History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 103

Author:
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1454

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CHAUNCEY KING PALMER, second son of Reuben T. Palmer, and grandson of Abram Palmer, was born in Granville, Bradford county, Pennsylvania, December 12, 1840. He was reared in Middlebury township, obtained a common school edu- cation, and when eighteen years old went into the lumber woods as a teamster. He was later employed as a farm hand until the breaking out of the war. April 22, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Sixth Pennsylvania Reserve, under Capt. Julius Sherwood, and participated in the following battles: Ball's Bluff, Drainsville, Seven Days Fight before Richmond, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Second Bull Run, and Gettysburg. He was wounded at Antietam, and was finally discharged at Washington, D. C., July 28, 1864. Returning home he was unable to work for two years because of sickness contracted in the army. In May, 1875, he purchased a farm of 115 acres, northeast of Keeneyville, on which he resided until his death, November 30, 1896. Mr. Palmer was married May 10, 1881, to Jane Cloos, a daughter of Newbury Cloos, Jr., of Middlebury township, and left one son, Harry N. Politically, he was a Republican, and in religion, a zealous member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was also a member of Alfred Toles Post, G. A. R., and of Middlebury Grange, and was highly respected by the community in which the greater portion of his life was spent.

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MARTIN STEVENS was born in Warwick, Franklin county, Massachusetts, Sep- tember 8, 1776. His father, Martin Stevens, came with two brothers from England to America prior to the Revolution and located in Rhode Island, whence he re- moved to Massachusetts. His mother, Deborah, was a native of the latter State, where she met and married Martin Stevens, Sr. The subject of this sketch followed milling in his native State, and came to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, in 1827, locating on a farm a short distance above Tioga village. Three years later he re- moved to Middlebury township, and purchased a portion of the present Stevens farm, to which he subsequently added by purchase. He was married in 1798, to Polly Gale, a native of Warwick, Massachusetts, born February 18, 1777. Eleven children were born to this union, viz: Emory, Polly, Sally, Melinda, Martin, Abram, Louisa, Daniel G., Ezra I., Alvira M. and Clarissa P., all of whom are dead except Alvira M., widow of Dr. Joel Rose. The parents died upon the old homestead in Middlebury township.

DANIEL G. STEVENS was born in Townsend, Windham county, Vermont, July 10, 1816, son of Martin Stevens, and came to Tioga county with his parents when about eleven years old. He received a good common school education, and fol- lowed teaching for a time. He worked upon the home farm for some years, and later engaged extensively in lumbering, but in later life became a farmer. He was a good business man, and was fairly successful. In politics, a Republican, he filled all of the township offices at different periods, and served one term as county com- missioner. He was also a very active member of the Patrons of Husbandry, and a stockholder in the Wellsboro and Tioga plank road. Mr. Stevens was married Octo- ber 9, 1845, to Eveline Dunham, of Albany, New York, born January 15, 1820. Five children were the fruits of this union, viz: Horace L., of Middlebury; Clara M., widow of J. O. W. Bailey, of Mansfield; Walter B .; and Adele L., both of whom died in early youth, and Ada B., wife of John A. McLean, of Hammond. Mr. Stevens died on May 28, 1875, and his wife, September 13, 1895. '

HORACE LEROY STEVENS, oldest child of Daniel G. Stevens, was born on his present farm in Middlebury township, December 19, 1847. After attending the district schools of his native township, he entered the State Normal School of Mansfield, and later Clinton Liberal Institute, Clinton, New York. He has always remained on the homestead farm, and at his father's death purchased the interest of the other heirs. This farm originally embraced 520 acres, of which he has since sold 290 acres. At one time he devoted his attention to hop growing, but it proved a failure, and he has since been engaged quite extensively in lumbering and tobacco growing. On December 25, 1871, he married Augusta N. Bailey, a daughter of Cephas and Caroline (Wright) Bailey. She was born in Peru, Vermont, November 12, 1851, and has three children, Grace M., Daniel G. and Ezra B. Mr. Stevens and wife are members of the Universalist church, and he is also connected with the I. O. O. F. and the P. of H. societies. In politics, a Republican, he has been a school director for eleven years, and is one of the leading farmers of his native township.

JOSEPH E. LYON was born in Chemung county, New York, in 1810, a son of Augustus and Mary (Bennett) Lyon, natives of Massachusetts, who came from New York state to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, in 1831, and purchased a farm at Niles Valley, where the parents passed the remaining years of their lives. He obtained

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a good education, and followed the profession of a teacher many years. He came to Tioga county with his parents, and for more than twenty years taught in the district schools of the neighborhood, and also assisted in cultivating the home farm. After his father's death his mother sold the farm at Niles Valley and purchased the present Lyon farm, which at her death became the property of the sons of Joseph E. Lyon by the will of their grandmother. Here he continued to follow agricultural pur- suits up to his death, January 6, 1888. He married Martha Ives, a daughter of Roswell Ives, of Middlebury, to which marriage were born eight children, as fol- lows: Augustus, who enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Forty-ninth Penn- sylvania Volunteers, and was captured and died of starvation in Salisbury prison, North Carolina; Mary, widow of Delan Catlin, of Charleston township; Henry, and Abram, both residents of Middlebury; Sarah, wife of Lorenzo Catlin, of the same township; John, who enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Forty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and died of starvation in Salisbury prison; Lydia, wife of Orlando Jones, of Charleston, and Bennett, a resident of Wellsboro. Mrs. Lyon died in 1863. Mr. Lyon was a well-known farmer of Middlebury, and took an active interest in the public schools of the township, filling the office of school director many years.

ABRAM LYON was born at Niles Valley, Tioga county, March, 14, 1839, a son of Joseph E. Lyon. He remained with his parents until twenty-one years of age, when he began for himself by working in the lumber woods of his native county. On April 22, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Sixth Pennsylvania Reserve, being the first man to enlist in Niles Valley. He served in the battle of Drainsville, and was then taken sick, and spent a long period in the hospital. He was discharged in the autumn of 1862, and returned home to regain his health. The following summer he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Eighty-seventh Pennsylvania Volun- teers, and took part in the battles of the Mines, Weldon Railroad, and Petersburg. He was discharged at Harrisburg, in September, 1865, and returned to his home in Middlebury, where he continued to work on his farm until his father's death. He purchased the interest of the other heirs, and thus became sole owner of the old homestead. On September 12, 1872, Mr. Lyon married Almira Adamy, a daughter of Sylvester E. and Roxina (Brown) Adamy, natives of New York. She was the second in a family of eight children, and was born January 16, 1854. To Mr. and Mrs. Lyon have been born two children, viz: John J. and Bertha E. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics, adherents of the Re- publican party. Mr. Lyon is a member of the G. A. R., and one of the well-known citizens of his native township.

ANDREW HOLIDAY, a native of Ireland, immigrated to Pennsylvania prior to the Revolution, and finally settled at Stroudsburg, Monroe county, Pennsylvania. He was a soldier in the Continental army, and did good service for his adopted coun- try. He was twice married, and reared a family of nine children, two by the first marriage, and seven by the second. About 1800 he came with his son, Daniel, to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, and located at Lawrenceville. He subsequently re- moved to Troupsburg, New York, but later returned to Tioga county and settled at Elkland, where he died and was buried.

DANIEL HOLIDAY, SR., son of Andrew Holiday, was born at Stroudsburg, Penn- sylvania, and came to Tioga county with his father about 1800. With the exception

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of a short time spent at Troupsburg, New York, he resided in this county up to his death, dying at the home of his son, Daniel, at Holiday, Middlebury township, in 1855. He married Rhoda Searls, of Woodhull, New York, who bore him eleven children, viz: John, deceased; Daniel, a resident of Holiday; Margaret, Lavina, Timothy and Amos, all of whom are dead; Catherine, wife of Ambrose Ives, of Troupsburg; Mary, wife of Daniel White, of Holiday; Samuel S., a resident of Marsh Creek; Rhoda, and Thomas, both deceased. Mrs. Holiday died upon the old homestead.

DANIEL HOLIDAY, oldest living child of Daniel Holiday, Sr., was born in Elk- land township, Tioga county, September 26, 1810. When twelve years old he began working out as a farm hand, later learned the carpenter's trade, and came to Holiday, Middlebury township, in 1832, where he conducted a hotel for fifteen years. He was then elected a justice of the peace, which office he filled continuously for forty years, and also served as a notary public six years. He carried on a general store five years, and conducted a farm during the whole time, finally retiring about 1876. Mr. Holiday married Alvira Keeney, a daughter of Thomas Keeney, who bore him the following children, viz: Byron B., a merchant of Elmira; Van Buren B., sta- tion agent at Holiday; Delos, a farmer at Marsh Creek; Milford, deceased; Milton G., who was killed in the Rebellion; Darius, a resident of Wellsboro; Helen, deceased wife of Porter Blanchard, and Haletus P. His second wife was Ruth A., a daughter of I. P. Keeney, who became the mother of four children, viz: Viola, deceased; Mary, wife of Samuel Putnam, of Covington; Addie, wife of Samuel Maxwell, of Corning, and Claude M., also a resident of Corning. Politically, Mr. Holiday is a Democrat, and has filled nearly all the township offices at different periods.

HALETUS P. HOLIDAY, youngest child of Daniel and Elvira Holiday, was born at Holiday, Tioga county, September 30, 1844. When a week old he was taken by Lavina Cady, a sister of his father, and wife of Calvin Cady, with whom he lived for many years. July 3, 1866, he married Ellen Root, born September 4, 1846, a daughter of Isaiah and Sophronia Root. To this union there have been born two children, viz: George M. and Nettie, wife of Ervin Lewis. He built a house on the Cady farm and followed agriculture up to 1886, having bought forty-five acres of his father's farm in 1880, and later 144 acres adjoining it. He next purchased the hotel property at Holiday, and conducted the house for five years, during which time he also engaged in selling farm implements. Since giving up the hotel business he has devoted his attention to tobacco growing. In 1890 the Cady farm was willed to him and his son, George. Mr. Holiday and wife are members of the P. of H., and he is connected with the I. O. O. F.

JOHN WEST, a native of Stoughton Harbor, Massachusetts, born December 2, 1778, was a son of John West, a native of England. He was reared in Vermont, and subsequently located in Madison county, New York, whence he removed to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, in 1829. He engaged quite extensively in the lumber business, and a few years later purchased the farm of the late Nathan T. West, at Middlebury Center, where he died May 3, 1853. He married Polly Holt, to whom were born the following children: Thomas M., Cynthia, John, Polly, Joseph C. and Nathan T., all of whom are dead; Philander, of Middlebury township, and Philetus,

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deceased, the two last mentioned being twins. Mrs. West survived her husband four- teen years, dying May 30, 1867, aged eighty-three.

THOMAS M. WEST, oldest child of John and Polly West, was born in Madison county, New York, November 7, 1804. He grew to manhood in his native county, and in 1833 came to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, and located on a farm on Losey creek, in Middlebury township. A short time after he bought and moved to the farm now owned by his son Ira, where he followed farming and lumbering up to his death, February 20, 1882. In 1826 he married Emily Balch, a native of Madison county, New York, born in 1809, who bore him twelve children, viz: Truzilla, de- ceased; Adaline, wife of Alexander Combs, of Wisconsin; Aaron and Eliza, both de- ceased; Elizabeth, widow of Thomas B. Keeney; Daniel H., a soldier in the Union army, who died at the age of twenty-eight years, while home on furlough; Thomas H., deceased; Orrin, and Ira, farmers of Middlebury township; William R., a farmer and lumberman of Wisconsin; Emily, wife of Gibson Niles, of Delmar township, and Marian A., wife of C. A. Goodwin, of Middelbury. Mrs. West died on May 30, 1881, aged seventy-two years.

IRA WEST was born in Middlebury township, Tioga county, October 12, 1842, the ninth child of Thomas M. and Emily West. He attended the common schools of his neighborhood and worked at home until twenty-two years of age, and then began working farms on shares, which business he continued up to 1880. In that year he purchased the homestead farm, and cared for his parents during the re- mainder of their lives. On March 6, 1865, Mr. West married Polly P., a daughter of the late Nathan T. West, of Middlebury Center. She was born September 25, 1845, and is the mother of nine children, all of whom are living in Middlebury township, viz: Floretta, wife of J. M. Whitney; Ada B., wife of G. L. Niles; William E., Alvira A., wife of Walter Ames; Dora M., Thomas H., Annetta P., Adrain C. and Nathan T. Mrs. West is a member of the Free Will Baptist church, and both she and her husband are connected with the P. of H. In politics, he is an independent voter.

NATHAN T. WEST was born in Madison county, New York, in 1818, and was about eleven years old when his parents, John and Polly West, came to Tioga county. He remained on the home farm until nineteen years of age, when he pur- chased the farm now owned by his son, John E., then consisting of 103 acres of timber land. He cleared and improved this property, and made it his home until his father's death, when he purchased the interest of the other heirs in the old home- stead and located upon it. He married Aurilla Niles, a daughter of Erastus Niles, March 23, 1838. She was born in Tioga township, March 19, 1821, and is the mother of the following children: Adelbert, a farmer of Middlebury; John E., a resident of the same township; Nathan B., a stonemason at Keeneyville; Polly P., wife of Ira West, of Middlebury; Edward W., of Farmington; Alfred C., who lives in Middlebury township; Hobart P., a resident of Wellsboro; Aurilla A., wife of George Reynolds, of Chatham, and Richard A., who lives near Jamestown, New York. Mrs. West is a member of the Free Will Baptist church. Mr. West died October 6, 1896, aged seventy-nine years. In politics, he was a stanch Democrat, held all the township offices at different periods, and was one of the most substantial farmers in the county.

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ADELBERT WEST, eldest child of Nathan T. West, was born in Middlebury town- ship, Tioga county, October 17, 1839. He attended the district schools in boyhood, and worked on the home farm until 1863, when he purchased eighty-six acres of his present farm and settled upon it. He followed farming five years, and then went to Warren county, Pennsylvania, where he worked two years. Returning to his farm in Middlebury, he has ever since devoted his attention to agriculture, with the ex- ception of eighteen months spent in Warren county working for the Buffalo and Warren Railroad Company. He now owns 151 acres of well-improved land. Mr. West was married in July, 1863, to Frances Cummings, a daughter of Dwight Cum- mings, who bore him two children, viz: Adelbert D., a farmer of Middlebury, and Kittie, wife of Frank Pease, of the same township. His second wife was Marian L. Briggs, a daughter of William Briggs, of Warren county, Pennsylvania, whom he married November 23, 1867. Four children have been born to this union, viz: Leon J., Loretta, Frederick W. and Rufus B. The family are members of the Free Will Baptist church, and Mr. West and wife are connected with the Patrons of Husbandry. In politics, he is an ardent Democrat.

JOHN E. WEST, second son of Nathan T. West, was born on his present farm in Middlebury township, August 10, 1841. He attended the district schools in boy- hood, and when twenty years of age began for himself by renting a portion of the old homestead from his father, which he continued to do for sixteen years. In 1870 he purchased thirty acres of land adjoining, to which he added a small tract in 1875, and in 1876 bought from his father the seventy-eight acres he had been rent- ing, also seventy-nine acres more, and in 1882 an additional forty acres. In 1888 he moved to Virginia, purchased a farm of 450 acres, and resided upon it three years. Returning to Tioga county, he traded his Virginia land for eighty-one acres adjoin- ing his Middlebury farm, and now owns a well improved farm of 300 acres all in one body. September 27, 1860, Mr. West married Martha Wormer, of Chatham town- ship, who bore him one son, Nathan T., a farmer of Middlebury. Mrs. West died May 14, 1865, aged twenty-four years. Mr. West was again married July 4, 1865, to Olive I. Croft, a daughter of John M. Croft, of Chatham township. She was born October 26, 1847, and has had four children, viz: Minnie, wife of E. E. Goodwin, of Deerfield; Nellie, who died at the age of four; John B., and Mildred E. Mr. and Mrs. West are members of the Free Will Baptist church, and in politics, he is a Democrat.

WILLIAM SPAULDING was born in Hebron, New York, September 28, 1788. Soon after his birth the family moved to Vermont, where his father died when William was about four years old and he then went to live with a Mr. Taylor. He obtained a common school education, and subsequently purchased a small farm in Vermont, where he lived up to 1836. In that year he came to Tioga county and bought a piece of timber land in Chatham township, erected his cabin in the midst of the primitive forest, and resided there until his death, November 9, 1863. His wife, Mary Briggs, whom he married in Vermont, was born in Dummerston, Vermont, December 4, 1790, and became the mother of thirteen children, as follows: Pris- cilla, who died at the age of seventy-six; Seth B., who died at the age of sixty-six; William, who died aged seventy years; Mary, and Luther, both of whom died at the age of seventy-five; John, a resident of Chatham township; Samuel, who died in

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early youth; Sem P., a farmer of Middlebury; S. Seymour, who died aged sixty-eight; Hannah, widow of J. B. Brown; Fannie, wife of Milo Goodwin, of Middlebury; Laura, wife of David H. Curtis, of Chatham, and Simeon. Mrs. Spaulding died February 19, 1886, at the remarkable age of nearly ninety-six years.

SEM P. SPAULDING was born in Londonderry, Vermont, January 5, 1825, eighth child of William and Mary Spaulding. He was eleven years old when his parents came to Tioga county, and he worked on the homestead in Chatham township, assisting his father to clear and improve it, until he was seventeen years old. He then began working out as a farm hand and in the lumber woods, which he followed a few years. At the end of this period he purchased a portion of his present farm, now embracing 250 acres, where he has since resided, devoting his attention to farming and lumbering. He married Susan E. Beckwith, a daughter of Sylvester Beckwith, an early settler in Tioga borough, and later in Middlebury township. She was born in Tioga, Tioga county, May 28, 1835. Five children were born to this union, viz: Mary D., wife of George Vanderhoof, of Middlebury; George B., who married Sarah Brigdon, and lives on a part of the old homestead; Sem P., who mar- ried Annie Mosier, and also lives on a part of the home farm; William H., a cigar maker of Wellsboro, who married Cassie Gaylord, of Mansfield, and Effie M., at home. Mrs. Spaulding is a member of the First Baptist church, at Hammond. In politics, the family are Republicans. Mr. Spaulding has served as school director and supervisor, and is a successful farmer and an enterprising citizen. He is the only one of the family that cared for the gun and rod, and he has been quite a famous sportsman. His home is adorned with many trophies of the chase, in which he takes much pride.

WILLIAM STARKEY was born in the state of New York, in 1787, there grew to manhood and learned the carpenter's trade. About 1835 he came to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, worked at his trade here a few years, and then bought a farm in Mid- dlebury township. He cleared a portion of it, and resided there until his death, November 14, 1851, aged sixty-four years. He married Mary E. Benjamin, who bore him six children, viz: Harriet, deceased wife of Luther Washburn; Clarissa, wife of Allen Daggett, of Southport, New York; Philena C., wife of William Barnes, of Middlebury township; Samuel B., deceased; Eliza, wife of Erstine Ives, of Mid- dlebury, and John, who resides at Middlebury Center. Mrs. Starkey died January 13, 1866, in the seventy-fourth year of her age.

JOHN STARKEY was born in Allegany county, New York, February 23, 1830, the youngest son of William Starkey. When twenty-one years of age he began for himself on a rented farm, but at the end of one year he returned to his father's farm and finished clearing it up and paying off the debt still due upon it when his father died. There he remained up to 1868, in which year he removed to a farm he had previously purchased at Middlebury Center, where he also acted as superintendent of the turnpike from Tioga to Wellsboro for sixteen years. He built and conducted a general store at Middlebury Center for about ten years, and during his whole busi- ness career has been actively engaged in lumbering. In 1888 he purchased the hotel at that point, and moved into it the following year. In 1891 the building was burned, but he immediately rebuilt and continued the business. Besides his hotel property, Mr. Starkey owns over 1,000 acres of land in Tioga county, and also a

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property in Wellsboro, all of which he has accumulated by untiring industry and careful management. He is to-day one of the largest property owners in Middle- bury township, as well as one of its most successful business men. Mr. Starkey was married January 18, 1859, to Caroline Palmer, a daughter of Lemuel M. and Eunice E. (Storer) Palmer, of Rutland township. She was born in Tioga county, March 27, 1839, the fourth in a family of seven children. To Mr. and Mrs. Starkey have been born eight children, viz: Addie V., wife of Truman E. Carpenter, of Charleston township; Jennie M., wife of Judson H. Stephens, of Middlebury; Frank W., a merchant of Middlebury Center, who married Anna L. Dennison, of Charleston township, and has two children, Maude and George W .; Angie H., de- ceased; Emma S., wife of George N. Shaff, of Belmont, New York; Anna L., deceased; Fred L., and Nellie E., wife of Byron E. Churchill, of Middlebury township. In poli- tics, Mr. Starkey is a liberal Republican, and is recognized as one of the substantial citizens of Tioga county.

OLIVER BRIGGS, a native of New England, came from Tioga county, New York, to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, in 1834, and located in Middlebury township, on the farm now owned by his son, A. B. A. Briggs. Here he followed farming to the time of his death. He was twice married. His first wife, Lydia Hoag, bore him three children, viz: Jacob, deceased; Elizabeth, widow of Perry Gage, of Jack- son township, and Ebenezer H., a farmer of Middlebury. Mrs. Briggs died in 1820, and he was again married, to Betsey E. Edwards. Eight children were born to this union, viz: Edward and Lydia A., both deceased; Ira, a farmer of Middlebury; Clarissa, Walter, Louisa and Oliver, all deceased, and A. B. A., who lives on the old homestead, where the parents died.

IRA BRIGGS was born in Spencer, Tioga county, New York, October 1, 1829, and is the oldest living child of Oliver and Betsey E. Briggs. He was five years old when his parents came to this county. Here he grew to maturity, attended the dis- trict schools in boyhood, and assisted in the duties on the farm. When nineteen years of age he went to work for his brother, Jacob, with whom he remained four years, and then purchased a portion of his present farm from the Bingham estate. Eight years later he purchased an adjoining tract from his brother, Jacob, making a farm of 146 acres, on which he has resided up to the present, devoting his at- tention to agricultural pursuits. Mr. Briggs was married in March, 1853, to Margaret A. Morrell, second daughter of Stephen Morrell, of Jackson township, with whom he lived about twelve years, and was then legally separated. On January 1, 1871, he married Ermina M. Conley, second daughter of Jacob Conley, to which union were born five children, viz: Bert J., Ettie May, who married A. B. Fish, March 7, 1896; Rosa Nell, wife of Homer P. Cloos; Jennie V. and Mattie B., all of whom are living. The family attend the Baptist church. Beginning in life without a dollar, he has accumulated through the passing years a good property, and has been fairly successful in his business affairs. He taught music from 1868 to 1871, and the family possess considerable musical talent. In politics, Mr. Briggs is a Re- publican.

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History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 103

Author: Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown Number of Pages: 1454

Author:
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1454