USA > New York > Schuyler County > Portrait and biographical record of Seneca and Schuyler Counties, New York : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 49
USA > New York > Seneca County > Portrait and biographical record of Seneca and Schuyler Counties, New York : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 49
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became the proprietor of one hundred and two acres, on which the depot in Varick is now lo- cated.
Our subject's home was in Cayuga County un- til eighteen years of age, and in the mean time he attended the district schools, afterward taking a course in the commercial college at Auburn. At the time of liis father's removal to Seneca County he accompanied him hither, and worked the farm on shares until attaining his twenty-fourth year.
Mr. Van Duyne was married, April 10, 1883, to Miss Mary Van Sickle, of the town of Varick. whose birth occurred in Cayuga County. Her . parents were Garret and Sarah Jane (Smith) Van Sickle, the former of whom was born in 1825 and departed this life in 1885. The parents of our subject were both members of the Presbyterian Church, and in politics the father was a stanch Democrat, although in no sense of the term an office-seeker.
The parental family included four children, of whom Myron J. was the eldest but one. His sister Mary married George Selover, of Auburn, where he has charge of the Old Ladies' Home. They have one daughter, Grace. Augusta Van Duyne married Charles Stengle, and they have two children. William is also married, and makes his home in Cayuga County, where he is a well-to-do farmer; he is the father of two chil- dren.
On the death of his father our subject fell leir to $2,000 worth of property, which he afterward sold, investing the capital in the seventy-nine acres which he still owns. On this place a comfortable dwelling was erected, it being very pleasantly sit- uated near Varick Station. Mr. Van Duyne is a very methodical agriculturist and an esteemed and respected citizen of Seneca County. He is Democratic in politics, casting his first Presiden- tial vote for Hancock in 1880. However, he is not strongly partisan, and in local affairs votes for the man whom he thinks will best discharge the duties of the office. In religious affairs he is a member of the Baptist Church at Geneva, while his estimable wife is an attendant at the Presby- terian Church of West Fayette.
To Mr. and Mrs. Van Duyne there has been
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granted a son, Harry, who was born in the town of Fayette; he resides with his parents and assists in the duties of the farm. In 1893 both our sub- ject and his wife attended the World's Fair held in Chicago, spending two weeks in that city.
ILLIAM CRONK, of Havana, one of the prominent citizens of central New York, is widely known as the Superintendent of the Cronk Hanger Company. The company was incorporated in ISSS, with a capital of $50,000, its officers being as follows: C. R. Pratt, a member of the law firm of Pratt & Joery, of Elmira, President; C. F. Carrier, the inventor of Carri- er's double-braced steel rail and Carrier's anti- friction and barn-door hanger, and patent wire cutter and plier, Secretary and Treasurer; and William Cronk, Superintendent. The factory of the company is located at Havana, where a force of about sixty skilled workmen is employed.
The Cronk family is of . English extraction, and the first to come to America were three brothers, who located on Long Island. From one of these sprang Arnold Cronk, the father of our subject, whose birth occurred in Westchester County, N. Y. When a lad of sixteen years he accompanied a brother three years older to Seneca County, the two making the journey on foot. The father was a man of great determination and force of character, and after coming to this part of the state worked for a time at whatever he could find to do, and finally settled down to farin- ing, which vocation he followed through life. He lived for several years in Seneca, Schuyler and Chemung Counties, and at the time of his death was threescore years and ten.
Arnold Cronk was one in a family of four sons and one daughter. He was married to Miss Mary Howell. a native of New Jersey. She was of German extraction, and lived to be seventy-
seven years of age. Their union was blessed by the birth of eleven children, of whom Henry, Jonathan and Catherine, the latter now the widow of Roswell Wakely, live in Havana; Abbie is the wife of Orrin J. Stone, and resides in Elmira: John is a resident of Osborne, Kan .; William, of this sketch, was the seventh in order of birth; Nelson and Albert are residents of Havana; Mary, Mrs. Frank Smith, makes her home at Bing- hamton; and Warren is in business at Horse- heads.
The subject of this sketch was born in the town of Dix, in this county, May 30, 1837. He was there reared to the life of a farmer, in the mean time pursuing his studies closely in the common schools. On attaining his eighteenth year he was apprenticed to learn the carpenter's trade, at which he worked for a period of ten years. About that time he abandoned the vocation and engaged in the hardware business, conducting a paying enterprise for fourteen years.
Mr. Cronk is a natural machinist, and in 1885, in a small way, began the manufacture of the Cronk barn-door hanger, of which he was the inventor. The business grew to such proportions that the present company was incorporated in ISSS He lias full charge of the mechanical work, and designs and manfactures all the ma- chinery used in turning out his numerous inven- tions. In all his undertakings it has been his ambition to excel, and he devoted himself with ardor to the production of a class of specialties which would not only vie in excellence and utility with both domestic and imported wares, but when once introduced and tested would be preferred by the dealer and consumer alike over all other similar productions. That he has succeeded in this laudable endeavor, there is no longer any doubt, as the superiority attained in the manu- facture of his inventions is such as to have cre- ated a permanent and constantly increasing de- mand from all parts of the country. Paying close and undivided attention to the excellence of their productions rather than to the amount of sales or monetary returns, the company's trade has stead- ily grown from year to year, until they have reached a high mark in their industry, of which
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they have every reason to be proud. Their re- sources are ample, their facilities for rapid and perfect productions are complete and comprehen- sive, and the quality of their goods can be implic- itly relied upon.
The Cronk Manufacturing Company have re- cently made an addition to their factory, and now have a large cutlery department, known as the Carrier Cutlery Company, from which is turned out an extra quality of pocket-knives. They also handle the new Cronk griddle, which is so devised that the heat is equally distributed over the entire upper surface, and very desirable re- sults are obtained in cake-baking. One of their best selling articles is the sliding-door latch, with attachment for lock; also the Queen City six- bladed chopping knife, which is made so strong and durable as to give satisfaction in every re- spect. The company have for sale the patent expansive rubber valve for chain pumps, which was patented in 1886, and of which a great num- ber liave been sold.
During the hard times which succeeded the World's Fair, the Cronk Manufacturing Company continued to run a full force, and even then were not able to fill all their orders promptly. They pay cash for all their materials, and in this way get a discount, which, thoughi small, amounts in the aggregate to a handsome sum annually.
Cronk's anti-friction and steel barn-door hanger is made from heavy steel, and is so arranged that it will carry the door with perfect ease. The double braced steel rail is braced so that it will not sag, and is by far the best and strongest rail in the market. The adjustable stay roller is made with wrought-steel straps and a cast block, with a slot in it so that it can be easily adjusted. Cronk's inside adjustable stay is simple and dura- ble, and is much better than a cleat nailed on the floor, for it avoids all friction and leaves no place for the dirt to accumulate. The garden rake and garden mattock are both articles of superior make and find ready markets. The company manufacture Cronk's combination cutting and gas pliers, pruning shears, helge shears and wire cutter and bender.
William Cronk was married, in 1860, to Miss
Mary E. Brink, a native of Schuyler County, and the daughter of Samuel Brink, a prominent resi- dent of this section. To them have been bor !! three children, namely: Elmer L., Edna G. and Grace V. Mr. Cronk is a Republican in politics. and although never an office-seeker, has been an official member of the School Board for the past seventeen years, serving two years of that time as President. He has represented his fellow-towns- men as Trustee of the Village Board for ten years, and is now President of the Board. In religious affairs he is one of the valued members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and has been Presi- dent of the Board of Trustees of his congrega- tion. Too much can not be said in praise of the interest he has taken in the growth and develop- ment of the industrial portion of Havana, as dur- ing his entire life here he has taken an active part in all its progressive measures.
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ILLIAM A. STEVENSON is well known in this locality, where he has a host of friends whose confidence and esteem are his highest eulogium. He is a well-to-do farmer of the town of Tyre, Seneca County, devoting his time and energies to cultivating the soil and rais- ing Jersey cattle and Shropshire sheep, with which animals his place is well stocked.
Mr. Stevenson was born in this town, Noven- ber 25, 1831; his father was born across the seas, in County Down, Ireland, in 1796, while his mother, formerly Polly Winans, was a native of the town of Tyre, this county. The paternal grandfather of William A. came to America when his son was in his fourth year. He was com- pelled to flee from his native land on account of having taken part in the Irish resistance to Eng- lish rule. His life was in great danger while he remained there, and six months before he could
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effect lis escape his hiding place was not known. He thus came here a poor man, accompanied by his wife and two children. He at first located in Scholarie County, N. Y., but only remained there a short time, when he worked his way fur- ther West, and, arriving in the town of Junius, this county, determined to make this locality his future home. He accordingly settled upon eiglity acres of land, which now belong to his son, James F. Stevenson. This was some time be- tween the years 1812 and 1817. The grandfather was successful in nearly all his ventures after coming to America, but never returned to his na- tive land, living and dying in his adopted country.
The parents of Polly Stevenson came from New Jersey, and also spent their remaining years in Seneca County. The father of our subject was a young man when he came to this locality, and his older brother fought as a soldier in the War of 1812.
The father of our subject married Miss Winans in this county, and became well-to-do in this world's goods. He was a Democrat in politics, on which ticket he was elected Road Commis- sioner and Assessor. His death occurred July 2, 1871, while his wife lived for several years. They were buried side by side in the Maple Grove Cemetery at Waterloo.
The parental family included five children, of whom William A. was the eldest but one. They are all living and reside in this community. Our subject staid at home until twenty-one years of age, in the mean time attending the schools taught in the district. He then entered the state normal and carried on his studies for a year and a-half. After passing the required examination he was given a state certificate to teach. This vocation he followed for several years during the winter season, and farmed during the summer months.
In 1871 Mr. Stevenson bought one hundred and six acres of land, which is included in his home farm, and to this amount he later added ninety acres. The place has been greatly ini- proved since it came into his possession, and is now adorned with first-class buildings of every description. His barn was destroyed by fire in 1876, but he lost no time in replacing it. He
follows in the footsteps of his honored father and votes the Democratic ticket. His first President- tial vote was cast in 1852, when Pierce was elected. The duties of Assessor, Justice of the Peace and Supervisor he has discharged in a very competent manner, and he is qualified to fill almost any position. He resigned the second . named office shortly after his installation, as he did not like it. In 1879 he was chosen Super- visor, was re-elected in 1891, and is the present incumbent of the office, having been made his own successor since that time. He belongs to the Grange, and is associated with Pocahontas Lodge No. 211, F. & A. M., at Seneca Falls.
Our subject was married, when twenty-three or four years of age, to Miss Maria Southwick, of the town of Tyre. She was the daughter of David and Aurelia Southwick, and by her union with Mr. Stevenson there was born a sou, Will- iam S., whose home is at Girard, Ill. He is a graduate of the veterinary school at Toronto, Canada, and is engaged in the practice of his profession in the Prairie State. Mr. Stevenson's first wife lived but a few years, and for his second companion he chose Miss Helena Schoonmaker, also of the town of Tyre, and the daughter of D. W. and Lydia Schoonmaker.
HARLES A. LA RUE, who is engaged in general farming in the town of Montour, Schuyler County, is a native of that town, born January 7, 1843, and is a son of John C. and Hannah ( Hazlett) La Rue. His father was a native of New Jersey, born in 1820, and was a son of Isaac La Rue, who was a farmer by occupation and likewise a native of New Jersey, where he spent his entire life. John C. La Rue came to Schuyler County when about twenty-one years of age, and here he married Hannah Haz-
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lett. Shortly after their marriage the father pur- chased sixty acres of land, on which he located and afterward added eiglity acres to the tract, making a farm of one hundred and forty acres, which is now the home of his son, George La Rue. He was a successful farmer, and at the time of his death owned some two hundred and thirty acres of valuable land. In politics he was a Democrat, and was fairly active in political affairs. He died on the old homestead in 1892, and his remains were interred in Montour Cemetery, at Montour Falls, N. Y. Mrs. La Rue is still living, making her home with her married daughter, Mrs. D. G. Topping. They became the parents of six chil- dren, four sons and two daughters, and all reside in New York State.
The subject of this sketch was second in order of birth and was reared on the old farm in the town of Montour, acquiring a good common- school education. He remained at home, assist- ing in the cultivation of the farm, until he was twenty-five years of age, when, December 24, 1868, he was united in marriage withi Miss Mary Fenton, a daughter of Claudius C. and Cynthia (Mapes) Fenton. The former lives on his farm of one hundred and sixteen acres near Montour Falls. Mrs. Fenton died January 23, 1894, at the age of seventy, and her remains were interred in Montour Cemetery, at Montour Falls. In their family were five children, four of whom are living. Mrs. La Rue is a niece of the noted physician, C. C. Coan, of Ovid, who at his decease left a very fine estate valued at $168,000.
By the union of our subject and his wife two children were born. Georgia G., born January 27, 1870, was educated at Cook Academy, at Mon- tour Falls, and engaged in school teaching sev- eral terms before her marriage. She is now the wife of Myron W. Allen, who resides at North Hector, N. Y., where the latter is general agent for the Osborn Machine Company. In the last- named place Mr. Allen owns a small fruit farm. Alton C. La Rue, born July 22, 1873, was edu- cated in the common schools of Schuyler County and has taken a commercial course at Elmira, N. Y., thus preparing himself for a business life. Shortly after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. La
Rue bought one hundred and sixteen acres of land of J. C. La Rue, where they have resided for twenty-seven years. In 1893 they bought another farm adjoining, which contains ciglity acres, making two very valuable farms. Here they have since continued to reside, and here our sub- ject has engaged in farming and stock-raising. He has always been interested in political affairs and has been active in the councils of his party. He is a Democrat, and firmly believes in the prin - ciples of the party. As'a citizen he is greatly es- teemed, and has ever endeavored to live so as to merit the good-will of his fellow-citizens.
OHN W. DAY, M. D., is one of the ablest and best known physicians of Seneca County and is an influential citizen of Waterloo. His place of nativity was Sugar Hill, Orange County, N. Y., and the date of his birth July 7, 1845, his parents being Rev. John H. and Susan (Woodruff) Day. His father, who devoted his entire life to the ministry of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, was at one time a member of the old East Genesee Conference, and later was con- nected with the Central New York Conference. He died in October, 1891, near the village of Nelson, Pa.
The paternal grandfather of our subject was Thomas Day, a descendant of Englishi ancestors. The mother, Susan, was born in Orange County, N. Y., and is still living, being a resident of Havana, Schuyler County, and now in her eigh- ty-first year. She was a daugliter of Jacob Woodruff. John W. is one of eight children, there being two sisters and one brother now liv- ing. He passed his boyhood days with his par- ents, but at the age of fifteen left home and took a course of study in Dundee Academy.
About this time the rumbling of the Civil War
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began to be heard distinctly in all parts of the country, and our subject, though only a youth of sixteen, took a deep interest in passing events, and a year later, when the clouds were lowering on every side and the future of the country seemed to be shrouded in darkness, the boy of seventeen took the part of a man in the conflict for the maintenance of the Union, one and insep- arable. He was a member of Company G, One Hundred and Ninth New York Infantry, Col. B. F. Tracey commanding. He participated in many of the hard-fought engagements of the Army of the Potomac, of which his regiment formed a part. At the battle of the Wilderness lie was badly wounded by a fragment of a shell, and was carried from the field to a hospital. His wound being of a painful character, he was discharged in 1864.
The family at that time resided in Rochester, N. Y., where our subject joined them. As soon as he had sufficiently recuperated his shattered health he took up the study of medicine with Dr. Eastinan, of Geneva. Later he entered the medical department of Hobart College, from which he was graduated in 1870. He commenced the practice of medicine at Clifton Springs, N. Y., but soon removed to Saginaw, Mich., where he remained for five years. Not liking that climate or country, however, he came back to New York in 1875 and settled in Waterloo, where he has built up a fine practice, that lie personally attends to. In 1890 he was appointed Postmaster at Waterloo and held the position for four and one-half years, but a change in the ad- ministration presented a new candidate for the office. Since that time he has given his attention to his practice and to his fine stock farm.
As a stock-breeder the Doctor has been very successful, so much so that the Patchen Horse Farm (his place) is known all over the world. He took three trips to Europe with selections from his stock, numbering seventy head. "Kai- ser," one of the most noted horses in this part of the country, stands at the head of the Doctor's large lierd, though there are others that were bred on the farin and have been sold for fancy prices, both in this country and abroad. Some of the
horses he has bred are to be found in England, France, Germany, Ireland, Austria, Denmark and Italy. In January, 1895, he sent four horses from his farm to Copenhagen to be used by a crack military company. The farm is situated two miles south of Waterloo and is fitted up with every convenience for the breeding of fine liorses and for their proper care.
In 1867 the Doctor married Miss Elizabeth Raines, of Canandaigua, N. Y., and they have a beautiful home in Waterloo. He is President of the village, and has served the public in that capacity two terms, besides filling other offices of trust. He is not a politician, and only occupied office from a sense of responsibility as a citizen, and not from clioice. He enjoys the confidence and good-will of his neighbors and of those with whom he comes in contact in a business way. With the reputation he has made both as a suc- cessful physician and a breeder of fine stock, the future has for him a bright outlook. What he has is the fruits of his labor and the reward of perseverance in his professional labors. Failure rarely comes to men of his mold, and he is no ex- ception to the rule. He has succeeded because he deserved success.
R EUBEN E. SAEGER, one of the most suc- cessful inen of this locality, is the owner of fifty acres of excellent farming land adjoin- ing the village of Bearytown, where he lives and where he is engaged in the agricultural-implement business. He has worked hard, accumulating this property by his own efforts. He is a native of this county, and was born in the town of Fayette, September 20, 1858. His parents were Reuben and Jane ( Rogers) Saeger, the former born in Northumberland County, Pa., while the latter was a native of the town of Fayette.
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On coming hither from the Keystone State the paternal grandfather of our subject, who bore the name of Daniel Saeger, chiose for his future home a location in this town. Here Reuben, Sr., was reared to manhood, learning the trade of a blacksmith and making this his business in life for the following twenty years. At the expira- tion of that time he felt quite willing to retire from this arduous work, and, purchasing a farm of one hundred and thirty acres, gave his atten- tion ever afterward to its further improvement. There were three children born of his union with Miss Rogers, of whom our subject is the young- est. Freeman R., the eldest of the household, also makes his home in this town, while Judson L. is a resident of Los Angeles, Cal., managing the branch house of the Crane Manufacturing Company of Chicago.
The father was a prominent Democrat in poli- tics, and by his fellow-townsmen was made his own successor as Justice of the Peace for a period of twenty-eight years. During this time he was called upon to settle many cases, and it was a very rare thing that his decisions were not sustained by upper courts. He was a man of sound judg- ment and good business principles, and his advice was often sought by business men. His death occurred September 6, 1884, when threescore and twelve years old, but his good wife survived him three years, passing away in 1887, when seventy years of age.
The subject of this sketch made the most of every opportunity granted him to acquire knowl- edge, and after pursuing the course taught in the common schools became a student in the State Normal School at Geneseo, this state. After prosecuting his studies there for one year he be- gan teaching school, and from the summer of 1874 until 1880 taught during the winter terms. Although remarkably successful in this vocation, it was not his intention to follow it for a business, as he desired to engage in business on his own account as soon as his means would permit. From 1882 to 1884 he managed his father's farm on shares, and this greatly added to his income.
The marriage of our subject with Miss Cornelia Yost was celebrated December 28, 1881. This
lady was born in the town of Fayette and was the daughter of Casper and Jane ( Brickley) Vost, natives of the town Fayette. To them have been granted five children, namely: Eddie, born in the town of Fayette September 29, 1882; Ethel, Sep- temiber S, 1887: Glem, July 16, 1889: Lee, March 21, 1891; and Nellie, November 8, 1893.
In 1884 Mr. Saeger took possession of his pres- ent farm, moving onto it in the fall of the year. Although this property is cultivated with profit to the owner, lie gives the greater part of his at- tention to the implement business, having a large stock of machines on hand in his store at Beary- town, which he opened up in 1895. He has al- ready become widely known to the farmers of the surrounding territory, who make a call upon him when in need of anything in the line of farm machinery.
In politics Mr. Saeger is prominent in the councils of the Democratic party, and on this ticket was elected Town Clerk in 1885, and in 1890 was the successful candidate for the office of Supervisor. He has been a delegate to the vari- ous conventions of his party, and is ever ready. both by voice and influence, to aid in its success. socially he is a Mason of good standing, and in 1895 became identified with Lodge No. 539, of Fayette. During the years 1891-92-93 he was keeper of the Seneca County Almshouse, and in all his undertakings his efforts have been crowned with success to a gratifying degree. Personally he commands the esteem and liking of his neigh- bors.
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