Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 96

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 96
USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people: a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 96

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).

Whitney, Abner D., Madrid, was born in Madrid, March 2, 1842, received his educa- tion in the common schools, and has always been a resident of this town. His early life was spent on a farm, and on March 20,1893, he became interested in the Madrid Woolen Mills, of which he is the president and manager, a stock company having been formed in 1893, for the purpose of increasing the manufacture of cloth and converting the product into clothing. The board of directors is composed of A. D. Whitney, president and treasurer ; Dr. E. C. Walsh, vice-president ; F. C. Merriman, secretary ; with M. A. Whitney, R. N. Walsh, and D. D. Bryson, foreman of the mill. Mr. Whitney is also president of the Madrid branch of the Genesee Building and Loan Association. He is held in esteem by his townsmen, as was his father before him, and has been honored by many local offices. He has been assessor three years, and is now a member of the board of education. Mr. Whitney married, January 31, 1877, Lucy M. Robinson of this town, and they have one child, Florence M., a student at Madrid School.

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PERSONAL SKETCHES.

Worden, H. E., Brier Hill, was born on the farm where he now resides, August 3, 1848. He received a liberal education and taught school six years before taking up farming. He is also engaged in the coal and wood business at Morristown. Mr. Wor- den married Florida, daughter of Ethan R. Hammond, June 22, 1875, and they have one daughter, Lula B. Mr. Worden's father was Nathaniel, and his mother Anna (Fraser) Worden, who still survives him.

Williamson, William C., Hammond, was born in Hammond, December 17, 1847, and he has lived in the town all his life. He is an intelligent farmer, highly respected by all. He married, April 9, 1878, Jennette A., daughter of Robert Wilson of Hammond, who died September 19, 1881. He married, second, June 24, 1891, Ruth E., daughter of Andrus Hicks of Hammond. The father of William C. was Thomas Williamson, a native of England, and his mother was Jane B. Tyler of Hammond.

Welch, David M., Hammond, was born in Hammond, November 12, 1844, and he is one of the leading farmers of that town. In January, 1872, he married Alice Zoller of Hammond, daughter of Jeremiah Zoller. They have four children : Lucy, Bertha, Ruby and Newell. Mr. Welch's father was Robert Welch, a native of England, who came to America in infancy. His mother was Mary (Moore) Welch, a native of Scotland,

Wilson, George E., Morristown, was born in Morristown, January 2, 1851. He was engaged in business in the village for fifteen years and in 1886 gave up mercantile lines for farming, which he has successfully pursued. In 1876 he married Frances A. Brooks, daughter of the late John Brooks. His father, Hercules W. Wilson, was the first white male child born in the town of Morristown, being born October 22, 1818.

West, Harvey C., Madrid, was born in Washtenaw county, Mich., January 16, 1834. His father, Samuel J., was a native of Clinton county, born in 1804, and was thirty years of age when he went west, locating in Michigan, where he followed farming until his death in 1835. His wife, Nancy Chaffin, was a native of New Hampshire, born in 1804, and they had four children : James M., died in Clinton county at nineteen years of age ; Hiram J. and Horace T., died in boyhood ; and Harvey C. The mother of our subject died in 1879. Harvey being only an infant when his father died, his mother married again, and a year and a half later returned to Clinton county. He was educated in the common schools and a select school in Peru, Clinton county. His first occupa- tion was farming. In the spring of 1857 he moved into St. Lawrence county, locating on a farm in the town of Lawrence, where he remained three years, and in the spring of 1860 bought a farm of 150 acres, where he has ever since made his home. Since coming here Mr. West has made many valuable improvements and has reclaimed a por- tion of the land. He conducts it as a dairy farm with twenty-three head of Durham and Holstein cattle. He is a firm supporter of the Democratic party and has been delegate to numerous State and county conventions. For five years he held the office of commissioner of highways. He is a member of Silas Wright Grange of Canton. Mr. West married in 1866, Sarah A., daughter of Peter White, a farmer of Potsdam, and they have two children : Anna L., a graduate of Canton University ; and James Arthur, who is a graduate of Madrid School, now assisting his father on the farm.

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

Watt, George T., Ogdensburg, was born in Toronto, Ontario, February 7, 1845. His father died when he was but a child, and his mother removed from Brockville to Ogdens- burg, where George T. received his education. Upon the breaking out of he war he enlisted in the 11th U. S. Regulars, under Lieutenant Greeley, and served three years. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Cold Harbor, and was confined in Andersonville, Milne and Savannah prisons for a period of six months. Mr. Watt received his discharge at Richmond, immediately after the surrender of Lee. He then returned to Ogdens- burg and attended Bryant & Stratton's Business College, after which he went west, remaining in St. Louis, Mo., some time. In 1867 he returned to Ogdensburg and en- gaged in the meat business on State street. He sold this business after two years and went to Dakota on a prospecting tour. Returning, he again opened a meat business on Ford street, which he gradually merged into a grocery, and which he has successfully conducted for the past sixteen years. Mr. Watt also conducted a drug business in connection with his grocery for many years, which department he lately sold, substitu- ting crockery. During his identification with the drug business, he became proprietor of a few celebrated staple medicines, among which we mention Watt's Extracts, Hore- hound and Tar Remedy, Headache and Liver Pills, plasters and other articles which are in demand throughout the State. He is an influential member of the G. A. R., the Methodist church and the board of education, besides being a Mason. He married in 1872, Libbie Green, and they have had eight children, four of whom are living.

Zellar, Henry F., Hammond, was born in the town of Springfield, Otsego county, November 23, 1823; at the age of nine years moved with his father's family to the town of Pamelia, Jefferson county, and lived there five years; and moved from there to Hammond, arriving on March 17, 1837, and has since been a resident here. He has always been a farmer. February 22, 1849, he married Charlotte, daughter of Ebenezer N. Demick, who died April 28, 1884. H. F. Zellar's father was Henry Zoller of Min- den, Montgomery county, and his mother was Nancy Fralick of the same place, both of German descent. H. F. Zellar has been a justice of the peace for twelve years, and overseer of the poor for two years. He has been a Republican since 1857, has been active in politics, and steadfast to the principles laid down by his party, believing them to be for the best interests of the country. He has voted at every general election to date.

Young, W. H., Ogdensburg, is a native of Steuben county, where he was born Jan- uary 19, 1821. He started business in Ogdensburg in 1851, next door to his present stand on Ford street, and ever since that period has remained in close proximity to the old stand. In 1852 he was burned out, and ten days thereafter was doing business in a shanty improvised for the occasion. Mr. W. H. Young represented the third ward of Ogdensburg for some time as alderman. He married in 1852, Miss Bacon, of this city, and has had four children, one of whom, C. F. Young, the junior member of the firm, was born in Ogdensburg, July 13, 1856. He received his education in the schools here and eventually graduated from the Hungerford Collegiate Institute. Some time after leaving school he represented for eight years a prominent clothing firm on the road, and five years ago returned to Ogdensburg, and in connection with his father inaugurated the present firm. C. F. Young married Miss J. Durfee, and they have a

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son and a daughter. Mr Young is a prominent Odd Fellow, having passed through all the degrees from past grand. He was one of the charter members of Elijah White lodge. This firm is among our representative establishments, and its members are much respected and esteemned by all.

Vilas, Alden, Ogdensburg, was born July 13, 1806, in Derby, Orleans county, Vt., and came to Ogdensburg early in 1822, travelling most of the way from the head of Lake Memphramagog, to the foot, on the ice, and thence made his way from Derby, Vt., to Montreal on foot through the wilderness, when the route was followed by blazed trees. From that city he made his way slowly on through Prescott, Ontario, and crossed the St. Lawrence river to Ogdensburg, where he had a cousin who was engaged in the tanning business, with whom he remained in an important capacity until 1831. He became a partner for three years in 1844, and then purchased the entire interests of the concern and conducted it most successfully the following ten years, at the expiration of which time he centered all his interests in his present boot and shoe business on Ford street, which he had been conducting along with his tanning business. In 1837 he married Ella Baldwin, by whom he had six daughters and four sons; one daughter being deceased. His daughters are Mrs. Dr. Southwick, Mrs. J. C. Sprague, of Ogdensburg; Mrs. M. Halcomb, of New York City, and one daughter un- married. During his long and eventful career in this city Mr. Vilas has always been found strictly conscientious and rigidly upright in all business transactions. He has been the friend of all good and proper measures tending to the prosperity of Ogdens- burg, and has, through his kindly, genial and cheerful nature, made a host of friends, many dating back to his earlier days, as well as among the younger generation. He is one of the pioneers of the city, still hale and hearty and attends strictly to business.

Nyhan, Rev. William B., Brasher, pastor of St. Patrick's Church, Brasher Falls, was born in Cork, Ireland, September 22, 1846, and came to America when two years old. His family resided in Syracuse, where his education began. In Niagara College he made his classics and philosophy, studied theology in St. Joseph's Provincial Semi- nary, Troy, was ordained to the priesthood in October of 1869, by Rt. Rev. Bishop Conroy and appointed to the curacy of St. John's church, Albany. His first parish was Lowville, Lewis county, where he remained for fourteen years, and which he left to take charge of his present mission. Since his arrival in Brasher a large and flourish- ing parochial school has been established by the "Sisters of Mercy," a new pastoral residence has been erected and various repairs have been made on the church property. During his administration Rev. Father Nyhan has removed the entire debt of the parish.

McMillan, Angus, Hermon, was born in Cornwall, Ontario, August 3, 1842. He began to learn the harness trade a the age of fifteen and at eighteen went to Canton, where he remained a year. He then spent a short time in Gouverneur, and after working about a year in Waddington, he came to this town. In 1866 he went to Russell, where he carried on his business till 1882, then returned here, and has since conducted his harness business. He is town clerk at the present time. January 5, 1862, Mr. McMillan married Rua R. Hill and they have three sons : Edson, William and

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

Pliny. Our subject's father, Alexander McMillan, was a Scotchman, and his mother was Elizabeth Crites, of Mohawk Dutch descent.

The Richardson Family, Brasher Falls. This family is descended from English stock, and the members thereof trace their lineage back to 1600, from Nicholas Richardson, of Durham county, who was granted arms by the king in 1615, and it is believed that one of his sons came to America about 1630. Lemuel Richardson, son of Thomas, was born in Woburn, Mass., July 31, 1734, and was the great-grandfather of David, of Brasher Falls. He died at the age of eighty-seven years. David, his third son, was born in Sutton, Mass., July 25, 1766, and was a farmer at Alstead, N. H., and later at Barre, Vt., where he died April 26, 1845. In 1788 he married Rlioda Gale, of Al- stead, by whom he had these children: Rhoda, David, Rhoda 2d, Roxanna, Mary, Lemuel, Susan, Polly O., and one who died in infancy. The third child, David, was born at Alstead, N. H., May 7, 1792, and was a soldier in the war of 1812. He married, September 30, 1819, Hortensia Richards, of his native town. In 1823, he came from Barre, Vt., to St. Lawrence county and settled in Brasher, then a dense wilderness. He was a prominent and influential man in his town, and a man of great industry and perseverance. He died August 9, 1866, aged seventy-four. He had twelve children, the fourth of whom, David Nathaniel, was born on the homestead where he now lives, August 2, 1831. December 27, 1859, he married Harriet Burget, who died March 8, 1874. Their three children were: Frank, born December 8, 1860; W. Warren, born June 24, 1863, and Anna B., born September 27, 1869. Mr. Rich- ardson married second, March 17, 1875, Sarah Capell. He is a Republican, and has been overseer of the poor nine years, and attends the Presbyterian church. Among his ancestors have been many noted men, both in England and America.

Colton, Carlos, Pierrepont, was born in Hanover, N. H., April 5, 1834. His father was Zebina, a native of Johnson, Vt., born March 27, 1802. He married Lois Buck, by whom he had three children, two of whom survive. In 1838 Mr. Colton and wife came to Parishville, and in 1840 to this town, Pierrepont, where he. located on the farm now owned by our subject. Here he died November 6, 1855, and his wife May 1, 1859. Carlos was educated in the common schools and St. Lawrence Academy, grad- uating from the Albany Normal School in 1857. He followed teaching for a number of years, but his principal occupation has been farming, and he now owns two hun- dred acres, keeping twenty cows. Mr. Colton has been twice married, his first wife being Hannah Smith, a native of Vermont, who died February 22, 1890. In 1892 he married Ella H. Leach, a native of Hopkinton, and daughter of David and Mary Leach, of Hopkinton. Mr. Colton is a Prohibitionist in politics. Carlos was a mere child when he came to this town and has witnessed over half a century of its growth and prosperity : has seen the forests cleared away and the rude dwellings of the early settlers removed and more elegant ones erected in their places; has seen those sturdy pioneers and their companions carried to their last resting places in the rural cemeteries, and how appropriate that their descendants who enjoy happy homes and till fertile fields, the result of their self denial, privations and toil, should pay a tribute of respect to their memory :

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He has plowed his last furrow

She has spun her last skein; No sound shall awake them to labor again. But happiness springeth wherever they trod; How noble their mission, how great their reward.

For whose deeds are more worthy to be rewarded in history, or whose simple virtues better fitted to enrich the poet's verse, than those of the noble pioneer and his wife ?

Potter, Henry, Colton, was born in Essex county, July 13, 1847. His father was Philip Potter, a native of Pultney, Vt., born December 18, 1813. The mother of Philip died when he was young and he was obliged to make his own way in life. He worked on the canal when young and afterwards ran a saw mill. In 1848 he came to Colton, and here for many years he owned a gristmill, also dealing in Inmber and real estate. He was a Democrat and a member of High Falls Lodge No. 428, F. & A. M. His wife was Miranda Squires of Essex county, by whom he had two sons. Mr. Potter died September 12, 1887, and his widow resides in Colton at the age of seventy-five years. Henry Potter was reared and educated in the village of Colton, and engaged in the lumber business until 1892. In that year the Racquette River Pulp Company was organized, consisting of Charles Clark of Rochester, Charles Fuller and Fred H. Hall of Gouverneur, Simeon Austin of Fowler, James Speard of Canton and Henry Potter. They occupy the building originally built for a chair factory, and employ about twenty hands, with A. Searcey as manager. July 2, 1884, Mr. Potter married Hattie, daughter of Edmund and Harriet Sanborn of Colton. Mr. Potter is a Democrat, and he and wife attend the Episcopal church.

Harvey, Orson, Colton, was born in Canton, October 15, 1822, a son of Jonathan and Polly (Kingsbury) Harvey, the former a native of New Hampshire, born in 1788, and the latter of Connecticut. They early came to Canton and here Mr. Har- vey died in 1832, and his wife in 1842. They had six children who grew to maturity. The father of Mrs. Harvey was Thomas Kingsbury, a soldier in the Revolution. Orson Harvey was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools. At the age of fifteen he went to work in a woolen factory and has been engaged most of his life in the manufacture of woolen goods, first at Norfolk and then at Potsdam. He is now engaged in wool carding at Colton. He was burned out in 1871, when the firm was known as Butler, Beckwith & Harvey. Since this Mr. Harvey has been engaged in business alone. He has been three times married, first in 1847 to Phobe Spink, by whom he had two children : Henrietta and Phoebe. He married, second, Lavona Cope- land of Potsdam, by whom he had two children : Arvilla J. and Ellen V. His third wife was Mary A. Ellis, widow of George Ellis of Potsdam, who died in 1864. He left three children : Kate E., wife of Daniel J. Avery, one of the leading lawyers of Chicago, also president of the Northwestern Masonic Aid of that city. Mr. and Mrs. Avery have had four children : Louise, who died aged twelve years, Mary M., Kate L. and Daniel E. The second child of Mr. and Mrs. Ellis is Mary L., wife of Dr. J. E. Colburn, eye and ear specialist of Chicago, who has three sons : George A., Avery and Joe

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Elliot. The third child is George A. Ellis of New York city, who has one daughter, Grace Ellis. Mrs. Harvey is a daughter of Jonathan Swift, son of Thomas Swift, and brother of the late Thomas Swift of Potsdam. Mrs. Harvey's father died in 1842 and her mother in 1881. Mr. Harvey is an ardent Republican and has served as deputy sheriff nine years, constable seven years and overseer of the poor three years.

Hawley, Morris B., Colton, was born in Colton, September 12, 1845. His father, Silas, was a native of Vermont, who went to Washington county with his parents, and was there reared and educated. He married Henrietta Morris, a native of Hampton, N. Y., born in 1812, by whom he had four children, of whom Morris B. is the only one living. Silas and family came to Colton in the year 1832, where he followed his trade of blacksmith, taking an active interest in politics, and holding several town offices. He was also land agent for A. B. James of Ogdensburg. He was one of the charter mem- bers and also the first master of High Falls Lodge No. 428, F. & A. M. He died in Colton, October 15, 1877, and his widow now lives with Morris B. The latter was reared in Colton and educated in the common schools and Canton University. When nineteen years old he formed a partnership with James Cook in the furniture and un- dertaking business, continuing until March 1, 1890, since which Mr. Hawley has carried on the business alone. He has been twice married, first, February 22, 1866, to Julia Felton of Colton, a daughter of C. C. Felton of Norwood. They had two children, Alice M. and Asa W. He married, second, Lucia P. Hodgkin, daughter of George R. Hodgkin of Hopkinton, N. Y., and they had one son, Jean H. Mr. Hawley is a Re- publican and is now serving his fifth term as supervisor. He is a member of High Falls Lodge No. 428, F. & A. M., and has served as master six years.

Chaney, John H., Colton, was born in Orange, Franklin county, Mass., August 16, 1832, a son of John, a native of the same place, who married Harriet Thurston, by whom he had four children. In 1848 Mr. Chaney and family came to Potsdam, and there they lived and died, the former July 23, 1873, aged seventy-one years, and the latter May 17, 1869, aged sixty-three. John H. Chaney was sixteen years of age when his parents came to Potsdam, and he was educated in the common schools, and has been engaged in farming and also the manufacture of lumber. In 1863 he came to Colton, where he has since resided. In 1856 he married Almira W. Howard of Potsdam, a daughter of Elisha Howard, a native of Vermont, and one of Potsdam's early settlers. Mr. and Mrs. Chaney had seven children : Nettie, Levi, Maria, Julia, Philip (deceased), Hattie and Lena. He is a Republican in politics and has been highway commissioner two years, and is also serving his second term as poormaster. He is a member of High . Falls Lodge No. 428, F. & A. M., being treasurer of same. Mr. Chaney owns about 1,000 acres of wild land in Colton, 150 acres in Clare and a house and lot in Colton with one and a half acres of land and two tenant houses. He also owns a farm of 150 acres in Colton.

Jennings, John (deceased), Brasher, was a native of Ireland and came to America when a young man. In 1847 he settled on the farm in Brasher, where his widow now lives. He cleared the land and made many other improvements. He was a man of great energy of character, and just and honorable in all his dealings. He was a con-

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sistent member of the M. E. church. In politics he was a Republican. He died in his seventy-fourth year, in 1886. March 9, 1847, he married Margaret Kingston of Brasher, born March 1, 1828, a daughter of Thomas and Ursula (Chambers) Kingston, both of Ireland, who came to America when young. Mr. and Mrs. Jennings had five children, four of whom survive : George E., born August 24, 1849, married in 1887, Carrie Mc- Kerson, and is a grocer in Bismarck, N. D., where he went in 1880; Thomas E., born November 29, 1851, an architect and builder; Almeda M., born June 22, 1853, a suc- cessful teacher in our public schools from 1874 to 1888, when she married John Yandoh, a cheese and butter maker, who at present lives on the homestead. The youngest, Eliza N., was born December 19, 1866. Mrs. Jennings had two brothers in the late war : John Kingston, who enlisted in the 106th Regiment, N. Y. Vol., was lieutenant of his company and was killed at the battle of Monocacy Junction, Md. ; and Samuel, who was a surgeon in the army and served from the autumn of 1862 to the close of the war.

Howard, Ansel T., Pierrepont, was born in Pierrepont, June 6, 1845, a son of Orrin Howard. He was reared on a farm and educated in the common school and follows general farming and dairying, owning 143 acres of land and keeping about twenty-five cows. Mr. Howard has been twice married, first on February 23, 1869, to Cynthia Hubbard, a native of Vermont, and daughter of Ira Hubbard. Mrs. Howard died Feb- ruary 7, 1873, and September 8, 1875, Mr. Howard married Lucretia Malaney, a native of Canada, by whom he had two children : De Forest M. and Orrin A. Mr. Howard is a Republican and has been overseer of the poor and justice of the peace, and at present holds the latter office. He and wife are members of Crary's Mills Grange No. 54. The parents of Lucretia Howard were James and Lucretia (Loomis) Malaney, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Vermont. They reared six children. Mr. Malaney died in Canada in 1852, after which Mrs. Malany came to Clinton county. She died in Vermont in 1882.

Walker, Charles R., De Kalb, was born in Richville, October 28, 1844, a son of Ho- ratio Walker, one of the early settlers of this part of the town. At the age of eighteen Charles R. left the farm and began a mercantile career. He is one of the most pro- gressive farmers of the county. He was the first in his town to carry to successful use the feeding of ensilage. His principal business is dealing in cheese aud produce. In 1870 Mr. Walker married Louisa E. Rich, only daughter of William B. Rich, a descendant of one of the oldest and best families of De Kalb. Her great-grandfather, Salmon Rich, was one of the early settlers of the town. In 1804 he took up a tract of 11,000 acres of land, including the tract where Richville now stands, and the village was named for him. Mr. Walker has always taken a deep interest in the progress of this town, of which he was supervisor three years. He is a Mason of high standing and a man much esteemed for his upright character.

Crary, Ezra, Pierrepont, was born in Pierrepont, January 18, 1825, a son of Appleton, son of Nathan Crary, whose father was Ezra, a descendant of one of three brothers who came to America from Scotland. Ezra lived and died in Vermont. Nathan was born in Wallingford, Vt., in 1762 and was a soldier in the Revolution. His wife was Lydia

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Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 96

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