USA > New York > Tioga County > Our county and its people : a memorial history of Tioga County, New York > Part 56
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
586
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
JONAS SHAYS, was born April 26, 1855, son of Hiram and Lucinda (Stanton) Shays. He left school at the age of eighteen and entered his father's store as book-keeper, which position he held until 1880 when he started in the grocery business. He continued in that business for twelve years when he sold out and entered into a partnership in wholesale groceries, under the firm name of Shays & Leahy. Mr. Shays continued in that business for one year, when he sold out and was appointed postmaster of Owego, on June 28, 1893. This was the year during the factional contest in New York politics and many New York postmasters appointed by President Cleveland were not confirmed by congress. Mr. Shays was reappointed postmaster immediately after the adjournment of congress, on November 6, 1893, and held over until December 1, 1894, when his brother-in-law, Wm. J. Atchison, received the appointment of postmaster and appointed Mr. Shays his assistant. Mr. Shays has always taken an active part in politics and cast his first vote for Samuel J. Tilden. He held the office of town clerk for three successive times ; was supervisor one year and also served on the board of trustees for the village of Owego one year. Mr. Shays was married November 4, 1885, with Ruth H. Barnes, born September 17, 1862, a daughter of Reed A. and Eliza Cham- plin Barnes. They have three children living ; Laura W. Shays, born June 27, 1888, Wellington Barnes Shays, born July 29, 1890, and Clarence Stanton Shays, born November 18, 1894.
HENRY BILLINGS, was born November 1, 1826, in the town of Owego, near Hiawatha island, a son of John Billings, who came to Tioga county an early settler. Henry Billings attended the Canawana school and assisted his father in teaming lumber when a boy. In 1847 he began his career as a railroad man, by driving a team hauling the passenger coaches of the Owego and Ithaca railroad, as the present Cayuga branch of the D. L. & W. railroad was then known. In 1849, when steam supplanted horse power on the railroad, he became a brakeman and was soon pro- moted to baggagemaster. In 1853 he became a passenger con- ductor and ran between Owego and Ithaca for a period of thirty- two years. In 1885 he resigned his position and lived a retired
587
TOWN OF OWEGO.
life until his death July 5, 1890. On January 14, 1851, he was married with Susan Higgins, born January 21, 1828, daughter of John Higgins. They had two children, Libbie, who died in 1854, aged three years, and William, who died in 1868, aged thirteen years. Mrs. Billings is still living in her home on Main street in Owego. Mr. Billings was three times elected president of the village of Owego (1887-88-89) on the republican ticket.
PROF. EZRA J. PECK, principal of Owego academy, was born December 19, 1830, at Seneca Castle, Ontario county, N. Y., a son of Dr. Enoch and Julitta A. (Jones) Peck. Professor Peck is a graduate of the public schools of Phelps, N. Y., and of Williams college, in Massachusetts, of the class of '51. He began his career as an instructor in the district schools of Cayuga county, N. Y., near Auburn. He was two years a teacher in the Springside school for boys, near Auburn, until 1856, when he went to live on the old homestead in Ontario county, where he remained two years. He then became principal of the Union and Classical schools at Phelps, N. Y., and remained there until the war when he enlisted in the Eighth New York Cavalry as first lieutenant in Troop D. After serving a year, Lieutenant Peck was prostrated by a fever and obliged to resign his commission. He returned home where he remained an invalid for a year. A short time later Prof. Peck resumed his position as principal of the Phelps schools where he remained until 1869 when he was elected school com- missioner of the first district of Ontario county. On the expiration of his term of office he became associate principal of Canandaigua academy, where he remained for two years. In 1874 he became principal of Homer academy in Cortland county, N. Y., where he remained until 1886, when he became principal of the Owego academy, his present position, making a total of thirty-five years as an instructor of classics in public and private schools. On March 31, 1856, Prof. Peck married Annie L. Bartlett, born July 31, 1830, a daughter of Dr. John and Ann (Lingan) Bartlett, of Hartford, Conn. They have five daughters and one son, all living. Professor Peek is a mason, a knight templar and G. A. R. man. Both professor and Mrs. Peck are members of the Presbyterian churchi.
.
588
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
CAPTAIN EMMOTT HARDER was born July 8, 1835, in the town of Cobleskill, Schoharie county, son of Jacob and Polly Lame- becker Harder. He removed with his parents in 1837 to Broome county, near Binghamton, N. Y. Captain Harder received his edu- cation in the public schools of Broome county, and, at the age of sixteen, came to Owego and started to learn the machinist's trade in Camp's foundry and machine shops. He remained there three years, when he went to Athens, Pa., working at his trade in that place for two years ; then went to Scranton, Pa., working in the Dickson machine shops for two years, and from there to Candor, in this county, where he had charge of the machine department in the Candor Iron Works. On May 14, 1861, after assisting in the organizing of a company of volunteers of that place, he enlisted in Company K., 26th New York, volunteer infantry, and was elected second lieutenant. After the battle of Bull Run, Lieutenant Harder was promoted to first lieutenant, and a short time before the expiration of his service received his commission as captain. Among Captain Harder's engagements of the war were first battle of Bull Run, Cedar Mountain, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. In June, 1863, he received his discharge from the service at the expiration of his term, and returned to Candor and resumed his old occupation. A year later he came to Owego and purchased a boot and shoe business, which he has continued to the present time. Captain Harder was married on May 4, 1864, with Lucy A. Chan- berlain, daughter of Lee N. and Lydia A, (Campbell) Chamberlain. They have no children. Captain Harder is a member, and was one of the eight organizers of Babcock Post, G. A. R., and is also a member of Friendship Lodge, F. & A. M.
REV. WASHINGTON GLADDEN, D. D., LL. D., was born in Pott's Grove, Northumberland county, Pa., February 11, 1836, son of Solomon and Amanda (Daniels) Gladden. In 1843, after the death of his father, who was a teacher at Lewisburg, Pa., Mr. Gladden removed to Tioga county where he lived upon a farm with his uncle, Ebenezer Daniels, until 1852 ; he then became an apprentice to the printer's trade in the office of the Owego Gasette, and con- tributed to the local columns of that paper. In 1855, he began to
589
TOWN OF OWEGO.
prepare for college in the Owego academy and entered the sopho- more class at Williams college in 1856, graduating in 1859. In 1860 he became pastor of the State Street Congregational church in Brooklyn. He subsequently was pastor of the Congregational church in Morrisania, N. Y., from 1861 to 1866, and of the Congre- gational church in North Adams, Mass., from 1866 to 1871. He then removed to New York and was on the editorial staff of the New York Independent, until 1875. From 1875 to 1883 he was pastor of the North Congregational church, at Springfield, Mass., and for some time edited "Sunday Afternoon," a monthly maga- zine. He then went to Columbus, Ohio, to be pastor of the First Congregational church in that city. Mr. Gladden was married, in December, 1860, with Jennie C. Cohoon in Brooklyn. They have had four children ; Alice, Frederic Cohoon, Helen (wife of George R. Twiss, died in 1890), and George. Mr. Gladden has been a fre- quent contributor to papers and periodicals and a successful public lecturer. Among his published writings are : "Plain Thoughts on the Art of Living " (Boston, 1868), "From the Hub to the Hudson " (1869), " Workingmen and Their Employers " (1876), "Being a Christian" (New York, 1875), " The Christian Way " (New York, 1877), "The Lord's Prayer" (Boston, 1880), " The Christian League of Connecticut " (New York, 1883), "Things New and Old " (Columbus, 1884), "The Young Men and the Churches " (Boston, 1885), " Applied Christianity " (Boston, 1887), "Parish Problems" (New York, 1888), "Burning Questions" (London, 1889), "Who Wrote the Bible ?" (Boston, 1891), "Tools and the Man," and "The Cosmopolis City Club " (1893), "The Church and the Kingdom" (Chicago, 1894), and " Ruling Ideas of the Present Age " (Boston, 1895).
EDWARD O. ELDREDGE, cashier of the Owego National bank, was born August 21, 1861, at Slaterville, Tompkins county, N. Y., a son of Edward H. and Mary S. (Ball) Eldredge. The father, Ed- ward H. Eldredge, was born September 11, 1806, at Salisbury, Conn., and removed when quite young with his parents to Berk- shire, Tioga county. He graduated from a Philadelphia medical college, and, after practicing several years at Slaterville, he removed
590
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
to Berkshire in 1860, and returned a year later. He was married October 19, 1857, with Mary Sophia, daughter of Stephen and Polly (Leonard) Ball of Berkshire. She was born February 2, 1821. Their children were ; Mary L., born February 28, 1860 (Mrs. Romeo Brown, of Binghamton, N. Y.), Edward O., Frank A., born Jan- uary 18, 1863, and Richard L., born November 1, 1866. Dr. Eld- redge died in 1869. Edward O., on the death of his father, left school and went to live with an uncle, Levi Ball, on a farm at Berk- shire. At the age of 12 he entered the store of another uncle, C. P. Johnson, at Berkshire, and soon rose to a clerkship, and in 1879, on the death of his uncle, became the manager. In 1882, he was taken as a partner by his aunt in the business under the firm name of E. O. Eldredge & Co. Nine years later he purchased Mrs. John- son's interest, and, at the same time, came to Owego as cashier of the Owego National bank, which position he now occupies. In 1894, Mr. Eldredge sold his store. He was in 1895 appointed by Governor Morton one of the loan commissioners of Tioga county, and in 1896 was elected county treasurer for the term of three years. He was married January 23, 1885, with Cornelia Waldo Royce, daughter of John L. and Cornelia E. (Waldo) Royce. She was born April 9, 1863. Mr. and Mrs. Eldredge have one daughter. Elizabeth, born July 2, 1892 ; an older daughter, Anna, having died in February, 1895. Mr. Eldredge retains his residence at Berkshire, where his mother still lives.
LARUE H. CONKLIN, who has been connected with some depart- ment of the county government since 1885, and who in every capacity has proved a competent and efficient officer, was the grandson of Hiram Conklin, an early settler in Owego on Stanton Hill. Later on he removed to Big Island, where he died. His chil- dren were Ephriam, Henry, John, Frederick, David, Lewis D., Joseph, Charles, Nancy and Caroline. Charles was born in Owego in 1832, and has generally been a farmer, although he built many arks and run the river for years. He was one of the best pilots on the Susquehanna in his time. His wife was Julia A. LaMonte, by whom he had five children, LaRue H., Frank H., Cornelia E., Carrie A. and Minnie. LaRue Conklin was first appointed under
591
TOWN OF OWEGO.
sheriff in 1885, serving three years, and was then keeper at the county farm from 1887 to 1893. In the fall of 1892 he was elected sheriff, and at the expiration of his term was made under sheriff. Mr. Conklin married Gussie A., daughter of William Mitchell, of Smithville, N. Y. They have three children.
WILLIAM COYLE, who has been known in Owego among busi- ness men since 1849, was a native of Manchester, England, and came to this country in 1849, and to Owego during the same year. For several years he worked in the railroad shops, and also for Frederick Parmalee. But in 1858 he became one of the firm of Clark, Coyle & Perry, Mr. Coyle being by trade a coachsmith and carriage ironer. The new firm was fairly started in business when an unfortunate fire swept away all of its property. But the gen- erous people of Owego raised $1,000 by subscription to rebuild the shop, and at the end of two years Mr. Coyle again became con- nected with the firm. After several years he sold out and estab- lished a livery business on North avenue, with which, until quite recently, he has since been connected. Mr. Coyle began his busi- ness life with no capital other than his trade and a strong consti- tution, and as a result of his work he is in comfortable circumstances and enjoys the respect and esteem of his fellow townsmen. In Utica, Mr. Coyle was married with Sarah Jane Embody. They have no children, but by informal adoption Thomas Croak is a member of the family, and now has charge of the livery.
WARD DECKER, son of Anson and Phoebe ( Washburn) Decker, was born in Owego, August 11, 1865. He was educated at the free academy, and was afterward in the book and stationery business about ten years. On April 16, 1895, he patented an automatic tel- ephone appliance and an automatic switchboard, for the manufac- ture of which he erected a substantial building in the eastern part of the village. The business here is conducted by the Decker- Hinckley manufacturing company, of which Ward Decker is the active manager. Anson Decker was one of the old residents, and a native of Owego, born in the east part of the town, and through the period of his business life was one of its substantial and pro-
592
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
gressive citizens. On June 2, 1856, he married with Phoebe A. Washburn, by whom he had three children, George and Ruella, both of whom died in childhood, and Ward, of the Decker-Hinck- ley manufacturing company. Anson Decker was once deputy sheriff of Broome county and three times supervisor of the town of Owego. He died in the village May 23, 1880.
LEROY W. KINGMAN was a son of Col. John Kingman, one of the first settlers of Cortland county, N. Y., and was born August 9, 1808, at Cincinnatus, N. Y. He married May 8, 1837, with Maria Livermore, daughter of Col. William Livermore, of Spencer, Mass. In early life he was a merchant at Speedsville, N. Y., re- moving thence, in 1849, to Owego, where he continued the iner- cantile business. He was clerk of Tioga county, holding the office two terms front 1853 to 1859. He died in Owego March 2, 1861. His children are, LeRoy W. Kingman, editor of the Owego Gazette; William L. Kingman, general freight agent of the New York Cen- tral & Hudson River railroad ; Mrs. Henry Campbell, Mrs. Charles K. Eastwood, and Miss Emily L. Kingman.
JOHN RIPLEY was born in Covington, Connecticut, March 17, 1792, of genuine sturdy stock exemplifying the Yankee's true characteristics. He came to Tioga county at an early day ; was its sheriff sixteen years and held other offices of public and politi- cal trust. His wife was Diana Westfall, born in Orange county, N. Y., May 23, 1796. Four children blessed their union : Eliza Smith (still living in Illinois) married Ebenezer Woodbridge of Candor ; Sarah Pierce (died in 1894) ; Charles Pomeroy, who has a son now, (May 1897) living in Owego. He died in Illinois Decem- ber 1863 ; Frances Clarissa (who became the wife of Ezra Stone Buckbee in October, 1849.) John Ripley died January 22, 1860, and his wife died December 31, 1868.
EZRA S. BUCKBEE was born in the town of Owego, about three miles north of the village, in the year 1827, but when an infant his parents removed to Albany county where his father soon after- ward died. The widow then came to Geneva to live. At the age
Asa AF Potter
593
TOWN OF OWEGO.
of sixteen Ezra was a clerk in the grocery store of Lucius Truman and William P. Stone, with whom he became partner in 1850, under the firm name of Truman, Stone & Co. Stephen S. and Benjamin L. Truman were also members of the firm. Five years later the business was changed to dry goods, the firm name being Stone & Co. The store was called "The Empire Store." After Mr. Stone's retirement in 1870 Mr. Buckbee formed a partnership with Asa N. Potter of Owego and Edwin Booth of Candor, the firm-name then being Potter, Buckbee & Co. In March 1883, the firm of Buckbee, Peterson, Wood, Schoonmaker & Burgess was formed. Mr. Buckee being senior partner and active business man of the house. He was in business to the time of his death, August 10, 1883, and that event was regarded as a serious loss to Owego, for during the long period of his business life in the county Ezra S. Buckbee was looked upon as one of the staunch and straightforward men of the county, as well as one of Owego's most public-spirited citizens ; an upright christian man, upon whose career there was no stain. Several children of relatives (and of those who were not) found a pleasant home in Mr. Buck- bee's house. Truly the world was the better for his living.
THOMAS B. STEPHENS, son of John Stephens, was born in 1818 at Pawtucket, R. I. In 1820 or 1821 John Stephens became one of the first early settlers of Bradford county, Pa., at Warren Center. Thomas married there Mary G. Whittaker. They had nine child- ren. Mr. Stephens purchased a farm at South Apalachin in 1863, which was his home until his death on July 4, 1875, and where his widow now lives.
JAMES ARCHIBALD will be remembered as one of the old business men of Owego. He was of Scotch parentage, born July 4, 1776, at Caldwell, Warren county, N. Y. Although not among the earliest settlers, he was an early resident of Owego, removing here February 22, 1822, with his family, consisting of wife and six children, Martha, Alvah, Almon, Samuel, Maria and Allen. He was a tanner, and started a small tannery in the village. He obtained a patent for a large tract of land on the south side of the
594
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
river, which he and his two sons cleared up. Later in life he be- came engaged in farming. He died February 8, 1857.
SAMUEL ARCHIBALD, born June 12, 1810, at Caldwell, Warren county, N. Y., accompanied his father to Owego at the age of ten years. From 1832 to 1851 he, in partnership with his brothers Alvah and Almon, became extensively engaged in lumbering, sale of boots and shoes, and also in the manufacture of gloves and mit- tens. In 1838 he built the tannery on the south side of the river, where for over forty years he carried on a large business. The same year he married Adeline Mason, of Kelloggsville, Cayuga county, and to them were born six children, five of whom are still living. He was known in the days of general training as "Major" Archibald, he having successively held the ranks of lieu- tenant, captain and major in the state militia. In politics he was a democrat. His death occurred November 25, 1891. His wife died January 28, 1887.
ASA N. POTTER is remembered as one of the most enterprising business men of Owego. He was born in Candor, N. Y., August 17, 1838, the son of Deacon Harvey and Mary Hart Potter. Before coming to Owego he was engaged in the mercantile business in Candor. After his removal to the county seat he was engaged in the same business, which he carried on with much success for about twenty years, associated with different partners, best known as a member of the firm of Potter & Buckbee. In 1882 he retired from active business, owing to failing health. Mr. Potter was married in 1863 to Georgianna, eldest daughter of Sanmel Archi- bald, whose death occurred in 1875. In 1878 he married Delphine Archibald, a younger sister of his first wife. In politics he was a republican. He was elected president of the village in 1875, later was one of the board of school commissioners, and, at the time of his death, which occurred on December 9, 1890, he had been for many years a trustee of the First Presbyterian church, of which society he was a member.
JAMES T. ROGERS was born in April, 1864, in Owego, two miles north of the village, son of Dr. C. R. and Henrietta H. (Tracy)
595
TOWN OF OWEGO.
Rogers. When Dr. C. R. Rogers was four years of age his father removed with the family to Whitney's Point in Broome county. Here he studied medicine and commenced its practice. Several years later he removed to Newark Valley where he now resides. James received his early education at the schools of Whitney's Point and Newark Valley, and completed his school course in the Owego academy in 1881. He became a clerk in the Owego post- office, and in 1883 was appointed assistant postmaster. It was un- der his supervision that the free delivery system was inaugurated in the village. In January, 1889, he commenced to study law in the office of Howard J. Mead, and held the offices of clerk of the surrogate court and village clerk of Owego until the fall of 1891, when he resigned and entered the law department of Cornell uni- versity. In his junior year at college he was unanimously chosen president of his class. On September 16, 1892, Mr. Rogers was admitted to the bar at Ithaca, before completing his studies. Later receiving the appointment as librarian of the law school, he returned to Ithaca college and was graduated in June, 1893, with the degree of bachelor of laws. Mr. Rogers was one of six members of his class selected by competition to participate in the annual law school prize debate, one of the events of commencement week; and at the contest he was awarded first prize. Before he graduated Mr. Rogers had accepted a clerkship in the law office of White & Cheney, at Syracuse, where he remained seven months after leav- ing school. In March, 1894, he formed a partnership with S. Mack Smith, of Binghamton, N. Y., which still exists. In May, 1895, Mr. Rogers was appointed police attorney at Binghamton. Mr. Rogers is a member of Friendship Lodge, F. & A. M., and is past sachem of Ahwaga Tribe, I. O. R. M., at Owego. He is also a member of the great council of the Red Men of the state. He is an honorary member of Defiance Hook & Ladder company, and during his residence in Owego was its assistant foreman.
JAMES HILL was born in the town of Tioga, December 14, 1816, a son of Chauncey and Lucy (Sexton) Hill. At an early age he learned the carpenter and joiner's trade, and subsequently became a well known and prosperous contractor and builder of Owego.
596
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
On April 4, 1839, he was married with Harriet Emily, a daughter of Edward S. and Lydia (Curry) Madan. Their children were ; Sarah E. (Mrs. Albert H. Keeler), Lydia (Mrs. Ernest de Vallier), Charles O., and Ida E. (Mrs. G. A. Morton). Mr. Hill died Janu- ary 5, 1887. Mrs. Hill married, second, N. E. Neal, of Nichols. Mr. Neal was born March 18, 1827, in Pennsylvania. In his early youth he located at Nichols and became a contractor and builder. Later in life he became a furniture dealer at Nichols, until he re- tired from active business life and removed to Owego.
EMILY ELIZABETH PLATT, seventh child of Wm. Platt, born April 28, 1829, married October 14, 1852, with Charles P. Skinner, born at Massillon, Ohio, August 12, 1827, son of C. K. Skinner, one of the early settlers in that country. Charles P. was educated at Gambia and the Western Reserve college, at Hudson, Ohio. He was in the mercantile business at Massillon for some years, and then engaged in shipping at Milan, Ohio, and, for a time, in New York city. He came to Owego in 1859, and in April of that year went into partnership with his brother-in-law, Fred E. Platt, in the clothing business. That partnership existed a year, and on March 1, 1862, he joined partnership in a grocery with T. A. Chat- field, which continued until the spring of 1866. When the exten- sion of the Chenango canal was built he secured profitable con- tracts for the construction of portions of that work. He subse- quently engaged as a government contractor for cascade locks at Portland, Oregon, and at various other places in the country as railroad contractor for a number of years. He was cashier of the National Union bank of Owego and had charge of the closing of the business of that institution in 1890. Mr. and Mrs. Skinner had one son, Frederick Platt Skinner, born October 31, 1858. He is now living with his mother in Owego. Mr. Skinner died June 10, 1882.
ROBERT COLE came from Cambridgeshire, England, in the year 1824, and settled in the town of Owego, up the creek three miles. Here he afterward lived many years, a good farmer and worthy citizen, He brought to this country a wife and six children, and
597
TOWN OF OWEGO.
two others were born after the settlement in town. The children were James, who died in Iowa ; Harriet, who married with William C. Talcott ; John who died at seventeen ; Thomas, who moved to Iowa ; Abram, who lives on the old home farm ; Ann, who died in in- fancy ; Robert, now living in Missouri ; and Mary Ann, who mar- ried with Eugene Hammond and lived and died in Owego. Robert Cole died in Owego in 1874, at the age of 82 years. His wife died in 1854. William C. Talcott and Harriet Cole were married Sep- tember 10, 1845, and to them was born one child, who died in in- fancy. Mr. Talcott was a farmer and a man much respected in the town. His farm was near Robert Cole's in the north part of the town. He came to Owego to live in 1874, and he died two years later.
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.