Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York : including a history of Cornell University, Part 85

Author: Hewett, Waterman Thomas, 1846-1921; Selkreg, John H
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1194

USA > New York > Tompkins County > Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York : including a history of Cornell University > Part 85

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Campbell, Thomas B., was born in Fayetteville, Onondaga county, January 8, 1854, and was two years old when his parents moved to Ithaca. George, father of our subject, was a miller, employed first in Ithaca by the Halseys, then by H. C. Williams, where he remained for several years as foreman miller; in 1881 he bought a mill in Brookton, where he still remains. Thomas B. was the oldest of seven chil- dren; he was educated in the public schools and Ithaca Academy. At the age of sixteen years he was apprenticed to learn the mason's trade, serving four years, af- ter which he followed the trade as journeyman for three or four years; then he began the business of building and contracting, which he has steadily followed since, and many of our public and private edifices can attest to his ability in that direction. In politics he is a Republican, and in 1889-90 represented the fourth ward in the Board of Alderman. He married in February, 1881, Laura F., daughter of Edwin V. Poole, a merchant. They have one daughter, Louise.

FAMILY SKETCHES.

Cregar, James F., was born in New Jersey in 1818 and came to this county about 1844, after spending a few years in Hector and Dryden, he settled in Danby. In 1866 he bought the William Carpenter farm of ninety acres, on which he now resides. He married a second time, in 1873, Ellen A., daughter of Bela Moore, of Bradford county, Pa. Our subject received his education in New Jersey. He is a Republican in politics and takes an active and intelligent interest in church and educational matters, having been connected as a member with the M. E. church at Danby since about 1848.

Culver, Thomas S., was born in Ithaca, January 1, 1842, a son of Lewis H., who was a native of Ulysses, born August 9, 1808. At the age of twenty-two the latter came to Ithaca and started a small restaurant where the store of John Northrup now stands. The business rapidly increased, and in 1833 he bought the property where the Bool Company is now located. In 1836 this store burned, and for two years he was located at the corner of Cayuga and State streets, during which time he erected the large brick structure where Bool's furniture establishment now is, and he started this store with a full line of general merchandise, having the largest business of the kind in the county. He was a prominent Democrat and held many of the town of- fices. His death occurred July 18, 1876. Of his nine children our subject was the second son. He was educated in the village schools and at the Ithaca Academy, and was in the store with his father until 1869, when he went to Chicago and remained five years. Returning in 1874 he became a member of the firm of L. H. Culver & Sons, and on the death of his father it became Culver & Co., dissolving fifteen months later. Mr. Culver then moved to Aurora street and bought the toy stock of E. I. Moore, turning the establishment into a grocery, which he conducted for three years, then built the store at the corner of Aurora and Marshall streets, which he sold in 1885. For three years he followed the cigar business. In 1888 he ran a grocery in the Coon block, then spent a year on Tioga street, and for two years did a road business. In 1891 he established a store on West State street, carrying now a com- plete line of groceries and provisions. He is a member of the I. O. R. M., of which he is treasurer. In 1863 he married Eliza Jones, of Ithaca, who died in 1869, and in 1873 he married Fanny Pegan of Chicago. They have three daughters and one son.

Chapman, Dr. Clark, one of the leading physicians in the southeast part of the town for a period of twenty or more years, was a native of Sharon, Conn., born March 5, 1797. He was educated at New Haven and graduated from the medical department of Yale College, practicing about fifteen years in Connecticut before coming to Gro- ton. He also married in the east, his wife being Laura Morey. Their children were: Lucinda, who married Zerah Fuller; Albert G. and David N. In 1835, for the pur- pose of establishing a comfortable farm home for his sons, and also to find a desirable field for his professional work, Dr. Chapman came to this town and located on the "Salt Road," where he practiced about twenty years. He died in May, 1893, his wife having died ten years earlier. While in Connecticut Mr. Chapman was a mem- ber of assembly. While in Groton he served three terms as supervisor. Our subject, Albert G. Chapman, was born June 30, 1826, and was brought up to farm work, which has been his chief occupation during life, though during later years he has engaged in poultry raising quite extensively. April 5, 1849, he married Helen, daughter of Israel Woodruff, of Groton, and they have now living six sons and one

LANDMARKS OF TOMPKINS COUNTY.

daughter. Two of the sons have chosen the medical profession, one the mercantile,. one is engaged in teaching and two are farming, in connection with other business. Mr. Chapman although not politically inclined, was for six successive terms elected as supervisor for the town of Groton. He has for many years been connected with and an active worker in the Congregational society and Sunday school. He has been successful in his calling to the extent of having no fear of want in his late- years-and has a pleasant home in which to welcome all his friends.

Chapman, W. E., was born at Salisbury, Conn., January 16, 1830. He was edu- cated in the common schools and married at the age of thirty-five Diana T. Judson, only daughter of Elbert Judson of the town of Danby. Our subject is a supporter of the Prohibition party and takes an active interest in church and school matters. He- bought what was known as the Harvey D. Miller residence in the village of Danby, and also carries on a farm of 140 acres, on which he raises large amounts of hay, grain and stock.

Conger, Benn, was extensively and favorably known in connection with the active management of the large mercantile house known as Conger's Store. He was born in Groton, October 29, 1856, was educated at Groton Academy and the Union Free School, and before the age of twenty-one became connected with his present business. In this store, of which he is one of the proprietors, he has charge of the dry goods and the boot and shoe department. Notwithstanding his business demands, he has found time to indulge somewhat in the various enterprises of the village, connected with the fire department, president of the first Board of Water Commissioners, and was. actively connected with the construction of the present water system of the village. He has also been one of the village trustees, and is one of the Board of Education. June 9, 1880, he married Florence Buck and they have one child, Lawrence J.

Clinton, Charles M., was born in Newark Valley, Tioga county, N. Y., January 26, 1834, a son of Samuel Clinton, who moved to Candor in 1841, and in the spring of 1845 came to Ithaca, locating first on a farm and later moving into the city, where- Samuel Clinton died in 1858. Our subject is the youngest son of Samuel Clinton, and he early developed a taste for machinery, going in 1850 into the machine shop of E. G. Pelton to learn the trade; there he remained one year, during which time he was promoted, and the following year was engaged with Treman Brothers on sewing machine work. In 1853 he and his brother, Miles L., started a small shop in their residence, tlicir first attempt at model making and experimental work, using foot power, and they built a 10 H. P. engine in their little shop. About 1856 they bought a power privilege on Cascadilla Creek and built a foundry and machine shop 130 by 40 feet in dimensions, where they did general job work and manufactured boilers and engines. In 1858 they patented the Clinton sewing machine and manufactured about 600 machines. In 1861 fire destroyed their works'and in 1862 Mr. Clinton went to Yonkers to work in the armory of the Star Arms Co. He returned to Ithaca in 1863. On December 4, 1863, Mr. Clinton married Addie Rolfe, of Enfield; they had one son who died aged six years. In 1864 he engaged in the manufacture of models. and experimental work, which he has since followed except about one year. He was the designer of all tools used in the Ithaca Calander Clock Co., and superintended the manufacture. In 1868, in company with Lynfred Mood, they patented the Ma- rine Calender Clock, which patent they sold to the Ithaca Clock Co. Clinton & Mood

FAMILY SKETCHES.

also patented a self-dumping horse rake. He and his brother Miles L. patented a vegetable slicer, which he now manufactures. He patented a railroad indicator, al- so grain binder, and indicator for water meter, and improvements in grain drills. He patented the Clinton fishing reel, the finest trout reel made. He made many im- provements in dental appliances, besides all machinery and tools used in his model making and machine shop. He has assisted many other parties in perfecting inven- tions. Mr. Clinton's reputation as a model maker and experimenter is second to none. His last invention is a typewriter, which, in company with James McNamara he was working for over two years, and it has proved one of the best machines ever invented. It is named the Peerless, and is to be manufactured by the Ithaca Gun Co., which is just starting work on it.

Clapp, Charles, was born in the town of Covert, Seneca county, February 21, 1829. He was educated in the common schools of that time, and learned the machinist's trade, also pattern making. He married first, in November, 1853, Sarah M. Van Noy, and they had one son, Charles S., who is also a machinist, residing at home. Mrs. Clapp died in June, 1861, and he married second, December 11, 1862, Sarah W. Peck, of Farmer Village. James, father of our subject, was born in Connecticut, January 2, 1802, and came to this State when a young man. He married Charlotte Remington, of Genoa, Cayuga county, who was born in 1801. They had nine chil- dren who grew to maturity: Mirtillow R., Charles, John, Walker, William, James A., Rachael, Charlotte, and Mary. James Clapp died in 1867 and his wife January 12, 1881. Mr. Clapp came to Trumansburgh with the Gregg concern from Farmer Vil- lage in 1865.

Cole, James H., was born in the town of Dryden, November 7, 1835. His grand- father, James McKee, was among the first settlers in the town. His mother was born here October 14, 1804. Our subject was educated in the common schools and at the Homer Academy. After leaving school he retuned to his father's farm, the old homestead, which was known as the James McKee property and which he bought in 1862. At the age of twenty-six he married Anna E. Updike, daughter of Jacob Updike of Ulysses, and they are the parents of four children, three daughters and one son. In 1865 he sold his farm and came tothe village of Dryden in 1866. In 1867 he bought the Thomas Lewis property and in 1870 built the Grove Hotel, which is the leading hotel in the town. In 1866 he bought the George Phillips property on Mill street, having forty-one acres of land in the village corporate limits, where he is known as one of its leading and substantial citizens.

Clark, Spencer L., was born in Caroline in 1838, and from early boyhood has fol- lowed farming. At the age of twenty-four he started for himself, working a farm with his father and brother, the one he now owns consisting of 120 acres, mostly cleared land. He married in 1862 Mary J. Nixon, of Candor. Tioga county, and they have three children, viz. : E. Eloise, Julia F., and Mason J .; the latter being now engaged in inventing a new appliance for bicycles, the oldest daughter being a school teacher in New York city. Mrs. Julia A. Clark, our subject's mother, is now living with them at the age of eighty years. They are members of the M. E. church, and Mr. Clark is a Republican in politics.

Crandall, Harris L., was born in Richford, Tioga county, June 31, 1833. Ira, his father, was born in Pennsylvania, a carpenter by trade, who worked at that and

LANDMARKS OF TOMPKINS COUNTY.

farming. He never came to Tompkins county, though he owned land here. His. wife was Olive Robinson, whom he married in 1831, and they were the parents of four children, of whom Harris L. was the oldest, he now being sixty. He also fol- lowed the carpenter's trade and farming, and now owns a nice place of fifty-two acres in this town. In 1852 he married Mary Royce, of Richford, and they have one child, Charles, now thirty-one years of age. Mr. Crandall supports the Democratic party.

Carpenter, Leonard W., was born in Bridgewater, Oneida county, November 18, 1832. He received a collegiate education and studied medicine with Dr. Budlong, of Cassville, Oneida county, graduating from Hamilton College in 1862. He was a graduate of Albany Medical College also, and from Cleveland Homeopathic College. Mr. Carpenter married first, in 1857, Emeline Converse, by whom he had two daugh- ters, Grace, who married Delos Schank, of Rochester; and Carrie L., who married Edward Lawrence, of San Francisco. He married second, Ellen D. Weed, of Tru- mansburgh, November 10, 1882. Mrs. Carpenter's father, Eliphalet, was born in New Canaan, Conn, in 1794, and married, April 26, 1825, Celina Waring, of Walton, Delaware county, and in 1835 they came to Trumansburgh. They were the parents. of nine children. Mr. Weed was justice of the peace in Trumansburgh about twenty years, and his decisions were never questioned. He died February 3, 1865, and his wife June 30, 1892. Dr. Carpenter began to practice in 1859, and has continued since in various places, with the exception of the time he served in the army, until the present time. He enlisted September 4, 1892, in Co. G. 146th N. V. Vols., and was honorably discharged on account of disability December 4, 1863. He is a member of Post 391, G. A. C., of Rochester, and also a member of Lodge 660, F. & A. M., of Rochester, and of the Commandery of St. Augustine, No. 32, of Ithaca. Mrs. Car- penter's father was a soldier in the war of 1812.

Colegrove, David, was born in the town of Ulysses, November 16, 1842, was edu- cated in the district schools, and is a farmer. His home and farm, where he has re- sided for the past twelve years, tells the story of his energy, thrift and industry, well seconded by his wife's efforts. October 23, 1864, he married Lavina A. Ward, of his native town, formerly of New York. Mr. Colegrove's father, James, was born in the town, in 1806, and was a farmer and drover, doing an extensive and profitable busi- ness. He married Maria Vann, formerly of New Jersey, and they had nine children, two daughters, who died young, and Caroline, John, Samuel and Susan (twins), Eliza, David, and Ella. Mr. Colegrove died March 1, 1872, and his wife in April, 1893. Mrs. Colegrove's father, William T. Ward, was born in Westchester county, N. V., December 13, 1812, and married Mary A. Tompkins, of his native place, by whom he had ten children: Martha A., Elizabeth A., Charles H., Lavinia A., James U., Nathaniel T., Emily E., Mary E., Theodore W., and John G. Our subject's. grandfather, Silas, was the first of the Colegroves in this country. The ancestry of the family is German, French, and Dutch.

Cady, Ellis W., was born in Dryden, September 25, 1860, and is a grandson of Hon. Elias W. Cady of that town. He was educated in the public schools and grad- uated from Dryden High School, taking a four years course in preparation for Cor- nell University. He changed his plans however, and went west, where he remained ten years, part of the time being spent in the wholesale grocery trade. April 29,

FAMILY SKETCHES.

1886, he married Hattie Kyle, of New Orleans, La., and they have one daughter, Florence K. Mrs. Cady's father, David O. Kyle, was born in Mississippi, January 5, 1840. He was a planter and attorney by occupation. He married January 2, 1858, Mary Ward, a native of Memphis, Tenn., and they had four children: Thomas O., Chadburn, Leola B., Hattie. Both maternal and paternal sides of the house be- longed to the best families of the South. Mr. Cady's father, Charles, was born at the old home in Dryden, and married Nancy Hiles, of Dryden, by whom he had four children: Emma, who died young; Ellis W., Edward C., and Daniel E. Mr. Cady is now a resident of Auburn, N. Y., an enterprising produce dealer, doing business under the firm name of Cady & Thorne, one of the largest concerns in the country, his son Ellis doing a fine business here in the same line. Hon. Elias Cady, the grand- father, served the town (Dryden) as supervisor several terms, and represented the county in the State Legislature in 1850 and 1857.

Bloom, James H., was born in Tompkins county, January 25, 1825. His father, Abram Bloom, was born in the town of Lansing in 1801, and with his father, Cap- tain Bloom, settled on a tract of land in the towns of Lansing and Dryden, which has descended to his heirs, Abram Bloom and others. James H. Bloom was educated in the common schools. A roving disposition prevented him from finishing his educa- tion, and he has been over a large part of the United States, being one of the Forty- niners of California fame, and making the trip by way of the Isthmus of Panama. At the age of thirty-five he married Lavina Teeter, daughter of William Teeter, and they are the parents of one daughter, Cora S. Platt. In 1868 he bought the Haliban Fulkerson property of seventy-three acres, on which he now resides. Our subject is recognized throughout his town as a conservative independent citizen and a prac- tical and successful farmer.

Carr, James M., was born in the town of Dryden, May 29, 1834, and was educated in the common schools, and finished at Etna under the late Judge Van Valkenburg. At the age of twenty-eight he married Mary P. Bower, daughter of Simon Bower, of the town of Dryden. He takes the Democratic side in politics, and in March, 1893, was appointed postmaster in his town, being the first fourth class postmaster appointed in the State. Our subject is one of the prominent men in his village, taking an act- ive and intelligent interest in church and school matters, and in advancing the best interests of the town.

Cole, Charles, was born in the town of Dryden August 20, 1843. His father, Jo- seph J. Cole, came to the town in 1835 and settled on lot 67, which has remained in the possession of the family up to the present time. Charles received his education in the common schools and is pre-eminently a self-made man. At the age of thirty he married Nancy A. Simons, daughter of Adam Simons, of Dryden, and they have one daughter, Anna. In 1892 Mr. Cole bought the J. E. Hiles property on lot 59, comprising fifty acres.

Crandall, Albert, was born in 1769, and was one of the original settlers of Tru- mansburgh, coming here from Owego in 1806. His son, Minor, was born May 9, 1802, and was four years old when he arrived here. He well remembers the journey, especially the latter part of it. They encountered many dangers through the wilder- ness, and when about half way from Ithaca to Trumansburgh they were enveloped

LANDMARKS OF TOMPKINS COUNTY.

in almost total darkness caused by the great solar eclipse of that year. Mr. Crandall and his father before him were anxious for the growth and prosperity of Trumans- burgh for the greater part of this century. His father died in 1845, aged seventy-six years. S. Minor Crandall was identified with the shipping interests of the lake port of Trumansburgh (now Frontenac), and held the confidence and respect of all who came in contact with him in business, or in social life. In politics he was a lifelong Democrat, and from early manhood a devoted Mason. December 20, 1820, he mar- ried Eliza Belknap, of this village, formerly of Orange county, and they had seven children: Margaret L., who married L. D. Rich of Tioga county; Ann E., who mar- ried J. Parker King; Susan C., who married Algernon C. Belcher, of Woodstock, Ill. ; Antoinette A., who married Wm. Peirson; and L. Elizabeth, who resides with Mrs. Peirson. Two died young. Mr. Crandall died October 24, 1893, and Mrs. Crandall died February 19, 1884. Mrs. Peirson's husband, William Peirson, was born at Mount Hope, Orange county, May 8, 1816, was educated in the common schools, and was a constant reader and a deep thinker. He came to reside in Ulysses at an early day, and to Trumansburgh in 1858, from Jacksonville. He married twice, first Sep- tember 20, 1840, Jane Luckly, and went to reside in Tioga county. He was supervi- sor, also member of assembly one term. For his second wife, on December 16, 1858, he married Antoinette A. Crandall of Trumansburgh. Mr. Peirson was a merchant in company with Mr. David Dumont fourteen years. He died January 1 1888.

Clark, Harriet, is the widow of Veranus Clark, born in Almond Village, Allegany county, N. Y., March 18, 1833. He was educated in the public schools of that day, and for many years was a carpenter and builder, though his last years were spent in farming. November 3, 1856, he married Harriet Boyer, of Lodi, Seneca county, and they had four children, Clarence B., and Adolphe, whoare taking charge of the home- stead farm for their mother, Mary E., and Maud S. The latter married Walter J. Genung, of Ithaca, and they have one son, Claude. Mr. Clark died July 27, 1890. Hugh Boyer, father of Mrs. Clark, was born in Kent county, Md., May ?, 1801, and came to this county when twenty-two years old. He married Mary Paine, of Sag Harbor, L. I., and they had three children: Marshall, who died at the age of two years; Harriet, and Augustine, who married Kate Campbell, of New Jersey. Mr. Boyer died October 11, 1863, and his wife May 17, 1854. Mrs. Boyer's father, Sylva- nus Paine, was a soldier in the Revolution. The ancestry of the family is English on both sides.

Clark, A. M., was born in the town of Dryden, May 14, 1850. He was educated at the Dryden Academy under Prof. Jackson Graves. After leaving school he returned to the farm of his father, Albert S. Clark. In 1873 he engaged in the mercantile business, which he exchanged for real estate in Cortland in 1875. In 1887 he bought the Dryden Stone Mills, which he runs as a custom feed mill, making a specialty of fine buckwheat flour, and handling the largest portion of the crop grown in and around the eastern part of the town of Dryden. He buys on an average about 6,000 bushels a year. The Stone Mill of Dryden has been widely known since it was built by Ly- man Corbin in 1845. At the age of twenty-two he married Eva Calvert, daughter of M. W. Calvert, of Sterling, Cayuga county, N. Y., and they have two children, one son, Albert H., sixteen years of age, and one daughter, Lena, twelve years of age. He takes the Republican side in politics. He is at present water commissioner,

FAMILY SKETCHES.

president of the Green Hill Cemetery Society, and trustee and treasurer of the Pres- byterian church. He has been connected prominently with the Odd Fellows lodge for the past eighteen years, being district deputy grand master of Tompkins county for the years 1892 and '93. He is also a member of the Masonic Lodge of Dryden, No. 472.

Cunningham, John, who for the last sixteen years has been the pastor of the West Groton Congregational church, was a native of England, born January 12, 1820. In 1835 his father and family came to America, locating at Poughkeepsie, where the head of the family worked as shoemaker. John had received his early education in England, and in this country attended Oberlin College. Failing health prompted him to study medicine, nevertheless he had before resolved to enter the ministry. Accordingly, after a somewhat broken preparation he was licensed to preach the gospel, entering upon active church work in 1848 at Boonton and Paterson, N. J. For thirty-six years he has held a pastorate in Central New York, ten years in Swe- den, a like term in Wyoming county, and sixteen years in his present connection at West Groton. In 1846 Mr. Cunningham was married to Adeline C. Turner, by whom he had one son, now living in San Francisco. In 1853 his wife died, and in 1855 Mr. Cunningham was married to Frances M. Kinne, of Colchester, Conn. Of the second marriage one daughter has been born-the wife of Rev. J. B. Arnold, of Scottsburgh, Livingston county.

Clark, William S., sr., was born in Bennington, Vt., October 10 1177. In 1806 he came to Groton, and built the first dam across the creek, the waters of which he util- ized in his business of cloth dressing. Later he removed to Summer Hill, and still later to McLean, where he died June 23, 1861. His property and accumulations were all swept away by a defect in the title to his lands. He married, October 13, 1799, Zilpha Ellsworth, by whom he had these children: Erasmus D., born July 12, 1802; R. Ellsworth, born September 17, 1804; Charles V., born February 1, 1808; Laura, born May 28, 1811; Jerusha C., born October 24, 1813, Sophia B., born January 13, 1816; and William S., jr., born March 25, 1821. William S. Clark, jr., is an almost lifelong resident of McLean, with the growth of which he has been identified very closely. He was born at Summer Hill, and came when an infant with his father to this locality, and at the age of fifteen began painting with his father, and also making wooden ware at McLean. In 1840 he went to Cortland and learned tinsmithing. In 1866 he established a shop at McLean, and became a prominent business man of that place, until his retirement in 1886. During these years his income was much in- creased by his ability on the violin, being in great demand for dancing parties. He also acquired considerable property at the death of his brother, R. Ellsworth. De- cember 23, 1848, he married Sarah A., daughter of Thomas Brigden, of Newfield, and they had one child, R. A. Clark, who died February 2, 1865.

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Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York : including a history of Cornell University, Part 85

Author: Hewett, Waterman Thomas, 1846-1921; Selkreg, John H Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1194

Author: Hewett, Waterman Thomas, 1846-1921; Selkreg, John H
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1194