USA > New York > Wayne County > Rose > Rose neightborhood sketches, Wayne County, New York; with glimpses of the adjacent towns: Butler, Wolcott, Huron, Sodus, Lyons and Savannah > Part 35
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The widow of Thomas Markham is found in the next place. Mr. M. was from Massachusetts. He left two daughters-Nina, at home, and Lena, recently married to Clayton L. Barless. The house was constructed by Adam Crisler, and by him sold to David Bradburn.
In the cabinet shop near, Judson L. Garlick has made and repaired furniture for thirty-eight years. Like many other trades and industries, cabinet-making by hand has had to yield to machinery, though the need of repairs in machine-made goods has given Mr. G. something to do. He is the youngest son of that large family noted in the North Rose series. His wife was Mary Buckingham, born in Milford, Connecticut. For twenty- four years she was an invalid, and for fifteen years was deranged in mind. Her condition was doubtless induced by the death of her daughter, Emma A., by burning. This sad accident happened twenty years ago. Mrs. Garlick died in 1887, leaving one daughter, Martha Jane. This place Mr. Garlick bonght of his brother Henry. No more exemplary member of the Presbyterian Church lives in Rose than our friend, Judson Garlick. The missionary Judson, whose name he bears, could not have been more attentive to religious duties than this Christian, who for long years has not missed, when in health, a meeting in his church.
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The house next east was built by John Nichols, sold to Sheldon R. Overton, and then to Mrs. William A. Mix. Alexander Harper is the present occupant. He was born in Galen, one of that family frequently encountered in our Rose rambles. He married Nancy Bivins, and they have five children-Daniel, who married Cora Crisler, a daughter of John of District No. 7, and lives in Rose; Gardner, who works for Joel Lee ; Frank married Elizabeth York and lives in Huron ; Mary, wife of Aaron Rhinehart, in Huron also, and Charles, who married Esther Terry, and lives near the Hiram Gordon place, in the extreme southern part of the town. Mr. Harper was a member of Company H, Ninth Heavy Artillery.
Judson Lackey was the builder and first owner of the next house. He sold to Charles S. Wright. William O. Horton is the occupant, with his family. He is a Vermonter, a native of Derby; served in the 7th Vermont during the War, and came to Rose in 1866 ; his wife was Sarah Brewer, and their children are Mary, William, Hattie and Earl. He is a shoemaker, having a bench in Collier's store. (In December, 1892, Mary became Mrs. James T. Harper, and in January, 1893, Hattie was married to Edward Weeks.)
" 'Squire " Ellinwood holds the next residence. It was built by Josephus Collins a long time ago, and by him was sold to the " 'Squire." The latter was a justice of the peace for more than thirty years. He came to Rose when a little more than twenty years old, and taught school in the Valley and at Stewart's corners. His subsequent wife, Mary Lee, daughter of Lyman, went to his school at Stewart's. For a time after marriage, he farmed on the present Wickwire place. He has been school commissioner and overseer of the poor, and was for many years postmaster. The line of this Ellinwood branch is as follows : Ananias E., was born in Massachusetts, moved to Paris, now Kirkland, Oneida county, where he reared a large family of children ; he was a half brother of the Jonathan who lived east of the Valley ; His son, Reuben, was nine years old when the migration was made to the Mohawk country. The latter's wife was Emma Hart of Oneida county ; he, too, had a large family ; but we are interested only in that portion which came to this section. They were Valorous, George W., Orlando and Louise. The first and the last have been met, and Orlando resides in the south part of the village. The first marriage of George W. has already been stated ; his only child by this marriage was Ella I. ; he wedded, second, Jane Russell, by whom he had Mary, the wife of Clayton Allen, of District No. 6. Ella married Philip Turner, and died in 1873, leaving a child, Nellie, now with her grandfather. Turner's career is worthy of note. Coming from Canada, he was above twenty-one years old before he learned to read. In Red Creek he was fortunate enough to meet the famous teacher, "Nabby Bunce." From her instruction, he passed with marvelous speed to the Red Creek Academy, and was soon a teacher
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himself. He shouldered a gun during the War as a member of Company H, 96th N. Y. Volunteers, and after the strife he essayed the profession of law ; but death cut him down in 1870, at the age of thirty-five years. He died having the hearty respect of all his fellow townsmen. After Cleve- land's administration came in, the "'Squire " was relegated out of the post office, and since then his time has largely been given to reflection and reminiscence.
Where the Rev. Charles Ray lately resided, the Presbyterians have for some years maintained their parsonage. In the remote past it was held by Samuel Hoffman, then by Hiram Salisbury. For a time it was the Methodist parsonage. After the burning of the church, Stephen Waite owned, then the Presbyterian Society. Rev. Mr. Ray has an interesting history, having been born in Calcutta, India. His father was in the employ of the East India Co., whose name recalls Charles Lamb and his life-long drudgery in the dingy London offices of the company. Mr. Ray came to America in 1838, was graduated at Union College, and from the Princeton Theological School, thereby rendering his orthodoxy above suspicion. Of his college days under the noted Dr. Eliphalet Nott, he retains very striking memories. Some portion of his early life was passed in Middle- bury, Wyoming county. His wife died recently, leaving three children- Charles H. Ray, the distinguished lawyer of Lyons ; Mrs. Dr. Silvers, of Youngstown, Ohio, and Ella, at home. Only recently Mr. Ray resigned his pastorate. (In 1893 the home of the Rev. Nathan Bangs Knapp, who, though pastor of the Presbyterian Church now, in his Christian »names, bears traces of Methodist origin. He is a graduate of Amherst College and of Andover Seminary ; was born in Rochester, and has been connected with several churches in this state.) This brings ns to the resi- dence of Mrs. Lampson Allen andMain street again.
Passing to the south, the Presbyterian Church follows, of which there will be more anon ; next the unsightly evaporator, a veritable fire-trap, .owned by William Deady, whose storehouse it was for a time, and then we :are confronted by the building that is set upon a hill and cannot be hid. Though now the property of Harmon Miner, it is filled with Valentine memories. When Dr. Peter Valentine erected this, his beautiful house, in 1824, the approaches and surroundings were very different from those of to-day. A gradual ascent led up to it, and the building was not in the dilapidated condition that is noted now. The " bee hive," as it is called, swarms with occupants ; but it is far from being a thing of beauty. The Valentines were from Kingsbury, Washington county. The first of whom I have any note, was Henry, of Hackett, N. J. His son, Jacob, was the Kingsbury father whose sons were Henry, Peter, Asahel, Alexander and Stephen. There was a daughter, Rebecca. Of these children, Henry lived in Galen for a time, while Peter and Asahel only, became residents of
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Rose. The latter was met in the western part of District No. 3 ; Peter was the first physician in Rose ; his studies, before the days of medical colleges, were passed with Dr. Richard Sill, of Sandy Hill, and after this doctor, Peter Valentine named his oldest son. The doctor's diploma as a medical practitioner is his certificate of admission to the Seneca County Medical Society. This bears date June 10th, 1820, and is signed by M. A. Bellows, president, and Jesse Fifield, secretary. Dr. Valentine's wife was Rachel Bishop, one of the numerous family to the northward. The children were Richard S., Jackson, W. H. Harrison, Cornelia and Naomi. In this lot there were twelve acres, extending from the Presbyterian Church to the home of the late Dr. Dickson. Peter Valentine was a conspicuous man in the early days of the town. He was the first supervisor and he held the office. nine years. During the continuance of the office of town superintendent of schools, he and his son, Richard, filled it every year but one. In person he was short and stout, weighing 198 pounds. In disposition he was gentle and lively, and always left a cheerful impression in the sick'room. He died in 1857, and his wife the year following. Richard S. Valentine, M. D. from the Albany School, was associated with his father, but consumption carried him off in 1856, at the early age of thirty years. He had married Ann M. Hickok, who survived him only two years. An only son, Frank H., was graduated from the Albany Normal School, and for some time resided in Galen. He is now editorially employed on the Rural New Yorker, published in New York City. Jackson Valentine will be seen in the next place to the south ; Harrison, in Rose, known as "Harry," we have met as the son-in-law of Charles Oakes ; Cornelia married David Town, and moved to Wisconsin ; while Naomi married Oliver Blanchfield, and lives in Wisconsin. The old Valentine mansion is now the property of Harmon Miner, who is a son of the Riley Miner who once lived to the northwest of the village. He is a stone mason by trade, as was his father before him. At present he is running a meat market and has done some farming. He married Lillie Stone, a daughter of Eben and Lucy Stone, of Galen. They have four children living-George S., Mabel, Birdett N. and Louie H. Several years ago they lost two boys, Martin L. and Edward P., in Battle Creek, Michigan. (Recently the " bee hive " was moved back, over the hill, and in time the hill itself will disappear through the digging away of the gravel of which it is composed.)
A small edifice standing at the foot of the hill and a trifle north of Mr. Valentine's store, belongs to Mr. Harmon Miner, and it has harbored a great variety of occupations.
Formerly a small building stood between this shop and the store. Mr. Valentine has recently moved it over to the lower part of Sodus street, and made of it, with additions, a tenement house.
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The store so long known as Valentine's was erected in 1836 by Dr. Valentine, and in it Hiram and Ira Mirick, with George Closs, began business. They ran the same for two years.and then sold to Wm. S. Worthington. He passed the enterprise to Dr. Peter himself, who un- dertook, with Chauncey B. Collins, the running of a store. This was in 1839. Both were wholly inexperienced, and after two years of labor, they had the experience and the public the money, for then they failed. For two years the building served as an office for Drs. Valentine and Henry Van Ostrand. The latter is now living in Albion, Mich. In 1844 Hiram Salisbury, who was of New Lebanon, Shaker rearing, filled the store with goods, but in 1846 he sold to Hiram Mirick, and he to Charles S. Wright in 1848. The latter remained till 1853, when he moved into his new building, now Fredendall's. The structure was practically vacant until 1860, when Mr. Valentine opened it again as a general country store, and for thirty years it has been one of the noteworthy features of the village. The village store disputes with the tavern the possession of political discus- sions and current gossip. Particularly on Saturday nights, it is the headquarters of those who come from the farms to find out what the world has been doing, and at other times the number of idlers in town can be pretty accurately gauged by the representation standing in front of the store or seated on barrels within. As to the contents of such a store, it would be exceedingly difficult to describe their scope, saveto say that they include almost everything. Such a store is of necessity a Macy's or a Wanamaker's on a small scale.
In Rose, Jackson Valentine is known as "Jack." This is never an in- dication of disrespect, for familiar terms are easily applied in country towns. I never heard his children thus address him, nor total strangers, but old and young refer to him as above. When we consider the positions that he has held in town, the peculiarity of the situation becomes all the more curious. While people may have errands at Collier's and Freden- dall's stores, they do the same business at "Jack's." I am inclined to think that this condition of affairs is the result of the thorough confidence and esteem in which he is held in his native town. Prominent business men in Rose can not recall the day when his benign face did not beam over the contents of the store. He is by far the best known man in town. Be- side, he is a veritable treasure house of information pertaining to Rose, and I hereby acknowledge my obligations. In his earlier days, he was a teacher in the districts near, and in this capacity we may suppose that he met his wife, then Miss Christiann Dodds, a daughter of William, who lived in the Griswold neighborhood. They have four children-Mary E., the wife of George A. Collier, of Rose; Charles A., at home; Marvin J., in Rochester, and Bert, also at home.
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The next building, to the south, is Mr. Valentine's house, which he con- structed in 1862. There used to be in front of the space a small build- ing, which was moved, first to the north of the store, and then to the Wayne Centre road. This chapter cannot be dismissed until mention has been made of Mr. Valentine's public services. He has been supervisor of Rose for fourteen terms, a length of service exceeded in but one instance in Wayne county, and has been two terms a member of the state Assembly. In no instance has he been other than a painstaking, honest, conscientious public servant. In cases where his wisdom has intervened, his fellow townsmen have been gainers in a marked manner.
The white, square edifice south of Valentine's is the Town or Memorial Hall. By no means pretentious in appearance, it serves a very useful pur- pose in Rose. (The local post of the G. A. R. has rooms in it now.)
The estate of the late Dr. Dickson follows. It is to-day just as he left it on his death, in 1874. The large barn was erected for the crops raised on the fifteen acres lying back of the road. The stone building next the street was built by the doctor for an office, with a story above for a select school. It would be easier to name the kinds of business that have not been in this building than those that have. At present, from the second story, Clayton J. Barless publishes his Rose Farmer's Counsel and Times, for which enterprise all possible success is besought. The house was built more than fifty years ago, but meantime it has undergone extensive repairs and changes. Dr. John J. Dickson, or in popular parlance, Dr. "Dick," was born May 25th, 1807, in Kingsbury, Washington county. At first he was John Dickson, Jr., but later he chose to insert the initial. His medical diploma was from Geneva, and he practiced his profession for many years. He was at times a justice of the peace, and in 1845 was sent to the state Legislature. His wife was Sophia Letitia, daughter of Charles Thomas. She was then the widow of Isaac Crydenwise. A son, Isaac, by this marriage, had his named changed to Dickson. She died in 1848, and for his second wife the doctor married Mrs. Jane (Jones) Bell, a daughter of the "Uncle Sammy" who lived on the Butler confines of District No. 7. By his first marriage, he was the father of Ensign L. Dickson, well known to all Valley people; by his second, he had F. Cora, better known as Ora, who married a Mr. White, of Locke, N. Y. Martha Rose Dickson, the late Mrs. Ira T. Soule, was adopted and made a sharer in his property at his death. The estate is still held in trust and the house is now occupied by Dr. J. E. Bradshaw, from Sodus, an M. D. from Buffalo. His first wife was Jennie Jewell, who died in 1881, leaving a son, George D. He married, second, Alice M. Goewey, who has a daughter, Frances. Dr. B. came to Rose first in 1873. (Dr. F. H. Hallet, who came to Rose from Huron in 1890, now lives here. He is a graduate of Buffalo University. Dr. Bradshaw has gone to South Sodus.)
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Coming back to the point where we left Wolcott street for northern rambles, we find a small building, now used by Ira Soule for a shoe shop and store. Originally it was on the hill, nearly opposite, and in it George Howland maintained a shop for years. Mr. Howland's first wife was Harriet, a daughter of Deacon William Briggs, of District No. 7. By her he had two daughters-Josephine, who married Geo. Barless, and Jean- nette, Mrs. Seager, of District No. 3. For his second wife, Mr. H. wedded Miss Lucy Town, of District No. 5. He died in 1863, at the age of forty-eight years. "'Squire" Geo. W. Ellinwood bought the shop and moved it to its present location. Here he kept the post office from 1869 to 1885. As this is the only separate building devoted to post office use in Rose, it is a good place to give the history of the office from the begin- ning. Dr. Peter Valentine was the first postmaster, appointed in 1827, and the office was known as Valentine's. Soon afterward it became Albion, then Rose Valley, and, in 1834, Rose. As such it has continued to date, though many people persist in adding the superfluous " Valley," Charles Thomas was the second postmaster, appointed June 17th, 1829, and he kept the office in his tavern. After him, came his sons, Nathan W. and Eron N., the latter appointed in 1832, and he held the same till 1841. Next came Hiram Salisbury for four years, going in with "Tippe- canoe and Tyler too." With the return of Democracy to office, in the person of James K. Polk, Eron N. Thomas resumed the post office from 1845 to 1849. The Whigs were again successful in electing a president, and with Zachary Taylor, in 1849, came Benjamin Hendricks as postmaster for one year only, when Charles S. Wright took the office to his new store. When the Democrats came back to power in the person of Franklin Pierce, in 1853, Eron N. Thomas once more assumed the position and held it till 1861. Lincoln appointed Charles S. Wright again, and he was the post- master till 1866, January 1st, when Jackson Valentine assumed the honors and emoluments, but he was not enough of a Johnson man, so he retired in favor of Daniel B. Harmon, a Democrat, and his holding brings us down to the days of G. W. Ellinwood, 1869. During Cleveland's admin- istration, from 1885 to 1889, Joel S. Sheffield held the office, and he went out in favor of E. F. Houghton, who is now in the place. It will be observed that E. N. Thomas and G. W. Ellinwood have held the office the most of the time since its establishment. ( With the return of Cleveland to office, George A. Collier became postmaster.)
Pimm's Hotel has been, for nearly a generation, a prominent feature in the Main street of the village. It was seized upon in the thirties, by Ira and Hiram Mirick, as an excellent site for a tavern. To make room for it, the old school-house was moved away and the present structure went up. It has remained unchanged to date, except that the comely piazza has been added and the back wing has been raised. Ira Mirick was the
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first landlord, and, after his going to Lyons, Hiram took his place. Solomon Mirick, the father, died here in 1839. To Hiram Mirick succeeded Fowler and Woodruff. Both went from Rose to Clyde, where Hiram Fowler still lives. George Woodruff keeps a tavern in the Joppa portion of Lyons. Stephen W. Thayer, so prominent in Rose hotel matters, had his period of keeping this hostelry, and with his efficient wife, we may aver it was well kept. Abram ( "Abe" ) Dratt, Butler born, was land- lord at the close of the War. Mr. Dratt was afterward killed upon the railroad in Lyons. His oldest daughter was the first wife of V. M. Sweeting, the treasurer of Wayne county. Enos T. Pimm, who has been at the helm for so many years, was born in Huron. His wife, who died in 1886, was Martha E. Sedore. Mr. P. was a member of the Ninth Heavy Artillery during the Rebellion, and was elected president, in 1889, of the Wayne County Veterans' Association. For nineteen years this town has voted to not grant licenses, consequently a very enviable condi- tion of sobriety has obtained. In addition to maintaining a public house, Mr. P. until lately ran a line of stages from North Rose to Clyde, and can furnish a team for hire at a moment's notice. ( In 1893 Mr. Pimm sold out to Lorenzo Whitney, who came here from Sodus. He has children, Harvey, William, Eva and Birdie. Mr. Pimm was married in 1891 to Mrs. Elizabeth J. Oakes, of Brockport, who has two daughters, Bertha A., wife of S. G. Blythe, associate editor of the Buffalo Express, and Bertha A., who is at home. Of course the hotel has been the home of many people, and among these might be named Dr. Nelson Neeley, who years since came to Rose with brilliant prospects. He was of an Oneida county family, had his medical education in Albany, and had married Mary McComb, from Canada. He was assistant surgeon of the 57th N. Y. during the War. He died in Rose. An only son, Clarence, is still in town. Mr. J. H. Woodman, now in Clyde, was a well-known figure here for a term of years.)
Foster Moslein is the village butcher, and furnishes his wares in a new building erected for the purpose. ( Mr. M.'s place is now held by Reuben Leader. ) The spot, or that near it, has marked a market or grocery for more than twenty years. Dr. J. J. Dickson formerly owned, and in the old building adjoining Moslein's, Eugene Hickok once kept a grocery. The upper part of it is a tenement house. ( In the lower story the Barless Bros. print the Rose Farmer's Counsel and Times.)
The next place, belonging to Mrs. Ira T. Soule's heirs, is a part of the old Dickson property, and once constituted a portion of the old house, removed by Dr. Dickson when he made over his later residence. It has held a long line of tenants, the latest being Reuben Leader, a native of Canada, whose wife, Mary Head, a sister of Mrs. Edgar Armstrong, was from Madison county. Their children are: Levern, Libbie, Florence and
(
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Etta. ( Libbie Leader was married in February, 1893, to Claude Seager ; Levern is in Muncie, Ind. Mrs. Wm. Vanderoef and son also live here. )
A house, once ascribed to J. York, was purchased by Daniel Johnson and torn to pieces. Mr. J.'s pretty little house is one that " Parm" Tindall moved down from its old site, south of the cemetery. It is the old home of the 2d Thad. Collins. In it Tindall lived twenty or twenty-five years. Wm. H. Dodds once owned it, and finally Johnson purchased, and has pride in making a very neat and tidy place. His wife died recently, leaving a daughter, Ida. Mr. Johnson, in addition to his duties as sexton of the Methodist Episcopal Church, is a skillful ditcher.
The man familiar with Rose twenty-five years ago, as he visits his old haunts, will look in vain for Alexander's old blacksmith shop, but its site is next south, and the unoccupied building is the old smithery worked over into anything that comes along. Just now it is an ice house, and before that "Joe" Wade and Will Klinck had a meat market in it. What it will be next, only omniscience can tell. It was probably fifty years ago that Daniel C. Alexander built his shop and began shoeing horses on this spot. The open doors and the sooty workmen are famil- iar memories in many minds. He early associated with himself his wife's brother, "Parm," or Palmer R. Tindall, and this relation was maintained for fifteen or twenty years. Mr. A. was originally from New Jersey, but at the old Tindall haunt, near Pilgrimsport, he had found his wife, Sally Ann. They had children, once prominent figures in young Rose Valley. John B. married a Lounsberry, and went to Michigan. Charles H. is in Kingman, Kansas ; Sarah married Leander Mirick, went to Michigan, and there died ; Redmond D. also went to the same state. Mrs. A. died suddenly some years since, and Mr. A. died later in Michigan. The Alexander house was built by John Snyder, who came from the east, and afterward went to Michigan. Mr. Alexander bought, added to and fixed over as we see it to-day. If the visitor misses the old shop, his eyes will be gladdened at the sight of the old well in front of the house. The means of getting water may not be those of earlier days; the bucket may have given place to a chain pump, and it to the later suction, but thirsty people continue to slake their thirst as of old. It is not the same tin cup that "Dan " Alexander hung up, but a cup is there and a rill is generally running from this town pump. At present the house is occupied by William A. Mix, who, a native of Washington county, came to Rose in 1860, influenced somewhat by his friendship for the late Dr. John Dickson and father. His first wife was Harriet Haviland ; his second a Loveless. His children are; Eunice E., married to J. H. Ackerman, in Brooklyn, and Wm. J., now in Lyons. Though a mill owner, much of Mr. M.'s time is given to moving buildings. ( In 1893 Mr. Mix boards at Brant's Hotel. )
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