Onondaga's centennial. Gleanings of a century, Vol. II, Part 22

Author: Bruce, Dwight H. (Dwight Hall), 1834-1908
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston History Company
Number of Pages: 1094

USA > New York > Onondaga County > Onondaga's centennial. Gleanings of a century, Vol. II > Part 22

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Mr. Alvord was married first in February, 1833, to Miss Amelia Ann Kellogg, daughter of Ashbel Kellogg of Salina, who died leaving one son, Elisha Alvord, now county judge of Otero county, Colorado. His second wife, whom he married in February, 1851, was Mrs. Charlotte M. Earll, by whom he has two children living, viz .: Mrs. Helen Lansing Cheney, who resides in the Alvord homestead in Syra- cuse, and Thomas G. Alvord, jr., chief of the New York World newspaper bureau at Washington, D. C.

WILLIAM K. PIERCE.

WILLIAM K. PIERCE, president and general manager of the Pierce, Butler & Pierce Manufacturing Company of Syracuse, is a living representative of that class of young men of the present generation whose indomitable thrift, energy, excessive en- C

ONONDAGA'S CENTENNIAL.

terprise, and general information combined with an unusual degree of good solid judgment, has placed his company far in the lead of enterprises of a similar nature in this country. He is the youngest son of the late Sylvester P. Pierce and Cornelia Marsh, his wife, and was born in Syracuse on the 11th of May, 1851. His paternal great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather were natives of Plainfield, Conn., and his great-great-grandmother was the first white child born in that town. His grandfather, Dr. Spaulding Pierce, settled in Sauquoit. Oneida county, N. Y., in 1796, and practiced medicine there until his death in 1824. His father, Sylvester P. Pierce, was born in Sauquoit on September 19, 1814, and at an early age became in- terested in an active commercial life. In 1839 he came to Syracuse, entering at once upon an extensive business career. In 1849 he laid the foundation for the present Pierce, Butler & Pierce Manufacturing Company, of which he was president until his death, November 5, 1893, a position he also held in the Catchpole Manufacturing Company of Geneva, N. Y.

William K. Pierce attended the public schools and afterwards a private school, where he was prepared for college, entering Cornell in the class of 1873 and pur- suing his studies in the scientific course. In the completion of such studies his father suggested a European trip, which he quickly embraced, remaining there nearly two years, studying the French and German languages, and at intervals ac- cepting opportunities to travel and study the people and see the wonders of the old world, all of which tended to broaden and expand his ideas and prepare him more thoroughly for a perfect business education. On his return from Europe he under- took the law as a profession, registering and commencing study in one of the law offices in Syracuse. He studied but a short time, however, before deciding to give up law and devote his exertions to business enterprises, and entered the crockery house of S. P. Pierce & Sons, where he remained two or three years, acquiring a general business knowledge. In 1876 he formed a partnership with his father and brother- in-law, under the name of Pierce, Butler & Pierce, doing a general wholesale busi- ness in gas, water and steam supplies, steam and sanitary engineering. By faithful and unremitting attention to business, he was able, with the assistance of his partners, largely to increase the business, and in 1886, owing to the retirement of Mr. Butler, he organized the Pierce, Butler & Pierce Manufacturing Company with a capital stock of $200,000; and a year or two later, having purchased the large foundry and machine shop at Geneva, N. Y., there organized the Catchpole Manu- facturing Company, with a capital stock of $100,000. Owing to the great success of these companies through careful management and in order to simplify the business, he brought about a consolidation of the two companies in 1890, under the name of the Pierce, Butler & Pierce Manufacturing Company, with a capital stock of $600,000, the company then doing a business of over $1,000,000 annually, having built up this large and prosperous company since 1876, the first year having done but $50,000 worth of business.

In 1882 he was one of the first who organized an electric light company in Syra- cuse, this firm obtaining a franchise and introducing the first electric lights upon the streets and in commercial houses. Afterwards their franchise and electric light business was consolidated with the present Thomson-Houston Electric Light Com- pany of Syracuse, this company having now assumed very large proportions from the simple beginning introduced here through Mr. Pierce and his associates.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

In 1888, enthused with the idea of still further advancing the city's prosperity, he organized the Syracuse Heat and Power Company, with a capital stock of $200,000, this being accomplished almost entirely through his personal efforts. Mr. Pierce is the president of the company. The company furnishes heat and power to residences and business establishments, having obtained a valuable franchise from the city to conduct heat through mains placed in the different streets. This has proven a great convenience and meets with increasing popularity.

Reognizing the many advantages to be derived from the consolidation of a num- ber of large competitors in the same branch of business whereby a very large ex- pense could be saved, Mr. Pierce in conjunction with other large competitive manufac- turers, formed the American Boiler Company, they commencing business February 1, 1893, Mr. Pierce selling out his entire interest in their particular branch of the " Florida" steam and hot water business to the American Boiler Company, which was organized with a capital of $1,500,000, with William K. Pierce as president, with the main office at Chicago and branches in all of the largest cities of the United States. This company will do a business of nearly $1,000,000 annually, and its organ- zation is largely due to the enterprise and efforts of Mr. Pierce.

Mr. Pierce has always been a conscientious worker and while greatly interested in politics has never found time to devote any personal attention to its intricacies. In 1880 he was appointed captain on the staff of Brigadier-General Hawley, and in 1882 was promoted to major on the staff of General Bruce.

No young man has done more to develop Syracuse than William K. Pierce. He has always kept up with, and often been far in advance of the times, and with keen foresight has readily taken advantage of and embraced modern ideas for the ad- vancement of whatever he became deeply interested in. He was married on June 16, 1880, to Miss Eleanor B. Rust. daughter of Stiles M. Rust of Syracuse. They have three children, two boys and a girl.

CHARLES H DUELL.

HON. CHARLES H. DUELL is the eldest son of Hon. R. Holland and Mary L. (Cuy- ler) Duell and was born in Cortland, N. Y., April 13, 1850. Hon. R. Holland Duell was born in Warren, Herkimer county, in December, 1824, read law in Pompey with Daniel Gott and in Syracuse with Charles B. Sedgwick, and in 1847 settled in Cort- land, where he served as district attorney from 1850 to 1856, county judge from 1855 to 1859, member of congress from 1859 to 1863 and from 1871 to 1875, U. S. assessor of internal revenue from 1869 to 1871, and commissioner of patents in 1875 and 1876. He maintained a large general law practice, with patent law as a specialty, and about January, 1877, opened also an office in New York city under the firm name of Duell, Wells & Duell, which he discontinued when his son, the junior member, re- moved to Syracuse. He died in Cortland in February, 1891, widely respected and esteemed.

Charles H. Duell was graduated from Cortlandville Academy in 1867 and from Hamilton College as A. M. in 1871, studied law in New York city with Hon. Elihu Root and at Hamilton College Law School, and received the degree of LL. B. from

ONONDAGA'S CENTENNIAL.

that institution in 1872. In June of the same year he was admitted to the bar at Utica and during the next six months practiced his profession in Cortland. In De- cember, 1872, he went to New York city and remained there until August, 1880, first in partnership with H. B. Tompkins, having a general practice, and later as the junior member of the patent law firm of Duell, Wells & Duell. While there he took an active part in politics, serving for several years as secretary of the Republican general committee. He was examiner in the U. S. Patent Office in 1875-76 and rep- resented the 13th district of New York city in the Assembly in 1878 and 1880. As assemblyman he was a member of various important committees and introduced a bill providing for the appointment of a commission to revise the banking laws of the State. Upon Mr. Duell's request Gov. Alonzo B. Cornell appointed Hon. Willis S. Paine, later superintendent of the State Banking Department, as chairman, and Hon. George B. Sloan, of Oswego, as a member of this committee. Mr. Duell intro- duced and carried through for the New York City Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 'of which Henry Bergh was president, various acts relating to their humane work, and received from the New York society an engrossed resolution of thanks. He also introduced resolutions calling for facts respecting the appointment of referees and receivers in New York city which largely did away with the corrup- tion that had become so evident.

In August, 1880, Mr. Duell came to Syracuse, where he has since resided, and where he has devoted his attention exclusively to the practice of patent law. He has had charge of some of the most extensive patent litigation in this State, notably the spring-tooth harrow cases, involving hundreds of thousands of dollars and cover- ing a period of over ten years. In these he was attorney for the National Harrow Company and other owners of spring-tooth harrows. He lias also had charge of a large amount of electric heating patent litigation, and is attorney for the Klauder- Weldon Company (which controls all the important patents on dying raw stock yarn and knit garments), the National Casket Company, American Ball Nozzle Com- pany, Porter Air Lighting Company, Consolidated Telegraph and News Company, and others. He is a trustee of the Onondaga County Savings Bank and is interested in and attorney for the Syracuse Specialty Manufacturing Company, the New Process Rawhide Company since its inception, and the American Electric Heating Corpora- tion, of Boston, Mass., which controls substantially all patents on electric heating. He is also interested, both as attorney and director in the Carter-Crume Company, one of the largest industrial concerns in this country, having factories at Niagara Falls, N. Y., Dayton, Ohio, Saginaw, Mich., and Toronto, Can. Since coming to Syracuse Mr. Duell has given his time almost wholly to his extensive legal business. He has, however, attended as delegate several district and State political conven- tions, and upon the inception of the new law school of Syracuse University in Sep- tember, 1895, he was chosen lecturer on patent law.

On November 20, 1879, Mr. Duell was married in Syracuse to Miss Harriet S., daughter of Hon. William A. Sackett, of Saratoga Springs, N. Y., formerly an attor- ney and congressman from the Seneca County District and for ten years register in bankruptcy at Saratoga Springs. They have four children: Holland S., W. Sackett, Mary L., and Charles H., jr.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

JOHN NOTTINGHAM, M. D.

JOHN NOTTINGHAM is a son of the late Van Vleck Nottingham and Marie A. Williams, his wife, and was born on the homestead farm in the town of Dewitt, be- tween Jamesville and Syracuse, October 28, 1846. Van Vleck, son of Jacob and Eleanor Nottingham, was born in Red Hook, Dutchess county, N. Y., November 25, 1814, removed with the family to Ulster county, and came thence in 1833 to the farm in Dewitt of which the L. D. V. Smith tract is a part. In 1845 he married Miss Williams, of Canajoharie, formerly of Connecticut, and removing a mile and a half to the east settled upon the land which adjoins the present farm of his nephew, Jacob A. Nottingham. Here were born his six children: Henry D., of Pompey, formerly school commissioner; Dr. John, Edwin, William, and Thomas W., of Syracuse; and Frank, on the homestead. In 1887 Mr. Nottingham came to the city, where he died in January, 1896. Ile was a brother of Gorton and Abram Nottingham, Mrs. Elenora Van Wagenen, and Mrs. Calvin Colton, mother of Charles E. Colton, the architect. He was originally a Democrat, but staunchly ad- hered to the principles of Republicanism after 1856, when he voted for John C. Fremont for president. He took a deep interest in agriculture, was president of the Onondaga County Farmer's club, and became an original member of the First M. E. church of Syracuse. In 1888 he was elected loan commissioner of Onondaga county and held that office until his death. He was a man of rugged honesty, up- right in all his dealings, and his word was as good as his bond.

Dr. Nottingham spent about two years in Falley and Cazenovia Seminaries, and then began the study of medicine in Paterson, N. J., with Dr. T. Y. Kinne, attend- ing a course of lectures meanwhile at the New York Homoeopathic Medical College. He was graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia on March 4, 1870, and immediately commenced the practice of medicine in partnership with his preceptor, Dr. Kinne, with whom he remained three years. He then went to Brooklyn and took charge of the Brooklyn Maternity, a position he held six months, and in the spring of 1877 settled permanently in Syracuse, where he has built up a large and successful practice.

Dr. Nottingham is a member of the American Institute of Homoeopathy and the Onondaga County Homoeopathic Medical Society, and was one of the original in- corporators of the new Syracuse Homoeopathic Hospital in December, 1895. He was made a Mason in Ivanhoe Lodge No. 88, F. & A. M., of Paterson, N. J., in 1867, and is now a member of Central City Lodge No. 305, Central City Chapter No. 70, and Central City Commandery No. 25, K. T. On the 1st of February, 1896, he was married to Mrs. E. A. Miller, of Syracuse.

JOHN G. K. TRUAIR.

JOHN G. K. TRUAIR, for thirty-five years a respected citizen and prominent busi- ness man of Syracuse, was born the son of a Presbyterian clergyman at Sherburne, Chenango county, N. Y., May 11, 1817, and as a youth was educated with a view to the ministry. He became a member of the first Freshman class of Oberlin College,

ONONDAGA'S CENTENNIAL.

Ohio, which he entered in 1834, and was graduated from that institution with honors in 1838. Fifty years afterward he was one of the four surviving earliest graduates who participated in celebrating the semi-centennial anniversary of their alma mater, and one of these, President E. H. Fairchild of Berea College, died twenty-one days before the death of the subject of this sketch. After his graduation Mr. Truair en- gaged in academic teaching in New York State and won high rank in the profession. He was principal of Gilbertsville Academy and Collegiate Institute in Otsego county for six years, of the Norwich Academy in Chenango county for two years, and of the Brockport Collegiate Institute in Monroe county for five years, and was also con- nected with the Female College at Elmira for a time,

In 1853-54 Mr. Truair made a tour of Europe and upon his return became a per- manent resident of Syracuse, where in 1855he purchased the Syracuse Journal estab- lishment, which had been conducted by his brother, Thomas S. In 1862 he asso- ciated IIon. Carroll E. Smith, LL.D., and Edwin Miles with him in conducting the paper and in 1870 Gen. Dwight H. Bruce was admitted to partnership under the firm name of Truair, Smith & Bruce. In 1885 the Journal passed into the ownership of a stock company and during the next three years Mr. Truair was its efficient busi- ness manager. In May, 1889, he retired to private life and on the 23d of the follow- ing November died suddenly at his home in Syracuse, leaving a widow, oue daughter (Mrs. Charles G. Baldwin), and a brother (Thomas S. Truair), all of this city. His only son, George G. Truair, who for a quarter of a century was editorially connected with the Journal, died July 15, 1888. His father died while filling the Presbyterian pulpit in Fabius in 1843.

Mr. Truair was a man of exceptional tastes and rare accomplishments, and throughout life bore an irreproachable reputation for honesty, integrity, and high moral character. As a student and teacher his work was crowned with rich success; in business and social affairs he won universal confidence and esteem; and during a long and useful career his friendship, counsels, and assistance were widely sought and valued. Every one with whom he came into contact drew a wholesome influ- ence from his sterling individuality, and many young men of his time owe much of their success to his generosity and encouragement. He achieved a high position, not only among his associates, but in the community, and filled every station in life with honor, ability, and distinction. As a publisher he exerted an elevating in- fluence upon local journalism and literature, and himself was the author of numerous letters of travel and observation of more than ordinary interest. Engaging with eagerness and courage in the new sphere of activity, that of establishing a profitable newspaper and publishing enterprise, his efforts were crowned with gratifying suc- cess, and he had the satisfaction of seeing the Journal steadily advance in favor with the public, increasing rapidly its circulation and patronage, and widely extexnding its prestige and usefulness.

He was always deeply interested in public affairs and a liberal promoter of relig- ious, educational, and philanthropic movements. From 1855 until his death he was an active and a prominent member of the Park Presbyterian church and frequently its representative in general assembly. He was for many years secretary of the On- ondaga County Bible Society, and the Pioneer Society of Central New York, and was also a member, vice-president, and president of the Board of Councillors of the Home Association. He never sought political preferment, but in 1861-62 and again

BIOGRAPHICAL.

in 1864-65 he served as treasurer of the city, and besides all these was interested in various business enterprises.

ALFRED HIGGINS.

CONSPICUOUS among the untiring and thorough business men of Syracuse is Alfred Higgins, who was born of English ancestry in Brewster, Barnstable county, Mass., March 31, 1830, his father, Samuel Higgins, being a seafaring man in capacities from cabin boy to commander of merchant vessels, In May, 1837, the family came to Syracuse, where Samuel Higgins engaged in various pursuits and lived an honor- able life until his death in August, 1866. His wife, who also possessed high adorn- ments of character, died suddenly on June 11, 1866, while attending communion service in the Park Presbyterian church.

Alfred Higgins embraced such opportunities for acquiring an education as the times and his circumstances permitted, and after the age of fifteen he engaged in those pursuits that were adapted to his years until the winter of 1848-49, when he became sales agent for a tobacco house. Upon the completion of the Syracuse and Binghamton Railroad in 1854 he was appointed baggage and express agent in this city, a position he held until 1857, when he was assigned to the agency of the express office in Syracuse. At that time Wells, Butterfield & Co. were the proprietors of the business between New York and Buffalo, while Livingston & Fargo controlled the lines west of this State. In 1860 these companies were consolidated and Henry Wells was elected president. He was an excellent business man and an ardent ad- mirer of Mr. Higgins's manner of conducting the office, and the people of Syracuse know how wisely he acted when he continued Mr. Higgins as local agent under the new company. The office was located in a building which stood on the site of the present White Memorial building, whence it was subsequently removed to the place now occupied by Loos, Kaufman & Co., in Vanderbilt Square, and still later in the Kline building on the corner of West Washington and South Clinton streets. From there it was moved in 1895 to its present quarters in South Salina street, less than 100 feet south of its original location.

When Mr. Higgins was first appointed express agent in Syracuse the city did not exceed 30,000 population, and the working force of the office consisted of four men and one horse. The contrast between this and the present equipment of thirty-four men and twenty horses is not only a striking one, but shows the wonderful develop- ment of the business as well as the growth of the city. Mr. Higgins has been in continuous service of the American Express Company and its predecessors for forty years, and has constantly enjoyed the fullest confidence of his superiors, who have frequently manifested their appreciation of his valuable services by extending to him exceptional favors. His fidelity to his duties during all these years is a most worthy example for emulation, and it is not probable that an agent more popular with the public can be found on any express line.

Mr. Higgins has never sought or desired political preferment, but in obedience to the expressed wishes of his constituency he represented the Sixth ward, in which he lived fifty-one years, eight times in the Common Council, viz., in 1864, 1866, and

ONONDAGA'S CENTENNIAL.

1869, and from 1875 to 1879 inclusive. He fully sustained his reputation as an honest and fearless citizen and one possessed of public spirit and devotion to the best in- terests of the community. He was appointed a member of the Board of Excise by Mayor Irving G. Vann and held that office three years. Public spirited and enter- prising, Mr. Higgins has contributed materially to the growth and prosperity of the city by the excellent management of his agency and his personal efforts in various undertakings, having for their purpose the full development of the community. It may be truly said of him that no man in Syracuse has had a more busy life and it may safely be stated that none outranks him in the line of good citizenship.

Of the family of six sons and two daughters of Samuel Higgins, who came to Syracuse in 1837, Alfred, the youngest son, alone survives. The late Col. Benjamin L. and Dr. S. M. were brothers of Alfred.

CHARLES E. MCCLARY, M. D.

CHARLES E. MCCLARY, M. D., was born in the town of Onondaga on April 29, 1862, and is a son of George H. and a grandson of John H. McClary, who was born in Dunbarton, N. H., in 1795, and married Mrs. Mary (Riddell) Clark, who was born in Coleraine, Mass., in 1800. John H. was one of the early settlers of Onondaga county, coming to the town of Onondaga with his brother David about 1820. He was a farmer, was well known throughout this section, was interested with E. D. Tefft in buying hops, and died aged seventy-nine. His wife's death occurred in 1875. Their sons were Charles W., on the homestead in Onondaga, and George H. of Cicero. The latter was born January 6, 1837, married, first, Lucy Ann Benton, of Oswego county, who died in 1869, leaving two children: Dr. Charles E., of Syracuse, and Jennie E. (wife of Dr. E. F. Elbridge), of Grand Junction, Col. He married, second, Lucy Hoyt, daughter of David Hoyt, of Cicero, by whom he has three children : Robert R., Josephine, and Gertrude.

Dr. McClary was educated at Onondaga Academy, taught district school in his native town and in La Fayette one winter each, and read medicine in New London, Wis., with his brother-in-law, Dr. E. F. Eldridge. He attended lectures at Rush Medical College in Chicago and was graduated from that institution February 16, 1886. He practiced his profession with Dr. Eldridge one and one-half years and in Bay City, Mich., one year, and in May, 1889, came to Syracuse, where he has since resided, having an office and residence at No. 110 South avenue. Dr. McClary en- joys an extensive general practice, which he has acquired by patient effort, careful attention, and that skill and knowledge commanding popular confidence. His edu- cation was obtained wholly through his own exertions, his expenses being defrayed with the money earned in teaching and manual labor. The results, accomplished without assistance, are the results of personal endeavor and individual enterprise, and stamp him a self-made man.

Dr. McClary served three years (prior to January, 1896), as county coroner's physi- cian and in the fall of 1895 was elected school commissioner on the Republican ticket from the 13th Ward. He was a charter member of the Syracuse Academy of Medi- cine, and is also a member of the Onondaga County Medical Society, Syracuse Lodge, No. 501, F. & A. M., and Prospect Lodge, No. 172, K. P.

Charles &The Clary

BIOGRAPHICAL.

July 27, 1886, he was married to Miss Gertrude M., daughter of Zelotus Dick, of Bay City, Mich., formerly of Onondaga. She died February 10, 1890, leaving one son, Charles R., born October 28, 1888. April 19, 1893, Dr. McClary married, sec- ond, Miss Susie E., daughter of George M. Finn, of H. Finn's Sons of Syracuse.

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Onondaga's centennial. Gleanings of a century, Vol. II, Part 22

Author: Bruce, Dwight H. (Dwight Hall), 1834-1908 Publication date: 1896 Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston History Company Number of Pages: 1094

Author: Bruce, Dwight H. (Dwight Hall), 1834-1908
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston History Company
Number of Pages: 1094