USA > New York > Tioga County > Our county and its people : a memorial history of Tioga County, New York > Part 51
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74
HOWARD J. MEAD, county judge of Tioga county, was born in the town of Caroline, Tompkins county, March 7, 1848. He was the son of David P. and Mary P. (Green) Mead, and the grandson of Dr. Daniel L. Mead, one of the pioneer physicians of Tompkins county. When Howard was three years old his father moved from Slaterville to Motteville. He was educated in the common school and at the Ithaca Academy, after which he taught a part of each year for five years. He read law with Lyon & Donnelly and attended the Albany law school, from which he was graduated February 10, 1871, and at once admitted to practice. In April following he opened an office in Candor and remained in that vil- lage in active professional work until January 1, 1885, when he moved to Owego and became senior member of the firm of Mead
529
TOWN OF OWEGO.
& Darrow. However, while practicing at Candor in the fall of 1879, Mr. Mead was elected district attorney of the county and was re-elected in 1882. In November, 1888, he was elected county judge of Tioga county and was again elected in the fall of 1894. As is well known Judge Mead has been one of the positive politi- cal factors in the county and one who was always perfectly frank in the expression of his opinion, whether on questions of law or public events. As a lawyer he preferred the practice of the courts to the less arduous work of the office, but in either capacity he has always maintained an excellent standard and while in active practice was considered one of the best lawyers in the county. In Ithaca, October 19, 1871, Howard J. Mead married with Electa J., daughter of Calvin Gardner.
FREDERICK WALDO RICHARDSON, the present popular county clerk of Tioga county, is son of Herbert Richardson and grandson of pioneer William Richardson (see Newark Valley) and was born in Newark Valley, February 16, 1845. He was brought up on a farm and was a farmer until 1883, when he rented his property and went "on the road " selling agricultural implements. He was supervisor of the town of Newark Valley in 1893 and 1894, and in the fall of 1894 was elected county clerk. Asis well known throughout the county Mr. Richardson is an unswerving republi- can. On February 16, 1870, he married with Mary E. Watson, daughter of Samuel S. Watson of Newark Valley. They had five children, of whom Susie E. is the only one now living. Mrs. Richardson died July 17, 1895, and a year later Mr. Richard- son married Phebe C. Watson, a younger sister of his first wife. As a Freemason Mr. Richardson enjoys a wide and pleasant acquaintance, as he is a past district deputy of the Twentieth Masonic District, comprising Tioga, Tompkins, Chemung and Schuyler counties.
FRANK A. DARROW, district attorney of Tioga county, was born at Orwell, Bradford county, Pa., June 12, 1849, and was the only child of Asa and Lydia (Tripp) Darrow. His young life was spent on his father's farm and he was educated in the seminary at
530
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Orwell, and at the noted Eastman business college at Poughkeep- sie, N. Y., from which institution he was graduated November 20, 1866. He entered Cornell in the fall of 1870, remaining two years, then left and went into mercantile business at Orwell. Later on he taught school and in the spring of 1875 began a course of law study with Overton & Elsbree at Towanda, but in September following went to New Jersey and took charge of a large school. During this period he kept up his legal studies as best he could and in the fall of 1876 entered the law department of Columbia college, from which institution he was graduated in May, 1878. From the close of the law school year until the next opening Mr. Darrow continued his law studies in Judge Clark's office in Owego, and after being admitted began practice February 1, 1879, in Judge Clark's office. He continued alone until January 1, 1885, when the law firm of Mead & Darrow was formed. In 1889 Mr. Mead was elected county judge and the partnership was dissolved, since which time Mr. Darrow has practiced alone. Among his as- sociates at the bar Counsellor Darrow is regarded a strong trial lawyer and a good advocate. Throughout Tioga county he is known as a firm and unyielding republican and has been an ac- tive factor in local politics. In Owego, in January, 1879, he was elected police justice and re-elected in 1883. He also served one term as village trustee. He was elected district attorney in the fall of 1891 and re-elected in 1894 and has administered the affairs of his office to the entire satisfaction of the county. On July 8, 1874. Mr. Darrow married with Chloe A. Dimmick, daughter of Rev. Francis A. Dimmick. They have three children.
JAMES P. LOVEJOY, Esq., son of Dr. Ezekiel and Lydia A. (Pumpelly) Lovejoy, was born in Owego, October 14, 1836. He was educated at Owego academy and at Princeton (N. J.) college. He was graduated from the latter institution in 1855. Studying law, he was admitted to practice in 1857, and opened an office in Owego, which lie conducted until his death, June 10, 1863. He married Lydia E., daughter of Dr. Elijah and Jane (Anderson) Powell. Their two children are Lydia Mary and Anna Frederica (wife of Dr. Robert W. Eastman, of New York city).
531
TOWN OF OWEGO.
JERRY S. GROSS, conceded to be one of the best criminal lawyers in southern New York, was born in the town of Triangle, Broome county, November 25, 1843. He attended the common schools and finished his elementary education at the private school for advanced pupils of E. S. Wells at Marathon. He then began teach- ing school, at the same time continuing his studies for his own advancement. He went to Iowa and there taught school and practiced law four years. He acquired his legal education in the office of A. P. Smith of Cortland and with Col. Nathaniel W. Davis at Owego. He was admitted to the bar at Albany in the fall of 1870. Mr. Gross practiced first at Cresson, Iowa, and re- turned east in the spring of 1874, locating at Berkshire in this county. In 1880 he moved to Spencer and thence in 1883 to the county seat, where he has since lived and been engaged in active professional work. In the fall of 1888 he was elected district at- torney and served three years. Although his practice is extensive and covers all departments of the profession, Mr. Gross is best known in the criminal branches of the court, especially on the de- fense, where he has justly earned an enviable standing. He is peculiarly and distinctively a fighting lawyer. On the second of September, 1864, Mr. Gross enlisted in company G, 185th New York volunteers. He was discharged at the general muster out in June, 1865. He has been active in G. A. R. circles ; organized the posts at Spencer and Halsey Valley, and assisted in the organi- zation of posts in other localities. For eight years he has been a member of the state department of the G. A. R., and for two years a delegate to the encampments at Pittsburg, Pa. On February 16, 1880, Jerry S. Gross was married with Addie L. Buffington of Newark Valley, of which marriage two children have been born.
TIMOTHY B. OAKLEY was born at Geneva, N. Y., February 28th, 1844. His father was Dr. Conklin Lewis Oakley and his mother Mary B. Halsey. He came to Owego when six years of age and has since resided here, except about two years passed in Lockport attending school and reading law in the office of Joshua Gaskill. He later studied with Hon. Charles E. Parker in Owego and was admitted to the bar in 1879, He has been attorney for the Owego
532
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Water Works company and has conducted several important litiga- tions for it. He has not been in active practice for several years.
CHARLES D. NIXON was born in Berkshire, this county, March 11th, 1844, and is a son of George H. and Sarah M. Nixon. He was educated at the Ithaca high school and studied law in Owego with Taylor & Madill. He was admitted to the bar in May, 1866, and conducted a general practice in Owego until 1885. Since 1885, he has been engaged in placing loans and superintending his various landed interests in New York, Nebraska, and Kansas. In 1883 he was a candidate on the Democratic ticket for county judge and surrogate, and was defeated by 220 majority, which was less than one-half the average majority received by candidates on the pre- vailing ticket. He resides at the Ahwaga House.
H. AUSTIN CLARK was born at Bainbridge, Chenango county, March 31, 1855, and was the older of two children born to Charles A. and Evelyn A. (Hodge) Clark. He was educated at the Owego Free Academy, from which he was graduated in 1875, and read law with his father, the late Judge Clark ; and at a general term held in Binghamton in May, 1876, was admitted to the bar. He practiced alone until 1884 when the well-known law firm of C. A. & H. A. Clark was formed, and which was only dissolved by the death of the senior member, May 9, 1891. On June 1, 1892, Mr. Clark formed a law partnership with Theodore R. Tuthill, a for- mer clerk in Judge Clark's office. H. Austin Clark is in no sense an aggressive lawyer, but he is nevertheless a safe counsellor, a good advocate and possesses a thorough understanding of the law. He is a strong republican, and in 1893 was elected a member of the constitutional convention of 1894. He was also at one time a formidable candidate for the supreme court judgeship, but he did not secure the nomination in the judicial convention. Mr. Clark is president of the board of school commissioners of Owego and vice president of the Tioga national bank, to which position he succeeded his father upon his death. He is a member of the Pres- byterian church and one of its trustees and elders. On October 25, 1887, he was united in marriage with Harriet H., the daughter of Charles R. Sackett, an old and respected resident of Owego. Of this marriage two children have been born.
533
TOWN OF OWEGO.
GEORGE F. ANDREWS was born in Candor, February 10, 1857, and was the eldest of six children of David W. and Thirza (How- ard) Andrews. His father was a farmer and George was brought up on a farm and educated in the district school and village acad- emies. He attended the Candor free academy several terms and later the Owego free academy, from which latter he was graduated in the class of 1879 ; his attendance at school and later his study of law being frequently interrupted by his teaching school which it was necessary for him to do in order to pay the expenses of his education. He read law under the direction of Hon. Charles E. Parker and was admitted to the bar on May 4th, 1883. He at once began the practice of law in the village of Owego remaining in Judge Parker's office until the latter's election to the office of county judge and surrogate, when he established himself in his present location. Mr. Andrews' practice is general, and he is a safe counsellor, particularly well versed in matters pertaining to estates of deceased persons, trust estates and the law of real- estate and corporations. He is an earnest republican, and has held the offices of corporation counsel of the village of Owego and supervisor of the town of Owego and of the village of Owego. He was at one time chairman of the board of supervisors. On Sep- tember 3, 1885, Mr. Andrews was married with Francelia, daughter of Daniel M. Williams, of Owego, and of this marriage two sons have been born, Frederick Williams, April 23, 1892, and George Lyon, May 23, 1894.
MARTIN S. LYNCH was born in Owego April 25, 1857, and was the third of eight children in the family of Michael and Mary (Col- lins) Lynch. Martin was educated at the Owego Free Academy and at Niagara University, at Niagara Falls. He read law in the office of the late Delos O. Hancock and was admitted to practice in September, 1884. He at once opened an office in Owego and in April, 1885, became associated in practice with John G. Sears and so continued until December, 1894. Since that time he has prac- ticed without a partner. Mr. Lynch is known as one of the best trial lawyers in Tioga county and also as one of the foremost straight democrats in the Southern Tier. He was nominated for the county judgeship against Judge Mead but of course in Tioga
534
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
county was defeated at the polls. He has frequently stood as the candidate of his party for public office as a matter of duty and not from inclination. On November 4, 1885, Mr. Lynch was married with Katie Campion.
OSCAR B. GLEZEN was born in Berkshire, May 13, 1858. He was the son of Oscar and Sarah (Cross) Glezen and the younger of their two children. His father was a native of Lisle, Broome county, and his mother of Old Stockbridge, Mass., but on both sides he comes from solid Yankee stock. The family came to Berkshire ยท about 1848 and in 1869 moved to Union City, Pa. Oscar was edu- cated in the common schools and under private teachers and at the same time was employed as book-keeper in a pump factory at Union City. In 1876 he returned east and about the first of Novem- ber began a course of law study in Judge Clark's office, and was admitted to the bar at Ithaca in May, 1880. He continued in Judge Clark's office as clerk of the surrogate's court about one year and began active professional life in the spring of 1882. Mr. Glezen is justly regarded as an expert in local surrogate practice, but pre- fers the general trial of cases in professional life. He is interested in local politics and as a speaker is well known throughout Tioga county. He is best known, however, as clerk of the board of supervisors, to which position he was elected in 1881 and has served in that capacity ever since. On February 22, 1893, he was ap- pointed by the Trustees, corporation counsel of Owego village, and is now serving his fourth successive term as such, and under his direction in that office a number of important suits were brought to a successful termination. On April 28, 1885, Oscar B. Glezen mar- ried Mary, daughter of Luke Curtis of Maine, Broome county. They have two children.
JOHN G. SEARS, born December 16, 1858, at Dryden, Tompkins county, N. Y., a son of Hiram W. and Rowena Sears, came to Owego in January, 1878. Mr. Sears received his early education in the public schools of Dryden and had entered a preparatory school for college at Ithaca, N. Y., when upon the death of his grandfather, John Southworth, in 1878, he came to Owego and
535
TOWN OF OWEGO.
studied law in the office of George Sidney Camp. He was admit- ted to the bar in 1880 and soon became one of the prominent and successful practitioners of Tioga county. He continued his prac- tice in Owego-once in partnership with ex-Judge David Easton and also with Martin S. Lynch, until 1892, when he went to Den- ver, Col., for his health, though he continues to make this village his home. In 1885, Mr. Sears was elected district attorney for Tioga county, and enjoys the distinction of having been the only democrat to hold that office. He was nominated for a second term by his party, and, while he ran one thousand votes ahead of his ticket, was not re-elected. Ever since his residence in Tioga county, Mr. Sears has taken an active and prominent part in poli- tics. His scope was not confined to local affairs alone, but he was for many years a leader of the democratic party in this portion of New York. He was a delegate to the national democratic conven- tion at Chicago in 1884, serving as secretary of the New York delegation. In 1888 he was on the electoral ticket of New York state. Mr. Sears had always been a democrat of the old Jefferso- nian school until 1896 when he announced himself a supporter of Will. E. McKinley, the republican candidate for president, as against the radical departure of the democratic party and candi- date from the old party lines. On April 7, 1880, Mr. Sears was married with Catharine Gallagher, a daughter of William and Dry- den B. Gallagher, of Owego. Mr. and Mrs. Sears have two chil- dren ; Rowena S., born February 2, 1883, and John Gregory, born June 16, 1886.
FREDERICK C. HILL was born at Perryville, Madison county, June 28, 1863, and was the second of the three children of Norman B. and Mary (Keyes) Hill. Frederick lived on a farm until he at- tained his majority and was educated at Yates union school at Chittenango, from which he was graduated in June, 1881. He then taught school two years in Madison county, and in October, 1884, began a course of law study in Judge Parker's office in Owego. In January, 1885, he was appointed clerk of the surro- gate's court. On September 22, 1887, he was admitted to practice law and on the first of January following opened an office in the
536
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
village of Owego. His practice is general and has been successful. ' In politics Mr. Hill is a strong republican. On August 20, 1890, he was married with Grace Hibbard, of South Bend, Ind.
LYMAN TRUMAN STANBROUGH was born in Owego, January 11th, 1864. He is the oldest son of John B. and Adeline Truman Stan- brough. He attended school at the Owego academy, was at Cor- nell university two years, and was graduated from the Columbia law school in June, 1888. He also studied law in the offices of C. A. & H. A. Clark in Owego and MacFarland, Boardman & Platt in New York city. He was admitted to the bar in November, 1887. Mr. Stanbrough was elected supervisor of the town of Owego in February, 1896, and is now in that office. He is a man of executive ability, has been counsel for several large estates and is now executor and trustee of the Lyman Truman estate. Mr. Stanbrough has never been in general active practice, but his ability as a lawyer and business man has been apparent from the compli- cated matters in which he has been engaged as counsel and suc- cessfully adjusted.
DAVID WALLIS was a native of Massachusetts and came to Tioga Center as early as the year 1818 or 1819, where for a time he taught school. When he first came to Owego he was a clerk in Lorenzo Reeves' store, but soon returned to Tioga Center and from there went to Havana, where he was engaged in mercantile pursuits with Elisha Bundy. He returned to Tioga after about two years and became a partner of Col. William Ransom, his brother-in-law, as a merchant, lumberman, miller and farmer. In 1834 he was elected county clerk and removed to the county seat to take charge of the office, continuing, however, for a number of years his con- nection with the business at Tioga Center. Mr. Wallis was clerk nine years, and, after his third term expired, he was for one year connected with the Owego Gazette. He then bought a farm two miles down the river from Owego, where he lived to the time of his death, September 2, 1874. David Wallis married with Rachel Ransom, sister of Col. William Ransom, and daughter of Major Ransom, of Tioga, that event taking place January 23, 1823. They
537
TOWN OF OWEGO.
had seven children, viz : Charles F, who died in Santa Fe, N. M., married Irene R. Sterling, of Meshoppen, Pa .; David B., now living on the old home farm, married Eleanor Sharpe, of Tioga ; M. Man- dane, married Erastus Evans, of Owego ; Fanny M., married Samuel A. Price, of Wilmington, Del .; Harriet P., (deceased) mar- ried Isaac Horton, of Tioga ; Louisa R., married John C. Price, of Chester, Pa., and Kate R., who married with Max Harnickell of New York city. David Wallis is remembered as a substantial, thorough and competent business man in whatever he attempted to do, and was universally recognized as a man of sterling integ- rity. His nature was generous and impulsive, but he possessed a remarkable power for self control. He was a democrat of the Jef- fersonian type and his counsel and influence in the party were always for good.
STEPHEN S. WALLIS was the son of David B. Wallis and grand- son of David Wallis, who was county clerk of Tioga county from 1834 to 1843, and who represented an element of pioneership in the old historic town of Tioga. Stephen S. was born May 10, 1865, and was the third of five children of David and Eleanor C. (Sharpe) Wallis. He was brought up on a farm, educated in the district schools and at the Owego free academy, from the latter of which he was graduated in June, 1884. On August 31, 1885, he began a course of law study in the office of Mead & Darrow at Owego, N. Y., and at a general term held in Binghamton in September, 1888, he was admitted to the bar. He practiced in F. A. Darrow's office until January 1st, 1893, then removed to his office on Lake street. On February 1, 1896, the present firm of Wallis & Clifford was organized. Mr. Wallis was formerly a democrat ; was once the candidate of his party for the office of supervisor for the town of Tioga, and was also a candidate for the office of special county judge. In 1894 he became a republican. On October 14, 1891, Stephen S. Wallis married Jeannette Light, daughter of Eli Light, of Tioga. They have three children.
FRANK BECK, the young lawyer of Owego who was elected town clerk in 1894, and at each subsequent election, was a native of
538
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Candor, born April 9, 1867, and was the son of Edward and Sabrina Beck. He was educated in the common schools and attended four years at the Owego free academy, graduating therefrom in 1884, after which, in 1885, he began reading law with Judge Parker, but finished his course with Sears & Lynch. He was admitted at the Oneida general term at Utica in April, 1888, and has since been a practising attorney of the county seat. On November 6, 1889, Mr. Beck was married with Anna, a daughter of the late Professor Joseph Raff. They have three children.
BENJAMIN W. LORING, JR., was born in North Adams, Mass., May 10, 1867, and was the eldest of five children of Benjamin W. and Nellie (Cohoon) Loring. then of North Adams, but now of Owego. Benjamin W., Jr., was educated at the Owego free academy and was graduated in 1886. He read law in the office of Judge Parker and afterwards with S. J. Ohart and was admitted to the bar at Syracuse in November, 1889. Mr. Loring has always practiced in Owego and takes an active interest in county and municipal politics. He is a strong republican and served five years as village clerk. He was justice of sessions one year, acting police justice three years, is now on his fifth year as justice of the peace, being re-elected justice for a third term in February, 1897, and is now serving as police justice of the village of Owego, having been elected to that office in January. 1897. On the 21st day of April, 1897, he married Marie de Bellerive, the second daughter of Dr. and Mrs. E. A. Mayor, of Owego.
FRED W. CLIFFORD was born in Newark Valley, June 2d, 1867. He was educated at the Newark Valley high school, where he was graduated in 1889. He then for one year studied law with R. F. Bieber, of Newark Valley, and completed his studies with Clark & Tuthill of Owego, and was admitted to the bar at Syracuse in April, 1893. After his admission and until February 1st, 1896, he was an assistant in the office of District Attorney F. A. Darrow. From the date last named he has been the junior member of the law firm of Wallis & Clifford.
539
TOWN OF OWEGO.
HENRY E. BARRETT was born in Union, Broome county, May 19th, 1868. He was the son of Dr. James M. Barrett and Ursula (Sherwood) Barrett. Mr. Barrett came to Owego in 1881 and graduated from the Owego free academy in 1885. He pursued a four years' course at Cornell university and studied law in the of- fice of District Attorney J. S. Gross and with Hon. Howard J. Mead. While with Judge Mcad he was for two years clerk of the surrogate's court. He was admitted to the bar in April, 1894, and has since practiced at Owego, and is now clerk to the superinten- dents of the poor of Tioga county.
THEODORE R. TUTHILL, born July 19, 1868, at Moravia, N. Y., the only child of Tyrus T. and Harriette S. Tuthill, attended Moravia . union school and studied law with Hon. S. E. Day of Moravia, com- pleting his instruction at Cornell university law school. He was admitted to the bar of this state at Rochester in March 1890, and began law practice at Waverly during the next fall. In 1891, on the death of Hon. Charles A. Clark, Mr. Tuthill came to Owego to become the partner of Hon. H. Austin Clark. This partnership, which still continues, succeeded the former firin of C. A. and H. Austin Clark.
CLARENCE I. NIXON, born in Speedsville, Tompkins county, November 15th, 1870, was graduated from the Ithaca high school. in 1889, and afterwards studied law in the office of Clark & Tuthill, in Owego. He was admitted to the bar February 9th, 1894, at Binghamton and has since been in practice of law at Owego. He was the democratic candidate for district attorney in 1894.
FREDERICK J. DAVIS, oldest son of Burr J. Davis and Sarah Sperry Davis, was born in Owego, August 12th, 1871. Mr. Davis's father was sheriff of Tioga county from 1882 to 1885, and was appointed by Governor David B. Hill to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Adelbert P. Cleveland, in May, 1889. Mr. Davis was educated at the Owego free academy, graduating in 1892. He studied law at Cornell university and in the office of Sears & Lynch at Owego, and was admitted to the bar in June, 1896. He
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.