Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 125

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 125

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FAMILY SKETCHES.

Metz, Charles W., was born in province of Nassau, Germany, March 15, 1836, came to America with his mother in June, 1852, and first settled in Salisbury Center, Herkimer county, N. Y. He afterwards went to Rochester, N. Y., where he learned the trade of carpenter and builder, and about 1856, located permanently in Utica, where he was for several years under the instruction of A. J. Lathrop and also of Timothy Cronin, two of the leading contractors of the city. In 1861 Mr. Metz began contracting on his own account, and since 1872 has had mostly all the building con- tracts let by the Utica State Hospital. Since 1890 he has been permanent master mechanic of that institution, having charge of all the buildings and the workmen thereon. Besides attending to these duties, which now command his entire atten- tion, he also erected before 1890 a large addition to the Utica Orphan Asylum and also a number of dwellings and other structures. July 21, 1859, he married Selma Sophie Obst, who died June 14, 1866, leaving three children: Emma (Mrs. Charles S. Spiegelberg), of Waltham, Mass .; Matilda B. (Mrs. John Lindner), of Carlisle, Pa. : and Charles H., of Waltham, Mass. September 20, 1866, Mr. Metz married a second time Matilda M. Geinitz, a native of Germany, and has resided at 232 Court street since 1870.

Jones, John R., was born February 12, 1837, in Wales, England, and is a son of Rees J. and Gwenne Jones, who came with their family to America in 1841 and settled in Utica. The family soon removed to a farm in Marcy, Oneida county, and later to the town of New Hartford, on the old Dr. Paine farm, where Rees J. died in August, 1895, aged eighty-two. His wife died in 1842, and he married, second, Susan Morgan, who survives him. By his first marriage he had two sons and four daughters: John R., of Utica; Margaret, widow of Richard Hughes, of New Hart- ford; Henry, of Rome; Winnie (Mrs. William Denbigh), of Port Byron, Ill. ; and Jane and Laura, both deceased. John R. Jones was educated in the public schools of Marcy and in private schools of Utica, and remained on the farm till eighteen years of age. He then went to Chicago, and about 1859 became the first conductor on the first street car ever run in that city. He continued in street railroading about five years. On May 22, 1862, he was appointed an attendant and super- visor of the Utica State Hospital, and from 1871 to 1887 he was clerk and store- keeper there. Since January, 1887, he has held the responsible position of steward. He was second and first lieutenant in the 45th Regiment N. G. for seven years, or until the regiment was mustered out, and he commanded his company as acting cap- tain when Lincoln's remains passed through Utica. He is a member of the I.O.O.F. March 19, 1863, he married Jennie M., daughter of Evan Lewis, of Utica, and they have two sons: John L. and George H.

Jones, Lewis, son of Morgan and Mary (Lumley) Jones, was born in Machyulleth, Montgomeryshire, Wales, October 10, 1810, settled in Utica in 1827, being among the very early Welsh residents, and died here September 2, 1874. He received a collegiate education and was engaged as bookkeeper for several years, becoming an expert. He was clerk in Whiting's crockery store until 1850, when he became pro- prietor of China Hall, the largest crockery establishment in the city. Business re- verses in 1856 and 1857 compelled him to retire from business, and afterward he was a clerk in the New York Central freight office and for eight years bookkeeper for the Utica Herald until he was stricken with paralysis February 2, 1873. He always

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took an active interest in municipal affairs and served one year as city treasurer, but declined a re-election on account of his health, though he was urged by citi- zens of all political parties to accept it. He was an excellent Welsh scholar, a fluent writer in that language, and at one time a frequent contributor to Welsh magazines. He was an honest, upright man, a loyal and respected citizen, and a kind and sympathetic benefactor. He traveled extensively through the Eastern, Southern, and Western States, and visited Wales and other parts of Europe in 1835, 1840, 1845, and 1851. In October, 1830, he married Eleanor Hughes, who was born December 14, 1807, and died October 7, 1892. Their children were: Morgan A., John H. (deceased), Mary (deceased), Lewis A., Sarah E., Katherine E., Thomas M.

Watson, William L., was born in Utica, March 27, 1856, and is a son of Dr. William H. and Sarah Thompson (Carlile) Watson. His father is one of the most eminent physicians and surgeons of that city. Mr. Watson attended the public schools and was a graduate from the Utica Free Academy in 1874. He attended Phillips Exeter Academy at Exeter, N. H., in 1874-75, and entered Harvard Col- lege in the class of 1879. He has always lived in Utica and is prominently iden- tified with the city, and for the last fifteen years has been extensively interested in real estate operations. Ile is a member of Fort Schuyler Club, the Royal Arcanum, and the Arcanum Club. He was married, first, October 12, 1887, to Miss Alice G. Parkinson, daughter of E. K. Parkinson of Jamaica Plain, Mass. She died October 4, 1893, leaving one daughter, Alice. Mr. Watson married, second, April 22, 1896, Miss Ellen Swan, daughter of the late John Swan, of Baltimore, Md.

Harrer, Karl, was born in Baden, Germany. January 18, 1844, and came to Amer- ica with his parents, Mathias and Julia Harrer, in 1852. They settled in Utica, where the mother died about 1884 and the father in 1892. Mathias Harrer was a silk plush weaver by trade. Karl Harrer was educated in the public schools of Utica and learned the trade of shoemaker of his uncle, Captain Frederick Harrer (who was wounded at the battle of Gaines Mills and died in 1862, and from whom Harrer Post G. A. R. was named). Mr. Harrer followed his trade as journeymen until 1872, when he established his present business as shoemaker and dealer in Whitesboro street. In 1894 his son, George M., was admitted to partnership under the firm name of Karl Harrer & Son. Mr. Harrer was two terms supervisor from the Sixth ward, and since the spring of 1893 he has served as alderman. He is a member for many years and a trustee of Utica Lodge No. 242, order of Harugari, is a member and was for- merly trustee of Zion's German Lutheran church and president of its parochial school for sixteen years; and is now a trustee of the Utica Maennerchor, treasurer of the Baden Sick Aid Society, and a member of the Utica German Literary Society. He was married in November, 1868, to Belinda Knox, of Schenectady, N. Y., and they have four children: Julia (Mrs. Frederick Hammes), George M., Katharine and Frederick, all of Utica.

Morehouse, Hon. George C., was born in Fairfield, Herkimer county, N. Y., May 14, 1846. His father, James L., a teacher, died in Oswego county in 1860; the death of his mother, Emeline Crane, a teacher of music in the old Fairfield Seminary, occurred in Herkimer county in 1888. Judge Morehouse was educated in the public schools of Brooklyn, where his parents lived several years. He also attended Falley

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Seminary in Fulton and the State Normal School at Oswego, and was graduated as B. S. from Cornell University in 1873 In 1874 he came to Utica and read law with Hon. William J. Bacon and H. P. MacKoon, later with Hon. William B. Sutton, and in 1875 received the degree of LI .. B. from Hamilton College, being admitted to the bar at Clinton in May of that year. He began the practice of his profession in Utica as managing clerk for Mr. Sutton, and in 1876 77 became his partner under the firm name of Sutton & Morehouse. This continued until 1885-86, when the partnership was dissolved. Judge Morehouse practiced alone until March, 1892, when he was elected city judge which office he held until April 1, 1896. He then resumed the practice of his profession. He has been an active Republican, and served two years as supervisor of the Eleventh ward. He is a member and past master of Oriental Lodge No. 224, F. & A. M., a member and a trustee of Oneida Chapter No. 57, R. A. M., and a member of Utica Commandery No. 3, K. T., and the Scottish Rite bodies, 32d degree, Northern jurisdiction. He is also a member of Fort Schuyler Council, R. A., and Oneida Lodge No. 70, I. O. O. F. In 1877 he married Eugenia M., daughter of Henry Miller, of Trenton, N. Y., who died in 1879. In 1888 he mar- ried Mary, daughter of Charles Breen, of Trenton, and they have three sons, Law- rence, Merwin and Russell.

Cantwell, John A., city clerk of Utica, was born in that city September 14, 1861, son of Roderick J. and Mary (Conlon) Cantwell, and was educated in the public schools of the city. He learned the printing trade in the composing room of the Sunday Tribune, finishing his apprenticeship in 1881. After learning his trade he spent one year in travelling, during which time he worked on most of the leading journals in the west. Returning to Utica he accepted the position of foreman of the composing room in the office in which he served his apprenticeship, holding such position until his appointment as city clerk. During the period in which he was employed in the printing business he issued many creditable periodicals and papers, notably among which was the Illustrated Daily, illustrating the events transpiring on the grounds each day during the last State Fair held in Utica. In 1884 he was elected by the Utica Typographical Union delegate to the International Typographi- cal Union Convention then held in Buffalo. He is a Democrat, and has been active in politics since reaching his majority, and for the past six years has been secretary of the Democratic City Committee. Mr. Cantwell is unmarried. He is a member of the Arcanum, and Union Social Clubs, also of the Typographical Union, Trades Assembly, Knights of Honor, C. B. L., and Saturday Globe Benefit Association.

Culliton, John, was born in Montreal, Canada, January, 28, 1849, and came to the United States in 1865 ; after spending one year in Rochester, six years in Canandai- gua, two years in Honeoye, N. Y., a short time in Grand Rapids, Mich., and also in Washington Mills, N. Y., he came to Clayville in 1883, and in 1889 he assumed the proprietorship of the Murray House, which has since ranked as a first-class hotel with the traveling public. Mr. Culliton is an influential Democrat, and was post- master of Clayville under Cleveland's first administration, and was also collector when in New Hartford. In 1876 he married Ellen Fitzmaurice, of Canandaigua, who died in 1880 leaving one child, Mary Culliton, and his present wife is Emogene Rogers of Washington Mills.

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

Dobson Family .- In 1828 William Noble Dobson came to this country from Eng- land with his family, and located in Westmoreland, Oneida county, N. Y. He be- gan business as a tallow chandler; he was also an expert bookkeeper, and at various times took charge of the books of some of the leading business firms of Utica. He died in Syracuse in 1838, leaving a wife and four sons: William B., Charles L., Fred- erick H., and Alfred B. In 1840 the family removed to Utica. Charles L. estab- lished himself in the fruit business in a very modest way at the corner of Genesee and Fayette streets, but with industry and perseverance became successful and prosperous. He afterward removed his business to Oneida Square, where he sold out to his brother, Alfred B. He then taught dancing schools, and for thirty-two years was the leading tutor of the gentle art in Central New York. In 1892 he retired from active life and has since devoted himself to the management of his large real estate interests. In 1878 he erected the Dobson block on Oneida Square, and in 1895 built the Dobson flats on Genesee street and Dobson Hall on Oneida street. William B. Dobson removed to Binghamton, where he died in 1858. Frederick H. removed at the same time, enlisted in the Union Army in 1862, and died in the Wind- mill Point Hospital, on the Potomac River, in 1863. Alfred B. Dobson sold out his business and retired in 1875.

Rowley, Warren C., of the firm of Rowley & Horton, Utica, was born in Trenton, N. Y., September 28, 1841. The pioneer ancestor of the family, Henry Rowley, came to the Plymouth Colony from England in the Ann, in 1632 and was one of the founders of Scituate; he later removed with pastor John Lothrop to Barnstable where he was one of the original proprietors. In 1643 he was one of the Barnstable Committee; in 1644 and 1650 a representative to the General Court; in 1661 removed to Falmouth where he died 1673. His wife, from whom the subject of this sketch is descended, was Frances, daughter of William Palmer who came to America in the "Fortune," in 1621. Moses Rowley, sr., son of Henry and Frances Rowley, moved with his father from Scituate to Barnstable and later to Falmouth where he held many offices of trust and was representative to the General Court for several terms; he died in 1705; his wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Dr. Matthew Fuller, at one time surgeon-general of the colony, and granddaughter of Edward Fuller who came in the Mayflower in 1620. Moses Rowley, jr., the next in line, was born in Barn- stable in 1654, removed to Falmouth and later to East Haddam, Conn., where he died in 1735. His wife Mary died in 1764 aged ninety-seven years. Their son, Ebe- nezer, sr., was born in Falmouth in 1695, married in 1719 Mary Church, a grand- daughter of Richard Church, "the warrior," who came to New England in 1630. Ebenezer, sr., died in 1757 in East Haddam, Conn., where his son, Ebenezer, jr., was born October 20, 1727. The latter died in February, 1811, having married, Oc- tober 18, 1750, Susanna Anable, a great-granddaughter of Anthony Anable, who came to Plymouth 1623. Asher Rowley, son of Ebenezer, jr., was born in Haddam, Conn., in 1766, and died in Winsted, Conn., in 1843, where he had resized many years. In 1792 he married Mehitabel, daughter of Lieut. Jonathan Dunham, who served as corporal in Capt. Amos Jones's company, Col. Jonathan Latimer's regi- ment, under Gates at Saratoga and elsewhere. He was descended from John Dun- ham, one of the first settlers in the colony. Warren Dunham Rowley, son of Asher and Mehitabel, and father of Warren C. Rowley, whose name appears at the head

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of this sketch, was born in Winsted, Conn., June 20, 1800. He received a good edu- cation and devoted several years to teaching in various institutions of learning. In 1825 he removed to Utica and later to Trenton, N. Y., where he engaged in the mer- cantile business. He was for several terms justice of the peace and commissioner of schools. In politics he was an ardent Whig; he died September 5, 1854. His wife, Harriet Maria Curry, was born in Trenton on July 4, 1818, and died in Utica February 14, 1889. Her father Maj. Issac Curry, was a lieutenant in Capt. Farn- ham's company, Col. Cleveland's 72d New York regiment under Brig .- Gen. Oliver Collins, which did service at Sackett's Harbor in the war of 1812. He was for many years an agent of the Holland Land Company; served several terms as justice of the peace and supervisor, and in 1847 was elected to the State Legislature; he died in Trenton in 1854. The father of Maj. Isaac Curry was John Curry, a native of Dumfries, Scotland, who came to this country about 1796 and married Cornelia, sister of John Post, the first merchant of Utica. Warren C. Rowley acquired his education in the schools of his native town of Trenton and completed a course of study at Fairfield Seminary. He first engaged in business for himself as a general merchant in Trenton and in 1866 removed to Utica where with his uncle, Orrin Curry, and his brother, H. Curtis Rowley, he engaged in the paper and stationery . trade, the style of the firm being Curry, Rowley & Co. About one year later Mr. Curry retired from business and George C. Horton was admitted the firm being Rowley Bros. & Co. This partnership continued until 1879 when H. C. Rowley re- tired and removed to Springfield, Mass. The firm then adopted its present name, Rowley & Horton. This is the oldest paper house in Utica and has always enjoyed great prosperity. In politics Mr. Rowley is a Republican and lie feels a pride in having cast his vote for Abraham Lincoln and also for every succeeding presiden- tial nominee of his party. He is a member of various societies and organizations, including the Oneida Historical Society in which he has a special interest and has been its treasurer for several years. He was one of the original organizers of the Plymouth Congregational church in 1883 and has been one of its trustees from the beginning. Mr. Rowley married, August 3, 1870, Julia A. Waite, born in Carthage, N. Y , October 20 1848, daughter of Rev. Hiram H. Waite, who was a direct de- scendant from Richard Waite, the marshal of the Plymouth Colony in 1654, also a "Commissary of the Horse" in an expedition against the Narragansett Indians the same year, and a member of the " Ancient and Honorable Artillery," 1638. He was also the grandson of a second Richard Waite, a soldier of the Revolution who served in Lieut .- Colonel Flagg's regiment which marched from Leicester on the alarm of Bennington. Mr. and Mrs. Rowley are the parents of two children, Edith Adella, born in Utica, March 2, 1873, a graduate of Mrs. Piatt's Seminary, also the Utica Conservatory of Music, and Henry Waite, born March 7, 1879, now (1896) a student at the Utica Academy.

Graves, C. H., was born in Chenango county, N. Y., and has been connected with the railway business since ten years of age. He began as water boy, subsequently learning operating, and worked at North Norwich. He then went to Washington Mills and from there to Fulton. Returning to the D., L. & W. R. R., he worked as extra operator for a time, when he went to the N. Y., O. & W., and filled a position at Smyrna; from there he went to Sherburne as assistant, and thence to North Nor-

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

wich as agent, which position he filled for eight years, when he was promoted and sent to Waterville in 1891. In 1888 Mr. Graves married Hattie L. Brooks of North Norwich, N. Y. Mr. Graves is a member of the International Association of ticket agents.

Quinlan, F 'trick F., son of James, was born in County Waterford, Ireland, March 17, 1848, can. to America with his parents in 1851, and settled in Utica, where his father died in 1872. At the age of sixteen he began learning the plumber's trade with John Carton, with whom he continued fourteen years, and following this he was with Edward Martin for eight years. In 1885 he formed a partnership with Edward D. Tuigg and William Foley, as Quinlan, Tuigg & Co., and engaged in the general plumbing, steam and hot water heating, and steam and gas-fitting business, which they still continue. He is a member of the Knights of Honor, trustee of the Fire- man's Benevolent Association, and chairman of the Board of Plumbing Examiners. In politics he has been an active Democrat, and served four years as alderman of the Fifth ward, four years as police commissioner under Mayors Sherman and Kinney, three years as health commissioner under Mayors Darrow and Goodwin. For fourteen years he was a member of Co. B, Fire Zouaves, N. G. S. N. Y., and for about eight years its first lieutenant.

Hicks, Alpheus, son of Jacob, was born in Wisconsin October 5, 1846, and in 1847 came with his parents to Lee, Oneida county, where his father died in 1850. In 1856 his mother married Ezekiel Van Dresar, and he remained on the farm in Western until he reached the age of eighteen when he entered the employ of his uncle. In 1867 he married Amelia C. Crill, a native of North Steuben, Oneida county, and resided on a farm in Western and Trenton five years each. During the next ten years he was proprietor of Hicks's mills, near Rome, and later was engaged in mill - ing in Delta. In August, 1889, he came to Utica, and with Charles S. Davis kept a livery on Hotel street for a year. Mr. Davis then sold out to John B. Whitten and since then the firm has been Hicks & Whitten. Mr. Hicks is a member of the Oriental Lodge F. & A. M., Fort Schuyler Lodge, I. O. O. F., and the K. P. He has three children: Mabel A., William A., and Edward C.

Gibson, William M., M. D., was born in Waterville, Oneida county, May 12, 1856, and is a son of Rev. William T. Gibson. now of Utica, an Episcopal clergyman in this county since 1854. He attended the Utica Free Academy and in 1875 entered the medical department of the University of the City of New York, from which he was graduated in medicine in 1878. He took a post-graduate course in Bellevue Hospital under the late Dr. Alfred L. Loomis of New York, and in 1879 began the practice of his profession in Utica with the late Dr. Daniel G. Thomas, and since his death in 1880, has continued alone. He was made attending physician to the Utica Dispensary in 1880, physician in charge in 1881, and a trustee in 1882, and held appointment on the corps of city physicians for the Eleventh ward from 1880 to 1889. He became a member of the Oneida County Medical Society in 1878 and was its pres- dent in 1889; was made a member of the Utica Medical Library Association in 1879 and served as its president in 1884 and 1885; has been a member of the staff of St. Luke's Hospital since 1883. He was elected a member of the American Climatological Society (a branch of the Congress of American Physicians and Surgeons) in 1892, also

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to membership in the Medical Society of the State of New York in 1893. In 1894 he was appointed by Governor Flower one of the managers of the Utica State Hospital. He has been a vestryman and warden of St. George's Episcopal church since 1888, and is thoroughly interested in the welfare and prosperity of the city and its institu- tions. In June, 1888, he married Mary Louise, eldest daughter of Wil am M. Burr, of Cazenovia, N. Y., and their children are: William Burr, born April 15 -1889; Anna Katharine, born July 22, 1891; Mary Burr, born May 23, 1893; and Emily Martha, born April 4, 1895.

Sparrow, Joseph, was born in Shropshire, England, in 1818. He was educated in their schools, and came with his parents to the United States in 1832, settling in Florence, Oneida county. He finished his education in this country, graduating from Oberlin College in the class of 1851. He was principal of Camden Seminary two years, then went to California where he remained nine years, a portion of the time employed as bank clerk in San Francisco, and the balance in teaching and assisting in organizing the educational system of the State, serving as a member of the committee which selected the site for the University of California, also member of Board of Education of Alameda county for some years. He returned to this locality in 1861, and in 1863 settled on a farm near Oneida, Oneida county. Here he built and operated the Verona Central cheese factory, being a pioneer in thisline, his being the third cheese factory in operation. June 24 1862, he married P. Eliza Sanford of Camden, Oneida county, by whom he had one son, T. Sanford, who was born in Camden in 1863. He was educated in the public schools and Oberlin College and afterward taught school, but is now engaged in agricultural pursuits. March 10, 1894, he married Jane Gawm, formerly of the Isle of Man, by whom he had one daughter, Gladys Ethelind. Mrs. Joseph Sparrow's father, Linus Sanfo 'd, was born in Litchfield, Conn., January 16, 1782, and came to Oneida county, N. Y., when a young man. He was for years a successful teacher, afterward engaging in mercan- tile business. Was twice married, first to Polly Woods, by whom he had two sons, Samuel T. W., who was a prominent physician and also engaged quite extensively in real estate. William W., the second son, was in mercantile business. Mrs. San- ford died May 18, 1818. For his second wife he married Rhoda Alcott of Connecti- cut, by whom he had five children, four of whom died in infancy, P. Eliza as above. She was a teacher for a number of years in Camden's public and private schools. Mr. Sanford, her father, was repeatedly elected to public offices, and was one whose counsels were often sought and whose name was closely connected with the success of Camden's interests. He was largely instrumental in locating and planning their cemetery. He died May 29, 1842, his wife May 11, 1881. The ancestry of the family is English and Scotch.

Wolf. Henry, was born in Bavaria, October 28, 1824, son of Henry and Magdaline (Schmidt) Wolf, both natives of Bavaria where they lived and died. Both father and grandfather were farmers in Germany. Henry Wolf, jr., came to America in August, 1849, and settled in Ava, where he has always resided, commencing as a farm hand. He soon bought 220 acres of land, 120 of which he cleared. In 1852 he married Catherine Traxel, daughter of Jacob Traxel, of Ava, by whom he had five children: Caroline S., Jacob H., Henry J., William C., and Katie, who died in

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Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 125

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