Landmarks of Oswego County, New York, Part 109

Author: Churchill, John Charles, 1821-1905; Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925; Child, W. Stanley
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1410

USA > New York > Oswego County > Landmarks of Oswego County, New York > Part 109

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

David, Pierre, was a native of Switzerland, though of French ancestry, and came with his parents to this country at an early day-1808-settling at Baltimore; thence to near Albany, where he afterwards lived and died. Among his children was

111

FAMILY SKETCHES.

Louis, also a native of Switzerland, who married in Kinderhook, Columbia county, Elizabeth Saulsbury, and soon afterward came to this county, settling in Parish, where he reared a large family and where he died in 1869, and his wife in 1870. Their children were James, who died in 1893; Abram, who died in 1878; Francis, now surrogate of the county; Charles H., lawyer of Fulton; Lewis of Parish; Martin, of Hastings; Roswell, of West Monroe; Leander, who died in May, 1893; and Alphoncene, who died in infancy. Charles H. David was born in Parish December 28, 1828, and was reared on his father's farm. He was edu- cated in the common schools and Falley Seminary, read law with the late Ransom H, Tyler, and was admitted to practice about 1859. He has always prac- ticed law at Fulton since his admission, and for several years in company with Judge Tyler. His practice is general, though by preference inclining to real estate and office work. Since the war Mr. David has held the office of town clerk of Volney, police justice of Fulton, and has been elected to the office of justice three terms, November 16, 1871, Mr. David married Eleanor F. Hubbard of Fulton, and they have one daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth.

Dunham, Anna M., is the daughter of the late Amos Dean, who settled in South- eastern Granby nearly sixty years ago, and took up his abode in a log house for nine years, later building the one where his daughter now lives. He came here from Canaan, Columbia county, where he was born in 1809. His first wife was Harriet E., daughter of Elisha Corning, and she died in 1875 leaving one child, our subject, born December 1, 1838. Mr. Dean married second, in 1878, Cornelia Hall of Baldwins- ville, who has one daughter, Cornelia A. Mr. Dean began life without capital, and by the production and sale of lumber and speculation in live stock, accumulated a large property, largely invested in real estate. He died December 10, 1893, aged eighty-four. Anna Dean was educated at Falley Seminary. She married in 1856 the late John Vedder, a man of distinction in Granby, representing his town as supervisor for three terms and serving as justice of the peace several years. He died in 1886, leaving one daughter, Harriet, wife of Elmer Hazard of Phoenix. Mrs. Ved- der married in 1887, Wallace R. Dunham of Little Utica.

Chappell, Charles E., Fulton, is senior partner of the firm of Chappell, Goodjon & Co., leading dealers in dry goods, carpets, boots and shoes, millinery, etc. Centrally located at First and Oneida streets, Oswego, this house does an enormous retail busi- ness, besides jobbing boots and shoes throughout Central New York. A recent and important adjunct is their dressmaking department. C. E. Chappell was born in Fulton September 15, 1861. His father, John, a long-time resident of Hannibal and a cooper by trade, now lives at Niagara Falls. Charles is his only son, two younger daughters being Mrs. Lockwood of Rose, Wayne county, and Mrs. John Bacon of South Butler. When but fourteen years of age Charles began his mercantile life in a clerical capacity at South Butler in the store of H. K. Graves & Son. He then spent seven years with George H. Davis of Jordan, N. Y., in 1882 purchasing one- third interest in that business. Four years later he sold out of the Jordan establish- ment and after a year at Baldwinsville where the firm name was Chappell & Tuttle, he came to Fulton in 1888, establishing with F. E. Bacon the house of C. E. Chappell & Co. Two years later Mr. Goodjon became a partner, a former employee, Mr. Bacon retiring. Mr. Chappell is intimately identified with the M. E. church of Ful-

112

LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.

ton, and since his connection a prime mover in its temporal and spiritual advance- ment. He is a Free Mason, a citizen of character, a business man of probity, and is highly esteemed wherever he is known. His wife, Ida, daughter of the late H. O. Baggerly of Savannah, is of a family of much note in Wayne county, and among the earliest pioneers of the town of Savannah. They were married May 7, 1885, and their children are Clayton B., Marion I. and Donald E.

Barnes, Evert, only surviving son of Charles E. Barnes, was born in Lysander in 1827. His parents settled in the locality where the homestead is now situated about 1835, reclaiming seventy-five acres from the primeval forest, and reared six children. February 13, 1867, Evert married Anna M., daughter of Daniel Rider of Van Buren, and their children are Emmett, Susie and May. Mrs. Barnes and Emmett are mem- bers of the First Baptist Church of Phoenix. Mr. Barnes enlisted in Co. C, 185th N. Y. Vols., September 3, 1865, and was discharged May 30, 1865, at the close of the war, and may point with pride to his record as a man and a citizen, having resided here sixty years.

Blakeslee, Sandford, was a pioneer settler at South Granby, his residence there dating from 1836, at which time he was twenty-four years old. He was born at Windham, Greene county, December 22, 1812. His first wife was Amanda Brown of Greenville, Greene county, whom he married in 1835. They came to Granby in 1836. She died in 1876, and he married Mary Huntington in 1877, she being a member of the well-known family of that name of Elbridge, N. Y. His elegant home at Granby bears evidence of the artistic training of the present Mrs. Blakeslee, she having been a student in painting of Miss Franc Griffin of Falley Seminary.

Brower, Edgar J., was born in Lee, Oneida county, in 1854, son of George G., who was also born in Lee. His paternal grandfather, John Brower, of Dutch descent, moved from Schnectady to Lee, where he died in 1881. George G. died in 1870, his wife Elizabeth Gue, having died in 1859. Edgar was fifteen years old at the time of his father's death, and came to live with his uncle, John M. Brower, in Redfield, where he has lived since with the exception of five years at Lee. He was educated at Sandy Creek High School and Lee Center Union Free School. In 1878 he secured the Williamstown and Redfield mail route, and came back to Redfield to attend to it. He married in 1879 Lydia, daughter of Dexter Grant. Mr. Grant was a native of New Hampshire and came to Redfield when a small boy, his father being one of the earliest settlers in the town. Edgar J. has had a long experience as teacher, twenty- eight terms in West Lee, Delta and Belcher, Oneida county ; Osceola and Lewis, Lewis county, in Richland and fifteen terms in Redfield. He was excise commissioner. overseer of the poor, and justice of the peace many years. He has a brother, George G. Brower, B. S,, who is professor of mathematics at Cascadilla School, Ithaca. He is a graduate of Syracuse University. He also has two sisters, Margaret, Mrs. William Kenyon of Lee, and Clara I., Mrs. Henry Balcom of South Redfield.

Sullivan, John R., postmaster of Oswego Falls and a leading merchant, was born in Holyoke, Mass., in 1863. His father, John J., emigrated from Ireland in 1860 and died in 1876, aged thirty-eight years. The subject came to Oswego Falls when but a small boy, and has been closely identified with the business interests of the place ; first as salesman for Howe & Dexter, and assistant postmaster under B. R. Howe,

113

FAMILY SKETCHES.

which position he held for five years, receiving arduous and thorough training for his present position. His politics are Democratic, and he has taken an active in- terest in the counsels of his party. The success of Grover Cleveland's election in 1884 resulted in his appointment as postmaster when only twenty-one years old. In 1889 he was elected village treasurer, and in 1890 elected town clerk and re-elected in 1891 and 1892. In 1893 he received his present appointment as postmaster. He started in business in 1886 in the Emery block, handling a choice stock of dry goods, etc., and in 1889 erected a handsome brick block on the corner of Broadway and Second streets, which he now occupies. Mr. Sullivan's mother is still living aged sixty years.

Gardner H. Clinton, notary, bank director, and retired merchant at Fulton, was born at De Ruyter, N. Y., June 19, 1842. His father, Henry A. Gardner, a carriage manufacturer, established his business at Lower Oswego Falls in 1847, where his widow Minerva (Calkins) Gardner, still resides at the age of seventy-four years. After a full course of study at Falley Seminary, he spent two years at the business college, Pough- keepsie. He then engaged in the retail drug business, having associated himself with W. B. Shaw, remaining from 1861 to 1864. Soon after he formed a copartner- ship with Prof. C. S. Eggleston in the sale of books, stationery, wall paper, etc., which he continued until 1876. He was at one time president of the village of Os- wego Falls, and has been for ten years a notary public.

Henderson, Washington T., was born in Albion, May 26, 1826, a grandson of Peter, born in Scotland, who died in Jefferson county, aged eighty-nine, and a son of Thomas, also a native of Scotland, who died in this county aged eighty-four. Thomas mar- ried Eliza Jacobs, born in Connecticut, who died aged thirty-eight. The grand- father Jacobs was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Our subject was educated in this county, and is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He began business in Albion, owning a lumber mill, and also timber land, and conducted business there till 1868, also operated a general store in connection with S. A. Comstock. In 1868 he joined Mr. Post, and conducted business under the firm name of Post & Henderson, owning 6,000 to 8,000 acres of timber land, and operating four mills, as well as a grist mill, the output being about 15,000,000 feet yearly. He owns the homestead in Albion, has served as supervisor in Albion and Oswgeo, and is one of the managers of the State Hospital at Ogdensburg. January 7, 1846, he married Ellen A., daughter of Richard and Mary (Taft) Simons of Albion. Their children are Victor, who died April 25, 1874, leaving a wife and one child; Mary; George (deceased); James D., who married Jennie Thomas, and is in business with his father. He has one child.

Hamlin, Charles V., was born in Williamstown, March 15, 1866, son of William D. Hamlin, who was a native of Fulton county, born in 1833, son of Israel Hamlin of Connecticut, who was a farmer, and came and settled in Williamstown, Oswego county about 1850. William D., the father, was a carpenter and farmer. While in Fulton county he served some years as constable. His wife was Anne, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Vernon, of England. To them were born six children, Libbie Charles V., Mrs. Mina Bradley, of Williamstown, Tressa, Ellen and Ralph. Charles V. received his education in Sandy Creek and Pulaski Academy. In 1892 he took a course in shorthand in Oswego. Since 1884 he has devoted his winters to teaching

114

LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.

school in Orwell, Williamstown and Redfield, and his summers to carpentry and painting. His industry and integrity can not but place him in the front ranks of the young men of the country.

Stevens, William Jay, was born at Cleveland, Oswego county, June 12, 1840, son of Samuel H. and Susan K. (Wood) Stevens. The father was born in New England and died in Oneida county at the age of sixty-five years. The mother was born in England, but died in Oswego county, at the age of fifty-three years. They were the parents of twelve children, all deceased except William Jay. The grandfather. William B., was born in New England and died in Oswego county. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The father was a farmer, merchant, speculator, and captain in the artillery. William Jay was educated in Oneida county, and first taught school there. He studied law in Camden and Rome. He was made station agent for the R. W. &. O. R. R. at Sandy Creek Station, in January, 1863, where he continued for thirty years. He was freight and passenger agent, telegraph operator, express agent, yard master, etc., and until the consolidation, he also represented the Syracuse and Northern Railroad. In 1870 he opened a coal yard, which he has since continued, and later adding agricultural implements, etc. He has held the offices of village trustee, village president, and was a member of the Board of Education for twelve years. July 9, 1863, he married Lydia, daughter of John H. and Clara (Stan- sel) Casler. The children were Maud, born September 18, 1868, who lives at home; and Etta, born July 27, 1864, and died September 29, 1865. Maud is a graduate of the Sandy Creek High School. Mr. Stevens is a Mason, Knight Templar, 32d degree, and Mystic Shrine.

Pratt, John W., son of Timothy and Hannah (Raynor) Pratt, was born at Manlius Square, August 4, 1818. His father was a farmer during the youth of our subject but was engaged in many business pursuits besides. He was the owner of a boat, and when only ten years old, John W. went with his father on the canal; at sixteen he had charge of a boat and managed it, his father transporting lumber to Albany. In the spring of 1832 the family came to Fulton, where Timothy became a prominent business man, having large mercantile and milling interests, besides a considerable tract of land. At the age of twenty-seven John W. began business for himself, rent- ing from his father a portion of his mill property. He built boats extensively ; he afterwards went to Tonawanda and continued in this line. While actively engaged in building and milling, he has also a large farming interest. He was one of the organizers of the old citizen's bank, of Fulton, and for years was one of its directors and principal advisers. He has also been a director of the Fulton Savings Bank since its organization. On March 3, 1847, Mr. Pratt married Harriet E. Slauson of Lysan- der, Onondaga county, and to them these children were born: Charles, deceased; Frederick, deceased; James T., of Fulton; and George L., of Buffalo, N. Y.

Doolittle, Benjamin, was born in Madison county, December 29, 1825, a son of Francis W., who died in that county aged thirty-seven, and of Olive Lee, his wife, who died aged seventy-eight. The grandfather, Joel Doolittle, was born in New England and died in Onondaga county aged sixty. His father was a soldier (major) in the Revolutionary war. Benjamin Doolittle came to Oswego at the age of twenty- one, and engaged in the general commission business with his uncle, with whom he

115

FAMILY SKETCHES.

next took an interest in a retail store. He afterwards began the manufacture of bar- rels, and later was in the hardware business. He then bought the Empire Mills, which he still conducts. He is a Mason, an Odd Fellow, and a member of the Epis- copal Church. He has served as president of the Board of Education, as member of the Normal School Board, as alderman, mayor, etc., and has been police commissioner for twenty-four years. He was elected assemblyman in 1868, and then State senator. Mr. Doolittle married Susan Hitchcock, of Madison county, in 1849, and she died February 8, 1852. September 20 of that year he married Laura J. Mayer, of Madison county, adopted daughter of Hon. George B. Rowe, and by her he had these children : Catharine A., born July 20, 1853; George L., born February 15, 1856; Fanny L., born April 1. 1858 (died in infancy). Mrs. Laura Doolittle died May 14, 1858, and March 23, 1859, he married Roxy, daughter of Harry Wilcox, of Onondaga county, and their children are: Henry W., born August 11, 1860; Laura J., born September 10, 1861; Lizzie W., born October 14, 1864; Annie H .. born August 21, 1866; Sylvester B., born December 26, 1867, and Florence M., born July 5, 1870. Of his children, Catharine, Fanny, Henry and Sylvester are deceased. Sylvester Doolittle, an uncle of our subject, was born in Whitestown, Oneida county, January 11, 1800, and died October 11, 1881. He built and commanded the first loaded canal boat that ever reached Albany from Rochester. He was also the discoverer of the Deep Rock Spring, whose water has a world-wide reputation, and he built the Doolittle House over this spring. Mr. Doolittle was also the first man to introduce screw propellors on the great lakes, and the contract between him and Ericsson is still in existence, authorizing him to build and operate five vessels.

Hastings, C. Wesley, son of C. D. G. Hastings, a carpenter and cabinet maker of Middlebury, Schoharie county, was born at that place in 1826. His mother was Lavina Conklin. The children were Asenath M., Byron W., Harriet L., Lucinda J., Katherine E., Charles Wesley, Augusta A., and Lester. At eighteen years of age Charles came to Fulton, first working at his trade, that of a carpenter, and then en- gaged in various business ventures in the West, being five years in the hardware trade at Owassa City, Mich., also connected for a time with a furniture house, and was member of the common council several years. He returned to Fulton in 1877. In 1854 he married Adelia Jones, who died in 1870, leaving five children, George, Ella, Charles, Henry, and Helen. His present wife was Edna Allen, of Oswego.

Cole, Harrison H., a native of Sandy Creek, born October 8, 1840, is a son of Joseph and Fannie (Nobles) Cole, natives of Hebron, Washington county, who came to Adams, Jefferson county, in 1818; bringing his parents, Benjamin and Mary Cole, with him. Joseph purchased a farm and his parents resided with him until a few years before his death, when they went back to their old home in Washington county, where they died. In 1846 Mr. Cole came to Sandy Creek and bought land. He made several moves in the town, owning different farms. The mother of subject died in 1842, and Mr. Cole married Mandy Noble, sister of his first wife. Mr. Cole died in 1870, and his second wife in 1889. H. H. Cole was reared on the farm and has mainly followed farming. He purchased the farm of ninety acres, where he now resides in Sandy Creek in 1869. He carries on general farming and dairying, and keeps from thirty to forty stand of bees. In 1868 he married Arabella, daughter of James and Mariah Wilds of Sandy Creek. Mr. Cole enlisted in September, 1862, in

LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.

the 147th N. Y. Vols., and served till the close of the war. He was leader of the 3d Brigade Band, 3d Division, Sixth Corps. They were at Gettysburg, where several of his band were killed, at Fredericksburg, all through the Wilderness, and many others. A brother, L. J., was also engaged in the war three and one-half years, and was captain of Co. G, 24th N. Y. Cavalry. Subject has been town collector sixteen years in succession. He and wife attend and support the Congregational church. He is a member of Post Barney No. 217 G. A. R.

Brown, Frank L., was born in Oswego June 11, 1860, a grandson of Reuben, of Massachusetts. who was killed while building a house in Canada, at the age of fifty- seven. The father of Frank L., Loyal R., was born in Cornwall, Canada, and died in this town aged eighty. He married Hannah Toomey, born in Cohoes, N. Y., now living, aged fifty-eight years. Frank L. was educated in this town, and first learned shoemaking. He worked at his trade in the store he now occupies, beginning as errand boy, and working up until he became proprietor in 1889. He handles a gen- eral line of everything pertaining to footwear, carrying a fine stock, and catering to the best city trade. He is sole agent for the Bannister Co. shoes, as well as the E. C. Burt & Co. shoes. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge, encampment and canton. He is a member of the drill corps of Canton Oswego, which won the first prize in the competitive drill of cantons at the World's Fair, Chicago. August 20, 1889, he mar- ried Alice, daughter of Thomas and Samantha (Hall) Newell, of Collingwood, Onon- daga county, and they have these children: Leon N., born June 2, 1890, and Clara Lovina, born August 21, 1892. He was one of the founders of the Y. M. C. A. of this town, and has been a director and treasurer since its organization. He also served five years in the N. Y. State National Guards.

Bacon, Francis Eugene, was born in Fulton, August 12, 1851, and was the son of Dr. Charles G. and Mary (Whitaker) Bacon. Our subject was educated in the Fulton schools and at Falley Seminary. At the early age of fifteen he formed the determi- nation to enter the mercantile life. He worked for R. J. Jones for a while, then he, taught school for one winter. Later he was employed in Worden & Co.'s dry goods store, and in 1872 he formed a partnership with B. J. Dyer, under the firm name of B. J. Dyer & Co. After some years, Mr. Bacon bought out Worden & Co. and estab- lished the firm of F. E. Bacon & Co., still retaining his interest in the firm of B. J. Dyer & Co. He continued in active and successful mercantile life until about 1890, when he became associated with H. E. Nichols in the tanning business, now one of Oswego county's staple industries. In 1890 he became president of the Fulton Machine Co., and is vice-president of the First National Bank. He has been a mem- ber of the Board of Education, also its president, resigning in 1893. He is an active member of the M. E. Church and for some years has been superintendent of the Sunday school. September 22, 1872, he married Gertrude Andrews. Six children have been born to them, five of whom are still living,

Brooks, James H., was born in Bristol, England, August 18, 1860, and came to America in 1871. His father, William Brooks, dying while James was an infant, he was thrown upon his own resources at a tender age, and the honored place among men that he now occupies is due to his own labor and genius. His first independent business venture was in the insurance line at Rochester, where he remained six

117

FAMILY SKETCHES.

years, becoming a citizen of Fulton in 1889. At that time he established a first class grocery at First and Broadway, where he is now located. His wife was Ida A. Marckland of Picton, Ont., whom he married October 29, 1884. Their children are Charles H., Ida A. and James W. Both Mr. and Mrs. Brooks are members of the Episcopal Church, and Mr. Brooks is a member of Neahtawanta Lodge No. 245, I. O. O. F., also of Fulton Encampment No. 120, and Canton Bentley No. 35 of the Patriarchs Militant.

Near, Edward W .- His grandfather was an early settler of Montgomery county; he had a family of three children, two sons and one daughter, Betsey, Jacob and John, the latter the father of Edward W., who married Betsey Thompson and moved to Oneida county, where were born to them twelve children. Edward W., the tenth child, was born September 2, 1835. He lived in the western part of Oneida county until he was fifteen, when he came to Sandy Creek, Oswego county, where he learned the blacksmith's trade. In 1858 he married Harriet A. Near, daughter of John Near of the town of Franklin, Butler county, Pa. Harriet was born January 29, 1836, and lived in Franklin until she was fourteen. She then came to Sandy Creek where she lived until 1858, when she married Edward W. They came to Or- well in 1860, where he ran a shop until 1864. During this time he entered the service in the Black Horse Cavalry, returning in 1862, In 1864 he bought a farm of 210 acres, where he now lives. Of their family of six children, three are living: Ella A., born June 2, 1859, married Frank P. Marsh, March 2, 1870, who died February 6, 1888; there was one child by this marriage, Lula B. Ella married second George E. Stowell. and they have one son, Edgar Lee. Clarence A., born March 5, 1861, died October 9, 1869. Johnny C., born November 5, 1866, died August 4, 1869. Lula B., born December 14, 1870, married Maurice J. Wyman November 16, 1887; there were three children by this marriage, Mabel O., Maurice Earl, Dayton .H. Etta E., born July 5, 1873, married Charles B. Upton June 6, 1894. Charlie B., born April 11, 1875, died. October 7, 1877. Mr. Near has served as justice of the peace. His family be- long to the M. E. Church.

Peets .- Mrs. Elizabeth Deere Peets was born in Wales in 1814, daughter of Will- iam and Elizabeth Deere. In 1830, her father being deceased, she came to America with two brothers, who became architects and builders in New York city. In 1834 she married Mr. Burritt Peets, who was born in Connecticut, and three years later they removed from New York to Fulton. Mr. Peets was a practical and energetic builder, and was in most cases his own architect. Churches, schools, residences and business blocks of Fulton stand to-day as monuments to his skill and enterprise. He was a man of strict integrity, and of a retiring and cultivated taste, never seeking notoriety, but has been on the Board of Trustees of the village. Both himself and wife were members of the Universalist church; for a number of years he held the of- fice of trustee and other offices of the church and society. Mrs. Peets, who survives her husband, is yet devoted to that faith. In 1845 Mrs. Peets went to Europe and spent the summer with her mother, brother and sister in Wales. Mr. Peets died in 1874. Florence, their only child, died in 1861 when sixteen years of age.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Landmarks of Oswego County, New York, Part 109

Author: Churchill, John Charles, 1821-1905; Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925; Child, W. Stanley Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1410

Author: Churchill, John Charles, 1821-1905; Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925; Child, W. Stanley
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1410