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 38
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Crossing over to the old Rising house, we have a reminder of the man who was for fifty years a familiar form in Rose. He came from the eastern part of the state in 1840, and for many years worked for E. N. Thomas. For some time he had been in poor health and died only a few months since. He married the widow of Royal Van Wort, and left one son, George.
Eron N. Thomas built the next house, and it was for a while the property and home of Lyman Wyckoff, now of Lyons. It is now owned by William Hamm, a son of Thomas, living on the street by the school-house. His wife was Mary Josephine Austin, and their children are: Emma Dora, Ellen and Augusta; a son, Ezra Thomas, is dead. Dr. Draper, once familiar in these parts, formerly had his shingle here.
The next remove brings us to the hotel, long one of the noted sites in Rose. From Lorenzo D. Thomas, the builder, to Myron Brant, the present landlord, there have been many tenants. Among them were: N. W. Thomas, Hiram Salisbury and Samuel Jones, the father of Mrs. Hamel
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Closs, who kept a temperance house for several years. William H. ( " Bill" ) Saunders was one of the most prominent of these. Mention was first made of him in the Stewart series as having married Mary Wright. During his management, a race course was fitted up, inclosing ten or twenty acres of land back of the hotel barns, and including much of the territory covered by Thomas, Church and Dix streets. Of course, there were no such streets there and no buildings east of the Main street. Another noteworthy landlord was Stephen Thayer, of whom mention was made in the description of the upper, or Pimm's Hotel. Jacob Conroe, who preceded Mr. B., came from Savannah. He died December 18th, 1889, aged fifty-four years, leaving a wife, a son, John, and a daughter, Ada. Unquestionably, the site is one of the best for a place of public entertain- ment in this whole section of country. The small grove of trees just north of the tavern, has been the scene of many animated discussions, when, on warm, sunny days, the village wisdom assembles here, to settle all questions of business and state. Myron Brant comes of a Sodus family, said to be related to that which gave a name to the famous Mohawk chief, Joseph Brandt. John Brant, son of Peter, began housekeeping on the Jonathan Briggs farm in North Rose. Myron's wife is Louisa Harris, of Sodus. Their only daughter, Grace, is the wife of Edwin Weeks, of Rose.
The store of George A. Collier brings us to the corner of Thomas street. In the second story is the well appointed lodge room of Rose Lodge No. 590, Free and Accepted Masons. The store dates from 1854. The new edifice, on the corner south, built by Mr. Wright in the preceding year, had so dwarfed the old building on the Thomas possessions that Eron N. was prompted to erect this capacious structure. In it he maintained a store till 1859. To name the young men who, first and last, served Mr. Thomas in the capacity of clerks, would be to enumerate a large number of the middle-aged citizens of Rose to-day. Willard Sherman, Felton Hickok, Carroll Upson, Joel Sheffield and others have sold calicoes and groceries over these counters. Mr. Thomas was a shrewd man in his dealings, but always honorable. A certain neighbor and relative had long made a practice of filling his tobacco box from the store stock, doing this without leave or license and paying nothing for it. Wishing to stop such predacious conduct, Mr. T. said to his clerk : "Enter in your account, Mr. - - -, three times a week, one-quarter pound chewing tobacco." This was done. At the end of the year, a settlement was proposed. "All right," says the neighbor, "how much does the account foot up? I'll pay it." "Look over the items," says the merchant. "I don't care anything about them," is the reply, "only give me the summary." "But I want you to see the account," was the rejoinder. So they proceeded to scrutinize the entries. Soon the debtor's eyes rest upon, "one quarter pound of tobacco." "Hah!" says he. "I never bought any tobacco."
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"Oh, yes you did," says Mr. T. "You bought three times a week, and waited on yourself." The account was paid and the lover of the weed never helped himself again. The store stands near where Charles Thomas located his large barn, in which the Methodists held their first quarterly meetings in these parts. It was moved back and became one of the hotel barns. A Mr. Waterman had a store here for a time after E. N. T. Of him the story is told that he alluded to the body at a funeral as a fine looking "core." "Oh," says a listener, "you mean corpse." "No, I don't; I got caught on that word once. I mean just what I say-it's a fine ooking core." Mr. Henry Van Tassel ran the store for a short time, and then Lucius H. Dudley kept a line of hardware goods for several years, maintaining a tin-shop. Mr. Dudley was of the Wolcott family of Dud- leys, his brother, Henry, having been the first man wounded in the Ninth Heavy Artillery. Mr. and Mrs. Dudley were regular and valuable attend- ants at the Methodist Church, the latter being a member. After Mr. Dudley came the Collier Bros., and then George alone.
Again we will transport ourselves to the outskirts, and this time we pause on Lyons street, at the home of Henry Jeffers, whose wife was Mary Haviland. They have one son, Bert. This place is the property of Robert N. Jeffers, and here a considerable part of his life was passed. His first wife was Maria Winchell, who had been twice married before, first to Henry Streeter, and second to John Hellar. His second wife was Sarah L. Holbrook. The son, Henry, is a twin, his sister being Henrietta, who married Bert Wilkinson, and has two children-Dell and Cora. Her home is near the eastern end of this street. The youngest child of Mr. Jeffers is Lina, who married Granville Armstrong, of Butler, and lives in that town. One child was lost in infancy. Mr. Jeffers is a son of that Nathan who lived in District No. 11, and was the progenitor of so numerous a family. Few men in town have owned so many acres of land. During the last fifty years he has stood ready to purchase whatever was for sale. He bought the farm of eighty-six acres from Lucius Ellinwood, who lived here a year. Before him, for many years, was David Holmes, who will be remembered as marrying Solomon Mirick's daughter, Amanda. He was the occupant and owner, almost if not quite, from the beginning. Mr. Holmes reared here six children, who were: Catharine ; Alphonso O., for many years a coal dealer in Clyde; Elizabeth; Ira; Lucy, and George G., who died from wounds received in the army. He was a mem- ber of Co. A, 111th N. Y. Inf. Mr. Holmes, who built the house, finally moved to Palmyra.'
The place opposite, i. e., on the south side of the street, is the property of Eugene Hickok. A man by the name of Lord once owned, and Harrison Ellinwood, a son of Lucius, lived here for a time. In the old lot there were twenty-eight acres.
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Mr. Hickok himself lives next east, in a house that dates back to Andrew Healy, who built it. The original log house stood near. Mr. H. married Narcissa Colvin, of District No. 7. They have had two children- Horton E. and Jennie. The former died January 9th, 1888, aged 19 years. The latter married Clinton J. Barless, and died January 8th, 1889, leaving a little girl, Musetta A. Mr. Hickok is one of the most prominent Gran- gers in Rose, and is an enthusiastic believer in the beneficent possibilities of the organization. His brother, William Felton, preceded him here, and this takes us back to war times. The farm belonged to the father, William. As stated, Andrew Healy was the one before Hickok. He was an Irish- man, who always was held in the highest respect by his neighbors. Him- self a Roman Catholic, he brought his wife, Sally, and son, Andrew, to the Presbyterian Church in the village, while he went down to Clyde for his services. Mrs. Healy died in 1857, at the age of 58 years. Mr. Healy and son went to Michigan, where the latter married a daughter of Marcus P. Wade, a relative of the family so long identified with this town. Mr. Hickok has made a specialty of raising pop or tucket corn. This town has become noted in agricultural specialties, and this one has only just popped in.
Still moving eastward, we may find the home of Judson Chaddock, a son of William, the second mention of whom was made in the No. 9 series. His first wife was Addie Hoyt, and his second Katie Cuyler. A daughter, Myrtie, by his first marriage, lives with her aunt, Mrs. Cephas Bishop. There are fifty-two acres in the farm, which extends northward to the next road. William Matthews was here before Mr. C., and he bought of Eron N. Thomas. Stephen Boyce and James Packard took the farm from the office. The old log house was near the southeast corner of the lot. Matthews repaired the present house.
The place next east, on the south side, was occupied in 1890 by James Van Amburgh, a brother of Harmon, late of the Griswold district. Mr. Van A. married Sarah Jane Winchell, a daughter of John D. They have two children-John and Ida. (Philander Griswold, who married Sophia Soper, of the Valley, now lives here. The place is owned by Nelson Morgan, of Newark, who bought of W. O. Gillett. "Bill" Saunders built the house. About 140 acres are in the farm. The Griswold children are Agnes S., Jennie E. and Nelson B.)
The small house on the south side of the way, to the east, is now ocen- pied by " Colley " Wood. He recently bought from the Conroe estate. The house was built away back in the woods and there occupied by the builder, Mr. Walmsley. To get at the farm proper, we must follow the lane back to the large barn, near which is a tall wind-mill, conspicuous from afar. There are forty-seven acres in the place, once owned by E. Walmsley, and later by Wm. H. Saunders. For some time, the place
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has been known as the Saunders farm. Dr. Peter Valentine owned a lot in back of this, long known by his name.
The clean, white house belonging to R. N. Jeffers next appears. It was built by Harry Valentine, who sold to Charles White. Valentine bought of Holbrook. There are twenty acres in the farm, bringing us to the old canal or ditch. (In 1893 occupied by Bert Haviland.)
Crossing the road, we find the abode of Elijah Osborn, whose family name we encountered in District No. 6. Excepting the people who held the place on contract, Mr. Osborn had no predecessors here. A Mr. Ingersoll cut off the timber, thereby depriving it of just so much value. There are seventy five acres in the farm, which Mr. O. keeps in a high state of cultivation. His wife was Jane Van Antwerp, of that same School District, No. 6. They have only one son, Edward, found just over the stream, east. Mr. Osborn sells many agricultural implements along with his farming, and Mrs. O. cultivates the beautiful, in the shape of many and varied flowers. All the buildings on the place have come from Mr. Osborn's energy and industry.
A bridge carries us safely over the creek, a favorite bathing pool for the boys, and was long the Baptist place for immersion, where, just at our right, is the house of Hudson R. Wood, now occupied by Mrs. Nathan Jeffers, her son, Charles (who recently married Augusta Hamm), and daughter Laura. Mrs. Jeffers is the mother of the present Mrs. Wood. Mr. Wood has been met repeatedly in our town rambles. His first wife was Catharine Collins, daughter of Thaddeus, 2d, and his children were named in other series. I repeat them here. Leora married George Saunders, and, having a son and daughter, lives in Toledo, Ohio; Frank, the wife of George G. Roe, of Clyde, has one child, Edra; Harriet married, first, a Leonard, and married a second time, she now lives in the west ; the youngest, G. Collins, has been met in the village. Many proprietors have been here, as Emanuel Walmsley, who bought of Alonzo Snow. An In- gersoll lived here, while cutting off the wood from Elijah Osborn's place. The large house was started by Solomon Allen, when he came down from Vermont. Before it was finished, Gen. Adams had begun his famous canal and the consequent loss inflicted serious damage, much to Mr. Allen's advantage. The log house identified with the lot stood over the creek, near the white house on the south side of the road. Tradition here does not go back of the name of Alfred Lee, one of the Vermont quartette of brothers who were prominent in Rose affairs in its early history. He was one of the constituent members of the Rose Methodist Episcopal Church. From his son, Luther L., I learn that Alfred Lee was born in Dudley, Mass. His birthday was January 30th, 1783, and it would seem reason- able that his parents were among those who took advantage of cheap Vermont lands, and so moved north, as did very many other farmers in Con-
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necticut and Massachusetts. He was married December 3d, 1806, to Miss Aseneth Harwood, in Brookline, Vermont. She was a native, November 28th, 1781, of Walpole, N. H. He moved from Vermont to Waterloo, Seneca Co., in 1820, and came to Rose in 1822 or '23. His children's names were Anson, Laura, Marantha, Emeline, Maria, Alfred C., Joel N., Aseneth J. and Luther L. The latter was born in Rose, May 13th, 1824. As he was the youngest, it would seem as though the other children were born in Waterloo or Vermont. The family moved from Rose February 28th, 1833, to Jefferson, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, and there Alfred Lee died May 26th, 1868. His wife died November 22d, 1872, very nearly ninety- one years old. The saw-mill, of which Alfred Lee was the proprietor, was located to the north of the road, nearer Sodus street. Like other indica- tions of the early settlers, it long since disappeared. Mr. Lee has kindly furnished other data, as follows : Anson Lee was born November 1st, 1807, in Brookline, Vt .; married, December 28th, 1831, in Hopewell, N. Y., Sarah A. Church. He died April 10th, 1844, in Jefferson, Ohio. His wife died in Iowa. They had three sons-John C., Orchard, Mitchell Co., Iowa; Julius A., in Dakota ; and Joel in Jefferson.
Elijah Osborn's son, Edward, who married Emma Ellsworth, lives opposite. He bought of the Dickson estate and built the house. He is a skilled mechanic.
Now follow several houses, all on the north side, unless otherwise specified. In the first dwells John Weeks, a son of James, in District No. 11. He married Ellen Swift, and they have six children, viz .: William Henry ; Alice E., a recent graduate of Geneseo Normal School ; Nellie L., John W .; Charles H., and Lena V. As in all cases on this side of the street, the lot formerly belonged to Dr. Dickson.
Irving Austin and his wife, who was Iva J. Willis, have two children- William T. and Anna May. They have lived here for several years, buy ing from Thomas Hamm, who built the house ten years ago.
William Coates dwells next, he having bought of William Hamm. Mrs. Coates was Margaret Burkle.
In the next house east, we shall find James Vanderoef and family. He bought of Mrs. Sarah Williams, and the house was built by George Seager. Mr. V. is a son of the late Jonn Vanderoef and Sarah Town, his wife. Mrs. Vanderoef is a daughter of Emanuel Walmsley. They have three daughters-Nellie, Alice and Maud. Nellie was recently married to J. H. Van Antwerp, another time-honored Rose name.
Close by is the old Rose toll gate, somewhat added to. Frank Soper once held it, and it is now in the charge of Landlord E. T. Pimm. At last account it was unoccupied.
In the small cottage opposite, lives Mrs. John H. Ruppert, a widow of German nativity. She once lived in District No. 10, or Covell's. With
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her is her nephew, Foster Moslein, who once kept a market in the village. Philip Stopfel once owned and traded with the widow. Harris Bemis lived here years since, and Robert Jeffers remembers that from him he borrowed a broad axe, when, a young man, he undertook to score and hew out the timber for his barn, on the present Milem place. It is probable that the house was built by Robert Andrews, noteworthy in "ye olden times " as the first shoemaker, and as fully maintaining the reputation for sportive jest of those who pound the lapstone. The story is told of Harris Bemis that he was once very ill, so much so that watchers had to sit up with him. "Uncle" John Bassett and George Howland were acting in this capacity, when their patient proclaimed that he wanted something to eat, insisting that he should not die hungry. They asked him what he would like. Much to their astonishment, he looked away over an ill man's regimen, and chose pudding and milk. They got it for him, and, being a great smoker, they propped him up in bed and gave him his pipe, after he had finished his lunch. When he had fallen asleep, as he soon did, the watchers discussed the ill man's condition. "Well, what do you think of him, Uncle John?" says Mr. Howland. "Oh," replies the worthy black- smith, "give him a little more pudding and milk, and I guess he'll get well."'
Across the way is a house owned by Mrs. John Phillips. Here live Ephraim Wilson, Jr., and his family. They were met when living on Wolcott street. Mr. Wilson is now town clerk. The house was built by Harmon Miner.
The next house is the home of Emanuel Walmsley, long the careful and diligent keeper of the Rose cemetery. A native of Lincolnshire, England, he came to this country when young, yet his speech will ever betray him as one whose vernacular is from beyond the seas. He has been met before, as a dweller further west. His wife was Elizabeth Wilkinson, but for more than twenty years she has lain in the cemetery, so long her husband's care. They had eight children, of whom Louisa married James Vanderoef, living near, and Hannah is the wife of G. A. Sherman. Born in 1810, Mr. Walmsley bears his years with remarkable vigor. His second wife was the widow of John T. Talton.
Advancing toward the east, we find, on the south side of the road, the house long identified with the name of Holbrook. Jester L. Holbrook was born in Townsend, Vermont, and his wife was Margaret Smith, a sister of the second wife of the first Valorous Ellinwood. It was about 1835 or 1836 that he came to Rose and purchased the tannery, long maintained near. He bought of N. W. Thomas. Traces of the tannery may still be seen, but ere many years all indications of the vats will have vanished, and nothing will be found to mark where once was a flourishing industry. The site was just to the west of the house. Back of it may be found the creek
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or stream which General Adams fancied might be transformed into a water highway. The Holbrook children were: Sarah L., now Mrs. R. N. Jeffers ; Frances M. and Franklin, twins ; William A .; Jester H., and F. Adelle. The latter is Mrs. Francis Osborn, of the Covell district (lately deceased) ; William A. married Sarah Frear, a Pennsylvanian, and lives in Rochester, having four children-Webster C., Ella, Frances and Willie ; Jester H. learned his father's trade. The sisters, Sarah and Frances, were for twenty years the milliners for the village, having their store in one of the small buildings near the corner store. Miss Frances M. Holbrook still lives in the old home, the parents having died several years ago. In their lives they were substantial members of the Methodist Church. Miss Frances Holbrook, of Rochester, was married September 6th, 1892, to James Crumbie, of that city. For some years, " Aunty " Harriet Stevens, who once lived on the Alonzo Chaddock place and who is in her 95th year, has lived here.
Should we call at the next house, we should find Mr. and Mrs. Robert N. Jeffers, of whom extended mention was made at the first home as we entered the district from the west. (Mr. J. died June 11th, 1893.) There are two small buildings yet remaining before reaching the corner. In one of these the Misses. Holbrook long had a millinery store. Here died "Aunty" Campbell, so long a loving charge and care of the Methodist Church.
The last home to be noted, in this extended series of rambles through Rose, is that of Frank H. Closs, the large brick house on the northwest corner, where Lyons street enters Main. In many respects, it has long been the most important spot in town. Here was held the first town meeting, and about it, in one way or another, revolved much of the town history. In 1815 Capt. John Sherman built a double log house, somewhat back of where the brick structure now stands, using one end for a dwell- ing, the other for a tavern, the first in this part of the then town of Wolcott. Later the plant passed into the hands of Capt. Sherman's son- in-law, Charles Woodward, who sold to Jacob Miller, and from him it became the property of Charles Thomas. This was in 1825, and from that date it has been in the possession of some member of the Thomas family. Mr. Miller built the first framed building here, which, enlarged, stood for many years a conspicuous object on the corner. About thirty years ago, it was removed to the east side of Main street, where we find it to-day, the abode of Mr. Niles. Upon the old site was reared the elegant house now standing.
The Thomases came originally from Massachusetts, though Charles Thomas moved from Pompey, Onondaga county, to Rose. His wife was Polly Wright, and no pioneer ever had a more earnest or determined helpmeet. Both of them were prominent in the early days of Rose Methodism. After Mr. Thomas' death, which took place in 1830, she
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married a Mr. Clark, of Canistota. Her latest years were passed with her daughter, Mrs. George Mirick, dying in 1863. The children of Charles and Polly Thomas were: Nathan, born in 1807, who married Mary, daughter of Jacob Miller, having four children-Polly, Harriet, Dan C. and John. The second child was Sophia, whose first husband was Isaac Crydenwise, and second, Dr. J. J. Dickson. Her son, Isaac Crydenwise, took the mme of Dickson ; her other son, Ensign Dickson, has long been well-s. Own in Rose. ' Elsie O. Thomas became Mrs. Geo. W. Mirick, and of her ment;ion was made as we passed along the Clyde road. Eron Noble Thomas was older than Mrs. Mirick, but I have purposely withheld his name for the very last mention in this list of Rose residents, for to him and his family these final words belong. In boyhood Mr. Thomas was an invalid, so much so that long months were passed in bed, yet not so weak that he could not read and study. An object thus of tender solicitude to his parents, means were found to gratify an inquiring mind till he became one of the best posted young men of the vicinity, and his fund of general information was always noteworthy. His illness finally necessitated the amputation of one of his legs, but its artistic substitute was so serviceable that, in subsequent years, he was able to move quite as quickly as those to whom nature had been kinder. What might have been to some a great loss, was to him really a blessing in disguise, for he, with excellent mental attainments, became an active and useful man. One of his first essays in work was that of clerking for John Barber, Jr., later of Clyde, who kept the first store in Rose Valley. This was about 1831, and to Barber's business Mr. Thomas succeeded. From that date to the time of his death, there were very few great interests in the town in which he had not a part. His first wife was Lucy Ann Davis, of Butler, and their only child who survived infancy is Paul Jerome, now of New York City, but for many years one of the most noted men in the town. Mrs. Thomas died in 1843, and, second, Mr. Thomas married, in 1844, Mrs. Rachel ( Elton ) Gaylord. The latter was born in Burlington, Conn., and her first husband was Marvin J. Gaylord, of Bristol, Conn., by whom she was the mother of three children-Ellen M. ( Mrs. William H. Lyon, of Brooklyn), Josephine and Marvin E. The latter two are not living. To Mr. Thomas she bore Zadora G., who is Mrs. Frank H. Closs, and Corinne R., who married J. Henry Morrow, of Waterbury, Conn. Mrs. Thomas was a woman of commanding figure and inspiring presence. Though nearly eighty years of age at the time of her death, in 1891, few would suspect her to be more than three score and ten. After Mr. Thomas' death, she had lived much in Brooklyn and Connecticut, with her daughters. Many will remember Corinne, the younger daughter, as a school girl with hair ever in glossy ringlets. Her husband was for some time editor of the Waterbury Repub- lican, but a few years since the family removed to Los Angeles, Cal.
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They have four children. Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Closs ' ve a pleasant family of seven children, whose names are Nellie T., M. William, Wilbert H., Ellen H., Rachel E. and Frank H. esting group, the parents have provided excellent educati and the eldest daughter is now a musical director in W. observer who only occasionally visits the old scenes, note that one modern home is brightened by the presence
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