Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 103

Author: Wager, Daniel Elbridge, 1823-1896
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston history co.
Number of Pages: 1612

USA > New York > Oneida County > Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York; > Part 103

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Dunham, George Earl .- Mr. Dunham is best known in Oneida county through his connection with the Utica Daily Press, which, from anything but an auspicious be- ginning, has become one of the leading and most prosperous papers in Central New York. The Press was started in March, 1882, by printers who had left the Herald two days before and whose facilities were decidedly limited. The first number had four small pages by no means of attractive appearance. Mr. Dunham went with the Press the following July and at one time or another has held every situation on the editorial staff. In 1886 he became president of the company and editor of the paper

FAMILY SKETCHES.

and has continued in these positions ever since. At the same election T. R. Proctor was chosen vice-president and Otto A. Meyer secretary, treasurer and business man- ager. The improvement and growth of the Press have been steady and permanent, till now it enjoys the largest circulation in its field. Mr. Dunham was born at Clay- ville, April 5, 1859, the only child of Moses E. Dunham, D. D , Ph. D., and Harriet (Hughston) Dunham. He was graduated at Whitestown Seminary in 1875 and Ham- ilton College in 1879, the youngest member of his class at both institutions. He was for a year a clerk in the office of Edwin Baylies at Johnstown, N. Y., one of the ablest law writers of his time, and the author of Baylies' " Questions and Answers," Baylies on "Guaranty and Suretyship" and other standard works. In 1880 he was admitted to practice law and became a member of the firm of Baylies & Dunham. The firm did much work in the line of law book writing, being employed on various of William Wait's publications and several other legal books. A year later Mr. Dunham returned to Oneida county to become vice-principal of Whitestown Semin- ary, of which his father was principal. In 1882 he came to Utica as a reporter on the Press and has since remained with that paper. In 1888 he was appointed a manager of the United States Hospital for the Insane and was reappointed by Governor Flower and three years later by Governor Morton. He was appointed by Mayor Kinney chairman of the Utica Electric Light Commission and served three years. He was elected a trustee of Hamilton College in 1891 and was re- elected in 1895. Mr. Dunham married Helen L. Jones of Utica, January 9, 1884. They had one child, a daughter, who died in infancy.

Lewis, Elias, was born in Steuben, N. Y., in November, 1852, son of William Lewis who was born in Utica, N. Y., in 1812, and grandson of William Lewis, a native of Wales who came to the United States in 1800, and died in New Orleans in 1820, at thirty two years of age. William, jr., was reared by relatives. When a young man he taught school, later engaged in farming, and has resided in Steuben since he was eight years of age. He was active in gathering recruits during the war and was commissioned by Governor Seymour to secure colored recruits in Virginia in 1861. He was an assemblyman, and introduced and worked for the bill which resulted in an appropriation of $500.00 made by the government for a monument to perpetuate the memory of Baron Steuben. He was for forty-four years justice of the peace, and for thirteen years supervisor, also filled many other offices and was well liked and prosperous. He was married three times, his first wife being Catherine, daugh- ter of William R. and Mary Jones, by whom he had two children, one of whom died in childhood; the other, Mary, died in Williamsburg, Iowa, in October, 1894. Oc- tober 31, 1840, Mr. Lewis married for his second wife, Jeanette, daughter of Elias and Berry Williams, who immigrated in 1830 and located in Steuben. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis had nine children, five of whom grew to maturity: Washington, Martha, wife of R. H. Hews, M. D., of Rockwell City, Iowa, Laura E., wife of T. W. Evans Price, of Rockford, Ill., who died April 22, 1891, aged forty-six years, and Elias, as above. For his third wife Mr. Lewis married Mrs. Margaret Davis, of Remsen, N. Y., who still survives. Mr. Lewis retired to Remsen, where he died in 1892. Elias Lewis was educated in the district school and Whitestown Seminary, and remained with his father until the latter retired, and since then he has conducted the farm. In 1891 he purchased the farm where he now resides, and also is the owner of another

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

farm of 290 acres. Mr. Lewis has filled the offices of town clerk and supervisor. In 1877 he married Margaret, daughter of William P. Thomas, of Steuben, by whom he has seven children; Price, Clara, William, Jeanette and Sarah (twins), and Ethel, and the oldest, a daughter, died when sixteen months months old.

Dewey, Charles M., was born in Deerfield, N. Y., June 17, 1833, son of Selotus and Mehitable (Roberts) Dewey, natives of Connecticut, who were among the first settlers in Deerfield. They took 450 acres of land and cleared a large farm. Mr. Dewey died January 31, 1844, aged fifty-eight years, and Mrs. Dewey died Novem- ber 30, 1855, aged sixty-three years. Charles M. has always been engaged in farm- ing in Deerfield, and settled on the farm of 220 acres in 1866. In 1859 he married Jane, daughter of Jacob and Abigail (Cute) Rudd, of Marcy, by whom he had four children : Zettie J., wife of John C. Davis, a farmer in Deerfield; Aldıs M , who died at the age of twenty-nine years; Cora E., wife of William R. Harvey, a cheesemaker in Saint Mary's, Elk county, Pa,: and Ida M., wife of Frank Donnafield of Deer- field. Mr. Dewey is a Republican, and has been assessor and road commissioner. They attend the Presbyterian church,

Smith, Giles, was born in Deerfield, N. Y., August 30, 1825, only son of Pratt, a native of Taunton, Mass., and Elenore (Wheeler) Smith, a native of Dutchess county, N. Y. His grandfather, Ephraim Wheeler, came from Holland, and was a pioneer of Dutchess county. His paternal grandfather, Timothy Smith, came from Massa- chusetts, and was one of the first settlers at Deerfield, settling on Smith Hill. He removed to Jefferson county where he died Pratt Smith was engaged in farming in Deerfield, and died at the age of eighty-six, and Mrs. Smith died in 1870, at the age of seventy. Mr. Smith was one of the founders of the Union church at Deer- field. He had a 400 acre farm in Deerfield, N. Y., and land in the West. In 1853 Giles Smith married Eliza, daughter of Lewis and Mary Cole, of Rensselaer county, N. Y., by whom he had three children: Pratt G., a merchant at Utica; Mary, wife of M. T. Jones, of Utica; and Elenore, wife of Marshall Brown, a commission mer- chant in Brooklyn. Mr. Smith is a Republican in politics, and has been assessor and supervisor of Deerfield, and is at present road commissioner. Mr. Smith has been one of the most successful farmers in the community, having taken an active inter- est in the business, and owns a large farm in the best part of the town. Mrs. Smith died in October, 1891.

Crosby, Anson T., was born in Deerfield, N. Y., December 16, 1828, son of Isaac, a native of Norway, and Mary (Fox) Crosby, a native of Ohio, Herkimer county, N. Y. The grandparents, Isaac and Mary Crosby, came from Saratoga and settled in Norway, where Mr. Crosby was killed by the cars. Isaac, jr., came to Deerfield when twenty-five years of age and took up 269 acres of land, where he cleared a home, remaining until he retired to Chatfield, Filmore county, Minn., where he died at the age of seventy-three, and Mrs. Crosby died at the age of sixty-five years. The great-grandfather Crosby was a soldier under Gates at Saratoga; and the great- grandfather Fox was at the same battle under Burgoyne in the Revolutionary war. A. T. Crosby was educated at Whitestown Seminary, and has always been engaged in farming and keeps a dairy of twenty Holstein cows. He has been justice of the peace for several years. In 1857 he married Margaret Holmes, by whom he has five

FAMILY SKETCHES.

children: John D., a druggist at Long Island; Lottie E., wife of John Cook, a wheat grower in North Dakota; Mary, wife of Charles Green, in the sash and blind factory at Torrington, Conn .; Emily C., wife of James Fuller, a farmer in Deerfield, and Edith N., a teacher in Yorkville.

Ackerman, Charles, was born in the kingdom of Hanover, Germany, April 23, 1837. He received a mercantile education there, and came to the United States at the age of sixteen and became a clerk in a grocery in New York city, where he re- mained for two years. He came to Verona in 1855 and has been engaged in the general merchandise business most of the time since. In 1863 he married Theresa Berical, of Verona, and they have five children: Allie, Eugenia, Gustave, Arthur, and Clara. Allie married Eugene C. Dunham and resides in Auburn, N.Y. Eugenia married Robert W. Potter, of State Bridge. Mr. Ackerman enlisted in Co. E, 26th N. Y. S. Vols., and was promoted along the line from corporal to adjutant and was honorably discharged May 28, 1863, at Utica, N. Y. In February, 1864, he joined the 2d United States Veteran Volunteers as first lieutenant, after a rigid examina- tion by a military commission, serving in that regiment for two years. He was post adjutant for six months at Albany, N. Y. ; was honorably discharged June 18, 1866. John Ackerman, his father, was born at the old home in Germany and married Wilemena Fitler, by whom he had six children: Matilda, Charles, Louis, William, Allie and Gustave. Mr. Ackerman is now in business with Mrs. Rachel B. Stark, under the firm name of Ackerman & Stark, at Higginsville, N. Y. He is a member of Joseph H. Warren Post, No. 615, G. A. R., and of New London Lodge, No. 420, F & A. M., of the town of Verona. The family is of German and French descent.

Wendt, Frederick S., was born in Lewis county, N. Y., October 6, 1852. He was educated in the district schools and in his early years was a farmer. October 30. 1878, he married Lottie J. Armstrong, of Higginsville, N. Y , by whom he had three chil- dren: George A., Frederick W. and Florence M. (twins). Mr. Wendt since 1880 has been engaged in the general merchandise business and has recently become inter- ested in the coal business. In 1887 he was appointed justice of the peace to fill a vacancy and in 1888 was elected to a full term and has served continually since. William C. Wendt, his father, was born in Mecklenbergh, Germany, about 1823. He married Caroline Runge, of his native place, by whom he had ten children: Freder- ick S., Augustus, William, Albert, Charles, Minnie, Frances, Pauline, Emma, and Annie. They came to the United States in 1851, locating in Lewis county, N. Y. William H. Armstrong, Mrs. Wendt's father, was born in Utica, N. Y., February 15, 1828. He was educated in the common schools and is now carrying on a general blacksmithing business at Durhamville, N. Y. Hefollowed the canal for several years. In 1852 he married Amanda M. Morse, of Higginsville, N. Y., by whom he has one child, Lottie, J., now Mrs. Frederick S. Wendt. Mr. F. S. Wendt is a member of New London Lodge, No. 420, F. & A. M., and Mrs. Wendt is a member of the East- ern Star, Visha Chapter, O. E. S.

Merry, Gotleib, was born in Baden, Germany, in 1843 and came with his parents to the United States in 1851, locating first in Toledo, Ohio, coming to the town of Verona, N. Y., in 1852. He was educated in the public schools and the Business College of Utica, N. Y., and is a cheesemaker by occupation and owner

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

of the Merry Cheese Factory, which manufactures into cheese two and one-half million pounds of milk, annually. For the past three years he has been manager and superintendent of the Oneida Canning Co., of Verona. He is also president of the Board of Education; they have just completed a fine school edifice in that district. March 7, 1870, Mr. Merry married Sarah McGann, of this town, by whom he has seven children: Fred H., S. Alice, Ellen S., George G., H. Seymour, Wilson J., and C. Lester. Frederick J. Merry, his father, was born at the old home in Germany in 1811. He married Christina Winnie, by whom he had nine children; Jacob, Ann, Sophia, Frederick, Gotleib, Conrad, Peter, Charles, and Michael. He died in 1852. Mr. G. Merry was elected supervisor in 1879 and served until 1884. He began life empty-handed and has been the architect of his own success.

Frisbie, Charles P., was born in Harwinton, Litchfield county, Conn., October 18, 1830, and came with his parents to this town in 1836, where he was educated in the district schools and Vernon Academy. September 25, 1855, he married Sarah A. Sage, of the town of Verona, N. Y., by whom he had two children: Emily S., and George R. Emily S. married Julian E. Taft, of this town, and they have two children; Charles F., and James. George R. is a resident of Bloomington, Ill., in the employ of the Soper Foundry Factory Company. Mr. Frisbie's father, John Frisbie, was born in Connecticut, in 1797. He was educated in the schools of his day, and was a salesman when a young man, and afterwards a farmer. He mar- ried Hulda Nobles, of his native State, by whom he had ten children: Noble W., Eliza B., Charles P., as above, Mary A., Enos, George W., Henry, John W., who died in infancy, Jeannette, and Caroline. He died in 1847, and his wife March 1, 1889. Mrs. Frisbie's father, Roswell Sage, was born in Massachusetts, September 6, 1789, and was educated there. He was a carpenter and afterwards a farmer. Sep- tember 12, 1810, he married Mercy Enos, by whom he had five children : Caroline E., Chauncey S., Emily F., Dorliskie, and Sarah A., as above. He served in the war of 1812, and died April 17, 1879, and his wife October 17, 1876. Mr. and Mrs. Frisbie are members of the Presbyterian church, of which he was trustee for twelve years. The ancestry of the family is Scotch and English.

Weaver, Frederick G., was born in Deerfield August 7, 1843, son of George F. and Margaret A. Weaver, natives of Deerfield. George F. was a successful business man as farmer and brick manufacturer. He was a Republican in politics and was supervisor for a number of years; was elected sheriff of the county in 1867. He died in 1889 and Mrs. Weaver died in 1888. Frederick G. Weaver was reared on a farm and was educated at Utica schools and Fairfield Seminary. He commenced his busi- ness career with his father in the manufacture of brick, in which business he is still engaged, being in partnership with his brother, Charles C. Weaver. They do an extensive business, and in 1893 turned out seven million brick. Mr. Weaver is also engaged in farming. In 1872 he married Sarah J. Budlong of Schuyler, Herkimer county, by whom he has seven children. He is a Republican in politics; has been supervisor of Deerfield three terms and was elected sheriff of the county in 1876, and was the Republican nominee for the office of senator in 1895. He is a member of Lodge No. 54, F. & A. M. He is president of the Deerfield and Utica R. R. Co. since its incorporation in 1889, and a director of the First National Bank of Utica, N. Y.

FAMILY SKETCHES.

Broadbent, Frank, was born in Manlius, Onondaga county, N. Y., May 28, 1855, son of Giles Leon Broadbent, a native of England, who came to America when about nineteen years of age. He was a machinist by trade and was engaged in different woolen mills in this State for many years. His wife, Mary Haynes, was born in the town of Western, N. Y., daughter of Solomon and Amanda Haynes. They had but one child, Frank. Mr. Broadbent died in 1863, from injuries he received while alighting from the cars. His wife survives him. Frank Broadbent first engaged in farm work, and when seventeen years of age learned the trade of cheesemaker, in which he has been engaged in various factories throughout the county. He was cheesemaker for the Steuben Association in the town of Steuben for eight years. During the years 1892-3 he owned a half interest in the Willow Grove cheese factory in the town of Trenton. For a time he owned a factory on Floyd Hill in the town of Floyd, and in 1893 he purchased his present farm of 203 acres, on which he conducts a dairy of thirty cows, and having a factory in addition to this on his farm, he also manufactures cheese. In 1876 he married Estella E., daughter of Hiram G. and Mary E. (Dustin) Bullock, who was born in the town of Western. They have six children: Leon G., Robert A., Homer F., Frank A., Lester F. and Erwin J. Mr. Broadbent is a member of the F. & A. M.

Spencer, Lyman C., second son of James D. Spencer, was born in West Monroe, Oswego county, N. Y., March 17, 1841, and came with his parents to Sylvan Beach when he was two years old. His education was received in the public schools, and his early life was spent on his father's farm. He erected the first hotel on Wood Creek outlet on Oneida Lake, on the Vienna side of the creek (it is now known as the Forest Home), which he conducted seventeen years, but it is now conducted by his son-in-law, Frederick B. Randall, of Oneida, Madison county. The Spencer family have done much towards the growth and prosperity of Sylvan Beach. Sep- tember 2, 1865, Mr. Spencer married Marian Keohane, who was born in England, by whom he had four children: Alice E., Lillian F., L. May, and L. Ernst. Alice E. married Frederick B. Randall, of Oneida, N. Y., and they have four children : Lyman F., Harriet M., Spencer B., and Marian A. Mrs. Spencer's father, James Keohane, was born in England. He married Marian Scammel, of London, England, by whom he had nine children: P. Henry, Marian E., Peter, Nellie, Catherine, Anna C., Eliza, John D., and Theresa. Mr. Koehane died September 2, 1867. Mr. Spencer is a member of Sylvan Beach Lodge, No. 326, I. O. O. F., of which he has been treasurer four years.

Spencer, Reuben J .. oldest son of James D. Spencer, was born in West Monroe, Oswego county, N.Y., August 27, 1838. and came to this town with his parents when about four years of age. He was educated in the public schools, and is a real estate dealer, and assists his father in superintending and developing the same at Sylvan Beach and vicinity. April 27, 1864, he married Amy Maxfield, of this locality, by whom he had one son, James D., who died in infancy. Mrs. Spencer died in 1883, and November 5, 1890, he married for his second wife Inez E. Poppleton, of this town, by whom he had one daughter, Ada M., born April 10, 1892. Mr. Spencer is a member of Sylvan Beach Lodge No. 326, I. O. O. F., and has also been president of the village since it was incorporated in 1887. Mrs. Spencer's father, James Popple- ton, was born in this town in 1822. He was educated in the district schools, and was

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

a farmer by occupation and later a grocery merchant. He married Mary Kelly, of this town, by whom he had three children: Ada E., Inez E., and John F. Mr. Pop- pleton died in 1856, and Mrs. Poppleton married Newton Poppleton, and they had two children: Mary E., and Matilda. Mrs. Poppleton died in 1890.

Sawtelle, Washington Sewall, was born in Sidney, Me., August 3, 1827, son of Major Amaziah and Malinda (Black) Sawtelle, who had eight children: Washington S. married Caroline Amelia, daughter of William T. and Mary (Wright) Fowler, by whom he had six children: Chester W., Vergie, Clarence, Marion, and Mary and Charles A. (deceased). Washington S. attended school at West Point and at seven- teen years of age enlisted in the Mexican war, 5th Regiment, Company D, and served one year and five months. He was taken prisoner at Vera Cruz and was confined for five months at Cordoba and Orizaba, when he escaped and joined his regiment. He was one of the fourteen who made the ascent of Mt. Popocatepetl. He first came to Utica in 1850, and in 1856 he published the Mohawk Valley Register at Fort Plain. By profession he is an artist and painter. He is an extensive traveler, having trav- eled over the United States, Canada, Mexico and Cuba. He made an overland trip to California before there was a railroad to the western country. He is now living a retired life.

Shoewalter, Joseph H., was born in the town of Verona, N. Y., February 15, 1846, and was educated in the district schools and Oneida Seminary. He has followed the canal thirty-one years in all, twenty-five years as boat owner, being known as Captain Shoewalter, but is now living a retired life. December 29, 1868, he married Ella A. Shattuck, of this town. Mrs. Shoewalter died July 8, 1882, and January 2, 1889, he married for his second wife, Ida E Dunn, of this town. His father, Henry Shoewalter, was born in Bavaria, Germany, August 11, 1811, and came to the United States with his sister in 1839, finally locating in the town of Verona, where he was a tailor and afterward a farmer by occupation. He married Mary Poplet, of this town, by whom he had one son, Joseph H., as above. Mr. Shoewalter died January 5, 1883, and his wife May 18, 1851. Mrs. Shoewalter's father, Dennis B. Dunn, was born in Kings County, Ireland, in 1837, and came to the United States with his grandfather in 1844, and was educated in the district schools of Verona. He married Mary Hyland, of this town, by whom he had thirteen children: Francis A., Ida E., as above, Udella, Rose A., Catherine, Dennis P., Marsella C., Sarah A., Theresa, Jennie E., William J., Lucy M., and Anna S.

Calder, Hon. Frederick Manwell, elected surrogate of Oneida county in 1894, was born in the village of New York Mills, Oneida county, N. Y., March 20, 1861, son of John and Margaret (Huton) Calder. He was educated in the public schools and was graduated from Whitestown Seminary in 1878 and from Hamilton College in the class of 1882. He studied law with P. C. J. De Angelis, at Utica, N. Y., also with the firm of Miller & Fincke, of that city, and was admitted a member of the bar in June, 1884, after which he was managing clerk for Miller & Fincke for three years, when he opened an office on his own account in the Mann building in the city of Utica, and won for himself in a short period an extensive and valuable clientage. Judge Calder was chairman of the Republican County Committee in 1891-92, and in 1892-93 was corporation counsel of the city of Utica. June, 17 1891, he married

FAMILY SKETCHES.

Elizabeth N. Holbrook, of Utica, by whom he had one son, Frederick Holbrook Cal- der. Judge Calder is an Odd Fellow and Mason, and a member of the Fort Schuy- ler, Arcanum, and Masonic Clubs.

Coleman, George, was born in Ava, N. Y., November 25, 1834, son of Phineas and Bersheba Coleman. Phineas Coleman was a native of Rome, N. Y., and Mrs. Cole- man a native of Hoosac, Conn. Mr. Coleman was an early settler in Ava, where he died in 1876, and Mrs. Coleman in 1863. The father of Phineas was a farmer at Lockport, and a pioneer of Rome. George Coleman has spent most of his time at the trade of carpenter and joiner. In 1852 he married Catherine Handly, daugliter of Patrick Handly, by whom he had five children: Maria, John, Will, Frank, and Mary, who died in infancy. Mrs. Coleman died in January, 1891. In 1867 Mr. Cole- man bought a farm in Ava, which is conducted by his son Frank, who, in 1887, mar- ried Cora, daughter of Patrick and. Margaret Nolan, natives of Ireland, who came to America in 1845, and settled at Little Falls, where Mrs. Nolan died in 1868. Mr. Nolan is a carriage manufacturer at Brockville, Ontario, Canada. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Coleman have had four children: Charles W., who died at the age of seven years, Frederick P., George F. and Emerson S.

Dorrance, Daniel G .. jr. (third son of Ho:1. Daniel G. Dorrance of Oneida Castle, N. Y.), was born in the town of Florence, Oneida county, N. Y., February 28, 1850. In 1859 he removed with his father's family to Oneida Castle in the town of Vernon. He was educated in the schools of Oneida Castle and the Oneida Seminary and was graduated from Hamilton College in the class of 1872. After leaving college he set- tled in Camden and engaged in the mercantile business; but since 1885 has been in the employ of his father at Oneida Castle as confidential clerk, although retaining his residence in Camden. In 1876 Mr. Dorrance married Ellen, daughter of the late John Lambie, a prominent farmer of Camden. Their children are Ella M., Bessie L., James G., and Harold S. Mr. Dorrance is prominently connected with the offices of the village and town, being a justice of the peace and a member of the Board of Education and is also one of the stockholders in the First National Bank of Camden, N. Y.

Keller, Hugo, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, March 26, 1845. He came to the United States in 1862, first locating in New York. His purpose in leaving his native land was to enlist in the Union army, and early in 1863 he enlisted in the 16th Cavalry, N. Y. State Vols., under Col. Arnistrong in the Shenandoah valley, and served until October 1, 1865, when he was honorably discharged. After the war he was engaged as a clerk in a grocery store for one year, then learned the baker's trade, which he followed four years. In 1870 he located in Durhamville, Oneida county, N. Y., and first served as a grocery clerk, but in 1874 began business on his own account as a general storekeeper, and was also in the milling business. He married Julia Schotthamer, formerly of his native place, by whom he had six chil- dren: Frank, Herman, who has purchased the mill from his father and is conduct- ing the same, Adelaide, Hugo, jr., Julia, and Sophia. Mr. Keller has filled the office . of trustee of the village. He is a member of Oneida Lodge, No 270, F. & A. M., of Oneida, N. Y. He is also a member of John R. Stuart Post, No. 176, G. A. R. De- partment of N. Y.

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Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 103

Author: Wager, Daniel Elbridge, 1823-1896 Publication date: 1896 Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston history co. Number of Pages: 1612

Author: Wager, Daniel Elbridge, 1823-1896
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston history co.
Number of Pages: 1612