Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 92

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 92
USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people: a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 92

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).

Ellsworth, E. S., Pierrepont, was born in Macomb, this county, a son of Lucian, a native of Essex county, Vt., born in 1805 who came to Morristown and thence to Macomb, and in 1852 to Pierrepont. He died in Wisconsin in 1878. His wife was Charlotte Tyler, of Morristown, by whom he had five sons and seven daughters. She died in 1891. Mr. E. S. Ellsworth was educated in the common schools, and for some time followed brick-making, but is now a farmer, owning 247 acres, and keeping about

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twenty cows and forty sheep. December 18, 1855, he married Louisa Severance, a native of Pierrepont, and a daughter of Zacheus and Bernice (Bradway) Severance, natives of Vermont, who settled early in this town. They had eleven children. Mr. Severance died in 1874 and his wife in 1891. Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth have had eight children: George W., Charles H., Herbert E. (deceased), Clara A., Lucia, Lucy and Lucian (deceased) were triplets, Lucian E. Mr. Ellsworth is a Republican and has always taken an active interest in politics. He and family attend the M. E. church of Beech Plains. Edmund and Edwin, brothers of our subject, were in the 16th N. Y. Inf., under General Curtis, and were killed at Gaines' Mili, while acting as color bearers. Mrs. E. S. Ellsworth had five brothers in the war; two were killed.

Rutherford, John, Waddington, son of John, and grandson of John Rutherford, was born on the farm, his father settled in Waddington, June 1, 1828. He was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools of Waddington. Farming has been his life occupation and at present he is one of the leading farmers of Wad- dington, having 200 acres of land in that town and sixty acres in Potsdam. His principal business is dairying, and he keeps twenty-two cows. He also follows general farming. He has always been an ardent Republican, but has never aspired to public office. He is a member of the Scotch Presbyterian church. His sister Jane, who is at present his housekeeper, is also a member of that church. He has always been inter- ested in temperance, and is a member of the White Ribbon Society of Waddington.

Rutherford, Walter, Waddington, was born in Waddington, May 5, 1830. His father, John Rutherford, was a son of John and Nancy Z. Rutherford, who were among the early settlers of Waddington. They had a family of four sons and two daughters. Mrs. Rutherford died soon after coming from Scotland and Mr. Rutherford died about 1845. John Rutherford was born in Scotland, September 1, 1797, and came to Waddington in 1819. He married May Elliott, by whom he had three sons and two daughters, all now living. Mr. Rutherford and wife were among the first members of the Scotch Presbyterian church. He died May 29, 1893, and his wife July 16, 1843. Walter Rutherford was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools and Potsdam Academy. He taught school for a number of years and clerked in the store for one year. His principal occupation is farming. He owns 119 acres and with his brother-in- law and is engaged in breeding Jersey cattle and Shropshire sheep. He married in 1859, Agnes, daughter of Thomas Rutherford, and they have had two daughters, Jane and Edith. Mr. Rutherford is a Republican, and a member of the Scotch Presbyterian church, and has been an elder for over twenty years. Mrs. Rutherford died June 29, 1893.

Rutherford, John W., Madrid, was born in Roxburyshire, Scotland, February 21, 1820, and was only five years of age when his parents came to this county. William, his father, located in what is now the town of Waddington. He was a son of John, who came to this town and owned at the time a farm of fifty acres. William bought sixty acres adjoining, and they conducted this together, and at the death of John at eighty- five years of age, he became the owner of the whole farm, and here he reared a family of ten children and spent the balance of his days. He died February 28, 1873, aged 89

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years. The mother of our subject, Christie Forsythe, was also of Scotch origin. She died September 13, 1881, aged eighty-five years. Five of the family of William Ruth- erford are still living, of whom John W. is the oldest. His early life was spent on the old homestead in Waddington, and being the oldest son he began early in the field. At twenty-five years of age he started out for himself by the purchase of 130 acres in Madrid, buying part of the Ogden tract where he has ever since made his home. Mr. Rutherford has by hard work and perseverance increased the size of the farm, until now it contains about 200 acres, and has made many valuable improve- ments to the property. In 1892 he bought back the old homestead in Wadding- son, where his daughter now lives. He was first a Whig and became a Republican on the formation of that party, and has always taken an active interest in his party's welfare. Mr. Rutherford married in 1844 Jannet Brodie, also a native of Scotland, at that time of Waddington, and they had six children : William, John, Charles, Thomas, Katie and James. Four survive. Mrs. Rutherford died in 1857 and he married, sec- ond, in 1858. Janet Cranston, a native of Potsdam, and they have five children : Mrs. William Rutherford of Madrid; Mrs. Fred Beasaw of Waddington; Janie Rutherford ; Cranston and Christie, who live at home. Mrs. Rutherford died in 1878.

Rutherford, Richard M., Waddington, was born in Waddington, March 24, 1827, a son of John Rutherford second, who was a native of England (Northumberland), born in 1786, and came to Waddington in 1818, settling the farm now owned by the subject. Here he lived and died. His wife was Dorothy, daughter of William Millburn, of Northumberland, England, who came to Waddington in 1818, where he died. Mr. Rutherford and wife had eleven children, three of whom are now living: Rich- ard M., John M., and Betsey, wife of Thomas Marshall of Waddington. Mr. Rutherford died January 29, 1863, and his wife in 1884, at the age of ninety-two. Richard M. was reared on the farm he now owns and educated in the common schools of Waddington. He engaged in farming, and has always followed that occupation. He now owns 230 acres in Waddington. He is a Republican, and was assessor for three years. He attends and supports the Scotch Prerbyterian church. John M., only brother of our subject now living, was born in Waddington, August 31, 1824. He was reared and educated in his native town. He married Isabelle Hobkirk, a native of Jedborough, Scotland, born November 29, 1827, and a daughter of Adam and Elizabeth (Furgeson) Hobkirk who in 1830 came to this country and settled on a farm, and here lived and died. They had ten children, of whom seven are now living. Mr. Ruther- ford and wife have had eight children, of whom five are living: Emma E., Margaret J., Mary, William K., and Edward. Mr. Rutherford owns a farm of 120 acres of land and his principal business is dairying. He is a Repulican in politics, and he and family are members of the Scotch Presbyterian church.

Rutherford, Major John T., Canton, was born in Madrid ( now Waddington ), August 23, 1823, attended the St. Lawrence Academy two years, and graduated at the Ogdens- burg Academy. He read law and was admitted to the bar in 1854 at the Supreme court. He contracted for and built the St. Lawrence County University at Canton In April, 1861, he entered the service as a private in the 9th N. Y. Cavalry, and after

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one year as private and sergeant he was promoted to second lieutenant, February 22, 1862, for gallantry at Bull Run. For brave conduct at the battle of Berryville, Va., he was promoted first lieutenant. He received a captain's commission June 1, 1864, and at the close of the war he received his brevet as major. He then resumed the practice of law until September 29, 1866, when he was appointed collector of customs at the port of Waddington. He held the office of postmaster at Madrid four years, and was also supervisor of the town of Waddington. October 14, 1850, he married Belinda Eveline Castleman, and their children are: Winfield Scott, Clarendon, Martin C., Eugene F., W. H. S., and James De Forest, who died May 19, 1870. W. H. S. died May 11, 1887. He graduated at the St. Lawrence University, and read law with the late Judge Sawyer. Major Rutherford carries the marks of seven bullet and sabre wounds received in the army, and has a medal of honor voted to him by Congress for gallant and meritorious conduct in actions at Yellow Tavern and Hanover Town, Va., May 11-27, 1864. He has also a medal presented to the veterans of the New York troops who participated in the battle of Gettysburg in 1863, presented to him in 1893; also a badge presented to him by the New York State Monument Association. He has a regimental badge presented by the regimental organization at the reunion of the 9th N. Y. Cavalry at the national encampment, G. A. R., at Washington, D. C., September 20, 1892; also a badge of Co. B, 9th N. Y. Regiment.

Rutherford, Deacon Thomas, Potsdam, was born in Northumberland, England, near the Scottish line, May 18, 1821, and was only eleven years old when his parents emi- grated to this country. James, his father, bought a farm of 110 acres in Potsdam, now owned by a brother of our subject, Adam. The mother of our subject, Elizabeth Hind- marsh, was also a native of England. They had nine children, seven of whom are liv- ing : Margaret, wife of Robert Thomson of Louisville, St. Lawrence county ; John, a farmer on the homestead ; James, a farmer of Potsdam; Walter, a farmer of Madrid; Andrew, a farmer of Madrid; Adam of the old homestead, and Thomas. James, the father of our subject, died July 23, 1867, aged eighty years, and his wife died November 21, 1885, aged ninety years. James Rutherford was one of the members of the Presbyterian church of Madrid. He was a Republican in politics. Our subject lived on the homestead until twenty-two years of age. He was edu- cated in the public schools and took up farming. In 1844 he bought a farm of sixty-eight acres in Potsdam. He has increased the acreage of this place to 350 acres. Mr. Rutherford is a staunch Republican. He has always taken an active in- terest in church work, and for thirty years has been an elder of the Presbyterian church of Potsdam. He married in 1849, Jane, daughter of John and Isabella (Murdy) Oliver of Potsdam, and they have had seven children. Three died in infancy, the others are: Isabella J., who lives at home; James, who died June 11, 1877, at twenty one years of age; John Oliver conducts the farm of our subject; and Elizabeth, who also lives at home. Mrs. Rutherford died August 17, 1878, aged fifty-nine years, dying as she had lived, a true Christian woman. John O. Ruther- ford was married in January, 1885, to Etta Brosius, and they have four children, three boys and one girl.

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

Rutherford, J. H., Gouverneur, was born in Gouverneur, July 9, 1837, and has lived here all his life. He first began mercantile business in 1868, in the firm of Howard & Rutherford. After two years the firm changed to Sinson & Rutherford, and four years later to Wood & Rutherford. Since 1882 Mr. Rutherford has conducted the business alone. In 1889 he married Miss M. R. Brodie. His father was James Rutherford, a native of Scotland, who came to America in 1832.

Rose, Parker W., Parishville, was born in Stockholm, March 29, 1812. His father was Daniel P., a native of Coventry, Conn., born in 1785. He went to Vermont at the age of nine years, and was reared by his sister. In 1808 he married Hannah Webster, a native of Newbury, N. H., born in 1782, and they had five children. In 1809 they came to Stockholm and settled on a farm, and seven years later they removed to Ver- mont, where they lived two years. In 1819 they came to Parishville and took up the farm now owned by our subject. Daniel P. died in 1858 and his wife in 1874. Parker W. Rose was educated in the common schools and began teaching at seventeen years of age, which in connection with farming, he followed several years. He has followed farming chiefly for many years, and for twenty years manufactured starch on his farm. For the last eighteen years Mr. Rose has lived in the village, retired. He owns 175 acres of land, the old homestead, and other real estate. He has been three times mar- ried, first to Cynthia Putnam, a native of Hopkinton, born February 4, 1814. She died February 20, 1852, and he married, second, Julina Beecher, a native of Essex county, born May 12, 1827. She died August 25, 1877, and he married, April 16, 1878, Cyn- thia A. Mitchell, a native of Hopkinton, born September 26, 1837, a daughter of Jacob L. and Betsey (Hobart) Mitchell. They were natives of Lyme, N. H., and came to Hopkinton in 1835, and finally to Parishville, where they died, Mr. Mitchell, October 2, 1886, and his wife, November 24, 1889. Mr. Rose was a Democrat in early life, and was member of assembly in 1852-53. He joined the Republican party on its organi- zation, and for the past three years has been a Prohibitionist. He was again member of assembly in 1872-73. He was supervisor of Parishville eight years and served as assessor. He has been prominent in the Baptist church for sixty-seven years, and was superintendent of the Sunday school fifty-two years. 4

Shiell, George, Hammond, was born in Hammond, March 24, 1834, and has been a farmer all his life. July 5, 1861, he married Leticia Anderson, and they have three daughters : Mrs. R. R. Nilson, Mrs. N. S. Cuthbert and Mrs. D. L. More. Mrs. Shieil died November 5, 1887. Robert, the father of our subject, married Agnes Ormiston of Hammond. Robert was a Scotchman and came to this country in 1818, being one of the early settlers in this part. He was a carpenter and joiner by trade.

Stoutenger, Joseph, Ogdensburg, was born in Madison county, April 27, 1840. He has been identified with different business operations in this State for the past thirty years, and in April 1892 purchased the interests of Mrs. Loucks in the steam laundry of Ogdensburg, which Mr. Stoutenger has .since most successfully conducted, giving employment to about fifteen hands. His work reaches many miles in different direc- tions and in all towns of importance within a radius of seventy-five miles he has established agencies. Mr. Stoutenger married Catherine Wells in November, 1865,

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and they have two children. Mr. Stoutenger is also at present financially interested in other commerial enterprises in this city.

Stockwin, C. H., Ogdensburg, was born in England, October 13, 1842, and came to this country in April, 1862. Prior to this he had learned the silversmith's trade and worked at it for a short time. He was only nineteen years of age when landing in America and immediately hired out to a blacksmith in Niles, Ohio. He remained with him but two months, as just at this period the war broke out and Mr. Stockwin was among the first to go to the front. He served one year in the 105tli Ohio Regiment and on account of physical disability received his discharge at Murfresboro, Tennessee. Returning home he recuperated and re-enlisted in the 5th New Hampshire Vols., in which regiment he served two years and participated in all the battles, from the battle of the Wilderness until the close of the war, coming out with the commission of second lieutenant. His regiment was in the 1st Brigade, Ist Division of the 2d Army Corps. After the close of the war Mr. Stockwin was returning to Niles via Ogdens- burg. Upon arriving here he was much pleased with this city, where he decided to settle. In 1865 he married Louisa Munro who died in 1868, leaving two children, both of whom are living. Sometime afterwards he married Fidelia Munro, a sister of his first wife, and they have three children. Mr. Stockwin has held the position of superinten- dent of S. G. Pope's business in Ogdensburg for the past seven years. He is a prominent member of the G. A. R., a Knight of Templar.

The Seely family, Ogdensburg, dates back to early in the sixteenth century in this country, at which period Robert Seely was one of a party of about 900, who in 1630 with Gov. John Winthrop, came over from England and established the corporation of the "Governor and company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England." Robert Seely, whose family in England were very influential, was appointed by the crown surveyor to Governor Winthrop, and in this capacity surveyed and laid out the old city of Watertown, and afterwards the city of New Haven, Conn. For these and other valuable services of like nature he was rewarded by the English crown with the grant of a very large tract of land upon part of which the city of Stamford, Conn., was after- wards laid out and founded, becoming the ancestral home of the family, members of which are still in possession of the old homestead. Over five generations are buried in the old Stamford cemetery connected with the ancient Episcopal church of St. Johns, of which they were founders and prominent churchmen. The town records from their first inception, contain numerous mentions of the financial and other transactions of the family. About the middle of the seventeenth century a branch of the family moved to Stockbridge, Mass., and a descendant, Steven Bishop Seely, born there in 1766, about twenty-three years later left home and settled in the northern part of New York State at Waddington, St. Lawrence county, where he married Eveline Redington, sister of the Hon. George Redington. His son, Joab Seely, moved to Ogdensburg in 1820, where the family have since continuously resided. John F. Seely, eldest son of Joab Seely, by his energy and sterling honesty, successfully organized and built up the large jewelry house now conducted under the firm name of Seely & Son, and which for fifty years has been one of the interesting siglits of the city. For the past twenty years his eldest son, John A. Seely, has managed and conducted the business of this house,

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In 1890 he organized and incorporated the J. A. Seely Manufacturing Co., becoming its president and manager. Through his fertility of mind and inventive genius, the product of this factory sprang at once into favor and is now being shipped to all parts of this country and Canada. John A. Seely married in 1890, Lizzie, daughter of Rich- ard B. Chapman, for fifty years a banker in Ogdensburg. John F. Seely has one other son, Hermon B. Seely, a prominent architect of Chicago, and one daughter, Mrs. Sears H. Grant, of Boston, Mass.

Stone, B. R., Gouverneur, was born in Fowler, December 15, 1855, and his first busi- ness was in mercantile lines in Hermon and Potsdam. Six years ago he began rail- roading, and was recently agent at De Kalb. In April, 1893, he was promoted to the position of agent at Gouverneur. In 1876 he married Estelle M. Hamlin, and they have one son, Frank Wesley Stone, now thirteen years of age. Mr. Stone's father was Israel Stone, and his mother, Eunice (Ames) Stone.

The Hillview Farm, Potsdam, George W. Sisson, jr., proprietor. Mr. Sisson's first purchase was made in 1886, fifty acres known as the original John Chandler farm. He has added to this from time to time until now the acreage is 170, the growing capacity of which has been largely increased by raising large quantities of corn and the use of the silo. Upon this farm there are now kept sixty head of registered Jerseys of purest blood and individual excellence, which under the name of "The Sisson Herd," have acquired a wide reputation in this and other States. Careful milk and butter records are kept of individual cows and also of the entire herd, which show an average yield per cow of nearly 400 pounds of butter per year-more than double the average of cows in New York State. The dairy is equipped with separators and churns, operated by steam, for the manufacture of fine Jersey butter. George W. Sisson, jr., third son of George W., was born September 12, 1862, educated in Potsdam Normal School, gradu- ated in 1881, taught school two years and then took up agriculture. He married in 1887, Mary Howes of Gouverneur, and they have had three children : Emma Howes, Marion Grace and George.

Seaver, Robert R., Stockholm, was born in Crown Point, August 5, 1825. His father was Robert R., son of Parley and Polly (Cram) Seaver, and was born in Stoddard, N. H., October 9, 1802. He came with his parents to Essex county, and in 1831 they came to Stockholm. The death of Parley Seaver occurred in 1842. Robert R. married in Essex county, Maria Chellis, a native of Vermont, born in 1800. She was a daugh- ter of John Chellis, an early settler of Essex county, who was in the war of 1812. He died in Stockholm, aged 104 years. Robert R. Seaver and wife had eleven children, of whom five sons and three daughters survive. Mr. Seaver died in 1876 and his wife in 1882, the latter at the age of eighty-two years. Our subject was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools, coming to Stockholm when five years of age. He has always been a farmer, owns 122 acres of land and keeps twelve cows. For several years he has made a specialty of breeding Hambletonian horses. In 1849 Mr. Seaver married Candice Kingsbury, by whom he has six children : Samantha M., married A. C. Munson of Stockholm, and has one child, Jessie D .; Emily S., married L. S. New- ton, and they have three sons, Rolla, Herbert and Raymond R .; Ada, wife of L. D.

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Hohner of Stockholm, has two children, Ira and Oscar R .; Chaylon T., married in Michigan and has one child, Reabelle ; he is now in Alaska ; Lyndon R., married Lillian Dutton, by whom he has two children, Mildred L. and Herold I .; he is a member of I. O. O. F., Winthrop Lodge No. 620 .; Elma, wife of Eddie Gaddis of Gouverneur, and they have three children, Raymond, Ruth and Fred. In early life Mr. Seaver was a Whig, but later became a Republican. He has always declined public office. He is a member of P. of I. Eureka Lodge No. 162, and P. of H. Winthrop Lodge No. 538.

Sweet, George Hazelton, Potsdam, son of Beriah, was born in Nicholville, November 17, 1837. The mother of our subject was Hannah T. Stevens, and he is descended on both sides from Vermont people. His early life was spent in Nicholville. He spent 1857-58 at Franklin Academy at Malone, preparing for college. He entered Middlebury College, Vermont, and spent four years, graduating with the degree of A. B., June 1862. Three years later he was granted the degree of A. M. On leav- ing school Mr. Sweet came to Potsdam. He taught Latin and Greek in the St. Lawrence Academy part of the time, and read law in the office of Dart & Tappan. He spent one year at Albany Law School, graduating in 1865, but did not follow the profession. In 1866 he became principal of the St. Lawrence Academy, which position he held until it was supplanted by the State Normal School. He was then employed as vice-principal and teacher of Latin and Greek, and remained in the Normal in that position until the fall of 1872. He then bought a half interest in the Courier and Freeman, acting as editor of that journal until 1880. He had been admitted to the bar upon his graduation from the Albany Law School in 1865. In 1881 he was the private secretary of Gen. E. A. Merritt, while he was collector of the port of New York. Mr. Sweet married, August 30, 1870, Sarah J., daughter of H. B. Gilbert of East Troy, Wisconsin, Mrs. Sweet at that time being a teacher in the State Normal School. They have one son, George Gilbert, a student in the Normal School.

Senter, Alpheus A., Potsdam, was born in Potsdam, December 28, 1851, a son of Orlando P., also a native of the county, who has always made his home on a farm in Potsdam. He has three children : Orrin J., a farmer; Mrs. A. G. Hoard of Canton ; and Alpheus A. The latter was educated in the old academy and Potsdam Normal School, and after leaving school he engaged as clerk in the general store of Seely & Brown in Potsdam, where he remained until October 20, 1876. Then he engaged in the grocery business in partnership with A. G. Hoard, who was a member of the firm but a year, when Mr. Senter formed a partnership with S. A. Felton, conducting the business until 1882. In 1883 he engaged in the millinery business, and from 1884 to 1887 he was interested in both stores, and now does a general dry goods and millinery business. Mr. Senter is past master of Racquette River Lodge, F. & A. M., and a thir- ty-second degree member of the fraternity. He married September 5, 1877, Louise S. Henry of Fort Covington, who died October 14, 1891.

Stone, Nathan L., Potsdam, was born in Louisville, St. Lawrence county, March 28, 1836. The grandfather, Nathan, was a colonel in the war of 1812. He had five children of whom Israel G., father of Nathan L., was the youngest son. He was born in Louis- ville in March, 1807, and married Amanda Miller, a native of the same town. The boy-

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Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 92

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