Landmarks of Steuben County, New York, Part 88

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 88

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).

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sheriff and constable, and president of the Board of Education, which position he now holds.

Bailey, Adsit, life long resident of the town of Urbana, was born January 8, 1842. He is a son of the late David Bailey, who with his parents came from the Seneca Lake region to the town of Urbana in 1808. The present home of Mr. Bailey is.on the same premises owned and occupied by David Bailey in the early part of the century, and has been in continuous possession of the Bailey family. The farm consisted of over 200 acres, its location is on the west side of Lake Keuka, about two miles from Hammondsport. In 1886 Mr. Bailey erected one of the most beautiful residences on that side of the lake. His maternal grandfather was Amos Stone, a Revolutionary soldier, who came to the town in 1793 and was one of the first white settlers. Adsit Bailey received a common school and academic education. March 9, 1872, he married Edna, daughter of Peter Depew. They have two adopted daughters, Fannie and Geneva Bailey. In 1862 Mr. Bailey became interested in grape culture and set thirty acres of the farm to grapes. In 1886 the grape industry gave place to more general farming. He is now making a specialty of sheep raising, having 160 head of fine Merinos of the Standard Delaine breed. Success has crowned the enterprises in which he has engaged. He has held offices of trust and responsi- bility at various times. He has been commissioner of highways, assessor, and was the representative of his town on the Board of Supervisors for five successive terms, from 1881 to 1886 inclusive, being chairman of the board in 1885. At the building of the county jail he was one of the building committee. In politics Mr. Bailey has always been a Republican.

Casson, Mordecai, was born in Otsego county, N. Y., August 27, 1839, son of Mordecai and Sarah Strongitharm Casson, he a native of Thorne, Yorkshire, Eng- land, born in October, 1802, and she of Butternuts, Otsego county, N. Y. The grand- father of the subject was Mordecai, who was a native of Thorne, Yorkshire, England, and a minister among the Friends, and his father was Mordecai, also a native of York. The family were of Welsh descent, and several generations lived in Yorkshire. Mor- decai, the father of our subject, came to Chester county, Pennsylvania, in 1832, and then removed to Otsego county, and in 1854 came to Tuscarora, where he died May 2, 1882. Mrs. Casson died in October, 1878. He was a farmer and owned 300 acres of land. He was always a member of the Friends. Mordecai was fourteen years old when his parents came to Steuben county, N. Y., where he has since resided. July 21, 1863, he enlisted in Co. G, 2d New York Volunteer Cavalry, under Captain Sanford, and served until October 8, 1865. He was in the Red River Expedition with Banks, and was in a battle near Alexander, Pleasant Hill, La., Cane River Crossing, Grandecore, and was engaged in the Mississippi raid under General David- son, which started from Baton Rouge, La., and terminated at Pascagoula Bay, Miss. In the spring of 1865 he was in the expedition against Mobile from Pensacola, Fla. At the close of the war Mr. Casson returned to Tuscarora and he and his brother William took up 160 acres of land, and in 1882 the latter sold his share to Mordecai. In 1880 Mr. Casson and his brother John engaged in the lumber business, and at the present time they own 410 acres, and are also in the lumber business. Mr. Casson is a Republican and in 1875 was supervisor. He was educated at Price's Academy and Alfred University, and taught school several years. May 2, 1883, he married Helen

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Griswold of Southport, Chemung county. Her father was James Griswold, who married Cynthia Tozer, and Mr. Griswold was buried on his ninety-first birthday. He was a member of the State militia, and was justice of the peace for fifty years. Mr. and Mrs. Casson are the parents of two children: James G. and Mordecai. Mr. Casson is a breeder of registered Shropshire sheep.

Adams, Asa, was born in the town of Boston, Erie county, N. Y., February 6, 1815, and is a son of Aaron, whose father, Aaron Adams, sr., was a native of Ver- mont and one of the first settlers of Utica, N. Y., and was captain of a company in the Revolutionary war. Aaron Adams, jr., came from Vermont in 1808 and settled in Erie county, N. Y. He served in the war of 1812. He married Sylvia Cary. Asa Adams attended the common schools and in 1841 entered the Western Reserve Col- lege at Hudson, Ohio, where he spent his freshman and sophomore years, and then entered Union College at Schenectady, N. Y., graduating in 1843. The following year he entered the Auburn Theological Seminary, from which he was graduated in 1847. He was licensed by the Presbytery and was called to Cohocton, where he was pastor of the Presbyterian church for three years, during which period he read law with C. J. McDowell of Cohocton, and in 1850 was admitted to the bar. In 1851 he

removed to North Cohocton and began the practice of law, and in 1869 he settled at Bloods (now Atlanta), and engaged in the mercantile trade, selling out in 1876, and engaged in the drug business for about eight years, and then retired. He has been largely interested in real estate, and has erected many buildings in Atlanta and North Cohocton. He is a Republican, and was appointed postmaster at North Co- hocton in 1853 under President Pierce, which office he held until 1871, when through his efforts the post-office at Bloods was established, and he was appointed postmaster there, holding that office until 1875. Under the old school system he was town superintendent several years ago. He was elected justice of the peace in 1858, and held that office for twenty years, and was one of the charter members of Liberty Lodge, No. 510, F. & A. M., and the I. O. O. F. In 1844 he married Margaret Lindsley, who died in 1850. In 1851 he married Mary Raymond, and they are the parents of three children: Lindsley; Maria (Mrs. George Fowler) of Cohocton; and Luella (Mrs. Arthur Symonds) of Curtis, N. Y.

Halsey, Charles R., was born in the town of Ulysses, Tompkins county, March 23, 1817, the second son of a family of ten (seven sons, three daughters) children of Isaac Halsey, a farmer. Charles E. was educated in the common schools and made his home on the farm with his father until 1844, when he removed to Bath, Steuben county, and after spending one year in the hotel business, he entered the employ of D. H. Davis, where he remained one year. He was then one year in Prattsburg, and in 1847 located in Hammondsport and entered the employ of Delos Rose, where he remained for five years, later was in Carolina, and then spent twelve years with McGee in charge of the mercantile department at the mines in Fall Brook. In Octo_ ber, 1876, he returned to Hammondsport and established a grocery and provision store, which he conducted until 1895, when he sold, and is now living retired in the village of Hammondsport. Mr. Halsey has always been a warm supporter of the Democrat party, and has twice been president of the village, also for one term was town clerk. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for over forty years, with Urbana Lodge, No. 469, and a member of St. Omer's Commandery. May 6,

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1847, he married Mary Elizabeth Wheaton, a native of Geneva, then a resident of Prattsburg, by whom he had two children: Minnie, who died December 15, 1862, aged five years; and William W., manager of the Western New York Car Associa- tion now located at Buffalo. He is also secretary and treasurer of the Association of Railway Superintendents.

Smith, Edwin F., was born in Woodhull, November 28, 1835, son of Col. Jeffery and Mary A. (Farwell) Smith. Jeffery came to Woodhull with his parents, Caleb and Hannah (Drake) Smith, in 1806. In 1861 Edwin enlisted in Co. E, 34th N. Y. Vols. Inft., served eighteen months and was honorably discharged for general dis- ability, caused by sun-stroke, which in the end caused his death. He was in thirteen prominent engagements; Yorktown, Fair Oaks, Seven Days retreat before Rich- mond, Malvern Hill, etc. ; he was promoted from second to first lieutenant in the fall of 1861. In 1863 was united in marriage to Elizabeth Alcott, daughter of Aca and Clarissa (Owen) Alcott, natives of Otsego and Chenango counties, N. Y. Mr. Alcott died in Hornby December 2, 1843, and his wife in Corning in 1886. There were born to Mr. and Mrs. Edwin F. Smith four children: Walter A., born May 20, 1865; Ar- thur F., born June 29, 1870; Mabel C., born May 6, 1873; Edwin F., born August 15, 1878. Mr. Smith died October 12, 1894, after an illness of five years. He was con- fined to his bed the whole time during his illness of that period.

Dunning, Marcus E., was born in Allegany county, town of Almond, August 2, 1850. S. L. Dunning, his father, was a native of Tompkins county and moved to Allegany county when a young man, where he followed farming until 1861, when he removed to Hornellsville, where he conducted a hotel. He now lives retired, aged sixty-eight years. Marcus was educated in the city schools, then engaged as a clerk in a clothing store. In 1871 he engaged as clerk in the insurance office of J. B. Mandeville, with whom he remained four years. He was then for a short time with F. M. Crookita, after which he spent seven years in the office of Coye & Young. In 1883 he entered into partnership with George Holland, which partnership existed until December, 1891, when Mr. Dunning bought out the interest of Mr. Holland and is now conducting the business alone. He represents some of the best foreign and American fire insurance companies, also a representative of life, accident, and all classes of insurance. Mr. Dunning has held the office of town collector in Hornells- ville. He is financier of the A. O. U. W., an office he has held for eleven years. He is steward of the Methodist church. In August, 1873, he married Maggie, daughter of C. F. Fairbanks, of Hornellsville. They have five children: Jessie, Herbert, Grace, Walter and Margery.

Kellogg, Silas, was born in Grove, Allegany county, N. Y., December 8, 1844, only son of James H. and Sarah (Wilson) Kellogg, he is a native of Geneseo, Livingston county, N. Y., and she of Rupert, Vt. The paternal grandparents, Whiting and Lorinda (Burr) Kellogg, came from Connecticut to Geneseo, afterwards settling at Grove, where he died in 1851. Mrs. Kellogg then lived at Greenwood with her son James H., and died at Portageville, N. Y., in 1864. The great-grandfather, Eleazer, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The maternal grandparents were Otis and Alice (Anderson) Wilson of Vermont. James H. Kellogg learned the miller's trade when young, and was partner of R. S. Davis in a mill at Rough and Ready. Mrs. Kellogg

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died in 1861, and Mr. Kellogg in January, 1892. He was a member of Sentinel Lodge, No. 151, F. & A. M. Silas Kellogg was educated at Alfred University, stud- ied law with Allen Burrell, esq., and was for a while in the office of Judge Robinson of Canisteo. He has been principally engaged in speculating and looking after his landed interests, owning about 600 acres which he rents. In June, 1894, he opened a law office in Greenwood. In 1864 he married Gertrude, daughter of Redmond S .. and Jane (Porter) Davis, of Greenwood. R. S. Davis was a descendant of Samuel D., who settled in Massachusetts about 1642. His father, Levis Davis, was born at Oxford, January 8, 1782, and was one of the first settlers of Greenwood. The father of Levis Davis, was a captain in the Revolutionary war, and was at the battle of Lexington. Mrs. Silas Kellogg died in 1865. In 1868 Silas married for his second wife, Lizzie, a sister of his former wife, by whom he has had nine children: William G., born February 4, 1870, a graduate of Cornell University, Sarah W., and Grace D., students at Oswego; James H., Bertha J., George D., Clara Louisa, Gertrude and Mabel, born November 24, 1888. Mr. Kellogg enlisted in Company B, 86th N. Y. Vols., and was honorably discharged February, 1863. He was detailed on provost duty at city of Washington, and is a member of William C. White Post, No. 73, G. A. R.

Jackson, William W., was born in the town of Avoca, April 23, 1835. His father, Joseph Jackson, came from the town of Seneca, Ontario county, about the year 1820, where he became a prosperous farmer; he was a native of Cranbrook, England, and came to America in the year 1799 with his father, William J. Jackson, who settled in Ontario county, N. Y. Joseph Jackson was a member and one of the founders of the Lyons Hollow Baptist church. He married Annis Holcomb, by whom he had seven children, all of whom lived to maturity; the first death occurred in the family when the youngest was fifty years of age. Alice, who married Rouse Hubbard and settled in the town of Prattsburg and later at Livonia, N. Y .; Margaret, who married Albert H. Hubbard, and settled at Galesburg, Mich .; Catherine, who married William Ber- ner, and settled at Oxford Junction, Iowa; Ebenezer L. Jackson married Mary Ketch and settled in Battle Creek, Mich .; Hiram A. Jackson, who married Safronia Hatch; and George C. Jackson, who married Alice Lillie, who also settled in Oxford Junction, Iowa. William W. Jackson on arriving at manhood settled in the town of Cohocton where, with the exception of one year spent in the west, he has since lived, being one of the successful farmers of the town. In 1888 he settled in the village of Cohocton. He is a strong Democrat and takes an active part in party affairs. He was assessor for nine years, being elected to that office for three terms of three years each, and in 1890 was elected justice of the peace. In 1860 he married Nancy Ferris. by whom he had four children: Frank E. married Lottie Stanton; William F., mar- ried Mary Fairbrothers; Annis J. married John E. Miller; and Cora B. married Lewis Northrup, all being successful farmers and residing in the town of Cohocton, N. Y.

Layton, Abram, was born on the homestead farm, November 18, 1838, the second son of Isaac and Maria (Retan) Layton. Abram was given a good education and made his home with his father until thirty-three years of age, remaining at home and working for his father until 1870, when he bought a farm of 148 acres of his father on lot 12, in the town of Urbana, where he has since made his home. Since

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coming here Mr. Layton has made many valuable improvements to the property, in 1891 building one of the most beautiful residences of this section. He has devoted his life to the farming industry, and while a staunch Republican in politics, we would record him as a plain, honest, upright farmer, rather than a politician. The princi- pal products are grain, hay and wool, never keeping less than 100 sheep. In 1870 he married Amanda, daughter of Samuel Drew, and they have one adopted daughter, Mabel Ione Layton.

Gleason, Ezra, was born in the town of Luzerne, Warren county, June 11, 1833. His father, David Gleason, was a native of this State, and also a farmer. He died April 8, 1836. Ezra was given a common school education, and remained at the homestead farm with his mother until he was fourteen years of age, when he started for himself and came to Steuben county in 1848. He was employed in a saw mill in Campbelltown and Thurston for about eight years, and was then engaged in farming and lumbering until 1862, when he enlisted in Co. G, of the 107th Regt. N. Y. Vols., as lieutenant of the company, and served until the battle of Antietam, when he was wounded in both legs by a shell. He was discharged November 20, of the same year. He returned to Thurston and spent three years in lumbering, when he located near Watkins, Schuyler county, and bought a farm which he conducted fourteen years. April 1, 1878, he bought the Chapman farm of 315 acres, in the town of Urbana, where he still resides. Mr. Gleason was formerly a Democrat, but is now a warm supporter of Republican principles. He was for three years superin- tendent of the poor, elected on the Democratic ticket by over 800 majority. He has also held some of the minor offices of the town. He is one of the directors of the Erie & Niagara Land Company, which position he has held since its organization. In 1857 he married Sarah T., daughter of H. P. Clark, of Thurston, by whom he had six children: Ezra C., vineyardist of this town; Carrie E., who resides at home; Eber F., a farmer and vineyardist of this town; Agnes M., who is a teacher, a grad- uate of Haverling Academy; Kate, also a graduate of class of '95; and Donald, a student at Haverling Academy. Mr. Gleason is a member of Urbana Lodge, No. 459, and Cohocton Chapter, R. A. M.

Duck, Rev. Thomas, M.A., was born in Somersetshire, England, September 4, 1851, and came with his parents to this country in 1854, locating in Cayuga county, N. Y., where his father, John Duck, afterwards conducted a farm. Thomas was educated at Cayuga Lake Academy at Aurora, and entered Hobart College on his twenty-second birthday, graduating in 1878. From February, 1876, to June, '77, he was a teacher in St. John's Military Academy at Manlius. He entered college with the intention of studying for the ministry and he at once began missionary work at Willowdale in Seneca county. During the latter half of his senior year he carried on work at Dresden in Yates county as a lay reader, and continued there until 1879, during which year he taught school at May's Mills. September 10, 1879, he entered the General Theological Seminary at New York, and June 12, 1881, he was ordained dea- con by Bishop Seymour in St. Matthew's church, Jersey City. He spent one year as min- ister in charge of the church of St. John the Evangelist, near Thiells, Rockland county, N. Y. May 25, 1882, he was graduated from the seminary, and June 4, 1882, was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Horatio Potter, D.D. He determined to take up work in Colorado. June 15, 1882, he married Clara Mabel Badger of Penn Yan,

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and June 28 he passed through Hammondsport on his way to his western home. He located in Gunnison, Col., where he was rector of the Church of the Good Samar- itan a little more than two years, during which time he founded missions at Salida, Crested Butte, and Aspen, removing to the latter place in September, 1884, where he remained one year. In September, 1885, he returned to Havana, Schuyler county, founding the mission at St. Mark's at Millport, January 3, 1886. January 15, 1887, he became assistant to the Rev. Charles H. Smith of Buffalo, with a special field at St. Thomas parish and St. Matthew's mission. In October, 1889, he accepted a call from Bishop Huntington to locate at Horseheads, having charge also of Mill- port and Big Flats, and remained there until May 1, 1892, when he resigned. In June, 1892, he became rector of St. James church, Hammondsport. From June till December, 1893, he held mission services at North Urbana, and in May, 1893, he took charge of St. John's church, Wayne, continuing till the fall of 1894, making meantime many improvements to the property. In February, 1895, he began hold- ing services at Grange Hall, Pleasant Valley. He thoroughly enjoys missionary work, and for two and one-half years while at Horseheads, was secretary of the Sixth Missionary District of Central New York. Mr. Duck is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Urbana Lodge, No. 459, of Hammondsport and of Bath, Chapter No. 95, R. A. M. He is also a member of the Royal Templars of Temper- ance, and was presiding officer of his conncil in Buffalo, and Grand Chaplain of the State two years. Mr. and Mrs. Duck are the parents of three daughters: Leila, Bertha, and Dora.

Ketch, Cyrus, was born in the the west part of the town of Prattsburg, June 25, 1821, son of Hiram Ketch, who was a native of Vermont, and served as fife major in the War of 1812. He came from Vermont in 1818 and settled first at Italy, Yates county, N. Y., and the following year came to Steuben county and settled on Lent Hill, where, beginning empty handed, by his industry and frugal habits he acquired a competence. He was one of the founders of the Lent Hill M. E. church, and was for many years one of the trustees. Later in life he became a Wesleyan Methodist. He married Sally Peck, who died in 1892, by whom he had seven children: Harriet, wife of Joseph Billison; Aurelia, wife of Benjamin D. Wells; Cyrus; Lewis A., who married Caroline Phillips, and settled in Naples, where he was a farmer and carpen- ter, and where he died; Nancy J., who married Ebenezer Keeler, and settled in Avoca; Fanny L., who married Augustus Weld, and settled in Prattsburg; and Eleanor L., who married George A. Fox, and settled in Avoca. Mr. Ketch died in 1875. Cyrus Ketch settled on the homestead, where he has always lived, and is one of the prosperous farmers of his town. In 1864 he enlisted in Company A, 1st N. Y. Dragoons, and served until the close of the war. He married Mary Van Housen, by whom he had seven children: Stephen H., who enlisted in 18^2 in the 148th N Y. Vols., and died in the service in 1863; Louisa J., who died in 1867; Marcia L., who died in 1852; Buell, who died in 1851; Margaret E., who died in 1854; Julia E. (Mrs. Haskell Wilkinson); Hiram, who married Ada Lyke and settled in Howard. For his second wife he married Rosanna Wilkinson, by whom he had three children: Burton E., who married Emma Hatch and settled in Cohocton; Mary (Mrs. Seth Keeler); and Cyrus J., who married Ella Lake, and settled in Cohocton.

Fritz, Clark C. and Alice C. Fritz were born August 11, 1870, and October 5, 1852,

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respectively. Their grandfather, George Fritz, was born in Columbia county, Pa., September 4, 1793, and settled on the place now occupied by G. W. Fritz, in 1826. - He married Catherine Kile, who was born at the same place, by whom he had ten children. Wesley Fritz, father of Clark and Alice, was the eldest son, and was born in Columbia county, Pa., Sugar Loaf township, March 6, 1819, and died April 11, 1889. He owned 175 acres of land situated at Doty's Corners. He was a man of retiring diposition, honest and upright, and was known as one of the model farmers of Dansville. June 26, 1851, he married Jane E. Clark, who was born March 6, 1828 and died November 14, 1880, by whom he had four children: Alice C., as above; George T., who was born January 11, 1856; Wesley W., who was born March 3, 1858, and died February 18, 1875; and Clark, as above. Alice, George, and Wes- ley attended the Rogersville Seminary, and Clark C. attended the Canaseraga High School. George married Mary E., daughter of Spencer Jones, by whom he had two children: Spencer, who was born March 10, 1887, and Carl, who was born in Febru- ary, 1889.

Casterline, Phineas H., was born in Deckertown, Sussex county, N. J., October 28, 1826. He came to Steuben county in December, 1835, with his parents and settled in Pulteney. He worked with his father at the tanning and currying trade until his father's death, which occurred in 1854. He then carried on the business until 1860, when he went to Prattsburg and run a meat market for one year, when he came to Urbana and purchased some land and set vineyards. In 1872 he bought a farm in Pulteney and set twenty acres to grapes. In the fall of 1884 he leased the farm and vineyard on shares, and bought some property in Hammondsport and moved there, where he has since lived a retired life. December 31, 1867, he was married to Clarissa Drew, the daughter of Samuel Drew of Urbana. They have had three children: Nettie B., who is a milliner in Hammondsport; Genevieve E., who married Herman L. Obenshare, of Mount Washington, December 31, 1894; and Charlotte M., who is a student at Geneseo State Normal School.

Chrisler, William, was born in Barrington, Yates county, N. Y., September 8, 1818, the oldest of three children born to Frederick and Charity (Rerrick) Chrisler, natives of New York and the town of Wayne, N. Y., respectively. The grandfather, Will- iam H. Chrisler, was a farmer of Barrington, where he died. Frederick Chrisler came to Bradford and engaged in farming and lumbering. He died, leaving 173 acres to William and his brother and sister, Elias and Eliza. Mrs. Chrisler died in 1825. Mr. Chrisler sent a substitute to the war of 1812.

Braeunlich, Albert E., was born in Saxony, Germany, December 17, 1834, and came to this country in 1851. He was educated in the colleges of his native country, and on his arrival here engaged in the drug business in New York city. The year 1853 he spent in the same business in Philadelphia, in 1854 returning to New York, and in 1856 he went into business for himself in Brooklyn. In 1858 he engaged as clerk in the wholesale business, which he followed until 1868, when he became a partner in the firm of E. Kane & Co., dealers in foreign wines, severing his connection in 1870, and from that time until 1879 traveled for foreign champagne manufacturers. That year he engaged with the Pleasant Valley Wine Company, and has been their repre- sentative ever since, traveling all over the United States. He has been a member of

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Landmarks of Steuben County, New York, Part 88

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