USA > New York > Erie County > Our county and its people : a descriptive work on Erie County, New York, Volume II > Part 9
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Crosser, Calvin S., attorney at law, Buffalo, was born in Columbia county, Ohio, February 21, 1858. He attended a district school and worked on his father's farm until he was seventeen years of age, when he entered Hopedale College. Later he entered the University of Wooster, Ohio, and after graduation from that honored institution of learning he taught classics and mathematics for a time in the former college. He was admitted to the bar of Ohio in 1885, and then removed to Buffalo and connected himself with the law office of the late Milo A. Whitney. He was ad- mitted to the New York bar in March, 1886.
Ingram & Mitchell, attorneys and counselors, Buffalo .- The above enterprising firm was organized February 15, 1894. The firm, composed of John W. Ingram and Frederick G. Mitchell, occupies offices at Nos. 15, 16 and 17 Dun building, and makes a specialty of marine work and corporation law. They are experienced lawyers, and the firm is enjoying great prosperity.
Selkirk, John E., Buffalo, son of Col. George H. and Emily (Peabody) Selkirk, was born March 12, 1871, in Buffalo, where his grandfather, John H. Selkirk, settled when it was a growing village. John H. was long a prominent architect and builder, and left many notable examples of his handiwork. He built the present Buffalo State Normal School, the Delaware Avenue M. E. and the Calvary and Central Presby- terian churches, and numerous other imposing structures, and died in 1879. The death of his wife, Laura A. Holden, occurred in 1892. Col. George H. Selkirk, born in Buffalo on February 10, 1835, first studied and followed the art of sculpture, but on the breaking out of the Civil war in 1861 enlisted as lieutenant of Co. D, 49th N. Y. Vols. He served four years, becoming captain, major and colonel of his regiment, and was wounded in the Wilderness at the fight called the "Bloody Angle." After the war he was one of the proprietors of the Buffalo Express for several years, and is now secretary of the Buffalo Park Commission. John E. Sel- kirk was graduated from the Buffalo High School in 1890, read law in his native city. with Henry W. Box, and was graduated from the Buffalo Law School and admitted to the bar in 1894. Since then he has been actively engaged in the practice of his profession.
Frazine, George N., son of Newton and Emmaline C. (Hamilton) Frazine, was born in Sugar Grove, Warren county, Pa., August 25, 1860, and prepared for college at the State Normal School at Fredonia, N. Y., graduating therefrom in 1879. He taught school from 1877 to 1882, read law in the office of Brown & Stone at Warren, Pa., and was admitted to the bar there on September 3, 1883. He then entered the law department of Yale College, from which he received the degree of LL. B., cum laude, in 1884, and immediately afterward began active practice in Warren, Pa., where he remained about ten years, having as a partner from March, 1885, to September, 1893, his life-long friend, James W. Wiggins. In the spring of
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1894 Mr. Frazine removed to Buffalo, where has since been engaged in general law practice, giving special attention to court work. September 26, 1889, he married Matilda, daughter of Martin Schaeffer, of Warren, who died May 3, 1892, leaving one son, Hamilton Schaeffer Frazine, born Septemher 4, 1891.
Lyon, Henry L., Buffalo, son of James S. and Louisa L. (Dougherty) Lyon, was born in Buffalo, N. Y., March 29, 1852. He attended the public schools of Buffalo and afterwards entered Cornell University, in the class of 1872, and took a course in civil engineering. In 1875 he went to Utah and for a year was engaged in mining ; returning to Buffalo in 1876 he took up the real estate business in connection with local engineering and surveying, and at the same time read law with his brother, William W. Lyon, and was admitted to the bar in 1884. He has since carried on the real estate business, while practicing law more particularly as relating to real estate.
Wheeler, George W., Buffalo, was born at Niagara Falls, N. Y., September 1, 1856. With none of the advantages of wealth and bereft of his father at an early age, he found the usual difficulty which young men of limited means and high ambi- tion experience in obtaining a college education, but finally was graduated from De Veaux College in 1872, an institution founded by Samuel De Veaux in 1857 at Niagara Falls for orphan and destitute children. Shortly after graduating he en- tered the law office of Lanning & Willett, where he remained for two years, finishing his studies, however, in the office of Burrows & Viele, and was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of New York, October 10, 1879. He immediately began the practice of his profession in Buffalo, where he has since been in general practice with marked success. Mr. Wheeler is a charter member of the Thursday Club, being one of the orginal few that organized that club, and is president of the Board of Trustees of De Veaux College at Niagara Falls. Mr. Wheeler was married October 17, 1882, to Jennie F. Farrer, of Buffalo.
Cunneen, John, Buffalo, was born near Ennis, Ireland, May 18, 1848. He came to America alone when but fourteen years of age, and like many others of his na- tionality, embraced the rich opportunities here afforded to rise in the world by dint of industry and talent. He obtained his elementary education in private schools in Ireland, and after coming to the United States attended for a time the district schools and Albion Academy. Having secured all the preliminary training his limited means could afford, he settled down to the study of law and was duly ad- mitted to practice in January, 1874, and opened an office at Albion, where he prac- ticed for sixteen years. In 1890 he sought a wider field for the exercise of his legal talents, and settled in Buffalo, where he became associated with Hon. William F. Sheehan, subsequently lieutenant-governor, Hon. Charles F. Tabor, attorney-gen- eral of this State, and his present law partner, under the firm name of Tabor, Sheehan, Cunneen & Coatsworth. In 1894 he became the senior member of the firm of Cunneen & Coatsworth, his present firm. His well-merited success gained at Albion has followed him to Buffalo, where he has been highly successful and en- joys a lucrative practice. He has appeared in many of the most important causes in Erie county during the last five years, and is recognized as an honorable lawyer of marked ability. He was married, January 26, 1876, to Elizabeth A. Bass of Albion.
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Coatsworth, Edward E., attorney and counselor at law, Buffalo, was born in that city, November 5, 1866. His early education was obtained at the public schools of Buffalo. In 1884 he determined to study law and entered the office of Tabor & Sheehan, where he remained until he was admitted to the bar, in January, 1888, when he became junior member of the firm of Tabor, Sheehan & Coatsworth, which partnership continued until 1890, when Mr. Cunneen joined the firm. This firm continued until 1894, when the present firm of Cunneen & Coatsworth was formed.
Milburn, John G., of the firm of Rogers, Locke & Milburn, was born near Sun- derland, England, December 14, 1851, and at the age of eighteen came to this country and settled in Batavia, where he entered the law office of Wakeman & Wat- son as a student, and was admitted to the bar in April, 1874. In 1874 he removed to Buffalo, opened an office there and practiced alone until August, 1879, when he formed a law partnership with the Hon. E. C. Sprague and Mr. Henry W. Sprague, under the firm name of Sprague, Milburn & Sprague, which lasted until September, 1882, when Mr. Milburn removed to Denver, Col., where he remained until June, 1883, at which time he returned to Buffalo and became associated with the Hon. Sherman S. Rogers and Franklin D. Locke, under the present firm name of Rogers, Locke & Milburn. Mr. Milburn was for a number of years a member of the Execu- tive Committee of the Buffalo Library. He is looked upon as one of the safest coun- selors at the Erie county bar, and has been engaged in some of the most important litigations of the county.
Desbecker, Louis E., Buffalo, son of Samuel and Marie (Weil) Desbecker, was born in Buffalo, N. Y., April 2, 1871. He was educated in the public schools and after two years in the High School, entered Harvard University, where he was graduated in 1892, receiving the degree of A. B. He then took a full course at the New York Law School and received the degree of LL. B. in 1894, and was admitted to the bar in June of that year. Returning to Buffalo he began the practice of his profession in the office of Marcy & Close, where he remained for fifteen months. In Decem- ber, 1895, he associated himself with Simon Fleischmann in the practice of law.
Bennett, Fred L., Buffalo, son of Judson O. and Nancy (Taylor) Bennett, was born at Evans, N. Y., September 9, 1862, and was educated at the academy at An- gola, N. Y. He began the study of law in the office of Gen. John C. Graves, and finished in the office of Samuel Welch, jr. In October, 1884, he was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court. In June, 1887, he married Emma S. Jones, daughter of George H. Jones.
Falk, Eugene L., attorney and counselor at law, Buffalo, was born in Milwaukee, Wis., November 3, 1865. The following year his parents, Samson and Doris (Solo- mon) Falk, moved with their family to Buffalo, where Mr. Falk received a public school education, graduating from the High School in the class of 1885. In the fall of 1885 he entered Columbia Law School and was graduated with the degree of LL. B. in 1887. While there he also took a special course at the University of the City of New York. On his admission to the bar of this State in 1887 he began the practice of his profession in Buffalo in company with Charles S. Hatch, under the firm name of Hatch & Falk, which copartnership continued one year, Since that time Mr. Falk
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has been successfully engaged in general practice alone. He was married April 11, 1893, to Miss Harriet Pauline Wolff, of Buffalo.
Seymour, Henry H., Buffalo, was born at Mount Morris, N. Y., October 27, 1849, and prepared for college at Mount Morris Academy. After one year in Dartmouth College he entered Cornell University, from which institution he was graduated in 1871, with the degree of Bachelor of Science. He also received one of the Goldwin Smith prizes, then deemed the highest rewards in the gift of the uni- versity. After a season of study and travel abroad he returned to Mount Morris and began the study of law in the office of his uncles, McNeil Seymour and George Hastings, two of the most widely known lawyers in the Genesee Valley, and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1874. He then went abroad again and spent over a year in further study and sight-seeing. In 1876 he returned to this country and opened an office in Buffalo, where he has since practiced his profession.
Brush, Henry W., Buffalo, a native of Cornwall, Conn., was born November 12, 1868. His father, Rev. Jesse Brush, dates his ancestry from one of the original settlers of Long Island. Henry Brush obtained his early education at Morgan High School, Clinton, Conn., from which place he was graduated in 1885. In the following year he entered Columbia College, New York city, where he pursued a course of study, leaving during the sophomore year. He served for two years in the office of Hoppin & Talbot, and attended the Columbia Law School during 1888 and 1889. He afterward entered the office of Vandusen & Martin, in Mayville, N. Y., continuing his studies until March, 1890, when he was formally admitted to the bar in Rochester. He then removed to Buffalo and secured a position with Green & Marcy, and was also associated with Jonathan L. Slater for two years. In 1896 the firm of Brush & Strong was formed. Mr. Brush is a bright, energetic attorney, whose knowledge of law has contributed largely to the marked success of the firm of which he is a member.
Kellogg, Ralph A., Buffalo, a son of Justice S. Alonzo and Susan (Averill) Kel- logg, was born in Clinton county. He entered Harvard College and received the degree of A. B. with the class of 1888. In the fall of the same year he entered Har- vard University Law School, where he was a student for three years, and received the degree of A.M. and LL.B. He was admitted to the bar at Saratoga Springs, and after studying for a year in the office of Weeds, Smith & Conway, moved to Buffalo and formed a partnership with Edward C. Mason under the firm name of Mason & Kellogg, which partnership still continues.
Lewis, Edward E., Buffalo, was born in Alden, Erie county, N. Y., July 2, 1871. He was prepared for college at the public and high schools of Buffalo, and after a thorough course at Cornell University went to Berlin and was a student at the Ber- lin University for almost two years. Returning to Buffalo he entered the office of Lewis, Moot & Lewis, and later the office of Humphrey, Lockwood & Hoyt, per- fecting and finishing his legal studies in the Buffalo Law School, from which insti- tution he graduated in May, 1892, and was admitted to the bar in January, 1893. He immediately began the practice of his profession and has already established himself as one of Buffalo's leading business men.
Howard, Frederick, Buffalo, was born at East Aurora, N. Y., September 12, 1855,
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and is the youngest of a family of five children (three of whom are living, the other two being Mrs. Stella E. Goddard and Albert Howard) of Marcus A. and Maria (Whitney) Howard, who came to Erie county from Wardsboro, Vt., about 1848. The father, a carpenter and builder by trade, died in July, 1871, aged sixty-two; the mother still survives at the age of over eighty. Mr. Howard, when three years old, moved with his parents to Elma, Erie county, where he received his elementary edu- cation in the district schools. He also took a course at Aurora Academy, taught school one winter, and in 1874 came to Buffalo, where, in January, 1875, he became a student at law in the office of Milo A. Whitney. He was admitted to the bar before the Supreme Court in April, 1878, and remained in Mr. Whitney's office until 1883, becoming his partner in 1880 under the firm name of Whitney & Howard. Mr. Howard practiced alone from 1883 to January, 1888, when he formed a copartnership with Hon. Myron H. Clark, which, as Howard & Clark, still continues. He has been very successful in the general practice of his profession, and is recognized as an able and painstaking lawyer. In politics he is a staunch and loyal Republican, and a member of the Good Government Club. He is a trustee and secretary of the Children's Aid Society (properly known as the Newsboys' and Bootblacks' Home), and for several years was secretary of the Buffalo Orphan Asylum. He has been connected with the First Congregational church of Buffalo since its organization, being one of its orginal members. October 25, 1881, he married Harriet E., daugh- ter of the late Moses T. Mabie, a well known shoe dealer, of Buffalo. She died De- cember 29, 1896, leaving two daughters, Marion and Ruth.
Clark, Myron H., Buffalo, the oldest and only surviving son of Elon Clark and Julia F. Standart, his wife, was born June 20, 1853, in Elma, Erie county, where he has always resided. His mother's grandfather, Captain Standart, married a niece of John Hancock, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Mr. Clark's paternal great-grandfather, Henry Clark, sr., born November 27, 1767, was an early settler of of Rensselaer county, N. Y., his son, Henry, jr., being born there, in Hoosac, July 7, 1797. Elon Clark, son of Henry, jr., was also born there April 18, 1822, came to Erie county with his father when ten years old, and first settled at Holland, but after- wards moved to near Town Line in the town of Lancaster. Elon Clark manufac- tured lumber and also the wood work for the old Ketchum & Howard mowers and reapers. He died in June, 1856. Myron H. Clark was educated in the district schools and the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary at Lima, N. Y., and in March, 1871, was graduated from Bryan & Stratton's Business College in Buffalo. He then en- gaged in farming and lumbering until 1879, when he began the study of the law in Buffalo with Milo A. Whitney, with whom heremained two and one-half years. He completed his legal studies with Charles F. Taber, was admitted to the bar in April, 1883, and at once formed a copartnership with Frederick Howard, under the firm name of Howard & Clark, which still continues. Mr. Clark has won success in the general practice of his profession. He has always been an ardent and active Repub- lican, and was clerk of the Erie County Board of Supervisors in 1881, supervisor of the town of Elma in 1886 and 1887, chairman of the board in the latter year, and member of ths State Legislature from the fifth assembly district of this county in 1892. In the Assembly he was a member of the judiciary and excise committees. He has long been a trustee and treasurer of the Board of Trustees of the Elma M. E. church and is
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president of the Elma Cemetery Association. May 24, 1876, Mr. Clark married Mary Eliza, daughter of Alonzo C. Bancroft, of Elma, and their children are Russell B., Elon B., Myron A., and Ruth.
Box, Henry W., Buffalo, was born in England, April 23, 1836; when he was fifteen years of age he came to America and began his legal studies under Judge Collins at Wilkesbarre, Pa., and was admitted to practice in New York State, and for two years practiced alone; then the late William H. Gurney became his partner, which partner- ship continued for five years; then the firm became Box & Perkins, and later Box, Hatch & Norton, which partnership continued until Judge Hatch was elevated to the bench; subsequently the firm became Box, Norton & Bushnell, which partnership continues to this time. Mr. Box married Mary M. Peabody of Buffalo.
Talcott, Fred L., Buffalo, was born at Durhamville, N. Y., October 6, 1859. He moved to Buffalo with his parents the following year, and has lived there ever since. He obtained his education in the public schools. His first business experience was in the news and confectionery business. He remained in this business for three years, i. e., until 1879, when he sold out and accepted a position which was offered him by the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Co. He began his career as a railroad man in the capacity of impression clerk. He has continued uninterruptedly in the service of the railway company since that time, having passed all the clerical posi- tions, and is now contracting freight agent of the company, with headquarters in Buffalo.
Alexander, De Alva Stanwood, Buffalo, was born in Richmond, Me., July 17, 1846. He entered the army in 1862 and served three years, after which he fitted for college at Edward Little Institute, Auburn, Me., and was graduated from Bowdoin College in 1870, receiving the degree of A. B. Three years later he received the degree of A. M. On leaving college, he located at Indianapolis, Ind., where he studied law with Hon. Joseph McDonald, and afterwards practiced in partnership with Hon. Stanton J. Peelle, now judge of the Court of Claims at Washington, D. C. In 1881 Mr. Alexander was appointed by President Garfield an auditor of the Treasury De- partment at Washington, an office which he held until 1885, when he settled in Buffalo, forming a law partnership with his college classmate, Hon. James A. Roberts, at present comptroller of the State of New York. In the campaign of 1888 he served as secretary to President Benjamin Harrison, and in May, 1889, was ap- pointed United States attorney for the Northern District of New York. His succes- sor was appointed in December, 1893. In November, 1896, he was elected to the Fifty-fifth Congress. Mr. Alexander takes an active interest in the Grand Army of the Republic, having served during his residence in Washington as commander of the Department of the Potomac. He is an able lawyer, a public-spirited citizen, and a man of broad culture and experience.
Hawley, Lucian, Buffalo, was born November 8, 1818, in Moreau, Saratoga county, N. Y., and in 1837 moved to Buffalo, which he has ever since claimed as his resi- dence. He was educated in Glens Falls and in Buffalo, and read law in the latter city with Fillmore & Haven, of which the senior member was afterward president of the United States. Mr. Hawley remained with this firm until his admission to the bar in November, 1844, acting as their managing clerk; he then entered upon active
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practice, first in copartnership with Isaiah T. Williams, and also in 1846 with Nelson K. Hopkins, the firm name being Williams, Hopkins & Hawley. In 1847 this firm dissolved and Mr. Hawley associated himself with his brother, Seth C., until 1849, when he was appointed deputy collector of customs for this district. From 1853 to 1865 he was at various times managing clerk in the law office of John Ganson, travel- ing collector for Pratt & Co., secretary of the Commercial Advertiser Publishing Company, and secretary of the Buffalo Agricultural Machine Works. For eleven years from 1865 to 1876 he was engaged in the U. S. internal revenue service, being appointed by President Grant, in 1873, supervisor of internal revenue of this State with headquarters in New York city. In this capacity he was largely instrumental in procuring the downfall of the famous " whisky ring." which originated at St. Louis, but which extended all over the country. This occurred in 1875. Mr. Haw- ley had charge of the raid at St. Louis, and through him and other Federal officers the government indicted 238 persons and brought into court about three and a half millions of dollars worth of seized property. He resigned in February, 1876, but by request remained in office until May, when he returned to Buffalo, and has since been engaged in managing estates, etc., and in the practice of the law. He is a man of the highest integrity, respected by all, and possessed of broad experience. In every capacity he has faithfully discharged the duties and trusts reposed in him. Mr. Hawley has been three times married; first to Irene Burt Leech, of Buffalo, on April 19, 1848; second to Helen Goodrich, of Glens Falls, on January 16, 1857; and third to Lida Williams Jennings, of Lockport, Niagara county, on December 18, 1877. By his first marriage he had one son, George B., a wholesale dealer in plumbers' supplies, of Cincinnati, O., and a daughter, Irene B. (Mrs. Charles W. Jennings), of Grand Rapids, Mich.
Hazel, John R., Buffalo, was born in that city, December 18, 1860. After com- pleting his elementary education at the public schools, he determined to study law and entered the office of John C. Fullerton, where he remained until he was ad- mitted to the bar in April, 1882. He was then admitted into the firm of Fullerton, Becker & Hazel, which copartnership lasted for eight years, when he retired to join Frank A. Abbott, under the firm name of Hazel & Abbott, which copartnership still continues. Mr. Hazel has been for the past five years Republican State com- mitteeman. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention of 1896, and is now one of the receivers of the Bank of Commerce, having been appointed by the Supreme Court.
Lewis, George L., Buffalo, son of Loran L. and Charlotte (Pierson) Lewis, was born in Buffalo, N. Y., May 31, 1857. After receiving a common school education he took a preparatory course of three years at Professor Briggs's private school and was graduated from Yale College in 1879. He then determined to study law and entered the office of his father, where he remained until he was admitted to the bar. Mr. Lewis is a member of the Buffalo Club, the Ellicott Club, the University Club and the Country Club.
Rogers, Sherman Skinner, Buffalo, has been prominent at the bar of Western New York for over forty years, coming to Buffalo in 1854. He began the study of law at an early age and was engaged in practice before young men nowadays have
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received their diplomas. Early in life Mr. Rogers was a Democrat in political be- lief, but at the outbreak of the Civil war became a Republican and has so remained. In 1875 he was elected State senator by the largest majority ever given a senatorial candidate in that district. The following year he was elected lieutenant-governor on the ticket headed by E. D. Morgan. January 6, 1858, he married Christina Cameron Davenport of Bath, N. Y.
Schattner, Joseph P., attorney at law, Buffalo, secured a great advantage by being admitted to the bar at his majority, so that now, though only thirty-seven years of age, he has spent nearly half his life in the pursuit of the law. He was born in Buf- falo, August 5, 1859, and was educated in St. Mary's parochial school of that city. At the age of twelve years he entered the grocery store of Messrs. A. G. Heckell & Co. as an errand boy, where he remained for one year, after which he entered the law office of A. Bartholomew, where he remained until 1881, at which time he was admitted to the bar and since that time he has been engaged in the practice of his chosen profession. Mr. Schattner is a prominent member of many societies and clubs, and takes an active interest in politics, but has never held a political office.
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