Landmarks of Orleans County, New York, Part 108

Author: Signor, Isaac S., ed
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1084

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LANDMARKS OF ORLEANS COUNTY.

Wright, William was a native of Columbia county, and wasa farmer in that region prior to 1816. In that year he came to what is now Orleans county, settling in the west part of the town of Barre (now Albion), where he lived and died. In his family were nine children, two of whom were born previo is to his settlement in this county. They were Cynthia, who married Ezekiel Root, and after his death Thomas Tracy ; and Daniel G. of Albion. The children born in the town were Lewis, who died in Michigan; Hannah, who married Warren Chase, and died in Minnesota; Phebe, who married Philip Beeman and died in Michigan; Amanda, who married Warren Smith of Albion ; Amy, who died at sixteen; Fannie, who died at seven; Sarah, who married James Parmele, and Justus W. of Albion. William Wright, the pioneer, came a poor man to this region but accumulated a good property before his death. Daniel G. Wright was born in Columbia county, November 21, 1814. and was brought up and always lived on a farm. On reaching age he began work for his father, then rented a farm and finally became the owner of one. A life of industry has brought to him a deserved competence and he is now one of the foremost farmers of the town. In 1838 he married Lucy Lord, who bore him six children : Albert, who died in Boston; the second child died in infancy ; Edgar, now in Kansas; Jennie, who married James Allen and died in Albion ; Coville P. of Albion, and Lottie, who married Truman Clark. Mr. Wright has engaged extensively in dealing in apples and was the pioneer of that busi- ness in the county, His lands comprise about 360 acres. He began life sixty dollars in debt. His wife died in 1892. Justus W. Wright was born July 7, 1837, and was the youngest of the children of pioneer William Wright. In 1860 he married Delia A. Lord, by whom he had five children, viz. : Alfred Ellsworth, a prominent Universalist clergyman now in Brooklyn ; Alma Estelle, wife of George Caswell of Albion; Myrtie Belle, wife of Daniel K. Smith, of Clarendon ; William, who died an infant, and one other who died unnamed. Justus W. Wright is a prominent farmer in the eastern part of Albion where he has always lived. In politics he is a strong Republican and has been twice elected justice of the peace. He was appointed justice of sessions in 1893. Coville P. Wright, son of Daniel G. Wright, was born in Albion February 12, 1850. He has alwas been a farmer since old enough to work. On January 6, 1873, he mar- ried Belle, daughter of Pliny E. Hudson, of Murray. Two children were born of this marriage. His wife died December 26, 1877, and in January, 1880, Mr. Wright mar- ried Jessie Thatcher. Of this marriage five children, all boys, have been born. In 1873 Mr. Wright located on his present farm. He is somewhat active in local politics, has always been a Democrat though in no sense a politician. He was elected supervisor of the town in 1893 and re-elected in 1894.

Samuel Willyoung was a native of Erie county, born March 3, 1848, and was the fifth of seven children born to John and Eva Willyoung. His father was a farmer, a native of Germany, and came to the United States in 1840. Samuel was brought up on the farm, educated in the common schools, and attended three months at the Bry- ant & Stratton Business College of Buffalo. He went to farming before he was of age, and in 1871 started out as a salesman of the old Cayuga Chief mowing machine. This business he followed until 1880 when he was appointed deputy sheriff of Erie county and served in that capacity for one year. Soon after ward he came to Albion and be- came connected with the "Curtis Machine Works " in the capacity of superintendent and secretary. These works afterwards became known as the Curtis Manufacturing Co., which, after a life of vicissitudes, ceased doing business and is now owned by Mr. Willyoung and Franklin Clark. In September, 1892, Mr. Willyoung started a hardware and stove store in Albion, of which he is still proprietor. In Erie county our subjcet was a member of old Company H. 198th Regiment, N. G. S. N. Y. He served with this company three years, and although never in service the regiment was held in readiness for any emergency that might arise. The lieutenant-colonel of the regiment and also the captain of Company H were brothers-in-law of Mr. Willyoung. In Erie county Samuel Willyoung was married to Matilda Summer, and to them these children were

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born : Eugene S., in business with his father ; Lester E., a prominent veterinary surgeon formerly of Albion, now of Buffalo ; C. Alfred, of Albion ; Eva, who died at eleven ; Margaret and Thekla.

Wilson, Robert .- The Wilson Family are of Scotch-Irish descent, and for generations back had one member named Robert. Robert Wilson, son of Robert, was born in 1783 in the north of Ireland, where he married Martha Morrow. They came to America in 1834 and settled in Kendall, on Norway street, on the farm now owned by their son Thomas, a bachelor, where both died, Mr. Wilson's death occurring in March, 1844. Their children were: Mary, Nancy, Robert, jr., Martha, Thomas, Margaret, and Eliza (Mrs. W. H. Porter), all born in Ireland, and Charlotte, born in Kendall. Robert Wil- son, jr., was born October 18, 1825, was reared a farmer, and settled on his present place in April, 1868. January 4, 1860, he married Betsey A., daughter of Lebbens Crip- pen, of Carlton, and their children are: Charlotte, who married Harry S. Burnett December 12, 1891; Elizabeth S., who married George Hoffman November 12, 1885; Carrie H., who married E. A. Smith February 10, 1892, and died June 18, 1893; Mary A., who married William W. Jenkins June 20, 1891; and Robert L., and Augusta, at home. Lebbeus Crippen, Carlton, was born in Penfield, N. Y., September 11, 1810, and settled in Carlton in 1841, where he died May 24, 1845. April 19, 1837, he married Sally Au Tisdale, who was born August 27, 1815. Their children were: Betsey A. (Mrs. Robert Wilson) and Caroline H. The latter was born August 15, 1841, and died August 15, 1882. Mrs. Crippen married, second, December 2, 1849, Stephen Groak, of Carlton, by whom she had one son, Charles E. Mrs. Groak died October 1, 1886.

Webster, Myron H .-- Ose Webster was born in August, 1763. He came to Kendall Mills about 1819 and erected there, on Sandy creek, one of the first if not the first grist mills in Orleans county. He was the pioneer settler in that locality, which was long known by his family name. Near his grist mill he also built a saw mill, and sub- sequently erected several other saw mills at different points on Sandy Creek both above and below, which are noticed on a previous page of this volume. In November, 1773, he married Ruth King, who died May 17, 1864. He died near Kendall Mills August 15, 1840. He had seven sons and four daughters, of whom Ebenezer K., Solomon, Luther H., and a daughter lived and died in Kendall; the others moved to Michigan. Ebenezer K. Webster was born in Saratoga county January 1, 1795, and died Decem- ber 19, 1878; his wife, Chloe Perry, was born December 15, 1796, and died August 2, 1877. Their children were: Myron H., born May 16, 1824; Caroline, born October 30, 1825, died January 23, 1839 ; Mark A., born June 28, 1827, died March 15, 1832 ; Simon P., born September 10, 1829, died April 7, 1891 ; John, born December 12, 1831 ; Ruth A. (Mrs. A. J. Eaton), born February 15, 1834; Malinda (Mrs. Edwin Downs), born February 20, 1836; and Chloe (Mrs. Clinton Perry), born December 14, 1840. Mr. Webster came to Arnold's Mills in 1825 and bought of David Arnold a one-half interest in a saw-mill, all being located on the line on Sandy Creek between Kendall and Murray. He finally sold out to Mr. Arnold and removed to Kendall Mills, where he formed a partnership with his brother Solomon to conduct the saw and grist mills erected by their father. The firm built the present grist mill of M. H. Webster & Son in 1840, and for many years was prominently identified with the businesss of the place. Solomon died in April, 1865. Ebenezer K. was active in town affairs and one of the founders of the M. P. church in his village. Myron H. Webster, his oldest child, married, January 6, 1854, Mary Allis, and has had two children : Rome, born September 16, 1854, died January 16, 1865, and Orson A., born July 17, 1857. The latter is in partnership with his father and represents the fourth generation in the direct ownership and operation of the saw and grist mill inter- ests at Kendall Mills.

Wellman, Harry E .- Reuben Wellman, born in Vermont, served as a drummer in the War of 1812, married his wife in Massachusetts, and came to Kendall about 1819, set-

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tling on a farm now owned by Mrs. Almeretta Root, but eventually removed to Michi- gan, where he died. Of his eleven children, Cyrenus, born November 12, 1808, married October 13, 1836, Susan, daughter of James Weed who survives him. He died Novem- ber 16, 1882. Their children were : Irving E., born April 27, 1841; James K. P., born August 10, 1844, died January 18, 1879 ; Annis (Mrs. James Griswold), born May 22, 1849, died May 8, 1883 ; and Lewis C., born January 16, 1861, who married in 1885, Flora B. Manley. Mr. Wellman was a prominent farmer, public spirited, and enter- prising, and inherited many characteristics of the Pilgrims of Plymouth Rock, from whom the family are lineal descendants. Irving E. Wellman married Jane, daughter of Noah Elwell, of Kendall, and has had three children, of whom only one, Harry E., is living. He has held several local offices and was supervisor in 1883-4 and 1891. He settled on his present farm in April, 1865. Harry E. Wellman married Carrie, daughter of Andrew B, Townsend, of Kendall, and has two daughters. He has been prominent in local temperance affairs, has been chief templar of Orleans County Lodge, and is one of the foremost members of Kendall Lodge No. 538 I. O. G. T.

Warner, De Witt Clinton, was born in Phelps, but early in life went to Alleghany county where he was a lumberman, and from there he came to Ridgeway about 1835. Three years later he moved to Barre and in this town was a successful farmer and left a good estate. His children were: America, wife of Alphonzo Starkweather ; Justin ; Mary Jane; Austin; William A .; De Witt C .; Electa, wife of W. W. Phipps, and Charles. Mr. Warner, the pioneer, and also his wife died during the same week. Justin Warner was born March 21, 1831, and has always been a farmer. In April, 1860, he married Esther M. Whiting, by whom he had three children : Hattie, wife of Frederick Raymond; Electa, and Dewitt C., both of whom died in infancy. Mr. Warner is a substantial farmer in the southern part of Barre, and his success in life has been due to his own efforts. Thomas Stephen Whiting came from Connecticut and settled first in Alleghany county, then came to Ridgeway in 1843. His wife was Polly Crane, and of their twelve children, eight grew to maturity. They were Eliza Ann, Almira, Lucinda, Horton, Samuel, Esther M., Philo, Ellen. Thomas S. Whiting died March 14, 1889, aged ninety-one years. His wife died in 1878. Prior to his residence in this county, Mr. Whiting was a blacksmith, but in Ridgway he was a farmer.

Warren, Aaron, was born in Murray, and is the fourth generation of that name. The family are of English descent. Aaron Warren, grandfather of our subject, was a native of Vermont and was a captain in the Revolutionary War and served in the War of 1812. He came from Vermont to Orleans county in 1814, and took up a tract of land near Balcom's Mills, paying seven dollars per acre. He built a log house and shortly after (being a miller) built a grist mill at Sandy Creek, south of the Ridge Road and on the west side of the road where the present mill now stands. This is said to be the first grist mill built in the town. He carried on this business for a considerable time, and died in Murray in 1849, aged eighty-nine years. He had five children : Joel, George, Da id, Aaron, and Polly, who married a Mr. Palmer and removed to Michigan. Joel and George settled in Michigan; David settled in Vermont and in 1868 removed to Or- leans county and settled iu Clarendon, where he died. Aaron Warren was born in Montpelier, Vt., in 1803, and spent his life in Murray where he was always a farmer, and a man honored and respected by his fellow townsmen. In 1846 Mr. Warren set- tled on the Ridge west of Sandy Creek, where he resided until his death in 1891. He married Dorcas Williams, daughter of Henry Williams, a native of Vermont who came to Murray at an early day and settled on what was afterward the Daniel Young farm. The children of Aaron and Dorcas Warren were : Chauncey, Henry, Laura, Lucy A., Maria, John, Marietta, and Aaron, jr. Chauncey settled in Michigan. He was twice married, first to Catherine Bloomingdale, and the second time to Jane Palmer. He died at Albion, and one son, Hermon, survives him. Henry died unmarried ; Laura married Isaac Downey of Murray; Lucy A. married Charles Bartlett of Gaines; Maria

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married Oscar Frisbie; John died unmarried; Marietta married James Beck. Aaron Warren, jr., with the exception of five years, has always lived in Murray. In 1869 he married Ellen M. Rice, and they have one daughter, Mary Warren.

Weller Hiram, was born near Washington, N. J., in 1818, and is a son of Peter R. Weiler, whose father came from Germany during the latter part of the eighteenth cen- tury and settled in New Jersey, where he was a farmer. Peter R. Weller was a tan- ner and currier and about 1825 he settled in Livingston county. He married Betsey Potts, and they were the parents of nineteen children. One son, Jacob, settled in Holley about 1850 and is a blacksmith. Hiram Weller came to Mt. Morris, Livingston county, with his father and was a farmer there. He spent twelve years in Ohio and n 1874 came to Orleans county and settled near Holley, where, with the exception of a residence of seven years in Kendall, he has since lived. In 1874 Mr. Weller married Anna J., daughter of Levi Hard of Kendall, and they have one son, Levi H. Weller.

Youngs, John, was born in Norfolk, England, in 1828 and in 1852 came to America and settled in Orleans county. He was a shoemaker by trade and followed that busi- ness until 1872, when he purchased a farm in Murray, and was engaged in farming until he died November 22, 1891. He married in 1848 Susan Youngs, and their chil- dren were: Salina, who married Henry Staines ; Susan, who married Joseph Carleton ; Lucretia, who married Jasper Robertson ; Mary, married Morgan Michener ; and Jennie married Henry Michener. John Youngs is a farmer, and married Oldma Slater.

Inman, Thomas, was born in Providence, R. I., and belonged to a family of eleven children, seven sons and four daughters. His father and six brothers served in the war of the Revolution; he offered his services but was not accepted, being too young. He married Amy Ellis, of that town; they soon moved to Windham county, Conn .. living there till 1801; then changing his residence to Newport, Herkimer county, and re- mained several years. He came to Farmington, Ontario county, thence to Murray, Or- leans county, in March, 1821. He died in Clarendon, aged 90 years and one month. His family con isted of a daughter and three sons. Earl, the oldest, was married to Huldah Sanders, a sister of Charles W. Sanders, the author ; and died in Murray at the age of thirty-five years, leaving a wife, two sons and one daughter. His oldest son, Darius, is a Baptist minister. Thomas E., the youngest son of Thomas Inman, was a Baptist minister at the age of twenty years and preached in the town of Carlton for awhile, then located at Canton, Ohio, where he was pastor for several years. In 1855, with his family, he removed to St. Cloud, Minn., preaching there and in that vicinity until the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, when he was chosen chaplain of the 1st Minnesota Mounted Rangers and served one year. He then received a captain's commission and served two years in the 4th Minnesota Infantry. At the close of the war he returned to St. Cloud and resumed his pastoral duties. His son, John B., a lad of fourteen, enlisted in the army as a drummer. At the close of the war he led the re- maining remnant of his regiment as they marched into St. Paul. Philip Inman, son of Thomas and Amy (Ellis) Inman, was born in Killingly, Windham county, Conn., July 4, 1800. At the age of twenty he came with his father's family to the town of Mur- ray. September 5, 1824, he married Anna Thompson, a native of Wells, Rutland county, Vt., with whom he lived nearly fifty years and had seven children. Previous to coming to Orleans county with her parents she had taught two terms of school in Vermont and one term in Nunda, N. Y. One day while rinsing clothes at a spring near their house in Murray she heard a noise in a tree near by, and looking above her saw a young bear on one of the branches of the tree. She died in Clarendon August 10, 1874. Soon after their marriage he purchased fifty acres in West Clarendon and lived on that and an adjoining 110 acres, which he afterward purchased, for several years. He then bought a farm one-half mile west of Clarendon village, on which he lived till the time of his death January 6, 1887. He actively engaged in changing the forest

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into productive fields of grain, and bore his part of the burden in the improvements of his time. He was a member of the Baptist Church fifty-five years. Life to him was not a burden, but he seemed as anxious to live on as though in the vigor of youth. Fol- lowing are the names of their seven children: Melissa A., who died aged one year ; Mary Ann, who married at the age of eighteen Jerit W. Hopkins, and died when nine- teen, leaving one son, who died aged three years; Orrilla received a certificate for teaching when thirteen years old and taught her first term at the age of fourteen in Carlton, afterward taught in Clarendon and Barre, and later taught several terms at Muscatine, Iowa, and St. Cloud, Minn. She received her education at the district schools and Fairfield Seminary, and now resides in Clarendon ; Philip Clark, who died in infancy ; Emeline L., died aged five years ; Darwin M. received a certificate to teach school when fourteen years of age. He taught several terms in Clarendon, Barre and Carlton. He received his education at the district schools, Albion Academy, and grad- uated at Rochester University. In 1874 he married Adele Lewis, of Columbus, Wis., and removed to Vermillion, Dak., where he has since resided. He has three times been elected to the Territorial Legislature and once elected to the State Legislature of South Dakota. He is now president of the First National Bank of Vermillion. William H., now a resident of Clarendon, taught two terms of school in Barre, has twice been elected supervisor of Clarendon, and is a farmer by occupation.

O'Brien, Timothy, was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, and came to Orleans county, in 1847, settling at Medina, where for a few years he was employed in the quarries of John Ryan. He then began business for himself, operating quarries at Medina, Shelby and Brockville. In 1881 he removed to Holley and purchased a quarry of the late Luther D. Hurd, which has since been carried on by Mr. O'Brien and his sons. In politics he was a Democrat, was trustee of Medina several years during his residence there, was also trustee of Holley and for one one year was president of the village. He was also a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church of Holley. He married in 1853, Mary Lahey, and they have had seven children: Mary, William, Richard G., Margaret, Anna, Thomas and James P., all now living except Thomas and James. The latter was for several years a student at Niagara University and later at Albany Law School where he received his diploma and was admitted to the bar in 1890. He was greatly esteemed, and his loss deeply felt by a wide circle of friends. He was appointed postmaster of Holley, N. Y. in March, 1894, and his appointment was confirmed August 8th. He died at Holley August 9, 1894. William O'Brien married Charlotte Bodkin, of Holley, in 1890. He was trustee of Holley four years, is a member of the C. M. B. A., Branch 75 of Holley since its organization, was representative to the Grand Council held at Auburn in 1888, and was also representative in 1890 at Binghamton. Richard O'Brien married Ellen Ryan, of Medina, N. Y., in 1884. He is member of the C. M. B. A. also, and was representative at the Grand Council held in Rochester in 1892. Timothy O'Brien died November, 1887. Since his death the business has been carried on by his sons.

Hakes, John S., traces his ancestry back to Solomon, who was probably born in Eng- land. John is the sixth generation, and his grandfather, Perez, was born in 1777 in Stonington, Conn., where the first of the family were found, and died at Pitcher, Che- nango county, in 1822. Col. Perez, father of John, was born April 11, 1806, in Che- nango county and is still living and resides at Albion. His wife was Lucy Ann Baldwin, born in Stonington, Conn., September 15, 1809, and died in Gaines in 1879. Their children are as follows: Perez H., jr., born May 28, 1828; Elisha B., born April 2, 1830; Rufus B., born May 14, 1832; Lucinda B., born September 24, 1834; John S., born November 30, 1836; Lucy A., born April 12, 1841, and died October 1, 1843; Altania, born June 22, 1844 ; Deborah, born March 3, 1847; Mary E., born May 14, 1849; William B., born January 27, 1852, and died October 18, 1890, in Murray. John S. Hakes was educated in the common school at Pitcher after which he attended the

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academy at Cincinnatus for about eight years, and since then has engaged in farming. He and his family are members of the Baptist Church of Albion. At Lisle April 20, 1869, Mr. Hakes married Mary A. Wheeler, who was born in Solon May 10, 1838. Her father, Lyman Wheeler, was a colonel in the militia, born in Solon November 20, 1899, and died in 1858. Mrs. Hakes' mother was Mary Murch, born in New Hampshire and died at Cincinnatus in 1876, aged seventy-four. John S. and Mary Hakes, have resided continuously in Gaines since their marriage. They have three sons: Milford L., born March 25, 1872, and now a student at Colgate Academy ; Louis A., born April 16, 1874; Carl P., born October 21, 1877 ; and a daughter, Mamie S., born in 1883.

Henry Sears, who for more than half a century was identified with the best business and social interests of Albion, was a native of old historic Bennington county, Vt. He was born November 8, 1810, and was the son of Ira Sears, the latter one of Vermont's most reputed early sons. In a family of ten children, Henry Sears, was the last surviv- ing son. In 1826 he left Bennington county and went to Broadalbin, Fulton county, N. Y., where he learned carriage making in all its branches, and where he continued to reside until 1840, when he came to Albion. In Broadalbin, Mr. Sears united with the Presbyterian Church and was a prominent member of that society. Removing to Albion in 1840, he erected the building on Main street, in which he has ever since car - ried on the carriage business. Probably no one who has ever lived in Albion has remained in one business for a longer continuous time than Mr. Sears, and his wagons and carriages have an extensive sale in Western New York. Honest and upright in his dealings he has been an honor to our village. Alive to all its interests he was repeatedly elected to the office of trustee, and for several terms was president of the village. In politics he was an old time Whig, afterwards a zealous Republican. A descendant of the Pilgrims, he was a Puritan in the best sense of the word. Inheriting the noble physique and strong character of his Cushman ancestry, he possessed in addi- tion a peculiarly winning and sunshiny nature that endeared him to all with whom he came in contact. Soon after coming to Albion he with Mrs. Sears united with the First Presbyterian church of Albion, and he served many terms as trustee of the society. He was elected ruling elder of this church March 6, 1853. During the forty years he held the office he was associated with twenty-five different brethren in the session, of whom seven have removed from the place or retired from office, and eleven have died. Almost the entire present membership of the church were received during his term of office. No wonder that he was called " Father Sears." During the later years he had been laid aside from active duties by infirmities of body, yet his thoughts were of the cause and the church he loved. Beloved and respected by all, his counsel was especially sought by the session of which he was for many years the central figure. Positive and tenacious, yet quiet in manner, he could stand alone in a matter of conscience. He was often selected to represent the church in Presbytery and Synod, and has represented the Presbytery in general assembly. In Fulton county, September 20, 1832, Henry Sears married Harriet Alvord and to them the following children were born : Alpheus H., Sarah H., (died in 1854), William Alvord, and Anna Emmons. Henry Sears died February 18, 1893, and his wife June 28, 1882. Alpheus H. Sears married (August 25, 1880) Laura McEwen, of Broadalbin. They have one child. Henry Paul Sears. After the death of Mr. Sears, the carriage factory, which had been carried on by him so many years in Albion, was transferred to his sons, Alpheus H. and William Sears, and by them the business is still conducted. In fact they were brought up in the business and were associated with their father previous to his death.

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Landmarks of Orleans County, New York, Part 108

Author: Signor, Isaac S., ed Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Syracuse : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1084

Author: Signor, Isaac S., ed
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1084