Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 108

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 108

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).

Walbran, T. F., was born in Floyd, N. Y., August 20, 1859, son of William J. and Lucy A. (Armstrong) Walbran. William J. Walbran was born in Yorkshire, Eng., and came to the United States when thirteen years of age, and settled in Whites- town, and went thence to Floyd where he married and engaged in farming. He afterward removed to Oriskany, where he was treasurer of the Oriskany Malleable Iron Works until his death, which occurred in 1885. T. F. Walbran was educated at the Whitestown Seminary and at the Utica Business College, after which he en- gaged in clerking. He afterward bought a grist mill, and also run a store, after which he engaged in the manufacture of hosiery, in which he still continues. He married Grace Hale, of Howell, Mich. Mr. Walbran is a member of the F. & A. M., Oriskany Lodge, No. 799.

Wilcox, Lucy B., was born in New Hartford, N. Y., daughter of Samuel and Abi-

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gal (White) Wilcox. Samuel Wilcox was born in Middletown, Conn., in 1781, and came to Whitestown when eleven years of age with his father, Abel Wilcox, and when they came to Whitestown, there was only one log cabin in what is now the city of Utica. They came from Middletown with two teams consisting one of horses, and the other of oxen; and all of their household goods were conveyed by these teams, and they settled in that portion of Whitestown, which is now New Hartford. Abel Wilcox built a log cabin. He found clay on his land, and being a mason, he made brick, and constructed five houses, and four of them are still standing as they were

originally built, while one has been remodeled. Samuel Wilcox was a mason by trade, and also conducted a farm during his lifetime. Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox had seven children: Julia Ann (deceased); Lucy B., living in Whitesboro; George C. (deceased); Susan E. (deceased); Henry W., living in Winsted, Conn .; Edward L. (deceased); and Samuel, living in California. Henry W. married Hannah E. Wil- cox of Goshen, Conn., and they have one son, Edward H. Wilcox. This is one of the historic families of Oneida county who has done pioneer work, and contributed largely to the growth and present prosperity of the county.

Young, George, was born in Clinton, N. Y., March 6, 1867, son of James B. and Isabella (McLean) Young. James B. was the general superintendent for the Clark Mills Co. until his death in 1871. George Young was educated in the public school of New York Mills, after which he engaged in work in the mills, and then went into the office, where he worked up to the position of chief bookkeeper for the company, to which position he was appointed in 1890. He married Albertie Seelye, daughter of Ambrose G. Seelye of Westmoreland, N. Y., by whom he has two children: Mil- dred B. and Marjorie S. J. Mr. and Mrs. Young are members of the Presbyterian church, of which Mr. Young is a clerk of the board of elders and secretary and treas- urer of the board of trustees.

Suters, William, was born in Hastings, England, September 29, 1835, and came to America in 1856, and settled in Waterville where he learned the trade of carpenter and builder which he still follows; during this time he has constructed many of the finest residences and other buildings in Waterville besides doing considerable work at Rome, Albany and Middletown. Mr. Suters is a Mason and was master of Sanger Lodge No. 129 F. & A. M., three years, and six years high priest of Warren Chapter No. 22 R. A. M. ; also is on his third term as regent of Waterville Council, Royal Arca- num. He has also been trustee of the village, president and chief of the Waterville Fire Department. In 1870 he married Amelia Excell, by whom he has four children : William Franklin, Harry Excell, Cora May and Bessie Amelia.

Stone, Alexander I., was born in the town of Augusta, N. Y., August 31, 1827, son of Samuel Stone, who was born in Guilford, Conn., August 31, 1776, and was de- scended from English parents. He was a weaver by trade, and followed that occu- pation while in Connecticut, but devoted his time to farming after taking his resi- dence in Augusta. He came to New York State, and settled for a time in the Catskills, near the Hudson River, and after three years spent there, he moved to Wellstown, Hamilton county, and finally in 1880, went west to the town of Augusta, settling on the East Hill. He married Mary Wells, of Wellstown, N. Y., who was born April 10, 1781, and died in Augusta, September 19, 1836. Mr. Stone died De- p

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ceniber 20, 1850. Alexander I. Stone received his education at the district school at Stockbridge, after which he assumed the occupation of a farmer, which he has since continued. July 7, 1852, he married Mary J. Chadwick, who died April 3, 1855, leaving one son ; he afterwards married Lavina J. Perkins, who died August 4, 1881, and his present wife is Mrs. Abbie M. Matthews of Augusta. Mr. Stone came to the farm he now owns in the spring of 1854-a historic place, as it was first owned by Francis O'Toole, the educated Irishman, who spoke fourteen languages; and from the fact that the Indians returning to Canada from the Wyoming massacre halted at a small stream on the north boundary of the farm to wash the scalps of their victims. Here A. I. Stone reared and educated his four sons and only surviving daughter, the latter becoming the wife of John Fletcher Davis, a contractor of Buffalo. The eldest son, Hon. J. D. F. Stone, was elected city judge of Utica in 1896 for four years. The other three sons seem content to follow the occupation of their father.

Weller, W. H., was born in Oneida county, January 8, 1867. His father, Thomas Weller, is a native of Kent, England, and his mother, Mary E. (Curry) Weller, is a Canadian by birth, and of Scotch descent. He took a course in the Clinton Gram- mar School, and then studled law with S. S. Judson of Vernon, and was admitted to the bar in December, 1891. He immediately opened an office in Waterville, and is already recognized as one of the rising young lawyers of the county. He was clerk of the village of Waterville in 1894, and is a member of the Pickwick Club, and San- ger Lodge No. 129, FF. & A. M.

Grannis, William E., was born in the town of Kirkland, September 5, 1836, son of Andrew D. Grannis, who was born in the town of Floyd, Oneida county, in 1811. The family came from Vermont, and Edward Grannis, grandfather of William E., was captain in the war of 1812. They came to this county in 1790 being one of the first settlers in the town of Floyd, where he remained until his death in 1856. An- drew D. Grannis came to this town in 1833, engaged in farming which he continued till his death in 1883. He married Betsey, daughter of William Carpenter, by whom he had five children, three of which are now living: Adelaide Allen of Lewis county ; Mrs. Julia Howard of Oklahama; and William E. Grannis. William E. Grannis was educated in the Clinton Liberal Institute, his father being one of the first grad- uates of the institution, after which he engaged in farming. He married Lucinda, daughter of John Pease of Utica, by whom he had one daughter, Louise, wife of David Owen of New Hartford. Mrs. Grannis died in 1891, after which he married his present wife Dora, daughter of Conrad Roemer, of New Hartford. Mr. Grannis is a member of the Clinton Grange, and also of Oneonta Lodge, No. 466, F. & A. M.

Gleason, Henry N., was born in the town of Kirkland, May 14, 1828, in the house built and occupied by the father and on the same farm as was his father, Orsemus Gleason, who was born October 14, 1792. The grandfather, Solomon Gleason, came to this town in 1788 from Brimfield, Mass., where he took up the farm that has re- mained in the family ever since. Henry N. Gleason is one of the foremost men in Kirkland, and is interested in the Kirkland canning factory, and is treasurer of the creamery company. He was elected supervisor of the town of Kirkland in 1876, and was a director of the Oneida County Agricultural Society twenty-five years. He dealt quite a little in cattle and other stock for a number of years, and owns 120

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acres of the homestead place. Mr. Gleason married Susan, daughter of Ezra Clark of Kirkland, of the family which established Clark Mills.

Salisbury, John H., was born in Otsego county, January 1, 1828, son of John H. and Catherine Salisbury. John H., sr., was born in Albany county, April 16, 1784, and his wife, Catherine Richens, in Schoharie county, August 18, 1788. The family moved to what was then the Oneida Factory, now the village of New York Mills, on December 9, 1830, where they lived in the same house over thirty years; and where Mrs. Salisbury died in 1853, and Mr. Salisbury in 1858. John H., jr., has worked for the New York Mills Company for forty-three years, having charge of the repairs and machinery at mills No. 3 and No 4. He married Mary L. Gardner of New York Mills, by whom he has five sons; George W., an engineer and machinist; Charles H., a Baptist minister at Towlesville, N. Y .; Frank, who is living at home; Herbert, who is a florist; and Albert N., a telegraph operator and station agent.

Waterman, Charles, was born in New Berlin, Chenango county, December 8, 1816, son of Joseph and Polly (Ritter) Waterman. Mr. Waterman has resided in Oneida county since 1832, while he has been on his present farm for the long period of fifty- five years. He married Clarissa, daughter of Eddy and Lucy (Ruso) Arnold, by whom he had six children : Charles H., De Witt C., Andrew Jackson Davis, John C., Clara A. Waterman Arnold, and Mrs. Timothy Thornton. Mr. Waterman has accumu- lated his property entirely by his own ability and has lived a successful and honor- able life.

Hawkins, W. S., was born in Malone, Franklin county, N. Y., son of William H. and Prudence (Miles) Hawkins. His father was a Methodist minister, and his mother was a daughter of Joseph Miles of Potsdam. W. S. Hawkins was educated at Potsdam Normal School and Syracuse University, from which he was graduated in 1883. He began his course in 1875, but broke off to return to Potsdam, where he started the St. Lawrence Herald, and conducted it for four years, after which he re- turned 'o college. He taught school in Trinity Hall, Washington, Pa, having charge of the boys' preparatory department for one year, when he took a position on the Syracuse Herald, and after one year he went to the Rome Sentinel, and finally to Waterville in 1885. He purchased the Reflex and in 1888 purchased the Times, and incorporated the two into the present Waterville Times. In June, 1890, he married Lucia C. Candee, daughter of the late William B. Candee.

Daggett, A. W., was born September 8, 1851, son of George and Emily Daggett. lIe lived on the farm until seventeen years of age, when he engaged in the railway business, and has been an agent on the D., L. & W. R. R., for twenty-five years, twenty-three of which have been spent in Bridgewater. The firm of Daggett Bros. is composed of A. W. and George H. Daggett, and has been in existence for ten years, and they do an extensive business in coal and mill products. In 1808 he mar- ried Carrie Wheeler, by whom he has one daughter, Mildred. Mr. Daggett is one of the most widely known and leading men of Bridgewater, and was elected president of the village in 1894, he being the first president.

Green Alvin L., was born in Paris, Oneida county, N. Y., May 25, 1841. His father, Elias F. Green, was born in Sangerfield, Oneida county, N. Y., September

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17, 1806, and died November 30, 1892, in the town of Paris, where he had spent most of his life. Lodowick Green, father of Elias F., was one of the early settlers in the town of Sangerfield, having settled in that town in the year 1801. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Alvin L. Green is a lineal descendant of John Green, an Englishman, who came to America in 1663, and took the oath of allegiance to the State of Rhode Island in the year 1671. The sons in direct descent from him are Benjamin, John, Philip, Elder Elisha, Lodowick, Elias F. and Alvin L. Mr. Green is one of the representative farmers of the town of Paris. He was married in Plainfield, Otsego county, N. Y., March 9, 1870, to Sarah E. Ripley, daughter of Samuel and Hannah Ripley, by whom he has one son, Harry E., who was born October 10, 1877.

Foote, John B., was born in the town of Westmoreland, May 3, 1841, son of John B. Foote, who was born in North Adams, Mass., in 1807, and came to the town of Westmoreland in the year 1835, where he continued to make it his home. He was a graduate of Williams College, in Massachusetts, and then studied theology under Dr. Kirk, after which for some time he traveled, preaching holiness. He married Mary Patton, by whom he had these children : John B., Mary E., Samuel G., Ade- line L. and Noyes, a namesake of the founder of the Oneida Community, he being a personal friend of the father. John B. Foote, jr., was educated in Westmoreland and the Clinton Liberal Institute, after which he engaged in farming, owning a dairy in connection with his farm, and is at the present time president of the Kirk- land Creamery Company. He enlisted in 1862 in the 117th N. Y. Vols., Co. C, serv- ing until the close of the war. He married Gertrude, daughter of O. W. Dodge, of Vernon, by whom he has three children: Orville D , Clayton E., and Louise 1). Mr. Foote is a member of the G. A. R. Post, No. 227 and grange.

Warner, Seth H., was born in the town of Marshall, Oneida county, N. Y., De- eember 30, 1833, son of Willard Warner, who was born in Onondaga county, and came to the town of Marshall in 1830, and settled on the farm which he purchased in 1835, where he remained until his death. This family is of Welsh descent, and emigrated to this country quite early. Willard Warner married Clarissa Parker, of the town of Marshall, by whom he had four children: Albert R., a Methodist min- ister ; James P., a merchant at Franklin Iron Works; Edgar F., deceased ; and Seth H., who was educated in the town of Kirkland, also attended Whitestown Seminary, after which he engaged in farming, now owning a farm of eighty-three acres, all improved land. He married Lucy I. Kinne, of the town of Marshall, by whom he had four children : Willard, of Kansas; James E., of Fulton county, N. Y. ; Clara E., wife of B. W. Hamlin; and Amelia K., wife of Harris Wood.

Bronson, James C., was born in the village of Clinton, November 22, 1836, son of Dr. Gerritt 1. Bronson, who was born in this village in 1804, and whose ancestors were from Middlebury, Conn. James Bronson, who dates back for five generations, was the first white man to sleep on what is known as Clinton Greens. Dr. Gerritt I. Bronson, was a practicing physician in this village for over fifty years. He mar- ried Phebe, daughter of Jesse Curtis, by whom he had four children: James C .; Julia H., who is postmaster in Clinton village; Arthur, who died when young; and Arthur a prominent lawyer, now deceased. James C. Bronson was educated in the

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Academy and Liberal Institute of which he is a graduate. He was connected with John E. Elliott in the mining business, and was county clerk in 1868, 1869 and 1870. He was also supervisor of the town, and town clerk, and enlisted in 1861 in the Fifty- seventh N. Y. Volunteers, where he went as first lieutenant, and returned colonel. He lost his arm in the battle of Deep Bottom, Virginia, August 14, 1864.

Norton, Adelbert E., was born in Vernon Center, August 22, 1866, son of Eben A. Norton, also a native of Vernon Center, who was born January 16, 1836, who has been engaged in the milling and lumber business, and is now interested with his son in the manufacture of spring bed frames at Augusta, N. Y. He married Emma J. Hartwell, who was born at Sangerfield, October 23, 1831. Adelbert E. Norton attended the Vernon Center school, also the Clinton Grammar School, and upon the completion of his course returned home and at once became interested in the saw mill and lumber business, In January, 1890, he bought the saw mill and factory, established more than eighty years ago, at Augusta, and has since conducted it under the firm name, A. E. Norton & Co. Mr. Norton married Alma J. Westcott, a native of Augusta, who was born March 9, 1865, and by whom he has two children : Ethel A. and Ina E. Mr. and Mrs. Norton are both members of the Augusta Cen- ter Presbyterian church.

Easingwood, Arthur L., was born in England, October 4, 1859, and came to the United States in 1880. where he settled in Utica, and remained for two years, work- ing at his trade as carpenter and joiner. He came to the village of Clinton in 1882, where he has resided ever since. He has become prominent in the affairs of the vil- lage, and has been a contractor and builder, erecting some of the fine residences now standing here. He married Ilarriet B. Kick, daughter of Peter and Mercy Kick of College Hill, by whom he has one son, Albert H. Mr. Easingwood is treasurer of the Clinton Lodge No. 169 F. & A. M.

Hamlin, Edwin S., was born at Chittenango Falls, Madison county, N. Y., April 15, 1836, son of Lewis Hamlin, who was born on the Catskill side of the Hudson River in 1796, and was engaged in farming all of his life. Lewis Hamlin with his father came to Sullivan, N. Y., where he remained about five years; thence to Chit- tenango Falls, and in 1846 to the town of Cazenovia, near New Woodstock, where he resided eleven years; returning then to Perryville, where he lived until his death. He married Desire Hulbert, of the town of Butternuts, Chenango county, who died at Chittenango Falls, in 1844. Edwin S. received his education at Chittenango Falls, New Woodstock, and Cazenovia Seminary. He finished at the age of seven- teen, and engaged on a farm for a time; he then spent several years in the West, and returned in 1861. He then engaged in the milling and lumber business at Perry- ville, N. Y., which he carried on till 1877, when he disposed of his lumber interests, and devoted himself to the grist mill which he had purchased. In January, 1884, he bought what was known as the farmer's mill at Oriskany Falls, and is now carrying on a large and successful milling business, having remodeled and supplied the latest roller process for making flour. September 1, 1863, he married Mary E. Ehle of Perryville, by whom he has three children: DeL. B. Hamlin, who was born Septem- ber 21, 1868; Lena F., born June 7, 1870; and Edwin P., who was born June 29, 1875. DeL. B. Hamlin is a dealer in flour and feed at Waterville, Oneida county, N. Y.

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Morrow, James E., was born in Georgetown, Madison county, N. Y., July 1, 1833, and received his education at the Georgetown schools and at a boarding school in Richmondville, Schoharie county. His father, William Morrow, was born in Ireland in 1800 and came to this country with his uncle when four years old. He followed farming all his life and died in Augusta in 1877. He married Elizabeth Butler, who was born in Westmoreland in 1806 of English parentage, and died in Augusta in September, 1858, by whom he had nine children. James E. Morrow moved from Georgetown to Augusta with his parents at the age of sixteen and has resided in town forty-seven years; lived on the farm he now owns thirty-five years. In 1854 he married Lura A. Beach, born in Augusta December 20, 1832. Her father, Jacob Beach, was born in Norfolk, Conn., August 17, 1805, lived in Augusta about seventy years, and died May 31, 1882. His wife, Lura Ann Doolittle, was born in Jewett, Greene county, N. Y., May 24, 1808, died May 27, 1882, only four days between their deaths. There were seven children born to them, one of whom went to war and was killed at the battle of Chapin's Farm. To James and Lura A. Morrow were born four children: Flavilla Elizabeth, born November 17, 1855, died May 25, 1874; Will- iam Beach, born January 17, 1858, married Ida Strong (daughter of Warren G. Strong), October 12, 1881. He is now a physican in Delaware county, N. Y .; Cora Amelia, born September 12, 1864, married John P. Hipwell, a farmer of Augusta ; Lucius Palmer, born December 3, 1873, died April 4, 1875.

Barns, Capt. Amos, son of Nathaniel and Nancy (Pendleton) Barns, was born in Westerly, R. I., February 13, 1799. He was of English origin, his father's ancestors having come to America within a few years after the settlement of Plymouth, stay- ing awhile in New England, then settling at Amagansett, Long Island. An authen- tic history is known as far back as 1675 which is the date of the birth of Isaac Barns. On his mother's side he was the seventh in line from Major Bryan Pendleton, who was born in England in 1599, and settled in Sudbury, Mass., previous to 1734, where in after years he held several important civil and military offices. Captain Barns was the fourth child and youngest son of a family of eight children, all of whom he survived. His boyhood home was upon the bank of the Paweatuck River, within sight and sound of the ocean, and he grew up with a great love for the water and early became an intrepid swimmer and a daring and skillful sailor. When little less thyn thirteen years old he went on a voyage to Norfolk, Va., as one of the hands on board the vessel. He was an eye-witness of the bombardment of Stonington, Conn., on the 10th of August, 1814, and saw the coming and the sailing away of the discom- fitted English fleet. At the age of eighteen he was apprentiecd to learn the cabinet- maker's trade, but soon after serving his time of three years, he again went to sea. In 1820 and 1821 he was at the South Shetland Islands in the Antarctic Ocean en- gaged in seal-fishing. While there he had some thrilling and perilous adventures, among them being that of falling into a crevasse when crossing alone one day one of the glaciers with which those islands are covered. By dint of good luck, perse- verance and the aid of his sealing club he worked his way ont and duly reported him- self in camp, somewhat battered and bruised from the fall and effort of getting to the surface again. For many years he was the sole survivor of the crew of one hun- dred men that manned the fleet of five vessels on the voyage. In June of the fol- lowing year he was near the Arctic Ocean in the sloop Alonzo (Capt. Acors Barns).

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For several years he was in the coasting trade, buying cargoes of the farmers along the Connecticut shore and up her rivers, and taking them to Charleston, Norfolk, Baltimore and other southern parts where he exchanged them for the products of those regions, selling those in turn in New York city. During the last four years of his sea life he was engaged in running a packet for freight and passengers between Stonington, Conn., and New York. January 13, 1822, he married Margaret Dickens (daughter of a Revolutionary soldier), who was born May 31, 1801. Eleven children were born to them: Sylvester, Matthew, Franklin, Susan, Arthur (deceased), Mar- garet, Lydia, Sarah (deceased), Harriet (deceased), Caroline and Henry D. In Sep- tember, 1833, Captain Barns settled in Oneida county, and in February, 1834, pur- chased the farm and residence in Westmoreland which was his home till he died, and where he very successfully followed the vocation of farming. In politics he was a Republican and always took a lively interest in the affairs of the nation, and gave liberally of his means to promote all good works. From 1850 to 1854 he was post- master at Westmoreland. Mrs. Barns died January 27, 1872, after a married life of fifty years. Captain Barns died May 30, 1894, aged ninety-five years.

Fitch, Norman, was born in the town of Verona, N. Y., November 7, 1807. He was educated in the schools of that day, and has always been a farmer. In 1872 he married Keziah Joslyn, of this town, by whom he had four children: Harrison E., Jesse B., Eliza M., and Eunice F. Jesse B. married Louise Brandon, and they have one daughter, Fannie E. Eunice F. died at seventeen years of age. Mrs. Fitch died in 1839, and for his second wife Mr. Fitch married Lena M. Young, of this town, by whom he had two children: N. Warner, and Fannie E., who married George Kozenstein, of this town, but are now residents of Hancock, Delaware county, N. Y. Mr. Fitch's father, Nathaniel Fitch, was born in Windham county, Conn., in 1779, and was educated there. He married Asenath Brown, by whom he had four chil- dren: Eliza, who died in infancy, Norman, as above, Maria, and Jesse B. The three last were born here. The family came to this State and town in 1807, where they erected a log house. Nathaniel Fitch was assessor and supervisor of the town, also member of assembly. He died in 1865, and his wife in 1846. Mrs. Fitch's father, Peter Young, was born in Alsace, France, in 1796. He was educated in their schools, and married Lena Bowers, of his native place. They came to the United States in 1830 and located in the town of Verona. They had seven children, one of whom died in infancy ; Lena M., as above, Michael, George, Elizabeth (who were born in Alsace, France), Margaret, and Peter. Mr. Young died in 1866, and his wife in 1864. The ancestry of the family is English and French.

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Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 108

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