USA > New York > Erie County > Memorial and family history of Erie County, New York Volume, II > Part 8
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John Killeen, Henry W. Killeen's father, was born in 1829 in the parish of Kilmaly, County Clare, Ireland. Honora Greene, his mother, was born in the same parish in 1832. In 1845 the elder Killeen went to Dundee, Scotland. Five years later he came to America, settling at Youngstown, N. Y. In 1870 he removed to Niagara Falls, and in 1877 to Buffalo, where he has ever since resided. HENRY W. KILLEEN. For forty years Mr. John Killeen has been in the employ of the New York Central Railroad.
While living in Youngstown, John Killeen married Honora Greene, the friend of his childhood, who came to America some
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years after Mr. Killeen's own arrival in this country. The couple celebrated their golden wedding in 1904.
The surviving children of the marriage are James W. Killeen, of Salt Lake City; Helen M., now Mrs. George W. Gies of Buffalo; Frank J. Killeen, the well-known Police Captain of this city; Honora A., now Mrs. John O'Day of Buffalo; Katherine E. Killeen of Buffalo, and Henry W. Killeen.
Henry Walter Killeen was born January 21, 1872, at Niagara Falls, N. Y. His education was obtained at the public schools, and at St. Joseph's College, Buffalo. In 1889 he entered the law office of George Wadsworth, Esq., of Buffalo. Here he continued as a student until January 20, 1893, when he was admitted to the bar. Mr. Killeen remained with Mr. Wads- worth until 1895. In that year he formed, with John S. Druar, the law partnership of Killeen & Druar. This association existed until January 1, 1898, when Mr. Killeen was appointed Assistant City Attorney and later as City Attorney, serving until 1902.
Upon retiring from his official position, Mr. Killeen formed the present copartnership with William H. Cuddeback and Alphonse Karl, under the firm,style of Cuddeback, Killeen & Karl.
Mr. Killeen has always been a Democrat. He takes a keen interest in the affairs of his party, and at different times has been very active in its management.
He is a member of the Church of the Annunciation and has served as Vice-President and trustee of the North Buffalo Catholic Association and Library.
He has served as Secretary of the William O'Brien Branch of the Irish National League, better known as the Land League. He is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and of the United Irishmen. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus, and a charter member of Buffalo Council of that Order.
On the 26th of June, 1900, Mr. Killeen married Katherine M. Balthasar, daughter of Frauk Balthasar and Mary Ailinger of
W. Perry Taylor.
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Lancaster, N. Y. Mr. and Mrs. Killeen have two children, Thomas Francis Killeen, born October 29, 1901, and Katherine Killeen, born August 29, 1906.
W. PERRY TAYLOR, President of the W. P. Taylor Company, is head of one of the leading foundry enterprises in Western New York, was formerly a prominent railroad official and is also a noted horseman, known as the owner of some of the finest racing horses in the country and as the founder of the Buffalo Driving Club, whose annual meets were the origin of the now famous races at Kenilworth Park.
The forefathers of W. Perry Taylor settled in Central Vir- ginia prior to the Revolutionary War, and members of the family served in the Patriot army. In 1810, John R. Taylor, W. Perry Taylor's grandfather, removed from Virginia to State Line, Chautauqua County, N. Y. Daniel Reed Taylor, father of the subject of this sketch, was born at State Line, in 1812, and became a farmer there. He was a Democrat and served as Supervisor of the town of Ripley. In 1834 he married Phoebe Myers of State Line. He died in 1885. Mrs. Taylor died in 1900. Their surviving children are W. Perry Taylor and Clarence D. Taylor, both of Buffalo.
W. Perry Taylor was born at State Line, N. Y., April 15, 1846. He attended public schools in Chautauqua, and until the age of sixteen worked on his father's farm. In October, 1862, he obtained employment as a telegraph operator, for the Lake Shore Railroad. Later he went to Adrian, Michigan, and subse- quently to Toledo, Ohio, in both these places being employed as a telegraph operator. In 1864 he removed to Buffalo, where he again entered the service of the Lake Shore Railroad, con- tinuing until 1878. In the railroad business Mr. Taylor's rise was rapid. He advanced to the position of chief train dispatcher, and became Division Superintendent of the Buffalo Division of the Lake Shore, holding the latter office from 1873 to 1878. He then entered the service of the Canada Southern
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Railroad, as General Manager, with headquarters in Buffalo. Mr. Taylor's relationship with the Canada Southern continued until 1886, and he became known as a most capable and efficient railway official.
In 1886 Mr. Taylor decided to abandon railroading. His attention had been attracted by the opportunities offered by the foundry industry, and in company with Mr. Charles F. Bingham, he bought ont the interest of A. W. Morgan in the firm of Bingham & Morgan, who were then conducting a foundry at Church and Genesee Streets. The new partnership was known as Bingham & Taylor, and did a successful business until March, 1905, when Mr. Taylor purchased Mr. Bingham's interest and the corporation of the W. Perry Taylor Company was organized, with Mr. Taylor as President. In the nineteen years since Mr. Taylor had been identified with the business, it had greatly expanded, and is today one of the foremost foundry concerns in this section of the State, employing over 200 men. In 1890 the plant was removed to Howard Street, corner of Lewis.
Always a great lover of harness horses, after the Hamlins abandoned the old Driving Park in Ferry Street for racing purposes, Mr. Taylor founded the Buffalo Driving Club, of which he was the first and only President. For five years the club held an annual meet for trotting and pacing horses at the Fort Erie track. Since 1904 the meetings have been held at the Kenilworth track, and have been highly successful, leading to the development of a true spirit of horsemanship among those concerned and awakening a widespread interest on the part of the public. Mr. Taylor was the owner of Mascot (2.04), the famous bay gelding which held the world's pacing record in 1892 and 1893. Mr. Taylor is a member of the Board of Review of the National Trotting Association. When the Gen- tlemen's Drivers' Association of Buffalo was formed in 1900, he was elected its first President, which office he held for two years. He is still actively connected with the Association.
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Mr. Taylor is also well known in club life, being a member of the Buffalo, Ellicott and Country Clubs.
JOHN CASPAR BETZ, one of the leading manufacturing jewelers of Western New York, and now member of the Buffalo Board of Councilmen, has to his credit a record of success both in business and politics. In the latter field Mr. Betz became active within a comparatively recent period, but within that time he has won honors which any citizen of Buffalo might be glad to receive. Councilman Betz is widely known, personally and politically popular, and has hosts of friends. He is a self- made man, and his success, both in business and in politics, has been won by force of character and honest methods justifying the public confidence which Councilman Betz to a notable degree enjoys.
Philip Betz, father of John Caspar Betz, was a native of Germany, belonging to a family which had resided in Bavaria for many generations. He came to Buffalo in 1637, when a lad of ten years. He learned the trade of stationary engineer and was engineer for Jewett & Root for twenty-five years. Later he became engineer for the Buffalo Fire Department. Mr. Betz belonged to the German Odd Fellows, was prominent in that connection and was one of the best known Germans of Buffalo. In 1858 he married Hannah Schlotzer. She was born near Hamburg, Erie County, in 1830, survived her husband who died in 1892, and she is now a resident of Buffalo.
John Caspar Betz was born in Buffalo, January 18, 1860. He was educated at Public School No. 32 in this city. When four- teen years old he left school and began work for John Howell & Company, manufacturers of mineral waters. With this firm he remained until he was seventeen, when he entered the employ of King & Eisele to learn the trade of manufacturing jeweler.
After an apprenticeship of nine years, Mr. Betz, in 1886,
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embarked in business for himself as a manufacturing jeweler. He associated with him Henry G. Schneider, under the firm name of Schneider & Betz, which copartnership still continues. The firm was first located at 116 Clinton Street, later at North Division and Washington Streets, in 1896 removing to its present location at 507-509 Washington Street. Messrs. Schneider & Betz do a large business as general manufac- turing jewelers, and in addition, are the most important manu- facturers of badges, fraternity pins and similar articles of any concern in this part of the country.
Mr. Betz has been a Democrat all his life, but never participated actively in the affairs of his party except as a delegate to conventions until the fall of 1905, when he was nominated for Councilman on the Democratic ticket. In the ensuing election, Mr. Betz received a handsome plurality, the leading candidate for Councilman on the same ticket receiving only three more votes than Mr. Betz, who was elected for a term of four years, beginning January 1, 1906.
As Councilman, Mr. Betz has made an excellent record, giving much time and attention to his Councilmanic duties and to safeguarding the interests of the public at every possible point.
Mr. Betz is a 32d degree Mason, and is affiliated with Wash- ington Lodge, Keystone Chapter R. A. M., and the Buffalo Consistory. He is also a prominent member of the Buffalo Lodge of Elks, at present being one of the House Committee of that organization. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, and has also been connected with the German singing societies of Buffalo, and many other social bodies. Councilman Betz attends the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.
CHARLES J. FIX, County Treasurer of Erie County and former Alderman from the Fifteenth Ward of Buffalo, Second Vice-President of the American Savings Bank, and for many years one of Buffalo's leading hardware merchants, is an able business man, a citizen whose popularity is an unquestioned
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fact, and an official whose capability has been demonstrated by highly efficient public service.
On both the father's and the mother's side, Mr. Fix is descended from families who for many generations have lived in Baden, Germany, where their representatives still reside. Nicholas Fix, father of Charles J. Fix, was born in Amt Wolfach, Baden, in 1812. In 1850 he married Victoria Meyer, a resident of Schnellin- gen, and the same year came to America. Arriv- ing in New York City, the elder Fix and his wife pro- ceeded to Buffalo, where they made their home. Mr. Fix died in 1882. His .. widow is yet living. Their surviving children are: Mary, now Mrs. Christian Marthia; and Charles J. Fix, the subject of this sketch.
Charles J. Fix was born in Buffalo, July 11, 1856. He attended St. Louis Parochial School until he was twelve years old, when he began to earn CHARLES J. FIX. his own living. At thir- teen he was apprenticed to the printer's trade on the old Buffalo Courier, and afterward worked as a compositor on the Evening News. When twenty-one years of age he took charge of the advertising and circulation departments of the German Sunday Tribune and the daily Arbeiter Zeitung. Subsequently he pub- lished the Adelphi Theater programmes, and engaged in a gen- eral advertising business. In 1881, Mr. Fix became chief clerk
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for the late Henry Garono, proprietor of a hardware store, with whom he remained ten years. In 1892, Mr. Fix entered the hardware business on his own account, his establishment being situated at No. 808 Main Street, where he has since continued, his business being carried on with a high degree of success, and having grown to large proportions.
From the first Mr. Fix was a Republican and has always supported the candidates of that party, and taken an active part in its affairs. In the fall of 1903 he was the Republican candidate for Alderman from the Fifteenth Ward, and although the ward is a very close one, was elected by a good majority. He was renominated in the fall of 1905, and though on this occasion Mr. J. N. Adam, the Democratic candi- date for Mayor, carried the ward by 396 majority, Mr. Fix's popularity and good record achieved such results that he was elected by 139 plurality. During his terms as Alderman, Mr. Fix served as the Chairman of the Committee on Lamps, and as a member of many important committees. As Alderman he made an excellent record, caring for the interests of the municipality as honestly and faithfully as if the public business were his own.
The office of County Treasurer becoming vacant, on the 6th of March, 1906, Gov. Higgins appointed Mr. Fix to fill that place for the term ending January 1, 1907. He was then elected for three years. As County Treasurer, Mr. Fix has admin- istered the affairs committed to his charge with intelligence and fidelity, and his services have been eminently acceptable to the public.
Mr. Fix is a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Benevolent Legion, the C. M. B. A., Lodge No. 23, B. P. O. E., the Buffalo Orpheus, Buffalo Saengerbund, and the Turn-Verein. He is also a member of the Amicus Club, of which he has served as Treasurer for several years. All his life Mr. Fix has been a member of St. Louis Parish, and in 1888 he was elected a
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member of the Board of Trustees of St. Louis Church, and has served continuously since that time, in 1905 being chosen Presi- dent of the Board. Since 1884 he has also been a member of the Board of Trustees of the German Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum, and is now Chairman of the Press Committee of the Board. He has given freely of his time and money in the support of this worthy institution.
Mr. Fix is at present a director of the Freehold Savings & Loan Association, and during the period since 1905 has twice served as Treasurer. He is Second Vice-President and a trustee of the American Savings Bank, of which he was one of the organizers. He is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Builders' Exchange.
November 27, 1877, Mr. Fix married Adaline F. Georger, daughter of Louis Georger and Filisie Gentilhomme Georger, of Buffalo. They have three children, William C., Arthur J. and Grace M. Fix. William C. Fix married Mary Scheidweiler, a daughter of the late Frank and Mary Scheidweiler, of Buf- falo, April 8, 1902. The issue of the union is one child, Charles W., born August 24, 1904.
WILLIAM D. DOHERTY, Police Commissioner of Buffalo, is a man of diversified abilities and one who has achieved success along several distinct lines of effort.
Mr. Doherty was born in New York City where he grew up. About twenty-five years ago he came to Buffalo, here assuming the management of the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, with which he has ever since been connected. At the time when Mr. Doherty took charge of this company's interest at that place the enterprise was in the initiatory stage of its progress, in 1881 having a business of $20,000 annually, which now amounts to over $250,000 per annum.
Among the other business relationships Mr. Doherty is Vice- President of the E. C. & G. L. Knight Coal Company, and treasurer of the Spencer Seedless Apple Company.
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Mr. Doherty has never sought public office, though July 1, 1903, he was appointed by Mayor Knight to serve an unexpired term as Police Commissioner, and he filled the place with such capability and zeal that on the 1st of March, 1905, he was reappointed to serve the full term of six years. To the duties of his province of municipal affairs, Commissioner Doherty has applied the principles of unwearying industry and scrupulous fidelity which characterize him as a business man.
A prominent man, he is a member of De Molay Lodge No. 498, Buffalo Chapter 71, Lake Erie Commandery No. 20 Knights Templar and Ismailia Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is also a Mason of the 32d degree, Ancient Accepted Scot- tish Rite, and is a member and Past President of the Acacia Club. One of the organizers of the Emergency Gratuity Fund of Ismailia Temple, Mr. Doherty has been its Treasurer since it was established in 1900. Mr. Doherty is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, and the Ellicott and Independent Clubs of this city.
January 5, 1880, Mr. Doherty married Miss Octavia Field, a daughter of Walter and Elvira (Penso) Field, and comes of the well-known Field family, whose connection with American and International affairs is historic and one of whose members, Cyrus W. Field, projected and carried through to success the laying of the first Atlantic cable. Mr. and Mrs. Doherty have one son, William Elwood Doherty, born December 7, 1886.
FRANK WESLEY STANDART. The American branch of the family to which Mr. Standart belongs traces its descent to Oliver Standart, a soldier in the Revolution.
Born in Boston, Mass., 1766, he died in Alden, Erie County, N. Y., in 1841. Oliver Standart married, first, Nancy Hancock, a niece of John Hancock, the first signer of the Declaration of Independence. After his marriage, Oliver Standart removed to the State of New York, settling in the town of Locke, Cayuga County, where he cultivated a farm. His son, William
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Standart, was born in Dorchester, Mass., in 1797, where he grew up and married Olive Morse Draper, daughter of Seth and Mary (Hayden) Draper in Belchertown, Mass., in 1803. Soon after his marriage, in 1820, he removed to the town of Lan- caster, Erie County, settling on what was known as the Dykstra Farm. Here were born to him nine children: DeForest, Betsy Emaline, Sarah Celina, Julia Frances, Mary Celina, William Wesley, Joseph Clary, Charles Carroll and Charles Draper, who was Second Lieutenant in the 116th New York Volunteers in the Civil War.
In 1854 the family removed to Elma, Erie County, and there built a brick farm house, which is still standing and is occupied by Myron H. Clark, former Assemblyman, who is the son of Elon Clark and Julia Standart. William Standart also built a sawmill and carried on farming and the manufacture of lumber. In the War of 1812 William Standart served as a soldier, being stationed on the Niagara frontier. He was well known in Erie County as a substantial man and one of excellent character.
William Wesley Standart, the second son of William Stan- dart and Olive Morse Draper, was born in Lancaster, Septem- ber 16, 1835. He was brought up on his father's farm and was married in 1856, his bride being Barbara Elizabeth Hermann, who was born in Germany in 1836 and came to this country at the age of sixteen. William Wesley Standart engaged in the hotel business at Springbrook in this country. In 1862, he went to the front as a soldier of the 94th Regiment of New York Volunteers, Col. Cook commanding. He was wounded at the battle of Fredericksburg in December, 1862. His brother DeForest, of the 121st Regiment, died in Newburn, South Caro- lina, of yellow fever in 1862. Joseph and Charles Draper, two other brothers, were members of the 116th New York Volunteers. Joseph served until the end of the war, but Charles was killed in the battle of Sabine Cross Roads, in 1864.
After the war, William Wesley Standart conducted a hotel
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and a general store in Elma until 1884, when he came to Buffalo, where he resided until his death in 1907. Mrs. Standart died in 1903. The surviving children are Clara Frances, now Mrs. William Henry Leggett of Rochester, N. Y., Miss Emma Julia Standart of Buffalo, and Frank W. Standart, the subject of the present sketch. Two sons and a daughter died in infancy.
Frank Wesley Standart was born May 20, 1871, at Elma, Erie County, N. Y. He attended district school until he was twelve years old, when he removed with his parents to Buffalo. Here he attended the local public schools and in 1887 entered a High School, from which he was graduated in 1891. After his grad- nation young Standart taught school in Elma for two years. In 1893 he entered the Buffalo Law School, also pursuing his legal studies in the office of Howard and Clark, and in July, 1895, was. admitted to the bar. In January, 1896, he assumed the position of managing clerk in the law office of Henry W. Brendel. In 1898 he became Mr. Brendel's partner, the per- sonnel of the partnership being further increased in 1906 by the addition of Mr. Francis Bagot, under the firm style of Brendel, Standart & Bagot.
In politics Mr. Standart has always been a strong Republican. In the fall of 1904 he was elected a Member of Assembly by over 1600 plurality. In the Assembly of 1905 he served on the Judiciary Trades and Manufactures and Revision Committees.
At this time the investigation of the charges against Supreme Court Justice. Warren B. Hooker was begun. The Judiciary Committee, which had the matter in hand, recommended that charges be preferred and a trial had before the Senate and Assembly in joint session. Mr. Standart voted for the removal of the accused Justice.
In 1889 he enlisted in Company I of the Sixty-fifth Regiment, N. G. N. Y., serving about six years. When honorably discharged in 1896, he held the rank of First Sergeant.
He is a member of Hiram Lodge of Masons and of the Con- sistory, Scottish Rite Masons; also of Eastern Star Lodge,
14.JM
John Russ
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I. O. O. F., and of Christopher Columbus Lodge, Knights of Pythias.
June 28, 1899, Mr. Standart married Miss Elizabeth J. Charles, daughter of James T. Charles and Alice R. (King) Charles of Buffalo.
The children of the marriage are Helen Olive, born in 1900, James Wesley, born in 1901 and Charles Melvin, born in 1903.
JOHN RUSS, nephew of the late Jacob F. Schoellkopf and as a partner in the great tanning and leather enterprise of J. F. Schoellkopf's Sons, and subsequently as sole proprietor of the cut-sole manufacturing department, an important branch of that business, has a high place in the leather industry, is a self- made man, whose success has been won by the qualities of perseverance, integrity and foresight. The achievements of Mr. Russ are the more notable in that he has had to make his way in the world against adverse circumstances. A native of Germany, when he arrived as a young man in this country, he was obliged to contend against the disadvantages which beset a stranger, unaccustomed to American conditions. Obstacles of this character Mr. Russ has surmounted, and has done so in a manner which stamps him as a man of exceptional resources and force of will.
Mr. Russ was born in Donnstetten in the county of Urach, Wurtemburg, South Germany, on the 25th of October, 1855. His father, John Russ, senior, was a resident of Donnstetten and was a farmer, baker and hotel proprietor. He married Johanna Duerr, at Kirchheim, Teck, Germany. Mrs. Russ died at the age of sixty-five years. The elder John Russ was the father of eight children, Charles, Frederica, Louis, Marie, Sophia, John, Gottlieb and William, all of whom were born in Donnstetten. Gottlieb Russ came to America in 1884 and is now a resident of Niagara Falls, N. Y., where he is engaged in the brewing business. Frederica Russ came to the United States in 1890 and is a resident of Buffalo. The rest of the
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children, with the exception of the subject of this sketch, still live in Germany. The elder John Russ died at the age of fifty- nine years. He was a man well known in the place of his residence, an industrious and esteemed citizen and a consistent adherent of the Evangelical Lutheran faith.
John Russ, son of John and Johanna Duerr Russ, received until he was ten years old the advantages of the excellent public schools of his native town. He then entered the High School at Kirchheim, Teck, graduating at the age of seventeen. Prepared for the practical duties of life by an education characterized by German thoroughness of training, Mr. Russ engaged in the dry-goods business till 1876. That year he emigrated to America, coming directly to Buffalo, where his uncle, Jacob F. Schoellkopf, gave him employment in his office. Mr. Russ exhibited such capacity for business that in 1880 he was promoted chief bookkeeper and office manager, finally becoming a partner in the firm of J. F. Schoellkopf's Sons, tanners and manufacturers of cut soles. He remained in the tanning industry till 1894, and from that year has devoted his entire attention to the cut soles branch, his present business, employing thirty-five men and disposing of his product to job- bers and manufacturers throughout the United States. In 1899 Mr. Russ bought out the interest of Mr. Louis Schoellkopf, and thereafter continued alone, under the old firm name of J. F. Schoellkopf's Sons.
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