USA > New York > Tioga County > Owego > Owego. Some account of the early settlement of the village in Tioga County, N.Y., called Ah-wa-ga by the Indians, which name was corrupted by gradual evolution into Owago, Owego, Owegy and finally Owego > Part 14
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40
When Paige street was first opened as a public street from Front to Main street it was called Leonard street in honor of Mr. Leonard, and it was so called as late as 1837.
Mr. Leonard purchased the farm of · seven acres east of this village, known as "The Locusts," now owned by James Archibald. There he lived un- til 1869. In April, 1866, Lyman D. Durphy bought sixty feet of the east end of the lot on which Ezra S. Sweet's house stood, on the north side of Main street, east of Paige street, and built a brick house thereon. This house he sold to Mr. Leonard in ex- change for the farm. Mr. Leonard re- moved to the Main street house and. lived there the rest of his life. He
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died May 8, 1876. Mrs. Leonard died April 5, 1879.
In an obituary notice of Mr. Lcon- ard, published at the time of his death in the Gazette, Hiram A. Beebe, the editor of the paper, wrote the follow- ing just tribute to Mr. Leonard's char- acter and worth:
"We think we may safely say that Mr. Leonard was the oldest printer and newspaper editor in the state, and no person who knew him will dis- pute the assertion that a more per fect gentleman never heard. Intelli- gent and well informed -upon all sub- jects of public interest, polite, and agreeable in his manners, with strong predelictions for the right, yet never offensive in the utterance of his views. he was a model of courtesy and gell- tlemanly bearing, and was very ju tly held in the highest estimation by his fellow citizens down tothe very time of his death. Often honored with high official positions, he never be- trayed a public trust, nor, in all his life, forfeited his claim to a most un- qualified confidence in his integrity of character."
In the centennial history of Tioga county Mr. Warner says of Mr. Leon- ard:
"Mr. Leonard was held in high esti- mation by his associates in congress. and even his political opponents, after the strife and turmoil of the campaign were over, bore testimony to
his worth and integrity. The lives and la- bors of such men as Mr. Leonard are those elements which make the choic- est treasure of our county. Their in- fluence remains and is felt long after the lives themselves are ended. A century hence the name of Mr. Leon- ard will be recalled as that of a man who helped to educate and elevate the people of his day and give wise di- rection to the public affairs of county. state, and nation."
The children of Stephen B. and
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Esther Henrietta (Sperry) Leonard were as follows:
1. William Boardman Leonard, born 17 June, 1820, at Owego. Mar- ried Louisa D. Bulkley, of Southport. Conn., 6 July, 1847. He died 2 July, 1893, at Owego, and she 11 March, 1900, in Brooklyn.
2. Hermon Camp Leonard, born 31 Jan., 1823, at Owego.
3. George Stephen Leonard, born 9 April, 1827, at Owego. Married Harriet A. Leach, daughter of Caleb Leach, Jr., 15 April, 1856. She died at Owego 1 Jan., 1874, and he 20 March, 1907.
4. Henrietta Leonard, born 20 May, 1830. at Owego. Married Oliver Bulk- ley 28 June, 1854.
5. Emily Caroline Leonard, born 28 Sept., 1832, at Owego.
6. Washington Irving Leonard. born 12 March, 1835, at Owego. Died at Owego 17 May, 1874.
7. Laura Ann Leonard, born 23 April, 1839, at Owego.
Wiliam B. Leonard was from the age of 16 to 21 years a clerk in Her- mon Camp's store at Trumansburg and afterward a clerk in the state comptroller's office at Albany. Thence he went to New York city, where after some experience as a salesman he en- gaged in the dry goods business, which he conducted with various partners for many years and until 1869, when he established a banking house, which he conducted until ISS1, when he re- tired from active business. He was afterward president of the Kings county bank in Brooklyn, of which he was one of the founders. He was one of the founders of the American sur- ety company, president and one of the founders of the Homoeopathic hos- pital in Brooklyn, and one of the Brooklyn bridge trustees.
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One of Mr. Leonard's sons, Rt. Rev. William A. Leonard, Bishop of Ohio, was rector of the Church of the Redeemer in Brooklyn nine years until 1881, when he accepted the rectorate of St. John's Episcopal church at Washing- ton. He has been Bishop of Ohio since 1891.
George S. Leonard lived all his life in Owego. He was engaged several years in the clothing business and later in the insurance business. He held various local offices, among which were town auditor and excise commissioner.
Hermon C. Leonard went early in life to Portland, Oregon, where he he- came eminently successful in business and where he still lives, one of the city's most prominent citizens.
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JONATHAN PLATT.
The first man named Platt who came to America was Richard Platt, who came from Bovingden, a village near Hertford. England, and settled in 1638 at New Haven, Conn., where he · became the owner of $5 acres of land in and around the city. His second son, Isaac Platt, settled at Huntington, 1 .. I. Benoni Platt, a grandson of Isaac Platt. settled at North Castle, Westchester county. N. Y., as early as 1730. He was the father of Capt. Jon- athan Platt, who came to the town of Nichols in 1793.
There were three Jonathan Platts. The first was Captain Jonathan Platt. who lived near Bedford, Westchester county, on a farm on the east side of Byrum's lake, which farm is now owned by Richard Harding Davis, the author. He was a member from West- chester county of the Third provincial congress, in 1776, and of the Fourth provincial congress the same year .. and was one of the distinguished pa- triots who constituted the committee of safety at White Plains in 1776.
In 1779 he was a captain in the Fourth New York regiment of infantry in Gen. James Clinton's brigade, which inet Sullivan's army at Choconut. This regiment was commanded by lieutenant-colonel Frederick Weissen- fels. It was, probably, the knowledge of the country obtained in this march down the Susquehanna valley through Owego that induced him to settle fourteen years later with his family at Nichols, then known as Wappa- senah.
The second Jonathan Platt, who was known as major Platt, was born
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at Bedford, N. Y., April 20, 1761. He married Anna Brush. He came with his father to Nichols in 1793. He died there in December, 1824, and his body was buried in the lot on the old Lounsberry farm, near Nichols.
The third Jonathan Platt was only ten years of age when his father and grandfather came to Nichols. He af- terward became one of the most prom- inent business men in Owego.
The children of Jonathan and Anna ( Brush) Platt (2) were as follows:
1. Jonathan Platt (3), born 13 Oct., 1783, at Bedford, N. Y. Married Betsy Goodrich, daughter of Eliakim Good- rich. He died 16 Jan., 1857, at Owego and she 22 Nov., 1878.
2. Mary Platt, born 20 May, 1785.
3. Benjamin Platt, born 5 June, 1787.
4. Edward Platt, born 19 Ang., 1789.
5. William Platt, born 29 Oct .. 1791, at Bedford. Died at Owego 12 Jan., 1855.
6. Brush Platt, born 6 Aug., 1795.
7. Nehemiah Platt, born 25 July.
1797. Died in 1851.
8. Charlotte Platt, born 25 Jan ..
1800. Married Gurdon. Hewitt 17 May, 1821. He died 24 Dec., 1871, and she . 16 Jan., 1876.
9. Benjamin Platt, born 2 April, 1803.
10. Deborah Platt, born 6 Aug .. 1805. Married David Turner. He died 30 April, 1842. She married sec- ond Dr. John H. Arnold in 1845. He died at Owego 29 July, 1876. She died 3 Aug., 1885, at the home of her son. Edward C. Turner, at Flint, Mich.
11. Charles Platt, born 11 May, 1808.
12. Sarah Platt, born 9 May, 1811. at Nichols. Married Frederick M. Camp in 1832. Her second husband was Hermon Camp, of Trumansburg. N. Y., to whom she was married 20 Sept., 1848. She died at Trumansburs 23 Jan., 1894.
Major Jonathan Platt (2), with his family and his parents, captain and
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Mrs. Jonathan Platt, settled on a farmi a mile above the present village of Nichols, where he built a house which he kept as a tavern and in which he lived until his death in 1824. He was sheriff of Tioga county from February, 1810 to February, 1811. He was reap- pointed in March, 1813, and served until 1815.
His title of major was derived from his service in the New York state mi- litia. In 1797 he was commissioned lieutenant. In 1802 he was promoted to captain in lieutenant-colonel David Pixley's regiment. In 1805 he was commissioned second majorin lieuten- ant colonel Samuel Seymour's regi- ment, and in 1807 was promoted to first major.
Major Platt's son, Jonathan Platt (3), was ten years of age when the family settled at Nichols. William Platt was two years old. A third son. Nehemiah Platt, was a merchant at Nichols and lived there all his life. He was a prominent and prosperous man of his town. He began the mer- cantile business there in 1825. He was supervisor of Nichols from 1825 to 1827 and was a state senator from 1841 to 1844. He died March 29, 1851.
Jonathan Platt (3) came to Owego in 1805 and entered Gen. John Lan- ing's store as a clerk. He was after- ward for a short time a clerk in judge Gere's store at Ithaca. In 1810 he began a general mercantile busi- ness on his own account in a store in the old Laning tavern, known for many years as the "Goodman coffee house," on the north side of Front street. a little east of Court street. where he continued business until 1819. He was for a time thereafter
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in company with his brother-in-law, Gen. Ansel Goodrich,and afterward, in 1823,in company with another brother- in-law, Gurdon Hewitt. This partner- ship lasted only a year, In 1825 he formed another partnership with still another brother-in-law, David Turner, which existed several years.
Mr. Turner began business in Owe- og about the year 1818, when he pur- chased Charles Talcott's stock of goods. Mr. Talcott was at that time in business in one of the stores in ' Caldwell row."
Platt & Turner became extensive dealers in lumber and grain. They built a double brick store, which stood on the south side of Front stret, about half way between Church and Lake streets and opposite where Ah- waga hall now is. When completed one-half of the building was occupied by Gurdon Hewitt and the other half by Platt & Turner. This was the first brick building erected in Owego.
At the time of its construction no other brick building had been built in this part of the state, and doubts were expressed by some people con- cerning its safety when it should be finished. It was looked upon as a doubtful experiment, for it was be- lieved that the severity of the climate was such that the frosts would heave it from its foundation and that there would be danger of its tumbling down upon its owners' heads. As time passed along and the building con- tinued to stand solid, all became con- vinced of its stability, and other brick stores were afterward built, but the greater part of the stores were of wood and they were all swept away in the great fire of 1849.
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In December, 1825, Platt & Turner bought of Abner Turner for $250 four or five acres of land two miles north of this village, on which stood a mill and a distillery. There they built the flouring mills known ever since as the "red mills." together with a plaster inill.
The firm of Platt & Turner was dissolved about the year 1835 and James Ely became Mr. Platt's part- ner. In that year Platt & Ely con- ducted an iron foundry in company with Ephraim Leach at Leach's mills in the town of Tioga.
Mr. Turner was a son of Abner Tur- ner, who came from New Hampshire in 1791 and was one of the earliest settlers on the Owego creek. north of this village, in the town of Tioga. David Turner lived on the north side of Front street, a little east of Wil- liam street, in a white house now owned by W. N. Richards. He died there April 30, 1842, agcu 48 years. His widow married Dr. John H. Ar- nold, who died in 1876, and after his death she lived in the same house the rest of her life and until a short time before her death.
William F. Warner says of Mr. Tur- ner.
"Mr. Turner was a man of great energy, but became badly crippled by a wound, on account of which he was for many years before his death un- able to transact business. In the years of his retirement from business he became very conspicuous by rea- son of his white complexion and gray hair, and their contrast with the fa- mous black horse of immense size on which he rode daily. This horse and his master semed to be inseparable companions, and the writer cannot remember David Turner and his horse as disconnected in any circum-
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stance-they almost realized the mythological Thessalian centaur."
After the fire of 1849 Mr. Platt re- tired permanently from the mercan- tile business. He was one of the most public spirited men in Owego. He was president of the village in 1834 and one of the village trustees from the organization of the village in 1827 for several years. ile was also for several years president of the old bank of Owego.
Mr. Platt lived a few years at "Ves- per Cliff," on the west side of the Owego creek in the town of Tioga, near the Main street bridge, which property he purchased in November, 1842, of Horace Frizelle, and which he sold in March, 1854, to Rev. Samuel Hanson Cox, who was pastor of the Owego Presbyterian church in 1855 and 1856. He afterward lived at the northeast corner of Main and Church streets in the house which still stands there. This house was sold in Decem- ber, 1862, after his death, to Mrs. Emily M. Daniels. Some time before his death he purchased the house and lot in west Front street where Gen. Ansel Goodrich had lived. He tore down the house in 1855 and built in · its place the house now owned and occupied by Mrs. A. Chase Thompson. Mr. Platt lived there at the time of his death in 1857 and his widow died there also.
Mr. Platt served in the state militia. In 1815 he was appointed first lieuten- ant of a company of the Fourth regi- ment of artillery, in which Dr. Jede- diah Fay was captain and Stephen B. Leonard second lieutenant. In 1817 he was appointed quartermaster of the
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53d regiment of infantry. He resigned from the service in 1822.
Jonathan Platt married Betsy Good- rich, daughter of Eliakim Goodrich, of the town of Tioga, Aug. 13, 1797. He died at Owego Jan 16, 1857, and she Nov. 22, 1878. The children of Jona- than and Betsy (Goodrich) Platt were as follows:
1. Charlotte Platt, born 7 Aug., 1817, at Owego. Married George Un- derwood, a lawyer at Auburn, N. Y. He was a graduate of Hamilton col- lege, was a member of assembly in 1850-52, and mayor of Auburn in 1854. He died 25 May, 1859, and she 15 July, 1900.
2. Mary A. Platt, born 17 Septem- ber, 1819, at Owego. Married Henry Morgan, of Aurora, 3 Sept., 1845. He died 30 Jan., 1887, and she 22 Nov., 1893.
3. Charles Paltt, born 19 March, 1822. Married Nancy H. Ely, daugh- ter of Col. Oliver Ely, of Binghamton, 10 May, 1848. He died 18 June, 1869. She married second Fr derick E. Platt, Charles Platt's cousin. She died July 16, 1902.
4. George Platt, born 18 April, 1824, at Owego. Died 8 Nov., 1855, at Owego.
5. Frances Sarah Platt, born 24 April, 1831, at Owego. She was un- married and lived with her mother un- til her mother's death. She afterward lived with her sister, Mrs. Underwood, in Auburn, where she died 10 June, 1883.
6. Caroline Elizabeth Platt, born 6 June. 1833, at Owego. Married Silas Condit Hay, Sept., 1858. Mr. Hay was a son of Rev. Philip C. Hay, pastor of the Presbyterian church from 1847 to 1855. He was for a few years agent and manager of the United States ex- press company in New York city until January, 1867, when he engaged in the banking business and became an ac- tive member of the Stock Exchange. He is now connected with the New York insurance department.
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7. Edward Jonathan Platt, born 3 Sept., 1838. Married Emma Antoi- nette Ketchum. He died at Owego 14 May, 1891.
In his centennial history of Tioga county Wm. F. Warner writes as fol- lows concerning Jonathan Platt.
"He was for many years one of the most thorough and successful busi- ness men of the county. A man of great energy, he possessed a bound- less humor, which not the vexations, troubles, and ills of life, even when supplemented by the weight of years, could suppress. He was one of the foremost men in adopting and carry- ing forward the public improvements of his day, and possessed a sterling integrity of character."
Charles Platt, the eldest son of Jonathan, Platt, began his business ca- reer as teller of the old Bank of Owe- go, of which his father was the presi- dent. In May, 1846, he and his brother, George Platt, formed a partnership in the general mercantile business. Their store was on the south side of Front street, directly opposite Dr. Jedediah Fay's drug store, which stood where the village library now is in the Ahwaga hall block. The partner- ship was dissolved in May, 1849, and the business was closed. Charles Platt was afterward cashier of the old bank of Tioga, which was organized in 1856. This bank was converted in- to the National Union bank, of which he was president at the time of his death in 1869. Mr. Platt was presi- dent of the village of Owego in 1863 and 1864, and treasurer of Tioga county in 1848-1851.
Henry Morgan was a descendant of James Morgan, who was born in 1607 in Wales.
James Morgan's son was Capt. John
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Morgan, born in 1645, whose son was William Morgan. born in 1693.
William Morgan's son was Capt. William Morgan, who was born in 1723 and married Temperance Avery. daughter of Christopher Avery. of Groton. Conn., who was a brother of Samuel Avery, who came to Owego with his family in 1803.
Capt. William Morgan's son. Col. Christopher Morgan, was born in 1747. Col. Morgan's son, also named Chris- topher Morgan, was born in 1777 at Groton, Conn., and removed in 1800 to Aurora, N. Y., where he died in 1834. He was a merchant and at the time of his death had acquired one of the lar- gest estates in western New York. Henry Morgan, who married Mary A. Platt. of Owego, was his son.
WILLIAM PLATT.
Wiliam Platt, the fourth son of Jon- athan Platt, was born at Bedford, N. Y., and when his father came to Nichols he was only two years old. When a young man he removed to Owego and studied law in John H. Avery's office. He was admitted to the bar in 1814 and began practice in Owego that year.
Mr. Platt married Lesbia Hinch- man. daughter of Dr. Joseph Hinch- man, of Elmira, in 1814, the same year he began his law practice here. For a few years he was Mr. Avery's law partner. He was for many years agent for the tract of land known as Coxe's Patent. A description of this "patent" or "manor" may be found in "Gay's Gazetteer of Tioga County." published in 18SS at page 24. He was clerk of the town of Owego in 181s and in 1820 and 1524, inclusive. He
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was also a village trustee in 1841. These were the only public offices he ever consented to fill.
Mr. Platt lived in a house on the north side of Front street, west of Lake street, which house stood on ground now occupied by W. L. Hos- kins's jewelry store. In 1819 he bought the land on the north side of Main street, where the new graded school building was built in 1907 and built thereon a house which was re- moved when the property was sold to the village for school purposes. He lived there at the time of his death.
Mr. Platt's law office was at an early day in a small building which stood at the northeast corner of Front and Church streets. When he built his house in Main street he also built an office at the southeast corner of the lot, which office remained there until after his death.
Mr. Platt was an elder of the Pres- byterian church many years and until his death. He was a lawyer of marked ability and a man of great worth of character. Wm. F. Warner, in his centennial history, says of him:
"Few men have lived of whom it could be so justly said that this was
a blameless life-a man without guile.' Mr. Platt was occupied through his business career as agent for the land known as 'Coxe's Manor' or 'Coxe's Patent,' and, as in the case of purchasers from James Pumpelly, the purchasers of lands in that patent had the good fortune of dealing with a man of kind and gentle spirit and unflinching uprightness."
Mr. Platt died Jan. 12, 1855, at Owego. His wife died May 2, 1859, also at Owego.
The children of William and Les-
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bia (Hinchman) Platt were as fol- lows:
1. William Hinchman Platt, born 23 Sept., 1815, at Owego. Married Sarah Emily Pumpelly, daughter of William Pumpelly, of Owego, 17 Sept., 1839. She died in New York city 20 Jan., 1856. He married second Mary Elizabeth Pumpelly, daughter of James Pumpelly, of Owego, 24 Feb., 1859. He died 23 Jan., 1883, at Me- tuchen, N. J., and she also at Me- tuchen 24 Jan., 1884.
2. Stella Avery Platt, born 3 June, 1$18. Married Joseph Kirkland Rugg 2S Feb .. 1839. He died 24 Jan., 1857, at Flint. Mich. She married second Frederick Leach, of Owego. She died 16 Aug., 1879, at Owego. and he 14 Feb., 1884. at Morrison, Ill.
3. Frederick Edward Platt, born 2 Sept .. 1819, at Owego. Married Ade- line E. Huntington daughter of Jared Huntington, of Owego, 4 Sept., 1821. She died 14 Jan., 1873 He married second Nancy (Ely) Platt, widow of his cousin, Charles Platt. He died 22 April, 1906.
4. Edward Platt, born 26 Oct., 1821. Died 1× March, 1823.
5. Susan Catherine Platt, born 3 Jan., 1824. She was married to Isaac Benedict Headley 9 Sept., 1847. He died on St. Thomas Island in the West Indies, 20 Jan., 1854, and she at Owego 27 Feb., 1851.
6. Anna Platt, born 26 Oct., 1826. Died June 24, 1829.
7. Emily Elizabeth Platt, born 28 April, 1829. Married Charles Phillips Skinner, of Massilon, Ohio, 14 Oct. 1552. He died 10 June. 1882. at Owego. Mrs. Skinner is still living in this vil- lage.
S. Humphrey Platt. born & July, 1831. Died 24 Jan., 1834.
9. Thomas Collier Platt, born 15 July, 1533.
William H. Platt was a graduate of the Owego academy and from Yale college in 1835. From 1836 to 1840 he was engaged in the general mercan- tile business in Owego. He removed
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to New York city in 1840, where h. was a commission merchant. From 1875 until his death he held a clerk- ship in the New York post office.
Joseph K. Rugg studied law in Joseph S. Bosworth's office at Bing- hamton. He was a mechanic, skilled in the art of carving wood. After his admission to the bar, in 1834, he mar- ried the eldest daughter of John A. Collier, of Binghamton. She died a few years after their marriage. lle was appointed surrogate of Broome county Feb. 12, 1836, and held that office four years. He married Stella A. Platt in 1839. He was later cash- ier in a bank at Massilon, Ohio, whence he removed to Flint, Mich., where he practised law and lived until his death.
Frederick E. Platt was for many years in the mercantile business. He opened a general country store at Owego in 1836 when only 17 years of age in company with his brother, William H. Platt. From 1847 to 1851 he was in the commission business in New York city, and from 1851 to 1854 he was bookkeeper in the bank at Massilon, Ohio, of which his brother in-law, Joseph K. Rugg, was cashier. From 1854 to 1865 he was in the cloth- ing business in Owego. The rest of his life he was engaged in banking, and at the time of his death, in 1906. he was cashier of the Tioga national bank, which position he had held forty-one years.
Isaac B. Headley was a colleg .. graduate and was most of his life en gaged in the banking business. He came to Owego when 27 years of age. and was from 1837 to 1844 principal of the Owego academy. He died Jan.
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20, 1854. in the island of St. Thomas. where he was living for the benefit of his health, aged 44 years. He was a brother of Joel T. Headley, the his- torian, who was also a teacher at the Owego academy, as well as their sis- ter, Mrs. Irene Headley.
Charles P. Skinner was born Aug. 5. 1827. at Massilon, Ohio. At an early age he became interested with James P. Gay, of Milan, Ohio, in a line of transportation vessels plying the great lakes. He came to Owego in 1859 and engaged with Frederick E. Platt in the clothing business. From 1862 to 1866 he was in partner- ship with Thomas I. Chatfield in the grocery business. When the extension of the Chenango canal was built to Owego from Binghamton he built a portion of it by contract. Later he engaged in railroad construction at Portland, Oregon, in Canada, and else- where. He was cashier of the Na- tional Union bank of Owego and had charge of closing its affairs in 1870.
Thomas Collier Platt has attained wider prominence than any other na- tive of Owego. The history of his life has been so fully published in the local histories that a repetition in de- tail here would be superfluous. When 23 years of age, in 1857, he was elect- ed supervisor of the village of Owego. Less than two years later he was elected clerk of Tioga county. In 1872 he was elected to congress and re-elected in 1874. He was a quaran- tine commissioner in New York city from 1880 to 1889. He was chosen United States senator in January. 1581. but resigned the office in the fol- lowing May. In 1897 he was again chosen United States senator, and
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