February 19, 1828, a son of Daniel and Sally (Green) Seeley. Mr. Seeley came to Montgomery county and was engaged in the mercantile business at East Creek, also at Ovid, where he was deputy sheriff for four years, and spent his last days in Wilson as a merchant. He was a Democrat and held the office of jus- tice of the peace for one term. He was a member of Ontario Lodge No. 376, F. & A. M., and of the I. O. O. F. In 1858 he married Caroline A., daughter of Capt. Sylvester Parsons. To Mr. Seeley and wife were born two children, Fred Parsons, educated at Wilson Academy and Poughkeepsie Commercial College and has for some time been employed in the railroad office at Buffalo and Niagara Falls; and Nettie Emerson, wife of Frank B. Martin of Wilson. They have one child, Jackson S. Mr. Seeley died January 24, 1891.

Shelton, Edwin, was born in Huntingdon, Fairfield county, Conn., September 20, 1801, and he traced his ancestry from Daniel Shelton of England, who came before 1600. Edwin Shelton was of the fourth generation and married Susan, daughter of Silas Curtis. They came to Niagara county in 1848, settling in the town of Lock- port, where he was identified as a farmer. He was a man of sterling integrity, in- terested in the development of his town and the advancement of his townspeople. His word was as good as his bond, and of him it may well be said " An honest man is the noblest work of God." His death, which occurred September 29, 1874, was a loss not only to his family, but to all who knew him.

Shaver, Homer, was born in Orleans county, June 5, 1837, and moved to Michigan with his parents, when quite young, where he remained until 1849, and then returned to Olcott, where he attended the common schools. March 10, 1869, he married Arminda L. Smith (born November 19, 1846), and they have five children: Franklin G., born June 24, 1870; Edith E., born April 7, 1873; George W., born December 5, 1875; Lida M., born August 23, 1879, and I. Belle, born May 6, 1885. Mr. Shaver is vice-president of the Pioneers' Association of Newfane. He has twenty acres of peach and pear orchard, twenty-five apple and one hundred plum trees; he is one of the substantial farmers and fruit growers of Niagara county, and has met with good success.

Shaeffer, Jesse, has been engaged in the mercantile business in Lockport over fifty years. He was born in Dauphin county, Pa., June 22, 1812, and is a son of Samuel and Sarah Jones Shaeffer. His great-grandfather was a native of Germany, and his grandfather, Christian, was born in Berks county, Pa., but died near Harrisburg, same State; he was a farmer, and reared a family of seven children. His father, Samuel Shaeffer, was born in Dauphin county and in 1828 came to Lockport, N.Y .; he died aged seventy-five years; he was a farmer, a Republican and a member of the Presbyterian church; he married Sarah Jones (born in 1788, died in 1848), and they had five children, one son and four daughters. Jesse, when twelve years of age, came to Lockport with his father, where he attended the public school and worked on the farm. In 1835 he became a clerk in the dry goods store of Rogers & Brown in Lockport. Ten years later he went into business himself in dry goods and general store. He built two large dry goods stores, one grocery and four dwellings. In 1868 he built the large seed and produce store on Market street.

To retire, he sold his store and business to his son, who is doing a very large trade in field and garden seeds, wool and evaporated apples, which are sent in car lots all over this country and Europe. Jesse Shaeffer was forced to take a wood working and turning shop, where he is doing a large and prosperous business. On January 13, 1839, Jesse Shaeffer married Elizabeth M., daughter of Gershom Owen. They had six children, two sons and four daughters, of whom two are living-William C. Shaeffer, his successor in business, and Sarah M., wife of George W. Jones of Brooklyn. William E. married Mary Nash, and has five children, all boys. Jesse Shaeffer is a Republican and a member and trustee of the English Lutheran church. He enjoys the best of health now at the age of eighty-five, all of which is due to temperate habits through life. His present wife was Marietta French.

Simmons, Edward, was born in Madison county, N. Y., August 1, 1815. The family were originally from Rhode Island, where his grandfather, Benjamin Sim- mons, settled before the Revolutionary war and served six years in the Continental army. Edward Simmons learned the jewelry and watchmaking trade at Hamilton, N. Y., and in 1838 came to Lockport, where he established a jewelry manufactory and watchmaking establishment in which he continued for thirty years. He also opened a music store in 1852, which he carried on up to 1856, and then became a member of Thomas, Hall & Simmons, the well known dealers in music and musical instruments. October 17, 1843, he married J. Augusta, daughter of William Good- rich. He died September 27, 1892, aged seventy-seven.

Sybrandt, Le Roy, was born in the town of Lockport, June 12, 1838, and moved with his father to this farm when twelve years old; he bought the farm of his father in 1862, and was married in 1864 to Rosalia Kennedy of Yates, Ontario county, daughter of Delauzon Kennedy, and they have two children, Charles and Nora. Le Roy Sybrandt's father, John Sybrandt, was born in Washington county in 1806, and was married to Laura Green and came to Niagara county in 1827.

Sawyer, John P., was born on the homestead March 6, 1821. His father, Jason Sawyer, was a native of Plymouth, Vt., and came to Niagara county in 1816, and purchased a farm of the Holland Land Company which is still in the family. He married Patience Taylor, and they made the trip from Rutland county, Vt., with an ox team and cart. They cleared the land and suffered all the trials of pioneers. Mr. Sawyer aided his town in all ways, both public and private. He died in 1861. John P. Sawyer was educated in the Royalton Academy and afterwards taught for several winters. In 1850 he married Hannah, daughter of Ebenezer Parson, and they have five children : Lewis K., Jason T., William P., Mary E. and Rosa M. Mr. Sawyer is one of the practical and successful farmers of his town, filling the office of town superintendent of schools for three years and often selected to settle estates, and is recognized as a man of sterling integrity who has ever advanced the best in- terests of his town and townspeople.

Slocum, Hart, was born at Cambria, N. Y., March 9, 1848, a son of William P. Slocum (deceased). He received a public school education in the schools of his native town, and at seventeen years of age learned the cooper's trade and worked at the trade until 1871. He moved to Wilson, N. Y., in 1876, and engaged in the agricul-

tural business. He held the office of street superintendent three years. In the spring of 1884 Mr. Slocum went to work for the Neil Bros. of Ohio in the hedge fence business, with headquarters at Brockport, N. Y. With the permission of the Neil Bros. he resigned his position on September 1, 1884, and accepted a position on the customs force the same month, as deputy collector and inspector ; he remained on the force for one year and ten months under Collector Benjman Flagler. At the change of administration he was removed by Collector O. W. Cutler, who took pos- session of the office after Mr. Flagler's time had expired, March 18, 1886. In the spring of 1887, March 1, Mr. Slocum went to work for G. H. Stevens, agent for the West Shore Railway Co. at Suspension Bridge, N. Y., in the freight office; two years of the time while with the railway company he was passenger agent. He remained with the railway company until January 1, 1894, when he was elected coroner of Ni- agara county for three years and re-elected in the fall of 1896 for second term, being a faithful and trusted officer. He is a member of Niagara River Lodge No. 785, F. & A. M. ; a charter member of Ontario Lodge No. 147, A. O. U. W., of Wilson, N. Y. On September 5, 1869, he married Susan J. Lister of Wilson, N. Y .; they had one daughter, who died at the age of thirteen years on November 20, 1885. Mr. Slocum is special agent for the hosiery of the Winona Mills of New York city for Niagara county.

Shaver, Franklin, one of the leading farmers and fruit growers of Niagara county, was born in the town of Yates, Orleans county, N. Y., April 24, 1841, a son of Peter and Eleanor Shaver. Peter Shaver was born in Maryland, February 25, 1799, and was a son of John and Elizabeth Shaver, who came from Holland to Maryland in an early day and in 1804 came to Niagara county. His grandmother died in 1864, aged 104 years; his mother was born December 14, 1799, and died in 1889; his father died in 1886. Mr. Shaver had seven brothers and four sisters, nine of whom are liv- ing: Sidney, Nelson, Electa, Malinda, James, Homer, Esther, Miranda and Eugene. Franklin Shaver was married November 28, 1883, to Cornelia Bullard, and they have two children, Harold, born October 16, 1887, and Jesse, born March 12, 1891. Mr. Shaver's grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. There were sev- enteen children in that family, and not one of them died until after ninety years of age, one living to be 104 years of age. His father used to burn maple, boil the ashes down to black salt and take it to Batavia and trade it for groceries. Mrs. Shaver's par- ents were from Orange county, N. Y., and her father, Hamilton Bullard, settled on the farm he now owns April 1, 1847. Her grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812 and the family is in possession of a cannon ball that was fired by the British at them when they were defending their home, and which buried itself in the trunk of a chest- nut tree near her home. When Mr. Shaver's people came to Niagara county, the country was entirely a wilderness and they literally hewed themselves a home in the wild country. His father started on a trip from Rochester to Albany, with a load drawn by two span of horses, with the fifth horse as a leader. While going down a long hill one horse balked and he was obliged to take a chain and draw the load to the top of the hill and arrange it before he could proceed. Mr. Shaver has fourteen acres of peach orchard, twenty-five of apple and three of pears; he is a stock dealer, dealing largely in sheep.

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Landmarks of Niagara County, New York, Part 51

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