USA > New York > Monroe County > Rochester > Rochester and Monroe County, New York : pictorial and biographical > Part 18
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George It Ellwanger
George W. Ellwanger
G EORGE H. ELLWANGER, author and scientist, was known in Rochester as secretary of the Ellwanger & Barry Nursery Company, but his reputation extended throughout America and many foreign coun- tries in connection with his authorship. His life work was of the utmost value to his fellowmen in that connection and his writings yet find ready sale. George H. Ellwanger was a native of Rochester, born July 10, 1848, being the eldest son of the vet- eran horticulturist, George Ellwanger. Undoubtedly natural predilection, inherited tendency and early environment as well as particular talent and inter- est in that direction led to his selection of a life work. His preliminary edu- cation was continued under private tutorship during a five years' sojourn in Europe, and he also studied at the University of Heidelberg and the Sorbonne in Paris. Always deeply interested in the study of horticulture and floriculture, his investigations were carried far and wide into the realms of scientific research, while his experiments brought him the practical knowledge that materialized in a thousand beautiful forms in his gardens. The character of his business is indicated by the fact that he was for a number of years secre- tary of the Ellwanger & Barry Nursery Company. At one time he was editor of the Rochester Post Express. Aside from this, however, much time, thought and attention was given to his writings and he was a frequent and valued contributor to various horticultural papers of Europe and of America. He wrotely largely for the Garden and for In Flora and Sylva, two English publications. He is the author of The Garden's Story or Pleasures and Trials of an Amateur Gardener (1889) ; The Story of My House ( 1891) ; In Gold and Silver (1892) ; Idyllists of the Country-Side (1896) ; Meditations on Gout, with a Consideration of its Cure Through the Use of Wine (1898) ; Editor of The Rose, by H. B. Ellwanger, revised edition (1893) ; Love's Demesne, A Garland of Contemporary Love Poems (1896), two volumes; The Pleasures of The Table, An Account of Gastronomy From Ancient Days to Present Times, With a History of Its Literature, Schools and Most Dis- tinguished Artists (1902). At the time of his demise he was working on the second revision of The Rose. The Garden story brought as high as eighteen dollars per volume in England and is to be republished.
Mr. Ellwanger had the largest collection of tea roses in America, pos-
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Beorge A. Ellmanger
sessing over four hundred varieties, and was regarded as the great American authority on the standard rose. He was an honorary member of the National Rose Society of England, a member of the Authors Club of New York and of the Pundit Club of Rochester, the oldest literary club of America. The degree of Master of Arts was conferred upon him by the University of Rochester.
On the 13th of November, 1874, Mr. Ellwanger was married to Miss Har- riett Stillson, who was born in East avenue, Rochester, a daughter of Rev. Jerome B. and Harriett (Lawton) Stillson, who were natives of the Empire state. Her father was a son of Eli Stillson, a prominent pioneer of Roches- ter, who removed from Connecticut to Scipio, New York, in 1802 and came to Rochester in 1817. He was a civil engineer and assisted in the survey of the Erie canal. His son, Rev. Jerome B. Stillson, was born in Scipio, New York, in 1812 and was brought to Rochester by his parents when five years of age. He began teaching school at the age of eighteen, both studied and taught in the high school and afterward attended Yale University, where he took up the study of civil engineering. He assisted in the survey of the west- ern division of the Erie canal for its enlargement in 1834-5 and he was awarded many contracts for railroad construction in New England and New York. He afterward went to Chicago, where he had a contract for the erec- tion of the government buildings there from 1851 until 1860. After the out- break of the Civil war he went to the front with the Young Men's Christian Association boys and following the close of hostilities he was engaged in the real-estate business in Chicago for some years. Later returning to Rochester he spent his remaining days in this city, where he died July 2, 1903, at the venerable age of ninety-two years. Following the war he was ordained as a minister of the Episcopal church and was the founder of St. Peter's church of this city.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ellwanger were born three children: Florence Cor- nelia, the wife of Boyd Watson, an attorney of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Laura Brooks, the wife of Alexander Otis, an attorney of Rochester; and Julia Stillson, who is attending Mrs. Dow's school at Briar Cliff Manor, New York. The family circle was broken by the death of the husband and father April 23, 1906. His death caused a distinct loss to the world. His life may well be termed a successful one because of the fact that he contributed to the world's progress in scientific lines and to its pleasures derived from literary sources. He stood as a man among men, honored wherever known and most of all where best known.
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George A. Erwanger
" it over four hundred varieties, and was regarded as the great American mule rity on the standard rose. Ile was an honorary member of the National Rose Society of England, a member of the Authors Club of New York and or the Pundit club of Rochester, the oldest literary club of America. The degree of Master of Arts was conferred upon him by the University of Kochler.
On the 13th of November, 1874, Mr. Ellwanger was married to Miss Har- diett Stillson, who was born in East avenue, R chester, a daughter of Rev. Jerome B. and Harriet (Lawton) Stiller, who were natives of the Empire state. Her father was a son of Eli St li an, a . "iment pioneer of Roches- ter, who removed from Connecticut York, in 1802 and came
to Rochester in 1837. He was a civil sisted in the survey of the Erie canal. His son Res. fer 1. born in Scipio, New
York, in 1812 and war brown rok w ler is los when five years of age. He began tealong ahol a for me of en studied and taught in the high od alisaid stranded where he took up the dy vt _ w wie west-
ern division Attend enal for ito ester gement " he was
awarded apor contracts for railroad constr. tion in and New York. He afterward went to Chicago M tite erec- tion of the go croient buildings there front 1851 antes Ster the out-
break daty Gred what We went to the front with the Young Christian Association boys and following the close or hostilities be yourengaged in the real-estate business in Chicago for some rear. Later rente Rochester
he spent his remaining days in this city, where he died july 1003, at the venerable age of ninety-two years. Following the ... ordained as a minister of the Episcopal church and was the founder of St. Peter's church of this city.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ellwanger were born three Florence Cor- nelia, the wife of Boyd Watson, an morney of Pennsylvania; Laura Brooks, the wife of Alexander Otis, en attorn wester; and Julia Stillson, who is attending Mrs. Dow's school at Er nor, New York. The family circle was broken by the deal of the nd father April 23, 1906. His death caused a distinct lo : to the las life may well be termed a successful one because of the tact tha pbnted to the world's progress in scientific lines and to its pleasures Gota literary sources. He stood as a man among men, honored where wwwp and most of all where best known.
F. Stillson.
WElliles
Wlilliam Emmert Aliles
W ILLIAM EMMERT MILES, deceased, was for many years during an active business career a resident of Rochester, his native city. He was born in 1830 and acquired his education in the common schools while spending his boyhood days in the home of his par- ents, William and Catherine (Emmert) Miles, who at an early day in the development of western New York, settled at Victor. Later they removed to Maryland, establishing their home at the birthplace of the father. William E. Miles left school at the age of sixteen years and entered business life in the employ of his brother, who was a contractor. Before he had attained his majority, eager to see the world and attracted by the discovery of gold in California, he made his way to that state in 1849, sailing around Cape Horn. He remained in California for some time and soon after his arrival took advantage of the opportunities that offered for work at his trade. He secured immediate employment and only a brief period had passed when he started out in business for himself, becoming one of the fore- most contractors of that day in the locality in which he lived. Many impor- tant contracts were awarded him, including one of the building of the state house at Olympia, Washington, which is still standing. He continued to engage in contracting and gold mining on the coast for about sixteen years and met with creditable success in these undertakings.
With a desire to return to his native city Mr. Miles gave up business interests in the west and came again to Rochester, where he established a large factory for the manufacture of sash, doors and blinds, his business inter- ests in California having brought him the capital that enabled him to thus become connected with the productive industries of Monroe county. He was first located on Acqueduct street, where he remained until his buildings were destroyed by fire, when he, with a brother, bought land and built a factory on Water street. There he continued in business and as the years passed his patronage increased, reaching extensive proportions. He was actively engaged in business up to within a few months of his death, which occurred in 1899. His business life was one of honor and integrity and the record contained no esoteric phase. His methods were always open and above board and he won his success by reason of the excellence of his output
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William Emmert Miles
and also owing to the fact that his business integrity was combined with unflagging enterprise and diligence.
In 1873 M. Miles was married to Miss Cora Booth, who was born in 1847, a daughter of Ezra B. and Hannah L. (Alworth) Booth, the former a native of Vermont. Her maternal grandparents came to Rochester at an early day from their home in Dutchess county, New York. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Miles, of whom three died in infancy. The oth- ers are: Edward B., who is a graduate of the Dental College at Baltimore and now practicing his profession; Catharine L., at home; and Mrs. Ruth H. Witherspoon, of Rochester.
Mr. Miles was a stalwart democrat, and though he never sought the honors or the offices of that party, he always gave his assistance to it in every campaign. Like all who walk through life on a higher plane than the great majority of his fellows, his companionship was select rather than large, but the many who looked up to and respected him realized as fully as did the few who were near him that a true man had lived and passed on.
James Elfolett
James C. Wolcott
J AMES E. WOLCOTT, whose sudden death at Nor- folk, Virginia, November 24, 1906, caused a feel- ing of wide-spread regret in Rochester, of which city he was a life-long resident, was born in the year 1850, his parents being G. P. and Caroline Wolcott. The public schools of Rochester afforded him his early educational privileges, and he also attended Professor Satterlee's school. When twenty- one years of age he entered the distilling business and was active in the management of the James E. Wolcott & Company dis- tillery at the corner of Clarissa and Wolcott streets. He continued in that until 1901, when he disposed of his interests to the New York & Kentucky Com- pany. For a number of years he had been connected with the financial inter- ests of the city and was a director of the Genesee Valley Trust Company and of the Traders National Bank. His opinions regarding financial and other busi- ness matters were considered sound and his ideas concerning management and expedience were often received as conclusive.
Mr. Wolcott was married in Rochester in 1874 to Miss Ida J. Chase, and unto them were born three children: C. J. and G. B., both of Rochester; and Mrs. F. E. Clawson, of Ridgeway, Pennsylvania. Mr. Wolcott was a great lover of a thoroughbred horse and always owned one or two. He was con- nected with the Gentlemen Drivers Association and greatly delighted in a brush on the Rochester speedway, in which he was interested. He became a well known figure there and the statement that any horse belonged to James E. Wolcott was sufficient guarantee of its worth and high bred qualities.
In Masonry he was prominent, belonging to Rochester lodge, No. 660, F. & A. M .; the Monroe commandery, K. T .; and to the consistory, in which he attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish rite. His life was in har- mony with the spirit of the craft. He possessed a social, genial nature, which won him warm friendships. His death resulted suddenly of apoplexy at Norfolk, Virginia, when he was fifty-six years of age. His loss was felt in business circles as well as among his many friends, he having a very wide acquaintance in Rochester, of which city he was a life-long resident.
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Lewis B. Davis
Lewis Bissell Dabis
I N THE ROLL of Rochester's dead, who were at one time active, respected and influential residents of the city, appears the name of Lewis Bissell Davis. He was born in Gainesville, New York, on the 10th of April, 1842, and was a son of Joel G. Davis, a farmer by occupation who, putting aside agricultural pursuits, turned his attention to the milling busi- ness, in which he continued until his death on the 26th of February, 1900. He passed away at the home of his son H. Wheeler, in Rochester. Lewis B. Davis was indebted to the public schools for his early educational privileges, and later he spent one year as a student in Oberlin (Ohio) College. He then joined his father in the milling business in Gainesville, and in 1865 removed to Aurora, Illinois, where they established a milling enterprise. After some time spent in the middle west they returned to Rochester and in partnership with James Hinds purchased the Washington Mills, which they conducted with success until the plant was destroyed by fire.
On the 12th of May, 1863, Lewis B. Davis was united in marriage to Miss Julia M. Palmer, who was educated in Gainesville Seminary, completing a three years' course there by graduation. She is a daughter of E. W. Pal- mer, who was born January 15, 1811, in Jefferson county, near Watertown, and in early manhood married Miss Laura Woodruff. He was a tanner by trade and lived in Gainesville. He had four children, Mary, Julia, William and Emma, all of whom are now deceased, with the exception of Mrs. Davis. Following her graduation, Mrs. Davis continued under the parental roof up to the time of her marriage.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Davis were born four children, William E., Lewis B., Mary Elizabeth and Henry Wheeler, all of whom have passed away. The eldest son, William E., was a lawyer of Rochester, who won distinction at the bar. He was educated in Harvard and manifested marked ability in the prac- tice of his chosen profession. The second son, Lewis B., married Clara Drake and had three daughters, Alice Palmer, Edith Drake and Mildred. He gave his attention to the manufacturing business and died on the 30th of October, 1898. Mary Elizabeth pursued her education in the schools of Rochester and made her home with her mother until called to her final rest on the 4th of March, 1904. Henry Wheeler died at the age of seven and a half years.
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Lewis Bissell Dabis
Throughout his entire life Lewis B. Davis, whose name introduces this review, continued in the milling business and displayed close application and an aptitude for successful management. He was always reliable as well as ener- getic in his business career and won an excellent reputation for straightfor- ward dealing. In his family he was a devoted husband and father, reserving the best traits of his character for his own fireside. His friends, however, knew him as a man of genuine personal worth, true to every trust and with excellent qualities of heart and mind. He died on the 3d of September, 1892.
andrin gachemate
Andrew dalollensak
T HE MEASURE of what man accomplishes is not the height to which he has attained but the distance between the starting point and the position he has now reached. Reared in this way, Andrew Wollen- sak has made an excellent record, for he arrived in Rochester practically penniless and today is owning and conducting an extensive and prosperous busi- ness in the manufacture of photographic shutters and lenses. He is one of the strong and influential men whose lives have become a beneficial part of the history of this city. Tireless energy, keen perception, honesty of purpose, a genius for devising and executing the right thing at the right time, joined to every-day common sense, guided by great will power are his chief characteristics and therein lies the secret of his success.
A native of Germany, he was born in Wiechs, on the 13th of November, 1862. His paternal grandfather, Andrew Wollensak, died in Germany at the advanced age of eighty-two years, after devoting his active life to the black- smith's trade. His wife, Helena Wollensak, died in middle life and he after- ward married again. He had four sons by his first marriage, all now deceased, and by the second marriage there were four sons and one daughter, of whom one is yet living, Stephen, of Berne, Switzerland.
John Wollensak, the father, was born in Germany and learned and fol- lowed the carpenter's trade. He wedded Elizabeth Bollin, a daughter of Johan Bollin, a laborer, who died in Germany at the age of seventy-eight years, while his wife, Mrs. Barbara (Mohr) Bollin, was eighty-four years of age at the time of her demise. They had three daughters and two sons, of whom Matthias, of Undterhallau, Switzerland, is still living. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Johan Wollensak were born twelve children, six sons and six daughters, of whom three survive, Andrew, John and Victoria, the latter the wife of John Hecks. The parents were members of the Catholic church and both died in their native country, the father in 1880, at the age of fifty-seven years, and the mother in 1874, at the age of forty-two years.
Andrew Wollensak was reared in his native country and attended the pub- lic schools to the age of fourteen years, when he left home to learn the trades of a millwright and machinist. He was employed in that way until he came to America, crossing the Atlantic in November, 1882. He settled in Roches-
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Andrew Wollensak
ter, where he was employed at his trade for a time and then entered the serv- ice of the Bausch-Lomb Company, continuing in their optical factory for six- teen years, during which time he won successive promotions until he became foreman, acting in that capacity for four years. He left that establishment in June, 1899, and began business on his own account in the manufacture of photographic shutters and in 1903 he further extended his labors by taking up the work of manufacturing photographic lenses. The business was estab- lished on a small scale. He employed but one boy, but the excellence of his out- put soon attracted attention and brought him more orders until in the enlarge- ment and growth of his business he now furnishes employment to one hun- dred and thirty people. He is the inventor of several photographic shutters. The building where he manufactures his goods is six stories in height and he occupies the fifth and sixth floors. His goods are sold throughout the entire world and the trade is constantly increasing.
On the 3d of January, 1884, Mr. Wollensak was married to Miss Frances Noll, a daughter of Joseph and Barbara (Trabert) Noll. They have one daughter, Emma. The parents are members of the Catholic church and Mr. Wollensak has been a trustee of St. Michael's for the past sixteen years. His fraternal relations extend to the Knights of St. John, the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association, St. Anthony's Benevolent Society, the Badischen Benevo- lent Society and to the Society of St. Michaels. In politics he casts an inde- pendent ballot. He has never been a public man in social or political life but has been quite prominent in church circles and there is no good work either in the name of charity or the advancement of religion which does not find in him an earnest and material helper.
Furthermore his example is most commendable and worthy of emulation in business life. When he arrived in Rochester he had but five cents in his possession. He was a stranger in the city but since coming to this country he has been without work for only one day. He was ambitious, willing to take up any task that would yield him an honest living, and his ability and trustworthiness were soon proven. As the years have passed he has realized his ambition to make his name known throughout the world in connection with a business of large extent and importance. His success may be ascribed to persistent, determined pursuit of the business and to the fact that he is a man of honesty and integrity.
Dopper
Adolph Holte
A DOLPH NOLTE, president of the Hydro Press Com- pany, manufacturers of hydraulic machinery, was born in Rochester, July 11, 1866. His father, Adolph Nolte, was a native of Germany, connected with the aristocracy of that country and in its schools he acquired a liberal education. He took part in the students' rebellion of 1841 and was obliged to leave Germany to escape punishment at the hands of the
government. He then enlisted with the French Legions and went to Algiers, Africa, where he became an officer, and thence to America, settling in Rochester. In the same year he founded the Rochester Beobachter, still existing as the Abendpost, of which he continued as editor and publisher for many years. His scholarly attainments found exemplifica- tion in its columns and he was regarded as one of the ablest and most fearless writers of his day. A champion of the cause of liberty, when the Civil war began he organized Company C of the Thirteenth Regiment of New York Volunteers and went out as its captain. Thus he fought under three flags,- the German, the French and the American. For nine years he was a trustee of the Soldiers' Home. He did much to mold public opinion, especially among the German-American citizens of Rochester, and inculcated among his fel- low countrymen a love for their adopted land and loyalty to its institutions. He was one of the organizers of the German Turn Verein, a society which still exists. His death occurred in 1893. The wife, Mrs. Margaret Nolte, was a daughter of John Sattler, a contracting mason, who had charge of the construction of the piers of Vincent street bridge. This was the first iron bridge built in Rochester and was a marvelous undertaking for that day.
Adolph Nolte, Jr., acquired his education in the public schools of this city and entered business life as an employe in a machine shop when not quite sixteen years of age. His evenings at home were devoted to study that he might acquire a technical knowledge of machinery, and throughout his entire life he has been connected with machine shop work. He has been employed in many shops and on all kinds of machinery manufactured, thus acquiring through practical experience and through his technical studies a very broad knowledge of his business in all of its branches. To Mr. Nolte is due the invention of many valuable machines and machine improvements. When only cighteen years of age he invented the first positive washing machine, while in
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George F. Barnett
G EORGE F. BARNETT, of whom it was said, "He was one of the strongest and most useful characters in the community," was for more than three score years and ten a resident of Brockport and had passed the ninety-third milestone on life's journey when he was called to his final rest. His life record began in Bridgewater, Oneida county, New York, in the year 1804, and there he spent the days of his boyhood and youth. He arrived in Brockport in 1826 and from that time until his death was one of its most respected and worthy residents, his usefulness and influence as a citizen increasing as the years passed by. In his earlier life he was engaged in business as an architect and builder and in 1840 he entered the service of the McCormick Harvester Company. It was through his skill that the reaper manufactured by that firm was made a suc- cess. After about five years' connection with that company he entered the employ of the Seymour & Morgan Company, retiring at the dissolution of that partnership and entering into business for himself. In 1850 he estab- lished Agricultural Works in Brockport and continued an active factor in com- mercial circles until 1886, when he retired from business cares and responsi- bilities and spent his remaining days in the enjoyment of well earned rest.
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