Landmarks of Steuben County, New York, Part 87

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 87

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Curran, Michael C., is a native of Prattsburg, born in 1854, son of John Curran, a native of County Kerry, Ireland, who was born in 1827, and came to the United States in 1853, locating in Elmira, then moving to the town of Wheeler, Steuben county, and three years later to the town of Prattsburg, where he devoted his time to farming.' His wife was Honorah Rohen of the same county in Ireland, and their children were Thomas, who died in Cleveland, O., when twenty-two years of age, Mary, Michael C., Catherine, Ella, Julia, Honorah, Edwin, James, Danieland Anna, deceased. His wife died in 1893, and he now resides in Prattsburg with his children. Michael C. began working out on a farm, when but thirteen years old, which occu- pation he followed until 1879, when he engaged in the meat business in Prattsburg, and for several years conducted the only meat market in the village doing a large

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and prosperous business. He also furnished by contract a large amount of meat for Sailor's and Soldier's Home at Bath, N. Y. In 1864 he sold out and the following two years he spent as clerk in the Park Hotel and one year in the Relyea House, and in 1887 purchased his present site and opened a restaurant which he has run successfully up to the present time. He has erected a fine residence in the village, and owns several tenant houses. In 1886 he married Johanna, daughter of Michael Flynn, and three children have been born to them: Loretta, Leo, and Mary Imogene, Mrs. Curran formerly conducted a millinery business in Auburn and Geneva and later opened an establishment in Prattsburg where she had a large and popular trade.

Myrtle, Benjamin, was born on a farm in the town of Wheeler, December 29, 1814. His father, Philip Myrtle, was a native of Bucks county, Pa., and came to this county about 1795. They first located in Bath, coming up the river in a canoe, were six weeks coming from Harrisburg. They spent three years in Bath and then moved into what is now the town of Wheeler. He bought forty acres of land at $2.50 per acre, and it took him seven years to pay for it, but he increased his possessions by industry and perseverance, until at the time of his death he owned over 500 acres. He married Rebecca Walters, who was also a native of Pennsylvania, by whom he had twelve children who grew to maturity. Benjamin was the oldest son. His edu- cation was limited to the common schools, and he remained with his father on the farm until he was twenty-two years of age, when he married and became an inde- pendent farmer of this town. He was elected supervisor of the town before he was thirty years of age, and re-elected to a second term. In 1857 he sold his property in the town of Wheeler and removed to the town of Urbana, where he engaged in the cultivation of grapes, but is now retired from all active business. He served six years as supervisor of the town of Urbana and was known as the war supervisor, serving his constituents with great credit to himself and their interests. It can be said of Mr. Myrtle what cannot be said of any other resident, that he has voted at sixty general elections and has never missed but one town meeting. He was always a strong and reliable Democrat, always active from fifteen to eighty years of age. He was elected a number of times a delegate to the State conventions from Steuben county. In religion he attended and supported the Methodist church. He married Arabella Smith, a native of Putnam county, by whom he had three children: Van Buren, who died in 1888, aged forty years; Margaret, wife of O. H. Younglove of Hammondsport; and Arabella, wife of Dr. Charles Stoddard, of San Bernardino, Cal. Mrs. Myrtle died in 1883.

Masson, Jules, was born in the Burgondy district of France, September 22, 1833, and came to this country in 1852, the place of his birth being a large wine district where every vine grower make his own wine, and for this reason Mr. Masson had a thorough knowledge of the making of wine. He located in Cincinnnati where he en- gaged in that business, being connected with the house of M. Werk & Son, and later with the old house of Nicholas Longworth, the oldest and first native wine house in the United States, and long before there was any grapes grown on the lake shores, California or Western New York; he came to Hammondsport in 1869 and purchased an interest in the Pleasant Valley Wine Co., in connection with his cousin, J. D. Masson, who was superintendent of the company, which position he retained about

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one and one-half years after Jules came, when the latter became the superintendent and has held the position from 1871 until the present time. In politics he is a Re- publican ; he has always taken an interest in St. Gabriel church; he was a member of the Board of Education for three years, also a trustee of the village for the same period. November 6, 1860, he married Catherine Reinhardt of New York, and they are the parents of eight children: Victor and Charles, who are both college students at present; Leon, a bookkeeper of the Pleasant Valley Wine Co .; Arthur, an engi- neer by trade, who died in 1892, aged twenty-seven years; Julia, a singer and musi- cian; Emma, a music teacher ; Matilda aud Josephine, both school teachers.

Travis, Leroy .- His grandfather Travis was born in Pennsylvania, and moved from there to Sparta, Livingston county, N. Y. Leroy's father, James Travis, was born in the town of Hornellsville (now Fremont), and died at the age of forty-nine years. He was a farmer by occupation and owned a farm of 110 acres one mile south of Fremont Center. He was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge. Leroy Travis received a common school education, and owns his father's farm, where he was born. He has been town auditor and inspector for a number of years, and is a member of Stephen's Mill Grange, No. 308. For his first wife he married Clara Langs of Hor- nellsville, who died at the age of thirty-eight years. Five children were born to them: Arthur, born July 19, 1871, died March 21, 1876; Minnie, born February 9, 1876, wife of Elah Armstrong; Byron, born September 5, 1878; George, born Sep- tember 15, 1882; and John, born March 29, 1884. October 1, 1885, he married Wealthy, daughter of Benjamin Wise, who was a soldier in the Rebellion. She was born June 10, 1856, and for her first husband married Don Gardner of Yates county, N. Y., and two children were born to them; Mary, born July 5, 1879, and James, born February 18, 1882. Mr. Travis is agent for the Syracuse Chilled Plow Co.

Cruttenden, Dr. Alexis H., was born in Otsego county, N. Y., February 22, 1822. His father, Lyman, was a native of Kinderhook, N. Y., born in 1793, son of Jeremiah Cruttenden, born in New Haven in 1767, who with his family in 1796 removed to Otsego county, as one of the first settlers of the old town of Butternuts, now known as Morris, where the subject of this notice was born. Lyman Cruttenden through life was identified as a farmer and mechanic, as was his father before him. He married Harriett Noble, daughter of Elnathan and Johannah Bostic Noble, a like pioneer from Connecticut. The family trace their descent through eight generations to Goodman (so called) Abram Cruttenden, the emigrant father of the Cruttenden family in this country, being one of the colonists (twenty-five in number as heads of families) who signed the famous Guilford Covenant, under the leadership of Rev. Henry Whitfield, from the town of Cranbrook, County of Kent, England, who purchased the site and settled the old town of Guilford, Conn., in 1639. Dr. A. H. Cruttenden graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York city, in 1852, and practiced in Brooklyn for four years. In 1856 he came to Bath and established his present practice of medicine, covering a period of forty years in Steuben county. He early took rank as a surgeon, made the first ovariotomy in the county, and serv- ing as pension examining surgeon twenty-eight years. In 1853 he married Julia M. Stephenson, by whom he had four children, two of whom are living: Frank E., a practicing physician in Des Moines, Iowa, and Mrs. Mary A. Percy of New York city. Mr. Cruttenden is a lover of the beautiful in nature and art, spends a large

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share of his leisure time in the culture of fruit and flowers at his home residence, and is one of the progressive men of his county, identified in advancing its best interests and in the leading events of the day.

Walther, Fred C., was born in Bavaria, Germany, April 6, 1828, son of Fred Wal- ther. Fred C. came to America in 1850 and first settled at Rochester, and a year later settled in the southwestern part of Cohocton, where he run a saw mill for over twenty years. In 1858 he purchased a tract of timber land, which he cleared up and brought under cultivation, and is now one of the substantial farmers of this town. In 1857 he married Miss Dorothea Elflein, by whom he had ten children, namely, Fred, Martin, Emma, Frankie, Clara, Willie, John, Scott, Louisa, and Carl. Frankie and Willie died in infancy, and Martin died in 1886, a young man. Fred married Miss Libbie Neu of Wayland, and settled in Cohocton. Miss Clara married John R. Dallas, of Belvidere, Ill., where they now live. In 1859 Fred Walther, father of Fred C. and four brothers, George, John, Bernard and Martin, came to this country, the father settling in Cohocton, where he died in 1884. George settled in Cohocton, and later in South Dansville, where he died. John served through the Civil war, and soon after Bernard and Martin settled in Middlesex, Yates county, where they now live.

Tambling, Benjamin W., was born in St. Lawrence county, N. Y., January 23, 1828. The family is of English descent. His grandfather, Shepard Tambling, was a Revolutionary soldier, and his father, Harvey Tambling, served in the war of 1812. Benjamin W. settled in Cohocton in 1860 and engaged in farming, which has been his life work, but was for several years engaged in the drover business, and, with the exception of twenty-three years spent in the West, he has lived in Cohocton. In 1864 he enlisted in Co. A, 164th N. Y. Inft., and served until the close of the war. He is a charter member of R. E. Harris Post, G. A. R., and is a member of Liberty Lodge, No. 510, F. & A M., also of Bath Chapter. He was three times married. His first wife was Eliza Miller, daughter of Isaac Miller, of Belvidere, Ill. ; she died in 1858. He married second Fanny Weld, who died in 1875. His third wife was Mrs. Amanda Larrowe.

Rommel, Rev. W. E., was born in Grebenstein, Hessen, Germany, March 24, 1862. He was educated in his native country and prepared for the ministry, and was ordained a minister of the Lutheran denomination in 1883, and spent a year in Asia and Africa engaged in mission work. In 1886 he came to America and settled at Buffalo, where he was assistant pastor of St. Jacob's church for one year, and following this he was stationed at Le Roy for a few months, when he accepted a pastorate at Salamanca, where he remained for a year and a half. He then returned for a time to his native land, and upon his return was pas- tor of the Lutheran church at West Henrietta, N. Y., for two years, and from there he was called to Rochester, from where, after a pastorate of three years, he accepted a call from Zion Lutheran church of Cohocton, where he has since been stationed. In 1886 he married Mary Michel, and they have three children: Emil, Carl, and Mary. He published the New Ev. Lutheran Catechism, and a number of other books.

Schubmehl, Nicholas, was born in St. Wendel, Prussia, June 19, 1843, and is a son

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of Jacob and Mary Schwan Schubmehl, who came to America in 1851 and settled at Dansville, N. Y., where he lived until his death, which occurred March 6, 1890. He was a stone cutter by trade. Nicholas Schubmehl learned the cigarmaker's trade and in 1867 settled at Wellsville, N. Y., where he was engaged in the manufacture of cigars until 1879 when he came to Cohocton and entered the employ of S. H. Leavitt, cigar manufacturer, and upon the formation of the T. R. Harris Cigar Company, be- came its superintendent and manager, continuing in that capacity until 1885, when he removed to Binghamton, where he engaged in manufacturing cigars until 1890. He then returned to Cohocton, and became superintendent of the Cohocton Cigar Company, Ltd., continuing in this capacity until the failure of the company in No- vember, 1894, when he purchased the stock of the company and engaged in the same business, under the firm name of the Schubmehl Cigar Company. Mr. Schubmehl is a member of St. Pius R. C. church and the C. M. B. A. He married Elizabeth Stein of Wayland, and they are the parents of nine children: Jacob H., Elizabeth, Mary, Henry, Rosa, Catherine, Charles, Theodore, and Edward L., all of whom are living.

Damoth, George, was born on a farm in the town of Bath, November 14, 1841. His father, Joseph Damoth, was a resident of Tyrone previous to his coming to Bath, but is now a resident of Campbelltown. He is now eighty-seven years of age, and has followed farming all his life. He married Clarinda Austin, who was born in Delaware county, and died in Bradford in 1884, by whom he had seven children. George was the oldest of the family, and received but a limited education. From the time he was thirteen years of age he began to assist his father, driving the team while lumbering, and remained on the homestead until he was twenty-one years of age, when he started for himself, first working by the month, then engaged in lum- bering, and from that owned a threshing machine. In 1869 he bought a farm of 1493 acres in the town of Urbana, where he has since made his home. In 1892 he bought the old Ketchum farm of eighty-six acres. On the old farm he has four acres of vineyard and his son has fourteen acres on the same farm. Mr. Damoth is an ardent Democrat, and was for five years commissioner of highways of this town. He is a member of Pleasant Valley Grange, and has been one of its officers. March 29, 1865, he married Eliza Frances, daughter of James Dildine, by whom he had seven children : John F., a vineyardist; Carrie E .; Roy G., a farmer of this town ; M. Frances; Harry M .; Emma Frederika; and Bertha E.

Thompson, Murray, was born in Wheeler, on the homestead farm, in 1866. Daniel Thompson, his great-grandfather, was a native of Rensselaer county, and his last days were spent in the town of Wheeler. He was twice married, and by his first wife he had nine children. Jacob Thompson, his grandfather, was the oldest son, and was born in Rensselaer county in 1792. He served for a short time in the war of 1812, and in 1815 came to Wheeler and settled in the forest, where he cleared a farm of 250 acres, and did much lumbering, manufacturing large quantities of lum- ber to pay the passage for himself and family from Troy to Canandaigua. He drove a team from the former place to Buffalo with a load of goods, and walked back to Canandaigua, and came to Wheeler from there with his family. He served as assessor, collector and commissioner of highways for many years, and laid out many of the new roads through the town. His first wife was Susan Wheeler, by whom he

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had three children: William N., Elenore J., and George. His second wife was Hannah, daughter of Joel Raymond, a pioneer of Wheeler, by whom he had six children: Lydia, Calvin L., Orville, Joel, John W., and Catherine. He died in 1868, and his wife in 1873. Orville, father of Murray, was born in the town of Wheeler in 1830, where he spent his whole life. He began for himself when a young man as day worker at various occupations, later purchased the homestead, and for twenty-five years conducted a threshing machine. He served as collector and commissioner of highways, and was often chosen as juryman. His first wife was Laura, daughter of Hiram Rose of Wheeler, by whom he had one son, Murray. His wife died in 1870, and his second wife was Alvina Strong. He married for his third wife Eliza Brewer of Wheeler, who survives him and still resides on the farm. He died in April, 1895. Murray Thompson, when twenty-one years of age, bought of his father 100 acres of the farm, but has continued residing with his parents up to the present time and assumes full charge of both farms, and is an extensive and successful potato grower.

Zimmerman Bros. - The firm of Zimmerman Brothers, the leading business house of Bradford, consists of John C. and H. P. Zimmerman, both natives of Bradford, the former born June 29, 1850, and the latter August 24, 1854. They are sons of Jacob and Catherine Hedges Zimmerman, and grandsons of John Zimmerman, a native of Austria, who is mentioned elsewhere. November 28, 1880, John C. mar- ried Alma Read, stepdaughter of Rev. George Shearer. Her father, Joseph Read, died in the Civil war. He commenced business as a clerk when about sixteen years of age in Bradford, and also clerked for a number of years in Bath. In May, 1882, he and his brother, H. P., established the firm, as above, and in 1886 took their brother, Mortimer W. Zimmerman, in company with them, who died October 5, 1891, leaving a wife and two sons, John and Austin. In 1893 they erected a two-story building 30x80 feet, which they now occupy. They carry a complete line of general merchandise and agricultural implements, and conduct a large business. In 1869 H. P. Zimmerman married Annie M. Givens, daughter of James H. Givens of Brad- ford, and they have two children: George, born May 18, 1881; and Harvey, born March 17, 1889. He was educated in Bradford and followed farming until he went into business with his brother. The Messrs. Zimmerman are Democrats and have had the post-office during Cleveland's administration.

Gray, William S., was born in the town of Palatine, Montgomery county, May 5, 1856, son of Ambrose Gray, a native of the same county, who came to Steuben in 1860 and settled in Avoca. He married Catherine, daughter of Lewis Rickard, and they were the parents of nine children: Alpha R., Archibald, Charles A., Will- iam S., Mrs. Caroline Lyke, Mrs. Nancy E. Clemens, Mrs. Ann J. Heinaman, Mrs. Mary E. Shults, and Mrs. Kate Lee. He died in 1882, in his sixty-first year. Will- iam was educated in the common schools and in 1880 married Ida, daughter of of James Francis. In 1884 he came to Kanona and established his present business, as dealer in fresh and salted meats. Mr. Gray served as deputy for six years.

Adair, W. E .- The first of the Adair family to settle in Steuben county was John Adair, who was born in Ireland, April 19, 1828, son of William Adair, and came to America about 1844 and settled in Cohocton. He was a carpenter and wagon- maker by trade, at which he worked until his death in 1883. In 1861 he enlisted in

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Co. I, 164th New York Infantry as private, and was promoted first lieutenant. In politics he was a Republican. He was a member and trustee, also local preacher of the Methodist church, and was a strong temperance man. He was a charter member of Liberty Lodge No. 510, F. & A. M. Mr. Adair married Catherine De Revere of Westchester county, N. Y., and they were the parents of three children : John, William E., and Emma V., now Mrs. F. A. Tobias, all of Cohocton. William E. was born in Cohocton, January 13, 1860. After completing his schooling he was employed in the Cohocton Times office for several years. Having early manifested a taste for music, in 1830 he went to New York city and entered the Conservatory, and after a course of study there he returned to Cohocton, where he has since been engaged in teaching music, and in the sale of musical instruments. He has com- posed and arranged considerable music for piano, bands, etc. In 1888 he, with others, engaged in the milling business, and in 1894 he became sole owner and pro- prietor of the Model Roller Mills at Cohocton, and was an extensive manufacturer of buckwheat flour, etc., selling out in July, 1895. He is an active member of the Republican party, was elected town clerk in 1883, and was president of the village two terms, in 1894-96. He is a member of Liberty Lodge No. 510, F. & A. M., and has been a member of the Cohocton Band since 1876, and for the greater part of the time leader of Adair's Band, a well-known amateur organization, which has filled engagements all over Central and Western New York.

Lawrence, Mrs. May .- George Lawrence was born in Livingston county, N. Y., April 13, 1838, a son of John and Maria Lawrence, he a native of Onondaga county, N. Y. George Lawrence was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools and Lima Seminary. He was a farmer by occupation and in 1860 came to Wood- hull, first living three miles from the village, then in Hedgesville, coming to the farm he occupied at his death in 1883. Mr. Lawrence's first wife was Annette Lyon, by whom he had one son, E. Henry, now of Binghamton, N. Y, a bookkeeper for the W. P. Holbert Lumber Company, also having an interest in the company. Mr. Lawrence afterward married May Z. Chatfield, a native of Sodus Point, Wayne county, N. Y., by whom he had three children: Josephine, Loren and Mary. Mr. Chatfield was from England, and Mrs. Chatfield from Pulteney, Steuben county. Ezra Chatfield was a Baptist minister in his early days. He died in Jasper, N. Y., January 7, 1882, and his wife died in October, 1887.

Barnard, G. F .- The late George A. Barnard was born in the town of Corning, February 21, 1837. He was a son of Frederick Barnard, who came from Otsego county, in October, 1832, locating in the town of Corning, just across the line from Caton. Frederick Barnard was born in Milford, Otsego county, in 1802, and married Lucy Wilcox, a native of Canaan, Litchfield county, Conn., in 1824. He kept a country store at Jacksonville, Otsego county, before removing to Corning. He was the father of seven children, viz. : Mary, Edwin W., Charles D., Melissa A., Gershom W., George A., and Egbert P. George A. was raised on the old homestead, and in 1859 was married to Mary Westcott, who was born at Oxford, Chenango county, in 1834. She was a daughter of George Westcott, a native of Windham county, Conn., who removed from Chenango county to Caton about 1838. In 1862 Mr. Barnard located on the farm where he lived until his death, and where Mrs. Barnard still re- sides. He was a prominent and influential farmer and lumberman. He died in

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1886, leaving four children : Dora, George F., Guy, and Alfie, a son, Delos W., having died in 1864, and a daughter, Edna L., in 1876. They have eighty-seven acres of the home place, and follow general farming.

Longwell, David, was born on the old homestead farm in the town of Urbana, August 14, 1832. James Longwell, his father, was born in the town of Carmel, Put- nam county, N. J., and was one of the first settlers of this town, settling on North Hill, near Hammondsport, where he remained a few years, when he located on the third division of district No. 6, where he owned over 300 acres at the time of his death. He married Sarah Carver, a descendant of Judge Carver, of Massachusetts, by whom he had thirteen children, five of whom are now living. Mr. Longwell died April 10, 1871, and his wife January 18, 1840. David was the youngest son and was educated in the common schools and Starkey Seminary, and made his home with his parents until he was twenty-five years of age, when he took 110 acres of the home- stead farm, erected a residence, and set out seven acres of vineyard. He also has a farm of fifty-four acres, a part of the John Brundage estate. Mr. Longwell is an ardent Democrat in politics, and was for six consecutive years highway commis- sioner, and is now serving his third year as magistrate. He has also frequently been delegate to the district convention. In 1856 he married Mary E., daughter of George S. Brundage, by whom he had four children: Florence, wife of William B. Townsend, a grape grower and box manufacturer of Yates county; Theron B., who lives on an adjoining farm; Lizzie, who lives at home; and Mariah, who died at the age of eighteen months.

Colvin, E. & D., dealers in general merchandise, with a building 28 by 80 feet and freight house 24 by 54. They began business in 1870 with a capital of $217, but are now and have been for several years the leading firm in Woodhull. The firm is composed of Emmett and Delancy Colvin, sons of Stephen Colvin, whose father was Caleb Colvin, who came to Woodhull in 1804. He afterwards removed to Knoxville, Pa., where he died. Stephen kept a hotel at Knoxville for a number of years, but in 1847 removed to Woodhull, where he died in 1872. His wife, who was Roxana Mad- ison, died the same year. She was for years a member of the M. E. church. Emmett Colvin was born July 14, 1845, in Knoxville, Pa., and was educated in Troupsburg Academy. April 13, 1872, he married Ladora Spencer, of Chenango county, by whom he had three children: Merton, aged twenty; Clarence, aged sixteen; and Leonard deceased. Delancy was born in Woodhull, April 14, 1847, and was edu- cated in the common and select schools of Woodhull. He married Mary Brooks, formerly of Hornellsville, by whom he had seven children: Park D., aged twenty- seven; William R., aged twenty-four; Carrie, aged twenty; Minnie, deceased ; Archie, deceased; Nelson, who died in infancy; and Florence, aged eight years. Emmett and Delancy have been in partnership for thirty years and have never kept any books between them, each taking for his family what he desired. They first bought a farm of sixty-five acres and paid for it by working by the month and with what Emmett made in one year in the oil regions at Pithole Oil Fields, Pa., and also working the farm. They afterwards engaged in the mercantile business, in which they have been very successful, owning their buildings and a large stock of goods. They are both members of Restoration Lodge, No. 777, F. & A. M., Emmett being a charter member. Delancy has been supervisor of Woodhull two years, deputy

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Landmarks of Steuben County, New York, Part 87

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