USA > New York > Washington County > Washington county, New York; its history to the close of the nineteenth century > Part 66
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On November 21, 1885, Mr. Donehue married Minnie L., daughter of Michael and Mary (Lavy) Beckett. They have a family of five children, as follows: George C., Edward J., Julian B., Frances M. and Mary L.
Socially Mr. Donehue is an affable and agreeable gentleman, and naturally has a large circle of friends. His father was born in County Kerry, Ireland, and his mother in Waterford County, Ireland.
GEORGE H. DEUEL was born on the farm where he now resides, in the town of Easton, Washington County, N. Y., January 14, 1845. He is a son of George W. and Sarah (Slocum) Deuel.
He was educated at the Fairfield Seminary, and after leaving that institution, engaged in farming and stock raising, in which he has ยท since been engaged with pronounced success. His wife was Etta,
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daughter of Ira and Catherine (Barker) Gifford. The date of their marriage was February 26, 1874. They have one child, Anna Deuel.
Mr. Deuel's ancestors were of English descent, and his wife's people originally came from Germany.
SALMON DICKINSON was born in the town of Queensbury, Warren County, N. Y., in the year 1840, but passed his early days in Saratoga County, where he received his education.
He settled in Washington County in the year 1851, where he has always pursued the occupation of farmer.
In the year 1865, Salmon Dickinson married Josephine Mead, daughter of Stephen Mead, and they have four children, namely: Clifford, Samuel, Burt and Maria M.
Mr. Dickinson's parents were Samuel and Maria (Sherman ) Dickinson. The family is of English descent.
Mr. Dickinson is one of the prosperous farmers of Greenwich and also does considerable in the dairy business.
ROBERT DONAHUE was born in the town of Greenwich, Washington County, N. Y., August 14, 1858. He began the active work of his life as a butcher, with L. H. Meader, with whom he remained for seven years, after which he was with H. S. Harrington for four years. He then formed a partnership with L. H. Meader, the firm being Meader & Donahue. This partnership existed for two years, when Mr. Donahue sold out and worked for Daniel Callahan for five years, after which he was associated with George Foster for three years. In 1893 he entered the employ of W. L. Sprague, with whom he has since remained and for whom he is now manager.
On October 8, 1879, Mr. Donahue married Sarah E. Randall, daughter of David S. Randall, and they have two children, namely: William, born September 2, 1881, and Lewis, born August 13, 1882.
Mrs. Donahue's people came from England to the United States many years ago. Her branch of the family finally settled in Oswego County, N. Y., which is her native place.
Mr. Donahue's father, David Donahue, was a native of Ireland, .
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who came to America in 1850, living two years in New York City and then settling in Washington County, N. Y., in 1852. His mother was Mary E. ( Irwin ) Donahue.
Mr. Donahue is an energetic and progressive man who takes an active interest in local affairs. In politics he is a Democrat. He was Trustee of the village of Greenwich for five years and is a member of Union Village Lodge, No. 253, I. O. O. F.
CLAYTON N. DAVIS, one of the prominent manufacturers of Wash- ington County, and the only one in his line, was born at Hartford, this county, and was educated at the Fort Edward Institute. In 1871 he went to Troy and embarked in the shirt manufacturing business with his father in that city. This business they conducted success- fully from the start, and in 1880 removed their headquarters to Fort Edward. Two years subsequently, in 1882, C. N. Davis assumed the entire business, and has since conducted the enterprise alone.
In 1893 Mr. Davis extended the scope of his business, and since that date has manufactured not only collars and cuffs, but also shirts and ladies' shirt waists. The importance of this enterprise and the quality of the work done by this house, are well indicated by the fact that the establishment, which employs seventy-five operatives, is continually taxed to its utmost capacity to keep up with its orders. Mr. Davis exercises a personal supervision over every department of the busi- ness, which insures the gratifying success of the enterprise.
On December 21, 1875, Mr. Davis married Lucy Groesbeck, and they have a family of four children, namely: Anna Elizabeth, Fred- erick K., May Ida and Richard C.
Mr. Davis' parents were Russell C. and Elizabeth Ann (Covell) Davis. His mother was a daughter of General William Covell, a vet- eran of the War of 1812. Her brother, Dr. Charles H. Covell, was a surgeon in the War of the Rebellion, and died in the navy. His father, Russell C. Davis, died in 1894.
Mr. Davis is a member of the Masonic fraternity, is a highly popu- lar citizen of Fort Edward, and one of the successful and progressive business men of Washington County. He was elected Trustee of the village of Fort Edward in March, 1900.
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FRED A. DAVIS was born in the town of Horicon, Warren County, N. Y., March 15, 1863, but has resided in Fort Edward since three years of age. Here he was educated, and here he has passed his busi- ness life, which has always been in the news line. He was employed by C. W. Bowtell for five years, and in 1881 succeeded to the business, and also became manager for the Western Union Telegraph Company, and both of these interests he looks after with ability and success, in the Postoffice building, Fort Edward.
Mr. Davis is enterprising and progressive, and is always in touch with the affairs of his town and county. He is a member of the Sat- terlee Hose Company, and has been its Treasurer for several years; also, member of the A. O. U. W., in which he has been District Dep- uty Grand Master Workman, and is a member of the B. P. O. E. He held the office of Treasurer of the village of Fort Edward for two terms.
On February 16, 1887, Fred A. Davis married Margaret Armsby, daughter of Edward and Mary Armsby. Their children are Fred A., Jr., born June 18, 1890, and Kathryn, born October 21, 1893.
Mr. Davis' parents were Milo and Harriet E. (Shedd) Davis. Milo Davis is of Hinesburg, Vt., and his wife is of Rutland, Vt. The family is of Welch descent. Three brothers came over to America. One settled in the South, one in the West, and one in Massachusetts, and the latter was the progenitor of the subject of this biography.
Mr. Davis has been Chairman of the Legislative Committee of the State Firemen's Association for two years.
GEORGE S. DEVINE, the popular and well known under sheriff of Washington County, was born in the town of Kingsbury, N. Y., Feb- ruary 2, 1853. He was educated at the district schools and the Fort Edward Institute, and his father being a farmer, he followed this occupation until 1884, when he embarked in the grocery and meat business. In this department of trade he was engaged until 1889, when he engaged in the livery business, which he has since continued to conduct.
In politics Mr. Devine has been a life-long Republican, active in the interests of his party and has acted as delegate and as county committeeman several times. He was appointed deputy sheriff at
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Sandy Hill in 1898. His one society is the Masonic, of which he has long been a member.
In 1879 George S. Devine married Althea A. Broughton of Kings- bury, N. Y. They have one adopted daughter, Adelaide A. Devine. Mr. Devine's parents were Seth and Margaret ( Griffin ) Devine. Seth Devine was a native of Dutchess County, and is still living on his farm in the town of Kingsbury, Washington County, N. Y., an active and enterprising farmer. He settled on this farm in 1850. His wife was a native of Warren County and died in Washington County in 1878.
Many generations of the Devine family lived in Dutchess County near Washington Hollow, where the name and family are well known.
DAVID DUNSMORE was born at Lake George, Warren County, N. Y., June 7, 1861. He was educated at the Fort Edward Institute, and has always been a farmer by occupation, which he has pursued both in the town of Fort Edward and Kingsbury, where he now resides.
Mr. Dunsmore is a Republican in politics and has held some town offices. He is also a member of the Washington County Agricultural Society.
On December 25. 1889, David Dunsmore married Sarah E. Ward, and they have two children, namely: Elspie E. and Jeanette K. Dunsmore.
Mr. Dunsmore's parents were David and Elspie ( Johnston ) Duns- more. Elspie Johnston came from Dumfreith, near Edinburgh, Scotland. She was born in 1820 and died January 19, 1900. In com- ing to America she first stopped at Long Island, but later moved to Lake George.
David Dunsmore came from Glasgow, Scotland. He was born in 1813 and came to this country in 1841, when twenty-eight years of age. He located on a farm at Lake George. He married Elspie Johnston in 1842 and they resided at Lake George until 1867, when they removed to Kingsbury and settled on the present Dunsmore homestead. They had a family of seven sons and two daughters, five of whom are now living. David Dunsmore died in 1874.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
JESSE D. FOSTER was born in the town of Hebron, Washington County, N. Y., January 17, 1866, and was educated in the West Hebron Academy.
He has been a farmer all his life, and is one of the representative agriculturists of the town of Hebron.
On January 26, 1897, Jesse D. Foster married Carrie Joyce.
Mr. Foster's parents were Andrew and Alzina Foster.
MARTIN H. CHAMBERLIN Was born in Fort Ann, Washington Coun- ty, N. Y., January 21, 1842. His parents were Curtis and Anna (Heirlbert) Chamberlin. Mr. Chamberlin was educated in the dis- trict schools and after spending some time lumbering, he embarked in the occupation of farming, which he has since pursued.
Mr. Chamberlin married Sarah Early, daughter of Henry and Hannah Early in 1866. In 1862 he enlisted in Company A, 118th Regiment, New York State Volunteers and served three years in the Civil War.
JOHN EDGERTON was born in the town of Hebron, Washington County, N. Y., May 17, 1851, and is a son of Ariel and Martha L. (Morrow) Edgerton. He was educated in the district schools and has always followed the occupation of farming and dairying.
Mr. Edgerton is one of the prominent men of the town of Easton, and is a Republican in politics. He has served as Town Auditor for three years, and is a member of Ashlar Lodge No. 584, F. & A. M., at Greenwich. He is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
On February 24, 1874, John Edgerton married Florence Maynard, daughter of Israel and Abigail Maynard. They have a family of four children, namely: Ralph W., Ina B., P. Russell and F. Beatrice.
Mr. Edgerton's family is of English descent. His great grand- father, Benjamin Edgerton, was a captain in the war of 1812, and John Edgerton's half-brother, Benjamin Edgerton, was a soldier in the War of the Rebellion and was killed in battle.
Mr. Edgerton has a fine and well cultivated farm, which is well known all over this part of the state as the Willow Brook Stock Farm.
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
SHERMAN W. FITCH, agent of the National Express Company at Whitehall, is a son of Albert and Carrie (Towner) Fitch and was born at Crown Point, N. Y., July 11, 1864. He was educated in the public schools of Port Henry and Middlebury, Vermont, and after complet- ing his schooling he went to work for his uncle, Merrill Bingham, upon a farm, where he remained for about seven years. He then went to Mineville and went to work in the capacity of clerk for H. G. Burleigh & Brother, and remained there two years. At this time they sold out and he came to Whitehall and continued in the employment of the firm for a short time, when he secured a position as brakesman on the D. & H. railroad, but, not liking the work, resigned this posi- tion after four months and went into the freight house as night clerk. He acted as night clerk for three months, when he returned to the employment of H. G. Burleigh & Brother, and went to Ticon- deroga where he worked for six months, when he again returned to the freight house of the D. & H. Railroad in Whitehall. Shortly after this he accepted a position with the National Express Company as driver, and in March, 1898, was made agent for the company at Whitehall, which position he still occupies.
Mr. Fitch married Anna B., daughter of A. D. Wait, of Sandy Hill. They have two children, namely: Day B. R., born February 18, 1891, and Robert C., born January 4, 1896. Mr. Fitch is a member of Whitehall Lodge No. 5, I. O. O. F., and Whitehall Encampment No. 69, I. O. O. F.
CHARLES H. FULLERTON was born in the town of Argyle, Washing- ton County, May 18, 1852, and was educated at the Argyle Academy. When twenty years of age, in 1872, he left school and began farming with his father. On January 9, 1884, he married Margaret C. Cherry, of East Greenwich, N. Y., who was a graduate of the Salem Academy. Both Mr. and Mrs. Fullerton are members of the United Presbyterian Church at Argyle. Mr. Fullerton has held the office of Inspector of Election many times.
Mr. Fullerton's parents were Charles T. and Agnes E. (Livingston) Fullerton. Charles T. Fullerton was born in Saratoga County in the year 1805, and his wife in 1812. He was engaged in the hardware business in Troy from 1825 to 1835, when he moved to the town of [ j]
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Argyle, Washington County, and pursued farming during the remain- der of his life. His father, Alexander Fullerton, was born in Hebron, N. Y., in 1776. He married Mary E. Taylor, who was a native of Schenectady County.
Charles H. Fullerton is one of the representative men of Argyle, and is highly respected.
JAMES M. FERRIS was born in the town of Kingsbury, Washington County, N. Y., July 18, 1860, and was educated in the High School at Sandy Hill. At the age of twenty he began working for the Allen Brothers Company, and has been connected with them from that time up to the present. He has held various positions, gradually rising until in the spring of 1884 he became superintendent of shipping for Allen Brothers Company. He has been connected with this depart- ment for sixteen years.
Mr. Ferris is a member of the Royal Arcanum, and has held all the offices in that organization, and is Treasurer of the Sandy Hill Lodge at present.
In 1883 James M. Ferris married Adeline Van Wormer, and they have one daughter, Helen Ferris.
James M. Ferris is a son of Lyman R. and Minerva A. (Miller) Ferris. Lyman R. Ferris was a native of Comstocks, Washington County, and was a son of Cyrus Ferris.
EVANDER M. FINCH was born in the town of Whitehall, Washington County, N. Y., February 6, 1872. He attended the public schools of Whitehall and completed his education at the Whitehall High School, from which he was graduated in the class of '9 1.
Mr. Finch has been engaged in the dairy business all his business life, and has associated with him his brother, John M. Finch, the firm name being Finch Brothers. They are leading dairymen in this part. of the state, keeping a herd of fifty-two cows, and delivering three hundred quarts of milk daily. This business was established in 1892. and their dairy farm comprises 700 acres of land.
Although quite a young man, Mr. Finch is one of the representative men of Washington County, and is at present Supervisor for the town
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of Whitehall. In the fall of 1900 he was placed in nomination by the Democratic party for the office of Sheriff, but naturally shared the fate of the whole Democratic ticket in this strong Republican county, in a presidential year.
Mr. Finch is also a prominent society man, and is a member of Phoenix Lodge No. 96, F. & A. M., Whitehall Lodge No. 5, I. O. O. F., Whitehall Encampment No. 69, I. O. O. F., and Whitehall Canton No. 54, Patriarchs Militant. He is also a member of Steamer Company No. 3, and an honorary member of Torrent Engine Com- pany. He is also a prominent member of the Y. M. C. A., and is highly popular with the young men of Whitehall.
Mr. Finch's parents were Henry M. and Martha J. (Douglass) Finch. His father was born at Sand Lake, Rensselaer County, and died at Whitehall the 11th of July, 1894. His mother was a native of Wash- ington County. Mr. Finch has one brother, John M., and one sister, Beulah, who is the wife of A. G. Greenough. His grandfather was John Finch. and the family is of English origin.
Mr. Finch is an enterprising, progressive and highly popular man, who has many friends in all parts of Washington County.
HON. JAMES E. GOODMAN, son of Origin and Tryphosa (Murrill) Goodman, was born June 3, 1832, at Bolton, Warren County, N. Y. He received his preliminary education at the schools of his native vil- lage, and at the age of seventeen he entered the State Normal School at Albany, from which he was graduated in the spring of 1852. After leaving the Normal School he taught the village school at Fishkill Landing for six months, and afterwards one term at Ovid, Seneca County, N. Y. From Ovid he went to Nyack, Rockland County, N. Y., where he had charge of a large school for six months, at the expi- ration of which time he resigned, to become principal in the twelfth ward school, in the City of Troy. In this position he succeeded his brother, Darwin E. Goodman, who died at that time. He occupied the position of principal of this school for two years, when ill health compelled him to resign, and in this way he severed his connection with the teaching profession.
He next entered a drug store in Troy, and later became a partner in the business, but after spending two years in this enterprise, he
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went to Fort Ann and engaged in farming, principally with the hope of benefiting his health. He remained on the farm until 1865, when he sold out and bought another farm in the town of Hartford, N. Y., upon which he lived until 1884. In that year the Farmers National Bank of Granville was organized, and Mr. Goodman, who had been active in promoting the enterprise, was elected its first President, and he has held the office ever since.
In 1888 he settled permanently in Granville, and has since devoted his attention principally to banking. The Farmers National Bank has been very prosperous, under his able management, and has a sur- plus of $20,000, over and above its capital stock of $50,000.
Hon. James E. Goodman has been a success in more departments of life than generally fall to the lot of man. He has been not only a successful teacher, farmer and banker, but has taken a prominent part in the public affairs of Washington County, and in politics he is a staunch Republican and a firm believer in the principle of protection.
He represented the town of Hartford, N. Y., on the Board of Super- visors from 1874 to 1879, and was a member of the State Assembly in 1881. Although he has not recently accepted any public office, he is a strong factor in local politics and stands high in the counsels of his party.
In 1856 Mr. Goodman married Ellen Humphries, of Troy, N. Y., who died in 1858, leaving one son, Darwin E. Goodman. In 1860 Mr. Goodman married Sarah E. Beecher, daughter of Deacon Beecher, of the village of Granville. They have a family of five children, namely: Jessie E., who married Clayton E. Gates; Mary B., Silas B., James E., Jr., and Sarah F.
The Goodman family in America dates from the year 1620, when John and William Goodman, two brothers, came over in the May- flower, landed at Plymouth Rock and settled in Massachusetts.
Hon. James E. Goodman is a direct descendant of William Good- man. Eleazer Goodman, grandfather of Hon. James E. Goodman, was a native of South Hadley, Mass., but settled in Warren County, N. Y., about the year 1785. He lived to be a very old man and died in the town of Bolton, Warren County, N. Y. He was a farmer, and his son, Origin Goodman, father of Hon. James E. Goodman, was born at South Hadley, Mass., in 1784. He also was a farmer, and served as a soldier in the War of 1812, reaching the front after the Battle of Plattsburgh had been fought. He died May 7, 1847, in
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the sixty-third year of his age. He was quite a prominent man in his town and held various local offices. His wife, Tryphosa Murrill, was a native of Hartford, N. H., and a daughter of William Murrill. They reared a family of eleven children, two sons and nine daughters. Mrs. Goodman survived her husband nearly a quarter of a century, dying in 1871, at the age of eighty-two years. Both she and her hus- band were members of the Presbyterian Church, and it is said of her that "in her character she exemplified all the virtues and graces of true Christian womanhood."
William Murrill, grandfather of Hon. James E. Goodman, was pressed into the British service, under General Burgoyne, and was cap- tured by the American forces at Saratoga, at the time of Burgoyne's surrender. After securing his passports to return home on account of his youth, being only sixteen years old, he changed his mind, enlisted in the American army and served until the close of the Revo- lutionary War. He died in the town of Hartford, Washington County, N. Y., at a ripe old age. His wife, whose surname was Williams, was a direct descendant of Roger Williams, the famous dissenter, who was banished from Massachusetts in 1636, and subsequently founded the colony of Rhode Island.
From this narrative, it will be seen that the Goodman family is not only one of the oldest in America, but has played an important part in building up and maintaining the character of institutions which make this country great. The history of the family and its branches is interwoven with the history of the country since the landing of the Mayflower, and members of the family on both sides have come to the front in all the great epochs that have occurred since then.
ALFRED C. GIBBS was born at Ticonderoga, N. Y., June 13, 1842, and was educated at the common schools in the town of Hartford and at the Albany Business College. He was reared on a farm and remained there until the beginning of the War of the Rebellion when he enlisted as a private in Company F., 93d Regiment, New York State Veteran Volunteers. This was in 1861, and he served until the end of the war in 1865, and during his service was promoted to Com- missary Sergeant. There were four other brothers in the war at the
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same time with Mr. Gibbs. He is a member of Post N. F. Wier No. 453, G. A. R., at Hartford, N. Y., and also of the Baptist church.
Mr. Gibbs takes an active interest in all local affairs and everything pertaining to the welfare of his town and county, and has held the office of Town Collector of Taxes, and is at present Highway Com- missioner for the town.
In 1870 Mr. Gibbs married Mary A. Robinson of Albany, N. Y., and their children are Mary M., Howard, Arthur, George A., Nor- man D. and Edna. Mr. Gibbs' parents were Noah Z., and Mary M. (Converse) Gibbs. Noah Z. Gibbs was born in Cornwall, Vermont, March 24, 1802. He settled in Hartford, N. Y., in 1845, and died at his homestead in 1894, at the age of 92 years and nine months. He raised a family of ten children, six sons and four daughters and five of these sons served in the War of the Rebellion, namely: Theron Z. Gibbs, Stephen C. Gibbs, A. Judson Gibbs, John Byron Gibbs and Alfred C. Gibbs.
Theron Z. Gibbs, M. D., was born at Cornwall, Vermont, and was a Surgeon in the 15th New York Engineer Regiment. He served through the war and was mustered out in June, 1865, with his regi- ment. After the war he practiced medicine and surgery in Fort Ann until 1897, when he was killed at that place by the cars. He was aged seventy years.
Stephen C. Gibbs was born at Ticonderoga, N. Y., October 31, 1828. He enlisted in the 93d New York State Veteran Volunteers in November, 1861, and was mustered out in 1862 for disability. He resides in Fort Ann at present.
A. Judson Gibbs was born at Ticonderoga, N. Y., December 1, 1831, and enlisted from Hartford, N. Y., November 10, 1861, in the 93d New York State Volunteers and served throughout the war and received his honorable discharge June 28, 1865, from the hospital at York, Pa., on account of wounds.
John Byron Gibbs was born at Ticonderoga, N. Y., May 5, 1835. He enlisted in the 96th New York Volunteers and was discharged for disability in 1862 at Yorktown, Va. He died in Shepherd, Mich., in 1868, from the effects of his military service. He was thirty-three .years of age at the time of his death.
Noah Z. Gibbs also had a son-in-law, Levi Matthews, who served in a Vermont regiment, and who died at the battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia, December, 1862, from exposure.
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
ALBERT C. GETTEN. The subject of this sketch, who is one of the oldest paper bag makers in the United States, and Superintendent for The Union Bag & Paper Company at Sandy Hill, N. Y., was born in Genesee County, N. Y., June Ist, 1841, and was educated at LeRoy in his native county.
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