History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 105

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

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RICHARD BROWN is one of the oldest and best known farmers in Middlebury township. He is a native of Woodstock, Connecticut, born August 6, 1815, a son of James and Elizabeth (Carpenter) Brown, natives of Connecticut and Rhode Island,

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respectively, and of English ancestry. Richard was the fourth in a family of six children, as follows: William, Maria, Almira, Richard, Amy and James B. The father was drowned in Rhode Island about 1845, and the mother died in Middlebury township, at the home of her son Richard, aged seventy-nine years. The subject of this sketch is the only survivor of the family. When ten years old he went to work in a cotton factory in his native town, where he was employed eight years, at the end of which period the family moved to Rhode Island, and from there to Otsego county, New York, and subsequenty to Michigan. In 1849 Richard came to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, and rented a farm at Wellsboro, where he resided ten years. In March, 1859, he purchased his present homestead in Middlebury township, upon which he has lived for the past thirty-eight years. On August 5, 1847, Mr. Brown married Annette Wilcox, a daughter of Archibald Wilcox. She was born September 16, 1822, and is the mother of two children, viz: James H., born November 20, 1852, who resides with his parents, but owns a farm adjoining the old homestead which he also cultivates; and Mary L., born May 11, 1854, wife of Albert Redfield, of Virginia. Mrs. Brown is a member of the Baptist church. In politics, the family are stanch Republicans.

JAMES B. BROWN was born in Woodstock, Connecticut, December 18, 1820, a son of James and Elizabeth (Carpenter) Brown, and a younger brother of Richard Brown. When a mere lad he went to work in a calico-printing mill, where he was employed up to 1839. He then enlisted in the United States navy, and soon after was chosen as one of 300 picked men to make the famous voyage around the world on board the United States man-of-war Boston. (This vessel was lost with all on board, off Key West, on the next voyage). On his return from this voyage, which lasted three and a half years, he went to Chenango county, New York, where he worked on a farm for a period. In 1845 he came to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, and found employment in the lumber woods, and later worked a year on a farm in Middlebury. In 1847 he bought eighty-eight acres of timber land north of Holiday, and some years later purchased 112 acres more, on which he passed the remainder of his life, engaged in agriculture pursuits. His wife, Hannah, was a daughter of William Spaulding, of Chatham Valley. She was born in Windham county, Vermont, March 5, 1829, and reared one son, Poleman E. Mr. Brown died December 16, 1894. His widow resides on the old homestead. By his own energy and industry, he created one of the finest farms in Middlebury township. An upright, Christian man, he was for years a deacon in the First Baptist church at Holiday, and a very liberal con- tributor towards that society. He was an active member of the Republican party, and filled the offices of supervisor, school director and collector at different periods.

POLEMAN E. BROWN, only child of James B. Brown, was born on his present homestead in Middlebury township, Tioga county, March 20, 1849, and has spent his entire life on the home farm. He was married September 24, 1872, to Alice Potter, youngest child of Henry H. Potter. She was born at Middlebury Center, September 23, 1850, and is the mother of six children, viz: Roy, who died at the age of five years, Shirley A., James C., Earl H., Ross E. and Mary R. Mr. and Mrs. Brown are members of the First Baptist church, and also of the P. of H. He belongs to the I. O. O. F., and in politics, is an adherent of the Republican party.

ARVINE CLARKE was born near Bennington, Vermont, July 7, 1791, and re-

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moved with his parents to Chenango county, New York, in 1805. His father was in the battle of Bunker Hill, and served with Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold at the capture of Fort Ticonderoga. Early in life he became interested in the lumber busi- ness, and in 1840 lumbered extensively on the Chemung river and its branches, extending his operations to the lands and mills on Crooked creek, near Tioga, known as the "Bill Willard" property, during which period he lived in Elmira. About 1848 he came to Tioga, becoming interested in several tracts of timber land, and built the first steam saw-mill in the county, on Crooked creek, near Hammond. He died in 1858 at the home of his son-in-law, H. M. Johnson, then president of Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Mr. Clarke married Eliza Higgins Clarke, of Chenango county, New York. She was born April 23, 1789, and died August 26, 1877, and is buried beside her husband at Milford, New York. They were the parents of ten children, eight of whom grew to maturity, as follows: Clarissa Ann, widow of Timothy Rose; Lucena Eliza, who married H. M. Johnson, D. D., LL. D., and died March 4, 1890; Mary Ruth, who married Dr. Isaac Sullivan, of Mississippi, and died January 29, 1860; Sarah Mariah, widow of Hon. John Eddy; David Arvine, who died in Middlebury township; Harriet Calista, wife of L. D. McCabe, D. D., LL. D., vice-president of the Ohio Wesleyan University; William Edgar, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, and Marvin Emory, a resident of Phila- delphia.

DAVID ARVINE CLARKE was born at Sidney Plains, New York, March 7, 1823, and received a college preparatory education at Elmira, and Cazenovia Seminary. After coming to Tioga county, he embarked in the lumber business with his father, and also engaged in merchandising for a short time. In 1850 he bought the farm in Middlebury township on which his son, John E., now resides, and devoted a part of his time to agriculture. He was one of the well-known citizens of the com- munity, and at his death, April 29, 1894, left a large circle of friends. He married Martha J. Lockwood, of Horseheads, New York, to whom were born five children, viz: John E., of Middlebury; Sarah F., a school teacher in Scranton; Milburn A., deceased; Mary E., a trained nurse residing in Philadelphia, and Anna C., a phy- sician of Scranton, with whom Mrs. Clarke resides.

JOHN E. CLARKE, eldest child of David A. and Martha J. Clarke, and grandson of Arvine Clarke, was born in Middlebury township, Tioga county, November 9, 1853. He attended the common schools of his district, and subsequently the normal school at Cortland, New York, and has since devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits in Middlebury township. On April 4, 1882, he married Sarah J., a daughter of D. N. Lawrence, of Bradford county, where she was born July 2, 1854. They have three children: Arvine N., Daniel M. and Martha J. Mrs. Clarke is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Politically, Mr. Clarke is a Republican, and is also a member of the Grange.

WILLIAM GEE, a native of New York state, came to Tioga county, Pennsyl- vania, about 1824, and purchased a farm in Farmington township. Here both he and wife spent the balance of their lives. He died in 1838, and his wife in 1843. They were the parents of eight children, named as follows: Joshua, Thomas, Joseph, Daniel, John, Jane, Pattie and Sally, all of whom are dead.

JOSEPH GEE, second son of William Gee, was born in Orange county, New York,

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

in 1808, and was sixteen years of age when he and an elder brother came to Tioga county ahead of their parents and made the first clearings upon the old homestead in Farmington township, which he afterwards purchased. He was educated in the district schools, and after attaining his majority devoted his attention to farm- ing, and was also engaged in lumbering on the Cowanesque river. He married Lavina Culver, who bore him eleven children, viz: Mary, wife of C. W. Barlow, of Wisconsin; Ephraim, Charles F. and Sallie, all deceased; Hannah, wife of Thomas Roe, of Middlebury; Joseph, deceased; Amasa, a resident of Delmar; Sabra, wife of Ali Briggs, of Middlebury, now deceased; Leander, of Middlebury; Walter, de- ceased, and Clark, a farmer of Middlebury township. Mr. Gee was burned to death in 1868, while attempting to rescue valuables from his burning house in Middlebury. His widow resides with her son, Leander, in that township.

LEANDER GEE was born in Farmington township, Tioga county, December 12, 1847, a son of Joseph Gee, and grandson of William Gee. He obtained a common school education, and has made farming his life vocation, now owning the home- stead in Middlebury, which embraces 160 acres of well-improved land, located a short distance northeast of Keeneyville. He has devoted some attention to buying and selling live stock and wagons. April 24, 1872, Mr. Gee married Delia Leonard, a daughter of Justus and Nancy (Young) Leonard, of Farmington township. She was born May 26, 1855, and is the mother of two children, Leander L. and Ephraim S. They have also an adopted son, Frank Hoyt, whom they took when less than three years old, and legally adopted in July, 1895. Mrs. Gee and children are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics, the family are Republi- cans, and are also connected with the Patrons of Husbandry. Mr. Gee has served one term as school director, and is one of the prominent and successful farmers of Middlebury.

NEWBURY CLOOS, youngest son of Newbury Cloos, Sr., was born in Deerfield township, Tioga county, in 1827. He received a good common school education, and taught during his early manhood. He subsequently purchased a farm in Mid- dlebury township, and for many years was one of the prominent and successful farmers of that locality. He married Cynthia Church, to which union were born eight children, viz: Amarilla, wife of Henry J. Shaff, of Middlebury township; Rhoda, wife of Hiram Kilbourne, of Wellsboro; Esther and Sophia, both deceased; Jane, widow of C. K. Palmer, of Middlebury; D. Wilmot and Julia, both deceased, and Luther N., a well-known physician of Keeneyville. Mr. Cloos died on his farm in Middlebury, February 22, 1875.

LUTHER NEWBURY CLOOS, physician and surgeon, Keeneyville, was born in Middlebury township, Tioga county, May 5, 1860, and is the youngest child of Newbury and Cynthia Cloos, and grandson of Newbury Cloos, Sr. He received his primary education in the district schools of his native township, and later attended the State Normal School, at Mansfield, where he completed his studies. He read medicine under Dr. Augustus Niles, and graduated at the Baltimore Medical College in the spring of 1893. He soon afterwards purchased the residence and practice of his preceptor, and enjoys a large and lucrative business. Dr. Cloos makes a specialty of the diseases of women and of the eye and ear, in which he has been highly successful. On May 1, 1884, he married Cora L. Hazlett, a daughter of

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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

Amariah Hazlett, of Middlebury Center, and has one son, David Wilmot. Mrs. Cloos is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics, Dr. Cloos is a Democrat, and is also a member of the I. O. O. F., the K. O. T. M., and the L. O. T. M., for all of which he is the local medical examiner.

ISAAC BRYANT, a native of Pennsylvania, came to Tioga county in 1850. His father, David Bryant, was one of the early settlers of the county. Isaac purchased the property in Middlebury township where his widow and son, James H., now reside, and followed farming up to September, 1863. He then enlisted in Company K, One Hundred and Forty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, the famous Bucktail regi- ment. He was a brave and gallant soldier, was taken prisoner at the battle of the Wilderness, and died in Andersonville prison. His wife, Mary A., was a daughter of Henry Rogers, of Seneca county, New York. She was born October 7, 1819, and became the mother of six children, viz: Alonzo H., a farmer in Middlebury, who served in the Civil War; Melissa A., deceased; Albert T., also a soldier in the Rebellion, who died in Salisbury prison, South Carolina; Henry E., who served in the Union army, and has since died; Lizette J., who died in infancy, and James H., who cultivates the old homestead. Mrs. Bryant is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and one of the intelligent, helpful women of her neighborhood. She is very active in good works, and is well preserved for a person of her advanced years. Her husband and three of her sons went out in defense of the flag, and two of the four laid down their lives that this free government might live.

GEORGE WESTBROOK, a native of Chemung county, New York, born in 1808, came to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and settled on a farm near Tioga. Three years later he purchased a large farm in Middlebury township, a portion of which is now owned by the widow of Horace F. Westbrook. In 1867 he traded for a farm on Crooked creek, a half mile below Holiday, and later moved to Middle- bury Center, thence to Wellsboro, and finally to Chatham township, where he died. He married Lovisa B. Taylor, born in Windsor county, Vermont, in 1808, who bore him a family of fifteen children, eight of whom grew to maturity, as follows: Polly, widow of Baitman Monroe, of Addison; Horace F., deceased; Ephraim, a resident of Mansfield; Jane, wife of Jason Prutsman, of Elmira; Stella, wife of Samuel Love, of Little Marsh; Benjamin, who lives in Mansfield; Hattie, wife of George Curran, of Knoxville, and James T., deceased. Mrs. Westbrook died Octo- ber 18, 1887, aged seventy-nine years.

HORACE FREELAND WESTBROOK was born in Chemung county, New York, No- vember 27, 1829, eldest son of George Westbrook. He lived with his parents until the family removed to Tioga county, when he purchased a half interest in the farm bought by his father in Middlebury township, where he was engaged in farming until the autumn of 1861. He then enlisted in Company F, Fifty-seventh Penn- sylvania Volunteers, and went to the front with the rank of orderly sergeant. He fought in every battle in which his regiment was engaged up to Malvern Hill, where he was killed, July 1, 1862. He married Rachel M. Prutsman, a daughter of Abram and Maria Prutsman, at Tioga, Tioga county, September 30, 1856. She was born at Tioga village, October 17, 1833, and bore him three children, viz: Wil- lis H., who lives in Tioga; Edgar L., of Middlebury, and Ada B., wife of Otis L.

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Coolidge, of Morris. Mrs. Westbrook resides on the old homestead. She is a member of the Presbyterian church.

EDGAR L. WESTBROOK, youngest son of Horace F. Westbrook, was born in Middlebury township, Tioga county, August 29, 1859, and obtained his education in the district schools and the Soldiers' Orphan School, at Mansfield. He has re- mained on the home farm, assisting his mother in its cultivation. On November 3, 1881, he married Helen H. Johnson, a daughter of Dennis and Hester (Bates) Johnson, of Sullivan county, New York, to which union have been born three chil- dren, viz: Mamie A., Nida L., and Clarence J., the last deceased. Mr. Westbrook is an independent voter and is a member of the I. O. O. F., and the K. O. T. M. societies.

JAMES E. ANDREWS, a native of Cayuga county, New York, and a son of Obed Andrews, was born February 16, 1799. His father was a native of the same county, and a well-to-do farmer. James E. was the oldest in a family of nine children, viz: James, Parmelia, Lansing, Ephraim, Hulda, Harrison, Sarah, Serena and Obed. He obtained a common school education, and followed farming in his native county up to 1855, in which year he came to Tioga county and purchased the present An- drews farm in Middlebury township. Here he resided until his death, September 22, 1871. He married Clarissa Weeks, February 7, 1822. She was born in Cayuga county, New York, February 7, 1802, and bore him eight children, viz: Gardner K., who died in September, 1892, aged sixty-eight years; Sarah J., who died on April 14, 1877, aged fifty-two years; Eliza E., who died on August 22, 1858, aged thirty-one years; Matthias A., who died in California in May, 1871, aged forty-two years; Dennis, a farmer in Middlebury township; Obed H., who died while a soldier in the Union army, November 19, 1861, aged twenty-eight years; Alfred A., a resident of Middlebury, and Liscomb L., who resides in the west. All of this family except Dennis and Liscomb were school teachers. Mrs. Andrews died September 7, 1880, She was a member of the Methodist church.

DENNIS ANDREWS, a son of James E. Andrews, was born in Venice, Cayuga county, New York, April 10, 1831, and received a common school education. When eighteen years old he commenced learning the carpenter's trade, which he followed in his native county until the removal of the family to this county in 1855. He joined his father in the purchase of the present homestead, off which he sold 100 acres in January, 1896, retaining seventy-five acres, and has since devoted his attention to farming and lumbering in connection with his trade. Mr. Andrews was married June 21, 1857, to Charlotte M. Cady, a daughter of Samuel A. Cady, who has borne him six children, viz: Francis S., a carpenter of Wellsboro; Gardner L., who also follows that trade in Wellsboro; Eddie P., and Flora A., both of whom died in infancy; Robert S., who lives on the home farm, and Grace L., at home. In politics, Mr. Andrews is a Democrat, and has filled the office of township assessor. He, wife and daughter, Grace, are members of the Patrons of Husbandry. His sons, Gardner L. and Robert S., are members of the K. O. T. M.

HIRAM WARREN was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts. He was a descendant of the brother of General Warren of Revolutionary fame, and his father was a soldier in the Continental army, and was wounded at Bunker Hill. Hiram Warren was reared in Herkimer county, New York, and came to Tioga county about 1838,

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locating in Charleston township. He was a shoemaker, and followed his trade until his death. His wife, Mary, was a daughter of Ludwig Hart, of Charleston town- ship, and bore him ten children, viz: James, a farmer of Nelson township; Mary, wife of Coleman Furman, of Wellsboro; Sylvester, who died in infancy; Nancy, deceased wife of Andrew Teachman; Elijah, a resident of Charleston township; Philo S., a farmer of Middlebury; Solon S., who lives in Wellsboro; Martha, who died at the age of seven years; Alonzo, a farmer of Chatham, and George, a resident of Delmar.

PHILO S. WARREN, son of Hiram Warren, was born in Herkimer county, New York, September 30, 1835, and was three years old when his parents came to Tioga county. He was reared in Charleston township, and worked as a farm hand until he was twenty-one years old, when he moved on a farm in Chatham township owned by his wife, a part of his present property. In 1865 he purchased the land adjoining, which he now owns, and has devoted his attention to farming. He worked in the lumber woods during the winter seasons for many years, with the exception of four months that he was employed by the United States government in a construction corps during the Rebellion. On February 10, 1856, he married Anna M. Chamber- lain, a daughter of Simon S. and Mercy (Keeney) Chamberlain. She was born December 6, 1833, and is the only living descendant of the Chamberlain family in Tioga county. Two children have been born to this union, viz: Jasper C., a Free Will Baptist minister, located at Keeneyville, and Bion S. Mr. and Mrs. Warren are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics, he is a Republican.

BION SNYDER WARREN was born in Middlebury township, Tioga county, De- cember 25, 1859, and was educated in the district schools and the State Normal at Mansfield. He has remained upon the homestead farm, assisting in its cultiva- tion. On July 13, 1881, he married Sarah J. Stewart, a daughter of Robert and Hannah (Ellison) Stewart, of Farmington township, and has three children, Earl M., Eppa M. and Pearl M. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Warren is a stanch Republican, and is connected with the I. O. O. F. society.

SIMON SNYDER CHAMBERLAIN was born in Belfast, Allegany county, New York, in 1804, a son of Calvin and Isabel (Ives) Chamberlain, and was reared there and in the Cowanesque valley. His father was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, in 1771, the third son of Simon Chamberlain, one of three brothers who came from England to Roxbury, where he married a Miss Dodge and reared a family of four sons and five daughters. His mother was a daughter of Ambrose Ives, and a sister of Timothy, Titus and Benajah Ives, early settlers of Tioga. To Calvin and Isabel Chamberlain were born four children, viz: Chandler, Simon S., Ives and Deborah. The father came to the Cowanesque valley early in the century and spent the re- maining years of his life in this part of the State, and New York state, dying in Middlebury township, at the home of his son, Simon S., in 1859, aged eighty-eight years. His wife died in Farmington township in 1834, aged seventy-one years. Simon S. came to Middlebury in 1824 and settled on Crooked creek, on land pur- chased from the Bingham estate. He married Mercy Keeney, a daughter of Deacon Thomas Keeney, a soldier of the War of 1812. Mr. Keeney settled in Middlebury in 1815. He married Anna Parshall, a daughter of Israel and Ruth Parshall, of

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Chemung county, New York. They were charter members of the First Baptist church of Tioga, organized in 1816. To Simon S. and Mercy Chamberlain were born two children, viz: Anna M., wife of Philo S. Warren, and Snyder K., de- ceased. Mrs. Chamberlain died July 29, 1889, and her husband, March 14, 1891.

DWIGHT CUMMINGS, a native of Cayuga county, New York, born July 27, 1818, is a son of Gurdon and Abigail (Pettis) Cummings, natives of Connecticut, of Scotch-Irish extraction. He came to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, in 1856, and for one year rented a farm in Chatham township and the following two years worked a rented farm in Middlebury. He then purchased seventy acres of land in Middlebury, to which he has added until he now owns 250 acres of well-improved land. On November 6, 1845, he married Sally Wormer, who was born July 15, 1827. Five children were the fruits of this union, viz: Frances E., wife of John Hagen- camp, of Deerfield; Charles Gurdon, of Middlebury; Ellen J., wife of David French, of the same township; Burdett C., also a resident of Middlebury, and Abram W., a physician of Oswayo, Potter county. Mrs. Cummings died August 6, 1881. Po- litically, Mr. Cummings is a Republican, and is also a member of the Patrons of Husbandry.

CHARLES GURDON CUMMINGS, eldest son of Dwight Cummings, was born in Cayuga county, New York, December 16, 1847. Coming to this county with his parents when about ten years of age, he worked on the homestead farm until his majority, and then began working in the lumber woods in the winter seasons, and on farms in summer time, which he followed six years. At the end of this period he rented a farm in Chatham township, stayed there one year, and then moved to the farm in Middlebury township which he now owns. He worked it on shares for five years, and in August, 1880, bought the property, which embraces 116 acres. He has since purchased 349 acres more in Middlebury, and thus owns 465 acres of land. He erected his present fine home in 1888, and is one of the successful farmers of his township. Mr. Cummings married Emma J. Button, a daughter of Ralph Button, of Middlebury, November 15, 1874. Eight children have been born to this union, viz: Claude G., Earl D., George B., Roy E., Ella J., Lee W., Kate M., and William C., the last of whom died in infancy. In politics, the family affiliates with the Republicans, and Mr. Cummings is a member of the Patrons of Husbandry. He is a good example of what energy and perseverance can accomplish. Twenty years ago he was working as a farm hand, while to-day he is one of the largest prop- erty owners and most substantial citizens of Middlebury township.

AMOS E. ROWLEY, inventor and cabinet maker, was born at Southampton, Massachusetts, January 4, 1825, a son of Chester and Rispa (Barnes) Rowley, natives of Massachusetts. His parents reared the following children: Horace, deceased; Mary, wife of Moses Thorpe, of California; Hayden, of Saginaw City, Michigan; Amos E., of Middlebury township; Elvira, wife of Henry Wells, of New Haven, Connecticut; Gensie, Lewis, Benjamin and James, all of whom reside in Connecti- cut. Amos E. learned the cabinet maker's trade in Massachusetts, and followed that business in the East up to 1859, when he came to Tioga county, Pennsylvania. He settled at Keeneyville, and has since followed his trade in this county, with the exception of ten years spent in Wellsville, Corning and Sandy Hill, New York. He retired from active work in 1894, while a resident of Wellsboro, removing to his

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History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 105

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