USA > New York > Wayne County > Landmarks of Wayne County, New York, Pt. 2 & 3 > Part 27
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62
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FAMILY SKETCHES.
Smith, Gideon, of Macedon, was born here February 16, 1820, a son of Asa Smith, a native of Farmington, Ontario county, and a son of Jonathan Smith, one of the first settlers of the town of Farmington, and a native of Massachusetts. The latter took up a large tract of land in Farmington, and was one of the first to build a dam at Manchester. He was killed at an early age, while raising a new building. Asa was a mechanic, and also followed farming. He married Anna Herendeen, danghter of Wel- come Herendeen. The mother of Anna was a member of the Durfee family of Pal- myra. Asa and wife had these children: Elizabeth D., a namesake of her grand- mother Durfee; Gideon II., Addison C., who died at an early age; George W., now in California; Hulda Peacock (deceased), and Martha J. Appleby (deceased). Our snb . ject worked at home until May, 1841, when he married Mary S., danghter of William and Anna Clark, of Dutchess county, and settled on the farm he now owns in Mace- don, comprising 114 acres. To this place he has added until he now owns 290 acres. Ile has also just bought another of thirty acres, part of the old Colvin farm. Mr. Smith is the oldest man living in the town who was born here, and has resided con- tinnally, a strict attendant at the Friends' church, of which Mrs. Smith has been a life member, and in politics is a Republican.
Palmer, William A., was born in Argyle, Washington county, May 22, 1847, son of Levi H. Palmer, born in Butler, Wayne county, in 1826. The grandfather was William Palmer. Levi married Eleanor Sebring, of Wolcott, and their children are: William A., Mrs. Amanda Youngs, Levi and John. At the age of fourteen subject began life for himself, has always been industrious and upright, and built a home for and sup- ported his parents in their old age. In 1885 he purchased his present farm near the village of Wolcott, and from 1877 to 1880 was interested as traveling salesman in the nursery business. In 1880 he married Mary M., daughter of Elias Lasher, of Mont- gomery county. Subject and wife are members of the Wolcott Grange.
Watkins, R. H., M.D., only son of Ralph and Emily Watkins, of Camillus, Onondaga county, was born January 5, 1861. His father was a civil engineer and died in the vicinity of Pike's Peak in 1860, while engaged in the United States geodetie survey. His fate was never definitely ascertained. Mrs. Watkins thenceforward devoted her life and energies to the education and advancement of her son. She died at her home in Wolcott June 8, 1890, aged sixty-two years. Dr. Watkins was graduated from Syracuse University in 1883, and after a year of practice at St. Joseph's Hospital, Svraense, he assumed medical direction of the Onondaga county insane. In 1888 he came to Wolcott. He married, July 15, 1891, M. Addie, daughter of H. E. Cornwell, of Wolcott.
Wheeler, Hiland Hill, was born at Cairo, Greene county, November 23, 1808, the offspring of three of the carly and inthential families of Conneetient, his mother, Grizel Osborn, his grandmother, Sally Burr. His father, Eli Wheeler, who had emi- grated from New England, came to Butler in 1810 with his aged parent, Jedediah Wheeler, who, dying soon after, was the first white man known to be buried in that town. Reared in the wilderness, scholastic advantages were rare; but native talent and a desire for mental development and knowledge made up for the lack. A few months' attendance in the common schools and a short course with Dr. Ostrander at his academy in Lyons supplementing a habit of assimilating whatever came under his ob- servation, keen at all times, made him a more than ordinary scholar-an educated man. In early manhood he went West in search of fortune, and spent a season in Cincinnati, but ill-health compelled his return. He went to New York city, studied law, and practiced snecessfully till about the year 1860. Financial reverses, the loss of three children in quick succession, the disappointments meident to his life, a retiring disposi- tlon, a love of quiet study and attachment for the home of his childhood brought him back to his country residence, where he passed his days until his death, July 1, 1894. In 1812 he was married to Margaret, the danghter of Robert Mathison, a merchant of
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New York city, and Sarah Nelson, his wife, of Scotch-Irish and English parentage. She died in the year 1865. They had eight children : Annie, Hiland H., Robert M., Margaret, Lauder M., Thurlow W., Claude HI., and Stella, of whom the former two and the latter two survive. He was a mettlesome boy, full of life and activity, physically and mentally ; a business man, prompt, thorough, clear-headed, painstaking. and capable of great endurance ; a citizen, quiet, law-abiding, patriotic, honorable; a husband and father, generous, indulgent, and loving; a friend and neighbor, kind, sympathetic, self-denying, and benevolent; a gentleman of the old school, courteous and reserved ; a Christian, pure, devout, and consistent ; a man of rare exactness and patient persistence, in intellectual acquisition, and in the proper conduct of life accord- ing to the standard of principles adopted in early life, maintained unflinchingly. His motto was, "Be calm," and his self-control was remarkable. He took a deep and lively interest in the affairs and progress of the whole world, reading, thinking, and writing about them almost to the day of his death. Extreme diffidence and a too great confidence in the rectitude of Immanity interfered with the obtaining of such a measure of what men call snecess in life, as his talents unquestionably entitled him, and as he doubtless desired. But his life was successful in the accomplishment of the wish he often expressed. The world is the better off for his having lived in it.
Fisher, John N., was born in Williamson November 16, 1857. He is the youngest of four children of James and Diana (Laco) Fisher, who settled in Williamson in 1844, where he died in 1866, and his wife in 1893. Mr. Fisher was always a farmer, and was a Republican. . Subject was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools. Ile has made his own way in the world, owns thirty-seven and one-half acres of land, and follows general farming and fruit growing. He was a Republican. He married in February, 1887, Jennie Wemesfelder, a native of Walworth, and daughter of Jacob and Mary Wemesfelder, and they have had one child, Mervyn, born November 11, 1887.
Garlock, Frank, was born in the town of Phelps, Ontario county, October 4, 1852. He was educated in the district schools in the town of Manchester, came to Newark and attended the Union school and Academy. At the age of seventeen he became a clerk in the post-office and was a clerk for two years. He then came to the store he now ocenpies and owns, as clerk for J. S. Cronise & Co., eight years; then became a partner as junior member of the firm. In 1886 Mr. Cronise retired from the business, and Mr. Garlock bought the entire stock of hardware and building supplies, and is still condneting it with snecess. The Reed Manufacturing Co. was organized October 1, 1890, for making anti-rust tinware and specialties. He is its manager, director and stock - holder. September 15, 1876, he married Alida Brown of Port Gibson, N. Y., and they had five children : Frank F., Mabel F., Alida M., Harriet E,, and Jennie E. Mr. Garlock's father, James, was born in the town of Phelps June 1, 1828. He was edneated in the Union school at Phelps, and is a machinist and pattern maker. February 6, 1851, he married Elizabeth Van Dusen of his native place, and they had two children, Frank, as above noted, and Jennie E., now Mrs. Charles A. Welcher, of Newark. The ancestry of this family is German and Dutch.
Campbell, W. P., was born October 3, 1853, at Adams, Jefferson county. His father, Alexander, who died in 1889, was a Seventh Day Baptist clergyman and evangelist, and during a pubhe life of fifty years and the founder of the De Ruyter Institute in Madison county, known as the first high school of that denomination. William was educated at Verona, Madison county, and at seventeen years of age was placed in charge of a large merchant milling business. September 28, 1874, he married Elizabeth, daughter of H. C. Coon, of De Ruyter, and their children are : Glennie M., who died in 1887, when six years four months old ; Alexander, born September 4, 1884; and Wil- ham P., born March 8, 1893. In 1875 Mr. Campbell engaged in the clothing business in Wolcott in partnership with Delos Whitford, conducting the same until his appointment as postmaster in 1890.
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FAMILY SKETCHES.
Pritehard, John, youngest son of William and Lydia Pritchard, was born in Butler in 1813. The elder Pritchard, born in Albany in ISIO, came to Butler when eleven years of age, driving an ox team to Albany, a prodigy of youthful endurance and resolution. He became a citizen of prominence, and was at varions times assessor and overseer of the poor, and died in 1884. His wife, Lydia, surviving him four years, and reaching the age of eighty-one years. Our subjeet enlisted in 1862 in the Ninth Artillery, and experienced all the vicissitudes of a soldier's life until the close of the war. A brother, Chester B. Pritchard, enlisted August 22, 1861, in the 75th N. Y. Vol., re-enlisted in Jannary, 1864, was killed at the battle of Winchester September 19, 1864. His wife is Mary, danzhter of Jeremiah and Eliza Hollenbeck of Butler. They were maried Feb- ruary 26, 1868, and have no children.
Rosenberg, M. M., was born in Seneca Falls September 28, 1847, was married to Cora, daughter of Joshmua Lantenschlager, February 8, 1832. They have one daughter, Myrta Mae, born November 19, 1884. His father, the late Andrew Rosenberg, moved from Seneca Falls thirty years ago to the town of Butler, his occupation being carpen- ter and joiner. He followed his occupation until his death, which occurred July 2, 1887.
Hamm, Andrew J., was born in Walworth November 27, 1861, the only child of Jacob and Margaret (Smith) Hamm, the former a native of Columbia county, whose parents were Andrew and Hannah Hamm, also of that county, who in 1854 came to this town. Jacob was a farmer, and the first hop grower in Wayne county. His widow now resides on the homestead, where his death occurred January 3, 1892. Our subject was educated in Walworth and Macedon Academies and Lima Seminary. He is a farmer, and in partnership with his cousin, Edward Hamm, (who was reared by Jacob), owns seventy-six acres of land and makes a specialty of hop growing, having seventeen acres. He has also engaged in evaporating apples. In 1883 he married Emma L. Butler, daughter of William Butler, by whom he has three children : Libbie, Fanny and Bert. William M. Butler was born in Ontario, September 21, 1820, a son of Orman and Lydia ( Reed) Butler, and a grandson of Israel Butler, of Hartford, Conn., born in 1761, who was one of nine brothers who all served in the Revolntinary war.
Lamb, Chauncey B., was born in the town of Galen, October 7, 1819. His father, Joseph Lamb, came from Connecticut to Wayne county in 1800, and there raised a family of eleven children, of whom Chauncey B. is the only one now living. Ile was educated in the old log school house, and is practically a self-made man. At the age of twenty-three he married Elizabeth, daughter of William Vandemark, and they are the parents of three children, two of whom are now living : Eugene Lamb and Mrs. Catherine E. Hopkins, Eugene married Stella A., daughter of Charles Servis, and they are the parents of one son, Charles, and one daughter, Grace. Alonzo married Addie, daughter of Jacob Carven, and they have one son, Clarence. Our subjeet is one of the oldest farmers in Wayne county, having 112 acres of land and raising fruit, hay, grain and stock.
Fisher, Charles, was born in Alloway, Wayne county, N. Y., June 2, 1864. His father came from Bakern, Glemminster, Germany. in 1858, settled in Alloway and fol- lowed the blacksmith trade, which was his trade in Germany. Leaving school at the age of sixteen Charles worked one year as a farm laborer. In ISSI he entered the em- ploy of Tomas & Collier in Rose Valley, N. Y., learning the trade of his father before him, returning to Alloway m 1881 and starting in business for himself in the small shop owned by M. M. Rogers. Two years later finding his work mereasing he built two shops in that place. In 1893 sold out to William Kiser, came to Lyons and built the block now occupied by him on Water street, as a carriage and sleigh repository and a first-class horse shoeing shop, which is one of the finest furnished and largest in the
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State. Being an expert at his business, and one of the best informed men on the structure of the foot of a horse in Central New York, horses are sent him from all parts of the country. At the age of twenty-four he married Martha Whitlock, who hved less than a year, and in 1894 married Anna, second daughter of the late Chauncey Mus- selinan of Phelps, Ontario county, N. Y. Our subject is the leading man in his business in Wayne county and surrounding counties, and is recognized as a man of sterling worth and integrity.
Curtis, Daniel, was born in Marion November 1, 1808. He was reared on the farm he owns, and educated in the common schools. He has always been a fariner and owns 150 acres of land, the farm Ins father settled. He has been highway commissioner and poormaster. He married May 33, 1833, Harriet D. Peckham, a native of Pahnyra, born November 16, 1812 (died August 20, 1877), and daughter of Charles Peckham, one of the early settlers of Palmyra where he lived and died. He was a merchant of that place. They had three children : Mary A. J., wife of Thomas Clark of Marion, who Tras four children ; Charles D., born in 1839, who was raised on a farm and educated in Marion Collegiate Institute. He married Mary A. Dean January 2, 1861, a native of Marion, born April 2, 1841, danghter of Daniel Dean of Marion, where he died. Mrs. Curtis died January 25, 1893, and Mr. Curtis has always resided on the homeatead. Daniel F., born September 12, 1852, physician of Rochester, who was educated in Marion Institute, and graduated from Bellevne Medical College in 1878. The father of Daniel was Seth, born in Connectiont November 24, 1878. He was a son of Daniel, born May 15, 1735, whose father, Caleb Curtis, was born October 26, 1703 and died November 25, 1778. Daniel died July 18, 1817. Seth Curtis married Mary A. Case, born January 23, 1780. He died May 31, 1861, and his wife died October S, 1831.
Powers, Israel, was born in Galen on the old Powers homestead March 26, 1836. His father, Edwin Powers, was a native of Herkimer county, and came to Wayne county in 1815, settling on the farm now occupied by his descendants. Edwin Powers died in 1844, aged forty-four years, a man who was respected by all who knew him. Israel Powers was educated in the district school honse standing on the Powers estate. At the age of thirty he married Phoebe A. Cooper, who died in 1879. He married second in 1882 Pauline L. Nichols, and they have two children : Porter I., and Lina E. In 1862 he purchased the homestead property of seventy acres, in 1886 purchased part of the Israel . Wise estate of forty acres, raising fruit, hay, grain and stock and making a specialty of butter making. Our subject is one of the representative men of his town, taking active interest in educational and religious matters.
Gates, Joseph J., was born in Sodus, N. Y., in 1844, and he is the third of the six children of John and Elizabeth Gates. He is a native of Yorkshire, England. In 1831 he came to Sodus and died in 1886, and his wife in 1885. He was a farmer and owned 180 acres. Our subject was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools, and has always been a farmer. He owned a farm in Williamson and traded it for the farm he now owns, and has 124 acres. Mr. Gates is a Republican and a member of the Williamson Grange. December 15, 1880, he married Mary A. Hall, a native of Sodus and daughter of John and Anna Hall. They have one son, William J.
Wood, Rose E., the youngest daughter of the late Cornelius and Elizabeth Foster Wood, has her home among the historie associations clustering abont the old homestead, where her parents settled nearly seventy years ago, and where they lived and ched. They came from Saratoga county and into a wilderness almost mbroken. Six children were the fruit of their marriage : Byron B., Eveington D., Francis A., Euphama E., Harriet E. and Rose E. Five children still survive their parents.
Russell, Darius F., was born in Williamson January 24, 1839, a son of Nathaniel and Rachael W. (Prescott) Russell, he a native of Williamson, born in 1804, and she born
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in Vermont in 1803. She was a daughter of Capt. Zacheus Prescott, of the Vermont inilitia, and her grandfather and two uneles were Revolutionary soldiers from Vermont. Nathaniel was a son of Daniel Russell, who owned the farin now in possession of our subject. Darins F. was reared on the farm, educated in the common schools and in the Marion Collegiate Institute, and began teaching at the age of eighteen, continuing for seven winters. He was the first man to enlist in the first war meeting in the town of Williamson, enlisting September 11, 1861, in Company 1, 17th N. Y. Vols. He served three years in the Army of the Potomac, and was in the seven days fight before Rich- mond, second battle of Bull Run, and other engagements. He enlisted for eleven dol- lars a month when he could readily get twenty dollars for teaching. He is a Prohibi- tionist and has been chairman of the Wayne County Prohibition Committee seven years. For several years he was a member of the Prohibition State Committee, and has served as delegate to their State Conventions several times. In 1888 he was a del- gate to the National Prohibition Convention at Indianapolis, representing his congres- sional district; and he voted for Clinton B. Fisk a's the nominee for president. He was elected justice of the peace twice while residing in Marion. He is a member of the grange and was master one year, and has also been chief of the lodge of Good Tem- plars. Ile organized the Town Sunday School Association, of which he was president seven years, leaving it in a flourishing condition. He and his wife are members of the M. E. Church and he has taught the young people's class in the Sunday-school for eighteen years, being also superintendent of the Sabbath-school a portion of the time. March 9, 1865, Mr. Russell married Maria Van Ostrand, a native of Marion, and they had two children, Fred. D., a real estate dealer, and Katie L., both residing in Buffalo. His second wife was Dora V. Tuttle, a native of Steuben county, and they have three children, Charles Prescott, Rachael E., and Mildred C. The father of our subject was a strong anti-slavery, anti-whisky and anti-tobacco man, precepts which Mr. Russell has followed strictly. He is now extensively engaged in fruit growing, cultivating four- teen different kinds of fruit.
Burglıdorf, Adonijah, was born in Huron in 1847, and is next to the youngest son of the late Jacob and Miranda Burghdorf. Educated chiefly at Wolcott, he began farming in Wolcott in 1867, coming to his present locality in 1894, after a residence of three years in Victory. He married, January 1, 1870, Catharine, daughter of John Bloomingdale, of Fairhaven, and their only child living is Harry, born in 1879. An elder son, Howard, died May 7, 1891, when twenty years of age. From the residence of Mr. Burghdorf a view of Lake Ontario may be obtained, this being the highest point of land in Wayne county.
Pangburn, George W., who in July, 1893, first assumed his duties as postmaster at at South Butler, was born May 2, 1865 near the village of Clyde, in the town of Galen. Hle was deputy postmaster during the latter part of Cleveland's first administration and so well did he execute his official dnties that his friends vigorously pushed his name to the front for the postmastership at the beginning of President Cleveland's second term which resulted, after a decidedly warm fight, in his being appointed. He is considered an eminently capable and acceptacle official. He is the youngest son of William Pang- burn, who is general traveling agent for A. W. Stevens & Son, of Auburn, N. Y. On March 28, 1888 he married Minnie Dratt the youngest daughter of Abram and Sarah Dratt, of South Butler, N. Y. In connection with the post- office, Mr. Pangburn carries a choice stock of cigars, tobaccos, stationery and confectionery.
York, Dr. George Danson, was born in Huron, August 17, 1857, and is the son of the Rev. George P. York, born January, 1831, whose father was John York born Decem- ber, 1798, a native of Maine, of English ancestry, who came to Huron in 1819. His wife was Mary H. Dawson, born May, 1799, and they had eight children, of whom George P., the father of our subject, was the fourth, reared on a farm. Later he
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studied for the ministry and is now a pastor of a Methodist Protestant church. He maried first Elizabeth J., daughter of Nathaniel Tooker, of Huron, and they had two children, George D., and Ella. who died at the age of twenty-three. His first wife died in October, 1876, and in 1882 he married Ella J. Cole, of Jefferson county, N. Y. Rev. George P. York, is now president of the Onondaga Conference. Our subject's prelim- inary education was received in the Wolcott and Sodus academies, and at the age of eighteen he commenced studying medicine with Dr. E. W. Bottom, of Lyons, where he remained four years. In 1881 he graduated from the medical department of the Buffalo University, and in 1889 he took a course in the New York Post-graduate Medical Hos- pital and has been in practice in Huron for thirteen years, enjoying a large and exten- sive practice. In April, 1882, he married Minnie HI., daughter of William W. and Lonisa Gatchell, of Huron and their children are : Louise E., born April, 1883 ; Edwin Whittier, October, 1892. Our subject is a member of the Wayne County Medical Society (of which he has also been president) and the Masonic order, Rose Lodge, No. 590, and has been county coroner.
York, Thomas, was born in Lyons November 21, 1830. His father, Thomas, came from Maine with Robert York, who took part in the War of 1812, and were among the earliest settlers in the county. Thomas was educated in the cominon schools, to which he has added through life by reading and close observation. Afterward he returned to his father's farm. At the age of forty he married Cephese, daughter of Abraham Barclay, and they are the parents of three children : Edwin E., Albert T., and Sadie C. In 1860 he inherited the York homestead of seventy-five aeres, which has been in the possession of the family for ninety years, raising hay, grain and stock. In August, 1862, he enlisted in the 9th N. Y. Heavy Artillery, being one of the non- commissioned officers of that regiment, and took part in the battles of Monocacy Junc- tion, Cold Harbor and other engagements, and received an honorable discharge at the close of the war. Our subject is one of the conservative men 'of the town, identified in advancing its best interests, and the leading events of the day.
Ellison, Richard T., a native of Dutchess county, born in 1834, it the only son of Tripp and Mary Ann ( Arnold) Ellison, natives of New York, he born August 6, 1792, and she June 4, 1798. The grandparents were Thomas and Amy Ellison, natives of Long Island, but early settlers of Dutchess county, where they died. Tripp Ellison was reared on a farin, but learned the trade of tailor, at which he worked in Poughkeepsie. Ile spent abont fifteen years on a farm in Palmyra, Wayne county, and died in Pahnyra, Wayne county, March 8, 1853. His wife died November 12, 1841. Subject was reared on a farm, and has always followed farming. He came to Walworth in 1856, and bought the farm where he now resides in 1860, January 6, 1860, he married Phoebe A. Parker, born in 1834, and daughter of John and Eleanor (Fields) Parker of Walworth. John Parker died in 1873, and his widow survives him in Walworth. Mr. and Mrs. Ellison have had one daughter, Celia E., wife of Leon M. Sherburne, of Walworth. He has been justice of the peace since 1869, and eight years supervisor of Walworth. ITe and wife attend and support the M. E. Church of Walworth.
Harrison, George, was born in the town of Palmyra November 19, 1819. His father, Tuman Harrison, was born in Cornwall, Litchfield county, Conn., in 1776, and came to Palmyra in the spring of 1797. In 1811 he was married to Phebe Culver, who was born at Southampton, L. L., August 5, 1793, and came to Palmyra in 1796 with her parents, George and Ruth Culver, and the grandfather Moses Culver and family, travel- ing by the inland water ronte, and landing near the east line of the town. In the spring of 1811 Luman Harrison purchased of John Swift and James Galloway the grist mill, and one acre of land on the south side of Mud Creek, together with about four acres on the north side from Stephen Post, of Southampton, L. I., and Joel Foster, of Pahnyra; upon this he built a house, moving into it the same year. There they lived during then
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