Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 85

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 85
USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people: a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 85

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).

Ewings, H. H., Parishville, was born in Malone, Franklin county, October 17, 1840. His father was J. H. Ewings, a native of Vermont and a son of Ira Ewings, who came from Vermont to Franklin county in 1819. Here he spent about half of his life, then settled in Parishville where he died. J. H. Ewings was born in Townsend, Vt., in 1812 and married Esther Paine of Malone, daughter of Daniel Paine, a prominent man of that town. Mr. and Mrs. Ewing had one son and three daughters. He died in 1882, and his wife in 1857. Our subject has always followed general farming and dairying and now owns 280 acres of land, keeping thirty cows. He married, first, Josephine Willis, a native of Parishville and daughter of Samuel Willis, a native of New Hamp- shire and an early settler of this town, who died March 9, 1877. By his first wife Mr. Ewing had four children : Etta, Edith, Alice and Ida. She died April 28, 1882, and he married, second, January 28, 1883, Ora Willis, sister of his first wife. She was born

HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

November 8, 1849, and died March 10, 1888. Mr. Ewing married, third, October 28, 1890, Emma E. Wallace of Canton, daughter of Orson Wallace, a prominent farmer of that town. Our subject is a Republican and has served as excise commissioner and in- spector of elections. He is a member of West Parishville Grange .No. 542. He is a Free Will Baptist and has been for many years clerk of the church. Mr. Ewing is registered as a veterinary surgeon.

Flaherty, Michael H., Massena, son of Thomas and Maria (Kinsella) Flaherty, was born August 6, 1842. He was educated at the common schools, and when a young man he took a position as clerk in a country store, where he remained about five years, then took a position as commercial salesman for several years. In 1872 he entered the general merchandise business under the firm name of H. T. Clark & Co., which firm is still doing business. Mr. Flaherty is president of the Massena Banking Co., of Massena. In politics he has always been identified with the Republican party, has been super- visor of the town for ten years, and holds that position at the present time. He was elected as member of the General Assembly of the State of New York for 1888-89. He married Verona E., daughter of Dr. J. H. Grinnell, of this town, June 28, 1876, and they have two children, Thomas Grinnell and Agnes Elvira.

Finnegan, W. B., M. D., Edwardsville, was born in Louisville and received his early education in the Academy at Massena. He studied his profession at Ann Arbor, Mich., graduating honorably in 1882. He began practicing in Michigan but in 1884 returned to his native county, locating in Edwardsville. There, by his professional skill and his personal characteristics, he has built up a large practice. His parents were Irish by birth, and settled in Canada, where they lived about two years; they removed from there to Louisville sixty years ago where they lived and died.

The great industry of Weston, Dean & Aldrich, Gouverneur, makes Natural Dam a place of importance. The large office business and general management is in charge of Mr. G. B. Johnston, one of the best known men of the town of Gouverneur. He was born in Ottawa, Canada, April 1, 1845, and has been in the United States twelve years. He was in the shipping department of Sherman, Lord & Herdman, and filled a similar office for J. R. Booth. He was subsequently a member of the firm of Sherman & Johnston at Potsdam, N. Y. Mr. Johnston married M. A. Fairburn, and they have two daughters, Helena May and Lila Lord. Mrs. Johnston died in September, 1891.

Ide, Russell B., Stockholm, was born at Crown Point, Essex county, April 13, 1809, a son of Jesse, who was a son of Ichabod, who came from England to America during the French and Indian wars. Jesse was born in Rehoboth, Mass., in 1859, and at the age of sixteen was drafted in the Revolutionary war. He was twice mar- ried, first to a Miss Sheldon, by whom he had three daughters, and second to Lucy Hicks, by whom he had six sons and a daughter. With the exception of Russell B., the children all died early. In 1845 Mr. Ide settled at Stockholm, where he died July 2, 1848. Mrs. Ide resided with her son until her death in 1869. Rsssell B. was edu- cated in Vermont, where his parents lived for some time. He married first, Maria Flint. His first wife died and he married second, Roancy Dutton, March 7, 1838. She was born in Brandon, Vt., April 17, 1820, one of nine children of Samuel and

PERSONAL SKETCHES.

Sallie (Kingsley) Dutton, of Jeffrey, Vt. Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Ide, four died. The others are as follows : Susan, wife of Lorenzo Page, residing at Lawrenceville, has six children : Emma, who resides at Sanfordville, is the widow of Charles Robinson, a native of Westford, Vt., who came to Stockholm with his grand- parents when a child. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson had three children : Minnie, wife of Edward Kerr, has two children, Clara and Hazel; Eva, wife of Elmer Green, of Stockholm, by whom she has two children Floyd and Cecil; and Charles who re- sides with his mother. Walter, third surviving child of Mr. and Mrs. Ide, married Effie Clark and lives in Stockholm; Ella, married Orson Murray, and has five chil- nren ; Charles R. Ide resides in Iowa. Mr. Ide has lived in Stockholm since 1843. He owns a farm of 116 acres, but now lives retired, residing with his daughter in Sanfordville. His oldest daughter, Maria, married John B. Foster, a soldier in the late war, who was wounded and died there. His wife died two years later. Their three children are all now living. Mr. Robinson was a painter by trade and a soldier in the late war, where he contracted a disease which resulted in his death April 19, 1881.

The Andrews Family .- Martin Andrews, Massena, was born in 1761 in Weathers- field, Conn., and married Phoebe Bellefield, of Newbury, N. Y., born December 28, 1784. John B., their son, born July 23, 1788, at Claremont, N. H., came to Massena in 1810 and married Susan Boynton, January 1, 1815. They had six children : Guy B., Alexander H., Morris B., Hannibal, Susan and John. Alexander H. was born April 10, 1819, in this town, was educated in the public schools, with a year each at Fort Covington and Potsdam Academies. He then accepted a clerkship in his father's store for a few years, and then he and a brother went into the mercantile business under the firm name of G. B. and A. H. Andrews, continuing till 1849, since which time our subject has been a successful farmer. In politics he was a Whig, was postmaster under the administration of William Henry Harrison ; was a delegate to the first Republican Convention held in the county in 1855, and has since been a Republican, except that he supported Greeley and acted with the Liberals while they had an existence. Mr. Andrews was elected member of assembly from the third

assembly district of this county in 1867 and 1868, has been assessor of the town of Massena for several years, and president of the board of trustees of Pine Grove Cemetery for the past twenty years. His first wife was Mary P., daughter of Joseph Miles, of Potsdam, and they had three children : Helen M., Kate G., who married H. H. Harrington, and Miles II., who married Miss L. M. Williams. Mrs. Andrews died May 2, 1851, and he married second, Mrs. Esther Sawin, daughter of Anthony Thompson, and they had one son, J. Charles, who married Georgiana, daugh- ter of Joseph Hartwell. Mrs. Andrews died August 8, 1887.

Johnson, J. B., Gouverneur, was born in Gouverneur, October 14, 1850, and after a few years spent in mercantile business, he worked for the Gouverneur Iron Ore Com- pany. Next he entered the employ of the St. Lawrence Manufacturing Company. In 1885 he purchased an interest in the Gouverneur Machine Company. In 1886 it was organized as a stock company and Mr. Johnson has been its manager and secretary ever since. In 1876 he married Libby, daughter of Hugh Bowtelle. His father, one

HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

of the early settlers of Gouverneur, was John Johnson, born in Johnstown, Fulton county, N. Y., the son of Caleb Johnson, wounded at battle of Saratoga, in the Revolutionary war.

Jenkins, Jotham, Stockholm, was born in Canada, Febrbary 4, 1825, a son of Elias, a native of Bradford, Vt., born in 1790. The latter came to Canada with his parents when a child. His father dying when he was ten years old he was obliged to assume much of the responsibility of caring for the family at a very early age. At the age of twenty he married Sarah, daughter of Rev. Richard Gage, by whom he had eleven children. In 1837 Mr. Jenkins came to Stockholm, where he spent his last years. He and wife were members of the Wesleyan Methodist church, in which Mr. Jenkins was class leader for thirty years. Mrs. Jenkins died in June, 1853, and in 1854 he married second, Mrs. Taylor, of Malone, N. Y. Mr. Jenkins died October 19, 1870. Jotham, our subject, came to Stockholm at the age of twelve, where he was educated and has always followed farming, being the owner of 360 acres. He is a Prohibitionist and attends the Wesleyan Methodist church. In 1848 he mar- mied Sophronia French, of Stockholm, by whom he has had seven children : Warren, who died young; Orpha E., who married a Mr. Maynard, of Dakota, where she died, leaving four children; Silas D., who married Electa Gray, and has had two children, Ivers and Theron; Janson, who married Martha Winters and has four children, resides in Dakota; Henry I., of Winthrop, married first, Martha Smith, by whom he had one child, Gladys, and second, Mary O'Brien; Elias L, died in infancy ; and Gertie L., who resides at home. Mrs. Jenkins was a daughter of Levi S. French, who was a son of John, of Vermont, one of the first to settle in Stockholm (1810) where he died in 1832. He married Sybil Dewey, who died in 1841, and they had six chil- dren. Levi French.was born in Vermont in 1799, and married Elmina Fisk, of Bangor, N. Y., by whom he had five children. He died in 1887, and his wife October 6, 1890, aged eighty-five.

Jones, Harvey L., Ogdensburg, was born in New Hampshire, May 23, 1840. Re- moved with his parents to Ogdensburg, 1852. He is a descendant from one branch of the family (on his father's side) that gave "Paul Jones " of Revolutionary fame to the country ; can trace his ancestry on his mother's side to the "Mayflower," his grandfather on his mother's side, (William Baldwin) was a soldier of the Rev- olution, and was one of twelve drawn by lot to shoot Major Andre to death, but whose sentence was changed to hanging, which took place October 2, 1780. Mr. Jones has been closely identified with public affairs ; was a member of the board of supervirors many years and chairman 1880; has been a member of the board of trustees of the village (now city) of Ogdensburg, at present is treasurer of the commissioners of Cranberry Lake Reservoir, and clerk of the city and board of educa- tion. He was married in 1870, to Miss Ella Denison, of Minnesota, and has three children; one son and two daughters. In politics is a staunch Republican.

Idler, John G., Ogdensburg, was born in Oswego, March 15, 1848. His parents moved from there to Ogdensburg when the subject was one year old. They were of German parentage. John G. Idler entered the employ of the Proctor lumber business

PERSONAL SKETCHES.

as tally boy in 1864 and is now a foreman of the business. Mr. Idler married in 1875, Miss Josephine E. Manley and has three children. He is a member of the Ogdensburg club, Royal Arcanum, etc.

Jewett, Proctor, Gouverneur, was born in Jefferson county, April 21, 1842. He left his father's farm at seventeen and took up milling and followed it for many years, being for some time a member of the firm of La Salle & Jewitt of Canton. Mr. Jewett is now overseer of the poor for Gouverneur and also conducts a livery stable. In 1863 he married Lucy a Rutherford, and in December of the same year enlisted in the 14th N. Y. Heavy Artillery and passed through the Wilderness, participating in the battles of Cold Harbor, Spottsylvania and Petersburg. Mr. Jewett's grandfather, Ezekiel Jewett, was a captain at Sackett's Harbor in the war of 1812. He took up a large tract of land in 1802, where the city of Watertown now stands. There being at that time only three framed houses there, the rise on the same made him forehanded. The father of the subject was a lad at that time and well remembers seeing wolves and hear- ing them around the house at night. Mr. and Mrs. Proctor Jewett now enjoy all the blessings of a happy life in the flourishing village of Gouverneur.

Ives, Martin V. B., Potsdam, was born in Dickerson, Franklin county, November 20, 1840, a son of Warren Ives, who came from Connecticut about 1830. He was a law- yer and for thirteen years he was supervisor of Dickerson and a man whose advice was sought on many questions of public affairs. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. He married Louisa B. Ladd, who came from Newbury, Vt., and was a distant relative of Daniel Webster. Martin received an education in the common amd select schools. and when he was twenty-one years of age started to learn the trade of carpenter and joiner, and the same year was elected constable of Dickerson. July 1, 1862, he enlisted in the 47th N. Y. Vol. Infantry and served two years and ten months. He was at the battles of Olustee, Fla., Drury's Bluff, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and both attacks on Fort Fisher. When his term expired, his mother having moved to Potsdam, Martin located there, where he engaged in the mercantile business, conducting a book store and doing quite an extensive business in western passenger tickets for the R., W. and O. Railroad Company, retiring in 1886. In 1882 he and his brother erected one of the finest business blocks on Market street, Potsdam, known as the Ives block, and in 1890, in partnership with his brother, H. L. Ives, he erected the new Ives block, mar- ble, which is conceded to be one of the finest business blocks in St. Lawrence county. He was several years assessor of the village and in 1893 was elected supervisor by a large majority. Mr. Ives married in 1866, Sarah, daughter of Seth Benson of Potsdam, and they have one son, Hillie S. Mr. Ives was appointed by Governor Flower in 1893 trustee of the New York State Agricultural Station of Geneva. He is also . the presi- dent of the Racquette Valley and St. Regis Valley Horticultural and Agricultural Society.

Jarvais, Frank, Ogdensburg, was born in Aylmer, Canada. His parents moved to this city when he was a child, and after he had received a common school educa- tion he entered the meat business and for fourteen and a half years was employed in a leading market here. About eight years ago he established business for him-

HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

self and has since been very successful in its management, having the leading trade on the west side. Mr. Jarvais has been twice married. His first wife was a Miss La March, by whom he had three children. His second wife was a Miss Nellie M. Latham, by whom he has one son. She is cashier and bookkeeper and a very valuable assistant in the business. Mr. Jarvais is a staunch Democrat and in May, 1893, was appointed deputy collector of customs at the Ferry dock. He was the first in the dis- trict to receive an appointment under Cleveland's administration. The market is now conducted under the supervision of Mrs. Jarvais.

Kinney, Hart S., Massena, was born October 22, 1800, in Bethel, Vt., and came to this town in 1821, where he was a farmer all his life. He married, first, Nancy Lamper- ton of Vermont, and they had four children, the first two dying in infancy. Wealthy, born August 15, 1835, married Edward Tracey. She died in April, 1889. Elizabeth, born January 20, 1839, married Albert Rosebrook of Vermont. Mrs. Kinney died January 10, 1837, and Mr. Kinney married, second, Mary Flint, daughter of Ralph Flint. She was born September 13, 1813, at Shoreham, Vt. By this union there were four children : Arvilla R., born September 12, 1842, married George Washburn February 19, 1874, died April 30, 1883; Edwin W., born April 22, 1844, married Alice, daughter of Daniel E. and Clarisssa (Carpenter) Stearns of this town, September 4, 1866; Albert T., born October 18, 1847, married Frances Barnett ; George F., born March 14, 1850, married Ella Miller, died June 20, 1888. Edwin W., who furnishes this sketch, lives on the old homestead, was educated at the common schools, and enlisted as a pri- vate October 1, 1861, in Co. A, 92d Reg't, and served with his regiment till he was mustered out May 17, 1863. He thien re-enlisted in the U. S. navy at the Brook- lyn Navy Yord, September 1, 1864, and was in several naval engagements, being at Savannah when General Sherman arrived after his famous march to the sea. He received his final discharge June 27, 1865. Mr. Kinney has been a successful farmer since that time. He is a Republican and has been assessor of the town of Massena for seven successive years. He is a member of the Baptist church.

Keene, Col. H. B., Gouverneur, was born June 17, 1810. His parents, Job and Nancy Keene, settled in Jefferson county in 1822, and there a great part of Colonel Keene's life was spent. For many years he was largely interested in farming, and still owns 1,500 acres of dairy farm lands, with 200 cows. He was one of the projectors of the old Watertown and Potsdam railway, being one of its first directors. He was also colonel of the Eighty-fourth Regiment of State militia. October 30, 1882, Colonel Keene married Mrs. Frances Jacobs, and they have one daughter, Florence May Keene. Colonel Keene has lived a very useful life, a prominent feature of which has been the aid and encouragement he has always given young men. He lives a semi-retired life in Gouverneur, interesting himself only in the management of his various farms.

Kirk, Vernon H., Parishville, was born in Stockholm, February 13, 1849. His father was Olivet Kirk, son of Joseph, who was a son of Charles, the latter a native of Glas- gow, Scotland, who fought in the Revolutionary War, and died in Charleston, Mass., aged fifty years. His wife, Abigail, died in New Hampshire in 1836 at the age of seventy- six. Joseph was born in Weston, Vt., March 2, 1781. September 13, 1803, he mar-

PERSONAL SKETCHES.

ried Susannah Tenney, born June 9, 1783, who died in Danby, Vt., in 1831. Joseph Kirk had six sons and four daughters. He was a major in the State militia, and served in the State Legislature. He died April 13, 1847, and his wife September 7 of the same year. Olivet Kirk was born July 3, 1815, in Weston, Vt., and married Sallie C. Har- rington, by whom he had two sons, our subject and O. R. Kirk, deceased. About 1854 Olivet moved to Pennsylvania, where his wife died February 6, 1857. In October, 1860, he married a second wife, Lucy A. Eastman, a native of Parishville, by whom he had one daughter, Lucinda S. Mr. Kirk was active in politics, and was one of the or- ganizers of the Republican party. He died May 14, 1868. Vernon H. Kirk was a child when his parents moved to Pennsylvania. In 1859 he returned to Parishville, where he has since followed farming, owning 111 acres of dairy land. January 1, 1873, he married Jennie L. Crouch, daughter of O. F. Crouch, and they have one adopted child, Jay Sanford. Mr. Kirk is independent in politics. He is a member of the First Congregational church of Parishville, and of P. of H. of Potsdam.

Kelsey, Elias, Hammond, was born in Lewis county, February 19, 1826. He was engaged in cheesemaking for twenty years, and followed farming the greater part of his life. In 1854 he married ¿Clarissa A. Hildreth. They have had six children. The two eldest being Evaline E. and Etha M. Both have passed away; the former in her twenty-third year, and the latter in the eighteenth year of her age, having been mar- ried to James H. Wilson, of Morristown, six months previous to her death. They also have three sons : Harmon E., Earl J. and Carlton Ray, and one daughter, Bertha Ruth. Mr. Kelsey's father was Oliver Kelsey. He came from New Hampshire in 1803, mov- ing his family to Lewis county, N. Y., with an ox team. Mrs. Kelsey's father, Walter Hildreth, came from Vermont. Mr. Kelsey is a large and influential farmer, and is also interested in stock raising.

Kinney, A., Gouverneur, was born in Gouverneur, November 20, 1847, and except seven years in Jefferson county, has lived here all his life. He began business here in 1864, and is one of the leading grocers and clothiers of the place. In 1868 he married Mary, daughter of Samuel Spence, of Watertown, and they have a son, R. L. Kinney, who married Jennie, daughter of Benjamin Miller, and a daughter, Floy E. Mr. Kin- ney's father was Orren Kinney, a descendant of the Mohawk Valley Kinneys.

Killmer, John, Gouverneur, was born in Washington county, August 5, 1824, and came to Gouverneur in 1834. His active life has been spent in chair-making, painting and mercantile business, but is now living retired. January 7, 1852, Mr. Killmer married Sarah Mckean, and they have two children : John P., and Ellen W., wife of A. F. Coates. Mr. Killmer was trustee of the village seven years, and excise commissioner five years.

Kelsey, Henry G., Stockholm, was born October 29, 1833, on the farm he now owns. His father was Sidney Kelsey, son of Isaac, a native of Orville, Vt. In 1801 Isaac and his eldest son, Reuben, came to Stockholm and built the first house in the place, and they, with a Mr. Wright, spent the winter there, being the first settlers of the town. The following spring Mr. Kelsey's family, in company with six others, came to Stock- holm, and here Mr. Kelsey died in 1831. Sidney Kelsey was born March 2, 1787, and

HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

took up the farm now owned by the subject of our sketch. He married first Amanda Deveraux, by whom he had two children. She died in 1824, and he married second Julia Holcomb, of Shoreham, Vt., born February 5, 1797. They had two sons, one who died young, and Henry G. He was a Republican, and was supervisor of the town. He died February 10, 1871, and his wife April 3, of the same year. Henry G. Kelsey was reared on the farm and educated in the common schools. He is a general farmer and dairyman, snd owns 170 acres of land. August 23, 1860, he married Har- riet Steenberge, of Stockholm, who was born in 1840, a daughter of Orrin Steenberge, of Vermont. Mr. Kelsey and wife have had two children : Sidney E., born August 17, 1863, who graduated from Claverack Military school in 1883 and from Cornell Univer- sity in 1887. He is now a civil engineer, and resides in Kansas City. He was a mem- ber of Governor Francis' staff during the opening of the World's Fair, and is at present major of the Third Regiment National Guards. Alberta, the second child of Henry G., was born July 17, 1870. She is the wife of E. A. Wilkinson, manager of the cream- eries for Morse & Smith of Boston. They have one son, Henry J. Mrs. Wilkinson is one of the leading members of the choir of the Presbyterian church at Brasher Falls, having been connected with the choir since fourteen years of age. Mr. Kelsey is a Re- publican in politics, and a member of Brasher Falls Lodge, No. 541, F. & A. M., in which he has been S. D., S. W., W. M., being now treasurer. He attends and his wife and daughter are members of the Presbyterian church.

Kelley, James J., Ogdensburg, was born in Leanark county, Canada, January 25, 1861. He was educated in the schools there, and when twenty-one years of age came to Ogdensburg. After working on a farm and at the lumber business for some time he purchased in 1888 from the Ogdensburg Broom Company their business and removed it to No. 22 North Water street, and has since successfully carried on this branch of man- ufacturing, giving employment to several hands and personally supervising all opera- tions. He manufactures a high grade of brooms for the jobbing trade. Mr. Kelley is energetic and pushing and will no doubt build up a large industry here.

Kinsman, John M., Potsdam, (deceased), was born at Shrewsbury, Vt., June 9, 1816, son of John, who was a native of Massachusetts. He married in his native State, Eunice Merritt of Massachusetts, distant relative of General E. A. Merritt. Soon after marriage they moved into the State of Vermont, where Mrs. Kinsman died in 1832, leaving five children, of whom John M. was the youngest son. He married second in 1833, Anna, sister to General Merritt's father. John M. was reared in his native State, and educated in the common schools and Brandon Seminary. He taught school a few years and married August 23, 1841, Nancy B. Kinsman, a cousin, and resident of the same town. Immediately after marriage he came to St. Lawrence county and after one year spent in Canton, bought a farm of 100 acres in Potsdam, which is still owned by his family. Mr. Kinsman always made his home on this farm. He was three years in mercantile business in company with Norman Ashley and was also engaged in deal- ing in live stock and produce, in connection with his farming, and interested with Hub- bard Bradley of Norfolk in the mercantile business, and was a short time engaged in the manufacture of sash, doors and blinds. He was always a Republican. In 1884 he moved to the village of Norwood and two years later built a beautiful residence on

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Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 85

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