Landmarks of Steuben County, New York, Part 40

Author: Hakes, Harlo, 1823- ed; Aldrich, Lewis Cass. cn
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 1180

USA > New York > Steuben County > Landmarks of Steuben County, New York > Part 40

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George Gibson's education was limited to the common schools. At the age of fifteen he became a driver on the canal from Penn Yan to Albany, and soon afterward was employed on a boat as steersman or deck hand. A little later he was promoted to captain of the lake boat J. Price, of Geneva which ran between Hammondsport and New York, and which was owned by A. M. Adsit, of Hammonds- port. In these various capacities he continued for thirty years, when Mr. Adsit sold out. Meantime Mr. Gibson purchased the site of his present residence and hotel, at Gibson's Landing, and also 100 acres along the shore of Keuka Lake, paying $23 per acre. He then took up his residence there. This tract was covered with heavy forests, which he converted into lumber, railroad ties, and ship timber. Having cleared a large part of it he sowed it with wheat and nearly paid for the land the first year. Later he built a warehouse on the lake shore, bought grain and handled freight for the interior of the State, and in 1863 erected his present warehouse on the site of the first structure. In 1864 he built his present residence and in 1887 the Gib- son House, grading and beautifying the grounds, and making it one of the finest and most popular summer resorts on Keuka Lake. He also set out an excellent vine- yard and became a member of the Keuka Lake Wine Company, which in 1865 con- structed the famous Keuka Lake wine cellar, one of the largest in that celebrated grape section. In all these important enterprises Mr. Gibson has been invariably successful; his large business interests have contributed enormously to the material prosperity of both town and county.

In politics he is an unswerving Republican; he has held various town offices and for eleven years served as highway commissioner. He was a member of the com-

FRANKLIN E. DAY.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

mission which laid out the road along the west shore of the lake, a road that has aided largely in developing that strip of fertile land. In 1575 he was appointed agent of the United States Express Company at Gibson's Landing, and shortly after- ward was given the agencies of the Adams, the American, and the Wells, Fargo & Co., which he held until the spring of 1895, when he resigned in favor of his grand- son, Ira G. Gibson. In 1881, under the administration of President Garfield, Mr. Gibson was appointed postmaster at Catawba. the post-name of the office at Gibson's Landing, and continued in that position with great credit for fourteen consecutive years.

Mr. Gibson was married in 1842 to Miss Ann Leary, who was born in New York city in 1812, and who died in 1870. They had two children, Edward and George F. In 1881 he married, second, Arvesta Bailey, daughter of John S. Bailey, and a native of Pulteney.

FRANKLIN E. DAY.

FRANKLIN E. DAY, eldest son of Paul E. and Polly (Blodgett) Day, was born in Bennington, Vt., in 1810, and came to the town of Wayland, Steuben county, in 1821. Paul E. Day, who was born in Medfield, Mass., in 1785, moved with his wife and family to Genesee county, N. Y., in the winter of 1814, settling two and one- half miles west of Leroy. In the spring of 1819 they removed to Seneca county and thence two years later to the town of Wayland (then Cohocton), Steuben county, where Mr. Day died in 1850. In the spring of 1824 the family settled on the farm now owned by Charles F. Day. Mr. Day's children were Franklin E., the subject of this sketch; Washington W., deceased, born in 1812; William P, deceased, born in 1814; Jackson J., born in 1816; Calphurnia, born in 1819; Mary J., born in 1821, died in 1894; Jonas B., born in 1823; Laura L., born in 1825; and Riley, born in 1828. Paul E. Day, the pioneer, built the first wool-carding and cloth-dressing mill in the town in 1826, the carding machinery being added in 1833, when it was rebuilt by his son Franklin E., who erected his first saw mill in town in 1841 and rebuilt it in 1853. The first named establishment was continued until 1846, when it was converted into a saw mill, which is now operated by the pioneer's grandson, Charles F. Day. The father of Paul E. Day was Joseph Day, who came from England with four brothers and settled on the Connecticut River near Hartford, Conn., where they followed the avocation of weavers and carders of wool; his grandsons, Washington W. and Will- iam P., mentioned above, were prominent physicians.

Franklin E. Day came into possession of the property at Patchinsville in the spring of 1838 and resided there until 1868, when he removed to Rochester, where he has since been engaged in dealing in real estate and in building, residing at 204 Frank street. He always manifested a keen though quiet interest in the affairs of the town, and for several years served efficiently as highway commissioner of Wayland. He was a charter member of the Cohocton Lodge of Odd Fellows, long a prominent member of the Wayland Methodist Episcopal church, and now a member of the Brick church of Rochester. He was a representative farmer, and was also exten- sively engaged in lumbering, in both of which he was remarkably successful.

LANDMARKS OF STEUBEN COUNTY

Mr. Day was married on January 2, 1836, to Miss Matilda Chase, daughter of Thomas Chase, of Cohocton, who died February 3, 1871, leaving two children: Or- leans W., born October 30, 1838, died March 21, 1887; and Mary M., born February 5, 1841, who married Rev. D. M. Stuart, a Presbyterian clergyman now of National City, Cal. For his second wife Mr. Day married, in 1872, Mrs. Harriet A. Lee, of Rochester, who died July 10, 1890. Orleans W. Day married Miss Julia A. Mather, who was born in Geneseo, N. Y., January 28, 1836. He was engaged in mercantile business for several years, but finally moved on to the farm and took charge also of the saw mill. His children were Charles F., born in 1862; William W., born in 1869; May E. (Mrs. William J. Faulkner), born in 1872; Harry W., born in 1875; and Amelia, born in 1878.

LYMAN SHEPARD.

LYMAN SHEPARD, son of William and Sophia (Powers) Shepard, was born on a farm in the town of Cohocton, Steuben county, June 6, 1826, and died there April 11, 1891. His grandfather, Ezra Shepard, son of Jonathan and Meriam (Strong) Shep- ard, came to that town with his family prior to the war of 1812 and settled on the farm now owned by Godfrey Marshall, building a log cabin on the site of the present orchard, and died there. Ezra Shepard married Mary Boyce and reared to maturity ten children, of whom William B. was born December 18, 1794; married Sophia Powers, and died June 23, 1865. The children of William and Sophia Shepard were Polly (Mrs. Silas Hurlburt), born June 23, 1818, deceased; Riley, born April 10, 1824, deceased; Lyman, the subject of this memoir; Jerome, born May 13, 1829, died in November, 1888; Sophia, born December 8, 1833, died unmarried: Milton, born April 9, 1835, deceased; Asahel, born March 4, 1838, of Atlanta; Maria E., born Decem- ber 21, 1842, married Franklin Scribner, and resides in North Cohocton; and three who died in infancy.

Lyman Shepard was a lifelong farmer and was reared on his father's farm in Co- hocton, in which town he always resided excepting three years in Dansville. He was educated in the public schools and first settled on the place now owned by Dr. A. L. Gilbert, formerly owned by his father-in-law, Reuben Clason, and in 1872 re- moved to the old William Waite homestead, where he died. In connection with his farming he also engaged quite extensively in buying and shipping live stock, which he continued until about 1880, first with Lewis Layton and afterward with William Culver. In this as well as in all other occupations he was eminently successful, and won the respect and confidence of every one with whom he came in contact. He was a man of great perseverance aud native energy, a steadfast believer in the principles of honesty, uprightness, and integrity, and a worthy and representative citizen. Although a Republican and later a Prohibitionist in politics, he never sought office, yet he always manifested a keen interest in local affairs and generously contributed towards every movement which promised benefit to the community. Alone and un- aided he carved out his own fortune and lived to enjoy the accumulations of a profit- able career. He traveled quite extensively, spending a winter in Florida and two

LYMAN SHEPARD.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

winters in California, and being a close observer acquired a large fund of general information.

Mr. Shepard's first wife was Harriet Clason, daughter of Reuben Clason, one of the early settlers of Cohocton. She was born March 13, 1822, and died July 29, 1872. Their children were Murray, born May 12, 1851, died October 26, 1873; Ann Eliza, born July 12, 1854, died August 9, 1863; Frankie, born March 13, 1860, died August 25, 1865; and Ida E., born May 31, 1864. His second wife, whom he married Sep- tember 19, 1872, was Mrs. Fanny (Weld) Waite, widow of the late William Waite, who survives him and resides in Atlanta. Ida E. Shepard, the only surviving child of Lyman Shepard, was married on March 17, 1886, to Clarence G. Gray, who was born in the town of Dansville, December 17, 1857. They have four children: Jessie I., Franc H., W. Lyman, and Sadie V.

J. E. WALKER, M. D.

DR. J. E. WALKER, of Hornellsville, Steuben county, N. Y., is the only surviving son of H. L. Walker; was born in Nunda, Livingston county, N. Y. Received a common school education, subsequently attending the State Normal School at Gen- eseo, N. Y .; commenced teaching at the age of sixteen, and by constant work and untiring energy succeeded in preparing himself for the study of his chosen profes- sion.

He entered a medical office at the age of eighteen, graduating from the Cincinnati Medical College in 1876, and commenced the practice of medicine immediately after at Arkport, N. Y. His business became extensive almost from the beginning.

In 1883, desiring more knowledge of some of the specialties in medicine, he ar- ranged to leave his business and spent several months in postgraduate work in New York. He returned to his old field of labor and continued his practice, riding almost continually until he saw it would be necessary to seek an easier field of labor. Con- sequently in 1892 he sold his practice and drug business and removed to Buffalo, where he remained a few months. Although his practice seemed assured, yet, feel- ing the need of a closer association with patients than was possible in private practice, he left Buffalo, through the influence of friends going to the Sterlingworth Sanita- rium as chief of staff, where he remained for a year, caring for tubercular cases, making special and original investigations in relation to consumption.

Desiring a knowledge of the methods employed in Europe, he left for London in October, 1893, where he remained a couple of months at work in the Brompton Hos- pital for diseases of the chest, also taking a course in bacteriology and microscopy in King's College.

After completing the desired amount of work in London, he visited the various hospitals of the French capital, also studying the methods employed in the Pasteur Institute. He visited several of the health resorts of the continent, among them the noted Honniff Sanitarium, the finest institution in the world for the care of consump- tives. Spent some time in Berlin, more particularly in the Koch Institute, where he examined many cases of tuberculosis with the physicians in charge, having every

LANDMARKS OF STEUBEN COUNTY.

opportunity to study the methods employed; spent some months in Vienna in special work in the Polyclinic and General Hospital, afterward attended the International Medical Congress in Rome, being made a member of this great body.

Returning to his native country, he made a tour of the United States from the Atlantic to the Pacific, visiting the various health resorts, and studying the climatol- ogy of our own country in the interests of his profession.

In November, 1894, he assumed the responsible position of Superintendent of the Steuben Sanitarium at Hornellsville, N. Y., since which time he, with others, have purchased it and are making it one of the best medical and surgical institutes in America. The most intricate and delicate medical and surgical cases are here given the advantages of all that is known to science. The institution has among its con- sultants some of the best talent in Western New York.

He is a member of the Hornellsville Medical and Surgical Association, of which he has been president, the Steuben County Medical Society, New York State Medical Association, also the American Medical Association. A member of Hornellsville Lodge, F. & A. M., Steuben Chapter, Demolay Commandery, and a noble of the Mystic Shrine of Ismalia Temple, Buffalo, N. Y.

JAMES H. STEVENS. 4

JAMES HUMPHREY STEVENS, a prominent attorney and well-known influential citi- zen of Hornellsville, was born in Dansville, Steuben county, N. Y., July 11, 1827, and has always resided in the county.

His parents, James H. Stevens, sr., and Sally (Wilson) Stevens, natives of War- wick, Mass., and Shoreham, Vt., father and mother respectively, purchased and founded the Stevens homestead in the town of Dansville, which has ever since been in the possession of the family, and where James H. Stevens, sr., died, aged ninety- three years.

Mr. Stevens was educated at the select neighborhood schools, Rogersville Union Seminary and Alfred University. He taught district and village schools during winter terms for seven years. During the last two years of that time he studied law, taking the regular course of a law student, when he was not teaching, by read- ing in the forenoon of each day at his father's house on the farm, and then working on the farm the balance of the day; thereby practically doing nearly two days' work each day, after which, in 1851, he entered the State and National Law School at Ballston Spa, in the "San Souci" building, located at that place, where he continued, except about a month he was in the office of Wm. T. Odell, then district attorney of Saratoga county, until he was admitted to the bar, on the 5th day of January, 1852, at a general term of the Supreme Court, held at that place by Judges Cady, Willard, Hand and Allen. Soon thereafter he entered the office as a clerk of the Hon. David Rumsey, of Bath, N. Y., and in the fall of 1853 entered the office of Hon. John K. Hale, of Hornellsville, N. Y., where he continued until on the 13th day of April, 1854, when he formed a partnership with the late Hon. Horace Bemis, whose interest in the business and library he purchased in 1864. From 1864 to 1872 he was in part-

BIOGRAPHICAL.

nership with Hon. Harlo Hakes, under the firm name of Hakes & Stevens, until August, 1872, when Charles W. Stevens became a member of said firm, which con- tinued under the same name until 1879. At the latter date the present well-known firm of J. H. & C. W. Stevens was formed.

He was superintendent of schools for his native town, and resigned when he came to Hornellsville. He has been chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Steuben county, and president of the village of Hornellsville. He has been three times the Democratic nominee for county judge and once for the Assembly, and each time succeeded materially in reducing the large Republican majority, but failed to over- come it. He has been too busily employed in the duties of his chosen profession to which he has been devotedly attached, having a large and generally successful prac- tice, to engage personally in party politics.

He is renowned throughout Western New York as a trial lawyer of remarkable ability, is clear and frank in his statements, attractive and convincing in his de- livery.

Since March 10, 1885, he has been the attorney for the N. Y., L. E. & W. R. R. Co., for business arising in the counties in Western New York in which the railroad runs, but chiefly in the counties of Steuben, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Livingston and Wyoming. During a considerable period of his professional work, more particularly prior to the time he became attorney for the Erie R. R. Co., he has had a large ex- perience in the counties above named as referee in cases pending in the Supreme Court.

September 24, 1858, he married Amanda Artman of Sparta, Livingston county, N. Y., who died April 2, 1879. August 10, 1880, he married Mrs. Allie E. Collum, of West Union, Fayette county, Ia., with whom he is now living in the city of Hor- nellsville, N. Y.

VERY REV. PETER COLGAN.

VERY REV. DEAN PETER COLGAN was born in Ireland in 1825; studied in the private schools of Mount Nugent and Old Castle, and for two years was a student in the Diocesan Seminary at Navan. He afterwards entered the Missionary College of All Hallows at Dublin, where he completed his philosophical studies and began his course of theology. In 1848 he came to Buffalo, where he finished his preparatory studies for the priesthood. He was ordained in 1850 by Rt. Rev. John Timon, first bishop of the diocese of Buffalo. In the same year he erected a small church, and banding together a number of the then scattered Catholic families of that district, formed the nucleus of what is now the congregation of St. Joseph's Cathedral. In 1851 he was placed in charge of the mission of Dunkirk, which then extended over all Chautauqua county and parts of Erie and Cattaraugus counties. Here he erected a temporary church, and organized a congregation. Two years later he laid the foundation of the present beautiful St. Mary's which adorns the city of Dunkirk, and which is one of the most handsome church edifices in Western New York. In 1858 he established an orphan asylum and school in the same city, both of which were placed in charge of the Sisters of St. Joseph. He also erected churches in the ad-

LANDMARKS OF STEUBEN COUNTY.

joining missions of Jamestown and Westfield, which have since developed into flour- ishing parishes, with resident clergymen. He came to Corning in 1860, where he entered upon his duties as pastor of a poor, struggling mission, possessing neither church nor school, with the exception of a dilapidated frame building entirely inade- quate for the purposes of worship. The condition of the parish at that time was anything but prosperous, as the Catholic families, with very few exceptions, possessed nothing in the way of real estate, and were consequently without perma- nent homes. His first efforts were to encourage and educate the people to the duty of purchasing land and owning their homes. In this he met with gratifying suc- cess, and in a short time the condition of the people was vastly improved. This plan of organizing rendered his labors so fruitful in his former mission at Dunkirk, Jamestown and Westfield. In 1865 he began preparations for the erection of a new house of worship for the then increasing Catholics of Corning, and in the following year was laid the corner-stone of the present handsome stone structure known as St. Mary's church. His next enterprise was to secure the State Arsenal, which he pur- chased in 1873, and which he converted into an orphan asylum, in charge of the Sisters of Mercy. In 1881 he erected a handsome school building, which has at present an attendance of over 400 children. For the accommodation of those living in the eastern part of the city he purchased, in 1886, the Salvation Army barracks, which he converted into a chapel, now known as St. Patrick's. During the many years of his pastorate in Corning he has always labored for the spiritual welfare of the people of Big Flats and Campbelltown, having in the former village erected a small church, and in the latter selected the site and prepared the plans for the present place of worship.

This briefly sums up the work Father Colgan has accomplished during the forty- five years of priestly life. The facts stand in themselves a fitting eulogy of the pioneer priest of Western New York, and testify, better than words can express, the devotion and self-sacrifice which have ever marked his labors. His career is nothing less than remarkable. Be it said to the lasting honor of this devoted priest that in all his undertakings he has been eminently successful. Gifted with an enterprise and business tact rarely to be found in one of his holy calling, he triumphed where others would fail. Wherever his charge, wherever his field of labor, the fruit of his priestly efforts serves as a monument to his name.

His untiring energy, and his indomitable zeal have ever been exerted in the noble cause of educating the people, building up religion, and saving souls. He has shown himself, at all times, an exemplary priest, a pastor and friend to all who have been placed under his kindly care. Such is the record of nearly half a century in the priesthood-a record which can be pointed to with pride by both pastor and people. While ever an ardent lover of the Stars and Stripes of his adopted country, Father Colgan has never wavered in his devotion to the land of his birth. During all the years of his priestly career he has been an enthusiastic supporter of Ireland's cause, and more than once has lent his generous aid towards the attainment of that longed for freedom from British oppression. Father Colgan has lost none of the energy which characterized his early days in the ministry. He is still as zealous as ever in the discharge of his pastoral duties, and although the snows of many winters have whitened his locks, time seems to have touched him lightly. Blessed as he is with remarkable vitality, the venerable dean has before him the prospect of many useful

BIOGRAPHICAL.

years. It is the heartfelt wish of his countless friends, and especially of the devoted flock to whom he has endeared himself by thirty-five years of faithful service, that the beloved priest may live to witness, only a few years hence, the happy occasion of his golden jubilee in the ministry.

JOHN S. JAMISON, M. D.

JOHN STEARNS JAMISON, Hornellsville, N. Y., was the eldest son of John D. and Elizabeth (Stearns) Jamison, of Canisteo, N. Y., and grandson of Capt. John Jami- son, of Durham, Bucks county, Pa. He was born July 25, 1822, at Canisteo, where his father was a leading citizen, and for many years a magistrate. After leaving the common school he attended the academies at Clyde and Nunda, N. Y., but tem- porarily failing health compelled him to relinquish his coveted idea of a graduating course at Union College. He engaged in teaching and was for several years an in- structor in penmanship and book-keeping, thus obtaining the means of defraying the expense of his subsequent medical studies. Senator Donald Cameron, of Pennsyl- vania, and ex-Governor George W. Bigler, of California, were among his pupils.

He began the study of medicine in 1847 with Dr. D. D. Davis, of Canisteo, and attended lectures at Buffalo Medical College and the University of Michigan. He was graduated M. D. from the latter institution in April, 1852, and has since been a member of its alumni society. He at once began the practice of medicine in Canis- teo, but after one year removed to Hornellsville, where he has remained until the present time.

Dr. Jamison's father was a volunteer in the war of 1812, while his grandfather was a captain in the army of the Revolution, equipping at his own expense the company he commanded in the patriot service. He but followed their example in responding to his country's call in 1861, entering the service of the United States on May 4th of that year as assistant surgeon at the recruiting rendezvous at Elmira. He was sub- sequently placed in charge as examining surgeon of the volunteer forces organizing and quartered at that place. In the fall of the same year he accompanied the Eighty- Sixth New York volunteers to the field as their surgeon, with commission dated Octo- ber 12, 1861. At the second battle of Bull Run he became a volunteer prisoner in the rebel lines for eleven days, during which time he established a field hospital at the Van Pelt House. Under a flag of truce he accompanied the last of the wounded from the field to the general hospitals at Alexandria and Washington.

During much of his term of service Dr. Jamison was detached from his regiment on various details connected with the medical service. For his medical skill and efficiency he was appointed, by special orders of Major-General Meade, to the board of examiners for the purpose of examining medical officers of the army. As surgeon- in-chief of division in the Third army corps he was made a member of the medical board for the purpose of examining applicants for leave of absence, discharge, or transfer to the Veteran Reserve Corps, by reason of physical disability. Other details were as examining surgeon at convalescent camp, Alexandria, and on the board appointed for the re-organization of the ambulance system of the Third Army corps. For these and other services he was officially complimented by the medical

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Landmarks of Steuben County, New York, Part 40

Author: Hakes, Harlo, 1823- ed; Aldrich, Lewis Cass. cn Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co. Number of Pages: 1180

Author: Hakes, Harlo, 1823- ed; Aldrich, Lewis Cass. cn
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 1180