USA > New York > Tioga County > Our county and its people : a memorial history of Tioga County, New York > Part 52
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
is now employed as an assistant in the office of Martin S. Lynch, Esq. He also has considerable property interests in Owego, being one of the owners of the Ahwaga House, which demands a por- tion of his attention.
ALANSON MUNGER, who was the last of the common pleas judges in Tioga county, and who held the office by appointment February 2, 1843, was a native of Ludlow, Mass., born February 5, 1801. He was a graduate of Hamilton college and acquired his legal educa- tion at that institution and in Rochester, N. Y. He came to the Tioga county bar in 1840, and was ever afterward during the period of his life a resident of the county seat. A more exhaustive sketch of the professional life of Judge Munger will be found in the bench and bar chapter of this work, wherefore an extended mention of him here is unnecessary. While living in Rochester, on October 18, 1827, Judge Munger was married with Cynthia A. Lamb, by whom he had nine children, viz : Charles, Jerome, Mary, Pearly, Catharine, Adalaide, Helen, Herbert and Elizabeth. Of these children only three are now living.
JUDGE JOHN R. DRAKE, of whom greater mention is made in the bench and bar chapter of this work, was a native of Pleasant Valley, Ulster county, and was the son of Rev. Reuben Drake, the latter a Baptist clergyman, and a man of very generous spirit, for he built and gave to his congregation a church edifice, and also gave his services as its pastor. Judge Drake was one of eight children of Reuben Drake's family and each of them came into possession of a good farm when arrived at maturity. At the age of twenty-one years Judge Drake went into business with a cousin, John Drake, at Wappinger Creek, but at the end of two years re- moved to Newburgh and continued mercantile life. In 1809 he came to Owego and at once took a leading position among the prominent business men of the county seat. His congressional career and the story of his subsequent life is quite fully told in a preceding chapter. That he was successful in business is well known, and he at one time owned nine stores in the village. All of them were burned in the great fire of 1849. Judge Drake's wife
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TOWN OF OWEGO.
was Jerusha, the daughter of Dr. Joseph Roberts. Their children were Harriet, who married with David Pixley Tinkham ; Adaline Beebe, who became the wife of Bradford Gere ; Ann Delphine, who married with Harmon Pumpelly ; Harmon Pumpelly, who came to Owego before 1809, became a prominent and wealthy business man. After the death of his first wife, he with his two daughters moved to Albany, where he married Maria Brinkerhoof and, at the time of his death, was one of its wealthy men. Har- mon Pumpelly's daughter, Adaline, married James Kidd, Del- phine married Gen. Meredith Read, who, after being United States minister to Greece and consul general to France, died in Paris in 1896. Emily Read married Edward Spencer and lives in England. Marie Delphine Read married Count Max Foras and lives in France. Theodore, who lived in Virginia but died in Owego, and Charlotte M., who became the wife of Edward Rainsford. Judge Drake died in Owego in 1857.
DAVID PIXLEY TINKHAM, elsewhere mentioned in this volume, was the son of Dr. Samuel Tinkham. "Dr. Samuel Tinkham's mother was Sarah Standish, great granddaughter of Myles Stan- dish, the eldest son of Sir Alexander, who was the son of Sir Ed- ward Standish, and Ellen, daughter of Sir William Radcliff, earl of Sussex, and who was grandson of Sir Alexander Standish, who married Ann, daughter of Sir William Molyneux, duke of Nor- folk." David was educated at Hamilton and Union colleges, and was graduated from the latter. He was a merchant in Owego several years, but died at the age of 33. In 1826 he married with Harriet Gould Drake, and these children were born to them : Sarah Emily, who married with Edward Gresswold Gibson ; Ari- anna Augustina, who married with Gen. William P. Innes, and John F. Tinkham, who died at Grand Rapids, Mich. Dr. Edward Tinkham Gibson of Minneapolis, Minn., is the son of Edward G. and Sarah E. (Tinkham) Gibson. The children of Gen. Wm. P. and Arianna Innes were Robert, Lizzie Hathaway, Sarah Freligh, and Willian A. Innes.
COL. DAVID PIXLEY was born in Stockbridge, Mass., March 6,
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
1741. His father, David Pixley, was a farmer and a soldier in the expedition against Cape Breton, 1745. He settled in Stockbridge before 1749. Col. Pixley married first Lois Whittlesey, December 8, 1763. He married his second wife, Lydia Patterson, in 1774. His sons died before himself, only his wife and daughter survived him. Col. Pixley was one of the "minute men " at Lexington and was commissioned lieutenant May 19, 1775. He fought at Bunker Hill and immediately after was commissioned captain. After the state of New York purchased of the Tuscarora and Oneida Indians what is known as the Boston ten townships, about June 16, 1787, he became one of the original owners. His oldest son came to assist in the survey in 1788 and was the first person buried in the Tioga burying ground. In 1790 Archibald Campbell deeded him 3,000 acres, known as the Campbell location, which the deed says "is now in his actual possession " (probably by contract). He also owned part of the Palmer location and much of the land given to McMaster and Draper for their influence in bringing about a peaceable settlement with the Indians, was purchased by him. He was the largest land owner in Tioga county. He built grist mills, saw mills, a distillery, and was a very active, energetic man. His first residence, built on the Campbell location before 1790, is still in good condition. Before 1800 he moved to the farm lying on Main and McMaster streets, which in his will he says he " pur- chased of Dr. Samuel Tinkham," who married his only daughter, Mary. Dr. Tinkham had bought the property owned by McMas- ter on Front street, extending from the Lovejoy property to John Chatfield's and where McMaster had erected the house on what is now the Renwick lot. This Dr. Samuel Tinkham had purchased when they removed from the Campbell location and in which he lived until the time of his death, in 1804.
JOHN BLAKE STANBROUGH, son of Thomas Goldsmith and Jane (Eager) Stanbrough, was born in Montgomery, Orange county, September 16, 1829. He learned the trade of cabinet and piano making but at the age of sixteen went into a general store in the capacity of clerk. After four years he learned practical dentistry with his brother and began the practice of that profession in 1851
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TOWN OF OWEGO.
at Union, thence removed to Lisle and from the latter place to Farmersville in Seneca county, where he remained until 1854. He then came to Owego and practiced until 1859, then removed to Newburgh where he lived until 1862. In July and August of this year he raised a company of infantry and was elected its first lieu- tenant. After four months of service with Company I, 124th reg- iment, Mr. Stanbrough was discharged for disabilities. He then returned to Newburgh and to his profession, continuing to May, 1864, when he came to Owego and became a member of the firm of Bean, Stanbrough & Holdbridge, general hardware dealers. After four years Dr. Stanbrough became sole proprietor. Edwin Strat- ton soon became a partner under the firm name of Stanbrougli & Stratton, which firm was in business until 1879 when Dr. Stan- brough bought out his partner's interests. In the fall of 1895 the hardware stock was closed out and the present business of John Blake Stanbrough, 2d, dealer in stoves and hot water heat- ing apparatus was continued. Dr. Stanbrough, as he is familiar- ly called, has ever been a prominent figure in social and political circles in Tioga county. He is a firm republican, and as such, in 1872 and 1873, was one of the village trustees. For several years he has been a member of the board of education and is otherwise identified with the best interests of the locality. He was appointed loan commissioner for Tioga county by Governor John A. Dix in 1873, and was reappointed by Governor Cornell in 1880. He was appointed a trustee of the Binghamton State Hospital by Governor Flower March 21, 1892, and was reappointed to the same position by Governor Morton, December 9, 1896. In masonic bodies he has been especially prominent and was made a master mason in Farm- ersville in 1852. He became a royal arch mason at Ovid in 1853 and in Owego became a member of Friendship lodge and New Jeru- salem chapter. He organized Highland, No. 52, chapter in New- burgh in 1863 and in 1866 likewise organized Ahwaga lodge, No. 587 of Owego, and became its first master. This office, with others of great prominence in other masonic bodies, he has frequently been called upon to fill. On April 26. 1860, John Blake Stanbrough married Adeline, daughter of the late Lyman Truman, of Owego. Of this marriage three children have been born ; Dora Truman, Lyman Truman and Frank Truman Stanbrough.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
CHARLES L. STILES was born in the town of Wantage, Sussex county, New Jersey, October 24, 1836, and was the son of Lemon N. and Cynthia (Green) Stiles. Charles was brought up on a farm and educated in the common schools and at the University of Northern Pennsylvania, at Bethany, and for a time attended Windsor academy. After that he taught school for about six years and then began a course of medical study with Dr. S. M. Hand of Windsor, N. Y. He attended the Geneva medical col- lege and was graduated with the class of 1865. However, by con- sent of the faculty, Dr. Stiles began the practice of medicine before his graduation, but soon after that event he located for active professional life at Gibson, Susquehanna county, Pa., where he lived until May, 1868, and then came to Owego. He soon became associated with Dr. Daniels, and this was one of the leading med- ical firms in the southern tier. Dr. Stiles is to-day regarded as one of the best physicians and surgeons in Tioga county and is the appointed surgeon for the Erie railroad company in this vicinity. He is warmly interested in all measures looking to the interest of Owego and of the county, is a firm democrat, and has held the office of member of the board of education. He was once elected coroner of the county but declined to serve. He has been a vice-president of the New York state medical society, of which he is a member, has been several times president of the Tioga county medical society, is a member of the Binghamton academy of medicine, and holds membership in other medical societies. He is a member of the board of United States pension examiners. In May, 1864, Dr. Stiles was married to Marietta Archibald of Owego. Four children have been born to them, three of whom are now living. His son, Archie W. Stiles, M. D., was recently graduated from Baltimore medical college.
A. THUSTIN PEARSALL, was born at Florence, Ala., April 22, 1839, and when four years of age came with his parents to Nichols in this county. His father was Thomas Pearsall, a native of Che- mango county, but who moved with his family to Hooper's Valley in 1828. With his three brothers, who are conspicuously men- tioned in Owego town history, Thomas Pearsall became interested
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TOWN OF OWEGO.
in land, lumber and mill enterprises in this county. He was also at one time editorially connected with the Owego Gasette. He removed to Alabama in 1837 and was likewise associated with the Florence Gazette. He went south, however, as a bridge building contractor, remaining in Alabama eight years, then in 1845 returned to Hooper's Valley and resumed his former business interests and connections. He was an active man in every under- taking, a firm and unyielding democrat but took no especial interest in politics. His children were Grace E., widow of the late F. F. Ford of Newark Valley ; Esther, who died in 1883 ; Thomas C., of Washington, D. C., cashier of the Citizen's national bank, and Dr. A. Thustin Pearsall, of Owego. The wife of Thomas Pearsall was Martha Thustin, daughter of Major Thustin of Chenango. After his elementary education was completed Dr. Pearsall attended Dr. Reed's preparatory school at Geneva, then entered Hobart college, remaining one year. He went to New York and attended the College of Physicians and Surgeons and was graduated in October, 1861. He then went south and was assistant surgeon in the Confederate army six months, and then was General William C. P. Breckenridge's brigade surgeon until the close of the war. He was assistant surgeon in the Winder hospital at Richmond, Va., and in the famous "Fair-ground Hos- pital " at Atlanta, Ga. He was then in active service in the field and was so engaged at the close of the war. From 1868 to 1878 Dr. Pearsall was practicing medicine in Montgomery, Ala., then came north and has since been a resident practitioner in Owego village. While living in Alabama in February, 1869, Dr. Pearsall was married with Mary A. Graves, daughter of Payton T. Graves. One child was born to them, Eleanor M., wife of William J. McNamara, of Pueblo, Col.
JOHN L. TAYLOR, son of the late John James Taylor, was born in Owego, June 24, 1839. He was a student at the old Owego academy, and attended Phillips Exeter academy in New Hamp- shire. He also attended the state agricultural college at Ovid, N. Y., which was under the charge of Gen. Marsena R. Patrick, and was closed soon after the beginning of the civil war. Mr. Taylor
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
has been largely interested in agriculture, and is to-day one of the progressive farmers of Tioga county. For some years before the death of his father, which occurred in July, 1892, he was associated with him in the care of his business matters, and since that time has had charge of his business and office. In March, 1865, Mr. Taylor was married with Sarah J., daughter of the late Timothy C. Reed. Five children have been born to them, all of whom but one are now living.
EMILE G. TAYLOR, son of John L. Taylor, was born May 9, 1870, in the village of Owego. He received his education in the public schools of his native village and later studied law at Cornell uni- versity, graduating with the class of 1890. Mr. Taylor after leav- ing school was appointed deputy-postmaster of Owego, which office he held until 1894, when he became interested in the Owego dairy company of which he is manager. Mr. Taylor is also in- terested with his father and brother, Robert J., in the breeding of Guernsey cattle. On June 28, 1893, he married with Theresa K. Mersereau, daughter of George J. and Adaline (Steele) Mersereau. She was born March 10, 1872, near Apalachin. Mr. and Mrs. Tay- lor have one child, John Laning Taylor, 2d. Mr. Taylor is a mem- ber of Ahwaga Tribe, I. O. R. M. Adaline Steele Mersereau, daughter of Lucius and Maria Steele was born at Apalachin, June 4th, 1837. On July 1, 1851, she was married with George J. Mersereau, who was born near Apalachin, November 20, 1836. Mr. and Mrs. Mersereau had eight children : Hannah J. (Mrs. Enmet Wicks, of Owego), Sarah S. (Mrs. C. D. Mann, of Milwau- kee, Wis.), Gertrude (Mrs. W. B. Richards, of Kansas City, Mo.), Clara (Mrs. Percy Thompson, of Kansas City), Harmon D., Theresa K. (Mrs. Emile G. Taylor), Laura (Mrs. Frank Truman), and George J. Mr. Mersereau died May 24, 1880.
THOMAS LINCOLN came from Worcester, Mass., in the year 1806, stopped for a short time in Owego, but soon moved up into what is now Newark Valley. Among the children of Thomas Lincoln was a son named Otis, then a young unmarried man. He soon found employment, and, being industrious and saving, accumu-
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TOWN OF OWEGO.
lated enough money to purchase a tract of land. This he cleared and improved, and as early as 1820 he was doing a large lumber business. A little later we find him the owner of both saw and grist mills, a tannery, a dealer in live stock, and the owner, also, of 300 acres of good land ; more, he was one of the most influen- tial men in the town and an important factor in its development. He was active in town affairs, a strong democrat, and in all re- spects a worthy citizen. Mr. Lincoln was twice married. His children were William S. Lincoln, born August 13, 1813, and died April 27, 1893 ; one of the most influential men in Tioga county ; the partner of his father in the mercantile, lumbering and tanning business ; a democrat before the war and later a republican ; in congress in 1867-69. The other children, in the order of birth, were Celia, born June 14, 1817, married William B. Burbank ; Caroline Amanda, married Charles Higbee ; Charles Keyes, born August 6, 1822, a merchant of Owego ; Jane Charlotte, born Feb- ruary 20, 1825, married Dr. W. J. Burr, of Newark Valley ; Juliette, born April 2, 1827, married Barnabas M. Stebbins, of Owego ; George Emmett, born December 24, 1829, died in Paines- ville, Ohio ; Helen Maria, born June 8, 1832; married Dr. D. Williams Patterson ; Laura Eugenia, born July 25, 1835, died un- married ; Ada Augusta, born November 1, 1837, married Clayton Byington, of Newark Valley ; Sarah Isabella, born June 24, 1844, wife of F. E. Brockway, of Owego. Otis Lincoln died December 7, 1863.
BARNABAS MERRICK STEBBINS was born in Berkshire county, Mass., August 14, 1822, and was the son of Barnabas M. Stebbins, who came to Newark Valley in 1837, and was a cooper and farmer. He had a family of five children, viz : Barnabas M., Laura A., John E., William M., and one other who died in infancy. Barna- bas M. (Jr.) learned the cooper's trade and also worked on a farm. When of age he went in a store as clerk, and later spent two years in Kentucky. Since September 1, 1846, he has been a resident of Owego ; was for ten years a merchant, but his leading occupation has been that of insurance agent, and he enjoys the distinction of now being one of the oldest men in his line of busi-
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
ness in the state. For several years he was connected with the revenue department in this locality, and was twice sheriff of the county by appointment. On January 10, 1849, Mr. Stebbins was married with Juliette Lincoln. They have had two children ; George Turner Stebbins, of New York, and Caroline Louisa, who died in 1875.
GURDON HEWITT, son of Gurdon Hewitt the early merchant of Owego, and who is mentioned at length among the business men of the village, was born in Owego. March 29, 1826. His early edu- cation was acquired at Oxford academy, after which at the age of seventeen, he attended Cambridge law school, remaining until the death of Prof. Story, when he decided to finish his course at New Haven. However, he soon returned to Owego and studied law with John M. Parker. In the spring of 1849 Gurdon Hewitt, Sr., retired from mercantile business, and the son succeeded to his interest in the firm of Hewitt & Greenleaf, but in September following the store and goods were burned in the great fire of that year. In the spring of 1850 he became a lumberman, but two years later went west with Lyman Truman and located a large tract of land in Illinois for purposes of investment and sale. From that time Mr. Hewitt has devoted his attention to his invested in- terests, in addition having charge of large estates in a trust ca- pacity. In politics he is a firm democrat, yet never having sought political preferment. In 1881 Gurdon Hewitt was married with Augusta Brown.
DAVID GOODRICH was born in the town of Tioga, January 3, 1813, and was the eldest of eight children of Erastus Goodrich by his marriage with Hope Talcott. In the early history of the region Erastus Goodrich, who was the son of pioneer Judge Noah Good- rich, was a farmer, brickmaker, distiller, lumberman, and rafts- man. He was a successful operator and an influential man in the town. His children were David, Prudence, who married with Gil- bert Taylor and is now dead ; George B., now dead ; Eunice Ann, who married with George Truman, of Owego ; Edwin, now dead ; Erastus, who died in Illinois ; Susan, who married with John
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Williams, of Seneca county, and Lucy, widow of the late Thomas I. Chatfield. David Goodrich began work when eight years old as a farmer's boy, but before he was fifteen he had taught school three months. In 1830 he began working for John Hollenback, and in two years had saved $140. He then went on the river and for years run arks, rafts and lumber to market, doing a successful business. He then went to work for Lyman Truman & Brothers and afterward became interested with the firm in their extensive operations. Mr. Goodrich died in Owego, July 3, 1896. In busi- ness life he was an earnest, honest and capable man, therefore he was successful. His wife was Frances A. Truman, with whom he was married July 13, 1841. Mrs. Goodrich died January 10, 1892. Their children were Mary E., wife of W. D. Cady, Binghamton ; Charles T., of Kasson, Minn., and Lyman T. Goodrich, of Owego, N. Y.
JOHN R. CHATFIELD was born in Great Barrington, Mass., Jan- uary 28, 1823, and when of sufficient age learned the trade of carpenter and joiner. He first came to Owego in 1840, but at the end of four months returned home. In 1844 he again came to Owego but not until the year 1850 did he make that village his per- manent home. His first employment was as clerk for his brother and in 1852 he went into business. In 1853 the firm of Storrs & Chatfield was formed and was thereafter known in local busi- ness circles for a period of thirty-five years, and was then suc- ceeded by Storrs, Chatfield & Co., and the latter in turn by Chat- field & Baker. However, the Chatfield of the latter firm was George Smith Chatfield, son of John R. Chatfield, one of Owego's most promising young business men, and who died suddenly Jan- uary 27, 1896. During the long period of his business life in Owego, John R. Chatfield was regarded as one of the safe and prudent merchants of the village ; a man of exceptionally good habits, public-spirited and generous. He was one of the original republi- cans of the county but never sought political preferment. He was three times village trustee, was member of the board of education and several years member of board of trustees of the Presbyte- rian society. In Great Barrington in 1845 Mr. Chatfield was mar-
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
ried with Abbie E. Smith, a native of Connecticut. Three chil- dren were born to them; George S., who died in 1896 ; Frank Edward, who died in infancy, and Harry Ives Chatfield, now an active business man at Stillwater, Minn.
BURR J. DAVIS was a native of Oxford, New Haven county, Conn., born September 6, 1831. He lived on a farm until he was twenty-six years old and then came to Owego. For several years he was interested in various enterprises, but failing health and the death of his wife made it necessary that he return to Con- necticut. After three years more he came again to Owego and for years was an active business man in the village. He was in the oyster business three winters, and in 1879 bought out and became landlord of the Central House ; and it is a well known fact in this county that under his management the Central was by far the best hotel in the locality. In 1878 Mr. Davis purchased the Ahwaga House, which under previous landlords had proved an unfortunate investment, but under his direction it attained an en- viable reputation among the hotels of the southern tier. For a period of about ten years Burr J. Davis was an active factor in county politics, particularly on the democratic side. He was elected sheriff in 1881, served one term, and was appointed to the same office in 1889 as successor to Albert P. Cleveland, resigned. He also served one term as supervisor of Owego. No less prominent was his connection with the masonic fraternity of Owego, and he passed all the chairs of the two bodies in the village. Mr. Davis was twice married, his first wife being Ellen J. Fairchild, by whom he had one child, Anna A., wife of John F. Ward. His second wife was Sarah F. Sperry, by whom he had three children, Fred J., Nellie E. and John B. Davis. Mr. Davis died March 6, 1897.
HIRAM SHAYS came from Cooperstown to Candor when he was twenty years old, and went into the wagon making business at Weltonville with one Chittenden. From there he moved to Nich- ols and thence to Sulphur Springs, five miles south of Owego. Here he was proprietor of the Springs house about five years, and in 1850 came to Owego. After one year he removed to Cana-
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TOWN OF OWEGO.
wanna and kept a store below the Owego bridge. About 1866 he moved to a farm in the village, and in the fall of 1870 we find him in the meat business on North avenue. In 1875 he built the large store on the same street and here Mr. Shays was constantly in active business until his death, June 18, 1886. On September 1, 1880, George Shays became partner with his father, and after the death of the latter succeeded to the business, and was its sole pro- prietor until July, 1891, when he sold out. In November following George Shays opened a broker's office in the village and still is in active business. However, he has been identified with other interests of importance. In 1890, in company with W. E. Dor- win and Clarence Thompson. he established the Owego ice com- pany, and after a few months became its sole owner. Again, in 1892, he was one of the organizers and the president of the Owego foundry and malleable iron works, a successful enterprise, with which he was connected two years. The wife of Hiram Shays was Lucinda Stanton, daughter of Daniel and Elmira Stanton, an old and highly respected family of the county. The children born of this marriage were Marietta, who married J. M. Townsend ; George, the broker, of Owego; Jonas of Owego : Adalaide, who died at fifteen ; James L., who died at twenty-one; Albert, who died at twenty ; and Annarilla, wife of W. J. Atchison.
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