Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 111

Author: Curtis, Gates
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1328

USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 111
USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people: a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 111

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).

Fuller, Edward, Fowler, was born in Jefferson county, February 14, 1842, and has resided in St. Lawrence county since 1865. In 1865 he married Sarah A. Burt, and their children are: Mrs. Fred Jeffers and Adelbert Fuller. Mr. Fuller's father was David Fuller, and his grandfather John Fuller, one of the early settlers in Jefferson county.

Fitzgerald, John, Ogdensburg, was born in 1845 in Ireland. He came to this coun- try in 1858, and has since been engaged in agricultural pursuits. He owns a farm con- taining forty-nine acres on the Morristown road, and has never married. Mr. Fitz- gerald is a strict member of the Catholic church, and is much respected and esteemed.

Forsythe, Walter (deceased), Brasher, was a native of Scotland, and came to America in 1826, settling on the place where his son Robert now lives, being one of the pioneers of Brasher. He took up a tract of about seventy-seven acres in the wilderness, and he and his oldest son cleared a fine farm. He was a shepherd in the old country, where he married Margaret Ralph, by whom he had twelve children, seven of whom lived to maturity, all of whom are now dead but Robert. Our subject's father died at the age of seventy-six years, and his mother at the age of eighty-eight. Robert was born on the farm where he now lives, October 31, 1826, and has always continued his residence there, the farm now comprising 182 acres. March 22, 1874, he married Sarah McGee, born October 19, 1829, in Canada, daughter of Robert and Margaret (Brown) McGee, natives of Ireland, who came to America in early life. Her father was a British soldier in the War of 1812. Mr. Forsythe is a Republican in politics and has been assessor of the town for five years.

Forrester, Irwin D., Hammond, was born in Hammond, November 13, 1844. In 1887 he married Emma Forrester, a native of Canada and daughter of William Forrester. Mr. Forrester's father was Mitchel Forrester, who was born July 12, 1817, came to Hammond in 1827, and died July 14, 1890. Mrs. Forrester, mother of Irwin D., was born July 14, 1825, and is still living.

Fisher, William, Madrid, was born in the town of Madrid. February 1, 1823, the oldest son of William and Euphemia (McDonald) Fisher. The early life of our subject

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was spent on the farm. He was educated in the common schools and assisted his father until about twenty-three years of age when he engaged in the buying and selling of live stock, which he has followed more or less ever since, his market being Boston and New York, which has caused his frequent visits to those cities. In 1849 Mr. Fisher bought a farm of 211 acres, where he has ever since lived. He has added many im- provements to the property since he came here, and all of the barns and the substantial brick residence are the result of his industry. He also owns a farm of ninety-eight acres in the town of Waddington, which he uses as a pasture for his large herd of cattle from the dairy farm. Mr. Fisher has been a Republican since the foundation of the party. He is a member of the Scotch Presbyterian church of Scotch Settlement. Mr. Fisher married, January 27, 1857, Maria, daughter of Andrew McDonald of Hunting- don, Canada East, and they have had three sons : Frank A., born May 28, 1858, now a stock buyer for Swift & Co. of Chicago ; G. Byron, born November 1, 1862, now a stock buyer at Buffalo for the New England Dressed Meat and Wool Company of Bos- ton ; and Howard A., born June 6, 1869, connected with the same firm in Chicago with his brother, Frank A. Mrs. Fisher, wife of our subject, died September 24, 1891, at fifty-eight years of age.

Fisher, James, Madrid, was born in Madrid, July 9, 1829, son of William, a native of Scotland, born in Roxburyshire in 1798, who came across the water in 1820. Landing in Quebec they came up the river to Waddington, which place they reached in June, 1820. He took a tract of land of fifty acres in the town of Madrid, to which he added until at the time of his death he owned about 200 acres. He reared ten sons and six daughters. Twelve of those children are still living. William Fisher died in June, 1875. The mother of our subject, Euphemia McDonald, was also a native of Scotland, born in 1802. James was the third son, and was educated in the common schools and lived on the homestead farm, assisting his father, until twenty-seven years of age. Jan- uary 2, 1856, he married Margaret F., daughter of John Dunn of Waddington, and the same year Mr. Fisher bought a farm of 120 acres, where he has ever since made his home. He has added to this farm twenty acres and has made many valuable improve- ments His fine residence and large stock barn, etc., are the result of Mr. Fisher's labor and enterprise. He is one of the staunchest Republicans, though taking no active part in politics. He has been a member of the Congregational church about twenty years and was for four years one of the trustees. Mrs. Fisher, the companion of our subject during his early struggles and successes, is still living. They have had four children : Alexander D., who lives on the homestead ; Loretta E., wife of Richard I. Libby, a traveling salesman ; Charles E., traveling salesman for a Boston house ; and Carrie A., who lives at home.

Fife, Andrew, Waddington, was born in Waddington, April 3, 1826. His father, William Fife, was born in Scotland and came to Waddington when a young man. He married Margaret, daughter of Adam and Rachael Walker, who came to Waddington in an early day. Mr. Fife and wife had five children, two of whom are still living : Thomas W. and Andrew. At his death Mr. Fife owned 107 acres. He and family were members of the Scotch Presbyterian church. He died in 1832 and his wife in 1872. Andrew Fife was reared and educated in Waddington. He engaged in the

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manufacture of butter, following it many years. He is a farmer and owns 160 acres and a village lot of six acres, where he has resided since 1881. Mr. Fife married, April 5, 1855, Euphemia, daughter of Adam and Ann (Nesbett) Veitch of Scotland, early set- lers of Waddington, and had four children, three now living. William, one of their children, married Maggie Boon of Waddington, and died March 27, 1886. In politics Mr. Fife is a Republican. He and wife are members of the Presbyterian church of Waddington.

Fisher, Robert A., Madrid, was born in the town of Madrid, August 29, 1844, the third son of Robert and Mary (Todd) Fisher. Robert Fisher, the father of our subject, was born near Jedburg, Scotland, in 1800 and came to this country when twenty years of age. He took up a farm of fifty-two acres in Madrid, which he increased to 283 acres. He was always a Republican, but never aspired to public office. He was a mem- ber of the Scotch Presbyterian church of Waddington, and married in 1834, Mary, daughter of Thomas Todd, a native of England, who came to this country about the same time as the Fisher family. Robert and wife had ten children, six of whom sur- vive : William M., a retired farmer of Madrid; Betsey, wife of John Westaway of Buck's Bridge; Margaret, wife of Rev. William H. Kanoff of Hermon, N. Y .; Susan, wife of Jerome Bartholomew of Madrid; John Henry, who lives on the homestead farm; and Robert A. Robert, sr., died January 8. 1863, and his wife died October 8, 1884. She was born in 1808. Robert was educated in the common and select schools and the old Ogdensburg Academy, and after leaving school he was for three seasons engaged in teaching. At his father's death he returned home to manage the farm and care for the family, remaining on the old homstead until the spring of 1869. He then bought the Hesselgrave farm of 100 acres, where he lived but one season and then moved on to the George Dean farm of seventy-three acres, where he has ever since made his home. He has made many additions and improvements, and now has a 225 acre farm, with a fine residence, good barns, etc. He conducts it as a dairy farm, with twenty-five head of cattle, ten sheep and four horses. Mr. Fisher has always been a worker in the Republican party and has many times held offices of honor and trust in his town, now serving his twelfth year as assessor. He is a member of the Scotch church, and has been an elder for six years. He married, December 9, 1868, Ann, daughter of William Brown of Waddington, and they have six children : Mary Eulab, George Thomas, William Edward, a student of Potsdam State Normal School; Myron Brown, Lila May and Arena.

Fay, Francis E., Potsdam, was born where he now resides in Potsdam, November 21, 1833. Jonathan Fay, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of Connecticut. He married in the State of his birth and afterwards moved to Vermont, locating in the town of Royalton. He was the father of eleven children. Silas Fay, the oldest son, was the first to emigrate to New York State. James Fay, the second son and father of our subject, was born June 27, 1805, educated in the common schools and took up farming. He married in 1830, Jerusha Lyman of Royalton, and in the fall of 1832 they moved into St. Lawrence county, at that time a wilderness. He bought a farm of thirty-seven acres, which he afterwards increased to eighty-seven acres, and always made his home here. He was a man of considerable prominence in the town, and held

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the office of highway commissioner and was also assessor. In politics he was a Demo- crat, and was a member of the First Presbyterian church. He had two children : Doug- lass W., who was born June 27, 1842, and died in 1847 ; and Francis. The whole life of our subject has been spent on the homestead farm. He was educated in the com- mon schools and the old St. Lawrence Academy, and assisted his father on the farm until the death of the latter, June 27, 1869, after which the farm became his by right of inheritance, and there he has reared his family. He has added by purchase to the farm until it now contains 157 acres, devoted to dairying, with thirty-three head of cattle. The residence was erected by James Fay, and the out-buildings by Francis. Mr. Fay married in 1856, Harriet Dustin of Potsdam, and they had two children, one now living, Fred J., a clerk in a store in New York city. Mrs. Fay died April 2, 1864, and he married second, in September, 1868, Mrs. Anna Leonard, daughter of Peter Sturtevant, and widow of Lorson Leonard. Mr. and Mrs. Fay have one daughter, Louise. Mr. Fay has always taken an active interest in the Democratic party, but has never been an aspirant for political honors. He and his family are members of the First Presbyterian church of Potsdam, and he is also a member of Potsdam Grange, No. 39.

Ehle, M. P., Edwardsville, was born at Sharon, Monroe county, June 10, 1835. When a year old his parents moved to Morristown and settled on part of the farm now owned by Mr. Ehle. He married first, Sarah E. Haggert, and they had these children : Reuben P., Margaret, Alice A. and Mabel P. His second wife was Sarah E. Lammond, who died in 1892. Mr. Ehle's father was John Ehle, a native of Montgomery county. His mother was Margaret Freleich. They had a family of ten children, of whom Mr. Ehle is the only survivor.

Eastman, George L., Potsdam, was born in Hopkinton, August 11, 1837. He came to Potsdam when nineteen years of age, and after leaving school studied law in Dart & Tappan's law office, where he was at the breaking out of the war. He enlisted in the Sixteenth N. Y. Volunteers. Lieutenant Hopkins together with Mr. Eastman raised Co. B of the regiment, and Mr. Eastman was made second lieutenant. He served nearly two years and was discharged on account of sickness. He visited California, and was in mercantile business in Idaho City for about three years. He returned to Potsdam and established a hardware store here, which he conducted for six years and then in- vested in a sheep ranch in Kansas, which State he visited and remained there about two years. He was engaged in the manufacturing business for a time, and was ap- pointed postmaster by President Harrison in 1890. He died November 11, 1891. He married in 1872, Eunice J. Merriam of Malone, daughter of John Merriam, a farmer of that town, and they had five children, all of whom are living : Harry M., deputy post- master ; Susie L., Lee J., Margaret R. and George L. Mrs. Eastman was appointed by President Harrison to fill the office of postmistress for the full term from January 6, 1892.

Ellis, D. Frank, Potsdam, was born in Cambridge, Mass., December 1, 1850, was edu- cated at Cambridge High School, and in 1869 engaged in the butter business in Boston. In 1880 he became interested in creameries in St. Lawrence county, still holding his

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connection with David Ellis & Co. of Boston until 1890. From 1890 to 1893 Mr. Ellis was at the head of the D. F. Ellis Butter Company, and the latter year organized the Potsdam Milk Sugar Company in Potsdam, in company with Thomas S. Clarkson. Mr. Ellis was for two years a member of the board of trustees of the village. He married in 1873, Addie M., daughter of C. W. Kingsley of Cambridge, Mass., and they have one daughter, a student at the Normal School.

Negus, A. I., De Grasse, was born in Madrid, November 17, 1857. His grandfather, William Negus, was a soldier in the War of 1812, and drew a pension for services rend- ered there. He married Abigail Hudson, whose parents were natives of Vermont, and he came with his wife to this county and settled at Hermon. The father of our subject was John Negus, of Jefferson county, who married Theresa Sherwin, daughter of Isaac C. Sherwin, of St. Lawrence county, by whom he had three sons: William, Asa, and A. I. Negus. His wife died October 25, 1862, and in October, 1865, he married Catha- rine Morgan, by whom he had five children, three boys and two girls: Laura, Inez, James Monroe, John, and Nile. His wife died January 3, 1893. Andrew I. Negus, our subject, received his early education in the common schools, and began work for himself by running a mill in Canton in the year of 1880, and ran the Hodskin mill in Canton in 1881. In the fall of 1881 he moved to De Grasse, and ran the Hodskin mill in company with his father until 1885. After working in various places for the next five years he again returned to the Hodskin mill in 1890, where he is engaged, at pres- ent proprietor, manufacturing lumber, shingles, laths, etc, making in all dimensions an output of 700,000 feet lumber, 700,000 shingles, and 500 bales of laths yearly. He has also a planing and finishing mill and a small grist mill. In 1879 he married Anna Birch, daughter of Thomas C. and Mary (Williams) Birch. Her father was in the late war in the Eighty-third Regiment ; he was wounded in the foot in the battle of the Wilder- ness; had his leg taken off; was taken to the Alexander Hospital in the fourth ward ; had the mumps, and that was what killed him. Mr. and Mrs. Negus have had two sons and two daughters : Lena, born October 14, 1880, died August 5, 1881 ; Earnest, born July 17, 1882; William, born October 25, 1884, died August 15, 1885; Florence, born February 11, 1892. Mr. Negus and father are both Democrats, the latter being a mem- ber of Russell Lodge No. 566, F. & A. M. He resides with his son, A. I. Negus.

Beede, Royal S., Hopkinton, was born in Lawrence, August 1, 1838. He is a son of Manasah, whose father was Jonatlian Beede, of New Hampshire, who died in Ver- mont after a residence there of many years. Manasah was born in Orange, Vt., March 23, 1807, and there married Mehetable S. Carpenter, and had two sons, Royal S. being the only survivor. Mr. Beede came to Lawrence in 1836 and there spent his days, though he died in Hopkinton, April 12, 1881. His wife died in 1840. Royal S. was reared on the farm, and in 1864 came to his present residence, comprising 160 acres, where he has since resided, keeping twenty cows and following general farming. He also has a hop yard of three acres. R. S. Beede built the first silo in town in August, 1887, he also operates a red sandstone quarry located on his farm. Mr. Beede is a Re- publican in politics and has served as highway commissioner. He is a member of Elk Lodge, F. & A. M .. of Nicholville, and he and family attend and support the Congrega- tional church, of which his wife is a member. March 30, 1864, he married Honora Des-

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mond, a native of Merimishee, St. Johns, New Brunswick, born February 1, 1842, and a daughter of Thomas and Bridget (Power) Desmond, the former of County Cork, and the latter of County Waterford, Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Beede have two sons : Fayette W., a resident of Keene, Essex county, who married, December 10, 1889, Jennie I., daughter of John Lindsay, of this town, and they have one son, Royal L. Earl D., second son of our subject, resides at home. Mrs. Beede possesses more than ordinary ability and taste for literary work, and has been a regular correspondent for the Pots- dam Herald, Courier, Freeman, Adirondack News, Norwood News, the Rural New Yorker, etc., and was awarded first prize in the woman's department in 1892. She was educated in Lawrenceville Academy, and for a number of years was a successful teacher.

Elliott, Admiral M., Stockholm, was born at Crown Point, Essex county, January 23, 1818, a son of Admiral M., a native of New Hampshire, who married Abiah Burton of the same place, and had twelve children. Mr. Elliott and wife came to Crown Point in an early day, where they lived until the death of Mr. Elliott. His widow then came to Stockholm, but died in Hopkinton. Admiral M. was twenty-one years old when he came to Stockholm, and settled on the farm where his son Xerxes now lives. Here he resided until 1885, then moved to Hopkinton, his present residence. He married Daphne Converse, born June 24, 1824, the date of their marriage being 1842. They have had seven sons and three daughters.

Elliott, Xerxes C., Stockholm, was born in Stockholm, November 20, 1855, a son of Admiral Elliott, also a son of Admiral, a native of Vermont and one of the early settlers of Crown Point. He afterwards came to Stockholm, and finally went west and was never afterwards heard of. Our subject was reared on a farm, educated in the common schools, and has been engaged in the manufacture of butter and cheese for several years. He has had charge of the factories for L. S. Crapser. Mr. Elliott is one of the leading farmers of Stockholm, owning 165 acres of land, which was settled by his father. He follows general farming and dairying, keeping twenty-seven cows. He is a Democrat, a member of P. of H., and Fort Jackson Lodge. He married Sarah Chamber, daughter of John Chamber of this town. They have one son Lloyd.

Eacutt, William, Colton, was born in Morrisburg, Canada, December 24, 1849, a son of Isaac Eacutt, a native of Berkshire, England, born in 1812, who came to Canada and married Sophia Bourck, a native of Canada, by whom he had twelve children, eleven now living. By occupation he has always been a railroad man, but is now retired and lives at Farran's Point, Canada. William was reared in Morrisburg, and at the age of fourteen went to Prescott, Ontario, where he learned the tinsmith's trade, at which he spent four years. March 17, 1872, he came to Colton, and in 1875 formed 2 partner- ship with James P. Howe in the hardware and tinware business, at which he continued eleven years, then bought the interest of his partner. December 28, 1882, he married Mary Potter, a native of Colton, and daughter of Pelopidis Potter. Mr. Eacutt is a Republican in politics and a member of High Falls Lodge No. 428, F. & A. M. He and family attend the Episcopal church of Colton.

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

Dow, James M., Ogdensburg, was born in Watertown, January 1, 1828. He has been located in this city for the past thirty-five years, where he has been very prominent in his profession (photography). His art works are in every household and are un- equaled for softness and fineness of finish. Mr. Dow has taken all of the photo- graphs for all of the leading histories, etc., which have been published in this county, and is now assisting Mr. Gates Curtis to gather together views, etc., for this his- tory.

Deschamps, George, Ogdensburg, was born in Canada in 1849. He early learned the blacksmith trade, and when twenty-three years of age came to Ogdensburg, where he worked for several establishments engaged in this branch of industry, and in 1884 es- tablished himself in business here. He married Theresa Bourdon, and they have four children. Mr. Deschamps is a prominent Catholic and was one of the founders of St. John the Baptist Society.

Dorgan, William, Ogdensburg, was born in Ireland, March 2, 1852. His parents moved from that country and settled in Depeyster, St. Lawrence county, in 1853, one year after William was born. They took up land on the east side and followed farm- ing. William was educated in the district schools, and after a time took charge of the farm of the Averills, known as the Whitehouse farm, on Heuvelton road, which William Dorgan conducted most successfully for thirteen years. He then moved to Ogdensburg and formed a partnership with L. M. Bristol in the coal and wood trade. This house then purchased an entire block on the railroad, where they enjoy special facilities and advantages for the successful prosecution of their important branch of industry. They have an office at No. 5 Ford street. Mr. Dorgan married Ellen F. Hurlburt of Depey- ster, a daughter of Amos Hurlburt.

Dodds, George M., Gouverneur, one of three children living of Andrew and Sallie (Smith) Dodds, was born on the farm owned by his father in Gouverneur. Andrew Dodds, the father, was born in Roxburyshire, Scotland, August 16, 1812. He came to this country in 1832 and located in Gouverneur on what is called the Scotch Settlement road. In 1851 he bought the farm on which his two sons now live, comprising some 360 acres. George M. owns the homestead with some 200 acres of the farm, where he has always lived. The mother, Sallie (Smith) Dodds, was a daughter of Willard and Lucy (Garrett) Smith of Gouverneur, who were Washington county people. They were one of the first families to settle in Gouverneur, coming over 200 miles on an ox sleigh in the winter, George M. was married in 1878 to Zeruah Johnson, daughter of Grove and Malvina (Wight) Johnson of Fowler. They have three children : Bertha Ada, George Wilson and Bligh Dodds. Mr. Dodds is a member of the highway com- mission, and is one of the representative young men of the town.

Dart, Dennis R., Potsdam, was born on a farm in Potsdam, January 24, 1850. Jabez Dart, the great-grandfather of our subject, was a native of Connecticut, born in 1740. Simeon Dart, grandfather of Dennis, was born in Hartford, Conn., in 1770, and learned the blacksmith's trade in his native State. When about thirty years of age he moved into Vermont, where he lived but a few years, when he joined a party of men under Sewall Raymond, and came to St. Lawrence county, settling in Potsdam in 1809. He

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followed his trade about thirty years and was the first blacksmith in the town. He died in 1859. Mr. Dart married Phoebe Allen of Westchester county, and they had seven children, of whom Charles, father of our subject, was the second son. He was born February 7, 1807, in Williston, Vt., being only two years old when his parents moved into the town. He was given a common school education and took up farm- ing. He took charge of the homestead farm at West Potsdam. Charles Dart was for a great many years justice of the peace of Potsdam. He was twice married, first in 1832, to Olive, daughter of Benjamin Bailey of Potsdam, and they had six children, two now living : Mrs. Capt. Holt of West Potsdam ; and Dennis R. Mrs. Dart died September 18, 1865, and he married second in 1869, Levisa, daughter of Daniel and Sylvia (Axtell) Rice of Oswegatchie and widow of William Rich of Potsdam. Charles Dart died January 28, 1871. Subject was educated in the common schools and the old St. Lawrence Academy. He took up farming and in 1872 bought a farm of seventy- six acres, where he has since made his home. He married, January 15, 1872, Eva, daughter of William Rich of Potsdam, and they had three children, two living : Charles Holt and William A.

Dessert, George H., Ogdensburg, was born in Ogdensburg, October 20, 1865. His father, Peter, was a native of Three Rivers, P. I. He came to Ogdensburg when six- teen years of age and married Miss Chevrier of Vaudrellil, P. I. George H. received his education in the local schools, after which he was a salesman for Charles Wood five years, and also was connected with the Central Railroad and the Courier Publishing Company. In 1880 he was appointed substitute on the staff of the Ogdensburg postal service, and in August he received a regular appointment. In June, 1892, he received the appointment of city clerk from 1892-93, which position he still most acceptably fills. Mr. Dessert is a young gentleman of affable and courteous manner, and has many friends in this city.

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Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 111

Author: Curtis, Gates Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1328

Author: Curtis, Gates
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1328