USA > New York > Erie County > Our county and its people : a descriptive work on Erie County, New York, Volume II > Part 42
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Nye, Robert A., Aurora, p. o. East Aurora, born in Aurora, N. Y., September 14, 1865, is a son of Barton Nye. He was reared and educated in East Aurora and was first employed as stationary engineer by the W. N. Y. & P. Railroad for one year. He then learned the photograph business in East Aurora with John R. Potter and followed that for three years, when he went back to the railroad station as clerk in East Aurora and after eight years followed farming, carting and express. He has added livery, exchange and boarding stable to his business, in partnership with his brother, Albert H. Mr. Nye was married, January 30, 1889, to Ella Perry, daughter of A. J. Perry, and they have one son, Wilber A.
Abbott, Prof. John Perrine, principal of the Alden Union Graded School, is a native of the town of Hamburg, Erie county, where he was born in 1871. He is a son of Seth A. Abbott and Ruth A. Perrine, descendants of one of the oldest and foremost families in that part of the country. The place is now known as Armor but in early times it was called Abbott's Corners, in honor of the paternal grand- father of Professor Abbott. Seth Abbott was reared on the farm at the Corners and spent the early part of his life at farming. He is now, however, a prosperous lawyer in Buffalo. Professor Abbott was educated at the Hamburg High School and the Buffalo State Normal, and was graduated from the Normal well equipped in every way for the work of an educator. He graduated in 1895, and the same fall was called to the principalship of the Alden Union School, a position he still holds. He has already become one of the progressive educators of the State, and it was largely through his energy and influence that the State. Regents' System was re- cently established in the Alden public school. Professor Abbott is a member of the New York State Principals' Association, as well as the National Association, and of the Third District Association of Erie county. Politically Professor Abbott is a Democrat, and was an active promoter of the party's interest and principles in the presidential campaign of 1892.
Tyler, Clarence A., M. D., of Alden, came from a family of physicians. His father, Ansel Tyler, was for thirty-five years a practicing physician at Saquoit, Oneida county, N. Y., and five brothers were educated for physicians, four of whom continued in the profession. Dr. Clarence A. Tyler was born in Saquoit, June 26, 1852, and spent fourteen years at the Saquoit Academy, afterwards went to Grand Rapids, Mich., and entered as a student in the office of Dr. Z. E. Bliss, a noted doctor of that city. About two years later he concluded to take a course in the med- ical department of Michigan University, and he at once matriculated and pursued the course two years. The opportunities seemed better at that time in the Western Reserve College of Ohio, therefore that institution was chosen for the final year in the course, and Dr. Tyler was graduated from there in 1874. He then returned to Grand Rapids and practiced his profession until the early spring of 1875, when, at the earnest solicitation of friends, he was induced to locate in Alden. In these twenty- two years of practice Dr. Tyler has attained distinction in the town and county. Dr. Tyler is an active member of the Erie County Medical Society, also of the Gross Medical Club, of which he was president for two years, and was one of the or- ganizers of the latter. In 1881 he married Minnie M., daughter of Charles and Mary Eels, and they have one daughter.
Durkee, Charles R., one of the foremost citizens of the town of Alden, was born
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in Randolph, Vt .; December 12, 1821. His parents were of old English stock, with a lineage reaching back more than 200 years. His mother was Hannah A. Bayliss, daughter of Dr. Timothy Bayliss, a noted physician of Randolph, who at seventeen years of age was in Washington's army at West Point at the time of Arnold's treason. She died in Alden in 1872. Ziba Durkee, father of Charles R., was born in Royalton, Vt., in 1800, where he lived until 1828, and then moved to York, Pa., he having then large government contracts for carrying mail by stage between Philadelphia and Pittsburg, and Philadelphia and Baltimore, and Harrisburg and Baltimore. This continued until 1836, when the completion of steam railroads cut off to a large extent the necessity for government stages. In the mean time, in 1833, he had moved to Philadelphia and engaged in the manufacture of omnibuses, coaches and railroad cars, and in fact manufactured the first double truck car ever used on a railroad in this country, which was run on the Philadelphia and Norris- town Railroad. In 1840 he engaged in the manufacture of mill machinery: In 1847 Mr. Durkee bought a large farm in the town of Alden, which he settled and lived on for the balance of his life. He died in 1853. Charles R. Durkee had during the time been associated with his father in the manufacturing industry and so continued it for several years after his father's death. He has continued to reside on the farm purchased by his father, and has been a potent factor in the politics of Erie county, being elected to many important offices. In 1861 he was elected county clerk, and in 1866 he was made county treasurer. He was one of the original commissioners for locating and building the city and county hall at Buffalo. He is now serving as justice of the peace. In 1851 he married Helen, daughter of Samuel and Abigail Bass of Randolph, Mass., and they have three daughters and one son. One daugh- ter, Louise, is connected with the Pension Bureau at Washington.
Gipple, Benjamin A., M. D., Alden, was born in the town of Lancaster, June 5, 1865, and is a son of George and Rachael (Haskill) Gipple. George Gipple was a carpenter and builder, which business he followed for many years; he died in De- cember, 1896, and his wife is still living. Dr. Gipple received his education at the Parker Union School at Clarence, after which he taught for the eight succeeding years, and at the end of that time he had chosen the medical profession for his life work and with this in view he, in 1891, entered the Buffalo Medical College, grad- uating from that institution in 1894. Having decided to locate in Alden, he at once entered the field and began the practice of his profession, and has been rewarded with phenomenal success, for he now has a practice beyond that of most physicians after a much longer application of energy and skill. Dr. Gipple holds the office of health physician of his village. He is a member of the F. & A. M., I. O. F., and K. O. T. M. lodges of Alden, the I. O. O. F. lodge of Lancaster, N. Y., and the In- ternational Encampment of Odd Fellows of Buffalo. In 1894 he married Kate, daughter of John and Margaret Long of Newstead.
Webb, George A., Alden, is a son of Gideon G. and Philinda (Winter) Webb, now residents of Alden village. They came from Stafford Springs, Connecticut, where George A. was born in 1850. It was soon after this that they came to Western New York and settled in Marilla, where they bought, and tilled for nearly ten years, one of the most prosperous farms in the town; disposing of this they removed to Onarga, Ill., where Gideon G. was in the grocery business; after a twelve years'
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residence there, they returned in 1872 and settled in Alden and there Mr. Webb bought the furniture and undertaking business then being conducted by Cornwell & Pierce. Mr. Webb carried on this business successfully until 1894, when ill health compelled him to retire. At that time George A. Webb, who had for some time previous been associated with his father as G. G. Webb & Son, succeeded to the business and has since continued it as George A. Webb. On account of ill health, Mr. Webb spent more than a year in Florida. He is an ardent Republican and has done much earnest work to advance the party's interest in the town and country. He never has been an office seeker, but was induced in 1890 to accept the postmas- tership for two years at Alden, to fill the place of B. G. Eddy, who had resigned. In 1885 he married Carrie A., danghter of John and Clarissa Carver of Alden, and they have two daughters: Nellie M. and Jennie C.
Bass, William H., Alden, was born in St. Albans, Vermont, in 1868, and when two years old was taken by his aunt to Alden, and a little later went to live with John Catlin who was a farmer in the town. When seventeen years old he appren- ticed himself to George W. Tifft, Son & Co., Buffalo, to learn the trade of machinist. His education had been acquired principally at the Parker Union School of Clarence, so that he was pretty well equipped in every way to become a successful machinist and engineer. After completing his trade he engaged with Moffett Bros. as engi- neer and machinist in the Alden tannery. This position he occupied four years, and when the Alden Natural Gas & Fuel Company was organized, his co-operation was solicited and he became one of the organizers and incorporators. He is secretary, treasurer and general manager of the company, and during the nearly five years of the company's existence he has conducted its affairs most successfully. Mr. Bass is a member of the Board of Village Trustees and also clerk of the Board of Education. In 1890 he married Elsie, daughter of J. N. and Carrie Babcock of Alden, and they have two children, Hannah A. and Elmer W.
Eels, Charles, Alden, p. o. West Alden, merchant and farmer at West Alden, was born in Cortland, Cortland county, N. Y., in 1821. His father, Tercius Eels was a farmer in that county, where Charles grew up and acquired his education in the schools of Cortland. In 1842 he, with his father and the rest of the family, came to that part of the town now known as West Alden and settled upon the farm which is now the home of Charles. After three years at home on the farm, Mr. Eels thought it best to direct his energy in other channels, so in 1845 he went to Buffalo and en- gaged as clerk for Messrs. Pratt & Co., wholesale and retail hardware merchants. He remained with this firm twenty-eight years, and as a result of his integrity and attention to business, was promoted from a clerkship to the superintendency of the wholesale department. In 1871 he resigned his position with Messrs. Pratt & Co. and returned to West Alden to the farm, and also engaged in business at that place. At the time of embarking in trade at this place there was no post-office there, but through strong influence and great effort against determined opposition, the office was secured on April 15, 1872, and Mr. Eels was named as postmaster. In 1848 he married Mary J. Luce, and he has three daughters. Mrs. Eels died in 1888.
Pratt, Samuel F., Alden, p. o. West Alden, was born in Buffalo, June 19, 1857, and is a son of Pascal P. Pratt, one of the foremost citizens and bankers in Buffalo or the
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State. Samuel F. spent his early life in the city, where he obtained a liberal educa- tion. It was while a student in the Buffalo schools that he gained a knowledge of the trade which he is now turning to account. He was accustomed to spend his odd hours when out of school in the printing offices in Buffalo, aud thereby became pos- sessed of a considerable knowledge of the printing art. Some years later when he decided to make his home with Mr. Charles Eels at West Alden, he again took up the printing business, more as a pastime at first, but finally developed the small begin- ning into a suceessful printing establishment. He began this in 1884, and now his plant contains many modern improvements in printing material, and his business comes from different points throughout the State. The business is now carried on in a comfortable building near the post-office. Mr. Pratt recently added to his equip- ment the Black-on-white methods of making plates and the Simplex method of stereotyping, thus facilitating greatly the progress of the work. He does an exten- sive business in the printing of railroad stationery.
Tucker, William C., Alden, is of Scotch descent, his father, Benjamin Tucker, having come from Scotland, stopping for a little time in Vermont and finally pushing west to Shelby Center, Orleans county, where he settled in 1816. His sturdy Scotch nature stood him in good stead, for he found in his new home a wild, undeveloped country. For the next fifty years he was one of the foremost men in building up and advancing the best interests of that section. He died in 1886. William C. Tucker was born at Shelby in 1836, and educated at the Medina Academy, after which he taught school for some time. At the breaking out of the Civil war he enlisted in the 66th N. Y. Vols. under Col. E. D. Schuler, and when his time expired he re-enlisted in the 90th N. Y. and served until the close of the war, serving in many of the notable battles. Upon his return home he bought a farm near his old home, and carried on farming summers and taught school winters. In 1881 Mr. Tucker was made principal of the Alden school, and it was under his superintendency that the Union School was organized. He continued successfully in charge until 1886, when he retired and has since devoted himself to the development of real estate in Alden. In 1866 he married Emma F. Fisher, daughter of George A. and Jane W. Fisher, and they have two daughters, Grace and Gertrude. Mr. Tucker is now president of the Alden Board of Education.
Wheeler, Freeman P., Alden, was born in Michigan, October 23, 1871, and is a son of Henry M. and Emma E. Wheeler. His father died in 1875 and Mrs. Wheeler then decided to return to Alden, her former home, where she settled with her three children. Freeman P. Wheeler was educated in the Alden Union School, and after completing his course became identified with the Ideal Furniture Company of Buffalo and con- tinued several years in that line of trade. In the mean time he had taken a keen in- terest in political affairs, having cast his fortunes with those of the Democratic party. This prominence, together with the esteem in which he was held by his fellow- townsmen, made him the first choice among them for postmaster in Alden when the Democratic administration assumed control in 1895. Consequently, early in 1895 he was appointed to that place and assumed the office on the first of April of that year. In 1895 he married Zada, daughter of George E. and Sarah E. Martin of Alden, and they have one son, Norman.
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Waldron, Ephraim G., Alden, is a descendant of one of the oldest Holland fam- ilies in this country. They have been prominent and active in public and military life for more than two hundred years. They were among the earliest settlers in New York city, and the Baron Van Walfron Hall, built in 1660 on the banks of the Har- lem River, is still standing, a historic landmark. David Waldron, grandfather of E. G., was a noted soldier in the Revolutionary war and was with General Wash- ington at the crossing of the Delaware. Ephraim G., the subject of this sketch, was born in New York city, August 2, 1813, and was a son of Joseph and Martha Wal- dron, also natives of that city. Soon after his birth his parents moved to Albany, where they lived until he was twelve years old. At that time he went with his mother to Steuben, Oneida county, and three years later he apprenticed himself to Benjamin Brayton at Trenton, N. Y., to learn the tanner and currier trade. He con- tinued there until he was twenty years of age, when he moved to the south part of the State, where for several years he worked at his trade and carried on the shoe- making business. In 1836 Mr. Waldron located in Akron, Erie county, where he worked at his trade and conducted a temperance hotel. That same year he married Harriet Brown of Greene county, N. Y. After a few years they moved to Buffalo, where Mr. Waldron engaged in the dock and storage business. They lived in Buf- falo until 1873, at which time Mr. Waldron went out of business and subsequently spent nearly a year and a half in California. Upon his return he bought a farm at Alden village, upon which they have lived until 1895, when he sold the property and has since lived a retired life. He has been one of the foremost citizens of the town ever since his residence within its borders. They have had three daughters, one of whom, Mrs. George T. Bentley of Alden, survives. Mrs. Waldron died in 1893.
Helwig, George, Lancaster, born in Lancaster in 1842, is the son of George and grandson of Valentine Helwig, who came from Germany and settled in Lancaster in 1833. Mr. Helwig lives on the farm where his father settled and has been very successful as a farmer. He married Katharine, daughter of Christian Stephfron, one of the early settlers of Lancaster, and they have six children: Stephen Peter, Henry, William, Katharine, Matilda and Anna.
Reist, Marvin L., Lancaster, born at Williamsville, N. Y., January 4, 1862, is a son of Jacob Reist. He entered the office of the Amherst Bee in March, 1877, as an ap- prentice, serving three years as such, and was foreman in that office until October 15, 1885. He came to Lancaster about October 18, 1885, and purchased the Lan- caster Times, which was at that time a six column, four page paper, printed on an old fashioned hand press. The paper has been twice enlarged, one column having been added to each page in 1892, and in 1895 it was again enlarged, since which time it has been a four page, eight column paper. The paper has always worked for the best interests of the town.
Norton, E. K., Lancaster, was born in Watkins, Schuyler county, in 1848, and re- moved to Elmira, Chemung county, where he resided until 1883, when he came to Erie county and settled in Lancaster. He has been prominently identified with the social and commercial growth of the village, being now for the second time its presi- dent. It is largely through his efforts that the village now has a water supply and an electric lighting system. Mr. Norton has been connected with the coal depart-
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ment of the D., L. & W. Railroad for fifteen years, and is now superintendent of the Lackawanna coal trestles at East Buffalo.
Erisman, Abram, Lancaster, p. o. Wilhelm, was born in Lancaster, Pa., in 1820 and is the son of Jacob Erisman. He spent his early days on the farm and attended school at Mt. Joy Academy for two terms, and at the age of twenty-two began teach- ing school, which he followed for about twenty years, teaching winters and farming summers. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Good of Clarence and settled on the farm in Lancaster where he was a very successful farmer. In 1892 he retired and moved into a fine residence he had built on his home farm and has since then devoted his time to looking after his different farms. He has four sons and three daughters: Horace, Henry, Oscar, Abram, Clara A., Cora A. and Grace. Mr. Eris- man has always taken a keen, though quiet, interest in town affairs and is looked upon as one of the substantial men of the town.
Dykstra, John G., Lancaster, was born in Holland in 1813 and came to Lancaster in 1849, settling on a farm in East Lancaster, where he has since lived. He has al- ways been one of the prominent men of the town, and was elected justice in 1858, which office he held for twenty-four years. In 1851 he, Renze Van Peyma and Frederick Kirchholtes built a tannery at Lancaster village, which they carried on for some years as Dykstra & Co .; in 1862 he bought another farm near East Lan- caster, where he started and carried on a brick yard until 1870, when he sold out and since then he has devoted his time to looking after his farm. He has four sons: Garrett, Gerni, Franklin and Peter, also five daughters: Sarah, Frances, Flora, Jennie and Delia.
Soeman, P. J., Lancaster, was born in Lancaster in 1871, and is the son of Charles J. Soeman, who was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1838 and came to America in 1849. He lived in Buffalo some years, where he learned the brewer's trade and was for some time foreman for Gerhard Lang and also for Magnus Beck of Buffalo, and later came to Lancaster, where he was for two years foreman for John Beck's brew- ery, after which he went in partnership with S. Hilbert, at East Lancaster, and after three years they dissolved. Mr. Soeman built in 1869 a brewery on the corner of Main and Court streets, Lancaster, which he ran until his death, in March, 1891, after which it was carried on by his son, P. J. Soeman, until September, 1894, when it was destroyed by fire. Since then P. J. Soeman has been agent for the Magnus Beck Brewing Company of Buffalo for the northern part of Erie county, and is well known as a rising business man.
Knauber, Joseph, Lancaster, was born in Lancaster in 1831 and is the son of John Knauber, who came from Germany in 1829 and was a farmer. Mr. Knauber began life by learning the wagonmaker's trade and in 1856 started a planing mill on a small scale, which was added to from year to year until it became the large plant which he now runs, where he manufactures sash, doors and blinds; he also does a large building and contracting business. He has four sons: John V., Joseph, jr., William B. and Edward B. ; also five daughters: Anna (Mrs. Joseph Adolf), Bar- bara (Mrs. A. Sandell), Matilda (Mrs. J. P. Sommers), Helen (Mrs. John May) and Katie. Mr. Knauber has always taken an active interest in the welfare of the village and was for some years one of its trustees.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Funke, C. G., Lancaster, was born in Prussia in 1840, and came to America with his father. He came to Lancaster in 1857, where he learned the shoemaker's trade, and in 1861 he enlisted in Co. B, 49th N. Y. Vols., and re-enlisted in the fall of 1863 in the field and served until July, 1865. He participated in many of the noted bat- tles of the war, being at Gettysburg, where he gained a medal issued by the State for his service in same battle; was also in the battle of the Wilderness and the va- rious battles of the Shenandoah Valley, where he lost his right hand and was sent to the hospital at Philadelphia, Pa .; he attended for some time the school there and improved his meagre education. After his discharge he returned to the town of Lancaster, where he opened a store at Town Line, which he carried on until 1882, and was also postmaster there for seventeen years. In 1883 he moved to Lancaster village, where he has since been engaged in insurance, and is also notary public since 1876. He has always taken a keen interest in the affairs of the town, and is member of the Lutheran church in which he has always taken an active part.
Kupfer, Joseph, Lancaster, was born in Buffalo in 1854, and came to Lancaster when three years old, where he attended the public schools and later learned the glass blower's trade. In 1888 he became one of the stockholders of the company, and in 1895 was made its president. In 1896 he was elected as one of the trustees of the village, which office he has filled satisfactorily to all.
Stutzman, B. F., Lancaster, p. o. Bowmansville, was born in the town of Lancas- ter, N. Y., June 8, 1851, and is the oldest son of Daniel Stutzman; his father and mother are still living. Mr. Stutzman when fourteen years of age worked on a farm in Clarence one year and then returned to his grandfather's and staid until June 8, 1875, when he was married and worked the farm eight years. He then bought the Willyoung farm and sold it March 10, 1892, to the Depew Land Co., and retired. He bought of the Depew Land Co. where he now lives and built a fine residence north of the N. Y. C. Railroad shops, at Depew.
King, Charles F., Lancaster, p. o. Town Line, was born in West Alden in 1860, and is the son of George King, who came from Germany in 1851, where he was a farmer until 1870, when he engaged in a hotel and store at Town Line, which he ran until his death in 1890. Mr. King learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed for some years, and in 1883 he opened a store at Town Line, where he has since carried on a general store. For the last ten years he has been postmaster, and in 1892 was elected justice, and re-elected in 1896 to the office which he still holds. He married a daughter of John Webster of Alden, and they have four sons: Jay, Samuel, Carl and Howard.
Schwartz, Mathias, Lancaster, was born April 12, 1827, and is the son of the late Mathias Schwartz, who came from Strasburg, Elsass, to Lancaster in 1833, where he was a farmer and died in 1881. Mr. Schwartz left the farm when twenty-one years old, and after working in different localities for four years, was married, in 1853, to Catherine Matter of Roeschwoch, Elsass, a small village near Strasburg, who had come to Lancaster in 1853; she died after a short illness on April 5, 1877. In the fall of 1878 he married Elizabeth Nagel of North Buffalo. He began business in Lancaster in a small flour and feed store, and later added to it a large dry goods store, also a grocery, all of which he carried on very successfully until 1888, when he retired from mercantile life and bought the fine residence, 28 Aurora street, where
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