History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc, Part 122

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902; Whitman, Benjamin, 1940-; Russell, N. W. (Nathaniel Willard); Brown, R. C. (Robert C.); Weakley, F. E; Warner, Beers & Co. (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : Warner, Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1280

USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc > Part 122

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P. N. CROSS, grocer, Corry, was born September 24, 1840, in Panama, Chautauqua Co., N. Y., and was reared and educated in his native county. He started in Venango Coun- ty, Penn., in the grocery business in 1862, where he remained till 1877, when he engaged in farming about three years ; he then came to Corry and carried on the wholesale and retail crockery business for two years, since which time he has been engaged in groceries. His partner, the first four years, was William Hooker, and then for five years the firm was Cross & Case. Mr. Cross was united in marriage October 11, 1865, with Lucy A. Case, born August 29, 1837, in French Creek, N. Y. They have been the parents of two chil- dren, both deceased, viz., Mary Z., born in 1866, died June 6, 1869; and Fred H., born March 27, 1871, and died August 17, 1871. Our subject and wife are members of the Baptist Church; the former is a member of the I. O. O. F., and also of the A. O. U. W.

E. D. DALTON, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Corry, was born in Cloneen, County Kilkenny, Ireland, July 13, 1826; son of Peter and Anna (Durney) Dalton, the former of whom died in Ireland in 1837, aged fifty-two years, and the latter in Pennsylvania in 1871, aged seventy-three years. A brother of our subject died at the age of thirteen. E. D. was educated in Ireland, and came to America at the age of twenty-four. He was married in Ireland in 1846 to Ellen Grant, born there January 1, 1819, daughter of James and Joanua (Grant) Graut, both deceased, the former in 1870 and the latter in 1853. They were the parents of twelve children, six living. Mr. and Mrs. E. D. Dalton are the parents of six children-Anna, widow of Thomas Bates ; Joanna, wife of Addison Patterson ; Peter (deceased), Stachie, Mary (deceased), and James, married to Estella Kennedy, of Wayne.

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CITY OF CORRY.

Our subject owns ninety-two and a half acres of land within the city limits. He makes a specialty of blooded stock. In politics, he is a Republican.

H. A. DART, clerk in the freight office of New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad at Corry, was born in Columbus, Chenango Co., N. Y., moving when three years old to Hamilton, N. Y. He obtained his education at the Hubbardsville Academy and at the Madison University. Mr. Dart has been employed as above nineteen years; previously was in baggage room and ticket office from August, 1864, during which time he was also acting as baggage master for the N. & O. Railroad. In 1870, Mr. Dart was united in mar- riage with M. A. Cook, born in St. Clairville, N. Y., daughter of T. B. Cook, a prominent business man, who built the first theater in Corry in the year 1865. Mrs. Dart departed this life in 1870.

J. B. DAVIS, insurance agent, Corry, was born at Youngsville, Warren Co., Penn., January 21, 1846, and, in addition to his early education at the common schools, received a thorough commercial training at Bryant & Stratton's Mercantile College. For six years our subject was engaged as drug clerk at Warren, Penn., for F. H. Randall; then one year in Corry in drug business with W. A. Roe (now deceased); after this, engaged in insurance business for sixteen years; one year in grocery business, a member of the firm of Miller & Davis. Mr. Davis was twice married, first to Sarah A., daughter of John Edsall, of New- ark, N. J. By this union there was one child-Foster E. Davis. The mother is deceased. Mr. Davis next married Mattie A. Turbett, born in 1852. He and his wife are members of the Emanuel Episcopal Church, in which Mr. Davis has taken a very active interest, and has held the position of Junior Warden for several years; he is also a well-advanced Ma- son, and has held several important positions. He was also instrumental in helping form the Board of Trade of Corry, and has held the position of Director and Vice President in said board.

D. E. DE ROSS, physician and surgeon, Corry, was born in Crawford County, Penn., June 2, 1845, son of Alexandria De Ross, a surgeon of Philadelphia, Penn., a native of Paris, who came to Crawford County, Penn., in the year 1826, dying March 20, 1864, from the effects of an injury received from a runaway team; he was the seventh son in his family, of whom six brothers and his father died of the yellow fever in 1805. Our subject is also the seventh son in his family, in which there was only one girl; five of his brothers served in different regiments in the army, one of whom was killed at Hatcher's Run in 1865. D. E. De Ross was reared on a farm, where he remained until he was sixteen years of age, attending the district school. From then until his eighteenth year he was in Meadville College, graduating in 1863. In March of the same year, he became Su- perintendent of a female college in Johnson County, Mo., at the same time acting as First Lieutenant of the Home Guards; in July (same year), he became Surgeon in the Fifth Missouri Cavalry. At the expiration of a year, he became Hospital Steward of the Second Missouri Light Artillery, which position he filled from April, 1864, to November 28, 1865. In July of the latter year, he became Surgeon of a brigade in an expedition against the Indians. Going from Elkhorn, Neb., through the West, they were attacked by a large party of Indians, aud lost several hundred men, besides suffering from hunger and thirst. They were forty-two days on Powder River and Yellowstone, during which time they sub- sisted on mule meat; they went to Salt Lake, Denver, Colo., and finally to St. Louis, where they were mustered out. Our subject again taught school for three months. He then re- turned home, and attended the university at Philadelphia one winter; he then went to the United States Medical College in New York for a year. graduating in 1869. . The following year he spent in the South, still in pursuit of knowledge. He was in the medical field from 1870 to 1873. Mr. De Ross was married, June 19, 1873, to M. M. Royal, of Kinsman, Trumbull Co., Ohio, who was born May 26, 1848. This union has resulted in two children -M. La Roy, born June 17, 1876, in Corry, Penn., and Lura E., born in Corry, Penn., January 20, 1882, died April 2, 1883. Our subject was at one time a resident of Cincinnati, practicing his profession, and also graduating in the Eclectic Medical College January 26, 1875. He came to Corry. Penn., April 26, 1875, and has since been actively engaged in his profession. He is President of the State Eclectic Medical Association of Pennsylvania, and Secretary of the Northwestern Eclectic Medical Association.

M. WARREN DILLINGHAM, minister, Corry, was born in Boston, Mass., Septem- ber 18, 1836, and is a son of Moses and Eliza Dillingham; the former, a sea captain, was of English parentage, and the latter was a native of Massachusetts, of Scotch and English lineage. Our subject was partly educated in Boston, aud graduated from the Lawrence Academy, Massachusetts. Mr. Dillingham read theology with E. F. Crane, studied Latin and Greek languages at Little Falls, Herkimer Co., N. Y., and elocution in 1879 in Boston. He was ordained to the ministry in 1875, at Stratford, N. Y., where he spent two years; he was converted at the age of thirty-eight years. He followed his profession two years at Northville, Fulton Co., N. Y., one year in Boston, and in 1880 came to Corry, where he succeeded Dr. Crane, since which time he has been actively engaged here. Mr. Dilling- ham was united in marriage by Rev. Father Taylor, in Boston, with Julia A. Ross, a native of New Hampshire, born September 26, 1838. Four children have been born to this union-Mary E., Warren Edson, Carrie A. and Anna L.

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ED. DILLINGHAM, of the firm of Dillingham & Fisher, fruits, canned goods and oysters, wholesale and retail, corner Center and South streets, Corry, was born in Boston, Mass., and is a son of the Rev. W. Dillingham, of the First Baptist Church Our subject was educated in Amsterdam, N. Y., where he lived about six years. He spent one year teaching, and was book-keeper for A. B. Long, retail grocer, Boston. Subsequently he spent three or four years in Corry as salesman with Nathaniel Stone, Cross & Case, and Sullivan & Jones. He engaged in business for himself in November, 1881, taking a third interest in the firm of Conner, White & Dillingham, and since September, 1882, as above. Mr. Dillingham was secretly united in marriage, April 14, 1882, with Viola L., daughter of John Beebe, of Corry, Penn. After their marriage they remained in their respective homes for a year, but are now happily united. This clandestine match was the source of much sensational newspaper notice at the time.

E. H. DIVER, bakery, established 1865, Corry, was born in Albany, where he was reared and partly learned his trade, which he afterward completed in New York. He fol- lowed this trade in N. Y. State, Alhany and Brockford. Mr. Diver was a pioneer of Corry, coming here eighteen years ago, when it was covered with forests, and has witnessed its transformation into a thriving city, with a population of 6,000 souls. He has been very successful, and, by close attention to his business and good financiering, has accumulated a comfortable competency. Mr. Diver married, in Monroe County, N. Y., Prudence Grif- fiths, by whom he had six children, four deceased; the surviving are Walter Stephen and Sarah Jane. Mr. Diver is a member of the Royal Templars of Temperance and of the Foresters.

CAPT. EDWARD DOW, retired seaman, Corry, was born March 19, 1804, near Portsmouth, N. H., and is a son of Benjamin Dow, a tanner by trade. Our subject began when sixteen years of age to lead a seafaring life, engaging in codfishing two-thirds of the year for about twenty years. Capt. Dow farmed from 1852 to 1855 in New York State. He came to Corry twenty-nine years ago, when it was a swamp. Our subject has been twice married, his first wife being Miss Thompson. His second marriage occurred twenty- eight years ago, March 22, 1856, with Harriet Wyatt, born October 13, 1829, in England, and came to America when twenty-six years of age. Two children were born to this union-Mary and Dora.

PETER DREYER, member of the Corry Bed Manufacturing Company, Corry, was born February 4, 1848, in Denmark, where he was raised and learned the cabinct-making trade. He came to America in 1867, locating in New York for a short time; thence went to Jamestown, N. Y., and has been in Corry nine years. Our subject was united in mar- riage, in 1876, with Anna Hintze. They are the parents of four children, viz .: Maggie, Charles, Abiha and Robert.

G. A. ELSTON, physician and surgeon, Corry, son of M. W. Elston, and fourth of a family of eight children, was born at Mount Salem, Sussex Co., N. J., April 12, 1855, and was reared on his father's farm, attending the district school for his primary education, and afterward the high school at Deckertown, N. J. In 1875, the Doctor com- menced the study of medicine with Dr. E. Potts at home, continuing with him for two years; he then attended the University College, New York, in 1878-79, and in 1880 received his diploma. After this he spent one year at Bellevue Hospital, N. Y., and commenced the practice of his profession in August, 1881.

B. ELLSWORTH, City Surveyor, Corry, is a son of Jeremiah Ellsworth, at one time Mayor of Corry, also City Councilman, and who died in 1880, when nearly eighty years old. Three of his sons have held Government offices. Our subject, B. Ellsworth, in addition to above business, is also Government Gauger; previously, for three and a half years, he was Secretary of the School Board, when only twenty-seven years of age. He was Assistant Doorkeeper, then Sergeant-at-Arms, and in 1853-54 was an officer in the Legislature. While in Chautauqua County, N. Y., he served as Recording Clerk nine years and County Treasurer three; then was engaged as Assistant Treasurer of Cross-Cut Railroad. Mr. Ellsworth has been a resident of Corry since 1862.

C. B. ELY, book-keeper, Corry City Iron Works, Corry, was born in Stockton, Chau- tauqua Co., N. Y. He was reared in his native place, attending district school, and James- town Academy for one winter. Mr. Ely first clerked for a few years; then commenced the grocery business in Corry as Ely & Allis, at which he continued six years; was also in the dry goods business two years, firm of Clark & Ely. He has been with the present com- pany one year. Mr. Ely was united in marriage with Grace G. Horton, of Stockton, N.Y., daughter of Samuel G. Horton, a prominent farmer of Corry. To this union was born, April, 1883, in Corry, one child, Ralph Ormes, a namesake of subject's deceased half brother, Ralph Ely, who was a Brigadier General during the late war of the rebellion, and who also held other positions of trust.

J. A. FARNHAM, of the firm of J. A. Farnham & Co., proprietors of planing mill, and dealers in all kinds of building material, Corry, was born in Wayne Township, Erie Co., Penn., September 22, 1841, son of Walter and Rhoda (Turner) Farnham, of English descent. The former was one of the early settlers in this section, and is still living at the patriarchal age of ninety-two. When our subject was six months old, he moved with his

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CITY OF CORRY.

parents to French Creek, Chautauqua Co., N. Y., where he was reared to farming life and educated at the log schoolhouse. In 1862, he enlisted, serving throughout the rebellion. He was wounded three times, at Gettysburg, Dug's Gap and on the Altona Mountains during Sherman's march through Atlanta. Our subject, on being discharged, settled in Corry, and followed his trade as contractor and builder until 1880, when he embarked in his present business. In April, 1866, Mr. Farnham married Louise E. Hall, born in Addi- son County, Vt., September, 1842. By this union there are two children-Nellie and George H. T.

WILLIAM S. FOX, Smith street, Manager of Western Union Telegraph office, Corry, was born May 11,1850, at Cold Spring, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., and is a son of George A. and Mar- garet Fox, who moved to Randolph, N. Y., in 1852. Our subject attended the Randolph Academy until fifteen years old, then learned telegraphy, and was employed by the N. Y., P. & A. R. R. Company at Randolph, Salamanca, Jamestown and other points until his eighteenth year, when he came to Corry for the same company. In 1879, he was appoint- ed to his present position. Mr. Fox was united in marriage, September, 1876, with Rose, daughter of John Page, of Ramsgate, England. Two children have been born to this union-Georgia Newport and Margaret.

W. A. FRANK, general detective for railroad companies, Corry, was born in Wood- stock, Ulster Co., N. Y., son of Luther and Margaret (Desmond) Frank, the former a native of Germany, the latter born in Baltimore, Md .; both are now deceased. Our subject was reared and educated in Fredonia, and lived with his father until twenty-five years of age. He has been a detective twenty years, and in Corry since 1869, where for six or seven years he was Chief of the police force. He is now altogether employed by the railroad companies. and spends his whole time traveling from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and Erie on the P. & E. R. R., and on the N. Y., L. E. & W. from Corry to Salamanca and Brad- ford, thence west to transfer. He at one time had an agency, with men under him sta- tioned at several points in New York and Pennsylvania. Mr. Frank was married, at Pom- fret, Chautauqua Co., N. Y., April 15, 1851, to Desire M. Tarbox. Four children have been born to this union-Louisa M., married to William Rhodes, of Corry, June 10, 1880, died May 18, 1883, aged thirty-one years; Edward P., born in Pomfret, Chautauqua Co., N. Y., and died November 29, 1856, aged two and a half years; Henry A., farrier in Aurora, Erie Co., N. Y .: and Ellen J., residing at home.

DANIEL D. FRANKLIN, M. D., Corry, was born April 4, 1813, in Chili Township, Monroe Co., N. Y. His father, Asa Franklin (descended from Dr. Benjamin Franklin), was a distinguished cavalryman in the war of 1812-one of the brave men who lay in the trenches at the blowing up of Fort Erie, Canada, while the British were storming it. His mother, now in her ninetieth year, was the daughter of Uriah Chapman, a soldier in the revolutionary war, who, though shot by the Indians, managed to escape by chewing leaves and plugging the ball hole, which ball he carried through a long life. Daniel D. Franklin is the elder brother of the late Col. F. E. Franklin, of Tiffin, Ohio, who served all through the late war, at the close of which he located at Yazoo, Miss., where he became Probate and Circuit Judge, and finally Speaker of the House of Representatives for his adopted State, at the close of which he died of congestive chills. In 1820, Dr. Franklin's father removed to Cattaraugus County, N. Y., which was then a wilderness. Up to 1831, our subject's education was limited to the district school. He was self-supported and educated, struggling with the realities of life as best he could. In 1840, he married Perthena Adams, a daughter of Morris Adams, of Fredonia, N. Y., and descended from the Presidents John and John Quincy Adams. Our subject's health failling from too close attention to busi- ness, in 1846, he began the study of medicine, to which he earnestly applied himself until 1849, when he entered the Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati, Ohio. After two terms, he graduated in 1850, and removed to Tiffin, Ohio, where he commenced to practice as an eclectic and homeopathic physician. Believing the latter to be the most rational theory, he uses it almost exclusively in his practice. While at Tiffin, where he practiced three years, he removed the largest ovarian tumor known to the medical world; weight, fifty- three pounds eight ounces, and in circumference, three and one-half and four and one-half feet. He left this field to his brother, F. E. Franklin, of whom mention has been made, and who studied medicine with the subject of this sketch. The latter returned to Fredonia, N. Y., built a water cure, and ran it for three years in connection with homeopathy. He sold it and migrated with his family to Iowa, where he helped to build the city of Northwood, and lived in it for four years. Removing to Ohio, thence to Illinois, he remained for several years in the miasmatic districts bordering on the prairie streams, treating fevers of all types with great success. In 1864, he was appointed delegate by the Christian Commission, and sent to Washington, D. C., where he was assigned to duty in the old Armory Hospital, and went thence to City Point, Va., where he was engaged as contract physician in the general hospital until he was compelled to leave on account of sickness brought on by overwork in the hot month of August. In 1870, he came to Corry, where he, with his wife and son, S. J., now resides. Dr. Franklin is (1883) seventy years of age, but as active and vigorous as ever, which can be attributed to his being strictly temperate in all things, and has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church over fifty years. His practice is

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large, lucrative and successful. He is the inventor and manufacturer of Dr. Franklin's Catarrh Balm, which has a wide reputation and extensive sale, solely upon its merits. Dr. D. D. Franklin was the father of seven children, all dying in infancy excepting his son, S. J., Superintendent and Acting Treasurer of Corry Gas & Water Company.

S. J. FRANKLIN, Superintendent Corry Gas & Water Company, Corry, Penn., also General Manager of Warren Gas Light Company, Warren, Penn .. was born in 1854, in Fredonia, N. Y., and is a son of Dr. D. D. and Perthena (Adams) Franklin (see sketch of former). Our subject moved from his native place to Iowa, subsequently to Ohio, Illinois and finally to Pennsylvania, coming to Corry in 1870, and graduated from the high school in 1873. He built up a fine trade in gas fixtures, fittings, and the hot water system of heat- ing houses, etc., successfully demonstrating the feasibility of the same at the Corry Nation- al Bank, Washington Street School, M. Manville's residence, and in his own, which are all heated in this manner. He has the entire control of Corry Gas Works and Warren Gas Light Company; has been Superintendent of the former nine years, and of the latter four. Our subject was but twenty years of age when he married a daughter of Ira S. Murray, and after three years of happiness lost his wife and a bright little daughter. Three years later Mr. Franklin was again united in marriage, this time to Miss Carrie Stevens, a niece of Mrs. S. W. Steward. Mr. Franklin, while yet (1883) less than thirty years of age, has been a very energetic and successful business man.

JACOB FRANZ, dealer in furniture, carpets, wall papers and window curtains, also undertaker, Corry, was born October 16, 1840, in Lampertheim, Hesse-Darmstadt, Ger- many, son of Casper and Barbara (Alberstadt) Franz, former of whom, a merchant tailor, died March 3, 1843. Our subject came to Erie County, Penn., in 1852, residing in Erie City ten years, and there he went to school and learned the mason's and plasterer's trades with his uncle, D. Shiely. Abandoning this, he then entered the molding department of a stove foundry, which, owing to the financial crash of 1857, was closed up for three years. This caused our subject to make another change. He next served a three years' appren- ticeship to the cabinet-maker's trade with J. H. Riblet, Erie City; then worked for a short time for Mr. Chamberlin, Union City, this county, and again with Mr. Riblet for a brief period. In the fall of 1862, Mr. Franz went to Titusville, Crawford County, Penn., and worked for Mr. Allen, cabinet-maker. On December 18, same year, he moved to Corry and embarked in the furniture trade in partnership with D. Shiely. This partnership was dissolved in 1870, and our subject continued the business alone, associating with it that of undertaker. Mr. Franz has now a handsome establishment, which represents the most ex- tensive of his line of business in the county. The building is 30x80 feet area, three stories and a basement, all of which is occupied with the immense stock carried. Though a native of Germany, Mr. Franz has been identified with Corry almost since its birth, and is one of the pioneers of trade. He was married, October 11, 1870, to a daughter of Valentine and Margaret (Haburn) Barron, of Mckean Township, this county, where they settled in 1836, former a native of Germany, latter of Scotland.

REV. ALONZO FRINK, Corry, was born in Springfield, Mass., in 1799, and reared to ' manhood in Madison County, N. Y .; at seventeen, he commenced teaching, and at thirty- two entered the ministry. Mr. Frink is now eighty-five years old; has been a resident of Corry for twelve years, and is well acquainted with all the details of its early settlement, and remembers when it was a swamp. Mr. Frink says " the building of Corry resulted from its being the central point of the railroads, giving it advantages of transportation, east, west. north and south, and it is destined to be a large town if rightly managed."

F. H. GAY, dealer in fine groceries and jobber in butter, cheese and eggs, corner of First avenue and Pleasant street, Corry. Penn., was born in Ripley, Chautauqua Co., N. Y., August 23, 1837. Reared on his father's farm, and educated at Erie City Academy and finished his education at Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College at Buffalo, N. Y., in 1862. Mr. Gay was baggage agent for the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad at Corry from 1863 to 1876. During the same period served as city official (Police Justice) five years, High Constable two years. In 1875, bought out a meat market on First avenue, which he ran for six years successfully, during some of which time he bought and shipped to Phila- delphia market stock to a large amount. After which he was one year in the grocery bus- iness. Has been elected to the City Council for four successive years. Mr. Gay was mar- ried in 1860. His children are Frank H. Gay, Jr., and Bell Gay. He was married again in 1873 to his present wife.

LEWIS R. GEER, of the firm of Geer & Co., Corry, was born in Warren, Warren Co., Penn., February 25, 1818, and is a son of John Geer, born in Susquehanna County March 8, 1791, and who came to Warren County in 1808. He was a farmer, lumberman and pilot on the Allegheny River. He died near Warren, aged ninety-one years and one day, one of the most honest, industrious and peaceable men that ever lived in Warren County. Al- though a lumberman on the river, he was an exceedingly strong man, but never had a fight. He was the father of seven children, five surviving. Our subject is hy trade a harness- maker, which occupation he commenced in 1834 and followed for about eighteen years; subsequently was about five years in mercantile business at Warren, Penn., and farmed five years. He followed the Allegheny River as pilot from Warren to Pittsburgh. Mr. Geer

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History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc, Part 122

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902; Whitman, Benjamin, 1940-; Russell, N. W. (Nathaniel Willard); Brown, R. C. (Robert C.); Weakley, F. E; Warner, Beers & Co. (Chicago, Ill.) Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago : Warner, Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1280

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902; Whitman, Benjamin, 1940-; Russell, N. W. (Nathaniel Willard); Brown, R. C. (Robert C.); Weakley, F. E; Warner, Beers & Co. (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : Warner, Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1280