Landmarks of Steuben County, New York, Part 96

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 96

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Decker, William H., was born in Owego, N. Y., June 4, 1841, son of Peter and Mary (Smith) Decker, he born in Tioga county, N. Y., and died in Owego, in 1878, and she born in Pulteney, Steuben county, and died in Owego, in 1850, a daughter of Abram Smith, one of the first settlers of the town of Pulteney. William H. Decker was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools, and began life for him- self when twelve years of age. In 1862 he enlisted in Co. B, 6th N. Y. Heavy Artil- lery, and served until the close of the war. He was engaged in the battles of the Peninsula, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Petersburg and Fisher's Hill, and many skirmishes, and was wounded at Spottsylvania. Mr. Decker located on the farm he now owns in 1862, where he has since resided. He now owns 145 acres of land. He

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is a member of the Post of Merchantsville. In 1866 he married Lydia Ninson, of Tompkins county, N. Y., by whom he had twelve children: Charles, George, John, Rosa, Ella, Ida, William (deceased), Flora (deceased), Sherman, Willie and Willard, twins (deceased), and Laura.

Duvell Bros .- Albert Duvell and his wife, Martha, came from Montgomery county, locating in Hornby in 1848 where their sons Alfred and Daniel reside. They spent the balance of their days here. ' Daniel was born in 1830 in Montgomery county and married, in 1855, Mary E. Whitehead, who died in 1891. He has a family of two sons and three daughters. He afterward married Catherine Sharp, his present wife, who is a native of the town of Campbell. Alfred D. was born in 1841 and raised on the home place. In 1863 he married Rebecca Kembell, who died in 1894, leaving four sons and two daughters. January 1, 1864, he enlisted in Co. F, 9th Artillery, and was with Grant in the Wilderness. He served till the close of the war being promoted to the office of lieutenant-colonel. He is considered one of Steuben county's largest and most enterprising farmers owning 900 acres of land. He has filled the offices of justice of the peace, assessor, and supervisor.

Easling, Minor, son of Abram D. and Emeline Masters Easling, was born in Hornby in 1854. The father came from Tompkins county in 1826, and in 1872 moved to Corning where he died in 1879, aged sixty-six. The mother came from New Jer- sey with her parents, Nehemiah and Harriet Masters, in 1827. In 1875 Mr. Easling married Sarah Sample, a native of Hornby and in 1876 came to his present farm, it being his mother's home place. He has two children: Ellsworth and Emma.

Erwin, Samuel C., son of Arthur, and grandson of Arthur, the original Erwin of the town of Erwin, was born in 1823 and has always resided in the county. In 1856 he married Elizabeth Thompson, who is a native of Erwin. They have five children. Samuel C., Carrie N., Arthur A., James T., and Elizabeth. Mr. Erwin has 200 acres where he has lived in Hornby since 1865.

Dunn, Melvin, was born August 25, 1847. His father, Asa Dunn, was born in 1809, and died April 18, 1886, aged seventy-six years. He has always lived around Loon Lake, and he married Samantha, daughter of John Randall, who was born in Massachusetts, July 25, 1821, by whom he had five children: John and Leona, de- ceased; Melvina, who married Henry Haw; Melvin, as above; and Albert A. Mel- vin Dunn received a common school education, after which he engaged in farming, and now owns a farm of 106 acres, near Haskinville. November 29, 1869, he married Delight Salisbury, who was born in the town of Burns, September 8, 1848, by whom he had five children: George B., who was born July 8, 1872; Mertie A., who was born March 18, 1874; Melvin A., who was born April 18, 1877; Carrie R., who was born September 21, 1881; and Arthur W., who was born September 18, 1883. George B. married Mabel Razey, and Mertie married Louis Rowley.

Draper, Nahum, was born in Morris, Otsego county, N. Y., May 23, 1820, son of Benjamin and Olive (Pettingill) Draper, natives of Dutchess county, N. Y., and Massachusetts, respectively. The grandfather, Ebenezer Draper, lived and died in Otsego county, N. Y. His father emigrated from England to Vermont, where he died. Benjamin Draper was in the war of 1812. He was a farmer and hotel keeper in Dutchess county. Nahum Draper was educated in the common schools. In 1866

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he came to Rathbone, settling on the farm he now owns, which consists of 100 acres. He has served as constable. In 1845 he married Catherine O., daughter of Jacob Fults, and niece of Thurlow Weed's wife. They have had six children: Amos, Mar- garet, James H., Belle, George, and Seymour. Mr. and Mrs. Draper celebrated their golded wedding January 1, 1895, having a company of about fifty of their rela- tives and friends.

Dininny, Mrs. Sarah A .- Col. John W. Dininny was for years one of the most central figures in the social and political life of Addison, and a man closely identified with all its affairs. He was born at Oneonta in 1820, a place formerly known as Mil- ford, but when twelve years of age he came with his parents to this town. He was an active participant in the labor of the pioneer settlers in clearing the land, lum- bering, and sharing their hardships. After leaving Oneida Institute, where his edu- cation began, he entered the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, from which he graduated with high honors in 1842. Then followed several years of school teaching, ending with the principalship of Addison High School. His law career is, perhaps, the most noteworthy. He began his law study in the office of Hon. Andrew G. Chatfield in 1845, and in 1849, when only twenty-nine years of age, he was admitted to pactice in the courts of New York State, by an order of the Supreme Court. The next year he became a partner in the law office of his brother, Hon. Ferral C. Dininny, and ten years after his admission to the bar, he was admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States, at Washington, D. C., to practice as an attorney and counselor. In 1863 his brother retired, leaving the entire charge of his large practice to Colonel Dininny, who continued in the law business until the time of his death. The war record of this man is no less brilliant. He accepted the position of major of the 141st Regt. N. Y. Vols., when it was first organized, and in 1862 he was mustered into the United States service. He went with his regiment to Virginia, and was a partici- pant in many battles in and about Richmond. In 1863 he was promoted to colonel, which position he held until disease of the eyes compelled him to resign. Mr. Din- inny was much interested in education, and was for twenty-four years president of the Board of Education, the establishing of the Union Free School of Addison being due largely to his efforts. In 1849 he married Sarah A. Coburn, who still survives him, and by whom he had four children: Harper F., Carleton V., William B., and Georgiana.

Donaldson, William R., was born in the town of Hartsville, N. Y., June 19, 1847, and is a son of Hiram Donaldson, who was born in Vermont, and came to Hartsville when five years of age. Joel Donaldson, the grandfather, settled in Hartsville when that part of the country was a wilderness and was obliged to clear land on which to build a log cabin. Hiram Donaldson married Louisa Webb, daughter of Henry Webb, of Hartsville, and they had five children: William R., Martha, Henry, Adell, and Lillie. William R. has been a miller for over thirty years in the town of Harts- ville, owns two saw mills and manufactures lumber in large quantities. He married Anna Crousin, daughter of Francis Crousin, of Hartsville, and they have one son, Arthur, who follows in the same occupation as his father.

Elmer, Sanford, a son of Curtis and Violet, formerly residents of Corning but na- tives of Connecticut was one of four children named Mary Jane Ranney, Ella Mer-

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riman, Ellen deceased, and Sanford. The latter and his father settled in Big Flats about 1850, and raised the first crop of tobacco that was raised in that section. San- ford married May Matilda, daughter of Isaac Clute, of Corning, and they have three children: Fred, Joseph, and Ida M. Mitchel. Mr. Elmer has a farm of 180 acres, was formerly in the extract business in Tioga county, Pa., also a merchant at Hartford Corners for one year. Mr. Elmer is a member of the Addison Methodist church.

Davis, Richard, was born in Troupsburg, N. Y., July 11, 1842, and is the third son of eleven children born to Isaiah and Hannah Erskine Davis, and grandson of David Davis, who was a pioneer of Troupsburg, a farmer and a man of wealth. Isaiah was reared on a farm, which occupation he followed until within a few years, when he retired and now resides in Potter county, Pa., aged eighty-two years, and Mrs. Davis is seventy two years old. Richard commenced in West Union as a farm laborer, and being very industrious bought sixty acres in West Union, which he sold, and in 1877 bought again in Troupsburg, and in 1883 settled on the place he now owns, which consists of 175 acres. In 1863 he married Louisa, daughter of Eliph- elet and Emiline Lamphire Davis, who was born in Troupsburg, April 28, 1845. Their children are William, Eugene, Edwin, Edward, Hannah, wife of Delos Page, Mary, wife of Freeborn Stiles, a farmer of Troupsburg, Dora, Nettie, Charlie, and Johnnie.

Dunn, George C., was born in New Jersey, July 11, 1837, son of Jacob, also a na- tive of New Jersey, and grandson of Jeptha, a native of New England, who died when a young man. In 1846 Jacob came to the town of Pulteney, where he spent most of his life on a farm. His wife was Nancy Coleman, a native of New Jersey, and their children were Lewis, David, George C., Samuel (deceased), Jeptha, Sarah, Catherine, Jennie, Margaret, James, and Celia. Lewis died in Libby Prison, and Jeptha in the army hospital. David served all through the war, was first on a whaler for five years, when he enlisted on a British brig which he deserted at the beginning of the war, and then enlisted for two years in the Union Navy under the name of Ellis, which name he has carried ever since. After the expiration of this time he enlisted in the 22d New York Cavalry and was discharged in Colorado. In 1862 George C. enlisted in Company A, 161st N. Y. Vols., and served three years, participating in the battle of Stewart Plains, La., the forty days' siege of Port Hud- son, Cox plantation, and the Red River Campaign, after which he was with General Bailey until the close of the war, when he returned to Pulteney and later to Jerusa- lem, where he followed the carpenter's trade. In 1871 he removed to Prattsburg on his present farm. Mr. Dunn is a member of the Gregory G. A. R. Post of Pratts- burg. In 1866 he married Susan A., daughter of William and Mehetabel Miller Coryell, and they have two children; Angevine, of Pulteney, who is married and has one child, Myrtle; and Willie, who resides at home.

Earnest, George D., was born in Wayne, December 13, 1861, son of Wallace W., and grandson of John J., and great-grandson of John and Isabelle Kelly Earnest, and great-great-grandson of Peter Earnest. Peter was a native of Mohawk Valley, and was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. John Earnest was a pioneer of Wayne, and died in Tyrone in 1880, and his wife, in 1869. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. John J. was one of the leading business men of Wayne, being a farmer and

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mechanic. He was a Whig and is now a Republican, and was supervisor of Wayne for several years. Mrs. John J. Earnest died in 1883. Wallace W. married Phebe, daughter of Lewis and Marial Clark, of Barrington. He enlisted in Co. B, 141st N. Y. Vols., in August, 1862, and was honorably discharged when his term of service expired. He is a blacksmith and farmer (also an auctioneer), he and his son having a farm of one hundred acres and a vineyard of eight acres. George D. was educated at Starkey Seminary, and was graduated from Lowell Business College in 1881, and was bookkeeper for O. C. Galen of Albion, Mich. In 1885 George D. married Hattie E., daughter of Dr. Jacob Runner deceased.

Ellis, Benjamin F., was born in Barrington, Yates county, N. Y., June 21, 1833. and is the eighth of nine children born to Samuel and Elizabeth (Booth) Ellis, both natives of Orange county, N. Y. The grandparents, William and Rebecca Ellis, came from Orange county to Seneca county, thence to the town of Benton. He was a miller by trade. The maternal grandfather, Amos Booth, was a soldier of the Revolution, and lived to be 101 years of age. He spent his last days in Lodi. Sam- uel Ellis, father of Benjamin F., was a farmer of Yates county. He was for a num- ber of years at Geneva Lake, Wis., but died in Seneca county, in 1848, Mrs. Ellis died in 1872. Benjamin F. Ellis was reared on a farm, and in 1860 went to Califor- nia where he was engaged in mining for five years. He returned to New York State and bought a hotel in Bradford. Mr. Ellis owns 200 acres of land in Wayne, and a small farm in Tyrone, and is engaged in general farming and speculating. He mar- ried Emily Gibson, who died in 1881, and he married for his second wife, Rosa Champlin, of Sonora.

Eiband, Anthony M., was born in Bavaria, Germany, September 6, 1855, and came to this country in 1871, when sixteen years of age. He came to Dansville, Living- ston connty, N. Y., where he was employed with R. S. Stone for one year and a half at wagonmaking and learning the trade. He then went to Canaseraga and then to South Dansville. In February, 1873, he returned to his native land where he re- mained until October of the same year, and in November, 1873, he came to Arkport. He was employed for two years by Henry Bills and Martin Sharp. In 1877 he started in business for himself in the manufacture of carriages, which he made a specialty until November, 1884, when he established a planing and matching mill at Arkport, which line of business we now find him engaged in. In 1885 he was burned out and then erected a mill 60 by 30 feet, put in steam power and fitted it with ma- chinery to do all kinds of wood work. Mr. Eiband is an enthusiastic Republican but not a politician. He is a member of the Presbyterian church at Arkport. He was married October 8, 1877, to Miss Ida B. Coburn, daughter of Andrus Coburn of Hor- nellsville. They have eight children: A. Guy, seventeen years of age; Lena, aged fifteen ; Joseph, aged fourteen ; Nina, aged twelve; Margaret, aged ten; Lot R., aged eight; Anthony, aged seven; and Elizabeth, aged two. Mrs. Eiband died Decem- ber 16, 1893, at thirty-seven years of age. A Christian character, a loving mother and kind wife was taken from her family, and they still mourn her loss.

Emery, Ashabel W., was born on a farm in the town of Hornellsville, May 6, 1828. William Emery, his father, was a native of Pennsylvania and one of the early settlers of Penn Hill, in the town of Hornellsville. He cleared a farm on lot No. 26, where

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he spent the most of his life. He died in the spring of 1864. His wife, Anna Kline, was also from Pennsylvania, and they were the parents of eight sons and two daugh- ters, of whom five sons and one daughter are still living. Ashabel, the sixth son, was given a common school education, such as could be derived by attending school during the winter terms. His summers were spent at farm work and lumbering, remaining at home until twenty-one years of age, and was then for five years em- ployed with other farmers. In the fall of 1864 he bought a farm of 100 acres in the town of Jasper, which he conducted one year and then spent three years on his father-in-law's place in Hornellsville. In 1868 he bought seven acres of John Dildine. thirty-five acres of the Eddy farm and the Price farm of seventy acres. He also owns thirty acres adjoining the J. E. R. Patten farm. In 1892, his son being in Hornells- ville, Mr. Emery became one of the residents of that village, buying an acre of land on which he has erected a fine residence. He is a member of Arkport Grange, No. 179, and always a supporter of church and school work. January 19, 1853, he mar- ried Mary, daughter of George Collins, and they have three children: Edwin S., a school teacher, who died in 1881 at twenty-six years of age; Marshall, one of Ark- port's enterprising business men, and Flora, the wife of James N. Flint, who con- ducts the homestead farm.

Evans, Charles E., jr., was born in Painted Post, town of Erwin, December 2, 1861. Charles E. Evans, the father of Charles, jr., is also a native of this county. He is a machinist and a resident of Hornellsville. Charles, jr., was given a good common school education, and at sixteen years of age went to learn the blacksmith trade with Grannis, Ryan & Co., of Hornellsville, where his people had moved in 1871. He spent three years at that business and then took up the machinist trade with the Rawson Manufacturing Co., where he remained until they went out of busi- ness in 1883, and then for four years with the Erie Company in their shops in Hor- nellsville. In 1889 he moved to Battle Creek, Mich., and was with the Battle Creek Machine Co. for one year, and returned to enter the employ of the Hornellsville Iron Works, where he continued until March, 1894, when he established, in company with Frank Bartz, the firm of Bartz & Evans, manufacturing power presses and electric dynamos and motors, besides a general machine and repair business. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since he was twenty-six years of age, raised in Evening Star Lodge, No. 44, and is a past master of the blue lodge, pres- ent king of Steuben Chapter, a member of Hornellsville Council, and a member of De Molay Council.

Elwell, George B., was born in the town of Hornellsville, July 28, 1860. Edward C. Elwell, his father came to this section from Granville, Washington county, N. Y., which was his native town. He was a lumberman and conducted a mill in Allegany county. He was a man who took no active part in politics or public affairs, but a thorough-going business man. He was the father of three sons, of which George B. was the eldest. Oliver E., the second, is a partner in the coal and lumber business in Hornellsville. Forest J. is a resident of Scio, Allegany county, where he is en- gaged in farming. George B. was educated in the city schools, and at nineteen years of age, in partnership with Oliver, established the manufacture of rough hem- lock lumber in Allegany county, where they continued until the present time still owning the mill. In 1888 they established a lumber yard on Main street, where the

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old Armory now stands, where they were engaged until 1891, and then removed to 55 Washington street, and that same year added the dealing in coal, which has grown to be an extensive part of their business. They also have a planing mill connected with their yard, where they turn out large quantities of finished lumber. Mr. Elwell is an ardent Republican in political views, and in 1894 was elected supervisor of the First and Second wards of the city, which office he now holds; he was also excise commissioner of the city. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity with Hornellsville Lodge, No. 331. In January, 1886, he married Ada A. Sisson of Gowanda, N. Y., by whom he had one child, M. Florence.

Deutsch, John M., was born in France in 1837, and came with his parents to this country in 1847. At the age of fifteen he started to learn the cabinet makers' trade in Rochester, where the family was living. He served an apprenticeship for three years and was then employed as a journeyman in Rochester and New York city from 1859 to 1861. He was then in Rochester until 1866, when he came to Hornells- ville to establish the business of which he is the senior partner. Since coming here he has devoted his whole time and attention to his business. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, also a member of the Masonic order since 1867, and has passed the chairs to senior deacon. In 1861 Mr. Deutsch married Julia E. Boyd, a native of Vermont, and resident of Yonkers, N. Y.

Davenport, Henry L., was born on the farm of his present residence, near the vil- lage of Arkport, in 1853. He is the youngest son of George Davenport. He was given a common school education and followed in his father's footsteps on the farm until August 15, 1893, when he bought a half interest in the produce dealing and milling business with L C. Healy, under the firm name of Healy & Davenport, where we find him engaged at the present time. Mr. Davenport was for one year justice of the peace. He was a director of the Hornellsville Farmers' Club from the time of its formation until 1894, and superintendent of one of the departments. He has been one of the officers of Arkport school. He was married in 1876 to Miss Elizabeth Carry of Arkport. She died March 4, 1894, leaving one daughter, Miss Carrie E. Davenport, a student of Auburn High School. He was again married April 3, 1895, to Miss Carrie Jones, daughter of Spencer B. Jones of South Dansville.

Deister, John J., was born in Elmira, Chemung County, N. Y., February 21, 1866. He was given a good common school and academic education. He first took up blacksmithing, which he worked at from fifteen to nineteen years of age, and then engaged in the butchering business, and on November 1, 1893, he entered the em- ploy of Swift & Co., first as salesman at Hornellsville, and January 1, 1894, became the manager of what by his industry has become an extensive establishment, the Hornellsville Beef Company. Mr. Deister was married January 29, 1890, to Miss Lizzie Friend, daughter of John Friend, senior member of the firm of Friend, Metzer & Co., of Elmira. They have two children, Mabel Allene and Frank Deister.

Day, James B., was born at Union, Broome county, N. Y., in the year 1847. His father was a native of the State of Massachusetts and his mother a native of Broome county, N. Y. The subject of this sketch attended common schools at Union and completed his education in the public schools at Binghamton. He went to the city of New York at the age of twenty-one years and was soon placed on the police force

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of that city, a position which he held for seven years. In 1874 he resigned that po- sition and removed to and became a permanent resident of Hornellsville, engaging in and conducting a successful business, and now stands in the front rank of busi- ness men of the city. He was chief of the Hornellsville Fire Department two years, and held the office of president of the village of Hornellsville for three years. In 1888, when Hornellsville became a city, Mr. Day became its first mayor for the term of two years, and was re-elected to the same position, which he now holds. In 1872 he was married to Miss Jennie L. Twaddell, by whom he had three children, none of whom is now living. In politics he has always been a Democrat and an earnest and zealous worker for the principles of his party. Socially he is a gentleman of polite and attractive manner, and always surrounded by warm and true friends, conspicuous among whom was the late popular John McDougall. He was one of the presidential electors of the last election ; in 1893 he was made a member of the Demo- cratic State Committee, a position he now holds, and has been a delegate to State conventions for six successive years. He is a member of Evening Star Lodge, No. 44, F. and A. M., Steuben Chapter, No. 101, and De Molay Commandery.

Dolson, Charles A., was born at Bath, Steuben county, N. Y. ,in 1851. His father, Dr. J. S. Dolson, now of Hornellsville, N. Y., has been for many years one of the recognized leaders of the Republican party in Western New York, and occupies an eminent position as a physician and surgeon. The son seems to inherit to a large extent the leading characteristics of the father, except his politics. At the close of his school life, Mr. Dolson chose the profession of law, and on his admission to the bar in 1872 settled at Andover, N. Y., and entered at once upon a successful career, speedily attaining an enviable position as an advocate and strong trial lawyer. He soon afterward formed a partnership with Hon. D. P. Richardson of Angelica, N. Y., then and now one of the leading lawyers of Allegany. This relation existed about three years, the firm being engaged in many important litigations and assuming a front rank among the law firms of Western New York. In 1875 Mr. Dolson, desir- ing a larger field, removed to Elmira, N. Y., where he remained several years, at- taining a prominent position among the noted bar of that city, and being engaged in many of the important trials, pitted against such lawyers as David B. Hill, Erastus Hart and other prominent men in the profession. Upon leaving Elmira he returned to Andover, where for several years he devoted a large part of his time to the management of an extensive stock farm. But Mr. Dolson's former clientage would not permit his legal abilities to become rusty, and, somewhat against his in- clination, he was forced back into practice. It was, perhaps, during his practice at Andover thus resumed, that his abilities in the law, and particularly in the criminal branch, became justly recognized. In 1888, Hon. Horace Bemis having died sud- denly, Mr. Dolson removed to Hornellsville, and the firm of Dolson & Orcutt was established, the firm being engaged in many large and important cases. This arrangement continued until 1891, since which time Mr. Dolson has been alone. Mr. Dolson has never taken a very lively interest in politics and has never sought political office, preferring to give his whole attention to the duties of his profession. Nevertheless his party once placed him in nomination for the office of district attorney of Allegany county, where an election on the Democratic ticket is an impossibility, he running ahead of his ticket in each of the twenty-nine towns, showing the high appreciation the people of the county have for his abilities.

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Landmarks of Steuben County, New York, Part 96

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