Onondaga's centennial. Gleanings of a century, Vol. II, Part 91

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 91

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Hughes, John E., La Fayette, was born in Richfield, Otsego Co., Jan. 8, 1842, a son of Hiram and Phoebe (Eaton) Hughes, natives of Charleston, Montgomery Co., where he was born in 1806, and she in 1813. They removed to Oswego Co., where the father died in 1886, and his widow resides in Pompey. The grandfather was John Hughes, who lived and died in Charleston, Montgomery Co. His wife was Lydia Jameson. John E. was educated in the common and select schools of his native town, and engaged in farming. Coming to Pompey in 1869 he engaged in the manufacture of cheese, and in 1872 came to his present place. He built the Col- linwood Cheese factory in 1872, and manufactured about 35,000 pounds of cheese an- nually. In 1875 he married Polly Alexander, by whom he had one son, Irvin A., born Aug. 18, 1876. 2

Harvey, Job, Spafford, was born in Spafford, Dec. 22, 1826, a son of Peter and Sallie (Hiscock) Harvey, he born in Fort Ann, Vt., in 1794, and his wife born in Au- gusta, Madison Co., in 1797. The former came to Onondaga Co. with his parents in an early day, and was in the war of 1812. He cleared a large part of the land now owned by Job, and there died in 1852, and his wife in 1880. Our subject was reared on the farm and educated in the common and select schools. He was mar- ried in 1849 to Chloe A. Mason, a native of Spafford, born in 1825, a daughter of Asa and Anna (Sheldon) Mason, born in Rensselaer Co., N. Y., and Cheshire, Mass., respectively, who came to this town about 1800, where the father died in 1864 and the mother in 1866. Our subject has been president of the Patron's Fire Relief As-

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sociation of Onondaga Co. since its organization in 1883. The grandfather of our subject had 12 children, of whom but one is now living, Isabelle Harvey, of Chicago.

Hall, Arthur C., Clay, was born in Belleville, Jefferson Co., Jan. 9, 1853. The parents, Daniel and Armina, were born in the same county, came to Clay in 1865, and settled on the farm where subject now resides. The father was a miller by trade, which business he followed until he came to Clay, where he took up farming and fol- lowed it until his death. He married Armina M. Booner, and their children are: Alice, A. C., Jessie and Hattie. Our subject has always followed farming, owns 121 acres mostly all under cultivation, and has always taken an active part in politics. He married in 1877 Emma L., daughter of Ilenry Goodwin of Lysander, and they have one child, Ernest A., now attending school in Phoenix. Mr. Hall is a member of the Grange.

Hamlin, Prosper S., Clay, was born in Clay, Aug. 8, 1835, son of David who came from Connecticut in 1823, and first settled in Clay where they lived until they died. The occupation of the family has been farming. David Hamlin married Louanna J. Orvis, by whom he had 11 children, subject being the fifth. He now owns a fine farm of 55 acres, all under first class cultivation. He married Melissa A., daughter of Alex. Blanchard, an old and respected gentleman of this town, who lives with Mr. Hamlin and is now 85 years of age, having lived in Clay since 23 years old. Subject has five children: Frank, E. Albert, Alberta, George and William.

Hamlin, James M., Clay, son of Samuel Hamlin, was born Oet. 19, 1861, and is a descendant of the family of Hamlins who emigrated to this country from England. Our subject in his younger days was engaged in farming. In 1885 he started in the general merchandise business at Gilbert's Mills at which place he continued for three years, but for the last six years he has conducted a large store in Euclid, where, be- ing a man of push and energy, he has built up a large trade. He married Carrie, daughter of Tunis Sitterly, a farmer, by whom he had two children, Grant M. and Mabel A. They are members of the M. E. Church.

Huntley, William, Salina, was born in Salina in 1856, son of Washington and Cor- delia (Goodrich) Huntley. The father, who died in 1873, was a native of Kirkville: and the mother, a native of Vermont, resides on the homestead in the town of Salina, near the First ward. The Huntley tract of 32 acres was taken off the homestead, leaving 28 acres. Mr. Huntley married Ethel Berey, of Syracuse, by whom he has two children, Hazel and William B.

Hay, Mrs. Julia, Camillus, is a native of Camillus. Her father, Asher Isham, came from Herkimer Co. at an early day locating at Belle Isle, where he lived and died. She married the late Luther Hay in 1839, whose father came one of the early settlers from Vermont, located near Belle Isle where he died. Luther Hay was a merchant at Belle Isle and dealt largely in grain. He was also in the mercantile trade in Syracuse several years, and died on the farm still owned by Mrs. Hay in 1888. He was once supervisor. Mrs. Hay has four children: Delvin L., Gralia A., Ida M., and Mrs. J. Anna Dayton.

Hamilton, John, Marcellus, was born in La Fayette May 8, 1824, son of Durias and Charlotte Hamilton. Durias was born in Ware, Mass., came to Onondaga Co.

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when a young man and bought a farm in La Fayette, which he conducted until his death at the age of 93. John Hamilton was educated in La Fayete and moved to Marcellus in 1865, where he bought the farm on which he has since resided. Mr. Hamilton has two farms, one consisting of 100 acres and the other of 74, both under a fine state of cultivation. He married Sally, daughter of James Clark, of Fabius, by whom he has three children, James, who is married and conducts one of his fath- er's farms; Lottie, who married John D. Amidon, and Belle, who lives at home.

Henderson, James, Otisco, was born in Stowe, Scotland, Dec. 24, 1830, a son of James and Elizabeth (Shiel) Henderson who came to America from Scotland in 1855, stopping in Syracuse for one year, then removing to Upper Canada, where he en- gaged in farming, and there died. Our subject came to America in 1853, settling in Otisco in 1854, where he has since resided. He learned the tailor's trade in Scot- land, and on coming to Otisco engaged in that business, having an extensive trade. In 1880 he gave up that business aud engaged in general store keeping, which he sold in 1890, and retired. In 1863 he married Francis M., daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Keevil) Hill, he of Somerset and she of Devonshire, England. Mr Hill came to America in 1833 with his parents, Timothy and Johanna (Stephens) Hill, the former a blacksmith by trade, who died in Marcellus in 1868. Joseph settled in Otisco in 1844, where he has been engaged in general blacksmithing, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson have had nine children: Joseph, who died at the age of six years; Lizzie, who died in 1889, wife of M. T. Frisby of Syracuse; William J., a farmer of Otisco; Catharine L., wife of L. M. Ellis of this town; Robert H., a clerk of Tully; John K. of this town; George A., who resides at home. Mr. Henderson has been an active man in local affairs, having served as supervisor, town clerk, and for eighteen years postmaster.

Kneeland, Dr. Jonathan, Onondaga, was born Feb. 10, 1812, in a log cabin in Marcellus, between Skaneateles and Otisco lakes. His father, Warren Kneeland, born in Connecticut in 1771, was a country schoolmaster for twenty-seven years, teaching chiefly in Saratoga and Onondaga counties. Jonathan is the fifth in descent from Edward Kneeland, who came to " Boston Bay " from Scotland in 1732 and left in Haddam, Conn., five children: Deacon John, Warren (above mentioned), Asa, Amasa, and one other. Amasa died in Marcellus in 1845. He came to this county about 1797 and was the father of Hon. Samuel Stillman Kneeland, of Skaneateles, who was born in April, 1811. Deacon John was an architect and builder, while Asa followed farming, teaching, and tanning. Both reared large families, and after liv- ing here many years went west, where their children are well-known citizens. War- ren came to Pompey from Saratoga county at a very early day to teach in a log school house which the Sweets, Hiscocks, and others erected for the purpose. Dr. Jonathan was a precocious youth, devouring everything he could find in the way of literature. When eleven years of age he became a student in medicine under Dr. Jeremiah Bumpus Whiting, of Sempronius, Cayuga Co., but soon returned to his father's log house. When sixteen he again left home, this time without leave, and attended district, select, and academic schools. He now weighed ninety pounds. He taught two winter terms of school of four and five months each, and experienced all the questionable delights of "boardin' 'round." When eighteen he entered Lane Seminary in Ohio, and after teaching for a time entered the collegiate department

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under Dr. Lyman Beecher. Here after faithfully nursing his schoolmaster through the disease he suffered an attack of Asiatic cholera, which left him an invalid for nine years. Fighting bravely through his weakness and ill-health, however, he con- tinned to pursue his medical studies, and in 1842 was licensed by the Onondaga County Medical Society as a physician. He then opened an office in Vesper, a little village in the town of Tully, but in 1843 removed to Thorn Hill in Marcellus, where he was married on Feb. 2, 1815, to Miss Miriam, only daughter of Moses Martin D)welle, of Onondaga. After several years' practice there he settled in South Onon- daga, where he has since resided. Dr. Kneeland's children, all born at Thorn Hill, were Frank Joel, born in Dec., 1845, who has been for thirteen years an active busi- ness man in Fergus Falls, Minn. ; Martin Dwelle, D.D., born Sept. 24, 1848, pastor of the Knoxbury Presbyterian church, of Boston, Mass., ; and Stella, born Feb. 20, 1854, wife of Fred Colburn, of Syracuse. These have borne him eight grandchil- dren. In 1854 the New York State Medical Society conferred upon Dr. Kneeland the degree of M.D., and in 1856 he received a similar honor from the Regents. These honors came entirely unsought, but were conferred for well-known merit. During his extensive and successful practice, covering a period of about fifty years, Dr. Kneeland sought to keep abreast with the best men in his profession, not only by constant study, but by attending lectures in both Philadelphia and New York city. and by service in hospitals and dispensaries, as well as by faithful attendance at the various county, State and national medical societies to which he belonged. He was a delegate to the State Medical Society for four years and an active member for twenty years, and has been for thirty-six years a member of the American Medi- cal Association. He has contributed to various medical journals, some of his writ- ings having been published in magazines in other countries, attracting wide atten- tion. He has filled various offices of trust and honor with scrupulous integrity. He served as coroner eighteen years, as superintendent of the Onondaga Indian school twenty-five years, and as physician to the Onondaga Indians ten years. As a vol- unteer surgeon in the Civil war he did valiant work in the special corps, and his services were appreciated and honored. His career is strewn with acts of kindness, with numerous warm, admiring friends, and with no enemies. His has ever been a profitable life, filled with deeds imperishable, graced by that precious attribute-an approving conscience.

Dodge, Levi Woodbury, Syracuse, second of three sons of William and Eunice (Newell) Dodge, was born in Whitefield, N. H., July 21, 1834. His parents, of sub- stantial old Puritan stock, were pioneers of that historic town in the White Moun- tains, one of the last chartered by the grace of King George III to his "dutiful sub- jects" in 1774. William Dodge was a merchant and postmaster, served as town clerk many years, representative at General Court, and early and always identified with the cause of education. Levi W. was left fatherless in 1837, and under his guardian and stepfather his life until early manhood was that of most farmers' boys among the granite hills of New England. He attended the public schools of his na- tive village, and like many young men of that section passed the winters after his sixteenth year in school teaching, with marked success. In 1854, with misgivings born of poverty and a not over strong constitution, he entered Newbury (Vt.) Semi- nary to prepare himself for a college education and a professional life, but at the

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completion of this course failing health compelled him to abandon the idea of a col- legiate training and look for the bettering of his physical condition. Drifting west- ward in 1862 Mr. Dodge was induced to stop at Syracuse, which he has ever since claimed as his residence, and for twenty-five years has been the trusted manager of the retail department of the coal trade of the D., L. & W. R. R. Co., with office in Clinton street. Dec. 17, 1864, Mr. Dodge wedded with Caroline Wilson Webb of Utica, N. Y., a woman of strong character, industrious, careful and conscientious. Two children resulted from this union: William Henry Dodge, D. D. S., and Beulah Chase Dodge. The immigrant ancestor of this ancient Anglo-Saxon family was William, who landed at old Naumkeag, now Salem, Mass., in 1628, where he estab- lished himself upon "Cape Ann Side," afterward set off as Beverly. The ancient records of the two towns show that William Dodge and his twosons. John and William, took prominent parts in the affairs of church and state. The father was familiarly known as "Farmer William" and was one of the founders and deacon of the first church there in 1667. The sons were noted Indian fighters, for the " King Philip's War " was on. In the first book printed on this continent -- " Hubbard's Indian Wars"-William Dodge is thus mentioned. 1675, Jan. 21, "Capt. Prentice, his Troop being abroad, met with a Party of the enemy of whom they took Two prisoners and killed nine: in which exploit something hap'ned very remarkable for one W. Dodge of Salem riding in company with another friend: they hap'ned to meet with two Indians: the said Dodge being better horsed than his friend made after the foremost leaving his friend to deal with the hindermost: but his pistol missed firing: whereupon the Indian tak- ing him by the leg, turned him off his horse and getting upon him was about killing him with his knife: which Mr. Dodge by chance espied and came time enough to do his business also by that means he did 'Three good offices at once, saved the life of one friend and slew two of his enemies." Doctors, lawyers, warriors, clergymen and statesmen have been scattered all along the line from William the immigrant to the eighth generation (Dr. William, of Syracuse, son of Levi W.). The first appearance of this name in history is from an ancient Patent of Arms found in the Herald's Col- lege, London, written in Norman French and under date of 1306, or 34th of Edward the First, granted to Pierre Dodge, who fought under Edward in his Scottish wars to punish John Baliol, his liege, who he appointed king of Scotland, but who re- volted and became a public enemy. The barony of Coldingham, granted to Pierre Dodge as a reward for valor in arms, was located in the southeast of Scotland, about twelve miles from Berwick and in the vicinity of Melrose Abbey, but on account of the fortunes of war the grantee probably never entered upon his Scottish heritage, and it was afterward granted to the Earl of Bothwell, again confiscated, and became the estate of Lord Hume, in which title it remains to this day. Levi W. Dodge has strong literary tastes, and is the author of many magazine articles and historic sketches, among which are "In the Footprints of the Pioneers," "Cooashauke," "Along the John's River," "Col. Joseph Whipple," and "Summer Saunterings," to- gether with many published notes of travel and an unpublished " History of White- field" from 1774 to 1850. His line of American ancestry through eight generations is: (1) William Dodge, the immigrant, passenger by ship "Lyon's Whelp" in 1629 from Devonshire, England; (2) Capt. William, born 1640, wife Mary, daughter of Roger Conant, second Joanna, daughter of Dea. Robert Hale; (3) Col. Robert, born 1686, wife Lydia Woodbury; (4) Dea. William, born 1732, wife Mary Baker, of Wen-

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ham, second wife Mary Trask; (5) Simeon, born 1755, wife Mary Balch, of Beverly, a part of ancient Salem ; (6) William, born 1795, wife Eunice Newell, Mason, N. H. ; (7) Levi Woodbury, subject of this sketch. Simeon Dodge (5) was a soldier of the Revolution and an active participant in the battles of Concord and Lexington, fol- lowing the British back to Boston. He was in Colonel Tupper's Regiment until Feb- ruary 13, 1780. Beverly by the sea was the ancestral town where four generations of the Dodges joined homestead to homestead, and where within the silent city called "Dodges Row" they are still side by side. Levi W. Dodge joined the Masons at Lancaster, N. H., May 17, 1859, uniting with North Star Lodge, No. 8. He is a de- voted adherent of the fraternity and strongly interested in its prosperity. April 24, 1862, he received the Chapter degree in Franklin Chapter, Lisbon, N. Il. He be- came a member of Central City Council, Royal and Select Masters, Sept. 7, 1892, and was knighted in Central City Commandery July 28, 1893. In 1894 he received the Scottish Rite degrees in the bodies of the rite located in the valley of Syracuse, N. Y. to and including the 32d degree or Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret. In the vari- ous bodies of American Rite he has served as chaplain for several years. Mr. Dodge's political tutor was an old time abolitionist, a friend and follower of John P. Hale and worshiper at the political shrine of Henry Wilson, Charles Sumner, and William Lloyd Garrison. His first vote for president was cast for John C. Fremont in 1856.

Rapp, Gustav Albert, Syracuse, was born in Vaihingen am Ae Anz, kingdom of Wurtemberg. Germany, April 8, 1842, and is a son of Christian Wilhelm Rapp, a combmaker. He was educated in his native city until the age of fourteen, when he learned the tailor's trade, which he followed there for three years. Ile then traveled in Germany as a journeyman, and when twenty-one entered the National army as a member of the 8th Regt. Inf., in which he served one and one-half years. He then continued his trade in Germany until 1866, when he came to America, landing in New York on the 2d of May. Coming direct to Syracuse, whither his brother, Will- iam A. Rapp, late sergeant of the police force, who died Dec. 9, 1895, had preceded him, he engaged in tailoring about three years, and following this, spent eighteen months in Boston, Buffalo, and Illinois. In 1873 he established himself as a merchant tailor at No. 624 South West street, where he has ever since carried on a successful business. He is a charter member of Ossahinta Lodge, No. 153, A. O. U. W., and a member of Syracuse Lodge, No. 501, F. & A. M. Feb. 23, 1871, he was married to Miss Margerith Pruger, by whom he has two children: William L. and Gustav B.

Collins, Dr. John, was born at Brookfield, Madison Co., New York, Feb. 10, 1804; graduated from the Medical College at Castleton, Vt., in 1829; came to Spafford in 1830, and practiced medicine there until his decease which occurred Aug. 15, 1853. On his paternal side he was of the seventh generation in a continuons line of succes- sion of Johns from Henry Collins, starchmaker, and Ann his wife who came in the ship "Abigail" with their three children and five servants June 29, 1635, from Step- ney Parish, London, and settled in Essex street, Lynn, Essex Co., Mass. Henry Collins was possessed of property ; was a man of influence and more than ordinary intelligence, and his name is often spoken of in connection with the early transac- tions of Essex Co. He was at one time a member of the General Court; was one of the men in charge of the public lands, and his name on one or two occasions is

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spoken of as an advocate employed in the defense of persons tried in court for public offences. By his wife Ann he had four children, Henry, John, Margery and Joseph; the latter probably born on shipboard during the passage to America, as his name is not mentioned in the Custom House Clearance bill or in public records of Essex Co. John Collins (son of Henry and Arn) was a shipowner and was lost at sea with a son bearing his father's name. By his wife Abigail Johnson he had sixteen chil- dren, twelve of whom survived him. The name of the youngest, a young child still in the arms of the mother, was on the death of the father changed by her from Will- iam to John and afterwards so called. This John, who was a Quaker, married Susan- nah Daggett and, probably on account of religious persecution, moved to Rhode Island, and with five others took up a tract of 3,000 acres of wild land in what is now the northeastern part of the town of Hopkinton, Washington Co. Of Susannah Daggett tradition has handed down this story which years ago found its way into print. When a small child she was taken to the wigwam of an Indian chief by his squaw who found her lost in the woods. Late at night the chief returning home told the squaw of a plan adopted to exterminate the whites. She cautioned him saying that there was a little pale face sleeping in a bed of skins in the wigwam. The chief then told her the child must die, to which she remonstrated saying that she had promised to take her home in the morning. The chief passing a firebrand over the face of Susannah and observing no signs of consciousness spared her life and she was able afterward to give her friends timely warning and thwart the plans of the Indians. From John and Susannah are descended all or nearly all the numerous Collins families who have resided or originated in Washington Co., R. I. Their de- scendants have been scattered to all parts of the Northern States and every where have been classed among the reputable men and women in the communities in which they have resided. They have been represented in all professions and business pursuits, and, notwithstanding the Quaker stock, in times of war they have contributed gen- erously of their numbers to the armies and navies of the United States. This John by his wife Susannah had ten children, of whom John, the great-grandfather of the sub- ject of this sketch, was a Quaker preacher of unusual talents and great power and in- fluence in the denomination to which he belonged. According to the custom of this sect his remains and that of his wife, Mehitable Elizabeth Bowen, now repose in unmarked graves in the "burial yard " surrounding the little Quaker church one mile west of the village of Hopkinton, R. I. To John and Mehitable were born mine children, six in Hopkinton and the three youngest in the town of Stonington, Conn. John, the first born of John and Mehitable, had a large family of children, among whom was John Collins, born at Hopkinton April 18, 1771, who moved to Brookfield, Madison Co., N. Y., before 1796 with a party of first settlers in that town from Washington Co., R. I., and Stonington, Conn. After arriving in Brookfield the last named John was united in marriage with Lucy Burdick, daughter of Thompson Burdick, another first settler from Stonington and a Revolutionary soldier in the 1st Regiment of Continentals of the Rhode Island Line. Lucy Burdick, wife of John Collins, was of the fifth generation by descent from Robert Burdick, one of the first settlers in the town of Westerly, and one of the first deputies for that town in the General Court of Rhode Island and who came from England between 1633 and 1650 and prior to coming to Westerly was a freeman at Newport. Dr. John Collins, the subject of this article, was the fifth child in a family of eleven children, nine of whom arrived at maturity,

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who were born unto John Collins and Lucy Burdick his wife, of Brookfield. Owing to intermarriage of his ancestors for several generations with well known families of Washington Co. a full account of his lineage would involve the recital of nearly every tradition and nearly every early transaction of the State of Rhode Island, which is not within the province of this article, but of him it can be truthfully said, whether to his credit or not, that every drop of blood in his veins was English pure and simple in the strictest and narrowest sense of the word. His boyhood was spent on the farm of his father in Brookfield and was subject to all the hardships and depriva- tions of pioneer life, yet with indomitable pluck and perseverance he was able to ac- quire an excellent education for his time and far above the average of the community in which he lived. Like many other young men he taught school several winters to obtain the means to meet expenses for a higher education. Soon after settling in Spafford he acquired an extensive practice in his chosen profession of medicine and ever led an active life : commanding respect from all, and by merit alone was able to retain possession of his chosen field of labors against the encroachments of all new comers. He was never an aspirant for office, and was loath to accept public prefer- ment when offered, yet for several years he acted as school commissioner and post- master, because the first was congenial to his tastes and the latter involved no part of his personal attention. He was one of the founders of the Methodist Episcopal church at Spafford, and generally supported and advocated any good and worthy cause which he believed would advance the moral interest and material welfare of his townspeople. On the 4th day of April, 1832, Dr. Collins was united in marriage with Mary Ann Roundy, daughter of Capt. Asahel and Hannah (Weston) Roundy of Spafford, by whom he had eight children, three only arriving at maturity. One of his sons, Capt. George Knapp Collins, is now (1896) an attorney and counselor at law in practice in the city of Syracuse, and served as captain in the 149th N. Y. Vols. during the war of the Rebellion. Dr. Collins at an early date joined the Onondaga County Medical Society and was generally respected by his fellows for his social and professional attainments. After a lapse of more than forty years his name is still treasured in nearly every household embraced within the scope of his labors with affectionate regard.

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Onondaga's centennial. Gleanings of a century, Vol. II, Part 91

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