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OWEGO.
Some account of the early
settlement of the Village in
Tioga County, N. Y., called
Ah-wa-ga by the Indians,
which name was corrupted
by gradual evolution into
Owago, Owega, Owegy, and
finally Owego.
>y
By LeRoy Wilson Kingman.
ruhlishtd at the Oweuo Oazette Office.
Owesro, N. Y.
1907.
Only fifty copies of this boolc ^r'r— '
printed, of which this is number ^0
18^75
I'RKFACE.
The publication of tlie matter in
this book was begun in the Owego
Gazette of May oO, 1!)07, and ran
through several successive issues.
It is reprinted here with the same
t.v])e that was used in the newspaper.
It corrects a few errors made by
previous writers and adds some
new information relative to the
early settlers that has not before
appeared in print. It contains infor-
mation obtained thirty years ago
from early residents, and may be
useful to some future historian who
may desire to write a complete and
satisfactory history of the village of
Owego.
EAKLY OWEGO.
The Documentary History Relative
to the Burning of the Indian Vil-
lage in the Evening of August 19,
1779, by Soldiers of the United
Expeditions of Generals Sullivan
and Clinton, Previous to their
Combined Attack upon the
Indian Settlements in West-
ern New York, in One of Which
Regiments Was James McMaster,
Who Afterward Was the First
White Man to Settle Permanently
at Owego — Excerpts from the
Journals of the Officers in the Va-
rious Regiments Relating to Their
Sojourn at This Point.
The earliest event known in his-
tory relating to the village of Owego
is its destruction by fire in 1779.
The village consisted of about twen-
ty substantial log houses, built by
the Indians. The coming into the
Susquehanna valley of the de-
tachment from Gen. Sullivan's
army in August of that year caused
the Indians to desert their homes
and when the soldiers came there
was not a red man in sight.
In order to break the power of
the Indians under Brant in this
state, the continental congress de-
cided to make the campaign a na-
tional one, and it was placed under
the direction of Gen. Washington,
who sent one division under Gen.
.Tohn Sullivan from Easton, Pa.,
across the country to the Susque-
hanna river, and thence to ascend
the river to Tioga Point (now Ath-
ens, Pa.) The other division was
commanded by Gen. James Clinton,
a brother of the then governor Geo.
Clinton. Gen. Clinton was at this
time in command at Albany. He
was directed to march up the Mo-
liawlt river to Canajoharie, crossing
from there to Otsego lake, and going
thence down the Susquehanna river
to Tioga Point, where the expeditions
were to unite in a combined attack
on the Indian settlements in west-
ern New York.
Gen. Clinton had between 1,500
and 1,800 men, 220 boats, and pro-
visions for three months. When
Gen. Sullivan reached Tioga Point
August 13, 1779, Clinton had not
reached there and being apprehen-
sive that Clinton might be in dan-
ger, he detached Gen. Enoch Poor,
with 900 men and eight day's pro-
visions, to proceed up the river, as
a reinforcement to Gen. Clinton in
case of attack.
Gen. Poor's detachment reached
Owego (then called Owegy) August
17 at 2 p. m. The next day at 6:30
a. m. it proceeded up the river to
Choconut (now Union), where it en-
camped and waited until Clinton's
army arrived there at 9 a. m. Aug-
ust 19. At 11 o'clock that day the
march of the entire body of troops
began, and it arrived here at sunset.
The same night the soldiers set fire
to and burned the Indian village.
The next day the troops remained
here all day. as it rained violently,
and they suffered considerably, as
they had no tents.
August 21 the soldiers proceeded
to Tioga Point. Tiience tlie entire
army niarclied to Newtown (El-
mira), where the battle of Newtown
was fought August 29 and the power
of Brant and his Indians was de-
stroyed.
It has always been believed, and
has been so printed, the authority
being some of the early residents
of this village, that the old Indian
village was situated on the north
bank of the Susquehanna river, be-
low William street. This is i)erhai).^
incorrect, as thei'e is documentary
evidence that the old Indian village
was on the west side of the Owego
creek in the present town of Tioga.
Among the officers of Gen. Clin-
ton's army was Lieutenant (after-
ward Major) Erkuries Beatty. In
his journal of the expedition, which
is in archives of the New York his-
torical society, he notes its arrival
Aug. 19 at Owego "about sundown
after a very fatiguing march of 'I'l
miles." The journal continues as
follows:
"Friday 20 Rained a lit-
tle last night and Successively all
this Day therefore did not move:
Went a party down to Owego town
which lies one mile lower down and
burnt it consisted of about 20 houses.
"Saturday 21st — Clear weather
this morning but a very heavy fog.
marchd of a little after 7 o'clock
forded Owego creek which is reck-
oned one third of the Susquehanna
at this place, it was about three feet
Deep & about 50 Yards Wide went
thro' the ruins of Owego town
crossed a pretty large brook went
12 Miles halted at a small Brook one
hour for refreshment."
From this it would seem probable
that the Owego creek was
wider at its mouth than it is now and
that the Indian village was on the
west side of the creek.
In Clinton's army Lieut. William
MoKendry was quartermaster in Col.
Alden's Sixth Massachusetts regi-
ment. In his journal, which is in
possession of the Massachusetts his-
torical society, he writes under date
of August 19:
* * the army proceeded on and ar-
rived at Owago about sunset this is
a large Indian Settlement and fine
land— Kncampt at this place, this is
the Indian town that Serjt. hunter
was carried to that was taken 10th
Xovr. last below Cherry Valley on
this same River as he was returning
with his Scout— heavy rain this
night, the Genl. detached a party
and sent them and burnt the town
at this place About two miles up a
little Creek."
Major Beatty says that the troops
"marched through the ruins of
Owago town" after having crossed
the Owego creek on their way down
the river, while lieutenant McKen-
dry says the town was burned "about
two miles up a little creek." This
is a little confusing.
Many other officers in the armies
of Sullivan and Clinton kept jour-
nals in which were noted proceed-
ings of each day. Many of these
journals have been preserved and
deposited by the descendants of the
officers in the collections of various
historical societies. The following
are excerpts from some of these
journals relating to the events of
August 17-20, 1779, covering the
brief period of the sojourn of the
troops in Owego:
The following is from the journal
of Dr. .labez Campfield, surgeon hi
Spencer's Fifth New Jersey regi-
ment, owned by the New Jersey his-
torical society.
"17 Aug., 1779— The detachment
marched [12 miles] to an Indian
settlement about 1 mile below Owt--
go and encamped on a beautiful
plain covered with grass; just be-
low we came on the ))lain, the de-
tach't crossed a stream of water, on
which Owego is situated a mile
above these places were all deserted
last spring, their inhabitants only a
few.
:,': * *
"Aug. 19 — Tliis morning 9 o'clock
Genl. Clinton joined us witli u])\vards
of 200 Boats and about 700 Infantry,
who marched by land — 2 pieces of
cannon in ye boats: hisw hole number
it is said consists of 1,.^0() men. 11
o'clock we marched for Owego &
arrived there at son set. A party
was sent out, who burned the town
of Owego. The few inhabitants. who
remained there had gone of the
day before we arrived"
"Genl. Clinton has burned all the
towns on or near the river in his
way down
"Aug. 20 — A heavy rain came on
last night, which prevented our
march this day."
From the journal of Major Jere-
miah Fogg, of Col. Poor's New-
Hampshire regiment:
"17 Marched, at o'clock, passed
through exceedingly good land, and
at 2 o'clock arrived at Owegy, late-
ly inhabited by the savages, but on
the destruction of Onondaga it was
abandoned, as were all the settle-
ments on the river above Tioga.
This is a pretty piece of land through
which runs a creek about three
rods wide. A small party were sent
up to exi)lore, and about a mile u))
the creek found "' horses, but no
Indians."
"19th. Iviarcheo at eight o'clock.
but soon met a sergeant from Gen.
Clinton, with a letter informing us
that his army would be at Choco-
nut brook by five o'clock. Conse-
quently we countermarched, and be-
fore liight arrived at Owegy, and
burnt 19 houses. Gen. Clinton had
about 1,800 men, 208 boats and one
month's salt provision, with two
Oneida Indians'
'•20th. Rained violently, which
rendered it exceedingly bad for men
without tents. Remained on the
ground all day"
From the journal of Lieutenant-
Colonel Henry Dearborn, command-
ing the Third New Hampshire regi-
ment :
"17th We march'd early this morn-
ing proceeded 12 miles to Owagea
an Indian Town — which was de-
serted last Spring after planting.
About town is a number of fruit
trees & many plants & herbs that
are common in our part of the
country here is a learge body of
clear Intervale covered with grass
Our march to day has been very
severe & Fategueng especially for
the left Column (to which I belong)
as we had to pass several difficult
steep hills & bad Morasses.
« « «
■■19th Our troops ware put in
motion very early this morning af-
ter marching about one mile Genl.
Poor receiv'd an express from Genl
Clinton informing him that the lat-
ter expect'd to be here by 10 o'clock
a. m. in consequence of which we
retur'd to our old incampmeut
where Genl Clinton Joined us at
10 o'clock with 2,000 men including
Officers boatmen &c He has 208
batteaux with provisions Ammuni-
tion etc after mutuil congratulations
& Complyments the whole pro-
ceeded down the river to Owagea
& incamp'd. This evening the
town of Owagea was made a bone
fire to grace our meeting Our gen-
eral course from Tiogea to Choco-
nut is about X. East.
"20th We have a very heavy
rain to-do & no tents but we are
obliged to ride it out"
From the journal of Captain James
Norris, of the Third New Hamp-
shire regiment, in possession of the
Buffalo historical society.
"17 We marched Early this
Morning Proceed 12 Miles to Owa-
gea an Indian Town which was De-
serted last Spring after Planting.
About the town is many Fruit Trees
and many Plants, and Herbs, that
are Common in our i)art of the
Country; Hear is a large body of
clear Intivale Covered with Grass.
Our March to day Very Survear
and Fatigueing Esspecelly for the
Left Colm (to which I belong) as
we had to pass Several Steap Hills
and MorasseF —
"19 Our Troops were put in Mo-
tion very early this Morning after
Marching about one Mile Gen'l Poor
Received an Exspress from General
Clinton Informing him that the lat-
ter exspected to be hear by 10
o'clock a. m. this day in Conse-
quence of which we Rteurn'd to our
Old Incampment where General Clin-
ton Joined us at 10 o'clock with
two Thousand Men — Including Offi-
cers, Boatsmen &c. he has two
hundred and Eight Beautoes with
Provisions Ammunition &c after Mu-
tural Congratulations and Comple-
ments the whole Proceeded dowu
the River to Owagea and Incampt
this evening.the town of Owego was
made a burnfire of to Grace our
Meeting."
It will be noticed that with the
exception of the sjjelling the jour-
nals of Lieut.-Col. Dearborn and
Captain Norris are almost exactly
alike, word for word.
From the journal of Capt. Daniel
Tjivermore, captain in Tliird Xew
Hampshire regiment, owned by the
s
New Hampshire historical society,
the following is taken:
"Tuesday. August IT. This day
the trooi)s march early. I march
on the flank guard. The country is
verj' mountainous, with some fertile
valleys. At 4 pm we arrive at a
considerable Indian town, called
Owago, 14 miles. Here is a very
good tract of land both sides of the
river. The town consisted of about
twenty houses, which we destroyed, to-
gether with considerable Indian corn,
whch is in the milk just fit to roast
The town appears to have been
evacuated but a little time. 14
miles.
^ ^ ^
•Thursda, August 19. This morn-
ing we hear another gun up the
river, but, no intelligence arriving,
the troops are ordered to march,
and proceed about one mile, when
our spies, sent off last evening.meet
us with intelligence of Gen. Clin-
ton's being near.
We then return to the place of
our last encampment. At 10 a. m.
Gen. Clinton arrives with about —
boats and 1.500 men. We imme-
diately proceed on the march for
Tiego. At sunset arrive at the old
encampment at Owago. and encamp."
James McMaster, who was the
first white settler in the village of
Owego, first came here as a soldier
m the Second New York regiment
in the Sullivan expedition. The
colonel of the regiment was Philip
VanCortlaudt.
A Chronology of the Settlement of
Owego Village Previous to the
Year 1830, with Some Account of
Amos Draper, the Indian Trader,
Who Was the First Settler Here
in the Spring of 1787, and of His
Descendants and His Brother, Jos.
Draper.
The years in which some of the
earliest settlers came to Owego and
its vicinity are given below. This
includes the business and profes-
sional men who came here as late
as 1830 and previous to that year.
The date of the arrival of many
others is not accurately known, so
they are not included in the list,
which is as follows:
1787. Amos Draper.
1788. James McMaster, .lohn Mc-
Quigg, Jesse McQuigg.
1789. Ephraim Wood, .losejjh Gas-
kill.
1790. Capt. Lemuel Brown, Eman-
uel Duel.
1791. Col. David Pixley, Capt.
Luke Bates, Abner Turner, Mason
Webster, Moses Ingersoll.
1792. Capt. Mason Wattles, Dr.
Samuel Tinkham, John Ilill.
1794. Joel P"'arnham.
1795. Dr. Elisha Ely.
1799.
Stephen Mack,
Ephraim
Wood.
Nathaniel Sackett.
ISOO.
Thomas Duane,
Eleazer
Dana.
1801.
John Hollenback.
Gen. John
Laning,
, John H. Avery,
Nathaniel
Catlin.
1802.
John Pumpelly
and his
sons, James, Charles, Harmon, and
William Pum])elly; Noah Goodrich,
Eliakim Goodrich, Gen. Ansel Good-
rich.
1803. Elizur, Geo. L., and Charles
10
Talcott, Daniel Cruger, Jr.. CapC
Sylvenus Fox.
1804. Gen. Oliver Huntington.
.Joseph Berry.
180r>. William, Nathan, Auson.and
Hernion Camp, Major Horatio Ross.
.Jonathan Piatt.
1806. Caleb Leach, Ephraim
Leach, Stephen B. Leonard.
1808. Capt. David Flemiug. Gen.
Robert Fleming.
1809. John R. Drake.
1810. Dr. Godfrey Waldo.
1811. Dr. Jedediah Fay.
1812. Richard E. Cushman.
1814. Isaac Lillie. John Ripley.
Col. Henry McCormick.
1815. Stephen Strong.
1816. George W. Hollenback, Dr.
.Joel S. Paige.
1817. Col. Amos Martin.
1818. Lorenzo Reeves. Elisha
Bundy, Abner Beers. David Beers.
David Turner.
1819. John Camiichael.
1820. Ziba A. Leland, Erastus^
.Meacham.
1821. Robert S. Bartlett and his-
sons, Joseph , Isaac L., and Robert
S. Bartlett, Jr.
1822. James. Almon S.. and Sam-
uel Archibald.
1823. Gurdon Hewitt.
1824. Dr. Ezekiel B. Phelps. Col.
Benoni B. Curry.
1825. Asa H. Truman. Ezra S.
Sweet.
1826. John M. Greenleaf.
1827. Edward R. Warner.
1828. James Cameron, Thomas
Farrington. Francis Armstrong, AI-
anson Munger, Edward Raynsford,
James N. Eldridge.
1829. Dr Ezekiel Lovejoy. Aaron
P. Storrs, John Dodd, Albert R-
Thomas, Charles C. Thomas, Jacob
Hand.
1830. Charles and Printice Ran-
som, Lyman Truman, Chester Dana.
AMOS DRAPER.
The first white settler at what is
now the village of Owego was Amos
Draper, who came here as a trader
11
among tho Indians and who by his
integrity obtained thoir lricndshi|i
and contid(>Mce and had great inllu-
ence over tlKMii. lie was a son of
Major Simeon DraixM-. who was one
of the "forty" settlers at Kingston,
Pa., in the Wyoming valley under
the Connecticut claim, and who set-
tled there in 1768.
Amos Draper had been living a
few years in a temi)orarily construct-
ed house on the south bank of the
Susquehanna river on the flat called
the old Mersereau flat at Choconut,
aiearly opposite Union. His family
came there from Kmgston in the fall
of 1786.
During that year Mr. Draper
built a log house at Owego. It
stood on the eastern part of the lot
on which Gurdon H. Pumpelly's
house now stands in west Front
street and was about one hundred
feet from the bank of the river, it
faced south on the old Indian trail,
which then ran along the bank
pretty closely. This Indian trail
struck the river about a mile above
the bridge where the rivtn- road runs
nearest to the river bank. Continu-
ing down the river it followed the
bank to the mouth of the Owego
creek. In building this house Mr.
Draper brought the boards for the
floor up the river by canoes from
Kingston, Pa.
In May, 1787, the Drai)ers removed
to Owego and began living in their
new house. While living here Mr.
Draper continued his business of
trafhcing with the Indians at Cho-
onut. The first winter of their resi-
dence here a christianized Oneida
12
[ndian chief and his wife, who bore
the title of Queen, lived in the
house with Mrs. Draper, and acted
as her protectors.
Mrs. Draper's maiden name was
Lydia Williams, and at the time of
her marriage she lived at Kingston.
Several .years afterward the
Drapers lived in another log house
which stood a little back of where
Mrs. John Brown's residence now
stands at the northwest corner of
Main and McMaster streets.
Amos Draper's brother. Joseph
Draper, was a later comer here. He
was a surveyor. The brothers were
entirely unlike. The late William
Pumpelly, who knew them well, in-
formed the writer that Joseph
Draper was a loud talker and very
self-assertive, while Amos Draper
was the reverse in every respect— a
quiet man and esteemed by every-
body.
Amos Draper's daughter. Selecta
Draper, was the first white child
born at Owego. She was born June
19, 1788. She became the wife of
Stephen WilHams.of Newark Valley,
in 1809. He was born at West Stock-
bridge, Mass.. in 1783, and came
with his father, also named Stephen
Williams, to Newark Valley in 1801.
Amos Draper had two sons. Amos
and Benjamin Draper, and two
daughters. Selecta and Catherine
Draper. Amos Draper, Jr., died
near Victor, N. Y.. and Benjamin
at Fairfax Court House. Va. Cath-
erine became the wife of Ewart
Williams. Selecta died April 2, 1865,
at the home of her son, Lucius
Ewart Williams. _ at Newark valley.
13
AftPT tliPir niaiTiage Mr. aiul Mrs.
Stephen Williams lived at Newark
Valley, then known as Brown's set-
tlement, where they purchased a
T'arni and built a house. At the
time of Mrs. VVilllanis's death, in
1865, the house was occupied by the
widow of Chester Patterson. Mr.
Williams died at Newark Valley
.Inly 6, IS.")!). At the time of Mrs.
Williams s death six of of her ten
children survived her as follows:
Catharini^ Minerva, married Am-
))rose Collins, of Berkshire.
Dr. Charles Draper, of St. Paul,
Minn.
Horatio Siiencer, of Woodhull.
N. Y.
Myron Milton, of St. Paul, .Minn.
Joseph Edwin, of Cleveland. Ohio,
Lucius Ewart, of Newark Valley.
Mary married Elisha Hurd, of
Aurora. Ohio.
Amos Draper died in this village
May 24, 1808. At that time the vil-
lage burying ground was at the
present corner of Main and Court
streets, and extended south to about
the east line of the lot on which the
new Tioga county clerk's ofhce now
stands. Mr. Draper's body was
buried where the old clerk's office
stood, between the present jail and
the old academy buildings. When
men were digging for the founda-
tion wall of the first clerk's office,
in 1825, they cut through Mr.
Draper's grave.
Lucius E. Williams, of Newark
Valley, is a son of Stephen Williams
and the last survivor of ten children.
Joseph Drai)er was unmarried.
He died of consumption at the home
of Lucius E. Williams in 1S:]2 or
1833, and his body was buried in
14
the Xewark Valley cemetery. Mr.
Williams has an oil portrait of
Joseph Draper. A historical society
should be organized in Owego and
this portrait and other portraits of
early settlers should be gathered to-
gether for preservation.
JAMES MC MASTER.
James McMaster was the second
white man to settle permanently at
Owego. He first came here as a
soldier in Gen. Sullivan's army in
1779, and made his permanent set-
tlement here in 1788, the year fol-
lowing the coming of the Drapers.
It is erroneously stated by judge
Charles P. Avery in his "Susque-
hanna Valley" papers in the "St.
Nicholas" magazine (page 303) that
James McMaster's knowledge of the
general character of the valley was
acquired while a soldier in the army
of Gen. Clinton on its way down the
Susquehanna river to meet Gen.
Sullivan's forces. This error has
been copied in all the local histories
since written.
At the time judge Avery wrote
his papers the military records of
this state had not been printed. Mc-
Master had been dead thirty-five
years and judge Avery's information
seems to have been obtained from
some of his descendants whose
knowledge was traditional and un-
certain.
In "New York in the Revolution."
a large quarto volume compiled
from state records and published at
Albany in 1879 by James A.Roberts,
then Comptroller of this state, a full
list of the officers and men of the
various New York regiments, taken
15
from the records, was published. In
1898 a second and more complete
edition of the book was published
by Mr. Roberts.
On page 29 of the second edition
is the roster of the Second New
York regiment commanded by Col.
Philip Van Cortlandt, and on page
o5 James McMaster's name a])i)ears
as a private in this regiment.
On page 342 of the book on the
"Military Exj)edition of Major-Gen-
eral John Sullivan against the Six
Nations of Indians in 1779," comi)iled
by Frederick Cook, Secretary of
State and publisned in 1887, are
given lists of the regiments in both
Clinton's and Sullivan's armies in
this expedition, and the Second regi-
ment is among those in the army of
Sullivan. On page 327 of the same
book a list of the officers of the
Second regiment is al:~o given.
It appears plain that McMaster
was in Gen. Sullivan's army instead
of Clinton's.
James McMaster was a farmer.
■When he came to Owego with Sulli-
van's army in the summer of 1779
the flat land east of the Owego creek
seemed so desirable for farming pur-
poses that he determined to settle
here.
In 1784 he was living on a farm
owned jointly by himself and his
brother,David McMaster, in Florida.
Montgomery county, about fourteen
miles above Schenectady and a mile
and a half from the Mohawk river.
In April of that year he and another
brother, Robert McMaster, in com-
. pany with William Woods and John
Nealy. and with William Taylor, a
16
boy eight years old, who had been
indentured to James McMaster as a
"bound boy," started for Owego.
The previous winter a large boat
had been obtained at Schenectady
and taken thence to Canaj'oharie on
the ice and from there to the bank
of Otsego lake. There the boat was
launched and a part of the party
embarked with a wagon, provisions,
plows, farming implements and cook-
ing utensils, while another party
went with four horses by land, fol-
lowing the Indian trail to the foot of
the lake. Tlience they all proceeded
together, following the Indian trail
to Owego. They met many parties of
Indians on their way, who seemed
jieaceably inclined. but met no white
man.
They were fourteen days on their
journey, arriving here on the first
day of May, one party by boat down
the river and the other by land. At
night while on their way the boat
was moored uniformly at some place
on the river, previously appointed,
and thus the whole party, as well
for safety as for comfort, tooK their
evening meals and passed their
nights together.
On the flat west of what is now
McMaster street there was but lit-
tle forest, and the land had been cul-
tivated some by the Indians. Mc-
Master"s party at once set fire to
the dried grass, and burned over the
entire surface of the ground, the
flames extending over the site of
Owego and for a considerable
distance beyond. They built a tem-
porary cabin of pitch pine logs on
the flat, about fifty rods above where
17
the electric light plant now stands,
which sheltered them until their
corn planting was done on about
ten acres in the vicinity of the pres-
ent Ta'cott street.
After the planting was completed
they erected a more substantial log
house near the bank of the river on
the lot where the residence of George
W. Thompson now stands, and this
was the first building erected for
permanent use by the nands of white
men in this portion of the Susque-
hanna valley.
After the corn hoeing season was
over the whole party returned with
three of their horses and a quan-
tity of beaver skins which they had
received from the Indians in ex-
change for their fourth horse to the
valley of the Mohawk, for the pur-
pose of attending to their harvest-
ing there. That having been accom-
plished they returned later and har-
vested their crop here, which had
not been molested by the Indians,
with whom they had established
friendly relations. The cro]) was
taken in boat loads to Tioga Point
(Athens, Pa.) and securely cribbed,
after which the party returned to
the Mohawk valley for the winter.
In 1785, the year after the corn
planting expedition, James McMaster
returned to Owego. It was in June
of that year that four agents of the
Massachusetts purchase, a body of
230,400 acres of land lying between
the Owego creek and the Chenango
river awarded to Massachusetts and
since known as the Boston Purchase
or Ten Townships, came here and
found McMaster in possession. Mc-
18
.Master claimed ownership of what
was subsequently known as the Mc-
.Master half township, on which the
village of Owego is now situated,
by contract with the Indians,
in which claim he was sus-
tained by Amos Draper; and their
influence was such with the Indians
that in order to conciliate them and
obtain possession the agents were
compered to satisfy McMaster's claim
by giving him eighteen square miles
of land extending from the Susque-
hanna river on the east side of the
Owego creek eighteen miles north,
and from the Owego creek on the
north side of the river eastward, a
distance of six miles. The particu-
lars of this transaction are fully
told in the -'Susquehanna Valley"*
papers in the St. Nicholas maga-
zine, page 301.
James McMaster did not settle
permanently here until 1TS8. Then
he and his family settled in a
house which stood near where the
main highway on the old Indian
trail ran along the river bank at
its intersection with the old Cayu-
ga Lake trail which trail was iden-
tical with the present McMaster
street and extended down to the
river. This house faced the river
and stood near where Michael A.
Lynch's house now stands. The
house was afterward occupied by
Dr. Samuel Tinkham and later by
.lames Pumpelly.
The family of John :\IcQuigg came
the same year from Massachusetts.
The late Lyman C. Draper, of
Madison. Wis., secretary of the
Wisconsin state historical society.
19
purchased in 1S7(I of lh»' hfirs of
the late judge Avery the iikuiu-
-scripts containing interviews vpith
early residents ot southern New
York relative to the Indian history,
much of which was used in writing
the Susquehanna Valley i)a|)ers. In
a letter to the editor of this pai)er
written in October of the following
year Mr. Draper wrote that he had
been for some time collecting ma-
terial for a new life of Brant, the
Indian chief, and tliat the Avery
papers had been purchased with
others to aid him in that purjjose,
but that these papers did not con-
tain much concerning Brant, but
more of the local history of this
region. After Mr. Drajier s death
the papers became a part of the
manuscri])t collection of the Wis-
consin historical society. The fol-
lowing is a list of the more imj)ort-
ant of them :
Mrs. Whitaker's account of her
cai)tivity among the Indians (1778.)
Dances and other Ceremonies of
the Iroquois: character of the In-
dians.
Mrs. Whitaker's reminiscenses of
Brant and other chiefs.
Memoirs of Sebastian Strope and
his family.
Narrative of Abel Hart.
Narrative of Way-way alias
Betsy Douglas.
Statements of the following pio-
neers (accounts of their own or
their parents' adventures) : Jesse
McQuigg, John Gee. Mrs. Caty
Harris, Lawrence Merriman, Jona-
than Terry, Elisha Forsyth.
Mrs. Caty Harris, mentioned in
the last paragraph, was a daughter
of James McMaster. The Avery in-
terview with her was a very brief
20
one, and the following is a verba-
tion copy of it. as copied from the
original in the Wisconsin historical
society's collection:
Statement of Mrs. Caty Harris.
June St.-, 1S53.
Maiden name Caty McMaster,
daughter of Jas. (patentee.)
Came to Owego when four or
five years old with my father's
family:
Oldest brother Jas.
Next Jeremiah.
David.
Oldest sister Jane Sackett, wife
of Caleb H. Sackett.
Sister Elida Mc:Master. dead.
Sister, Caty McMaster.
Sister, Ann Fish, dead.
Robert McMaster was a brother
of old James and moved on at
same time with Jas. He married a
Bates, a sister of Elisha Bates.
Thos. McM., another brother, came
on afterwards.
Electa Draper (now Williams*
first white child born at Owego.
Amos Draper's family first white
family at Owego.
Recollects the Indians used to be
there in bands: had wigwams near
her father's house. They were
l)eaceable and friendly as could be.
Mv mother, Rachel, died 30 years
ago " in Candor, my father died in
Candor. They are buried on the
farm now owned by Hiram Smith,
not enclosed.
My father was a tall man, not
fleshy, large boned, about six feet
high. He paid the Indians for their
land. He held the council with
them near where his house was.
(The particulars of this treaty have
never transpired. C. P. A.)
I was born on the Mohawk. I
have had 7 children.
These are my grandchildren.
(Pointing to two boys.)
My father built the house once
occupied by Jas. Pumpelly.
The first house he built was near
21
,lhe river and iiretty nearly back
of the Pumpelly house.
I believe my father was in tin-
army under Genl. Clinton and
came down the river. In that way
I think he must have been ac-
quainted with the valley of the
river.
At the time of this interview .Mr.s.
Harris lived in the town of Cayu-
ta, Schuyler county. It was from
this interview that .ludse Avery,
probably, obtained the misinforma-
tion that McMaster was in Clin-
ton's army. James McMaster's
wife's name was Rachtd. Their
children were as follows:
James McMaster, Jr.
Jeremiah McMaster. He married
Hannah Hill, a daughter of John
Hill, one of the first settlers of the
town of Tioga. He died at Spen-
cer. His death followed the ampu-
tation of his leg on account of a
fever sore. His daughter, Eliza
McMaster, married I^eonard Jones,
who came from Peekskill, X. Y.,
with his father, John Jones, and
settled at Spencer between 180(i
and 1805. John B. Jones, who lives
in East Temple street. Owego, is a
son of Leonard Jones.
David McMaster.
Jane McMaster. Married Col
Caleb H. Sackett and lived at
Candor. She died near Almond. Al-
legany county.
Elida McMaster was unmarried.
She died in 1843, aged 63 years'.
Her body was buried at West Can-
dor.
Catherine McMaster. Married
James Harris, a blacksmith, who
was born in the north of Ireland.
Thev lived near VanEtten, Che-
22
mung county. Both were buried at
Spencer. She was 80 years old at
the time of her death.
Ann McMaster. Married a man
named Fish. It is said that she
died at the county poor house.
James McMaster was a man of
improvident habits, and although
the owner of property that with
judicious management would have
made him immensely wealthy, it
gradually passed from his hands
and he died thirty years after his
settlement here in reduced circum-
stances.
One day in 1818. while living at
Candor, where his daughter, Mrs.
Sackett, lived, he borrowed a horse
of a neighbor to ride to Spencer to
visit one of his sons. He had gone
but a short distance when the horse
shied and he was thrown to the
ground, breaking his rios. He was
taken into Selah Gridley's house,
where he died a few days after-
ward. His body was buried on
the Caleb Sackett farm. The
grave was plowed over many years
ago. The farm w^as subsequently
cut up into village lots and this
grave was on the back part of the
lot on which Mrs. Alvah Fuller's
house now stands.
COL. DAVID PIXLEY.
The first settler of any import-
ance in the eastern part of the
town of Tioga was Col. David Pix-
ley, who came from Stockbridge,
Mass., in 1791. The same year
Abner Turner came from Massachu-
setts and settled at the confluence
of the Owego and Catatonk creeks.
Both Col. Pixley and Mr. Turner had
23
been here previously on exploring
tours.
Col. Pixley was born at Stock-
bridge, Mass., Marcli 2(, 1741. His
father, whoso name was also David
Pixley, was born at Westfield, Mass.,
in lfl4, and was a soldier in the ex-
l)edition against Capo Rroton in
1745. He settled at Stockbridgo bo-
r'oro 174!t. Col. David Pixley fought
in the Revolutionary war and had
a fine military record. His record
as obtained from .Massachusetts ar-
chives by one of his greatgrandsons,
.Josiah Collins Pumpelly, now living
in New York city, is as follows:
He was a first lieutenant, as by
Lexington Alarm Call Rolls, April
19, 1775, in Capt. William Goodrich's
company, Col. Patterson's regiment,
from Stockbridgo to Cambridge.
Thirteen days service. Enlisted again
May 5, 1775, for eight months' ser-
vice from Stockbrldge. Time of ser-
vice three months, four days. Com-
missioned May 27, 1775, captain in
(Jol. John Brown's regiment. En-
listed .June 30, 1777; discharged
■Inly 26, 1777. Twenty days' service
in Northern Department.
In the lists of the officers and men
of the regiments in the line in the
United States service under Gen.
Washington, as given in "New York
in the Revolution," Lieutenant David
Pixley's name appears (page 61) as
in the corps of "Green Mountain
Boys." The colonels were Ethan
Allen and Seth Warner, and .John
Brown was major. The editorial ex-
planation heading this list says:
"These muster-rolls are recorded
as "Major Brown's Detachment," and
2-f
that detachment is mentioned as in
"Gen. Arnold's Regiment." (The only
mention of Gen. Arnold found m
our records.) The fact that the
•Green Mountain Boys" were at
Quebec in 1776: that this detach-
ment was also at Quebec in 1776;
that two of the officers on these
rolls-Captain and Commissary Elijah
Babcock and Captain Robert Coch-
ran — are identical in name and rank,
with those on a list nanded to the
Provincial Cangress of New York
bv Ethan Allen and Seth Warner, on
.Iiilv 4. 1775, as officers for the
Green Mountain Boys; ana the fur-
ther fact that none of the men are
recorded in any other place, or with
anv other organization, all confirai
the belief that the soldiers on its
rolls herewith were a part of that
historic band."
The muster rollofthe menofLieut-
tenant Pixley's company in the Mas-
sachusetts archives at the State
House in Boston contains the names
of twenty Indians.
David Pixley was commissioned a
colonel in the colonial army July 1.
177.5. His commission bears the sig-
nature of John Hancock. President.
His regiment was in Gen. John Pat-
terson's command at Bunker Hill,
and he was under Gen. :Montgomery
at the seige of Quebec.
There has been privately printed
a circular giving the genealogy of
Dr. Tinkham, Col. Pixley's son-in-
law, and showing Dr. Tinkham's de-
scent from Miles Standish. who
came to America in the Mayflower
in 1620. In this it is said that
Lydia Patterson, Col. Pixley's sec-
ond wife was a 'daughter of Col.
John Patterson, colonel of the in-
fantry regiment in which David
Pixley was first lieutenant in the
25
revolutionary army." Tliis is an
error. Slie was a daughter of
Josepli Patterson, wlio was born at
Waterbury, Mass., in 1810 and died
at Richmond in 1780.
Col. John Patterson (afterward
Gen. Patterson) was a man of
ability and prominence. He was
born in 1844 at New Britain, Conn.,
and was educated at Yale college.
He taught school, studied law, and
became a justice of the peace. In
1774 he removed to Lenox, Mass..
where he became a member of the
Itrovincial congress, .lust before the
Revolution he raised a regiment
among the neighbors of Berkshire
county, and on the day before the
battle of Lexington and Concord he
ordered his men to be ready to
march at sunrise the next morning.
He participated in the battle of
Bunker Hill, holding the fortifica-
tions at Somerville, which protected
the rear of the American forces,,
and shared the hardships and adven-
tures of the seige of Boston. In the
ill-starred expediti on toCanada under
Montgomery and Arnold he lost the
greater part of his men, and later
with the remnant of his command
he participated in the victories of
Trenton and Princeton, and as a
l)rigadier-general in 1877 he had
charge of Massachusetts troops in
the campaign under Gen. Gates,
which ended with the capture of the
British army under Burgoyne.
He was a member of
the court-martial that tried and
condemned Major Andre. He was
afterward in command of West
Point, and even after peace was de-
16
Glared he was retained there witli
his brigade and was not mustered
out until December 8, 1783. In
1786 he assisted in the suppression
of Shay's rebellion. In 1791 Gen-
Patterson removed to Lisle, Broome
county, N. Y., which was then a
part of Tioga county. He was a
member of assembly in 1792-3, mem-
ber of congress in 1803-5, member
of the constitutional convention in
1801, and the first judge elected in
Broome county in 1806, the year
that county was set off from Tioga
county, and he filled the office until
his death in 1808 at Lisle. A mon-
ument was afterwai-d erected in his
memory on the town square at.
Lenox, Mass.
.Josiah ColMns Pumpelly says his
researches have convinced him that
the company recruited by Patterson
and Pixley did not reach Boston
until a day or two after the battle
of Bunker Hill was fought. If his
conclusions are correct another idol
would appear to have been irrepar-
ably shattered.
Col. Pixley was one of the sixty
original proprietors of the "Boston
Purchase or Ten Townships." He
first came into this part of New
York state as one of the commis-
sioners appointed by the Boston
company to treat with the Indians
and obtain title to 230,400 acres of
land, between the Owego creek and
the Chenango river for which the
company had paid £1,500 to the
state. The commissioners met the
Indians two or three miles above
Binghamton in the winter of 1787-88
The particulars of this treaty with
27
the liuliaiis may be found in Wil-
kinson's "Annals of Binghamton"
<page 39-40) and in Judge Avery's
" riusquehanna Valley" ijai)ers in the
St. Nicholas Alagazine, page '2'3'J.
By deed from Archibald Camp-
bell, of the city of Albany, dated
December 22. 17U0, Col. Pi.xley ob-
tained title to 0,000 acres of land in
what was then known as "Camj)beirs
Location" in the town of Tioga,
bounded east by the Owego creek
and south by the Susquehanna
river , "consideration five shillings
and other good causes and consid-
erations." The amount originally
l)aid for this property is said to
have been fifty cents an acre.
Col. Pixley removed with his fam-
ily from Stockbridge to Owego Feb.
6, 1791, and settled on his pro])erty.
In May, IT'.M, he sold to Abner Tur-
ner, who came here that year. 49%
acres on the west bank of the Owe-
go creek where it meets the Cata-
tonk creek. March 17. 1802, he sold
451 acres on the Owego creek, in-
cluding his own homestead, to Capt.
Eliakim, Noah, and Asa Goodrich for
$5,000. He then removed to Owe-
go ana lived in the old farm house
which is still standing on the south
side of Main street, west of and
adjoining the Owego academy
grounds, and there he died in 1807.
On the headstone of his grave in the
Presbyterian church yard in Temple
street is the following inscription:
"In memory of Col. David Pixley.
who departed this life Aug. 25. 1807,
in the 67th year of his age. He
was an officerofthe Revolution atthe
seige of Quebec under Gen. Mont-
gomery. He was the first settler
28
of Owego in 1790 and continued its
father and friend until his death.'"
When Col. Pixley settled on the
west side of the Owego creek that
town was known as Owego, and the
east side of the creek was known as
Tioga. The confusion arising from
having the village of Owego in the
town of Tioga on the east side of
the creek was so annoying that in
1813 the names of the towns of Owe-
go and Tioga were e.Kchanged, the
one for the other, as they now ex-
ist.
Col. Pixley was county treasurer
of Tioga county from 179S to 180-3.
the only civil office he ever held
here.
Col, Pixley's first wife was Lois
Whittlesey, who was married to
him December S, 1763. His second
wife was Lydia Patterson, daughter
of James Patterson. She was born
at Watertown. Mass., in 1745, and
died in Owego February 2, 1808,
Mrs, Lydia Pixley was a woman of
unostentatious piety and unbounded
hospitality. While living at Stock-
bridge, Mass,, her house was a
home for strangers, especially for
the missionaries and ministers of
that early day. After her death an
extended sketch of her life and tri-
bute to her character was published
in the Connecticut Evangelical Mag-
azine tor October, 1808, at page 336.
When Col. Pixley came to Owe-
go from Massachusetts he brought
his wife and three children, David,
Amos, and Mary,
David Pixley. Jr,, was born at
Stockbridge in 1764 and was the
only son of Col. David Pixley by his
29
first wife. He married Drusilla
Bond. He was only 35 years old
when he died in the town of Tio.!;y
June 6. 1799, His body wa.s the
first one buried where the Tioga
cemetery now is, which was then hi
the woods. His wife died June 1,
1822, aged 57 years, and her body is
also buried there.
David Pixley, Jr., was a surveyor.
He was one of tne most influential
of the proiirietors of the "Boston
Ten Townships." His children
were Charles B.. Jeremiah. Mary
Ann, David, and .Jonathan. He lived
on the west side of the Owego
creek, a little less than half a mile
below Leach's mill.
Amos Pixley died previous to the
death of his father in 1807, leaving
a wife and one son. Walter. Wal-
ter died unmarried.
Mary Pixley was married to Dr.
Samuel Tinkham about the year
1793. Her second liusband was
James Pumpelly.
One of the sons of David Pixley,
Jr., Col. Charles B. Pixley, was
born in 1792, the year after the re-
moval of his father to this county.
He was at one time a hatter and
kept a store in Lake street where
he sold musical instruments, sta-
tionery, etc. He lived in Biugham-
ton several years, where he mar-
ried a sister of .lohn A. Collier. He
died Aug. IS, 1865. at the home of
his sister, Mrs. Alanson Goodrich,
in the town of Tioga.
Mary Ann Pixley, born in 179G.
married Alanson Goodrich, son of
Capt. Eliakim Goodrich, and died
April 22, 1875.
30
Jeremiah. Jonathan, and David
Pixley all removed to Oakland
county, Mich. David Pixley's wife
was Fidelia Jones, daughter of dea-
con Solomon Jones.
At the time of Col. David Pix-
ley's death he was the owner of
nearly 9,400 acres of land all of
which except 130 acres were situ-
uated outside the village of Owego.
CAPT. JOHN MCQUIGG.
The families of both James Mc-
Master and Captain John ilcQuigg
settled at Owego the same year
(17SS). the year after Amos Draper.
the first comer, settled here.
Captain John McQuigg was of
Scotch-Irish descent. The family
settled at Derry, X. H., coming
with the first Scotch people to Xew
England. He was one of eight
brothers, all of whom fought in the
Revolutionary war. The father was
a patriot, while the mother sympa-
thized with the tories. The conse-
quence was that while John and
three of his brothers enlisted in the
service with the revolutionists the
other four brothers fought on the
side of Great Britain. John Mc-
Quigg was captain of a company in
a New Hampshire regiment. One
brother died in the old sugar
house in Xew York, a prisoner of
war.
Capt. John McQuigg came from
Derry, N. H., with his family, then
consisting of his wife and eight chil-
dren, entering the Susquehanna val-
ley by the way of Otsego lake and
following the Indian trail to Owe-
go. What impelled him to come
with his large family such a dis-
31
tance through an unsettled country
into a wilderness no historian has
explained.
He built a log house on the site
of the Cami) furnace, below Park
street. It fronted on the river, as
did also Draper's and Mc Master's
houses, and the road ran along the
old Indian trail between it and the
stream. Its description, as given to
.Judge Avery by one of his sons,
Capt. Jesse McQuigg, who was five
years old when the family came
here, will be given further on in
tuese papers.
The genealogical record of the
McQuigg family was written by Miss
Mary Hall, of Spencer, N. Y., and
printed in the Spencer Needle of
August o, 1905.
.John McQuigg's first wife was
Mollie Gilmore. Their son was John
M. McQuigg. His second wife was
Sarah Coburn, of New Hampshire.
Her children were as follows:
1. Mary McQuigg born 8 Feb.,
1774. Married Abner Turner, of
the town of Tioga.
2. Daniel McQuigg born 2:1 Feb.,
1.76.
3. Elizabeth McQuigg born 23
March, 1778. Married Capt. Lemuel
Brown, of Owego.
4. Robert McQuigg born !) No-
vember, 1780. Unmarried. Died in
Owego .
5. Jesse McQuigg born 24 May
1783.
6. Sarah McQuigg born 13 Aug.,
1785. Married George Lord Talcott,
of Owego.
7. Patience McQuigg born March
27, 1787. Married first Richard Den-
ton, of Danby, and second Peter
Yaple.
8. David McQuigg born 27 Nov.,
1791.
9. Rachael McQuigg born 5 Jan.,
S2
1793. Married Lieiit.-Col. Wm. Henry
and lived at :\Iineral Point. Wis.
10. .Jane McQuigg bom 1-5 Aug..
1795. Married Comfort Weeks, of
Owego. Removed to Buffalo and
thence to Pittsfield. 111. Comfort
Weeks and his brother. Constant X.
Weeks, kept a shoe store in Owego.
11. Didama McQuigg born 7 Oct..
1798. MaiTied William Watson and
lived at Pittsfield, 111.
John :McQuigg died in O'W'ego in
181-3, twenty-five years after his set-
tlement here, and his body was one
of the first ones interred in the old
burying ground in Court street. His
wife, Sarah McQuigg. died Nov. 16.
1832, aged 85 years. Her body was
buried in the Presbyterian burying
ground in Temple street.
When .James Master, for a con-
sideration of £10. gave a deed of
land for a public park on which the
Tioga county court house now stands
to the village of Owego (then known
as Owego settlement) dated Febru-
ary 28, 1797, John McQuigg was
named in the deed as one of the
three trustees for the people. The
other trustees were Capt. Luke
Bates and Mason Wattles. Sept. 4.
1813, after the death of Bates and
McQuigg, a special election was held
and Eleazer Dana and John H.
Avery were chosen their successors.
John McQuigg's eldest son, John
M. :\IcQuigg. was bom Oct. 13.
1771. and he was seventeen years
old when the family came here. He
removed to Spencer about 189S,
where he became a prominent man
of the town. He died there Aug. 13.
1812. His wife was Lucy Lee, who
after his death was married to Rev.
Michael Burge, an itinerant Metho-
dist minister. John McQuigg, one
of tlie sons of John M. McQuigg,
represented Tioga county in the as-
sembly in 1842, and died at Spen-
cer 29 Nov., 1S72.
Daniel and David McQuigg also
removed to Spencer about 178S.
Daniel married Charlotte Hobart,
daughter of Edmund Hobart, of Con-
necticut, one of the first settlers of
Spencer in lT9o. He died there in
1833. ,
David McQuigg removed in June,
1804, from Spencer to Ithaca and
opened a store there. He dropped
a portion of his name and was
known the rest of his life as David
Quigg. His was the first store op-
ened at Ithaca. He was successful
in the mercantile business and con-
tinued in it the rest of his life.
David Quigg's wife was Harriet
Pumpelly, a daughter of .John Pum-
l)elly.
Capt. Jesse McQuigg fought in
the war of 1812. He was never
married.- He and his mother, witli
Lemuel Brown's widow, lived in a
liouse which was built in 1800 on
the Abram Brown farm, north of
Talcott street, which house was
moved away about sixty years ago
and converted into a barn when
Abram Brown's residence was built
there. When Abram Brown's
father, Cai)t. Lemuel Brown, the
tiinner, who married Capt. Mc-
Quigg's sister, died Richard Brown
and Capt. Jesse McQuigg conducted
the tannery business. Capt. Mc-
Quigg died at the home of his
nephew, Abram Brown.
34
One of the most interesting of
the papers in the "Wisconsin
state historical society's collection
obtained by Lyman C. Draper from
the heirs of Judge Aver>- is the
statement made by Jesse McQuigg,
ta Judge Aven.-. Some of it was
published in the Susquehanna Vay-
ley articles. but most of it has
never been printed. The statement-
is as follows :
STATEMENT OF JESSE MC QUIGG
MADE APRIL 1. Ib51.
I shall be 68 years old the 24th
of May ensuing. I came to live at
Owego in March. I think 17SS.
My father. John McQuigg. had
been on the year before in March
and raised some corn and had put
up a house on the site of the build-
ing now occupied by HeniT W.Camp
as a furnace. It was a log house
with two square rooms, hewed logs,
chinks filled in with bits of wood
between the logs and mudded. a
hole in each room in the place of
a window, no glass in them; we
didn't indulge in that luxury. Split
pine logs, hewed oW for a floor, a
chimney back built of stone with
a hole in the roof for the smoke
to pass out and with a stick chim-
ney mudded from the roof up. A
wood fastening to the door with
the latch string hanging out as was
always the fashion. It fronted up-
on the river. The highway ran be-
tween it and the river; not much
of a road, only what nature made.
My father came from the Merrimac,
in the state of Massachusetts; came
by the way of Otsego lake, down
to where Tnadilla and Bainbridge
are now. Came with ox teams
and sleds. There was still snow
enough for slipping in that month
(March.) I presume we followed
the Indian trail.
James McMaster came on to live
here permanently the next month
3-5
•after my lather come on. \Vm.
Taylor came on to live pernianeiith
here in three or four years after.
•He had been here before.
Amos Draper's was the first white
family that came to Owego to re-
side i)ernranently. They lived in
the house which had been imt uj) on
the lot al)out where George Hacun
resides. l^e came from Wyoming.
I heard of an incident connected
with his moving into the house.
Two Indians came as had been in
a (luarrel about the time of the
Revolutionary war. On(> had killed
the other, and an old s(iuaw, the
wife of the dead Indiaii, had dug
a hole under the floor and i)ut him
under. This was the same housi
Draper afterward moved into. It had
been i)reviously occu|)ied by the In-
dian family. Mrs. Draper would not
go into the house until the remains
of the Indian so buried had been re-
moved.
James McMaster's house was on
the bankoftheriver.nearwhere Chai)el
street [now Academy street], if con-
tinued through to the river, would
strike the river. That was called
in olden times "the Lake road."
from the fact of its leading toward
Cayuga lake on the Indian trail. The
road on the river bank between my
father's house and the river ran
until it intersected the Lake road.
McMaster's house was nearly in the
angle made by tne two roads.
Robert McMaster was then a
young unmarried man and boarded
with his brother, James. Thomas Mc-
Master, another brother, lived in a
house standing near where Joel
Farnham's house n':w is. He did
not come on as eaily as the other
brothers.
Robert McMaster, after he mar-
ried a Miss Bates, a daughter of
Benjamin Bates, built his first log
house on what is now Draper's Res-
eration. It stood a few feet from
the Mansion house [on the west
side of North avenue, between West
avenue and Talcott street], a little
36
south of it. I lived with him about
a year afterward.
There were three families by the
name of Bates lived in Owego.
Among the early settlers Elisha
Bates, a son of old Benjamin Bates,
was about six feet in height, un-
commonly active, could outrun any
man. We had games and ran to
test agilitv in those days. Hunting
was his business. He was a great
marksman.
The deer ran as plenty as sheep.
One might start from the river and
go as far up the creek as Turner's
and see on the way twenty or twen-
tv-five, and perhaps as many as that
in a drove. We killed them as we
wanted them. We could hear the
wolves howl in the night. In the
winter season wnen they had driven
the deer into the river they would
stand upon the banks and howl.
The bears were plenty back upon
the mountains.
We used sometimes to see a dozen
Indians, sometimes fifty, and some-
times one hundred together, passing
from here to Tioga Point, Chenan-
go Point or Cayuga lake. Some-
times an interval of two weeks
when we would not see any but a
few families who still continued to
reside in this vicinity in their wig-
M-ams. Some of them were Onon-
dagas, some Cayugas, some Senecas.
Thev often used to speak of Brant.
He was their great man. There was a
treaty at Tioga Point (the year I
don't recollect) between the agents
of the government and the Indian
tribes.*
*Xote bv Judge .\ven— The year was 1790. It
was held Idv Col. Timothy Pickenng and Thomas
Morris son of Robt. Morris, the financier ot the
Revolution, upon whose ability Botta has passed
a beautiful eulogy and to whose memory we owe
great honor. At that treaty at Tioga Point Red
Jacket Sa-gove-wat-ha, and Farmers' brother.
Hon-ne-va-mus. and other distinguished chiefs
were present. The council fire was kept burning
one week There were more than l.euO Indians
present representing all the tribes of the con-
federacy except the ?>Iohawk. those of that nation
having after the war removed to Canada. The
object of the treaty on the part of our govern-
ment was to conciliate, there being at th.it time
37
The most of the 'ndians who as-
sembled there came iroin the head
waters of this [the Susquehanna I
river. I saw them coming down in
their canoes, saw them first at the
the bend in the river above the vil-
lage. There were several hundred
canoes, some four to si.\ Indians in
a canoe; a good many squaws and
young Indians among them. The
canoes were of bark.
It was a handsome sight as they
approached the village; they came
in such fine order. They came in
a solid body and with great regu-
larity and uniform moveintnt. some
Of them ornamented with feathers,
some with jewels, covered with
broaches generally of silver, gener-
ally with white woollen bhinkets
with heavy stripes. Some had brjad
cloth blankets.
The Indian men were generally of
pretty good stature. They had their
rifles, tomahawks. and scal|)ing
knives with them, pipes and their kind
of tobacco. They all landed' here and
cooked and ate their breakfast.
They commenced landing at or near
my father's house (that is near H.
W. Camp's furnace), and so along
down as far as .Jas. Mc Master's
house. Between the two houses was
on open i)lain, beautiful and green.
They were very good natureu. They
were there all for peace. Their de-
vices were cut in upon their orna-
ments, worked into their garments
with ])orcui»ine quills and i)ainted
on. There appeared to be leaders
or chiefs among them.
Leggins, loin, cloths. l>l;nikets.
great danger of a war with the natives upon our
northwestern frontier. We were taking this
nietliod of inducing the Iroiiuois not to throw
tlieir weight into the scale against us. We were
in the main successful, althouuli Col. Pickeriujr
found great difficuU\- in alla.\inu the hot blood
which Red Jacket had aroused by one of his
powerful appeals to their bitter memories of
wrouK. This speech it is said was his maiden
effort in elo<nience and alike astounding his re<l
as well as white listeners. It almost baffled Col.
Pickering's best efforts at conciliation, but he
did at lentrth. after trreat exertion, succeed in
to\ichin.tr their symixathies for the youu).: re-
public.
38
head dress, moccasins, and orna-
ments were their costume. The
women carried all the bundles and
did all the work. Saw their wam-
pum belts made of beads.
The Indian Nicholas and his squaw
lived on the other side of the river
on the flat by F. H. Pumpelly and
.Jacobs Hand's mills. He claimed to
be the owner of the whole flat. He
raised cattle and corn, had quite a
stock of cattle, etc. He was a Dela-
ware Indian. As s:Jon as the Dela-
ware settlers commenced moving in-
to the valley he moved off. He was
afraid they would take revenge up-
on him for some past occurrence.
He hau been a great warrior against
the whites on the Delaware. He was a
heavy man, nearly six feet high.
His squaw was fine looking for an
Indian woman. She made very
sweet butter. She ^'ould not allow
herself to speak English. She did
so, however, once. There was a
man drowning and she informed a
white man on the bank where he
had sunk. Squaw island was named
from her.
The first shad we caught in the
river was at Squaw island and taken
with a brush net. I never knew
any other name for Nicholas than
that. He would authorize his name
to be signed ' Nicholas."
David Jones was the first lawyer
who settled at Owego. He came
from New Haven. He was a very
fine man and well esteemed (I was
pleased to discover, as you doubt-
less are, that our pioneer lawyer
bore that good reputation).
One season I fitted a couple of
acres of corn for an Indiaia family
to plant. It lay between my pres-
ent residence and the creek. The
name of the Indian was Peter. It
was well put in bv him and turned
out a crop of forty bushels to the
acre. I had one-half. They pre-
served their half ij) tracings, which
was done by stripping the husk
to the large end of the ear, braid-
ing the husks together. The In-
39
diaiis usually |)ut about a bushel of
ears in one tracing. I found them
seed, but when it ripened 1 found
the Indian had i)]anted seed of his
own, without my knowing it, of large
kernels, which we called "flour
corn," better adai)ted for Indian bread.
It was probably th^ s])eeies called
"Tuscarora." The great trouble with
the Indians was their apjjetite for
strong drink, as they called it "fire
water."
The Indians all looked u]) to Amos
Draper as a God. He had more in-
fluence with them than any other
man in the country. The Boston
purchasers had a conference at Nan-
ticoke with the Indians to i)rocure
from them a cession of the land em-
braced in the TenTownships. They
could bring the Indians to no terms
until Draper came. He was sent
for to bring aoout an arrangment.
The Indians called him "Qua-see"
(Big man.)
The treaty had to break up until
Dra]ter had mingled with the In-
dians for three days. There was
then another treaty and the pur-
chase from the Indians was effected.
There was a great number of In-
dians there. The chiefs of the con-
federacy were all there, all the prin-
cipal men of that confederacy. This
account I had from Draper. We see
by the Resolve of Massachusetts
that it was June, 1786. t
There was near that house an
Indian wigwam. There was former-
ly a mound near where the home-
stead property of the late Eleazer
tNote by Judge Avery. — Mr. McQuiRg had the
account from Mr. Drajier some few year.^i of
course after the treaty, which was in June. 17S6.
and he may not have remembered accurately the
place where the treaty was held. I liave heard
from other sources and have read, but where
now I cannot recollect, that the coinicil was first
opened near BiuKhamton. No terms at first
agreed upon, then resinned at Chenango Forks,
where a treaty of cession was fulh concluded.
I am however disposed to give credence to Mr.
McQuigg's version. Binghamton was not within
the Boston purchase. Xanticoke was. and it is
not probable that the purchasers would liked to
have foregone the advantage which a treaty
made upon the .soil, of which they were purchas-
40
Dana [the lot on the north side of
Front street where the residence, of
Lewis H. Leonard now is I
in area some forty by fifty feet,
rising gradually to the centre, .at
which point it must have been ela-
vated above the surrounding sur-
face about some six or eight feet.
It was a beautiful spot before it
was disturbed. It was smooth and
beautiful. I have rolled down it
when I was a boy many a time.
Ihere were some young pines scat-
tered about, not far off.
There might have been fifty or
sixty acres in the lower part of the
village that had been cleared and
tilled; some other portions partially.
The scattering trees which were left
growing along the bank were very
large oaks, elms, and maples.
The battle between Gen. Poor's
brigade and the Indians at the
Round Hill at Xanticoke I heard
of from the Indians who passed and
repassed here. It was a bloody bat-
tle, but the Indians were driven off
the eastern side of the hill, which
is steep, into the river.
It was through the influence of
Amos Draper that -las. McMaster
was enabled to buy the title of the
Indians to this Half Township.
.Joseph Knox also helped him. Knox
was an early settler here.
.Jas. Mc Master, Draper, and Knox
held their treaty for the cession of
the Half Township, but before the
treaty made and spoken of above
by the Boston purchasers.
There was one Indian chief of the
Oneida tribe I remember well. His
ins the possessory interest, would have given to
them. It was the right of original occupancy, a
posses.sory interest they were seeking to pur-
chase. The government of Xew York and Mass"
achu.setts having, respectively, the one exclusive
right of pre-emption and the other the jurisdic-
tion incident to sovereignty, a constructive title
ceded to us by England by the treaty of 1783. it
having originally vested in her, by di,scovery. a
kind of title considered by the nations of Europe
in their practice as no way inferior to the right
by conquest.
The purchasers were then extinguishing a
pos,sessory right, and it would have been more
natural and perhaps safer to have done so on the
soil they were then purchasing of the occupants.
41
iiaiiK' was Longstring. He remaiiu-d
at this place some time a niontli.
He had a white boy with him at
this place, then upwards of twenty
years old, who had been taken a
captive when young an.d his rricnds
from the North river came on here
to induce hini to leave the Indian
chief and return to his relatives,
and were at length successful. He
always walked by the side of the
chief, dressed in th'^ sam(» mode and
with the same kind of medal or brooch
upon the breast, and the same or-
naments. The Indian chief's son
had not the same privilege; he
walked l)ehind. The Indian chief
appeared once a week in full dress
and with considerable parade.
I saw the interview when the
father of the young man came from
the North river to reclaim his son.
I saw the parting of the young man
wi.th his Indian father and mother.
They were all bathed in tears,, and
it was very affecting. The young
man said that they had been as
kind as white ])arents could have
been to him, that h*^ had never even
had the burden of carrying a deer
skin from the hunting ground. His
arm was around his Indian mother's
neck and he wept bitterly.
The parting occurred near the
bank of the river where Paige street
intersects River street in the upper
part of the village.*
*Nole by JudRf Avery. — The ijractice of the In-
dians was to a<lopt young- captives into sonic
family of the tribes. It was irenerally clone when
there had been a death in the fainilv- of some
favorite child, the foster child heinjf received
into the place of the deceased ;ind treated with
the iitniost kindness and attention. The ro-
mantic case of Mar\- Janiieson and that e.\ceed-
ingly romantic and interesting case of Frances
Slocum, taken captive from the Susquehanna
valley, near Wyoming, arc in point. I'ndoubt-
edly Queen Esther's was also a simil.ir case.
After thus havintr adopted a child the.\' con-
sidered it dispUasint; to the Creat Spirit to suf-
fer a separation, whicli will account for the foster
parents clinuinu in this inst.'ince with such per-
tinacity to the adopted child.
42
DR. SAMUEL TIXKHAM.
Dr. Samuel Tinkliam was the first
man educated aud graduated from a
college to settle In Owego. He was a
graduate of Dartmouth. He was bom
at Middleboro. Mass., July 17, 1769,
and came to Owego in 1792. He was
lythe first physician to settle in this
vicinity. He settled in the town of
Tioga in what was later known as
Goodrich settlement. He lived in a
house which stood on the hillside
north of the highway which runs
parallel with the Erie and Lehigh Val-
ley railroads. It was a little above the
railroad crossing. He lived there un-
til 1804, a short time previous to
his death. All of his three
children were born there. When he
removed to Owego he lived in the
house on the south side of Front
street, which was built by James Mc-
Master, which has already been men-
tioned in these papers. Dr. Tinkham
built an office on the opposite side of
the street, which was after his death
occupied as a land office by James
Pumpelly.
In addition to practising medicine
Dr. Tinkham kept a general country
store in a building on the bank of the
river, on the second lot west of where
the bridge now crosses at the foot of
Court street. This store stood on
land owned by Col. David Pixley, his
father-in4aw. In 1803 Dr. Tinkham
purchased the property of Col. Pixley.
It occupied the ground on which the
approach to the bridge now is and
extended down the river below Acad-
emy street.
Dr. Tinkham purchased other real
estate much of which is within the
43
present limits of this village. One of
the largPKt pieces was lot No. 2 in the
old Owego town plot. Its north
boundary started from about where
the brick school building stands in
Temple street and extended west in
a direct line to the Owego creek
striking it at the head of the canal
which supplies the electric light
works with water. The south line be-
gan on the north bank of the Sus{iue-
hanna river, a little below Academy
street, and ran parallel with the north
line of the lot to the creek. The
creek was the west line, and the east
line extended diagonally from the
Temple street school house directly
south to the northwest corner of the
park and thence on to the river be-
low Academy street. This land Dr.
Tinkham purchased in September,
1792, for about iF2.'>0 of the loan offi-
cers of Tioga county. It contained
100 acres, less 13 acres in the south-
east corner which had been sold l)y
Amos Draper to Mason Wattles.
Dr. Tinkham's store and a dwelling
house were side by side under the
same roof in a long building fronting
on the public square. While conduc-
ting the store Dr. Tinkham lived all
the time in the town of Tioga until
1804.
Dr. Tinkham died twelve years af-
ter his coming to this county. In
September, 1804, he went to New
York to purchase goods for his store,
and when he returned he found that
a malignant and contagious fever had
broken out, which other physicians
did not understand. He was called
to the house of Peter Wilson, two
miles above Newark Valley village,
en a professional visit. On his re-
44
turn lie was taken ill with the fever
and was unable to sit in his saddle, so
he stopped at the log house of Ben-
jamin Sparrow (the first house below
the present north line of the town of
Owego, on the west side of the high-
way), where he grew rapidly worse
and soon died. The date of his death
was Sunday, Sept. 30, 1804. He was
only 35 years of age.
^Vhile living in the town of Tioga
he married Mary Pixley. the only
daughter of Col. David Pixley. about
the year 1793. At that time in this
sparsely settled country there were
few clergymen and no magistrates.
Tt is said that Dr. Tinkham and Miss
Pixley rode on horseback down the
river to Tioga Point (now Athens,
Pa.), where sitting on horseback the
marriage ceremony was performed by
a justice of the peace, who stood at
the door of his house. On April 7.
180.5. six months after Dr. Tinkham's
death, his widow was married to
James Pumpelly, at Owego.
Dr. Tinkham was a descendant in
the fifth generation of Miles Standish.
who came to America in the "May-
flower" in 1620.
Miles Standish's son. Alexander
Standish.married Sarah Alden, daugh-
ter of John Alden, who also came in
the "Mayflower."
Their son, Ebenezer Standish, mar-
ried Hannah Sturtevant.
Their son. Moses Standish, of
Plympton, Mass., married Rachel
Cobb.
Their daughter, Sarah Standish. of
Halifax, Mass., married Ephraim
Tinkham, and their son was Dr. Sam-
uel Tinkham. The children of
Ephraim Tinkham were as follows:
45
1. Abig-ail Tiukhain, born IJU Julv,
1758. Married Caleb Leach, of Ply-
mouth, Mass., who came to Owego In
1806. She died .July 2, ISIS.
2. Samuel, died when two rears
old.
?>. .Toshua Tuikham.
4. Sarah Tinkham, b 11 Sei)t.,176:j.
Married Peter Wood and came to
Owego. Tlieir daugliter. Patience,
married Sylvester Farnham.
5. Ephraim Tinkham.
(i. Susanna Tinkham.
7. Ur. Samuel Tinkham.
Mrs. Sarah E. Gibson, of this vil-
lage, a grajuldaughter of Dr. Samuel
Tinkham, owns her grandniother.Mrs.
Mary (Pixley) Tinkham's, family
bible. It was printed in Edinburg.
Scotland, in 1793, and contains the
record of her children as follow.s:
1. Sarah Emily Tinkham. born
Jan. 10, 1705.
2. Standish George Tinkham, born
May 29, 1790.
3. David Tinkham. born Nov. 22.
1803.
Sarah Emily Tinkham was the first
wife of William Pumpclly to whom
she was married in .Tune. 1S14. She
died in Owego March 31. 1S22. leav-
ing one child, Emily S. Pumi)elly. who
became the first wife of William H.
Piatt.
Standish George Tinkham was later
known as Samuel Standish Tinkham.
March 20, 1836, he married Lois Wil-
loughby, and died Nov. IS. 1S73. He
was a merchant and a miller. He
left one son. Dr. .Tames H. Tinkham.
a surgeon in the United States navy,
who died .Tune 2. 1S70. unmarried.
David Pixley Tinkham married
.Tune 8, 1826, Harriet G. Drake, daugh-
ter of .Tudge .Tohn R. Drake and
died in Owego August 10, 1836. leav-
ing three children. Sarah E.. who was
46
married to Edward G. Gibson; Ari-
anna A., who became the wife of Gen.
\Vm. P. Innes, and John F. Tinkhani.
Although a college graduate he fol-
lowed mercantile pursuits. He kept
a general country store in a W'ooden
building which stood at the northwest
corner of Front and Lake streets.
This store was moved to the west side
of North avenue, nearly opposite
South Depot street, where it was oc-
cupied for several years as a dwelling
house by Edward W. Rayniford. and
a few years ago was converted into a
hotel and called the European house.
In its place on the Lake-Front street
corner Rollin block was built, which
was burned in the great fire of lS4f).
Dr. Samuel Tinkham has been de-
scribed as a man of upright charactf r,
cordial and unassuming in his man-
ners. In 1803 he was elected treas-
urer of Tioga county and held that of-
fice at the time of his death.
CALEB LEACH.
Nearly all the earliest settlers of
Owego had been soldiers in the" revo-
lutionary war, and some of them
were commissioned officers. Caleb
Leach who came here in 1806, saw
service in that war. He was born in
1755 at Plymouth, Mass., and was the
eldest son of Peter Leach, who is sup-
posed to have come from England
and who died at Halifax. Mass..
in 1744.
In early life Caleb Leach, who was
possessed of considerable inventive
genius, was apprenticed to a watch
maker. .July 8, 1775. when twenty
years of age, he enlisted from Bridge-
water for eight months in Capt.
.Tames Keith's company in the 28th
47
regiment, commanded by Col. Paul D.
Sargent. At tlie expiration of his
term of service he re^enlisted for one
year, and marched into Boston in
1776. He was taken ill with small
pox and sent to Brooklyn hospital.
Upon his recovery he marched to
Hell Gate, where his company had a
skirmish with the British troops. At
White Plains ho was taken ill with
bilious fever and was sent to Stam-
ford hosi)ital, and thence home on a
furlough. Sept. 10, 1777, he again en-
listed at Halifax in Lieut. Jesse Stur-
devanfs company, marching to Al-
bany, N. Y., to guard military stores,
and while there was transferred to
Capt. Amos Cogswell's company in
Col. James Wesson's Eight Massachu-
setts Continental line. They marched
to near Trenton, N. J., then to White
Marsh, Pa., and thence to Valley
Forge, where they joined Gen. Wash-
ington's army and wintered. He
served three years in Col. Wesson's
regiment, the last ten months being
sergeant in charge of field armory,
and was discharged Sept. 10, 1780.
Upon leaving the army Mr. Leach
returned to Halifax and resumed
business as a watch and clock maker.
While thus engaged he made the first
orrery that was ever made in America.
This orrery was presented to Brown
university by Dr. Fobes, who was
pastor of a church at Ray ham. Mass.,
and at the same time a lecturer be-
fore the university.
In 1796, with Joshua Tlionias and
others, he organized the Plymouth
aqueduct company and constructed
the works, which are said to have
been the first water-works construct-
4S
ed in America, and which continued
to furnish water to Plymouth until
1855. These works he built under
contract, using conduits, bored out to
from two to four inclies in diameter.
For boring these logs he invented the
screw auger and the machine for
which he received a patent from the
United States, dated April 13, 1797, to
run fourteen years. The patent was
signed by John Adams, president.
The first screw auger he invented is
preserved in Plymouth Hall, with the
name of the blacksmith who made it
for him attached.
In 1799, at the solicitation of Aaron
Burr, DeWitt Clinton and others, he
went to New York city and built the
Manhattan water-works, upon whose
charter the Manhattan bank was
founded. He was superintendent of
these water-works until his removal
to Owego in 1806.
One day in the fall of 1906 some
laborers were excavating a trench at
the intersection of Wall and Water
streets when they unearthed a black-
ened log of wood, with a hole bored
throught it. There was some specula-
tion as to what it had been used for,
but finally Guy Duval, of Brooklyn,
whose office was near there, inden-
tified it as one of the oak pipes of the
Manhattan water company. It was as
sound as when laid a century pre-
vious. He had it sawed into sections
and each section bound with brass,
one of which he gave to editor of the
Brooklyn Eagle, labelled as follows:
"Section of one of the first water
l)ipes laid in New York by the Man-
hattan comi)any in 1779, dug up at
Wall and Water streets in 1806. Pre-
49
sented to Dr. St. Clair McKolway by
Guy Duval." In James Parton's "Life
of Aaron Burr" may be ioiind an in-
teresting account of the bitter ijar-
tisan fight between the Federalists
and Rei)ublicans over the establish-
ment of the Manhattan bank, to ac-
complish which the water-works were
built.
In ISOO and ISUl Mr. Leiicli built
the first Fairmount water-works in
Philadelphia. In 1803 he was inter-
ested in the Jamaica Pond Aqueduct
company of Boston. In con.structing
water-works Mr. Leach became pos-
sessed of what was considered in
those days a handsome competence.
Mr. Leach and his brother-in-law.
Dr. Samuel Tinkham.who had settled
at Owego in 1792, had purchased land
here jointly, and Dr. Tinkham was.
probably, influential in inducing Mr.
Leach to come here. In a letter writ-
ten by him to Mr. Leach, dated Sept.
5, 1801, Dr. Tinkham writes: The
deed of your lot is made out and will
be completed in a few days. The
crops on the farm are tolerably
good. Wheat is likely to be plenty
in this country this season, and we
hear that it bears a good price down
the river. If you should think iiroper
to make sale of your farm I believe
there will be an opportunity within
a twelve month.
This farm of 253 acres in the town
of Tioga was sold by Col. David Pix-
ley June 30, 1800, to Polly Tinkham
(Dr. Samuel Tinkham's wife and Col.
Pixley's daughter) for a consideration
of $100. The same property was
deeded Aug. 7, 1800 by Dr. Tinkham
to Caleb Leach, consideration $1,550.
April 25, 1806. Mr. Leach bought of
Henry Stewart 140 acres of land on
the Owego creek, partly in the town
of Tioga, to which he added other
land in 1812. There he built in ISO!)
a grist mill, saw mill, woollen mill.and
a distillery. The distillery he soon dis-
mantled and abandoned. The saw
mill was burned later, and the wool-
len mill was burned in 1S5.5.
When :Mr. Leach came to Owego
he lived in the building on the south
bide of Front street, opposite the
park, in a part of which was Dr.
Tinkham's store, and remained there
until 1809 when he built the mills
and his residence in the town of Tio-
ga. The house stood on the west
side of the highway west of the mills.
It was rebuilt about 1822 and re-
mained there until this year (1907)
when it was torn down.
A few years after the death of his
wife .Mr. Leach divided his property
among his children, reserving a
small income, and retired from busi-
ness. For his service in the army
he received a pension dated March
4, 1831, of $96.66 a year. At about
this time he went to Utica to live with
his yoimgest son, Dr. Ebenezer Leach,
where he died March IS, 1837, aged
82 years. His body was buried in the
Friends' burying ground at New Hart-
ford, about four miles from Utica.
Caleb Leach and Abigail Tinkham.
daughter of Ephraim Tinkham, of
:Middleboro, Mass., were married Jan.
17, 1782, at Plympton, Mass. She died
July 2, 1818. Their children were as
follows:
1. Ebenezer Leach 'born 3 Sei)t..
1782; died 31 January, 1796.
51
2. Abigail I.caeii born i:» .Murcli
1785; died 24 Dec, ITDG.
?>. Dr. Caleb Leach, .Jr., born 17
Nov., 1786; married Harriet Duane, of
Owego.
4. Ephraim Leach born lo Oct.,
1788 at Plymouth, Mass.; married
Sophia .Tones, of Owego, 4 .Ian., 1812.
Died February 19, 18.5."). On the day
of his funeral the annual festival of
the Pioneer Historical Association of
the Susquehanna Valley was being
held at Ahwaga hall, .ludge Avery an-
nounced his death and said that the
funeral i)rocession would arrive from
Tioga at the Presbyterian church
yard at Vr/AO o'clock when his ac-
quaintances and friends would have
an opportunity of paying the last tri-
bute of respect to his memory.
Ephraim Leach was a man of scien-
tific attainments. He i)lanned and
constructed the first bridge across
the river at the foot of Court street
in 1828 and he designed and con-
structed the first fire engine used in
Owego, in 1830. He conducted Leach's
mills until his death, after which one
of his sons, Stephen "\V. Leach, con-
ducted them until Stephen's death
in April, IS'.)!!.
6. Samuel Tihkham [>each. born
19 Sept., 1792; married Clarissa Hart,
of Candor; died 22 May, 18.38.
7. Dr. Ebenezer Leach (2) born
18 March. 1797; married Olive Fos-
ter, of New Hartford, X. Y.; died at
Utica 21 July. ISGl.
8. Abigail Leach (2) born C Oct..
1S02; died 5 August, 180:5.
CAPT. MASON WATTLES.
The first man to engage in the mer-
cantile business in Owego after the
coming of the white peoi)le from the
east was Capt. Mason Wattles. He
came with his wife and two small
daughters from the town of Franklin.
Otsego county, N. Y.. in 1792. the
same year that Dr. Samuel Tinkham
came from Massachusetts. He was
then forty years of age, and he had
52
accumulated considerable wealth. The
Wattles v.-ei-e refined and cultivated
people.
Captain Wattles was bom ^.larch
3. 1752, in New Hampshire, but the
jilace of his birth ]■=: not known. At
the time of his enlistment in the Con-
tinental army in 1775 he was enrolled
as a resident of Newcastle. Maine.
His militarj- record, as obtained from
ilassachusetts archives, as follows:
.Tune 24, 1775, he M-as a member of
Capt. Samuel Cobb's company in Col.
Thomas Nixon's Fourth Massachu-
setts regiment of infantry. In August
he was a sergeant in the same com-
pany. In November he had been pro-
moted to ensign From Jan. 7, 1777. to
Dec. 31, 1779, he ranked as a lieutenant
in the Sixth Massachusetts infantry. He
was taken a prisoner of war May 17.
1779. While thus a prisoner in the
hands of the British he was deprived
of any opportunity for further pro-
motion, but in June, 1781, having been
exchanged and having rejoined his
regiment, in which there was a
vacancy, he was promoted to captain,
his appointment to date from April
13, 1780. His name last appears in a
return of officers entitled to the com-
mutation of five years' full pay in lieu
of half pay. agreeable to act of con-
gress of March 22, 1783; rank, caj)-
tain Sixth :Massachusetts regiment,
commanded by Col. Benjamin Tupptr.
After the revolutionary war he was
appointed major in a regiment of Mas-
sachusetts state militia. After his re-
moval to Otsego county, N. Y., he was
commissioned captain of a company
of light infantry in 1792. He resigned
this captaincy soon afterward upon
removing to Owego.
53
When Capt. Wattles came to Owego
he invested largely in real estate, and
at one time owned what is now some
of the most valuable land in the vil-
lage, occu])ied by brick blocks and
handsome residences. He was the
owner of tlie entire square now
bounded by Front, Main, Lake, and
Court streets, with the exeei)tion of
the ground occu])ied by the comity
buildings and the old academy. He
also owned an acre lot at the north-
east corner of Main street and North
avenue, on which Otis S. Beach's
drug store and <)th(>i- l)uil dings now
stand, and an acre at the northeast
corner of Front and Lake streets, now
occupied l)y \V. B. Partridge's drug
store and other l)uildings. The tier
of lots on both sides of P^ront street
extending from Church street to
Paige street was also his i)roperty.
and he owned many otlicr lots in
other parts of the village, which are
now occujned by valuable residences.
The Wattles family lived in a house
which Capt. ^^'attles built on the
nortli side of Main street at what is
now the northeast corner of that
street and Central avenue. This
house was afterward the residence of
.Judge Latham A. Burrows, and later
of David P. Tinkliam. 11 was occu-
pied by Mr. Tinkham's widow. Mrs.
Harriet G. Tinkham. until it was re-
moved in 1S6G, when the Park hot( 1
was built in its place.
It is not known where Cai)t. Wat-
tles's store was situated, but it was.
probably, on the bank of the rivtr
either opposite or below Court street.
His business investments proved un-
fortunate for him, and in February.
54
1799, his real estate vvas seized by the
sheriff for a debt of £578 for goods
purchased from Jacob Conkliue, a
New York merchant. In November.
1S02, the property was all deeded by
Conkline and Captain Wattles to
Robert Bowne. another New York
merchant, who sold goods to other
Owego merchants of that time and
who was also, probably, a creditor.
Capt. Wattles remained in Owego
several years, during a portion of
which time he held the ofRce of jus-
tice of the peace and also practised
law. He was an associate judge of
Broome county from 1S07 to 1S12.
Owego was at that time a
part of Broome county.
From March 28, 1806, to March 22.
1822, the present towns of Newark
Valley, Owego, Richford. and Berk-
shire were a part of Broome county.
Capt. Wattles was generally known
here as Judge Wattles. He also held
the office of clerk of Broome county
from Feb. 18. 1811 to Nov. 9, 1812.
In April. 1811. Capt. Wattles pur-
chased a farm of 128 acres in the
town of Nanticoke, Broome county,
and later removed there. He was liv-
ing there as late as Feb. 1, 1814,
when he made his will. Later he re-
moved to New York city, where he
died July 16, 1819.
The Wattles descent is as follows:
John Wattles married Judith Fitch
in 1722.
Their second son. Mason Wattles
(1), was born June 25, 1727: married
Irene Chandler June 29, 1747.
Their second son. Mason Wattles
(2), was born March 3, 1752.
Capt. Mason Wattles was married
about 1783-5 with Catherine Hough-
ton. They had two daughters. Eliza
55
A. Wattles, the elder, was the first
wife 'of Samuel M. Avery, of Xanti-
coke, who died at Jenksville in 188S.
Cornelia Wattles, the younger daugh-
ter, was married to .John W. Oddie
about the year 1805.
There was another Mason Wattles
in Broome county, Col. Mason Wattles,
said to have been a ne])hew of Capt.
Wattles, and wlio derived his title of
colonel from his having been colonel
in the 20th regiment of artillery, to
which he was promoted from cai)tain
in 1822. His only daughter, Sarah
Wattles, was married to Dr. .John W.
Knapp, of Harford, N. Y., in 1844.
Col. Wattles lived at Lisle. He had a
son, Harry .1. Watties, whose widow
is still living at Killawog.
THOMAS DUANE.
Thomas Duane, who was one of the
first merchants in Owego, is sup-
posed to have been of French extrac-
tion. He came here from King-
ston, Pa., in 1800. His wife was the
widows of an officer in the continential
army who was killed in the massacre
at Wyoming by the Indians and
"tories" on July 3, 1778.
Obadiah Gore, one of the most
prominent men of Wyoming, was one
of the aged men left in Forty Fort,
for its defence, while the settlers
marched out to meet the enemy.
Five of Gore's sons went out to the
confiict. Three were slain, as were
also his sons-in-law. .Tohn Murfee
and Timothy Pierce.
Timothy Pierce, who held a com-
mission as lieutenant in the regular
army, had ridden forty miles through
the Great swamp the night previous
and come to join his friends on the
56
battle field. His wife was Hannali
Gore, Obadiah Gore's daughter. At
the time of the massacre she, with
her two daughters, Clarissa Pierce,
who was three years and nine months
old, and Polly Pierce, who was only
nineteen months of age, had taken
refuge with the rest of the women in
the fort, while the men went forth to
meet the enemy.
Ten years subsequent to the mas-
sacre, March 12, 1788. Lieutenant
Timothy Pierce's widow, Hannah
Pierce, became the wife of Thomas
Duane.
When Mr. Duane came in 1800 with
his family to Owego. he built his store
on a lot he had purchased on the
south side of Front street, extending
from the east line of Lake street one-
half the distance to Church street.
The lumber for the construction of
this store was brought up the river
from Wilkes-Barre in keel-bottomed
boats, which were polled up with long
setting-poles, placed against the shoul-
ders of the men who polled the boats.
This was tedious and laborious work,
and the boats were propelled very
slowly, but it was the only way of
transportation then. The family also
came in one of these boats.
The store was built on the bank of
the river. It was painted yellow and
had a lean-to in the rear. One side of
the building was occupied as a store
and the other side as a residence by
the family, as was customary in those
days. In the centre of the building
was a huge chimney. Here the Duanes
lived for several years.
Later in life Thomas Duane was
generally known as Judge Duane. In
57
August, ISll, his ste])-claughter, Polly
Pierce, purchased of .Tolm Hollenback
two acres of land, a small portion of
lot No. 25, on the bank of the Susque-
hanna river in the eastern part of this
village and built thereon a house. The
house stood about where Victor P.
Decker's house now stands, a little
east of the small creek, known for
many years as Hollenback's creek,
which emi)ties into the river. This
house is worthy of some notice, for it
was then the most pretentious one in
Owego.
Nearly all the best of the early
houses were large rectangular build-
ings, with a wide hall throught the
middle from front to rear, with no
porches, sometimes with a small
stoop, but usually without any. This
house had the usual hall through the
centre, and it had also wings at each
side. There was a high double porch
at the front extending up nearly to
the roof. On the south side was a
high piazza, commanding a view of
the most beautiful part of the river.
Here Judge Duane lived with his fam-
ily in good style for several years.
When Polly Pierce died in 1815 she
left a will in which she devised this
property to her half-brother, Timothy
Pierce Duane, who the next year sold
it to John H. Avery. It passed through
the ownership of several persons af-
terward, and in 1832 it again became
the property of John Hollenback.
This house was for several years
used as a tavern, where river raftmen
sometime stayed while their rafts and
arks were tied up in the Hollenback
eddy for the night. At one time it
was occupied by a canal boat captain
58
named Butler. One night previous to
the daj- ou which he was about to
leave Owego on one of his periodical
trips he dreamed that he fell over-
board from a canal boat and was
drowned. The dream made such an
impression upon him that in the
morning he narrated it to his wife.
She was considerably affected, and
endeavored to dissuade him from go-
ing away. He laughed at her fears
and went on his way. A few days af-
tei-ward she received information of
his death, which had happened in
every respect exactly as it had been
presented to him in his dream.
The house was for several years
uninhabited, and was commonly
known as "the haunted house." Su-
perstitious people believed that it was
haunted by the ghost of Butler. Mys-
terious noises were said to have been
heard there at night and lights were
seen to flash from its windows.
Less credulous people avered that the
lights and noises w^hich had been
seen by belated passers-by passing
along the highway, were caused by
l^eople of not particularly reputable
character, who consorted there at
night.
The building had been deserted
about thirty years when it was
burned. The fire is said to have been
set by an incendiary, who wanted to
give the firemen a run. :\Ir. HoUen-
back offered a reward of $50 for the
arrest and conviction of the incen-
diary, but no one was arrested, al-
though a certain person was sus-
pected of having caused the fire.
.Judge Duane later removed to a
farm of twenty acres, west of the lit-
59
tie Nanticoke creek, a part of the
farm now occupied by Mrs. Ilennau
M. Tilbury and her family, where he
died Octoljer 14, 1821. His wife had
died a few days previous, on the 5th
of the same month. Their bodies
were buried on this farm between the
highway and the river. The land has
been cultivated many years and there
is now nothing left to indicate where
the graves were made.
The genealogy of the Duane family
is as follows:
Thomas Duane, born 17.59. Married
Hannah Pierce 12 March, 17S8. Died
in Owego 14 October, 1821. His wife
was born in 1751 and died in Owego
5 October, 1821. Their children were:
1. Henry W. Duane, commonly
known as Harry Duane. born 17 Aug.,
1789. Died in Owego 21 May, 1816,
unmarried.
2. Harriet Duane, born 19 May,
1792. Married Caleb Leach. .Jr. She
died 7 Oct., ISIS. Their children were
Harry Leach, unmarried. Died and
was buried at sea. Mary Leach mar-
ried Jjucius Truman, of Owego. Har-
riet married George S. Leonard, of
Owego, and died 1 .Jan. 1S74.
?,. Timothy Pierce Duane born 11
Sept. 1794. He was a farmer. Mar-
ried Laura Steele, daughter of Aaron
Steele, 20 Oct., 1822. He died at
South Owego 11 August, 1872. She
died 13, Oct., 177r>. Their children
were: Mary P. and Ennly Duane,
unmarried. Hannah Duane. married
William .Tune. P.urr Duane. unmar-
ried, .lohn Duane. Rebecca Duane.
married Jerome R. Richardson.
Hpnry Wm. Duane, Thomas Duane's
eldest son, was a clerk in his father's
store. He was in company with Cajit.
.Tesse McQui.gg in tlie mercantile
business in 1S12 and for a few years
afterward. McQuigg & Duane's store
was in a wooden building on the west
60
side of Lake street, two doors north
of Front street. They failed in busi-
ness.
Polly Pierce was bom at Wyoming.
Pa., 14 Dec, 1776, and died in Owe-
go 19 June, 1815. Her sister, Clarissa,
was bom at Wyoming 11 Oct., 1774.
and died 26 Jan., 1805. Her husband's
name was "\Miite. They were married
about 1796. Their children were Ed-
win, Polly, Timothy Pierce, and John
P. White.
GEX. DAXIEL CRUGER.
These sketches would be incom-
plete without the name of Gen. Daniel
Cruger being included. His sojourn
here was brief, but he was the first
editor and newspaper publisher in
this part of the state when much of
it was a forest, and he later became
one of the most prominent lawyers
in this state. He was of sufficient im-
portance to be included with William
L. Marcy. Daniel S. Dickinson and
thirty other prominent members of
the New York bar in L. B. Proctor's
"The Bench and the Bar of New
York," a volume of 779 pages, twenty
of which are given to Gen. Cruger.
Gen. Crugers ancestors were
Huguenots, who after the massacre of
St.Bartholomew escaped from France.
The branch of the family from which
he descended settled in Holstein. His
father, whose name was also Daniel
Cruger. came to America in 1768 and
settled at Sunbury, Pa., where Gen.
Cruger was born Dec. 22. 1780. Soon
after his birth the family removed to
Newtown (now Elmira) where the
father engaged in the mercantile busi-
ness.
When young Cruger was thirteen
GEN. DANIEL CRUGER.
From a photograph from a painting owned by
Gen. Cruger's granddaughter, Mrs. Benjamin
Dorrance, of Dorranceton, Pa.
PULV
61
years of age, Mr. Webster, one of
the earliest printers in Albany, came
to Newtown to visit relatives. He saw
young Cruger, and was attracted to
him by the boy's lively intelligence,
vivacity, and activity. He induced
the elder Cruger to apprentice his son
to him for the purpose of learning the
printing business.
Having learned his trade and oli-
tained all that could be learned in the
printing business, young Cruger came
to southern New York with a rather
limited printing outfit, but one ade-
quate to the needs of his business,
and established a newspai)er at old
Chenango village, a small settlement
which was at that time on the west
side of the Chenango river, about one
mile above the present city of Bing-
hamton. This settlement was com-
menced in 17!i:! or 1794, and no settle-
ment was thought of where Bingham-
ton now is before the year 1799.
The first number of the paper,
which was called "The American Con-
stllation," was, published Nov. 22.
1800,and at that time Gen. Cruger was
only nineteen years of age. Although
the paper was printed at old Che-
anngo, it was dated "Union," for the
reason that the post office at Union
was for a long time the only one in
that part of the country.
As in 1801 Owego had become the
only settlement in this part of the
state that had grown to any import-
ance young Cruger removed his news-
paper establishment here that year.
He established his office in a lean-to
in the rear of a house which stood on
the north side of Front street, where
Lewis H. Leonard's residence now
stands. The house was a double one.
62
occupied by Eleazer Dana, one of the
early lawyers in Owego, on one side.
and by Luke B. Winship on the other,
and he boarded with the Winships.
Here he printed the paper until Aug-
ust, 1803, when he sold it to Stephen
Mack and Henry Steward, who changed
tne name to "The American Farmer."
Young Cruger's father had in the
mean time removed to Bath. Steuben
county, and after the sale of his paper
the son went to Bath. where he worked
for a time at the printer's trade. It
was fortunate for his future prospects
that the work proved injurious to his
health, as he was compelled to re-
nounce it. and he entered the office of
Gen. S. S. Haight as a law student.
After he was admitted to the bar.
about the year 1806, he became Gen.
Haighfs law partner. He soon be-
came one of the leading lawyers of
the Steuben county bar.
In 1806 Gen. Cruger was appointed
an adjutant in the Steuben county
regiment of militia which was com-
manded by Col. Geo. McCullock. In
1808 he was commissioned second
major in the regiment commanded by
Lieut.-Col. Samuel S. Haight, his law
partner.
In 1812 he went with Gen.McClure's
brigade to the northern frontier. Soon
after he reached the seat of war, Gen.
McClure, imderstanding that certain
orders directed him to burn the town
of Newark, in Canada, he took the
necessary steps to obey. Major
Cruger and Mr. Spencer, another of-
ficer, however, dissented from the
view of the order taken by Gen. Mc-
Clure, and objected to burning the
town. About this time Mr. Spencer
63
was called home by illness in his fam-
ily, and major Cruger stood alone in
his opposition. The general therefore
prepared to carry out his construction
of the order, and major Cruger was
ordered to enter the town with a flag
of truce and inform the "inhabitants
of the coming conflagration." He
obeyed the order, entered the town
with an orderly, and after giving the
usual notice, he and his orderly as-
sited the inhabitants in removing
their effects, and the town was soon
in flames.
In 1816 Col. Haight was promoted
to brigadier-general, and major
Cruger was made lieutenant-general
of the regiment In 1819 he was again
promoted to major general of the 25th
(livision of infantry. Tn 1822 he re-
signed.
In 1813 he was elected by the Dem-
ocrats of Allegany and Steuben
counties to the assembly, and he was
re-elected four times thereafter. In
1816 he was elected speaker of the
assembly, after a bitter contest, by a
majority of one vote. His popularity
as speaker was such that in the fall
of 1816 he was nominated to con-
gress in the Twentieth congressional
district and elected. He was a promi-
nent member of the house.
April 17, 1815, he was appointed
district attorney of the Seventh dis-
trict, consisting of the counties of
Steuben, Allegany, and Tioga. This
oflftce ' was then one of the most im-
portant in the state, second only to
that of attorney-general. There were
at this time twelve district attorneys,
the state being divided into twelve
districts.each district embracing with-
64
in its jurisdiction several counties.
He was district attorney of tlie Sev-
enth district until June 11, 1S18, and
from that date he continued as dis-
trict attorney of Steuben county until
February 19, 1821.
Gen. Cruger's first wife was Han-
nah Clement, of Bath. They were
married about 1806. She died in 1828.
While in congress, Gen. Cruger be-
came acquainted with Mrs. Lydia
Shepard, of Wheeling, Va., who was
in Washington trying to collect a
claim of her deceased husband
against the government. He subse-
quently went to Wheeling, where
they were married in 1833. After his
marriage, he gave himself up entirely
to agricultural pursuits and the man-
agement of his wife's property. June
12, 1843, while attending a meeting of
the directors of the Wheeling bank,
he was stricken with apoplexy and
died within a few moments. His body
was buried in Stone Church ceme-
tery at Elm Grove, Ohio county, Va.
STEPHEN MACK.
Judge Stephen Mack, who during his
residence of fifteen years in Owego
was one of its most active and promi-
nent citizens, was born at New Marl-
borough. Mass., March 20, 1765. He
was a son of Orlando Mack, of Hebron.
Conn., and great grandson of John
Mack, who came from Scotland to
America about 1680 and settled at
Lyme, Conn. Two older brothers of
Stephen Mack served in the Continen-
tal array and became distinguished of-
ficers. One died a prisoner of war in
a fortress in Canada.
In early life Judge Mack was a mer-
chant. In 1799 he kept a general
JUDGE STEPHEN MACK.
\v Foun'Jifio-
1£
65
country store at Coopcrstown, N. Y.
The particulars of his coming to Owe-
go, as given to tlie writer several years
ago by his son-in-law, John Carmi-
chael, were as follows:
■While conducting his mercantile bus-
iness at Cooperstown. he made a con-
ract with the United States govern-
ment to furnish about 100,000 spars, to
be delivered at Baltimore, Md. He pur-
chased the timber in the winter, pay-
ing for it in goods from his store. In
March, 1799, while about to start it
down the river there came a great
freshet, carrying away and scattering
along the stream all of his timber. He
came down the river to Owego in quest
of his property, but ascertaining that
it would cost him as much to secure it
as it would be worth when gathered to-
gether again, he abandoned his search.
The loss of his timber made him a
l)ankrui)t.
During his sojourn in Owego he had
become impressed with the beauty of
the Susquehanna valley and its ap-
parent advantages to settlers, and he
decided to come here to live. He was
a man of great vigor, enterprise, and
ability, and he at once became an
active and prominent citizen. He en-
gaged in the mercantile business, in
which he was successful.
In 1803 Judge Mack and Henry
Steward ])urchased of Daniel Cruger,
Jr., "The American Constellation," a
newspaper that Mr. Cruger had printed
here two years. He changed the name
to "The American Farmer," issuing the
first number under that name August
19. 1803. He published the paper
eleven years until his death.
Henry Steward was a printer and
66
conducted the mechanical department
of the paper. Judge Mack was the edi-
tor. His editorial duties were not par-
ti(!ularly arduous, and did not interfere
with his duties as a public officer. The
printing office was for a short time in
a small building which stood near the
northeast corner of Front and Court
streets. In 1804 Steward sold his in-
terest in the paper to his partner and
bought land in the fork of the east and
west branches of the Owego creek at
their confluence at Flemingville and
built a saw mill there.
Judge Mack at aooiu this time re-
moved his plant to a little red house,
a story and a half high, which stood on
the north side of Front street, now the
tnird lot east of Church street, owned
by Dr. E. E. Bauer. The building was
on the west side of the lot and the
printing office was in an unfinished
room in the southeast corner of the
house, up stairs. This house was torn
down in 1826. several years after Judge
Mack's death by John Carmichael, who
I)uilt a larger house on the lot, which
was later occupied by Geo. W. Hol-
lenback. and still later by Edward W.
Warner. The house was rebuilt in
1906 by its present owner, Dr. Bauer.
Judge Mack during his residence in
this village held various town offices,
constable, assessor, commissioner of
highways, and excise commissioner.
He was for several years a justice of
the peace and was supervisor in 1807,
1808, 1811, and 1812. He was appointed
First Judge of Broome (now Tioga)
county Nov. 9, 1812, by commission of
Gov. Tompkins, and served until his
death.
He died in Owego April 14, 1814,
aged 49 years. His body was buried
67
in the old burying ground in Court
street. The remains were afterward
removed to the Presbyterian yard in
Temple street, and in 1875 to Ever-
green cemetery, where his second wife,
Mary (Serjants) Mack,' is also buried.
Tn .ludgo Avery's "Susquehanna Val-
ley" papers he thus mentions .Judge
Mack: "In all his official positions
Judge Mack brought to the discharge
of liis duties unimpeached integrity of
character, and strong native powers
of discrimination, improved by a good
education. Nor should his good traits
of character, socially, be lost among
the forgotten things of the i)ast. Some
yet live, now aged gentlemen, who
bear uniform witness to the generosity
of his disposition, his liberality to
every one in adversity, whom it was in
his power to help, and his marked
amiability of character."
Judge Mack was twice married. His
first wife was Mary Chambers, who
died while they lived at Cooperstown.
Their children were as follows:
1. Elizabeth Mack, born in 1781.
Married Benjamin Benedict, of Delhi.
N. Y. Died 17 Dec, ISfi!], at the home
of her son-in-law, Putnam Mersereau.
2. Stephen Mack, born 19 Dec, 1784.
Graduated from Yale college in 1813
and studied law at Delhi, N. Y. Re-
moved in 1816 to Ithaca, where he
practised law until his death, 17 Jan..
1857. He was never married.
3. Phoebe Mack, born 29 April, 1788.
She married a man named Crawford.
4. Ebenezer Mack, born 9 May.
1791.
All four of these children were born
at Kinderhook. N. Y.
Judge Mack and his second wife.
Mary Serjants, daughter of Lemuel
Serjants, of Bellows Falls, Vt.. were
married in 1797 at Cooperstbwn. She
68
lived with lier son-in-law. John Carmi-
chael, until 1S37, and then went to
Ithaca and lived with her son, Horace.
She died 20 Feb., 1S62, in Owego while
visiting at Mr. Carmichael's, and her
body was buried in Evergreen ceme-
tery. Their children were:
1. Horace Mack, born 20 Jan., 1799,
at Cooperstown. Married Eliza Ann
Ferris, daughter of Judge Joshua Fer-
ris, of Spencer. 19 Jan.. 1S26.
2. Maria J. Mack, born in Owego
1 July, 1800. :Married to John Carmi-
chael 25 Dec, 1824. Died in Owego 22
Sept., 1829.
Ebenezer and Horace Mack both be-
came prominent men in Tompkins
county. Ebenezer Mack learned the
printers' trade, and previous to com-
ing to Owego he was foreman in "The
Columbian" office in New York city.
At the time of Judge Mack"s death
Stephen B. Leonard was his partner,
owning one-half of the "American Far-
mer" office. Mr. Leonard changed the
name of the paper to "Owego Gazette"
and he and Ebenezer Mack became
partners in publishing it in June, 1815.
Mr. Mack remained here until 1816,
when he went to Ithaca and purchased
the "Seneca Republican," now known
as the "Ithaca Journal." He published
the paper with different partners until
December, 1833. He built a paper mill,
conducted a book store, and was for
several years and until his death a
member of the firm of Mack & Andrus.
He represented Tompkins county in
the assembly in 1830, and was senator
from the Sixth senate district from
1834 to 1837, inclusive. He was at one
time state printer. He was offered a
cabinet position by President Martin
VanBuren, but declined it. He wrote a
life of Lafayette, which was published
69
in INtl. He coUoctid ;i large library,
which as a gift from him formed a
nucleus for the i)resciit imhlic library
of Ithaca. He died at Ithaca in August.
1849.
Horace Mack was Itoni at Coo|)ers-
town 20 .Ian., ITitii, the same year the
family removed to Owego. He was an
apprentice in the "'American Farmfr"
office until alter the deatli of his
father. Jan. HD, 181.">, he was appn n-
ticed to Mayor Horatio Ross in the
mercantile business for five years.
He did not serve the full term of his
apprenticeship, but in 1818 he went to
Ithaca, where he was a clerk in various
stores imtil 182"), when he began busi-
ness on his own account. He rei)re-
sented Tomi)kins county in the assem-
bly in 1832 and was county clerk from
1850 to 1853. He was |)resident of the
village of Ithaca in 1S.'>1. He was a
director in the Tomi)kins county bank
from its organization in 183(; until his
death, 10 Sept., 1855.
CAPT. LEMUEL BROWN.
The first tanner in Owego was Cap-
tain Lemuel Brown. He was bom at
Stockbridge, Mass., Feb. 1, 1775, and
was the youngest of five sons of
Abraham and Beulah Brown. Abra-
ham Brown was a captain of militia
and served in the early part of the
revolutionary war. He died Jan. 8,
1777, of small pox, which was com-
municated to him by a letter. His wife
was a daughter of Joseph Patterson,
of Watertown, Mass., and she was his
cousin.
Mrs. Beu];ih Brown was one of the
sixty associates in the purchase
of the tract of land known as
the "Boston ten townships." She
70
came in 1796 to Brown's Settle-
ment in the town of Berkshire
with her five children, when Lemuel
Brown was 21 ye?rs of age. Mrs.
Brown was a woman of strong mind
and great vigor. It is related of her
by D. W. Patterson that when she was
nearly eighty years of age she made
eighty cheeses and took care of them
with her ovv-n hands.
The local "histories" give the date
of the building of the first tannery in
Owego by Mr. Brov.n as 1795, but as
the Brown family did not come to this
county until the next year, this is ob-
viously incorrect. He probably
came here in 1797, and he was mar-
ried the next year.
By deed dated Dec. 21, 1801, and
for a consideration of $75, Capt. Luke
Bates conveyed to Capt. Lemuel Brown
two pieces of land in Owego. One of
these pieces was on the south side of
the highway now known as Front
street and was east of and adjoining
Thomas Duane's house and store lot
and nearly opposite where the Tioga
national bank now is. It extended
about forty-five feet on the street.
The other piece contained one acre
of land and was on the west side of
the old Cayuga road, now known as
North avenue. It was a little north
of what is now the southeast corner
of George street and North avenue.
After coming to Owego Capt. Brown
married Elizabeth McQuigg, daugh-
ter of the pioneer, Capt. John Mc-
Quigg. He lived in part of a double
house on the Front street lot and
.John Murphy, a barber, at one time
occupied the other part as a barber
shop and residence. The building
71
was several years afterward removed
to the lot which is now the north-
west corner of Main street and Spen-
cer avenue. It was for several years
occupied by undesirable tenants. Thf
last one, in K])ite of the protests of the
neighbors and tlie occasional inter-
ference of the village health authori-
ties, persisted in raising his i)igs in
that part of the house which is
usually occupied as a kitchen. One
night, between 1852 and 1856,
while the house was temjjor-
arily unoccu])ied, several young men
with saws and axes partly dismantled
it, to jirevent a new tenant from mov-
ing in, but the house was so strongly
built that their labor made little im-
pression, and a few nights afterward
some one set fire to the house and it
was burned to the ground, the fire-
men, who were in evident sym])athy
with the purpose of the incendiary,
refusing to make any effort to ex-
tinguish the flames.
Capt. Brown's first tannery was
l)uilt of logs and is said to have been
on the bank of the river about where
Goodrich's & Co.'s store now stands.
The vats were in the open air.
Whether the tannery was built before
he purchased the ])roi)erty or after-
ward is not known. The vats were
in the open air on the bank of the
river. The high water undermined
the bank and the side of the vats
broke and slid into the river.
At about this time Capt. Brown
built another tannery, a frame build-
ing, on his one-acre lot. It stood on
the west side of where the railroad
tracks now are and on the south side
of the ])rivate driveway leading into
72
the Brown farm, and was a story and
a half high. The vats of this tannery
were also in the open air and they
were near where the railroad tracks
are now. and covered with boards, to
keep out the rain.
After Capt. Brown's death, in 1815,
the tannery was conducted until 1819
by his son, Richard Brown, and Capt.
Brown's brother-in-law, Capt. Jesse
McQuigg. The building was after
ward used as a place in which to man-
ufacture oar stems for river rafts
during rainy weather, when men
could not work out of doors. Capt.
Brown's sons were all river raftsmen.
The building was subsequently moved
to another part of the premises and
converted into a tool house.
Lemuel Brown derived his military
title from his service in the state
militia. In 1800 he was adjutant in
Col. David Pixley's regiment. In 1802
he was promoted to Captain, and in
1807 he was again promoted to second
major in Col. Asa Camp's Broome and
Tioga regiment.
Capt. Brown's oldest brother, John
Brown, was the first man elected su-
pervisor of Owego upon the organiza-
tion of the town April 3, 1800, and he
was re-elected five times, serving six-
successive years. Lemuel Brown was
also elected town clerk at this first
election and served seven yearsin suc-
cession. He also filled the offices of
l)ound master, fence-viewer, and com-
missioner of highways. In 1805 he
was appointed the first sealer of
weights and measures in Tioga coun-
ty, and he was one of the incorpora-
tors of the old Owego and Ithaca turn-
pike in 1807. John Brown was one of
73
the lirst justices of the peace in this
town. Ill October, 1809, he was ap-
pointed a judge of the Broome county
court of coiiinion pleas, and held the
office until his death, October 14, 18i:i
Lemuel Brown (lied Xov. 2S, ISI.",,
aged 40 years, 8 months, and 28 days.
The date inscribed on his grave stone
in the Presbyterian church yard is Dec.
."),181iJ, which is incorrect. Inscriptions
on tombstones are notoriously un-
truthful. A written obituary of Capt.
Brown, in the ])ossession of his grand-
daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth H. ChatfieJd.
signed by two of Capt. Brown's sons,
Richard and Abram Brown, and dated
"Owego Village, Dec. 2, 181.'), gives the
date of death as Nov. 28, and this also
agrees with the family record.
Tjemuel Brown was the first treas-
urer of Friendship lodge, F. and A.
M., of which Capt. Mason Wattles was
the first master, in 1804, and of which
.John Murphy was junior warden. He
was also one of the Royal Arch
masons named in the original war-
rant of New Jerusalem chapter,
granted Feb. 8, 1816.
The children of Capt. Lemuel and
Elizabeth (McQuigg) Brown were as
follows:
1. Richard Brown, born 10 Oct.,
1799. Died in Owego 2 Feb., 1879. He
was unmarried.
2. Abram Brown, born 20 Nov.,
1800. Married Catherine Geotschuis,
who was born 29 Dec, 1810. He died
24 Oct., 1878; she died 9 March, 1881.
Abram Brown was elect(>d overseer
of the poor of the town of Owego in
1845 and served eighteen years.
3. Robert Brown, bom 14 Aug.,
1802. Died in Owego 2 Feb., 1869.
He was unmarried.
4. Sarah Brown, born 29 March,
1804. Died 23 Dec, 1851. Unmarried.
74
5. Lemuel Brown, born 14 March,
1806. Died July 5. 1835. Unmarried.
In 1815 he and Dr. Jedediah Fay
formed a partnership in, the mercan-
tile business and conducted a general
store in Owego and also established a
branch store at Spencer, which was
then the county seat of Tioga county.
Richard Brown was a clerk in the
Spencer store. They were unsuccess-
ful and failed in business.
6. Ransom Brown, bom 22 Nov..
1S08. Was accidently killed while
hunting 1.3 Dec, 1837. Unmarried.
7. Horatio Brown, bom 30 Nov.,
1810. ^larried Eunice Goodrich,
daughter of Alanson Goodrich. She
was born Nov., 1822. He died at Big
Rapids. Mich., 21 .July. 1874. and she
6 June, 1852. His second wife was
Jane Mosher, daughter of Seth
Mosher. of Owego.
8. Eliza Brown, born 4 Feb., 1813.
Married William Bames. She died 4
Nov., 1894.
9. Frederick Brown, born 1 ;\Iay,
1816. Married Charlotte McQuigg,
daughter of Daniel :\IcQuigg. IS Oct.,
1842. He died in Owego 8 April, 1873,
and she 6 Jan., 1893.
The house built by Capt. Lemuel
Brown in 1801 still stands in a dis-
mantled condition and unoccupied on
the old homestead. It is the only one
of the old farm houses of the kind
now remaining in this village. After
Capt. Brown's death his widow and
her mother, Mrs. John McQuigg, with
Capt. Jesse McQuigg and Capt.
Brown's children lived there, and
there most of them died.
ELISHA FORSYTH.
One of the first comers to Owego
in the days of its first settlement by
white people was Elisha Forsyth. He
was of Scottish descent, born at
Wyalusing. Pa., Sept. 10, 1773, a son
of Jonathan Forsyth, of Connecticut,
who purchased land in the Wyoming
/3
valley of Pennsylvania unclir thf
Connecticut title, and who in the
Wyoming massacre lost everything
he owned, esca])ing with his own lilt'
and the lives of his family. Thf fam-
ily subsequently returned to \Vyo;:i-
ing, where they remained until peace
was declared. Then they removed to
Towanda. Pa., and thence up the Suh-
(luehanna river to Choconut, N. Y.,
which was a little distance above the
present village of Union on the
easterly side of tlie river. The For
sythes afterward removed to Geneva,
where .Jonathan Forsyth died in ITSs.
The next year Klisha Forsyth, who
was now sixteen years of age, re-
turned to Choconut. wliere he attend-
ed school. He was living there in
1794 when he married Freelove Park.
daughter of Capt. Thomas Park, who
was the earliest settler at Park set-
tlement on the west side of the Owe-
go creek, near Flemingville. Previ-
ous to his marriage he worked eight
months at Catskill learning the car-
penter's trade, and afterward came
to Owego. He assisted in framing
the first frame building erected here,
and he built the first ark made on the
Susquehanna river.
Capt. Thomas Park's father was
also named Thomas Park, and there
W'ere four of that name in succession.
He was born in Connecticut March
19. 1744. He came with his family in
the summer of 17S7 to Catskill. X. Y..
where he lived two years. In the fall
of 1789 he renu)ved to Vestal, Broome
county, and in the spring of 1797 he
came to Park settlement, where he
settled permanently, building a saw
mill and clearing a farm. Capt.
76
Park's wife was Hannah Fiddis,
widow of Hugh Fiddis. They were
married in 1768. They had one son.
Capt. Daniel R. Park, and eight
daughters. When the family came to
Park settlement in 1797. Capt. D. R.
Park was twelve years old. He was
a soldier in the war of 1812. He died
in the town of Candor, April 7, 1874.
Capt. Thomas Park was a sea cap-
tain and privateeersman in the revo-
lutionary war. He died 19 Nov., 1838.
His wife, Hannah Park, was born 2o
Jan., 1743, and died 25 June, 1828.
Elisha Forsyth spent the greater
part of his life lumbering and farm-
ing. He died at Park settlement
March 1, 1857. His wife, Freelove
Forsyth, who was bom 19 Sept., 1775,
died Oct. 21, 1862. The children of
Elisha and Freelove (Park) Forsyth
were as follows:
1. Catherine Forsyth, born 18 Sept..
1795, at Union. Married Nathaniel
Webster. Died 21 Nov., 1884.
2. George Forsyth, born 2 July,
1798. His first wife was Mary Cha])-
man and his second Rachel Puffer.
He died in Owego 5 Oct., 1876.
3. Elisha Forsyth, Jr., born 14
Feb., 1801. Married Wealthy Law-
rence, of Newark Valley, 1 Feb., 1827.
He died in Owego 14 Feb., 1873; she
19 Dec, 1875. Elisha Forsyth, Jr., in
the civil war was fife major of the
50th regiment, New York engineers.
4. Azor Forsyth, bom 17 Oct.
1803. Died 20 April, 1863, in Elmira.
5. Experience Forsyth, born 17
Sept., 1806. Married Martin Smith.
Died at Sparta, Wis., 6 Dec, 1882.
6. Gilbert Forsyth, born 4 Oct.,
1808. Died 29 Nov., 1840.
7. Eldridge Forsyth, born 5 Aug..
1812. Died 26 April, 1889. His first
wife was Mary A. Fisher, and his sec-
ond Eunice A. Tyler.
Gilbert and Azor Forsyth were por-
trait painters; the other brothers
were house painters. Gilbert For-
syth was i)ossessed of inucli talent
as an artist. In his youthful
days he and Thomas LeClere. who
later become one of the most cele-
brated portrait painters in America,
were boys together at Park settle-
ment.
Thomas LeClere was a son of Louis
i.,eClere and was born in 1818 in a
small house, just above the Owego
creek bridge in the town of Candor,
about a mile below the Flemingville
church. When a child he e.xhibited a
taste for portrait painting. His first
productions were painted from jiaint
made by squeezing the juice of poke-
berries and green grass together, and
with this kind of pigment he painted
his first pictures. His first attempt
at portrait painting was made wh( u
he was only nine years of age with a
mixture of lampblack, Venetian red.
and white on a piece of pine board.
Eldridge Forsyth assisted young Le-
Clere in mi.xing his first colors. These
two painters afterward went in dif-
ferent directions. One came to Owe-
go and iiainted houses at from twenty
to fifty dollars a house; the other
went to New York city and painted
portraits at from five to ten thousand
dollars a head.
In 1832 Louis LeClere removed
with his family to London, Ontario.
In February, 1844, Thomas LeClere
returned to Owego and opened a
studio over the Gazette office in a
two-story wooden building, which
stood on the south side of Front
street, just west of Park street, where
he painted portraits and gave instruc-
tion in oil painting and pencil draw-
ing. He remained here only a short
7S
time and went to New York. He
never returned to Owego but once.
In 1882 he came to visit his birthplace
and to call on some of the people he
had known in his boyhood days.
While he was living in Owego he
painted the portraits of various peo-
ple. The execution was rough, but
the likenesses were excellent. He
gained distinction after going to New
York. He painted the portraits of
Edwin Booth, Daniel S. Dickinson,
President Millard Fillmore, Bayard
Taylor, Chief Justice Taney, Wni.
Cullen Bryant, and many other men
of eminence, and at the time of his
death an almost finished portrait of
Gen. Grant, for which he was to have
received $10,000, was in his studio.
He was twice married. He died at
Rutherford Park, N. J., Nov. 26, 1882.
He left six children, one of whom, a
daughter, was the wife of Wm. H.
Beard, the famous painter of animals
in grotesque and humorous situations.
Gilbert Forsyth went to New York
city, where he was employed as a
scene painter at Niblo's garden
theatre. While thus employed he
was engaged to go, in 1832, to the
Canary islands for the purpose of
making sketches of scenery and
painting them. He afterward went
among the Indians of Upper Canada
for the same purpose. Later he re-
turned to Owego, and subsequently
went to Elmira, where he was taken
ill. He returned to Park settlement,
where he died at his father's home
November 29, 1840.
An interesting paper in the Wis-
consin state historical society's col-
lection, obtained by Lyman C. Draper.
79
the historian, from the heirs of Judge
Chas. P. Avery, of Owego, is the
statement made in Owego in 1S54 by
Elisha Forsyth. The statement is as
follows:
STATEMENT OF EIJSHA FOR-
SYTH, MADE FEB. 20, 1854.
"I live in the town of Owego. I was
born in 1776-1777 in Connecticut. My
father's name was .Jonathan. My
grandfather was a full-blooded Scotch-
man from Edinburg. Three brothers,
.John, .Jonathan, and .lames, came.
My father lived below Shawnee, just
above Nanticoke falls, and kept a
public house. My first recollections
are of that place.
"My father was in the battle and
his house was burnt in the affair of
1778. His writings were then lost.
His and other families went aboard
of a Durham boat at the time of the
battle and pushed on down and after-
ward lived at Carlisle. My father
escaped and joined his family.
"I was quite a boy when we got
back to Wyoming; came back in a
boat. We emigrated from Wyoming
to Towanda and then to Choconut
in big boats. On the trip 1
must have been six or seven
years old. We saw nobody but In-
dians. One white man, Patterson,
lived at Tioga Point and my father
let him have a quantity of provisions,
while he (my father) was living at
Towanda. My father left Wyoming
on account of the Pennamite war.
"We were on the premises, near
Gen'l. Stoddard's,before Amos Drai)er
came into the country. My father
gave the Indians seven barrels of
corn per year for the use of the land.
The Indians were settled all around
us. We were living there when Me-
Master came in.
"Major Coe (from Wyoming) was
then living on the south side of the
river, opposite Mersereau's flats. We
then removed above Binghamton, up
the Chenango.
80
"Amos Draper lived upon the flat
called the old Mersereau flat.
"Amos Draper was a nice man — one
of the finest men in the world. My
father moved next to Geneva, in three
or four years, and he died there in
1788, in the fall. We went from Union
in a boat to Tioga Point (some fam-
ilies were there then), thence up the
Chemung to Horseheads, to Seneca
Lake, and thence to Geneva, where
some people (Tuttle for one) lived.
He lives now on a corner of the farm
my father bought. I signed away a
quit claim for it after my father's
death. My father's children were
Alexander, Elisha. William, Azor. liv-
ing in Michigan, in Prarie du Chien.
and Hannah, wife of Alexander
Hewitt.
"My mother married a man by the
name of .John Gansen. He went be-
yond the Genesee and bought 600
acres of land with the money for the
land which had been deeded after my
father's death to my mother. I lived
there about one year after my father's
death and then came to Jabez Win-
ship's (then on the lower end of the
Mersereau flats.) I recollect being
caught at his house when the water
rose and stayed all night with him.
and the next morning he took me on
his back to the woods and built a fire
and warmed us. His family was not
with him then. The next morning
my father took a canoe to look for me,
and Draper saw him and hallooed,
and he took me home. This was
called the 'pumpkin fresh.' He lived
at that place with his family but one
summer; he then came down here.
"The man Patterson who lived at
Tioga Point and whom my father
helped came down from the Che-
nango, where he had removed to, and
came down to a meeting at his
father's house; all the inhabitants of
the country gathered to it. The man
then Ignored the charity of Mr. For-
syth and it ended in an encounter
brought on by the insults of Patter-
son. There must have been a dozen
or more people there to go to school.
81
The log school house was on tho road
back of the Ihit, iij) toward tlie creek.
"From there I came to work at
Owego vilhige at car])eiiter and
joiner's work. I h( Ijx-d frame the
first building for a jail on the west
side of the public stiuare, not far
from where the church stands. Mr.
I'janing moved it afterward and made
it a i)art of the old tavern house, and
it stood there when it was burnt
down. It was the bar-room part.
"There was a saw mill with the
grist mill just below Indian sjiring
put up by Pi.xley. 1 built the first
ark that was ever made on this river.
()0 feet long, white oak timber, calked
and tancd, for Judge Ashbel Wells.
He ran wheat in it.
"Old Captain Thomas Park h( Iped
me build it and I was foreman. .Judge
Wells had seen an ark on the west
Ijraneh and came up to my house and
chalked it out and e.xplained it. 1
went to work and built it.
"I was living at Winship's when 1
got married. T went to Catskill for
eight months and learnt my trade,
then came back and married a daugh-
ter of Captain Parks; was married at
21 years of age. Sabin taught the
first school at Choconut (Union) and
was a surveyor.
"When we first started from Wyom-
ing we expected to stop at Towanda
and make a settlement. A family by
the name of Fox came u]) with us
from Wyoming. They had lived there
before the troubles several years, but
the Indians drove them away. But
we did not remain at Towanda long;
we went on further to Tioga Point,
and so to Choconut. When I came
back from Geneva I went down the
river as far as Towanda to see the
same people we came up with, but 1
did not remain a great while. They
were not relations of mine and so 1
came on up to Jabez Winship's.
"We ground our meal by a hand
mill. Some stones were used by Win-
chell on the other side of the river
on Choconut creek. That was the
first grist mill in this ])art of the
82
country. This was after I came back
from Geneva (not the first, the last.)
My father went first clear to Wilkes-
Barre to mill.
"When his father came back the
Shawnee Indians attacked him, burnt
his hay stack. He fled to his canoe,
sunk himself in the water from time to
time as they fired nine rounds at him.
Next day he could not swim. Frank-
lin's family were captured by the In-
dians. Sixty men went in pursuit and
overtook them just below Tioga Point.
Mrs. Franklin was shot through the
head, and the Indians dashed the
brains of the child out. The survivors
were brought to my father's house."
DR. ELISHA ELY.
Dr. Elisha Ely, one of the earliest
settlers in Owego, was born at Lyme,
Conn., in 1748. His greatgrandfather
Richard Ely, a widower, who was
born in 1610, came from Plymouth.
England, to America between 1660
and 1663 with his sons, William ana
Richard, and settled at Lyme, where
he died in 1684. His eldest son,
William, had ten children, the fourth
of whom was Daniel Ely, the father
of Dr. Elisha Ely. Daniel Ely was
married four times and had in all
twelve children, five by his fourth
wife, Ruhama Turner. The twelfth
child was Dr. Elisha Ely.
Dr. Ely was a surgeon in the revo-
lutionary army, with the rank of cap-
tain. His record, as it appears in the
Historical Record of Officers of the
Continental Army, 1775 to 1783, is as
follows:
Elisha Ely (Conn.) Surgeon's mate,
10th Continental Infantry, 1 January,
1776. Surgeon 19th Continental in-
fantry, 19 July to 31 December, 1776.
Captain 6th Conn., 1 January, 1777.
Resigned 28 August, 1780.
S3
Dr. Ely married Susannah Bloomer,
of Rye, N. Y.. in 1781, tiie year fol-
lowing his resignation from the army.
He practised medicine at Saybrook.
Conn., until his removal to Owego.
He left Saybrook in the fall of IT'IS
v.ith $16,000 in his iiossession, with
which he purchased two townships of
land in northern Pennsylvania under
the Connecticut title. The title was
in dispute between Connecticut and
Pennsylvania and was finally decided
in favor of Pennsylvania, conse-
quently the ])urchasers under the Con-
necticut title lost all they had in-
vested.
When Dr. Ely came to Owego he
was a cripple from wounds received
while in the army. He came with his
wife and their eight children. They
came from New York city to Catskill
by water, and their trip through the
woods from. Catskill occu])ied six
days. They came with a wagon, a
.voke of oxen, a span of horses, and
the first chaise ever seen in this sec-
tion, bringing all the household goods
they could carry.
Dr. Ely had intended to stay in
Owego and practise medicine during
the winter and go on the next spring
to Wellsboro, Pa., where the land he
had purchased was situated. The loss
of this Pennsylvania land impover-
ished him. His health had been im-
paired while in the army, and in 1801.
three years after his coming here, he
died of coiisumption.
After Dr. Ely's death his widow
lived in the north side of west Front
street in a house which stood when^
the residence of .John Jones now
stands, and she remained there until
her death on .Inly 21, 1S2?..
84
The children of Dr. Elisha and
Susannah (Bloomei-) Ely, all of whom
except James Ely were born in Con-
necticut, were as follows:
1. Nancy Ely, born in 1782. She
was married to Archibald White, of
Owego. He died in New York of yel-
low fever in August. 1802. Her sec-
.ond husband was Abner Murray, of
Athens. Pa., to whom she was married
in 1821. She died in 1S62.
2. Susanah Ely. born 1783; died
1847,
3. Gilbert Bloomer Ely. born 178."..
Married Elizabeth McClain in 1809.
He died in 1831 and she in 1825.
4. Elisha Ely. born 1788. Left
Owego and settled in California.
o. William Alfred Ely. born 16
Oct., 1789. :Married Ann S. Gregory
in 1810. He died in Owego 27 Nov..
1863, and she 20 Jan.. 1884.
6. Edward Ely. born 1791. Mar-
ried Fanny Avery, of Trumansburg.
He died in Owego in 1844.
7. Harriet Ely. born 1794. Married
John CarmJchael in 183-5. She died
1 Sept., 1881.
8. Daniel Ely. born 1797. Married
Lois Gridley Kelsey, of Hartford,
Conn., 1832. He died in Owego 25
Nov., 1844.
9. James Ely, born 1798. Married
Cvnthia Bundy. He died in Grand
Rapids, Mich., 20 Dec, 1862.
Archibald White, who married
Nancy Ely, came to Owego about the
year 1800 and in the winter of 1800-
01 was a clerk in Thomas Duane's
store. He was from the north of Ire-
land, born in Belfast. When he came
to America he landed in Baltimore,
Md. Thence he went to Wilkes-Barre.
Pa., where he become acquainted with
Mr. Duane. When Mr. Duane came
with his family to Owego in 1800
White accompanied him.
White's mother and William Patter-
son, of Baltimore, the father of Eliza-
beth Patterson. Prince Jerome Bona-
S5
parte's wife, were brother and sister.
The only child of Archibald and
Nancy (Kly) White was Maria Patter-
son White, who was married to IClihu
Parmenter, of Owego. Mr. l^urnientcr
built and conducted the tannery in
the northern part of this village, later
known as the Dean tannery, and con-
ducted it until his death. He was
killed by the cars, ne;ir his home,
Sept. 30, 1872. He was about 71
years of age at the time of his death.
Mrs. Parmenter died 17 June, I860,
aged 55 years.
The Ely brothers were all mer-
chants. William A. Ely was early in
life a clerk in Gen. Oliver Hunting-
ton's store. In December, 1814, he
I)urchased for $300 the land on the
south side of Main street opposite
and east of North avenue. It ex-
tended from Lake street west to the
l)ublic burying ground. The old bury-
ing ground occupied all the land on
which the telephone office and the
sheriff's residence now stand in .Main
street and extended south in Court
street to John L. Taylor's lot, south
of and adjoining the county clerk's
office.
On the lot he purchased Mr. Ely
built a two-story wooden building,
which stood opposite north avenue on
the ground where J. S. Houk's hard-
ware store is now. In this building
Wm. A. and James Ely conducted a
general mercantile business several
years. The store was afterward oc-
cupied by John Ilollenback, then by
E. B. Hurlbert, and later by John
Cameron as a grocery. It was burned
Oct. 16, 1870.
In 1827, Wm. A., James, and Daniel
Ely formed a new partnership and
86
did a general mercantile business in
a new brick building on the south side
of Front street, two doors east of the
bridge. This partnership was dis-
solved in May. 1830. and Daniel Ely
continued the business. William A.
and James Ely at the same time
formed a partnership with Charles
and Printice Ransom, under the firm
name of Ely & Ransoms, which firm
continued in existence until the end
of the following June, when Charles
Ransom withdrew from the partner-
ship. Their store was east of and ad-
joining that of James Ely. who sold
his stock to Heggie & Mack, in June.
1831. James Ely was afterward a
partner of Jonathan Piatt. Their
store was on the south side of Front
street, opposite where Ahwaga hall
now is.
William A. Ely was at one time in
business alone in Caldwell Row, a
row of wooden shops, stores, and
dwellings, which was burned in the
great fire of 1849. It was on the
north side of Front street and ex-
tended from Lake street to the line
between Ahwaga hall and the Ah-
waga house block.
Elisha and James Ely at one time
kept a hat store in Main street, where
they bought furs and manufactured
fur and wool hats and caps from the
raw material. In the spring of 1819
they sold the business to Col. Chas.
B. Pixley. In manufacturing wool
hats Col. Pixley was accustomed to
dye them and then wash them in the
sluiceway of the old mill of his father.
Col. David Pixley, on the west side of
the Owego creek, near the Indian
spring, by putting them in the water
with tongs. Elisha Ely later had a
WILLIAM A. ELY.
TH
PUKLIC LIf'RARY
V A,.. ,. //
19G3
87
hat store above the bridge in Front
street.
William A. Ely bviilt the brick
house on the north side of Front
street on the second lot east of Church
street now owned and occupied by
Mrs. Henry Young. Here he lived
until his death in 1863. Mr. Ely was
extensively engaged for several years
in the nianufatcure of lumber, which
was the most important industry here
in his day. He was not only a promi-
nent business man but was also
active in i)ublic affairs. He was su-
l)ervisor of the town of Owego thir-
teen years between 1824 and 1840.
James Ely lived on the nortli side
of Front street, near William street.
He removed to Grand Rapids, Mich.,
where he died in 1862. He was super-
visor of the town of Owego in 1844,
1845, and 1852, and he represented
Tioga county in the assembly in IS.")!.
Col. Daniel Ely lived in the house
now occupied by Dr. J.T. Greenleaf in
Main street. He was postmaster of
Owego from F'eb. 4, 1842, until his
death in November, 1S44.
Gilbert and Daniel Ely were botii
officers in the state militia. Gilbert
Ely was appointed ensign in Col.
Samuel Seymour's regiment of in-
fantry in 1807. In 1809 Jesse Mc-
Quigg was ajipointed ensign "vice G.
Ely, moved." Daniel Ely in 1822 was
captain of riflemen in the 145th regi-
ment.
88
GEN. OLIVER HUNTINGTON.
One of the earliest settlers in Owe-
go and the first druggist here was
Gen. Oliver Huntington, who came at
the age of ^2S^ years with his wife and
two children to this village from
Ellington, Conn., in 1804. and lived
here during the rest of his life.
At the northeast corner of Front
and Lake streets stood a small
wooden building, in which Gen. Hunt-
ington established the first drug store
ever opened in Owego. An advertise-
ment of his store, published in the old
"American Farmer," may be of in-
terest here, as it is the first advertise-
ment of a drug store published in
this place.
DRfGS & MEDICINES. ETC.
Just received from New York and for f.ile by
the fubfcriber. a new and general affortment of
DRUGS & MEDICINES, confifting of Opium,
camphor, jallap. calomel, blue vitriol, fenni,
rhubarb. &c.. with various others, too numerous
to be inferted iit an advertifement. and all the
Patent Medicines that are in moft efteem.
*:« Practitioners of Phyfic. and others, may
be fupplied on as reafonable terms as can be
obtained at Catfkill. or other places on the North
river. Oliver Htntingto-v.
Owego Village. July 31ft, 1810.
Gen. Huntington lived in a little
red house which stood on the west
side of North avenue, a little north of
Main street. James A. Dean bought
the lot in the spring of 1866, tore
down the house and built a brick
store on the site. This is the third
store north of Main street and is sepa-
rated from the store south of it by
a narrow lane. In the old red house
Deacon Francis Armstrong lived for
many years.
In addition to his drug business
Gen. Huntington engaged extensively
in shipping produce of various kinds
down the Susquehanna river, which
stream was then the only outlet for
89
the products of this i)art of the
country.
In S('i)t('ni])er, 1S04, Gtn. HuiitinK-
ton had purchased property north of
this village, lying on the north side
ofthe small brook known as the Hunt-
ins'ton creek, and which was so
named in honor of him. A little west
of the highway now known as North
avenue he built a few years before
his death a small house, which is
still standing, althougli somewhat al-
tered from its original proportions.
There he lived during the rest of his
life. This house was later owned
and occupied by .lohn .James Beers,
and afterward the property was pur-
chased by Ephraim 11. House.
Gen. Huntington was api)ointed
sheriff of Broome county Feb. 24,
1816, and held the office until .June
10, 1818. He was prominent in mili-
tary affairs. In 1809 he was ap-
pointed Second Major in Lieut. -Col.
Asa Camp's regiment of New York in-
fantry. The next year he was pro-
moted to Lieut.-Col. Commandant of
the 5.^d regiment, and in 1812 to
Briga,dier-General of the 41st brigade.
Gen. Huntington was a descendant
of Simon and Margaret Huntington,
non-conformists, who left England on
account of religious jjersecution and
came to America in 1663 and settled
at Windsor, Conn.
Gen. Huntington was born Dec. 22.
1771. His first wife was Abigail Tal-
cott, daughter of Capt. Gad and Abi-
gail Talcott, of Hebron, Conn. She
died in Owego June 18, 1815, aged 4:>
years. Her body is buried in the
Presbyterian church yard. His second
90
wife was IMrs. Richards, a sister of
Samuel Avery.
Gen. Huntington died Xov. 13, 1823.
Although he was only 52 years of age
at the time of his death he had been
commonly known on account of his
venerable appearance as "old Gen.
Huntington." The children of Gen.
Oliver and Abigail (Talcott) Hunt-
ington were as follows:
1. Abigail Huntington, born 25
Sept.. 1796. :\Iarried Henrv Gregory
10 Feb.. ISIS. They lived at Ithaca.'
2. Wait Talcott Huntington, born
at Ellington, Conn., 9 May, 1798.
Married Saphronia Carter, of Aurora,
N. Y., 11 March, 1S40.
3. Orestes Lynde Huntington, born
at Ellington, Conn., 22 .March, 1803.
Married Harriet Terrill at Ithaca, X.
Y. He was a cabinet maker.
4. Horatio Lord Huntington, born
at Owego, 14 Dec, 1805. Married
Ann Turner at Adams, 111., 31 Mav,
1839.
5. Harriet Huntington, born at
Owego, 3 March, 1808. Married 5
May, 1833. to \Vm. Townley. They
lived at Albany, 111.
6. George Oliver Huntington, born
at Owego 7 Oct., 1810. Married Cor-
nelia DeKrafft, of Washington, D. C,
at Quincy, 111., 21 May. 1840.
Wait T. Huntington, the eldest son
of Gen. Huntington, removed from
Owego to Ithaca, where he taught
school for a short time. Then he en-
gaged in the mercantile business and
conducted a brewery, and became a
man of considerable prominence. He
was elected clerk of Tompkins county
in 1837 and served three years. He
was clerk of the town of Ithaca in
1826 and 1832, and president of the
village in 1834 and 1835. He was also
elected a justice of the peace in 1859.
In 1860 he removed to New York city,
where he engaged in the manufacture
91
ul tlie now popular calendar attach-
ment for clocks, of which he was the
inventor, llo for several years held
a position in the New York post of-
fice, which he resigned in March,
1878, in order to spend the rest of his
life in peaceful retirement. He died
at the home of his daughter at
Moravia, N. Y., Jan. 8, 1881, aged 82
years.
.JOHN HOLLENBACK.
John Hollenhack was one of the
early merchants of Owego. He was
a large owner of timbered property, a
manufacturer of lumbt r, and a man of
extensive business transaetions. He
was a son of Geo. Holleuback, of Mill
Creek, a place situated about a mile
above Wilkes-Barre,Pa., and was born
November 2, 1780. He came to Owego
in 1801 or 1802 and began a general
mercantile business. His first store
was on the south side of Front street,
above Lake street. At night he slept
on a side sole leather on the counter
of his store.
Mr. Hollenback was successful in
all his undertakings. He invested
largely in real estate. In ISO", he
owned two hundred acres east of
Paige street, and in 1815 he was the
possessor of Sr)6% acres, comprisinsi
nearly all the land bounded west by
a line east of Paige street and ex-
tending a little east of the Little Nan-
ticoke creek. At the time of his
death in 1847 he owned about 2.000
acres of land in a body in and ntar
Owego village, together with his
father's homestead at Wilkes-Barre.
Pa.
In 1813 or 1814 Mr. Hollenback had
the lease of the Onondaga and Mon-
92
tezuma salt works. In 1814, at the
close of the war of 1S12 he owned all
the salt that was in the market and
had it stored in arks on the Susque-
hanna river at Port Deposit, Md.
This salt was held from $16 to $20 a
barrel. Had the war continued a few
months longer he would have made a
clear profit of $40,000, but peace was
declared Dec. 24, and the price fell so
low that Mr. Hollenback lost about
$20,000 on his investment.
Soon after this Mr. Hollenback
opened a hardware and tin store in
.lames Pumpelly"s two story wooden
building, which stood on the north
side of Front street, a few rods west
of Paige street. The upper part of
the building was occupied by Stephen
B. Leonard as the publication office of
the Owego Gazette and as a post of-
fice, Mr. Leonard being the postmas-
ter. This store, which was then con-
sidered "out of the village," was af-
terward converted into a dwelling
house and is now occupied by A. C.
Burt.
About tne year 1832 Mr. Hollenback
moved down into Judge Drake's store,
which stood on the south side of
Front street, opposite Lake street and
was on the site of the present Central
drug store. There he remained three
or four years, and then removed to
the store that William A. Ely had
built and occupied on the south side
of Main street.opposite North avenue.
In 1840 he removed once more, this
time into the Camp store, which stood
on the south side of Front street, a
little west of Park street. A little
later he removed up the street to
Charles Pumpelly's old store, which
stood opposite where the Ahwaga
JOHN HOLLENBACK.
THE
II t^EV<J YORK
PUL-LIC library!
\;, A»i.r, Lenox ini T\\^
1909
93
house now stands, and there he con-
tinued the mercantile husiness until
his deatii, June I?,, 1S47.
Soon after coming to Owt'go Mr.
Holl.enback established a luancli
store at Ithaca, in 1804, which was
managed by a man named Isaacs.
Mr. Hollenback was a man of
strong determination and extraordi-
nary energy of character. In his cen-
tennial history of Tioga county. ])ub-
lished in ISTO. William F. Warner
wrote of Mr. Hollenback as follows:
"Had this gentleman lived at a
time when military leadershi]) was
demanded, he would unqestionably
have made one of the ablest com-
manders who ever led an army. He
dealt largely in the purchase and
manufacture of lumber. His impaired
hearing forced him to withdraw from
social life, and he devoted himself
assiduously to his extensive business.
Those, however, who had access to
him in his home circle, found him a
genial man and an accomplished con-
versationalist. He was well in-
formed, and kept abreast with the
foremost in all matters of general in-
terest, although seemingly absorbed
hi business matters."
While conducting the Ithaca store
Mr. Hollenback had some trouble
with Eleazer Dana, one of the early
lawyers in Owego. In order to annoy
Mr. Hollenback :\Ir. Dana waited un-
til he had left town and got nearly to
Ithaca, when he served a summons
upon him and caused his immediate
return to Owego. Mr. Hollenback
was so infuriated at this summary
action that he attacked Mr. Dana with
a cowhide. Mr. Dana sued him for as-
sault and recovered $:!00 damages.
When Mr. Hollenback began busi-
ness in Owego he could not agree
with one of his rivals in the mercan-
94
tile business. He employed many
men in making arks and rafts of lum-
ber, but for some unknown reason the
men would leave his employ abruptly
when he most needed their services,
and would make no explana-
tion for their course. Finally
one man was candid enough to
inform him that his rival in busi-
ness was the cause, he telling the
men that Mr. Hollenback was irre-
sponsible and they would not receive
their wages. Mr. Hollenback, with
his rawhide, went to his business
rival and threatened to use the whi])
over his shoulders should there be
any repetition of the trouble. It is
needless to say that he was subjected
to no further annoyance.
Mr. Hollenback was a hard worker
himself, and would employ none who
was idle or lazy. It is related of him
that when an applicant for work came
to him he would examine the seat of
his trousers. If it was patched or
woni. he would give him no employ-
ment.
Mr. Hollenback lived in a house
which stood on the north side of
Front street, on the third lot west of
Paige street, later owned by his
brother-in-law. William Pumpelly.
The house stood so near the street
that when Front street was regularly
laid out and straightened by a sur-
veyor, the house was left close upon
the sidewalk. This house, which was
a large one, was several years after-
ward cut in tW'O, moved away, and
converted into tenant houses.
Mr. Hollenback's wife was Susan
Welles, daughter of George and Pru-
dence (Talcott) Welles. They were
married Sept. 24, 1805. She was
95
born Jan. Id, 17S3, and died in Owego
Feb. 7, ISG"). Geo. Welles was a na-
tive of Connecticut, who settled at
Athens, Pa., a))out the year ISOO.
The portrait of Mr. llollenback,
which illustrates this article, is from
a photograph taken by Mr. LaSon
from an oil i)aintins?. The jjainting is
the work of Mrs. llollculjack's sister,
Miss M. A. Welles, who afterward be-
came Mrs. Wm. Pumpelly. The paint-
ing was owned by the family of Geo.
W^. Ilollenback for numy years, and
it is now the propertj; of Frank .M.
Baker, of Owego.
Some time i)revious to liis death
Mr. Hollenback had expressed his in-
tention of founding some kind of a
public institution in Owego, by whicli
his name would be handed down to
posterity, and he had made a partial
will to that effect; but he was taken
ill while his nephew, Geo. W. Hollen-
back, who for many year.s had had
almost entire charge of his extensive
lumber business, was down the river,
and, at the last moment, being un-
able to carry his intention into effect,
he devised the greater portion of his
large estate to his nei)hew, at the
same time leaving a ])ortion of the
property in trust for the sui>port of
his widow during her life.
At the time of his death Mr. Hol-
lenback had one brother, Matthias
Hollenback, living at Wilkes-Barre.
96
GEORGE W. HOLLEXBACK.
The first Hollenback in this counti'v
of whom there is any record was
George Hollenback, a sturdy Dutch-
man, who settled in Wyoming county,
Pa. He had a son, John Hollenback
(1), who was bom about 1720, whose
wife was Eleanor Jones. Their chil-
dren were George, Matthias H., and
.John Hollenback (2).
George Hollenback was the father
of John Hollenback, the Owego mer-
chant.
Matthias H. Hollenback, a promi-
nent business man of his day in Penn-
sylvania, had three children as fol-
lows:
Eleanor Jones Hollenback. who
married Charles F. Welles, of Athens,
Pa.
John Welles Hollenback.
Mary Ann Hollenback, who married
Gen. John Laning, one of the early
merchants of Owego.
The third brother, John Hollenback
(2) had a son also named John Hol-
lenback (3), who was the father of
Geo. W. Hollenback, of Owego. This
John Hollenback (3) was bora Oct.
14, 1775, at Martinsburg, Va., under
the rule of King George HI., but the
family were not enthusiastically loyal
subjects. In 1783, after the declara-
tion of peace, his parents removed to
Morgantown, West Virginia, and in
1793 to Wilkes-Barre, Pa. He was
engaged for his uncle, Matthias Hol-
lenback, in trade along the Susque-
hanna river in 1796. The next year
he came up the river in a Durham
boat and established a shad fishery
at Wyalusing, the first in that part of
the country. He soon afterward re-
turned down the river with his boat
heavily laden with salted shad. In
97
1801 he opened a store at Wyalusing,
which was considered a marvel at the
time, as he brought 2,400 pounds of
goods from Philadelphia in wagons
to Middletown, where they were
loaded on boats and pushed up the
river. Mr. Hollenback died at Wya-
lusing March 13, 1867, aged 91 years.
Geo. W. Hollenback who was the
oldest one of .John Hollenback's fif-
teen children, was born Aug. 2."), 1806,
at Wyalusing and came to Owego to
attend school in 1816, at ten years
of age, and remained here during the
summer. December 5, 1828, he came
again to Owego to live, and was a
clerk in his uncle, John Hollenback's,
store until August, IS.'Jl. In Decem-
ber, ItSoS, he again returned to Owego
to resume his duties as his uncle's
clerk, and he lived here all the rest
of his life.
From six to nine months each year
his time was occuiiied up and down
the Susquehanna river attending to
his emi)loyer's lumber business. In
the fall of 1847, after John Hollen-
back's death, he entered into j)artnei--
ship with William H. Bell in the mer-
cantile and lumber business and the
partnership continued twenty years.
Wm. H. Bell was a son of William
Bell, a farmer, who lived on the West
Owego creek, about six miles north
of Owego, where he was born, Nov.
18, 1811. At an early age he entered
the store of Martin & Andrews at
Wysox. Pa., as a clerk. Tie afterward
came to Owego and was for three
years a clerk in David P. Tinkham's
store. He was next employed in the
same capacity in the stores of John
Hollenback and Piatt & Ely.
98
In 1837, Mr. Bell in company witl?
Daniel G. Taylor and W. C. Taylor,
purchased the store of Piatt & Ely
and conducted the business under the
firm name of Taylors & Bell until Jan.
25, 1839, when Mr. Bell sold his in-
f
terest to his partner, who continued
under the name of D. G.&. W. C. Tay-
lor. Their store was on the south
side of Front street, the third store
east of Lake street. Mr. Bell after-
ward became teller of the old Bank
of Owego. Sept. 20,1841, he left the
bank to return to the mercantile busi-
ness, having purchased W. C. Taylor's
interest in the store. The new firm
of Taylor & Bell continued until Xov.
15, 1847, when Mr. Bell purchased his
partner's interest.
January 5. 1848, Mr. Bell, Mr. Hol-
lenback, and Jacob Hand formed a
partnership and began a general lum-
ber business in connection with their
store under the firm name of William
H. Bell & Co. They owned a large
saw mill on the south side of the
river, a little below the mouth of the
Owego creek, and a large timber tract
in the southern part of the town of
Owego. After the burning of their
store in the great fire of 1849 they
erected a three-story brick store — the
sixth one above the bridge — into
which they removed in December.
1850. The firm was dissolved Oct. 16,
1855, Mr. Hand retiring,, and Albert
Newell was received into the partner-
ship. Sept. 1, 1866, Mr. Newell re-
tired from the firm. Jan. 10, 1867, the
firm of Wm. H. Bell & Co. was dis-
solved and their property was divided.
Mr. Hollenback took the store and ^Ir.
Bell the mill and lumber tract. In
August, 1870, Mr. Bell was stricken
99
vritli jiaralysis and rendered entirely
helpless and incai)aciated I'oi- busi-
ness. He died at tlie home of his
brother, Charles T. Bell, in east Main
street, A!)ril 20, ]S7(i.
Mr. Hand came to Owego in lS2'.i
from Otsego county and entered the
lumber business with .John R. Drake,
later purchasing .judge Drake's in-
terest. He died in Owego Aiiril 27.
1874, aged 73 years.
Upon the dissolution of the ])artner-
ship of William H. Bell & Co. Mr.
Hollenback continued the mercantile
business with two of liis sons, Geo.
F. iuid .Tohn G. Hollenback, until the
fall ol 1S71, when they sold their
stock and directed their attention to
the sale of crockery exclusively. In
October, 1873, they sold their stock to
D. C. Tuthill and retired from busi-
ness.
For many years and until IS.")!; all
the ground on the so\ith side of Front
street east of Paige street was one
vast lumber yard, where lumber was
jiiled for shipment down the Susque-
hanna, while on the river it was being
continuously made into rafts for ship-
ment down to a market ui)on the first
rise of the water.
Mr. Hollenback married Miss Jane
Gordon, of Bradford county, Pa., in
1837. She died in Owego April 14.
1881. The family lived several years
in the house which John Carmichael
built on the Stephen Mack lot in
Front street. In the summer of 185:;
Mr. Hollenback built tlie large brick
house on the soutli side of Front
street, east of John street, where he
lived until his death on December 30,
1878.
100
Mr. Hollenback was three years a
member of the board of village trus-
tees and president of the village of
Owego in 1S54. He was supervisor of
the town of Owego in 1S50, 1851, and
1855. He was a man of public spirit
and did much to improve the eastern
part of the village, laying out new
streets and contributing to the gen-
eral improvement.
Mr. Hollenback's children were Wil-
liam H., Gegrge F., Charles E., and
John G. Hollenback. and Misses Alice
and Mary H. Hollenback.
The Taylors came to Owego from
Florida. Orange county, N. Y. Col.
Wm. C. Taylor entered Dr. Jedediah
Fay's drug store as a clerk in 1833.
Daniel G. Taylor came in 1836 and the
brothers the next year entered into
the mercantile partnership with Wm.-
H. Bell. Col. Taylor was for many
years station agent for the New York
and Erie railroad company at Jersey
City. He died April 9, 1892, in Brook-
lyn, aged 78 years. In 1861 when
Gen. D. C. McCallum was appointed
military superintendent of the rail-
road of the United States. Wm. C.
Taylor was appointed manager of all
the military railroads, to attend to
their construction, repair, etc., with
the rank of colonel.
Daniel G. Taylor lived during the
latter part of his life in Chicago, 111.,
where he died April 28, 1898. aged 89
years.
101
THOMAS COLLIER.
Thomas Collier came to Owego with
his family about the year 1808. He
was born in Boston, Mass., Feb. 20,
1761. His father, Richard Collier, was
a brazier. He began an apprentice-
ship at the printer's trade in the of-
fice of his -uncle, Thomas Drajx'r, who
printed one of the earliest newspa-
pers in Boston. His aunt, Margaret
Draper, an English woman, after the
death of her husband, Thomas Dra-
per, conducted the newspaper estab-
lishment in her own name until the
beginning of the revolutionary war,
when, being a royalist in her senti-
ments, her paper was made the medi-
um of royal denunciations against the
'rebels." She suffered some pecuni-
ary loss on account of her loyalty to
the king and was compelled when
Boston was evacuated by the British
to leave some of her effects behind,
and among them her printing estab-
lishment, which fell into the hands of
the "Yankee rebels." On her return
to England she was rewarded with a
liberal pension from the crown.
John Trumbull, the poet of the revo-
lution, in his famous "modern ei)ic
poem," McFingal, written in Hudi-
brastic verse and published in 1775,
immortalized Mrs. Draper, speaking
of her as "Mother Draper" in the
first canto of the poem. The lines
read as follows:
'■ Did not our >rrave jndsre .Sewall hit
The summit ot newsp.aiicr wit.
Filled every leaf of every paper
Of Mills and Hicks, and Mother Draper.
Drew proclamations, works of toil.
In true sublime, of scare-crow style.
Wrote farces, too. gainst sons of freedom.
All for your good, and none would read "em.
Denounced damnation on their frenzy.
Who died in Whiyr impenitency ? "
102
Thomas Collier did not favor the
cause of the rebels, so he left Boston
with his father, under the permis-
sion given by Gen. Gage after the bat-
tle of Lexington. He soon entered
the printing office of the "Norwich
Packet." a newspaper published at
Norwich, Conn., by Alexander and
James Robinson and he later com-
pleted his apprenticeship in the office
of the "Gazette" at New Haven, which
was published by Thomas Greene and
was then the oldest newspaper, with
one exception, in Connecticut.
While living in Boston, before the
outbreak of hostilities, he witnessed
some of the most exciting events.
He was present when the tea was
thrown overboard into the harbor,
and he became personally acquainted
with many distinguished officers.
Mr. Collier went from New Haven
to Litchfield, where he conducted the
"Litchfield Monitor," a good old-
fashioned, orthodox, federal paper,
until 1807. Several writers of a high
order of talent were among its cor-
respondents, and the paper ranked
among the leading journals of the
union.
At this time Rev. Azel Backus, of
Bethlehem, afterward president of
Hamilton college, who was a contribu-
tor to the paper, was indicted with
Mr. Collier at the same term of the
district court for libelling Thomas Jef-
ferson, then president of the United
States. They were arrested soon
after Jefferson's election by a mar-
shal and taken to Hartford, one for
preaching and the other for publish-
ing "false, scandalous, and defama-
tory matter." Mr. Collier took his
presses and type to the jail at Har-
105
ford, where witli Dr. Backus as col-
laborator, he issued a paper which
made the air of the nutmeg state blue
with his denunciations of Jefferson.
Dr. Backus was the grandfather of
Charlie Backus, the famous negro
minstrel and comedian.
While still conducting the "iJtch-
ficld Monitor" Mr. Collier established
the "Gazette" at Troy, N. Y., which
passed into the hands of Wright
Goveneur & Stockwoll. One of the
members of this firm, .John C. Wright,
married a daughter of Thomas Col-
lier.
When the Colliers came to Owego
they at first lived in a red house,
which stood where F. C. Hewitt's
residence now is, near the southeast
corner of Front and Church streets.
The Collier children were .John A..
James, Daniel, Hamilton A., Mar-
garet, and Nancy Collier. They af-
terward removed to a house which
stood on the north side of Main
street, where Dr. D. S. Anderson's
house is now, and there Mrs. Collier
conducted a private school for chil-
dren. James and Daniel Collier re-
moved to Ohio.
Thomas Collier removed with his
family to Bingham ton about 1S27.
That year John A. Collier built a
house in Franklin street in that city
in which his parents Jived the rest of
their lives. In 1S2S he became asso-
ciated with Abial C. Cannoll in the
publication of the "Broome County
Republican," which had been estab-
lished in 1S23 by major Augustus
Morgan. Cannoll & Collier published
this paper until 1830, when Mr. Col-
lier was succeeded by Edwin T.
104
Evans, Mr. Collier died in Bingham-
ton in 1842.
John A. Collier, who became the
most prominent of Thomas Collier's
sous was born Nov. 13, 1787, at Litch-
field. Conn. He was graduated from
Yale college, studied law at Troy, and
came to Owego for the purpose of
practising his chosen profession, but
there were at that time fewer law-
yers in Binghamton than in
Owego, so he went to Binghamton hi
1809, where he became one of the
foremost lawyers in this part of the
state. He was district attorney of
Broome county in 1818, and in 1830
he was elected to Congress. In 1844
he was elected comptroller of the
state. During the presidency of Mil-
lard Fillmore he was offered the col-
lectorship of the port of SanFran-
cisco, but declined it. He died in
Binghamton March 24, 1873.
When Mrs Margaret Draper went
to Ehigland she took with her her
niece, a sister of Thos. Collier, then
a little girl. The niece lived with her
aunt in London until she was grown,
and then married a man named Ham-
ilton, who was for some time clerk of
the house of lords. It was in honor
of him that Hamilton A Collier re-
ceived his name.
Hamilton A. Collier opened a gen-
eral county store in the fall of 1S23
in the white store at the northwest
corner of Lake and Front streets.
The next spring he removed to the
south side of Front street opposite
where the Ahwaga house now stands.
He later removed into judge Drake's
building, opposite Lake street. In
1827 he removed to Binghamton and
began the study of law in the office
^
MAJOR HORATIO ROSS.
105
of his brother, John A Collier, hi
1829 he was admitted to the bar. He
was district attorney of Broome
county from April 10, 1833, to the
20th of the following May, and again
from Dec. 1, 1837, to Feb. 12, 1842.
He was appointed surrogate in Feb-
ruary, 1840, and h(>ld the office four
years. He subseciuently removed to
Oberlin, Ohio, where he died in 1863.
MAJOR HORATIO ROSS.
Major Horatio Ross, a bachelor,
was fifty years old when he came to
Owego in 1805. He was accompanied
by his two maiden sisters, Misses
Margaretta A. and Nancy Ross. They
came from Frederick, Maryland, with
ninety thousand dollars in their pos-
session, of which sum each owned
$30,000. The father of the Rosses
owned one of the largest iron works
in Virginia and was a man of great
wealth.
Major Ross and his sisters brought
two slaves with them. He began a
general mercantile business here and
made large investments. He pur-
chased land on the south side of
Front street, west of the west line of
Lake street. On the lot how occupied
by the fifth store west of the Lake
street line he built a large wooden
store and painted it red. The build-
ing was two stories high in front and
three stories in the rear, and back of
it on the river was a wharf, where
produce, etc., were loaded into arks
and shipped down the Susquehanna
to a market.
Major Ross was unsuccessful in
business and in 1818 he failed, losing
all his own money and that of his
two sisters also. His real estate was
106
all sold on a mortgage foreclosure
in February, 1819. His store was
subsequently occupied by W. T. Coit,
dealer in dry goods, groceries, and
crockery. In the winter of 1826-27
the building was bunied.
Among Major Ross's clerks were
Charles Talcott, who afterward be-
came one of the most successful mer-
chants in Owego; Chas. Trowbridge,
who went fi'om Owego, to Detroit
Mich., and John J. McDowell, who in
1830 and 1831 represented Tioga
county in the assembly. After his
failure in business Major Ross con-
tinued his residence here. He had
charge of the Tioga county clerk's of-
tlce as deputy clerk from 1S23 until
his death in 1828.
Major Ross was a polished south-
ern gentlemen of the old school, and
he lived in a manner commensurate
with his wealth. With his sisters he
occupied a large white house which
stood on the north side of Main
street, nearly opposite Park street.
This house was later owned and occu-
pied by the widow of Gen. John Lan-
ing.
In .lune. 1805, Dr. Samuel Barclay
purchased the lot on the northwest
corner of Front and Ross streets of
.lohn HoUenback. There was no
Ross street there then. Dr. Barclay
gave a mortgage for a part of the
purchase. The mortgage was fore-
closed Oct. 10, 1807, and Major Ross
purchased the property for the third
one of his sisters, Mrs. Arianna Steu-
art. The house that Dr. Barclay had
built thereon was occupied by Major
Ross and his sisters, and when Ross
street was opened it was named Ross
street in his honor. This house was
107
for many years after Major Ross's
death the residence of judge Thomas
Farrington and is now owned and oc-
cupied by Mrs. Benj. W. I.oring.
While living in this house Miss
Nancy Ross died in July, 1817, aged
45 years, and her body is said to have
been the first one buried in the
Presbyterian burying ground in Tem-
ple street. After her death Mrs.
Steuart came from Maryland and
ilved with Major Ross and his sister.
Miss Margaretta Ross. Mrs. Steuart
was a woman of wealth and practi-
cally supported the whole family un-
til Major Ross's death in November.
1S28, at the age of 7;' years. His
body is buried in the Presbyterian
churchyard.
In February, 1829, after major
Ross's death, Mrs. Steuart sold the
Ross house to Charles Talcott. and
then removed with her sister. Mar-
garetta, to Washington.
Mrs. Steuart's only child, Arlanna
Steuart, became the wife of Gov.
Smith, of New Hampshire. It is said
that there was a fourth sister, who
became the wife of an Knglish earl.
The portrait of Major Ross accom-
panying this article is from a photo-
grai)h made by Mr. LaSon from a
water color owned by Wm. H. Ellis.
The painting was given by Major
Ross to Charles Talcott and by him
to Geo. B. Goodrich. It is not known
who the painter was, but he was an
artist of good ability, as the portrait
is a finely executed one.
108
ELEAZER DANA.
The first practising lawyer in Owe-
go was Eleazer Dana, who came here
in 1800 and who was the youngest
son of Rev. Anderson Dana, who lost
his life in the massacre of Wyoming.
Rev. Anderson Dana was a grand-
son of Richard Dana, who was born
in France April 15, 1612, and who
died at Cambridge, Mass., in 1690.
Jacob Dana, his son, who was born
in 1664, had a son also named Jacob
Dana, who was born in 1698. Rev.
Anderson Dana was a son of Jacob
Dana (2) and was born in 1733. His
wife was Susanna Huntington.
Rev. Anderson Dana was a lawyer
of handsome attainments. He removed
in 1773 from Ashford, Conn., to
Wilkes-Barre, Pa., where he became
a clergyman and was active in estab-
lishing free schools. In April, 1778,
he was elected a member to the gen-
eral assembly, which met at Hart-
ford, Conn., in May. The Wyoming
massacre was on July 3, 1778.
Mr. Dana had just returned from
his duty as a member of the Hart-
ford assembly. He mounted his horse
and rode from town to town, arous-
ing the people for the coming con-
flict. Although exempt by law from
military duty, he entered the ranks
with his neighbors and rushed into
the fray. He fell dead early in battle,
brained by an Indian's hatchet. His
son-in-law, Stephen Whiton, a young
schoolmaster from Connecticut, who
had but a few weeks previous married
Mr. Dana's daughter, also fell.^
Soon after the massacre Mrs. 'Dana.
with Mrs. Whiton, and Mrs. Dana's
seven young children, on foot and suf-
109
feriiig many hardships, returned to
her former home at Ponifret, Conn.,
after an absence of five years.
Rev. Anderson Dana had five sons.
One of them, Daniel Dana, was in
school at Lebanon, preparing to enter
Yale college, at the time of his
father's death. He afterward lived in
this state and was a judge of the
courts.
Anderson Dana, .Ir., was nine years
old at the time of the massacre. He
afterward returned to Wyoming to
take charge of his father's estate and
lived on the homestead until his
death.
Another son, Sylvester Dana, lived
at Concord, N. H.
Eleazer Dana, the youngest son,
studied law in the office of Vincent
Matthews at New Town (now El-
mira) and after his admission to the
bar, in 1800, came to Owego, where
he became distinguished in his pro-
fession.
In September, 1806, he purchased
the lot on the north side of Front
street, on which the residence of
Lewis H. Leonard now stands. This
property extended noi'th to .Main
street, which was then known as "the
back street," and contained two acres
of land. There was a barn on the
west end of the lot and a small yel-
low house, in which Mr. Dana lived
several years. His law office was in
a small building on the bank of the
river on the opposite side of the
street. Mr. Dana later built in the
place of the yellow house a large
white house, in which he lived until
his death in 1845.
Thomas I. Chatfield several years
afterward became owner of the Front
110
street part of the property. He built
the present large brick residence on
the lot, after the Dana house had
been removed to the west side of Cen-
tral avenue, where it was for several
years the large double house in the
row of old wooden buildings, a monu-
ment to the architectural taste and
thrift of Dr. James Wilson.
Mr. Dana was a leading spirit in all
" public alTairs. He was one of the in-
corporators of the old Ithaca and
Owego turnpike company in 1807, and
one of the first commissioners of pub-
lic schools in 1813. He was chosen
to succeed Capt. Luke Bates as one
of the trustees of Owego settlement
in 1813. He was the second postmas-
ter of the village, appointed April 28,
1802, and he held the office until May
11, 1816. During his incumbency the
office was kept at his law office. He
was one of the original trustees of
the Presbyterian church in 1810, and
held the office during his life. He
was the first secretary of Friendship
lodge, F. & A. M., in 1806. He was
one of the first trustees of Owego
when it was organized as a village in
1827 and was also one of the trustees
of the old academy from 1828 until
his death. He was supervisor of the
town of Owego in 1814, surrogate of
Broome county in 1806, member of
assembly in 1808-9 and district attor-
ney of Tioga county from 1823 to
1826.
In the centennial history of Tioga
county (1876) William F. Warner
says of Mr. Dana: "His tall and
commanding figure and benignant
features would have rendered him a
noticeable person in any community.
He was, above all, a just man, and his
Ill
life was marked by constant acts of
beneficience."
Eleazer Dana was born Aug. 12,
1772. In October, 1801, he married
Mary Stevens. The children of
Eleazer and Mary (Stevens) Dana
were as follows:
1. Cyrus Dana, born 30 Sept., 1805.
Married 20 Sei)t., 1827, Elizabeth Col-
lins Stockwell, who was born 1 Sei)t.,
1806, and died at Owego 27 .July, 1847.
He died 7 Dec, 1847, at Niles, Mich.
Cyrus Dana was a lawyer and was
admitted to the bar of Tioga coiintv in
1827.
2. Alexander Hamilton Dana, born
4 July, 1807. Married Augusta Rad-
cliff 27 May, 1832. He removed to
New York city, where he died 27
April, 1887.
3. Susan Huntington Dana, born 4
.July, 1807. Married Henry S. Wal-
bridge 25 Dec, 1829, and died 15 Aug.,
1834.
4. Laura Smith Dana, born 18
.July, 1810; died 14 .July, 1828.
5. Eleazer Stevens Dana, born 20
July, 1812; died 1 Jan., 1818.
6. Mary Stevens Dana, born May
10, 1814. Married Edward Radcliff 14
May, 1834. Died 9 Jan., 1841.
7. Charlotte Julia Dana, born 19
March. 1816. Married George H.
Jerome 9 July, 1847. Died 25 Aug.,
1893.
8. Helen Jane Dana, born 27 Sept.,
1817. Married William Fiske Warner
7 May, 1846. Died 31 Dec, 1885, at
Waverly, N. Y.
William F. Warner was for several
years one of the most prominent resi-
dents of Owego. He was born Jan.
18, 1819, at Hardwick, Vt, and came
to Owego in 1834 and entered William
Pumpelly's store as a clerk. He lived
with Mr. Pumpelly's family and soon
became manager of Mr. Pumpelly's
business. Later he studied law in Col.
N. W. Davis's office and was admitted
to the bar in 1843. He was for nine
112
years Col. Davis's law partner and
later a member of the law firms of
Warner, Tracy & Walker and Warner
Tracy and Catlin. Mr. Warner was a
lover of good literature, a student,
and a man of fine culture and taste.
He travelled through Evrope and
wrote entertainingly of his travels.
He was one of the most public
spirited men in Owego. He organized
the Owego gas company, of which he
was president, superintendent, and
treasurer many years. He was clerk
of the village from 1848 to 1854, and
was the first president of the village
elected direct by the people in 1854
under the new charter. He was re-
elected in 1856 and 1857.
Mr. Warner was an interested
student of the history of this country,
particularly of the Indian history of
this vicinity. In 1876 he wrote by re-
quest the centennial history of Tioga
county. This was a remarkable un-
dertaking. The time in which to ac-
complish the work was necessarily
limited, yet the work was successfully
accomplished within the time pre-
scribed. Mr. Warner was also the
leading spirit in organizing the cele-
bration of the battle of New Town
and erecting a monument in com-
memoration thereof in 1879. He died
at Waverly Nov. 7. 1890.
One of the law students in Eleazer
Dana's office was his nephew, Amasa
Dana, who afterward removed to
Ithaca and became one of the most
prominent men in Tompkins county.
He was a son of Aziel Dana, who was
a son of Rev. Anderson Dana.
When Gen. Sullivan had driven the
Indians from the Wyoming valley,
.Mrs. Anderson Dana and her children
113
returned from Connecticut to her
lonely home, near Wllkes-Barre.
There Aziel Dana married Rebecca
Cory, who had escaped the massacre,
and there Aniasa Dana was born in
1792.
In ISOij, after his father's death and
when only twelve years of age, Amasa
Dana walked from Wilkes-Barre to
Owego with his shoes hanging over
his shoulder and his bundle of shirts,
stockings, etc., over the other shoul-
der, to the home of his uncle, Eleazer
Dana. He afterward studied law in
his uncle's office. He held the office
of district attorney, first judge, and
member of assembly of Tompkins
county, and president of the village
of Ithaca. He was a member of the
26th and 28th congresses. He died at
Ithaca Dec. 24, 1S67.
Eleazer Dana died in Owego May 1,
1845. His wife died Nov. 16, 1860,
aged 82 years.
CAPT. ISAAC BARTLETT.
Among the mechanics who settled
in Owego in the early part of the
eighteenth century were Capt. Isaac
Bartlett and his sons .loseph and
Robert S. Bartlett, blacksmiths and
gunsmiths. They came from Salis-
bury, Conn. They are said to have
come in 1813.
The family in America is descended
from Robert Bartlett, who came from
England to Plymouth, Mass., in the
ship "Ann" in 1623. One of his de-
scendants, Sylvanus Bartlett, was a
soldier in the revolution, and the lat-
ter's son, also named Sylvanus, was
the father of Capt. Isaac Bartlett.
Capt. Bartlett was born at Ply-
mouth, Mass., and later lived at Salis-
114
bury. Conn., where his children were
bom. He was a blacksmith and
wagon maker, and two of his sons.
Joseph and Robert S. Bartlett, were
gunsmiths. The children were
Joseph. Alvin, Robert S., Isaac L..
William B., Charles. Eliza, Abigail,
and Jerusha Bartlett. All of the fam-
ily did not come to Owego. One of
the daughters became the wife of
James Weed, who removed to Wi-
nona, Minn., and another married
Chester J. Manning, who was land-
lord of the old Owego hotel from 1S3S
to 1S49, and who removed to Water-
loo, N. Y.
Capt. Bartletfs blacksmith and
wagon shop was on the west side of
Park street, near Main street. In
June, 1S29, Joseph Bartlett had pos-
session of the shop and tookas a work-
ing partner Benjamin X. Johnson,
whom Capt. Bartlett recommended in
an advertisement as "a gentleman re-
cently from New England of irre-
proachable character, a first-class
workman, of industrious habits."
In October, 1830. Joseph and Robert
Bartlett purchased the lot on the east
side of Lake street between the pres-
ent post office building and the new
Owego hotel, which they had occu-
pied a few years. This lot had a
front of fifty feet on Lake street and
was 115 feet deep. On the south end
of this lot was a blacksmith shop,
said to have been the oldest one in
the village, of which they had pos-
session. The same month they pur-
chased of Charles Pumpelly the lot on
the south side of Main street, on
which they built a house.
This house stood where the Central
house barn was afterward built and
115
where the new theatre is lunv Ijeiut,'
constructed. James ConkHn's wagon
shop was between this house and the
old tavern at the Lake street corner.
There was in those days plenty of
wild game in the woods, which cov-
ered much of the country, and there
was a good demand for guns, particu-
larly rifles. The barrels for the guns
were mostly imported from Germany.
The process of drilling the barrels of
a rifle by hand was a slow and tedious
one, usually taking two days. The
stocks were cut into shape with a
drawing knife, filed, polished, orna-
mented with brass or iron work, and
varnished.
.Joseph and Isaac Bartlett engaged
in the manufacture of guns. They
removed to Binghamton in 1829.
where they continued the manufac-
ture of fire arms. The engraving on
the gun barrels was done by Isaac L.
Bartlett, who was born in 1818, the
year his father and brothers came to
Owego, and to perfect him in this
work he was sent abroad l)y his
older brothers to receive instruction.
There was not a sufficient home de-
mand for all the guns manufactured
by the Bartletts, and many were sold
elsewhere. Joseph Bartlett some-
times loaded them in a stage and
drove with them to Cincinnati, Ohio,
the trip occupying several weeks'
time. There they were shipped in
boats and sent down the Ohio and
Mississippi river to New Orleans.
This was in the days when cash was
scarce and exchange of goods and
commodities the rule, and the rifles
were sometimes exchanged for west-
ern horses, which were brought to
Binghamton and converted into cash.
116
^Mien the Barlett brothers removed
to Bkighamton their father remained
in Owego and conducted the black-
smithing business until the fall of
1S33, when the Owego property was
sold, and then Capt. Isaac Bartlett
removed also to Binghamton.
The business of manufacturing
guns by hand was discontinued be-
tween 1850 and 1855, as the manufac-
ture of guns by machinery had so
greatly reduced the cost as to make
hand work unprofitable. Joseph and
Robert S. Bartlett purchased a farm
at Port Dickinson where Joseph and
Capt. Isaac Bartlett lived the rest of
their lives.
Joseph Bartlett was sheriff of
Broome county from 1844 to 1847 and
was at one time superintendent of the
southern division of the old Chenango
canal. One of his sons was Rev. \Vm.
Alvin Bartlett, who was one of the
first pastors of the Owego Congrega-
tional church. As a boy in school he
was gifted as an elocutionist. His
career as a clergyman was remarka-
ble. During his pastorate here the
old church in Park street which was
much larger than the present one,
was filled with large congregations,
particularly on Sunday evenings, to
listen to his sermons, which were
preached with rare eloquence. He
preached here from Sept., 1857, to
Aug., 1858, and then went to Brook-
lyn as pastor of the Elm Place Con-
gregational church. He was after-
ward pastor of churches in Chicago.
Indianapolis, and Washington. He
has since retired from the ministry,
and spends much of his time abroad.
Another son. Gen. Joseph J. Bart-
lett, was promoted from captain to
117
major-general in the civil war, and
was afterward United States minister
to Norway and Sweden.
Robert S. Bartlett died July 21,
1881, in Binghamton, aged 72 years.
After the clo.sing of the gunshop he
was for more than twenty-five years
a government mail agent on the Erie
railroad. Isaac L. Bartlett, who was
born at Salisbury, Conn., .June 2(»,
181."!, and who was associated with
his brothers in the gun factory, died
in Binghamton Dec. 20, 1888.
SAMUEL AVERY.
Samuel Avery from whom all the
Owego Averys were descended came
here with his family in 1803. He was
born at Groton, Conn., Oct. 17, 1731.
He purchased land in Pennsylvania
under the Connecticut title, and, like
many others, lost it.
His brother, Christopher Avery,
settled at Wyoming, Pa., as early as
1770. In 1774 Christopher Avery
was appointed one of the four agents
in behalf of the company of
settlers to attend the Hartford
(Conn.) convention. At the time of
the massacre, in 1778, although ex-
empt by law, he took post beside his
neighbors, went into the battle, and
was killed.
Samuel Avery was educated for a
lawyer and soon afterward removed
to Westminister, Vermont. In Febru-
ary, 1801, he removed with his fam-
ily to Tioga Point (Athens), Pa.
While living there, in 1802, he was
one of the committee to settle the dif-
ferences between Connecticut and
Pennsylvania land companies. Here
he purchased a large quantity of land
and began improvements, but was
118
soon brought into ligitation with
those who had purchased of the heirs
of William Penn. This was a long
and costly suit, in which Mr. Avery
was defeated, losing not only his land
but his money also. It was from this
experience that he wrote the same
year a pamphlet relating to the con-
flicting titles of Connecticut and
Pennsylvania under the title of "The
Susquehanna Controversy Examined.
Done with Truth and Candor."
The next year he removed to Owe-
go. Three years later, August 4, 1S06.
he died here and his body is buried in
the Presbyterian burying ground in
Temple street. Samuel Avery's wife
was Mary Ann Rose, who was born at
Westminister, Vt. Their children
were as follows:
1. Samuel W. Avery, born 22
.June, 1779. Married Eliza A. Wattles,
daughter of Capt. Mason Wattles, at
Owego Dec, 1806. She died 10 Sept.,
1814. He died at Nanticoke, N. Y., 7
Dec. 1828.
2. Mary Ann Avery, born 4 May,
1781. Died in Vermont, unmarried.
3. John Humphrey Avery, born 4
Nov., 1782. Died at Owego 1 Sept.,
1837. ^ ^
4. Frances Avery, born 9 Sept.,
1785. Married Charles Pumpelly, of
Owego. Died 21 Oct., 1848.
5. Susan Avery, born 31 March.
1787. Married Nathan Camp, of Owe-
go. Died 4 Aug., 1813.
6. Isabella Avery, born 24 .Tune,
1789. Married Levi Leonard, of
Ithaca. Died 20 Aug.. 1842. Mr. Leon-
ard was a man of some prominence in
Ithaca. He was president of the vil-
lage in 1831 and 1832 and was after-
ward a justice of the peace.
Samuel W. Avery lived at Owego
several years but removed to Nanti-
coke. Broome county, where he kept a
tavern. After the death of his first
119
wife (Eliza A. Wattles) lie inarii.^d
Emily C. Avery, daughter of Daniel
Avery, of Aurora, N. Y. She died
Sept. 18, 1822, at Nanticoke, aged 2'J
years.
Samuel W. and Eliza (Wattles)
Avery had a son, Samuel Mason
Avery, who was born Aug. 2.'),! 807, and
who about 1840 married his cousin,
Mary C. Richards, at Owego. She
was born in 1809 and died in is.')l.
He lived for many years at Jenks-
ville where he was postmaster twen-
ty-one years and a justice of the
peace from 1870 to 1882. He died
January 1, 1888.
The children of Samuil W. and
Emily (Avery) Avery were Eliza, who
was married to Richard Morgan, of
Aurora; Walter Oddie Avery, who
went to l.,ouisville, Ky., to live, and
Daniel Avery.
Rev. E.M. Dwight, registrar of pedi-
grees of the New York Geneological
and Biographical society, in January,
1904, compiled a record of the Avery
line of descent, showing that Samuel
Avery was a descendant of Richard
Neville (1428-1471), Earl of Salisbury
and Warwick, who is known in his-
tory as "The King Maker."
The Earl of Warwick's daughter
was Isabel Neville, of Warwick cas-
tle, who married George Plantagenet,
Duke of Clarence, who was executed
in 1478 in the Tower of London.
Her daughter was Margaret Planta-
genet, who married Sir Richard Pole.
She was beheaded by Henry VIII.
Their son was Henry Pole, Lord
Montague.
His daughter was Catherine Pole,
who married Francis Lord Hastings,
third earl of Huntington.
120
Their daughter was Catherme Has-
tings, who married Henry Clinton,
second earl of Lincoln.
Their son was Thomas Clinton,
eighth earl of Lincoln and Lord Clin-
ton.
His daughter was lady Susan Clin-
ton, who married Gen. John Humph-
rey, who in 1641 was appointed major
general of the Massachusetts Bay
colony. He lost his property and re-
turned to England.
.John Humphrey's daughter was
Ann Humphrey (or Humfrey) who
was born in England and who mar-
ried William Palmes at Salem, Mass.,
in 1642.
Their daughter was Susanna Pal-
mes, who married Capt. Samuel
Avery at Swanzy, Mass., in 1686.
Their son, Humphrey Avery, who
was the father of Samuel Avery, of
Owego, was born July 4, 1697 at Gro-
ton, Conn., and died there March 28,
1786.
JOHN H. AVERY.
The second resident lawyer to set-
tle in Owego was John H. Avery, son
of Samuel Avery. He was nineteen
years of age when he came here from
Westminister, Vt, in 1801. He studied
law in the office of Gen. Vincent Mat-
hews at New Town (now Elmira.)
Gen. Matthews was the first lawyer
of any importance in this part of the
state. He was born in Orange counly,
N. Y., in 1766. He began the study
of law in 1786 in New York city in
the office of Col. Robert Troup, the
friend of Aaron Burr. He was ad-
mitted to the bar in 1790 and came to
Elmira in 1793. He was the first law-
yer to settle there. He was a mem-
121
ber of assembly in l!JU4-r) ironi Tioga
county (then composed of the present
counties of Chemung and Tioga) a
state senator, and in 1809 was elected
to congress from the Fourteenth dis-
trict, then composed of Cayuga, Sene-
ca, Steuben, and Tioga counties. He
removed to Bath in 1816, and thence
to Rochester in 1821. He represented
Monroe county in Mic assemljjy i i
1826, and was appointed district at
torney in ISol.
In 1806 Mr. Avery purchased the
lot on the north side of Front street
(lot No. 12 in the old village i)lot), on
which in 1801) he built the large house
now owned and occupied by Dr. E. D.
Downs. This lot also included the lot
on which J. C. Kenyon's residence
now stands and extended back its full
width to Main street. On the Main
street end, occupying about one-half
of the entire lot, was the Avery or-
chard, the object of occasional preda-
tory raids of the apple-hungry small
boys of the neighborhood in thoge
days.
This property was a portion of the
lands of Elihu Chauncey Goodrich,
which were seized upon .Tuly 21, 1800,
by Wm. Woodruff, sheriff, at a suit of
Jabez Beers for a debt of $47,000 and
sold to Mr. Avery.
Mr. Avery's law office was on the
river bank on the south side of
Front street and was on land in-
cluded in the purchase. This office
was several years ago converted into
a dwelling house and still stands
there.
Mr. Avery practised law most of
the time alone, but he had various
partners. In 1813 the firm was Avery
& Collier, and in 1818 it was Avery &
122
Piatt, Wm. Piatt being then his part-
ner. He was later in partnership with
Ziba A. Leland.
Mr. Leland was a college graduate,
who came to Owego from Vermont,
where he was born, and formed the
law partnership with Mr. Avery May
1, 1820. He was appointed a justice
of the peace in April. 1S22. He re-
moved to Bath in November, 1822,
where he served two terms in the
legislature, and he also served several
years as first judge. Later in life he
removed to Auburn and thence to
Saratoga county, where he died.
Mr. Avery represented Tioga county
in the assembly in 1814. He con-
tinued the practice of law in Owego
until his death, in 1837. His wife was
Stella Hinchman, daughter of Dr.
.Joseph Hinchman, of Elmira, whose
father and grandfather were both phy-
sicians and were both named Joseph
Hinchman. At si.xteen years of age
Dr. Hinchman was a soldier in the
revolutionary army. He afterwai'd
studied medicine and removed to El-
mira in 1793-4. In February, 1795, he
was appointed sheriff of Tioga county,
which then comprised within its
limits Chemung, the present county of
Tioga, Broome, and a portion of Che-
nango. He died in July, 1802.
The children of John and Stella
(Hinchman) Avery were as follows:
1. John Humphrey Avery, bom 13
July. 1808. Died 27 July, 1831, at
Petersburg, Va.
2. Stella Hinchman Avery, born 12
Feb., 1810. Married Wm. H. C. Hos-
mer.
3. George Waitsall Avery, born 12
Feb., 1812. Died 23 Dec, 1849.
4. Susan Palmes Avery, born 2'.)
Nov.. 1813. Married Robert D. Pieron-
net, of Friendsville, Pa.
123
5. Emily Eliza Avery, born lu Oct..
1815. Married Thonia.s FarriiiKton in
1835. Died at Owct^o T, Au^., IMilt.
6. Charles Piiiniielly Avery, l)orn .'!
July, 1817. Died at Owego ol Aug..
1S72.
7. Joseph Hinchman Avery, born
29 Nov., 18iy. Died !) March, 1821.
8. Mary Anna Avery, boni Mav 1,
1822. Died at Joliet, 111., 4 .lune, 1!»()1.
9. Fannie Catherine Avery, born
25 Nov., 182:5. Died IG Oct., 1825.
10. Lesbia Piatt Avery, born 2 Oct..
1825. Married Isaac Newton Jerome.
11. Guy Hinchman Av(>ry, born ;Hi
Aug., 1829. Died in New York citv 11
May, 190:;.
None of John H. Avery's sons was
married.
William H. C. Hosmer in tarly lite
enjoyed considerable celebrity as a
poet and was known in literature as
"The Bard of Avon." He was born
May 25. 1814, at Avon, N. Y. His
father, George Hosmer, w^s one of the
most prominent lawyers in the state,
and Proctor's "The Bench and the
Bar of New York" devotes sixteen
pages to his history. Geo. Hosmer
practised law at Canajoharie and af-
terward at Avon. His wife was a
woman of rare accomplishments,
spoke several Indian dialects, and was
deeply interested in the history and
traditions of the red men.
Wm.H.C. Hosmer was also a student
of Indian lore and travelled extensively
among the tribes of Florida and Min-
nesota. He was a lawyer. His first
poem was "Yonnondio, or the War-
riors of the Genesee," an Indian tale
in seven cantos, published in 1844.
His poems were published in 1854 in
two volumes. He held a position in
the New York custom house several
years. He died at Avon May 23, 1877.
Isaac Newton Jerome was princijtal
of the Owego academy from 1844 to
124
1847. He came here from Pompey
Hill, Onondaga county, X. Y.
Thomas Farrington was bom Feb.
12, 1799, at Delhi, X. Y. At the age of
thirteen years he acted as orderly on
the staff of his father. Gen. Putnam
Farrington, who was a colonel in the
United States service in the war of
1812. At the age of 22 he was prin-
cipal of the Delhi academy. He was
graduated from Yale college in 1826.
studied law, and began practice in
Owego in 1828. He was a trustee of
the Owego academy from 1829 until it
was incorporated in the union free
schools of the village. He represnted
Tioga county in the assembly in 1833
and 1840, and was surrogate from
1835 to 1840. He was appointed State
Treasurer in February, 1842, and
served until 1845. In January, 1845,
he was appointed Adjutant-General by
Gov. Wright and served until 1846.
In February, 1846, he was again ap-
pointed State Treasurer and held the
office until Xovember, 1847. He was
judge of Tioga county from 1859 to
1871. He died in Owego Dec. 2, 1872.
Charles P. Avery, born at Owego,
studied law in judge Farrington's of-
fice. At thirty yearsofage he was elec-
ted judge of Tioga county, and he was
the first county judge elected under the
constitution of 1846. making the office
elective. He held the office two terms
from 1847 to 1855. He was greatly in-
terested in Indian history and wrote
the Susquehanna Valley papers, which
were published in the St. Xicholas
magazine in 1853 and 1854. He
gleaned his information from early
settlers and was the means of pre-
serving much valuable matter relat-
ing to the early history of Tioga
125
county that, would have l)een other-
wise lost. He organized an associa-
tion of the i)ioneers of the Susque-
hanna valley, which in 1851' and a
few subsequent years held annual
meetings at Elniira, Owego, Bingham-
ton, Ithaca, Montrose, Pa., and other
places. He later removed to Flint,
Mich. While living there his interest
in Indian history continued, and in
June, 18();>, under the title of "Treaty
of Saginaw" he wrote a history of
various Indian tribes for the Detroit
Free Press. His health became im-
paired by the climate of Michigan,
and in the spring of 1872 he returned
to Owego, where he died Aug. ol,
1872, aged 54 years. In the centennial
history of Tioga county Wni. F. War-
ner pays this handsome tribute to
Judge Avery:
"Few men of the county have been
gifted by nature with qualities so
genial and brilliant as those of judge
Avery. Having a fine, manly person
and an exceedingly pleasing and win-
ning address, he was a general favor-
ite. Nor have many started in life
with such brilliant prosi)ects of suc-
cess and long and useful life. His
sudden failure of health and prema-
ture death were felt as a calamity to
a large circle of warm friends. He
will long be remembered for his ex-
cellent qualities and useful labors."
John H. Avery died in Owego Sept.
1, 1837, aged 54 years. His wife died
Dec. 15, 1871, aged 83 years.
126
ELIZUR TALCOTT.
Elizur Talcott, a son of Col. Elizur
Talcott, was born at Glastenbury,
Conn., Dec. 17, 1750, and came to
Owego with his family in 1803. He
was a direct descendant of John Tal-
cott (the first of the name of whom
there is any record), who lived at
Colchester, England, and died there
in November, 1606. His grandson,
also named John Talcott, came to
America from Braintree, England, in
June, 1632, and settled at Hartford,
Conn. All the Talcotts in America
are his descendants.
Col. Elizur Talcott was a man of
wealth and note in Connecticut. He
was one of the purchasers of lands in
Pennslyvania under the Connecticut
title and lost his investment. He held
a commission as colonel of a troop of
horse previous to and during the war
of the revolution, and served with the
Connecticut forces on Long Island in
command of his troop. He was in
New York city while the British army
was marching in. and thence was
taken home ill on a litter, and did not
again join the continental army.
His son, Elizur Talcott, came with
his sons, George Lord Talcott, then
aged 18 years, and Elizur Talcott, Jr.,
aged 22 years, In 1802 to Elmira,
where they were employed in build-
ing a dwelling house. The next year
they came to Owego. In 1803, he pur-
chased of Jared Goodrich of Glasten-
bury, Conn., two pieces of land in Owe-
go, one containing fifty acres and the
other 67 acres. The western bound-
ary of this land was the Owego creek.
The eastern boundary was a line
which passed diagonally across North
avenue and ran about parallel with
127
McMaster street. The south bound-
ary was a little below Fox street and
the north boundary was near whfre
George street now runs. This laud
had been sold for $2,500 June 28, 1902,
by Capt. Luke Bates to .Jared Good-
rich, who sold it for the same amount
to Mr. Talcott Jan. 81. 190:',. hi Sept.,
1S05, Mr. Talcott sold the. northern
part of this farm to his son, George
Lord Talcott.
Elizur Talcott lived in a large
frame house, which stood on the east
side of McMaster street, midway be-
tween Fox street and the Erie rail-
road. It was similar to all the large
farm houses of that time, with a wide
hall extending from front to rear in
the middle. Geo. Lord Talcott's
house was at the southeast corner of
Talcott street and the Lehigh Valley
railroad. It was occupied after his
death by his son, George Talcott, and
after George Talcott's death it be-
came the property of Wm.H. Thomas,
who reconstructed it and lives in it
now.
The Talcotts were farmers all their
lives. The land they purchased had
been partly cleared by the Indians,
but most of the land from the Owego
creek east was at that time a forest
wilderness of lofty i)ines, gigantic
oaks, and a dense undergrowth of
bushes.
Elizur Talcott took little part in
public affairs, but in April, 1825, when
the legislature passed an act consti-
tuting a commission to build a county
clerk's office in Owego, he was ap-
pointed one of the commissioners.
Mr. Talcott died Nov. 28, 1831. His
wife, Dorothy (Lord) Talcott. died
April 14, 1839, aged 86 years. The
128
children of Elizur and Dorothy (Lord>
Talcott were as follows:
1. Lucy Talcott. born 26 Dec,
1777. Married George Burton. Died
29 Oct., 1S5S.
2. Elizur Talcott. .Jr.. born Feb. 1.
1780. Married Betsy Bliss March 1,
1803. Died 27 Jan., 1867. at the home
of his son. Wm. H. Talcott, near
Flemingville.
3. Prudence Talcott, bom 4 Nov..
1781. Married David Lord, died 15
.Jan.. 1S36.
4. George Lord Talcott, born 3
Jan., 1784. Married Sarah McQuigg,
daughter of John McQuigg. one of the
first settlers at Owego. Died Xov. 30,
1873.
5. Hope Talcott, born 10 May.
1785. Married Erastus Goodrich 27
Feb.. 1812. Died 13 Feb., 1865.
6. Dolly Talcott bom 23 April,
17S9. Married Jesse Truesdell 15
March. 1812. Died 17 April. 1856.
7. Solomon Talcott bom 10 Aug.,
1790. Died 18 Nov.. 1795.
8. Charles Talcott, bom 11 March,
1795. Died 28, Oct., 1861.
Charles Talcott, the youngest son
of Elizur Talcott, was for many years
a prominent Owego merchant. He
was born at Glastenbury, and came to
Owego in 1803, the year following the
removal of his father and brothers
from Connecticut. He was then 18
years of age. He entered Major
Horatio Ross's store as a clerk, where
he remained until 1816, when he be-
gan a general mercantile business on
his own account in Cauldwell Row,
near the northeast comer of Front
and Lake streets. About the year 1818
he sold his store to David Turner and
built a two-story wooden store, which
was for many years known as "the
yellow store." it being painted yellow.
This store stood on the south side of
Front street where Dr. J. B. Stan-
brough's stove store now stands, op-
/
129
posite the Ahwaga house. This store
was burned in the great fire of Sep-
tember, 1849.
In May, 1831, George B. Goodrich, a
nephew of Mr. Talcott, entered the
old yellow store as a clerk, and in
1837 he became Mr. Talcott's partner.
The firm was Itnown as G. B. Good-
rich & Co. After the fire they built
the building now occupied by T)r.
Stanbrough on the site of the old yel-
low store, but did not occu))y it.
They sold it to Walter Ogden in 1851
and bouglit a store which the Odd
Follows had just built. This store is
the first one east of I^ake street, and
is still occupied by the firm of Good-
rich & Co. as a dry goods store. Mr.
Talcott died Oct. 30, 1861.
Mr. (Goodrich was born Dec. 1, 1816,
in the town of Tioga, and was a son
of Erastus Goodrich, who represented
Tioga county in the assembly in 1848.
In 1864 his son-in-law, William H.
Ellis, and his son, .lames W. Goodrich,
were admitted to the partnership,
which is still in existence and is the
oldest business house in Owego. Mr.
Goodrich was for several years a di-
rector of the First and Tioga national
banks and was president of the Owe-
go national bank from its establish-
ment until his death. He died Janu-
ary 8. 1886.
The children of George Lord and
Sarah (McQuigg) Talcott were as fol-
lows:
1. Mary Talcott, born 24, Feb.,
1807. Died in Owego 19, Sept.. 1882.
2. George Talcott, born April 21.
1809. Died in Owego 5 June, 1896.
3. Hope M. Talcott, born Sept. 12,
1811. Married Charles Ransom, 2
Oct., 1832. Died 1 May, 1863.
130
4. Fanny B. Talcott, bom 14 Feb..
1S14. Married John J. Sackett, G
Sept., 1S36. Died 7 Dec, 1S63.
5. Sarah C. Talcott, born March (3.
1816. Married Geo. B. Goodrich. She
is still living in Owego.
6. Lucius L. Talcott, born 19 June,
1819. Married Ellen Xoyes in May,
1847. He married second Harriet
Noyes. 5 Oct., 18-54, sister of his first
wife. In early life he was a clerk in
the store of his uncle, Chas. Talcott.
In 1S49 he went with a party of Owe-
go men to California and thence to
Olvmpia, Wash., where he died 20
July, 1S98.
7. Charles Talcott, born 6 Jan..
1822. Married Eliza A. Raymond, 17
Aug., 1863. Died 13 Dec, 1865.
8. Charlotte Talcott, born 20 July,
1824. Married Thomas H. Cook 10
June. 1851. Died at Spencer, X. Y., 2
March. 1879.
George Lord Talcott died in Owego
Nov. 30, 1873. His wife died June 1.5,
1842.
GEN. JOHN LANING.
Gen. John Laning, one of the early
merchants of Owego, was born at
Lambertsville, N. J., in October, 1779.
His father at one time kept a ferry at
Washington's Crossing, New Jersey.
He is supposed to have come to Owe-
go in ISOl, as in August of that year
he entered Thomas Duane's store as
a clerk. In 1803 he began a general
mercantile business on his own ac-
count.
He was a young man of unusual
force and business ability. He was
the first Owego merchant who made
a contract for plaster in the Cayuga
lake country, and he increased to
such an extent that he is said to have
had as many as five hundred teams
on the road at one time drawing plas-
ter from Ithaca to Owego. In 1806
he was also a i)artner of David Mc-
131
Qiiigg, the first Ithaca merchant, in
business at Ithaca under the firm
name of Laning & Quigg.
Mr. lianing had a large storehouse
on the bank of the Sus(iuelianna
river, which stood on the ground
where Truman & Jones's feed store
now is, the fourth store above the
bridge. From this storehouse plaster
was loaded into arks in the water be-
low in the rear for sliipment down
the river. There was no railroad in
these parts and an immense trade was
done in shipping plaster, salt, and
lumber by the Susquehanna river to
the Philadelphia and Baltimore mar-
ket.
About the year 1803 Gen. leaning
formed a partnership in the lumber
manufacturing business with Guy
Maxwell, of New Town (now Elmira).
under the firm name of Maxwell &
Laning. They purchased considera-
ble land on the east side of the Owe-
go creek, northwest of this village,
and engaged in the manufacture of
lumber. This partnership continued
until the spring of 1811 when Mr.
Maxwell sold his interest in the real
estate to Gen. Laning, together with
the sawmill thereon.
Mr. Maxwell was a son of Alexan-
der Maxwell, of Claverack, England.
In June, 1770, Alexander Maxwell and
his wife embarked from a Scottish
port for America, but were ship-
wrecked in the Irish channel and
landed on the coast of Ireland, where
Guy Maxwell was born July 15, 177n.
He was two years of age when he
came to Virginia with his parents,
who settled at Martinsburg. He was
apprenticed to the mercantile trade
(as was the custom -in those days) at
132
Pittsburgh, Pa., his term of appren-
ticeship expiring in Jul}-, 1788. In
company with Samuel Hopkins he
opened a store at Tioga Point
(Athens) in the following September
and sold goods in a store building
owned by Matthias HoUenback. In
August, 1796 he removed to New
Town (Elmira), where he had bought
one hundred acres of land in what is
now the most valuable business part
of that city.
In 1790 he acted as secretary to
Col. Timothy Pickering, the principal
negotiator on the part of the govern-
ment when Red Jacket, Cornplanter.
BigTree,and about 1,200 other Indians
were gathered at New Town in No-
vember, 1790, for the purpose of hold-
ing a treaty with the United States.
He was appointed sheriff of Tioga
county by Gov. Clinton and served
from February, 1800 to January. 1801.
He built the first flouring mill at New
Town. He died February 14. 1814.
Guy Maxwell was the father of
"William Maxwell, of Elmira, who was
district attorney and surrogate of
Tioga county, and of Thomas Max-
well, who was clerk of Tioga county
and afterward postmaster of Elmira.
Thomas Maxwell was the father of
Mrs. Abram H. Miller, of Spencer,
later of Owego.
Mr. Laning's store was in a room
that was afterward the barroom of
the old Franklin house, which stood
on the north side of Front street, east
of Court street. This store stood
where the third brick store east of
Court street now stands. Gen. Lan-
ing bought the property in February.
1804. The lot was just one-fourth of
133 /
the present square bounded by Front.
Lake, Main, and Court streets.
Gen. Laning was only forty-one
years old when he met with his death
by accident. February 12, 1820, he
fell through a trap door in his store-
house to the cellar below and was
killed.
Among Gen. Laning's clerks were
Jonathan Piatt, Benjamin Durham,
and Asa H. Truman, all of whom
afterward became successful mer-
chants.
The old storehouse was torn down
about 1835 by Gen. Laning's widow,
who erected a store on its site for her
son, Matthias H. Laning. This store
was afterward occupied by Rayns-
ford, Drake & Co., and later by John
Bassett, who in February, 1839, set it
on fire for the purpose of defrauding
an insurance company, and who,
when he was about to be arrested for
the crime committed suicide by cut-
ting his throat with a razor.
Gen. Laning derived his military
title from his service in the state
militia. In 1811 he was adjutant in
the regiment of which Gen. Oliver
Huntington was the colonel com-
mandant. In 1817 he was colonel of
the 53d regiment of infantry. In 1819
he was promoted to brigadier-general
of the 41st brigade of infantry and
held this commission at the time of
his death.
Mrs. Laning was Mary Ann Hollen-
back, daughter of Matthias Hollen-
back, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa. After her
husband's death she continued to live
in a large white house which stood on
the north side of Main street, nearly
opposite Park street, and there she
died March 1, 1854, aged 71 years.
134
The children of Gen. John and
Mary Ann (Hollenback) Laning were
as follows:
1. Augustus C. Laning. who re-
moved to Wilkes-Barre. Pa.
2. Mathias H. Laning. who re-
moved in 1S35 to Wysox, Pa., where
he kept a store and built a large sec-
tion of the North Branch canal. He
died there 3 May. 1890.
3. Mary Ann Laning. who married
John S. Rosette, of Philadelphia.
4. Sarah Laning, who was the first
wife of Dr. Ezekiel B. Phelps and who
died at Owego 3 Nov.. 1842.
5. Ellen H. Laning. who married
Mr. Bicking.
6. Emily G. Laning, who married
John J. Taylor in 1S37 and died in
Owego 25 Nov., 1879.
7. John C. Laning, who lived at
Owego and died here 18 May, 1897.
Mr. Bicking and Mr. Rosette were
business partners and conducted a
wholesale dry goods store in Phila-
delphia.
John J. Taylor was one of the
ablest lawyers of his time in Owego.
He was born April 27, 1808, at Leo-
minster, Mass.. and was graduated
from Harvard university in 1829. He
studied law in Troy, N. Y., and came
to Owego in 1834, where he soon
ranked as one of the ablest lawyers
in southern New York. He was dis-
trict attorney of Tioga county from
1841 to 1843. In 1846 he represented
Tioga county in the constutional con-
vention, and was also a supreme
court commissioner. He was a mem-
ber of the 27th congress in 1852-4,
where he gained some distinction as
a speaker, particularly on account of
his speech on the Kansas-Nebraska
bill. In 1858 he was the Democratic
candidate for lieutenant-governor of
this state on the ticket with judge
135
Amasa J.Parker for governor. He was
prominent in securing the construc-
tion of the Southern Central railroad
from Owego to Auburn, and was one
of the original directors of the road
and vice-president. In September,
1869, he was chosen president, and
was re-elected several times there-
after. He was also ])re'sident of the
the old National Union Bank of Owe-
go. He died at Owego July 1, 1S92.
JOHN PUMPELLY.
John Puni])elly, the father ofJames,
Charles, Williaiii, and Harmon Pum-
pelly, all of whom became distin-
guished citizens of Owego, was born
in 1727.
The name Pumpelly, is of Italian
origin, and at different periods it has
been spelled Pompili, Pompilli, Pum-
pilly, Pom])ilie, Pumpely. and in va-
rious other ways. The name is said
to be a corrupted form of the name
Pompilie, or Pompilly, which are
French forms of the very ancient sur-
name of Pompili, and the last way of
spelling the name is found in the ar-
chives of the city of Spoletto, near
Rome, one Signor Pompili having dis-
tinguished himself in the defence of
one of the gates of Spoletto when Fred-
erick Barbarossa laid seige to that
city. The traditions of the American
branch state that the family came
from Avignon, Prance, and becoming
Protestants emigrated to the French
kingdom and afterward fled to Cana-
da.
Jean Pompilie, the French Hugue-
not, who emigrated to Canada, had a
son, John Pompily, who came from
Canada to Massachusetts in the early
part of 1700. He is said to have run
136
away with and married a Miss Mim-
roe. a young girl with some fortune
and much beauty, who after his death
married a clergyman named Glover.
His only son. John Pumpely (so he
himself wrote the name), the subject
of this sketch, was born in 1727. one
month after the death of his father.
He was brought up in the household
of Mr. Glover, and at the age of
eleven or twelve years ran away and
enlisted as a drummer in Capt. John
Loring's company of the king's ser-
vice. He served through the whole
French and Indian war as a member
of Capt. Rogers's rangers and was
promoted as sergeant for distin-
guished bravery while bearer of dis-
patches for the relief of Fort William
Henry, carrying the dispatches safely
through a country infested with hos-
tile Indians. The last few miles of
this dangerous expedition were made
in a dead run, chased by three In-
dian warriors. It is said that he
.stood near Gen. -^Volfe when Wolfe
was mortally wounded at Quebec and
that he himself was wounded at the
same time. He also served as a revo-
lutionary soldier and was commissary
to Gen. Israel Putnam at the time of
Burgoyne's surrender, and traditon
says that he was the means of saving
the life of that distinguished officer
when Putnam fell into a lake during
a skirmish.
John Pumpelly was twice married.
His first wife was Eppen Hillebrantz
Meijer (called in this country Appy
Meyers,) a young woman of Dutch
descent, whom he married in 1759 at
Halifax, Xovia Scotia, while he was
in the army. She died in 1809. aged
63 years.
137
The five sons and two daughters of
John and Eppen (Meijer) Pumpelly
were as follows:
1. Bennet Pumpelly, born HJ June,
1761. Married Mary Irish in the town
of Turner, Maine, 23 March, 1815.
2. Betsy Pumpelly, born 13 Sept.,
1763.
3.' Ai)i)y Pumpelly, born 20 Dec,
1764. Married Daniel Merrill, Jr., in
1821.
4. John Pumpellv, l)orn 8 Jan.,
1767.
i). Ruel Pumpellv, bom 16 Feb.,
1769.
6. Barnard Pumpelly, born 4 May,
1770. He was killed in St. Clair's de-
feat.
7. Capt. Samuel Pumpelly, born
10 Sept., 1773. He was married twice.
His first wife died 19 Dec, 1S20. He
married second, Hannah Doten, widow
of Holmes Doten, and daughter of
John Bess, of Paris, Maine. He died
10 Nov., 1819.
Bennet Pumi)elly served in the con-
tinental army during the revolution
and was a personal friend of Lafay-
ette, who when in Boston, in 1824, sent
a special invitation to Mr. Pumpelly
to visit him. He was a sergeant ma-
jor in Col. Weissenfield's regiment,
and served through the whole war.
John Pumpelly lived first at Pem-
broke, Mass., and afterward at Salis-
bury, Conn. His second wife was
Hannah Bushnell, daughter of Capt.
Samuel Bushnell, of Salisbury, Conn.
The children of John and Hannah
(Bushnell) Pumpelly were as follows:
1. James Pumpelly, born 20 Dec,
1775, at Salisbury, Conn. Married
Mrs. Mary (Pixley) Tinkham, widow
of Dr. Samuel Tinkham, of Owego,
7 April, 1805. He died at Owego
4 Oct., 1845, and she 4 June, 1848.
2. Jerusha Pumpelly, born in the
state of New York in 1778. Died 22
Nov., 1793, at Salisbury, Conn.
138
3. Charles Pumpelly, bom IS Dec,
1779, at Salisbury, Conn. Married
Frances Avery, daughter of Samuel
Avery, of Owego, 2 Sept., 1803. He
died at Owego 6 Jan., 1S55, and she 21
Oct., 1848.
4. Maria Pumpelly, bom 14 — ,
1785, at Salisbury. Conn. Married
Abner Beers. She died at Owego 3
Dec. 1858.
5. Mary Pumpelly, born 23 Nov..
1786, at Salisbury, Conn.
6. William Pumpelly, born 17 June.
1788, at Salisbury, Conn. Married
Sarah Emily Tinkham, daughter of
Dr. Samuel Tinkham. in June, 1S14.
She died 31 March. 1822. His second
wife v.as Mary H. Welles, daughter of
George Welles, of Athens, Pa., whom
he married 20 Oct.. 1S24. He died at
Owego 16 Nov.. 1876. and she in Paris,
France 14 Dec, 1879.
7. Harriet Pumpelly. bom 10 Nov..
1791, at Salisbury, Conn. Married
David McQuigg. who was a son of
Capt John McQuigg, one of the earli-
est settlers at Owego. He was one of
the earliest merchants at Ithaca.
8. Harmon Pumi)elly, born 1 Aug..
1795, at Salisbury, Conn. His first
wife was Delphine Drake, daughter of
judge John R. Drake, of Owego. His
second wife was Maria Brinkerhoff,
daughtf^r of Peter Brinkerhoff. of Al-
bany. X. Y.. whom he married in 1S41.
He died 29 Sept., 1882, at Albany, and
.she 22 April, 1887.
John Pumpelly, with his second
wife and five of their children came
from Salisbury in May, 1802 to the
state of New York. They crossed the
Hudson river at Catskill and came
thence through a wild country, with
now and then a clearing, to Owego.
The settlement here then was small,
composed of a few unpainted frame
houses, with occasionally a log one.
and mostly scattered along on each
side of the then crooked highway,
which is at present known as Front
139
street. What is now the village was
then covered with woods.
William Pumpelly, who was l)ut
thirteen years old at that time, in-
formed the writer a few years before
his death that when the i)arty turned
from Front street into the road which
extended north and ran about where
Lake street is now they passed
through pine woods, the trees in
which were of such great size that in
his youthful imagination they seamed
to touch the sky. The family pro-
ceeded on their way north to their
destination, then known as Beers's
settlement, in the town of Danby,
Tompkins county. At that time the
only house where Ithaca now stands
was a log hut, hardly suitable for a
pig pen,
John Pumpelly lived at Beers's set-
tlement in the old house, which is
still standing, until his death on July
11, 1819, aged 92 years. His wife.
Hannah Pumpelly, after his death
came to Owego to live and at her
death on Dec. 31, 1S32, his body was
brought to Owego. Their remains are
interred in the Presbyterian burying
ground in Temple street. A portrait
of John Pumpelly is in the possession
of the Albany branch of the family.
140
ABNER BEERS.
Abner Beers, who married John
Pumpelly's daughter, Maria, was born
at Stratford, Conn.. Dec. 7, 1777. He
was a descendant of James Beers,
who lived in Gravesend, Kent. Eng-
land, where James's brother, Richard,
also resided. James was a mariner
and died in 1635. He had two sons,
James and Anthony, who in that year
came with their uncle, Richard Beers,
to Watertown, Mass., where Richard
was a representative to the general
court thirteen years and a captain in
the military service. He was mor-
tally wounded in King Philip's war at
Westfield, Mass., and died Sept. 4,
1675.
Anthony Beers, son of James, of
Kent, removed from Watertown to
Fairfield, Conn., in 1659. He was lost
at sea in 1676. He had nine children,
of whom Barnabas, the youngest, was
born Sept. 6, 1658. Barnabas also had
nine children, of whom the youngest
Abner Beers (1) was born Dec. 6,
1736. He married Hannah Beardslee
Oct. 6, 1761. They had eight chil-
dren, of whom Abner Beers (2), the
youngest, was born Dec. 7, 1779.
Three brothers of Abner Beers (2),
Nathan, Jabez, and Rev. Lewis Beers,
M. D., came from Stratford, Conn.,
and settled at Beers's settlement
(now Danby), in Tompkins county,
in 1797. Abner Beers (2) came there
later, in 1804, and in 1806 he opened
a store in a log house. When the
brothers had become fairly settled
they brought their father, Abner
Beers (1) and their mother from
Stratford to Beers's settlement, they
later removing to a farm in the to^n
of Spencer, in Tioga county, where he
141
was living in July, 1808, when he
made his will. He died Jan. 3, 1816,
and she April 10, 1817.
When Dr. Lewis Beers, who had
been a practising ])liysician at Strat-
ford, came to Tompkins county he
bought two hundred acres of land and
his brothers bought one hundred acres
each adjoiuuig. Dr. Beers added by
other purchases until he was one of
the largest land owners in the county.
He was the first ])Ostmaster and the
first justice of the peace in the town
of Danby, receiving his apjjointment
in 1807 from Gov. Tompkins. He was
later appointed judge of the court of
common pleas. He was the first and
only president of the Owego and Ith-
aca turnpike company from 1812 to
1841. He was a physician, farmer,
minister of the gospel, and merchant.
He was 81 years of age at the time of
his death in 1849.
Jabez Beers was a justice of the
peace and succeeded his brother as
judge. He was a member of assembly
in 1812-1813. He was a carpenter and
erected the first frame building at
Ithaca.
About the year 1812 Abner Beers
(2) kept a tavern five or six miles
this side of Ithaca. Later he removed
to the town of Candor, where he en-
gaged in farming and lumbering. He
came to 'Owego to live in 1818. He
lived on the south side of Front
street, west of McMaster street. His
house was on the lot now owned
by Mrs. Eliza J. Pride and stood about
twenty feet back of the well which
supplied the family with water and
which well is still in use and is near
the sidewalk.
142
Mr. Beers was a carpenter and
builder. He built the first Tioga county
clerk's office in 1S25 and the old
Owego academy in Court street in
1827. The next year he also built the
first bridge across the Susquehanna
river at the foot of Court street from
the plans of Ephraim Leach, and he
died the same year.
His children were Harmon, Eli,
David, Mary, Abner, Charles. Frances,
and John James Beers.
Dr. Eli Beers was a physician at
Dan by.
Col. Abner Beers was born June 24,
1S12, at Beers's settlement. In 1S46
he went to Yazoo, Mississippi, where
for many years he was a planter. He
came to Owego in 1873 and died here
May 30, 1881.
David, Charles, and John James
Beers lived at Owego. Charles Beers
was born June 4, 1819, in this village
and lived here all his life. He was en-
gaged in the livery business and farm-
ing several years. His livery barn
was on the east side of Lake street
where the post office now stands and
was burned in 1872. He died Dec. 29.
1891.
John James Beers was a farmer and
lived on the farm which after his
death became the property of E. H.
House on the north side of the Hunt-
ington creek and west of the old
Owego and Ithaca turnpike. He died
May 2, 1880.
David Beers was for many years a
merchant at Owego. He was born
April 20, 1809, at Beers's settlement.
In 1820, two years after his coming to
Owego, when he was only twelve
years of age, he began business on his
143
own account by permission of his
father.
His first speculation was the pur-
chase of shad of the river fishermen.
At that period there were no dams
•in the Susquehanna to prevent shad
from coming u)) the stream in the
spring, and the fish were taken here
in large quantities during the shad
season. He purchased shad of the
net-owners and went every other day
to Ithaca with a load of these fish,
finding a ready sale for them at the
many taverns on the road and in
Ithaca.
With the proceeds of these sales
Mr. Beers was enabled to begin busi-
ness in a small way as a grocer in one
of the stores in Cauldwell row, on the
north side of Front street, a little
east of Lake street.
His first stock of goods was bought
for him in New York by William Pum-
pelly, who forwarded them with his
own goods to Catskill, whence they
were brought by teams to Owego. Af-
ter a time he removed to the south
side of Front street, adjoining judge
Drake's store. Later he went to Apa-
lachin, which was at that time an im-
portant lumbering point, where he
built a store and conducted a general
mercantile business two years. His
goods, which he then received by the
way of Ithaca, he sold in exchange for
long shingles, which h^ shipped down
the river in arks to market. He sold
his store and stock of goods to Aaron
Steele and returned to Owego.
John Kinney, a tailor, owned a
house and lot on the west side of
Lake street, the same lot on wiiich
M. A. Lynch's saloon now stands. :Mr.
Beers bought the property and opened
144
a meat market. He subsequently cou-
verted the lower part of his house in-
to a store, whe're in company with
his brother-in-law, Albert R. Thomas,
he conducted a general country store
until the building was burned in the
great fire of 1849. He immediately
rebuilt. Two years later he pur-
chased Mr. Thomas's interest in the
store and continued the business
alone until September. 1866, when he
sold the property to Martin Ashley.
A short time previous to the fire of
1849 the general country stores grad-
ually discontinued the sale of many
articles of merchandise such as are
now found only in crockery, hard-
ware, and grocery stores, but Mr.
Beers continued to keep the stock of
a general country store the same as
during the early mercantile days of
Owego, until he retired from business.
He removed to Brooklyn, where he
died Dec. 27, 1890, at the home of his
daughter, Mrs. Charles O. Anderson.
Abner Beers (2) died at Owego
Sept 7, 1828.
THE
EVV Yq
t909
JAMES PUMPELLY.
145
JAMES PUMPELLY.
James Pumpelly, the eldest son of
John Pumpelly, was one of the most
progressive men that ever lived in
Owego. He was a self-made man.
His enterprise and public spirit were
manifested when the village was at
its formative period, and it is largely
due to him that its advancement was
so rapid. He was foremost by reason
of his wealth in every public enter-
prise. He was a leading spirit in es-
tablishing turnpikes, in building the
old Ithaca and Owego railroad, in
building the first steamboat on the
Susquehanna river built for commer-
cial pur])oses, and in preparing the
way for the construction of the New
York & Erie railroad to Owego. At
the convention at Owego Dec. 20 and
21, 1831, of the people from all along
the line, representing fifteen or six-
teen counties, to advocate the applica-
tion to the legislature for a charter
for a railroad from New York to Lake
Erie, he was one of the vice-presi-
dents.
When the Pumpelly family came to
Beers's settlement from Connecticut
in 1802 James Pumi)elly was
28 years old. He rode the entire dis-
tance on horseback. He was a sur-
veyor, as was also his father. The
family was not in prosperous circum-
stances. There was an old story that
when James Pumpelly came to Owego
to engage in surveying he had only
fifty cents in his possession, with
which he purchased a hatchet to cut
away the brush while surveying in the
woods. This story was not exactly
correct, but it had some foundation
in truth.
146
One of Air. Pumpelly's early ac-
quaintances was Zelotes Robinson,
who lived within twenty miles of
Salisbury, and they knew each other
before coming to Owego. Mr. Robin-
son for five years from 1818 con-
ducted Mr. Pumpelly's saw and grist
mills at Jenksville, and for five years
afterward he conducted one of Mr.
Pumpelly's farms. It was while thus
engaged that Mr. Pumpelly told Mr.
Robinson how he came to Owego with
a party of surveyors, having obtained
a job of surveying, and all the money
he had was five New England shil-
lings. While sitting with an impe-
cunious friend on the bank of the
river, near where the Court street
bridge now is, Mr. Pumpelly divided
the five shillings equally with this
friend.
Mr. Pumpelly began his work here
with a surveying party an an axe-
man. One of the party was the father
of Gov. Hawley, of Connecticut. Mr.
Pumpelly later became agent for the
owners of large tracts of land in the
"Twelve Townships," and with the
aid of his brothers, William and Har-
mon Pumpelly, he surveyed that im-
mense territory. He was agent for
lands on both sides of the Owego
creek its entire length, and estab-
lished a land office in Owego. He
imrchased lands in large tracts on his
own account and sold portions of
them from time to time at a hand-
some profit. As is usually the case,
many purchasers failed to make their
payments in full and forfeited what
they had already paid, allowing the
land to go back into Mr. Pumpelly's
possession, to be sold again.
147
Mr. Punipolly and .Joshua Ferris, of
Spencer, surveyed the several sec-
tions known as Watkins & Flint's
purchase. This land com])rised about
oGo.OOO acres, including the present
towns of Candor and Spencer. A de-
scription of this tract may be found
on i)age 26 of Gay's "Ilistorical Gaz-
eteer of Tioga County," published in
1888.
Mr. Pumjielly's real estate trans-
actions were extensive, and he soon
became the largest land owner in this
part of the state.
On the north side of Front street,
opposite Dr. Samuel Tinkham's house,
was Dr. Tinkham's office. This office
was after Dr. Tinkham's death occu-
pied by James Pumpelly as a land of-
fice and it remained there until No-
vember, 1880, when it was removed to
the east side of Academy street and
converted into a small dwelling.
Mr. Pumpelly married the widow of
Dr. Samuel Tinkham Ai)ril 7, ISOS,
six months after Dr. Tinkham's death.
She was the daughter of Col. David
Pixley, who died in August, 1807, leav-
ing much real estate. The i)roperty
of both Dr. Tinkham and Col. Pixley
naturally came under control of Mr.
Pumpelly.
Dr. Tinkham was living at the time
of his death in the house built by
James McMaster on the south side of
Front street, east of Academy street,
on the lot where M. A. Lynch's house
is now. There is a well on this lot.
The house stood on the west side of
the well and a carriage house on the
east side. After his marriage Mr.
Pumpelly moved into the house and
lived there until 1829, when he btiilt
us
the large bi'ick house which stands
at the northeast corner of Front and
Chapel (now Academy) streets.
The lot on which this house stands
then comprised all the land west of
the lot on which Mrs. A. Chase
Thompson's residence stands and was
bounded by Front, Chapel, and Main
streets. WTien this house was built it
was the largest and most expensive
one anywhere in this part of the coun-
try and created widespread comment.
It was predicted by the knowing ones
that the investment of so much money
in a house would ultimately cause
the financial ruin of the owner.
Mr. Pumpelly moved into the house
when it was completed and lived
there until his death on Oct. 4, 1845.
At the time of his death he was the
largest land owner and wealthiest
man in Owego. His wife survived him
nearly three years, dying June 4, 184S.
"\Miile living in the McMaster house
Mr. Pumpelly is said to have reared
his own children and those of Dr.
Tinkhamwith strict impartiality. Two
of his sons, George J. and Frederick
H. Pumpelly, and one of Dr. Tink-
ham's sons, David P. Tinkham, were
sent to college and were graduated,
George J. Pumpelly from Yale and the
others from Union. The other chil-
dren did not aspire to a higher educa-
tion and received their instruction at
the village schools and the Owego
academy.
Mr. Pumpelly by reason of his
wealth and prominence, was at the
head of nearly every public enter-
prise. He was president of the old
bank of Owego, treasurer of the Owe-
go and Ithaca turnpike company, pres-
ident of the Owego turnpike company.
149
president of the Owego academy Iroiu
its construction in 1827 until his
death, president of the old Ithaca and
Owego railroad conij)any, president
of the Susquehanna st<^ani navigation
cdmpany, which l)uilt the first steam-
boat on the Susquehanna river for
commercial purposes in 1835, and the
first president of the village of Owego
from its incorporation in 1827, holding
the office five consecutive years by
re-election. In ISIO he represented
Brome (now Tioga) county in the as-
sembly of this state.
The children of James and Mary
(Pixley) Pumpelly were as follows:
1. George James Pumpelly, born
11 Dec, 1815, at Owego. Married
Susan Isabella Pumpelly, daughter of
Charles Pumpelly, 24 April, 1822. He
died at Owego 9 May, 1873, and she
30 July, 1864.
2. Lydia Abby Pumpelly, born 13
Feb., 1808, at Owego. Married Dr.
Ezekiel Lovejoy. Died 28 Nov., 1881.
3. Frederick Henry Pumi)elly, bom
13 Jan.. 1810, at Owego. Married
Sarah Hewitt, daughter of Gurdon
Hewitt, of Owego. He died 15 May.
1867, at Owego, and she 28 June, 1881,
in Paris, France.
4. Mary Eliza Pumpelly, born i»
April, 1814, at Owego. Married, first.
Robert Charles Johnson, from whom
she obtained a divorce. She married
second, William H. Piatt. She died
24 Jan., 1884, at Metuchen, N. J.
In his centennial history of Tioga
county William F. Warner says of Mr.
Pumpelly:
"Prominent among the citizens of
the county, not only by reason of his
wealth and the magnitude of his deal-
ings in real estate, but by his upright-
ness of character, his genial niannfo.
and many otner excellent (pialities,
this gentleman had no sui)erior. . . .
He was a splendid specimen of the
gentleman. He had an erect and com-
150
manding figure, open and genial fea-
tures, and a cheerful and winning
voice. In addition to his agency for
others, Mr. Pumpelly became the
owner of large tracts of laud in this
and adjoining counties, and accumu-
lated a large estate. He used his large
means in a most generous manner,
and his unexpected death produced a
deep gloom throughout the county
and saddened the hearts of a large
circle of friends outside."
George .J. Pumpelly, the eldest son
of .James Pumpelly, after his gradu-
ation from Yale college, was educated
as a lawyer. He did not practise law
but devoted his time to the manage-
ment of his father's property. His
sons were James K., Charles F., Jo-
siah Collins, and George B. Pumpelly.
His only daughter, Mary Pumpelly.
was married to Wordsworth Thomp-
son, who attained considerable celeb-
rity as a painter, his subjects being
generally revolutionary and colonial
scenes.
Josiah C. Pumpelly has lived for
many years in New York city. He is
a graduate of Rutgers college and the
Columbia college law school. He was
admitted to the bar of Tioga county
in December, 1863. He has travelled
e.xtensively abroad and has devoted
much of his time to discussing and
writing upon historic, social, eco-
nomic, and philanthropic subjects.
He is a member of various societies,
before the members of which he has
delivered addresses, some of which
have been published.
Dr. Ezekiel IX)vejoy was bom July
6. 1803. at Stratford, Conn. He was
graduated from Union college, in the
state of New York in 1823. He
studied medicine in New York city
under Drs. Mott and Hosack. After
151
taking his degree of doctor of medi-
cine he was for a time a surgeon in
the navy of the re])ublic of Buenos
Ayres. He came to Ovvego in Se]jtem-
ber, 1829, and opened an olTice over
Charles Pumpelly's store on the south
side of Front street, oi)i)osite where
the Ahwaga house is now. He was
the first physician in Owego to prac-
tise Homoeopathy. He lived many
years in the large white house, which
was built about 1836 or 1837 and
which still stands on the south side
of Front street east of Academy
street, and the building he occupied
as his office still remains at the west
end of the lot. Dr. Love joy held but
one public office, that of supervisor of
the town of Owego in 1854. He died
in Owego August 15, 1871.
The portrait of James Pumpelly,
illustrating this article, is from a paint-
ing made at the studio of Waldo &
.Tewett in New York city and is owned
by Mrs. Lydia A. Fordham, of Owego,
whose first husband, James P. Love-
joy, was a grandson of Mr. Pum-
pelly.
152
CHARLES PUMPELLY.
Charles Pumpelly came to Owego
in 1803, a short time subsequent to
the coming of the rest of the family.
He was then 24 years of age. Feb. 7,
1S03, he and George Stevens, of Ca-
naan Mills, Mass., purchased the old
Bates tavern property which included
the land now occupied by the Ahwaga
house and the south end of Church
street, together with the land opposite
on the bank of the river. The tavern
stood where the Ahwaga house now
stands, and in a wing at the east end
of it was a store.
Soon after making this purchase
Mr. Pumpelly returned to Salisbury,
but came back to Owego about a
year afterward. He brought back
from the east a stock of goods, i)rin-
cipally hats, and occupied the store in
the tavern building. He was a shrewd
trader, a man of great geniality, and
was very successful in his business.
The year after opening his store he
purchased Mr. Stevens's interest in
the hotel property. Later he built a
store on the south side of Front
street, where he dealt in all kinds of
merchandise, and purchased lumber,
salt, and plaster, which he shipped
down the river in arks and rafts. At
this time he owned a saw mill three
and one-half miles north of Owego.
On the first of December,1829. his son-
in-law, George Bacon, became his
l)artner in the business, and the firm
of Pumpelly & Bacon continued sev-
eral years.
In the summer of 1815 Mr. Pum-
pelly built a new house on the lots
now occupied by the residences of
judge H. A. Mead and Miss Anna M.
Dean on the north side of Front
153
street. This was a large and elegant
mansion, i)ainted white. It stood at
the west end of the lot, about twenty
feet back from the sidewalk, and the
large yard east of it was covered with
a small grove of pines and other
trees. It was the largest and finest
house that had been built in Owego
up to that time. The lot extended
back its full length to Main street.
In 1829 Mr. Pumpelly's brother,
Harmon Pumpelly, built the hand-
some brick residence now owned by
.James Forsyth in west Front street.
When Harmon Pumpelly removed to
Albany in 1841 Charles Pumpelly pur-
chased the property of him and re-
moved thereto. The old residence
was afterward converted into a semi-
nary for young ladies and was con-
ducted by various teachers until 186.5,
when it was torn down.
Mr. Pumpelly was born at Salis-
bury, Conn., Dec. 18, 1779. He was
supervisor of the town of Owego sev-
eral years and held other town offices.
In 1811 he was appointed paymaster
in lieutenant-colonel Oliver Hunting-
ton's regiment. He was paymaster of
Col. Elijah Shoemaker's 53d regiment
at the time of his resignation in 1819.
In 1821 he was a delegate from
Broome county (this county being
then within the limits of Broome
county) to the convention which
framed the state constitution that
year. In 1825 he was member of as-
sembly. After the death of his
brother, James Pumpelly, he suc-
ceeded him as president of the Owego
academy. He died at Owego Jan. (3,
1855. Mr. Pumpelly has been de-
scribed as a man of great energy of
character, possessed of a pleasant
154
temperament, and highly respected
for his many excellent qualities.
The children of Charles and Fran-
ces (Avery) Pumpelly were as fol-
lows:
1. John Charles Pumpelly, born 2'S
Oct.. 1804. Died at Owego 9 Marchv
1830.
2. Mary Ann Pumpelly, born 31
Dec, 1806. Married George Bacon
16 Nov., 1826. Died at Owego II
Feb.. 184.5.
3. Susan Isabella Pumpelly, born
24 April, 1807. Married George J.
Pumpelly 24 April, 1832. Died at
Owego 30 July. 1864.
4. Frances Eliza Pumpelly, born
19 March, 1811. Married Joseph S.
Bosworth 17 Sept., 1S33. Died in New
York city 30 March, 1879.
.5. Catherine Ann Pumpelly, born
28 Feb.. 1813. Married John M. Par-
ker IS Sept., 1835. Died at Owego 30
Dec. 184. 5.
6. Harriet Amelia Pumpelly, born
27 June. 1S1.5. Married Theodore
Freelinghuvsen. of New Jersey. 14
Oct., 1857. Died 8 Feb., 1876. in Troy.
\. Y.
7. Stella Avery Pumpelly, born 19
Sept., 1817. Married John M. Parker
1 March, 1854. Died at Owego 28
Sept., 1894.
5. Caroline Augusta Pumpelly,
born 6 Feb., 1820. Died at Owego 24
Oct., 1901.
9. James Pumpelly, bom 23 Sept..
1822. Died at Owego 3 Dec. 1823.
10. Lydia Abby Pumpelly. bom 2fj
June 1827. Married James Forsyth,
of Troy. N. Y.. 25 July, 1860. Died in
Troy 12 Aug.. 1874.
Joseph S. Bosworth. who married
Frances Eliza Pumpelly, was born at
Lisle. Broome county, and practised
law at Binghamton. He went to New
York, where he became eminent as a
lawyer and advocate, and was elected
a iustice of the supreme court.
Theodore Freelinghuysen. who mar-
ried Harriet Pumpelly, was a distin-
155
guished man of his time. He was
born in 1787 at Franklin, N. J., and
was graduated from Princeton col-
lege in 1804. In the war of 1812 he
raised and commanded a comi)any of
volunteers. In 1817 he became attor-
ney general of New .Jersey, and in
1829 a United States senator. In 1858
he was made chancellor of the uni-
versity of New York. In 1844 he was
the Whig candidate for vice-president
of the United States. In 1850 he re-
signed from the university and re-
moved to New Brunswick, N. J.,
where he was president of Rutgers
college from 1850 until his death.
April 12, 1861.
George Bacon, who married Mary
Ann Pumpelly, was born at Wood-
burn, Mass., March 21, 1804. Three
years subsequent to his marriage, Dec.
1, 1829, he became a partner of his
father-in-law, Charles Pumpelly, in
the general mercantile business in
the Front street store under the firm
name of Pumpelly & Bacon. Several
years afterward he became sole pro-
prietor of the business, which he con-
ducted until the store burned in the
great fire of 1849, when he retired
from active business.
In March, 1829, Mr. Bacon bought
of Elisha Coit the lot containing three
acres of land on which Gurdon H.
Pumpelly's residence now stands on
the south side of Front street, west
of Academy street and built thereon
a large and handsome house in which
he lived several years. He sold the
property to Lewis C. England in
April, 1858. John R. Chatfield pur-
chased it in September, 1862. and
lived there until 1902, when he sold
it to Mr. Pumpelly, who tore down the
156
house and built his present residence
on the site.
During the latter part of his life Mr.
Bacon lived at the Ahwaga house,
where he died April 3, 1862, aged 58
years. His children .were Col. Geo
Albert Bacon, who was colonel of a
cavalry regiment during the civil war
and afterward for many years assist-
ant doorkeeper of the house of repre-
sentatives at Washington. He died
March 6, 1905, at Carlyle. 111., aged 73
j'ears. His other son, Charles P.
Bacon, died at Iowa City, Iowa, April
20, 1884, and his daughter, Fanny S.
Bacon, who became the wife of
Charles T. Ransom, died Jan. 7, 1897.
in Washington. D. C.
John M. Parker was born at Gran-
ville, Washington county, N. Y., where
his father, John C. Parker, was a dis-
tinguished lawyer, June 14. 1805. He
was graduated from Middlebury col-
lege in Vermont in 1828. He and
John J. Taylor were fellow students
and friends in the law office of John
P. Cushman at Troy, X. Y. Mr. Tay-
lor came to Owego in 1834. He in-
duced Mr. Parker to also come here
and he came in 1835. " and became the
law partner of William Piatt. He was
a sound lawyer and attained the front
rank in his profession. In 1854 he
was elected to congress and re-
elected in 1856. He was elected a jus-
tice of the supreme court in 1859 and
held the office at the time of his death
on Dec. 16, 1873. During a part of his
service as a judge he sat as a member
of the court of appeals. He and his
son, Charles E. Parker, enjoy the dis-
tinction of having been the only two
men ever elected to the supreme
court bench from Tioga county. In
157
his centennial iiistory of Tioga county
William F. Warner, himself a promi-
nent member of the bar, writes as fol-
lows in praise of John Parker:
"He possessed ripe scholarship and
a high order of intellect His learn-
ing as a jurist was exact and pro-
found, and his habits, manners, and
culture eminently flitted him for the
honoral)le and responsible positions
he so Ions filled. His life was marked
by invariable U])rightness. By quiet
habits he escaped unpleasant col-
lisions which most professional men
encounter. His even temper seemed
never to be disturbed. Whatever his
emotions, there was no outward sign
of them. He always enjoyed the
highest respect of the bench and the
bar. Few equalled him in marshal-
ling the facts of a case, and the clear
analysis and application of the law.
He was a severe student, and indefat-
igable in the preparation of his de-
cisions, and it is not improbable that
by the severity of his labors of this
kind he hastened his death, which
was sudden and untimely."
Charles E. Parker was elected
judge of Tioga county in 1883 and
served until .Jan. 1, 1888, when he re-
signed, having been elected a justice
of the supreme court. In 1895 he was
appointed presiding justice of the aj)-
pellate division, and served until Aug-
ust, 1906, when he resigned his office,
having reached the age of seventy
years, beyond which the law does not
permit a judge to serve.
Another son of .John M. Parker was
Col. Francis H. Parker, who was edu-
cated at the West Point military acad-
emy and graduated therefrom in 1861.
He served through the civil war in
the ordnance department. He was
chief ordnance officer of the army and
department of the Tennessee undei"
Gens. Grant and Meade until the sur-
158
render at Appomattox. In 1865 he
was appointed commanding officer of
Charleston, S. C. He was afterward
successively in charge, either as com-
manding officer or assistant com-
manding officer of the arsenals at
Rock Island, 111., Detroit, Mich. ,For-
tress Monroe, Va., Watertown, Mass..
San Antonio, Texas, Watervliet, N.
Y., and Pittsburgh. Pa. He died at the
Allegheny arsenal at Pittsburgh Feb.
12, 1897.
WILLIAM PUMPELLY.
Wiliam Pumpelly was born June
17, 'l788, at Salisbury, Conn., and was
nearly fourteen years old when he
came with his parents in the spring
of 1802 to Beers's settlement.
He came to Owego in 1805 and en-
tered the land office of his brother.
James. He spent the summer in the
woods, surveying Watkins & Flint's
purchase. He was employed in sur-
veying until 1812. when he went to
Ithaca, whicli had then grown into a
a small settlement, where he pur-
chased a general country store that
had already been established there,
and went into the mercantile busi-
ness. In 1814 he sold his stock of
goods and returned to Owego.
Two men from Montreal — Sparrow
and Crocker — had previous to this
time come to Owego and built a large
square building, painted white, on the
west side of Park street where Rob-
ert Handler's house now stands. This
land was a part of the Dr. Samuel
Tinkham estate. They had come to
Owego direct from Montreal, bring-
ing their stock of goods with them.
M that time there was a pond of
water in front of the store in the
159
present village park. This store
building- was afterward the property
of James Pumpelly and was burned.
Mr. Pumpelly purchased Sparrow &
Crocker's stock of goods and con-
tinued the business until 181C or 1817.
Then he removed into a store on the
bank of the river, below where the
bridge now is, where he remained
until he purchased a store on the
south side of Front street, opposite
Church street.
This store was a red wooden build-
ing and stood on the ground on which
is now the brick building occupied by
the Tioga club. Charles Pumpelly's
store adjoined it on the east. Where
Defiance hook and ladder company's
building now stands on the west side
was then a vacant lot, and George
Bacon's store stood west of and ad-
joining this space. There was a base-
ment under Charles Pumpelly's store,
to which access was had by doors on
the east side of the building, which
was occupied by Wm. Gregory, a mar-
ble cutter, and by John Arnold as a
saloon. These buildings were all
burned in the great fire of Sept. 27,
1849.
Mr. Pumpelly conducted the mer-
cantile business in this store until
1844, when he retired from business
with a handsome competence. He
was for several years president of
the old bank of Owego, now the First
National bank of Owego.
Mr. Pumpelly lived for many years
in a house which stood on ground
now occupied by the Exchange hotel
barn on the north side of Front street
and west of Park street. The house
was afterward occupied by Robert
Cameron and was burned Oct. 5, 1867,
160
in a fire which burned many other
valuable buildings in that part of the
village. He afterward built and lived
until his death in the house which is
still standing on the north side of
Front street, the third house west of
Ross street, now occupied by T. B.
Oakley.
ilr. Pumpelly"s first wife was Sarah
Emily Tinkham, daughter of Dr. Sam-
uel Tinkham. They were married in
June, 1814. She died at Owego
March 31, 1822, aged 27 years. They
had one daughter. Emily Pumpelly.
who was the second wife of William
H. Piatt.
Mr. Pumpelly's second wife was
Mary H. Welles, daughter of George
and Prudence (Talcott) Welles, of
Athens, Pa., where she was born May
6, 1803. They were married Oct. 20,
1824. Her brothers, George Henry
Welles, of Athens, and Dr. Charles F.
Welles, of Wyalusing, were two of the
most distinguished men in Bradford
county in their day. They were sons
of George Welles, a graduate of Yale
college, who came from Glastenbury.
Conn., in 1799 to Tioga Point, where
he became land agent for Charles
Carrol, of Carrolton, and where he
died in 1813.
Mrs. Pumpelly was a lady of cul-
ture and refinement, an artist and a
poet of considerable ability, and was
educated in Philadelphia. She ac-
companied her youngest son, Raph-
ael, to Germany, where he pursued
his studies in the universities, and
she became an excellent German,
French, and Italian linguist and
scholar. In 1852 a volume containing
three of her poems, "Belshazzar's
Feast," "Herod's Feast," and "Pilate's
161
Wife's Dreani," was jmblished in Xew
York She also contributed poems to
the "Atlantic Monthly" and the "Gal-
axy." After the death of Mr. Pum-
])elly, Nov. 17, ISTG, she went abroad
and died in Paris, France, Dec. 14,
1879. Her body was brought to Owe-
go in February, 1880, aiui hnri(>d in
Evergreen cemetery.
The children of William and Mary
H. (Welles) Pumpelly were as fol-
lows:
1. .John Hollenback Pumi)ellv,born
16 Aug.. 1826. Married Mary Ann
Foote, daughter of Dr. Lyman Foote,
a surgeon in the U. S. army, 28 Feb.,
1868. She died in 1877. He died at
Waltham, Mass., Dec. 6, 1907.
2. Susan Welles Pumpelly, horn 25
May, 1828. Died 9 Nov., is;5().
3. Marie Antoinette Pumpelly, born
3 March, 1832. Married Jeremiah
I^oder, of New York city, 28 Jan.,
1852. Mr. Loder's father, Benjamin
liOder, was president of the New
York and Erie railroad from 1845 to
1853.
4. Josephine Pumi)elly, bom 3
Aug., 1835. Died 20 March, 1838.
5. Raphael ' Pumpelly, born 8
Sept., 1837. Married Eliza F. Shep-
ard, of Dorchester, Mass., 20 Oct.,
1869.
Raphael Pumpelly has attained em-
inence as a geologist. He was educa-
ted at the Owego academy and in
Paris, Hanover, and Frieberg-in-Sax-
ony. He returned to America in 1860
and became interested in silver min-
ing in Arizona and other parts of the
far west. In 1861 he was employed
by the Japanese government to de-
termine the mineral resources of the
island of Yesso, and in 1863 was em-
ployed to survey the coal regions of
Northern China. In 1866 he became
professor of mining engineering at
Harvard university. In 1870 he made
162
a survey of the copper regions of
Michigan and the next year became
State geologist of Missouri. In Aug-
ust, 1S79, he was appointed director
of the United States geological sur-
vey of all territory east of the Miss-
issippi river. In September, ISSl, he
resigned this position, having been en-
gaged by the Oregon transcontinential
company to make a full survey of
the region traversed by the Northern
Pacifiic railway and navigation com-
pany, embracing a territory 1,500
miles in extent from east to west and
,500 miles from north to south and
containing more than 500,000 square
miles. In 1900 he was engaged by the
Andrew Carnegie company of Pitts-
burgh, Pa., to locate iron mines in
the northwest and Canada. In 1904
he headed an expedition, backed by
Andrew Carnegie, to make archaeo-
logical researches in the buried cities
of western Afghanistan and the Cri-
mea.
Mr. Pumpelly is the author of
Geological Researches in China,
Mongolia and Japan During the
Years 1862 to 1865." published at
Washington in 1866, and 'Across
America and Asia," an account of an
overland journey from Japan through
Mongolia, Siberia, and Russia, i)ub-
lished in New York in 1869.
163
HARMON PUMPELLY.
Harmon Pumi)elly, the youngest son
of John Pumpelly, was born at Salis-
bury, Conn., and was a little less than
seven years of age when the family
came to Beers's settlement. He came
to Owego when he was twenty years of
age and with his brother, William
Pumpelly, and was employed by their
oldest brother, James Pumpelly, in sur-
veying lands. Later he engaged in
the mercantile business and lumber-
ing. Like his brothers he was very
successful and became a large land
owner.
He married Delphine Drake, daugh-
ter of judge John R. Drake. After his
marriage he lived with the family of
judge Drake until 1829, when he pur-
chased the lot on which James For-
syth's house stands, on the north side
of Front street, west of and adjoining
the lane extending from Front to
Main streets and known for many
years as Camp alley and later as Par-
ker's lane, 'ihis lot extended back
to Main street. The property had
been owned by Nathan Camp, who
had intended to build a residence for
himself on it but he died in 1819 be-
fore he could begin the work. After
his death his son, Frederick M. Camp,
of Ulysses, Tompkins county, as
guardian for Nathan H. Camp, sold the
lot in September. 1829, to Mr. Pum-
pelly, who built thereon the large
brick house which still stands there.
In 1841 he sold the property to his
brother, Charles Pumpelly, who lived
there until his death m 1855. The
house was afterward owned and occu-
pied by Charles Pumpelly's daughter,
Mrs. John M. Parker, until her death
164
in 1S94, and it then became the prop-
erty, by devise, of her nephew, James
Forsyth.
Harmon Pumpelly was active in
public affairs. He was a member of
the first board of village trustees and
was re-elected four times. He also
served as an officer in the state
militia. In 1S21 he was appointed
lieutenant of a company of riflemen
and in 1822 was promoted to captain
in the 201st regiment of infantry,
which was organized May 16 in that
year.
In 1841 Mr. Pumpelly removed from
Owego to Albany. He was already
possessed of considerable wealth. He
embarked in large financial opera-
tions, which invariably proved suc-
cesful. He became prominently con-
nected with the Albany savings bank,
the Albany gaslight company, and the
Albany insurance company, all of
which he was president. He lived in
elegant style in that city for forty
years. He lived in a large house,
which he loved to fill with genial and
cultured people. His entertainments
were always in the best of taste, and
his dinners were noted for the good
wines, costly plate, and fine glass at a
time when such things were not as
common as they are to-day.
The children of Harmon and Del-
phine (Drake) Pumpelly were Adeline
.lerusha Pumpelly. who was born in
Owego and who was married to Col.
James Kidd, of Albany, a prominent
man, who was county treasurer, post-
master, etc., and Mary Delphine Pum-
pelly, who was also bom in Owego
and who became the wife of Gen.
165
Oohn Meredith Read, of Philadelphia,
Pa.. April 7, 1859.
Mrs. Harmon Pumpelly died at
Owego Feb. 27, 1839. After her death
Mr. Pumpelly travelled in Kurope un-
til his removal to Albany in the fol-
lowing year. His second wife was
Maria Brinckerhoff, daughter of Peter
Brinckerhoff, a representative of one
of the old Dutch families of Albany.
They were married in 1841. She was
a granddaughter of Rutger Bleecker,
mayor of Albany from 172r) to 1728.
She died in Albany Ai)ril 23, 1887.
aged 82 years. Harmon Pumpelly
died in Albany Sept. 29, 1882. He left
an estate valued at $1,000,000.
Gen. John Meredith Read was a
grandson of George Read, of Dela-
ware, one of the signers of the decla-
ration of independence, and his father
was chief justice John Meredith Read
of Pennsylvania. He was born in
Philadelphia and was admitted to the
bar in Albany. He was adjutant-gen-
eral of the state of New York in
1860-66. Gen. Grant when president
offered him a commission as major in
the regular army and also the post of
minister to Spain, both of which he
declined. In 1869 the new post of
consul-general to France and Algeria
was created for him.
Mrs. Read, by reason of her great
beauty, tact, and intelligence, soon be-
came one of the most noted beauties
of the court of emperor Napoleon ill.
at that time the most brilliant court
in p]urope.
During the Franco-German war
Gen. Read was consul-general for Ger-
many as well as consul-general for
the United States. In November,
166
1873, he was appointed United States
minister to Greece and served until
September,lS79, when he resigned. He
died at his home in Paris, France.
December 27, 1S96. Mrs. Read also
died in Paris, May 29, 1902.
Their daughters were Mrs. Edwards
Spencer, of England, and Marie Del-
phine Read, who in November, 1895.
was married in Paris, France, to the
Count Ma.x de Foras, son of Count
Amedie de Foras, of Savoy, France.
Gen. Read's sons were major Harmon
Pumpelly Read and Col. John Mere-
dith Read, who commanded the Al-
bany rangers during the Spanish-
American war and who married the
Countess Alix deForas, a sister of his
sisters husband, in March. 1901.
LORENZO REEVES.
Lorenzo Reeves was born March
2.'), 1792. near the southern boundary
of Vermont, where his father, Ezra
Reeves,owned a ferry on the Connecti-
cut river. His grandfather. Rev. Ezra
Reeves, was for more than fifty years
pastor of a church at Holland. Mass.
Rev. Ezra Reeves was a cousin of
judge Tapping Reeve, who was chief
justice of Connecticut and who mar-
ried Sarah, only sister of Aaron Burr,
vice-principal of Princeton college,
and a granddaughter of .lonathan Ed-
wards,
When he was about twenty-six
years of age Lorenzo Reeves came on
horseback from Vermont Into the
wilds of New York. Attracted by the
beauty of the Susquehanna valley
and the pleasant manner in which he
was received by the early residents,
he decided to settle in Owego. He
opened a general country store on the
167
west side of Lake street, a little north
of Front street, opposite where the
Owego national bank now stands. He
also built an ark yard below his resi-
dence at the west end of Front street
and carried on a lumber business. He
continued the mercantile busines un-
til his death January 31, 1839.
Mr. Reeves's character as a busi-
ness man was that of sterling integ-
rity. He was universally known as
"deacon" Reeves long before the
church had conferred upon him that
title. He was the first merchant in
Owego to banish intoxicating liquor
from his store and take his stand as
a consistent temperance man. He
would not under any circumstances
transact business on Sunday nor al-
low it to be done for him.
It is related that on one occasion
when on his way down the river with
a shipment of lumber, he gave orders
Saturday night to pull into shore and
tie up the rafts. His men remon-
strated — the water was falling rapidly
and it would be impossible to go any
further if they should lose a day. Mr.
Reeves was deaf to every remon-
strance, and every man left him and
returned to Owego.
The next day he attended church,
spending Sunday as if at his home.
He arose early Monday morning with
some anxiety, feeling that, although
he .had done right, he could illy afford
to wait until the next freshet to re-
alize on his lumber. 'Fortunately,
while at breakfast, a man came on
board and purchased the entire raft,
paj'ing a good price for it.
For a short period after his first
coming to Owego Mr. Reeves was as-
168
sociated with Elisha Bundy in the
mercantile business. Their store was
still on the west side of Lake street,
one door north of Rollin block.
Mr. Bundy. who was commonly
known as "judge" Bundy through his
having presided at the mock trials
in that travesty of the courts known
as the "moral society," came to Owego
from Vermont in 1S15. He removed
to the town of Catherine, Schuyler
county, in 1S26, and thence four years
later to Elmira, where he became
landlord of the old Mansion house
and where he died in 1S38. He also
kept another hotel known as the
Bundy house during his residence in
Elmira.
While living in Owego Mr. Bundy
was also in partnership with Joseph
Berry and kept a meat market on the
west side of Lake street, about where
the Chamberlain brick block now
stands. Bundy & Berry also con-
ducted one of the several distilleries
then existing in this vicinity.
Mr. Berry was an early settler in
Owego. He came from the east about
the year 1804. In 1822 he was in com-
pany with one of the Ely brothers in
a general mercantile business in
•Cauldwell row." The same year he
filled the office of coroner. He was
the commissioner who had charge of
building the first county clerk's office
in Court street.
One of Mr. Berry's sons was Joseph
Berry, who was successively a rail-
road brakemau, a moulder, a photog-
rapher, and at the time of his death in
April, 1897, a member of the firm of
Sporer, Carlson & Berry, piano manu-
facturers. His wife was the daughter
of Capt. Eliakim Goodrich, one of the
169
early settlers of the town of Tioga.
Another son was Frank Berry, who
was engaged in the liquor business
in Owego. Josei)h Berry in the spring
of 1S2G bought a farm in the town of
Newark Valley, upon whicli he moved
and where he was living at the time
of his death in 18.']0.
Mr. Berry built and lived in tlie
house on the north side of l-'iont
street, east of William street, which
was later occupied by Dr. .1. M. Ar-
nold and is now owned by \V. .\.
Richards. Mr. Bundy lived in the
next house west of it, now occupied
by Mrs. Caroline Rounseville. These
lots were owned by Mr. Bundy, who
sold them for $.500 to Mr. Reeves in
August, 1S26.
At the time of his death Mr. Reeves
owned the ground on the west side
of Lake street on which Hill & Par-
ker's brick block now stands. His
widow, Maria L. Reeves, who had con-
ducted a millinery business several
years, afterward became the second
wife of Col. Benoni B. Curry. Col.
Curry was a tailor. He came to Owe-
go from Orange county in 1840. He
died at Pleasant Valley, X. J., Jan.
19, 1875.
On this lot, a little back from the
sidewalk, was Mr. Reeves's house,
which Col. Curry in 1848 enlarged and
converted into a temperance tavern
and called it the Croton house. Col.
Curry was landlord of the hotel when
it was burned in the great fire of Sep-
tember, 1849.
When the debris left from the fire
had been removed Col. Curry caused
to be built on the back part of the
lot, near the Owego academy yard,
a small one-story house, about 40 by
170
30 feet in size in which he lived.
This house was mounted on wheels
taken from a railroad freight car and
placed on an iron track which ex-
tended out into Lake street. Col.
Curry's idea was that in case his
unique structure should be endan-
gered by fire it could be run out of
danger by pushing or drawing it along
the track to the street. The building
stood there, the subject of some curi-
ositj' and much comment, until the
property was sold in 1862 to Martin
Ashley, who built Ashley hall thereon.
Dr. James Wilson purchased the prop-
erty in 1S67 and in April, lS68,the hall
was burned. It was rebuilt the same
year as a theatre and again burned
in February, 1904. The brick block
erected by Chas. E. Parker and F. C.
Hill in 1904 now occupies the site.
The children of deacon Lorenzo
and Maria L. (Clark) Reeves were
Ezra Warren Reeves, Edward Payson
Reeves, Tapping Reeves, Jane Lucin-
da Reeves, and David Wallis Reeves.
Tapping Reeves was born March 7.
1832, at Owego. He went to Califor-
nia in 1856. He died at Reeves's
Mills, Cal., July 9, 1885. His mother
and sister went also to California in
1867. Mrs. Maria L. Reeves died at
Little River, Cal., April 28, 1870, aged
70 years.
Ezra Warren Reeves was bom April
3, 1826, at Owego. where he was for
many years engaged in the book and
news business. He married Caroline
A. Slossou, daughter of Franklin Slos-
son, Dec. 16, 1851. Mr. Slosson kept
a book store in Owego several years.
Mr. Reeves removed to California in
1873. He purchased a ranch in Men-
171
diclno county, Cal.. and dif d there
Sept. 30, 1882.
David \Valli.s Reeves became r:i
nious as a musician and baiidmasltr.
He was born Feb. 14, 1838, at Owego,
less than a year i)revious to his
father's death. He received his musi-
cal education under Thomas Canham,
of Binghaniton, a celebrated band
leader of his day. At the age of I'l
he was the leader of a circus band,
and later was a member of the famous
Dodworth's band in New York city.
In February, 1866, he became the
leader of the American band at Provi-
dence, R. I., which under his leader-
shii) ranked as one of the greatest
bands in America, and he was its
leader at the time of his death on
March 8, 1900. D. \V. Reeves may
have inherited his musical talent
from his father, for deacon Lorenzo
Reeves is said to have been proficient
as a player of the bass viol, an instru-
ment much in use in church choirs
before the introduction of the organ.
CAPT. SYLVANUS FOX.
Capt. Sylvanus Fox was born May
6, 1797, at North Glastenbury. Conn.,
and came to Owego in 1803 with the
Talcotts, when six years of age. He
learned the carpenter's trade, which
he followed all his life. He lived at
the southeast corner of North avenue
and Fox street. The house still stands
there but its appearance has been en-
tirely changed by the building of a
store thereto on the North avenue
side. Capt. Fox died in this house
Aug. 24, 1871. Fox street was so
named in his honor in February. 1821.
It had been previously known as
Fourth street.
172
Capt. Fox was a prominent and use-
ful citizen. He was an active member
of the fire department and was chief
engineer in 1847, 1856, and 1857. He
made the first hook and ladder equip-
ment in 1847. Between the years 1832
and 1862 he was eleven times elected
a member of the village board of trus-
tees and he was president of the vil-
lage in 1840.
Capt. Fox married Nancy Ann Tay-
lor, of the town of Tioga. Dec. 23,
1821. She died Aug. 13, 1875, at the
home of her son, George Fox, at To-
wanda. Pa. Their children were as
follows :
1. George Edward Fox. born 5
Nov.. 1822, at Owego. Married Sarah
Ann Leonard 14 Jan., 1843.
2. Eleazer Taylor Fox, born 8 Aug..
1825, at Owego. Married Lydia Sophie
Hornet, daughter of Charles Hornet, of
Asylum, Pa., 7 Feb., 1847. He died at
Towanda. Pa.. 13 Dec. 1887.
3. Charles Sylvanus Fox, born 19
March, 1831, at Owego. Married his
cousin, Harriet M. Porter, at Glasten-
bury. Conn., 19 Sept., 1853. He died
9 March, 1876. in .Jersey City, N. J.
4. Frederick Fox, born 13 Dec,
1837, at Owego. Married Mary Schu-
nunburger, of Warren, Ohio, 24 Nov.,
1864. He died in 1865 and his widow
married S. Allen Richards, of Struth-
ers, Ohio.
George E. and Eleazer T. Fox re-
moved from Owego to Towanda. Pa.,
about the year 1841, where Eleazer
Fox engaged in the business of buying
and shipping lumber down the Sus-
quehanna river in rafts. His brother.
George assisted him. Later Eleazer
Fox engaged in the grocery business,
and became one of the leading spirits
in Towanda's enterprises.
Charles S. Fox was the station bag-
gage master for the Erie railroad com-
pany at Jersey City many years.
173
Frederick Fox was a telegraph oper-
ator. He was a soldier in the civil
war, serving as first sergeant in Co.
H, Third New York volunteers, nius
tti,-ed in May, lS(i1. Alter the war he
lived at Leavettsburg, Ohio, where he
was train dispatcher on the Mahoning
division oC the Atlantic & Great
Western railroad. He died in 186.').
RICHARD E. CUSHMAX.
Richard English Cushman came to
Owego in ISlli lYoni Pomfret, Conn.
He was born June 2, 1782, at Strat-
ford, Conn., and was a carpenter and
cabinet maker by trade. He was of
the seventh generation in descent
from Robert Cushman, who was born
between 1580 and 1585 in the north
of England and removed to Holland
in 1608 to enjoy religious freedom.
Robert Cushman came to America in
1621 in the ship "Fortune," which was
the next vessel that arrived after
the "Mayflower," and landed at Ply-
mouth, Mass., in November of that
year. He crossed the Atlantic for t.ie
purpose of joining those already here
in a mutual effort to establish and lay
deep the foundations of civil and re-
ligious liberty in the new world.
Robert Cushman's son. Thomas,
born in England in February. 1608.
also came to America in the "For-
tune." His son. Isaac Cushman, was
bom Nov. 15, 1676, at Plympton,Mass.,
Isaac's son, Nathaniel, was bom at
Plympton, May 28, 1712. His son,
whose name was also Nathaniel, was
also born at Pl.ympton Sept. 2, 1738.
He was the father of Richard English
Cushman.
Richard E. Cushman's father. Na-
thaniel Cushman, had explored this
valley at an early day. having de-
174
scended the Susquehanna river from
Otsego lake to Wyoming in a batteau
on a tour of exploration in 1784, the
next year after the proclamation of
peace and immediately upon the clpse
of our border warfare, carrying back
to his neighbors and friends an ac-
count of the fertility of the valley
as compared with the thinner soil of
Connecticut. His representations
caused many in the vicinity where he
lived to leave home and friends in
New England to become pioneers
here. His son, partaking of the spirit
of adventure and emigration, came
here in 1812.
Mr. Cushman's carpenter shop was
at one time on the north side of Main
street opposite where St. Paul's rec-
tory now stands. , He lived below the
bridge in Front street. He afterward
bought the lot at the southeast corner
of Main and Paige streets where he
built and lived in the house still stand-
ing there. He sold the property in
1850 to his son-in-law, John Cameron,
and removed to Speedsville on a farm.
Later he returned to Owego and in
March, 18.59, purchased the land on
the south side of :Main street, east of
St. Patrick's church and built thereon
the house now owned by H. Austin
Clark, the second house east of the
church, in which house he lived. He
sold this property later and built the
house which is now the second house
east of Paige street on the south side
of Main street and died there Aug.
19, 1863.
Mr. Cushman was twice married.
He first married Hannah Reed, of
Plainfield, Conn., March 19, 1806. She
was born Jan. 30, 1783. She died at
Owego Jan. 21, 1846. His second wife.
175
Mrs. Marthn Hill, was born at Athol.
Mass., Aug. 5, 1787. She was married
to Mr, Cushman at S])ee(lsville, X.
Y., Aug. 26, 1847. She died in Owego
.luly 30, 1877.
The following were the children ol'
Richard E. and Hannah (Reed) Cush-
man :
1. Rev. Marcus Knight Cushman,
born at Sangerfield (now Waterville),
N. Y., 2:> Oct., 1S0(). He entered the
ministry of the Protestant Episcopal
church in 1S;!G. He joined the Pres-
byterian denomination and was re-
ceived into the Presbytery of Tioga
county 24 Sept.. 1S4C. Married Mi-
nerva Kenada 8 Sept., ISo.'j. Died at
Waverly, N. Y., 8 March, 1881.
2. Sarah Maria Cushman, born I'.i
May, 1808. Married Houghton But-
ler 25 .January, ]8;)1. Died ."> Nov.,
1838.
3. Eliza Cushman, born 8 Decem-
ber, ISIO. Died 14 March, 1S12.
4. Eliza Ann Cushman, born I.t
.Jan., 1816. Died 11 Aug., 190.5, at
Owego.
5. Mary .Jane Cushman, Ixjrn 9
Feb., 1818. Married .John Cameron
17 May. 1841. Died 25 Nov., 1897, at
Owego.
6. William R. Cushman, born 20
Aug., 1821. Died in Cincinnati, Ohio,
21 June, 1887.
WILLIAM CAMP.
William, Nathan, Anson, and Her-
mon Camp came to Owego from New
Milford, Conn., in 1805.
Their grandfather was_ William
Camp, who lived at New Milford.
His four sons were Dr. Elisha Camp,
and Daniel, Enos, and Nathan Camp.
They were all farmers. Nathan Camp
was born at New Milford in .January.
1746, and married Esther Bostwick.
daughter of Arthur and Eunice
(Warriner) Bostwick Dec. 10, 1772.
Their children were as follows:
176
1. Anna Camp, born 28 May, 1775,
at New Milford. Married Leman
Stone in 1798. Died at Trumansburg,
N. Y., 1 Aug., 1866.
2. William Camj), born 1 Sept.,
1777, at Xew Milford. Married Abi-
gail Whittlesey 27 June, 1801. They
came to Owego in 1805. She was born
at Kingston, Pa., 30 April, 1777. He
died March 5, 1826. She married,
second, judge Stephen Strong 10 July,
1838, and died at Owego 29 Oct., 1858.
3. Martha Camp, born 22 Sept.,
1779, at New Milford. Married Isaac
Stone in 1799.
4. Nathan Camp, born 11 Feb.,
1782, at New Milford. Married Sus-
anna P. Avery, daughter or Samuel
Avery, of Owego. She died at Owego
4 Aug., 1813. His second wife was
Fanny Collier, a niece of Thomas Col-
lier. She died 21 Oct., 1819, and he
19 May, 1819.
5. Gen. Anson Camp, born 1 t
Oct., 1784, at New Milford. Died at
Owego 22 March, 1838. He was un-
married.
6. Hermon Camp, born 6 Oct.,
1787, at New Milford. Married (1)
Mary C. Cook 4 April, 1827. She was
born 7 Oct., 1799, at Geneva, N. Y.,
and died at Trumansburg, in 1840.
Married (2) Catherine Cook 1 Oct.,
1840. She died at Trumansburg in
1848. Married (3) Sarah (Piatt)
Camp, daughter of Jonathan Piatt, 20
Sept., 1848. She was born 10 May,
1811. at Nichols, N. Y., and died at
Trumansburg 23 Jan., 1894.
Nathan Camp died at New Milford
Oct. 26, 1792. His widow marriea
Jared Sperry in 1796. They had one
child, Esther Henrietta Sperry, who
was born Sept. 6, 1798, at New Mil-
ford, and married Stephen B. Leon-
ard, of Owego, Feb. 22, 1818. Mrs.
Sperry died at Owego Sept. 2, 1840,
aged 85 years and Mrs. Leonard April
5, 1879.
When the four Camp brothers came
to Owego their mother and half-sister
accompanied them. When they came
177
here they lived at first in a log house
which stood on the lot at the south-
east corner of Main and William
streets, this being the only vacant
house in Owego at the lime Tliis
property they afterward ])urchased.
In 1S14 William, Anson, and Nathan
Cam]) i)urchased the property on the
north side of Front street between
the lot on which the Dugan hpuse
barn now stands, which was owned
by William Pumpelly, and Camp's
lane, now known as Parker's lane.
William Camj) owned the west one-
third of the lot, Nathan the lot at the
east end, and Anson Cam]) the lot be-
tween the lots of his brothers. These
lots extended back to Main street.
William and Anson Cam]) also owned
the {jro])erty on the south side of
Front street opposite their lots, ex-
tending to the river.
William and Nathan Camp upon
coming to Owego began a general
mercantile business. Their store was
on the south side of Front street
where Camp's furnace now stands
and was in the northwest corner of
the lot then owned by Caleb Leach.
The building was for many years
known as the"white store." Mr.
I^each sold the property in .Tuly, 1813,
to William and Nathan Cam]). Na-
than Camp died May 19, 1819, and
William Camp continued the business
the rest of his life.
William Camp was fatally injured
by the explosion of the boiler of the
steamboat "Susquehanna" in the af-
ternoon of May 5, 182(5. The boat
was coming up the river on her trial
trip and while ascending the rapids
at Nescopeck Falls, oi)posite Berwick,
Pa., she struck a rock and the
178
explosion happened. ^Ir. Camp died
a few hours after the accident. Wil-
liam Camp was known as judge
Camp, having been in 1S12 appointed
an associate judge of Broome (now
Tioga) county, and he was reappoint-
ed in 1817.
William Camp's wife was Abigail
Whittlesey, one of twin daughters of
Capt. Asaph Whittlesey, who was
killed in the massacre of Wyoming.
Capt. Whittlesey was a son of Eli-
phalet Whittlesey, of Xewington,
Conn., and was born there May 12,
1753. He was one of the Connecticut
settlers in the seventeenth township
of the state of Pennsylvania, of which
Wilkes-Barre was the centre and
principal town. In May, 1777, he
was commissioned a captain in the
third company of the 24th Connecti-
cut regiment of infantry. This com-
pany was raised at Plymouth for the
state service in theWyoming valley.
He was killed in the battle at the
head of his men July 3, 1778.
Capt. Whittlesey was scalped by an
Indian and afterward crawled to his
home and was found dead on the
doorstep. He had three daughters,
Anna, Abigail, and Laura, who be-
came the wives respectively, of Joel,
William, and Enos Camp.
About a week before the massacre
Mrs. Whittlesey started for Connecti-
cut with a party of women, with her
infant child, Laura, in her arms, rid-
ing on horseback. They were in
charge of Rev. Mr. Wattles, the cler-
gyman of the Wyoming valley, who
carried Mrs. Whittlesey's daughter.
Anna, then nearly three years of age,
on horseback.
179
Abigail Wliittlesej', who was then
fifteen months old, was left with her
father, Ca])t. WliiUhscy. The night
before the massacre he put her on a
raft in charge of an old man and his
wife, with instructions to take her to
Baltimore, if possible. They floated
down the river at night and tied up
the boat during the day until they
reached Havre de Grace, Md. The
man and his wife both died afterward
of small pox. A year later her grand-
father came from Connecticut, found
her, and took lur to her mother in
that state.
William Camp and Abigail Whittle-
sey were married five years in'evious
to their coming to Owego.
The children of William and Abi-
gail (Whittlesey) Camp were as fol-
lows:
1. Eliza Minerva Camp, born l.j
Oct., 1802, at New Milford. Married
Joseph Clizbe. They had no children.
She died Jan. 29, 1871.
2. Henry William Camj), born 11
Feb., 1805, at New Milford. Married
Lucy Ann Warren, of Woodstock, Vt.,
27 Aug., 1837. He died at Owego 11
Jan., 1874, and she 29 Aug., 1900.
3. Juliette Maria Camp, born 8
April, 1807, at Owego. Married
Joseph Merrick Ely at Owego 7 Aug.,
1834. He died at Athens, Pa., 1 Jan.,
1872, and she 28 Dec, 1888.
4. Abigail Whittlesey Camp, born
IT) Oct., 1808, at Owego. Married
Charles C. Noble. He died at Owego
13 June, 1851, and she 13 July, 1890.
5. Susan Laura Camp, bom 8
Sept., 1810, at Owego. Married Dr. Eze-
kiel B. Phelps. She died at Owego 15
Jan., 18G3.
6. Charlotte Caroline Camp, born
27 June, 1814, at Owego. Died 24
April, 1819.
7. George Sidney Camp, born ;>
Feb., 181(1, at Owego. Married Kate
Cecil. They had no children.
180
8. Frances Augiista Camp, born
9 Dec. 1817, at Owego. Married
Aaron P. Storrs 15 Nov., 1842. She
died at Owego 11 Feb., 1891.
9. Charlotte Caroline Camp, born
5 Dec, 1820, at Owego. Married
Jared C. Gregory at Unadilla, X. Y.,
5 March, 1848.
DR. HENRY CAMP.
Dr. Henry Camp for many years
conducted an iron foundry and fur-
nace in Owego. His first foundry was
on the southeast corner of Main
street and Parker's lane on the spot
where Mrs. J. A. Goodrich's house
stands. The first steam engine ever put
up in Tioga county was in the foundry.
It had a six-inch cylinder, and was
used to drive the machinery. Previ-
ous to the introduction of this engine
the work had been done with a horse
and tread-wheel. This furnace was
burned in June, 1836. Dr. Camp af-
terward built a much larger furnace
on the south side of Front street
where the "white store" of his father
had stood. This furnace he conducted
until it was burned in the night of
Oct. 5, 1867, when all the buildings on
both sides of Front street from the
bridge west to Parker's lane were
swept away by the flames. Dr. Camp
afterward built a much smaller fur-
nace on the site of the old one, which
is still conducted by his son, Herman
H. Camp. Mr. Camp studied medi-
cine and practised Homoeopathy sev-
eral years previous to his death. He
died January 11, 1874.
DR. EZEKIEL B. PHELPS.
Dr. Ezeki'el B. Phelps was born
April 12 . 1800, at Hebron, Conn.,
where he studied medicine and was
graduated from the New Haven medi-
181
cal college in March, ]S2o. He prac
tised medicine at Manchester, Conn.,
with Dr. Samuel C. Cooley until Seji-
tember, 1824, when he came to Ovvego
and lived here until his death on .June
2, 1892. Dr. Phelps's first wife was
Sarah Hollenback Laning, daughter ot
Gen. John Lanin.s;. They were mar-
ried May 12, 18;!:j. She died Nov. ',',.
1842. His second wife was Susan
Laura Ann Cam p. They were married
Sept. 12, 1852. \
Dr. Pheli)s lived and had his ofllce
on the north side of Front street on
the lot west of and adjoining the First
national bank on the ground where G.
O. Steele's grocery store now stands.
He lived tliere until he built the house
now occupied by Wm. A. Smyth at the
northwest corner of Front and Paige
streets, where he lived all the rest of
his life.
AARON P. STORRS.
Aaron P. Storrs was born Sept. 18,
1812, at Mansfield, Conn. He was a
son of Rev. Samuel Porter Storrs. who
was born at Mansfield aiul ])reached
many years at Sherburne, N. Y..
where he died. He came to Owego in
December, 1827, with his mother's
brother. Rev. Aaron Putnam, who had
adopted him. Mr. Putnam came here
to assume the pastorate of the Pres-
byterian church, and he was pastor of
the church until his death. Dec. 28,
1831. Mr. Putnam's father was also a
clergyman and preached fifty years in
the church at Pom fret. Conn.
In September, 1835, Mr. Storrs. in
company with Dr. Lucius II. Allen, be-
gan a general mercantile business in
the David P. Tinkham store, a wooden
building known as Rollin block, which
stood at the northwest corner of Lake
182
and Front streets. In May of the next
year Allen & Storrs removed to the
south side of Front street, the first
store east of Wm. A. Ely's brick store.
This store had been occupied several
years previous by Gen. Ansel Good-
rich. At this time P. Halsey Ball, of
Berkshire, who had been a clerk in
Gurdon Hewitt's store, was in the
mercantile business with Daniel Ely
in the brick store west of the store oc-
cupied by Allen & Storrs. In March,
1838, Allen & Storrs purchased Mr.
Ely's interest in the store and took
Mr. Ball into their partnership. A
year later Mr. Ball retired from the
firm. He removed to Erie, where he
died. Dr. Allen afterward sold his in-
terest in the business to Frank L.
Jones, who had conducted a branch
store for them at Sheshequin. Pa.
Their Owego store was burned in the
great fire of September, 1849, and
they did not resume business.
In the spring of 18.o2 John R. Chat-
field came to Owego from Great Bar-
rington, Mass., with some cai)ital to
invest in business. He applied to Dr.
Allen to recommend to him some
good business man as a partner, and
Dr. Allen recommended Mr. Storrs.
In April, 18.52. the firm of Storrs &
Chatfleld opened a hardware store in
the brick store at the northeast cor-
ner of Front and Lake streets under
the firm name of Storrs & Chatfield.
Frank L. Jones was a partner in the
business until February, 1860. In
May, 185.">, they bought the hardware
store of R. Woodford & Co. at the
northwest corner of Lake and Front
streets and removed across the street
thereto. In the spring of 1886 A. P.
1S3
Storrs, Jr., and Geo. S. Chatfield be-
came meipbers of the firm.
Mr. Storrs died Scj)t. 9, 188S. He
was one of tlie organizers of tlie Owe-
go gas light company in March, 1856,
and was for many years i)residf'nt of
the company.
Joseph M. Ely was born .Jan. 1.").
1802, at West Springfield, Mass. The
Elys came originally from Wales and
were among the earliest emigrants in-
to New England. He was a son of
Richard Ely, who was a sergeant in
the revoluti(mary war. He came to
Owego in 1830 and was the second
principal of the Owego academy from
1830 to 1835. From Owego he went to
New York city, where he engaged in
the wholesale grocery business. About
the year 1857 he came to Waverly,
where he was station agent for the
New York & Erie railroad. In 1859
he went to Athens, Pa., where he es-
tablished a select school. He died
there 15 Nov., 1873.
Judge Charles Curtis Noble was
born at Unadilla, N. Y., and was a
graduate of .Union college. He came
to Owego soon after having com-
pleted his pi'ofessional education and
formed a partnership with judge
Stephen Strong, which continued sev-
eral years. On the death of his
father he i-eturned to Unadilla, and
practised law there. He was first
judge of Otsego county several years
and up to 1847, when a new constitu-
tion was adopted. Tliat year he was
elected to represent Otsego county in
the assembly. Judge Noble was one
of the three persons who organized
St. Paul's Episco])al church in Owe-
go. He died at the home of judge
184
Strong in Owego June 13, 1S51, aged
41 years.
George Sidney Camp was bom in
Owego February 5. 1816. He was one
of the first pupils at the old Owego
academy, from which he was gradu-
ated in 1832. He entered Yale col-
lege, but at the end of his sophomore
year he left there and entered the
University of the city of New York.
At the close of his junior year he left
college and became a law student in
the office of Stephen Strong. Later
he went to New York city and com-
pleted his law studies in the office of
Gerardus Clark. He was admitted to
the bar May 18, 1838. He practised
law three years in New York. He re-
turned to Owego in December, 1841,
where he practised law all the rest of
his life. He was appointed district at-
torney of Tioga county in 1845. He
died at Owego Feb. 14, 1888. Mr.
Camp was one of the ablest lawyers
of his time in Owego.
.Joseph Clizbe was a New York law-
yer and a man of property. He came
here late in life in feeble health and
died here. He lived in the house
which is still standing on the south
side of Main street, the second house
east of Parker's lane.
.Tared C. Gregory was bom at But-
ternuts, X. Y., Jan. 13, 1813, and
studied and practised law there until
in the sixties when he removed to
Madison, Wis., where he died Feb. 7,
1S92.
NATHAN AND ANSON CAMP.
Nathan Camp was a religious man.
fond of literature, and he founded the
village library in 1813. He was one
of the incorporators of the Owego and
Ithaca turnpike company in April,
185
1S07, and was one of the board of in-
spectors of schools in 1 SI .')-!(;. in
1807 he was appointed conn't in lin'
second squadron, fifth divisi(jn. troop
of cavalry, and in ISlC he was ajj-
pointed second lieutenant of the 8th
regiment of cavalry.
The following were the cliildicn of
Nathan and Susanna (Avery) Camp:
1. Frederick Mortimer Cam]), born
3 July, 1S13, at Owego. Married Sarah
Piatt, daughter of Jonathan Piatt, of
Owego. He died at Ithaca IG March,
1848, and she at Truniansburg 23 .Ian.,
1894.
2. George Avery Cani]), born at
Owego. Died 10 July, 1S27.
The only child of Nathan and Fanny
(Collier) Camp was Nathan H. Camp.
He was unmarried.
When Gen. Anson Camp came to
Owego he began the pottery business,
but later went into business as a
hatter. His store was on the soutli
side of Front street, a short distance
east of the "white store" on Ur. Tink-
ham's land. He made and sold hats
there.
Gen. Anson Camp was active in
military affairs. In 1809 he was ap-
pointed a lieutenant in Capt. Ansel
Goodrich's company in Col. Asa
Camp's regiment. The next year he
was promoted to captain, in 1811 to
second major, in 1S12 to brigade
major and inspector of the 18th bri-
gade of infantry, with rank from May
23, 1812. In 1816 he was ajjpointed
lieutenant colonel of the o3d regi-
ment of infantry, and in 1820 he was
promoted to brigadier-general of tlie
41st brigade.
Gen Cam)) was also active in inib-
lic life. He was one of the incorpora-
tors of the Owego academy. He was
186
supervisor of the town of Owego in
1815, 1816, 1819, 1820, and 1831. He
was president of tlie village in 1832
and 1833, and he represented Tioga
county in the assembly in 1825. In
1814 he was appointed one of the
three trustees of "Owego settlement"
in place of Capt. Mason Wattles, who
had removed from the village. He was
also one of the three commissioners
who built the old court house at the
corner of Main and Court streets in
18.23.
Anson Camp was never married but
lived all his life at the home of his
brother, William Camp. He died
March 22, 1838.
HERMON CAMP.
Hermon Camp was not long a resi-
dent of Owego. Two of his brothers,
William and Nathan Camp, has estab-
ished a branch store at Trumansburg,
Tompkins county, in 1805. In Decem-
ber of that year when Hermon Camp
was eighteen years old he was sent
there by his brothers to manage the
store, and he lived there all the rest
of his life. He was for many years a
prominent man of Tompkins county.
In military life he became lieutenant-
colonel of a regiment of cavalry, in
1809 he was appointed adjutant in
lieutenant-colonel Hugh Graham's regi-
ment.and hi 1810 captain of acompany
of cavalry in the first squadron, 9th
regiment. In 1812 he was captain of the
only volunteer company of cavalry in
western New York, which he had uni-
formed, armed, equipped, and movmt-
ed on fine horses at his own expense.
Within five weeks after the war was
declared this company marched to the
headquarters of Gen. Stephen Van-
1S7
Rensselaer at Lewiston, on the Ni-
agara frontier. In 1820 he was ap-
pointed lieutenant-colonel of the Kitii
New York cavalry, with rank Iroiii
July 8, 181!).
He was sheriff of Seneca county
from Jan. 2S, 1817, to the 17th of the
following Ai)ril. In Api'il, IM7, upon
the formation hy the legislature of
Tompkins county out of a ])ortion of
the territory belonging previous to
that time to the counties of Cayuga
and Seneca, he was ai)|)ointed sheriff
of the new county. In November.
1819, he was elected member of as-
sembly for Tompkins county. He was
l>resident of Tomi)kins county bank at
Ithaca several years. He was a firm
temperance man and was the first
merchant in Tomi)kins county who
discontinued the sale of liquor. He
was president of the state temperance
society in 1851-2.
Mr. Camp was thrice married. His
first wife was Mary Caroline Cook.
His second wife was her sister, Cath-
erine Cook. His third wife was Sarah
Piatt, daughter of Jonathan Piatt, of
Owego. She was first married in 1832
to Frederick M. Camp, a nephew and
employe of Hermon Camp. In 1848,
after Frederick M. Camp's death, she
was married to Hermon Camp, who
was then 61 years old. She died at
Trumansburg Jan. 28, 1894, aged 82
years.
The children of Hermon and Mary
Caroline (Cook) Camp were as fol-
lows:
1. Caroline Camp.
2. Clinton Cam]).
3. Henrietta Camp.
4. Anna Sarah Camp.
5. Charles Camp.
188
6. Mary Catherine Camp, born 18
Jan., 1840, at Trumansburg. Married
Henry W. Swanton 29 Sept., 1864.
Died at Bath, Maine. 17 Nov., 1873.
The children of Hermon and Cath-
erin (Cook) Camp were as follows:
1. Edward Camp, born 13 June,
1842. Married Susan J. Winfield 28
Jan., 1862.
2. Hermon Camp.
Hermon and Sarah (Piatt) Camp
had one daughter, Alice Hermoine
Camp, who was born 23 March, 1851,
at Trumansburg. She married Frank
Hackley Griswold, of Auburn, 13 Oct.,
1870. Hermon Camp died at Trumans-
burg June 8, 1878.
STEPHEN STRONG.
Stephen Strong was born Oct. 11.
1791, at Lebanon, Conn. He was a
descendant of John Strong, who came
from England and settled in Massa-
chusetts.
John Strong, Jr., lived at Northam])-
ton, Mass. His son, Jedediah Strong,
was born in 1637 and died in 1733.
Jedediah Strong, Jr., was born in 1667
and was killed by Indians.
His son, Stei)hen Strong, was born
in 1690 and died in 1785.
Stephen Strong's son, Daniel
Strong, of New Lebanon, Conn., was
born in 1719 and died in 1806.
His son Adonijah Strong was born
in 1760 and died in 1815. He was a
soldier in the revolution from 1780 to
1783 and was at the taking of York-
town. He married Hepzibah Bliss.
Judge Stephen Strong was a son of
Adonijah Strong. His parents remov-
ed to Jefferson coimty, N. Y., when he
was a child. He received his princi-
pal education at Oneida academy.
Clinton, N. Y., now Hamilton college.
He came about 1814 to Owego, where
189
he at first taught school. He was ad-
mitted to the bar in 1S22. He was dis-
trict attorney of Tioga county from
July. 1S36, to July, 1838. and from
1844 to 1847. He was ajjpointed first
judge of Tioga county April 18. 1838.
and held tliat office until Feb. 2, 1843.
He was elected county judge in No-
vember, 1855. and served four years.
He was the representative of the 22d
district in the congress of 1845-7.
Judge Strong was one of the incorpo-
rators of the old bank of Owego in
1836. His law office in 1828 was on
the bank of the river, a little below
Paige street. In May, 1838, his step-
son, George Sidney Camp, was ad-
mitted to the bar and in the following
October they became law partners.
Soon afterward Mr. Camp removed to
New York city, and in January, 1840,
judge Alanson Munger became judge
Strong's law partner. Mr. Camp re-
turned to Owego in December, 1841.
and resumed his partnership with
judge Strong, which partnership con-
tinued until judge Strong's election
to the office of county judge in 1856.
The law office of judge Strong and
Mr. Camp was on the south side of
Front street on the lot now occupied
by the Standard butter company's
creamery. It was afterward removed
to the north side of the street. Mr.
Camp later built a large addition to it
as a residence and lived there until
it was burned in October, 1867. He
immediately rebuilt an office and resi-
dence on the same site and lived there
until his death. It then became the
property of A. P. Storrs, Jr., who made
changes and improvements and now
lives there.
In July, 1861, judge Strong removed
190
back to Jefferson county and settled
at Watertown. There on June 19.
1861, he married Roxanna Terry
Woodruff, widow of X. M. Woodruff, a
hardware merchant, and daughter of
Eli Bush, of Perry, X. Y. :Mrs. Wood-
ruff was the mother of the wife of
governor Roswell P. Flower.
Judge Strong died at Watertown
Apri 1.5, 1866. In the centennial his-
tory of Tioga county Wm. F. Warner
writes at considerable length of judge
Strong whom he considered "one of
the most remarkable men of the
period." Mr. Warner says:
"For upwards of fifty years judge
Strong was among the foremost men
of his profession, and for many years
was the leading jury advocate of this
county, and of the counties of Sus-
quehanna. Bradford, and Luzerne in
Pennsylvania: his business extended
largely into the latter three counties.
In the prime of life he found few
equals, especially in the trial of crim-
inal cases, on which account his ser-
vices were sought in almost every im-
l)ortant case for many years. To a
tall and commanding person he added
elegance and grace of manner, and a
pleasing address. His features were
strongly marked and bore a firm and
decisive expression, while his eyes
were full and dark, with dark brows.
Amid a crowd of a thousand persons
he would have been selected as a
prominent figure His social
qualities were of the highest or
der As a judge he possessed a
rare firmness that enabled him to re-
main unbiased by public clamor
The general judgment of his character
was that in ability he had few equals,
and that, with an over-generous na-
ture, he possessed untarnished in-
tegrity."
In the "Strong Genealogy," the au-
thor, Benj. W. Dwight. writes as fol-
lows of judge Strong:
191
"He was an eminent advocate,
famous not only for his technical
knowledge but for his great tact and
ingenuity and wonderful resources of
his own in handling of cases, and for
his inspiring and magnetic powers of
eloquent speech, which was always
more powerful than polished. He was
stinctively polite, and free with both
hand and heart everywhere, and re-
markably frank and reserved on all
occasions and made alike warm
friends and bitter enemies. He had
an ine.xaustible fund of good spirits at
all times. He was a great reader,
rather than a close student. He was
very tall, about six feet in stature, of
dark complexion, high and prominent
cheek bones, a large mouth, and
marked but interesting features."
Aaron P. Storrs, Jr., of Ovvego, owns
a fine portrait of judge Strong. It was
painted by .Tames Bogle, a member of
the National Academy and a noted
portrait painter of his day. Mr.
Bogle painted portraits of Calhoun,
Clay, Webster, Gen. John A. Dix, and
other prominent Americans.
JOHN R. DRAKE.
John R. Drake, who came to Owego
in 1809 and who was for many years
one of the most enterprising business
men and public spirited citizens of the
village, was a descendant of Robert
Drake, who was born in Devonshire,
England, about 1599, and who was a
nephew of Sir Francis Drake.
Robert Drake's son, Abraham Drake,
came to America in the "Mayrlower"
and settled at Hampton, Conn. Abra-
ham's son, Robert Drake, was born in
1664 and died in 1743 at Hampton.
Robert's son, also named Robert, was
the father of Rev. Reuben Drake, who
was born April 23, 1745, and who was
a Baptist clergyman at Pleasant Val-
ley (now called Plattekill), near New-
192
burgh, X. Y. Rev. Reuben Drake was
very wealthy and owned a mile square
of land, on which he built a stone
church, in which he preached free of
charge to his congregation. The
church was afterward torn down and
the material was used in building a
school house. Rev. Reuben Drake had
several sons, the third of whom was
John Roland Drake.
John R. Drake was born Xov. 28,
1782, at Pleasant Valley. In early life
he was a clerk in the store of judge
Stanley at Catskill. While thus em-
ployed he was sent to Painted Post,
X. Y., to do some collecting. When
he reached Owego he stopped at the
old tavern, which stood at the north-
west corner of Front and Church
streets. When he started on his way
from Owego some one purposely mis-
directed him, so that instead of cross-
ing the Owego creek and going west-
ward, he went north toward Ithaca.
He soon met some one who informed
him of his mistake. It was at this
time he first saw the land on the flats,
which he afterward induced his
brother, Reuben Drake, to buy. After
Reuben had made the purchase his
wife would not come out here into the
wilderness to live, and John R. Drake
took the property off his hands. This
property judge Drake purchased about
the year 1814. It extended from the
west line of Evergreen cemetery to
the Owego creek. The north bound-
ary was Drake's lane, now Talcott
street, and the south boundary was
the north line of Elizur Talcott's farm.
When judge Drake came here with
his family in October,1809,he lived be-
low and adjoining where the river
193
bridge now is in Front street in a
building, which he rented of Dr.
Samuel Tinkham as a store and resi-
dence. Here he lived until he bought
the farm in the north part of the vil-
lage. On this farm, on the west side
of North avenue, midway between
where Talcott and Adaline streets
now are, was a farm house. This
house he enlarged, and he lived there-
in. Later he again enlarged the house
and converted it into a tavern for
Seth Mosher. After the construction
of the New York and PJrie railroad to
Owego he still further enlarged it. It
was then kept a few years by judge
Drake's son-in-law, A. B. Gere, as a
hotel and was known as the Mansion
house.
.Judge Drake in February, 1829 pur-
chased the house on the south side of
Front street, west of Park street, now
owned by Mrs. Emily Gere. This
house had been built for Albert Bacon.
•Judge Drake died in this house March
21, 1857.
When judge Drake came to Owego
the only merchants in business here
were the Camp brothers. Gen. John
Laning, major Horatio Ross, Gen.
Oliver Huntmgton. and Charles Puni-
])elly. .Judge Drake was in the gen-
eral mercantile business in the Dr.
Tinkham store until 1814. In August
of that year he purchased for $1,200
of .James Caldwell the lot on the south
side of Front street directly opposite
Lake street, on which he built a
wooden store, two stories high. It oc-
cupied the ground on which the Cen-
tral drug store now stands.
In the rear of this store was a large
storehouse with a long dock. Here
he stored and loaded into arks for
194
shipment down the river salt, plaster,
and wheat. This merchandise was
shipped on the spring and fall freshets
to WilkesBarre, Columbia, and other
points on the way to Baltimore. A
great amount of lumber, shingles, and
staves was also shipped iu arks and
rafts. Judge Drake is said to have
had a larger number of arks and rafts
on the river every year than any other
Owego shipper.
He employed men to manufacture
shingles and staves of pine and oak
in the forest on lands five miles from.
Owego on the :\Iontrose turnpike.
The men camped in cabins in the
woods at all seasons while doing this
work. At that time the country was a
wilderness along the Montrose turn-
pike from the river bridge to the
Pennsylvania line, a distance of nine
miles. During the war of 1812 judge
Drake had a contract for making
tent pins for the United States gov-
ernment.
In front of his store judge Drake
laid the first stone sidewalk ever put
down in this village. The stones
were quarried in this vicinity. They
were square, of irregular sizes, and
were laid flat on the ground. Other
such sidewalks were afterward laid
by other property owners. The stones
were heaved out of place by the frosts
and the walks were consequently ir-
regular and had to be occasionally re-
laid.
Judge Drake was also the first Owe-
go merchant to introduce lamps in
place of candles to light his store at
night. He sold everything usually
sold in the general country stores of
those days except intoxicating liquor.
In 1830 he sold that portion of his
195
stock, which was of a kind now koi)t
in drug stores, to Dr. Jedediah Fay
and not long afterward closed out the
rest of his stock of goods and retired
from the mercantile business. Tlic
Front street store he sold in .July,
184r), to Joshua [j. Pinney and his son,
Hammon D. Pinney, wlio lUKhr tin-
firRi name of .J. 1.. Pinney 6c Son con-
ducted a drug store there many yearo.
Judge Drake became the owner of
much property in the business part of
the village. He built Rollin block,
which occupied the northwest corner
of Front and Lake streets. In the
third story of this olock was Concert
hall, where all public entertainments
and shows were given. In the fire of
September, 1849, judge Drake owned
nine stores, all of which were burned
and on which he had only $2,000 in-
surance. He built and owned the
mills on the south side of the river,
o])posite the Owego creek, which were
afterward known as the Hand mills,
and which he subsequently sold to
James Pumpelly, who was his i)artner
in the lumber manufacturing business.
When the New York and l"]rie rail-
road was built to Owego judge Drake,
who was one of the projectors and
who had used all his influence to have
it built through this village, gave the
railroad company nine acres of land,
comprising the grounds where the
station and railroad yards now are.
This land was bounded north by what
is now the north line of E. H. Miller's
hay press, the line extending eastward
along south of Erie street. The west
line was a little we.st of Mc Master
street, and included the ground on
which the old bridge shop stood. The
south line was South Depot street.
196
the Lenox hotel and the north line of
the vacant lot at the southeast corner
of McMaster street and the railroad.
In 1847. two years previous to the
completion of the New York and Erie
railroad to Owego, judge Drake
opened a land office. At about this
time he caused a survey and map of
this village to be made. This map
was lithographed in Xew York and
was entitled "A Map of Drake's Reser-
vation in the Village of Owego, X. Y."
The map shows the line of the old
Ithaca and Owego railroad as it ex-
tended down through the village into
Front street, the proposed line of the
New York and Erie railroad through
the then northern part of the village,
and the situation of all the residences
and stores.
Judge Drake's farm on both sides of
the railroad was laid out into village
lots on this map, with streets, several
of which streets were opened after-
ward and are now in use. They were
generally named in honor of members
of his family. Delphine, Charlotte,
and Adaline streets were opened and
still bear those names. Theodore,
Harriet, Jerusha, and Arianna streets
do not appear on the latest maps,
.lerusha street on the Drake reserva-
tion map is now known as West
avenue.
When judge Drake gave the nine
acres of land to the N. Y. & E. rail-
road company there was some kind of
an agreement whereby he was to have
had the rent of the dining room at the
station and that all trains were to
stop here, but at about this time he
was stricken with paralysis and the
person who attended to this business
for him allowed the arrangement to
197
be changed and he did not receive the
benefit of it.
It is related of judge Drai-cc that
some time before the old Owego and
[thaca horse railroad was built lie
was |)res(nt at a public meeting in
this village to consider the (iu(\stion
of public improvements. Among other
things discussed was a proposed sur-
vey for a canal from Ithaca to Owego.
At this meeting judge Drake said that
if it was found that tlic building of a
canal would not be a profitable in-
vestment, perhaps the line might be
used for a railroad. Thereupon an in-
credulous citizen contemptuously re-
marked, "What wont the d — d old
fool be at next?" Yet the railroad
was built. And several years later
when the New York & Erie railroad
was com])leted to Owego and the first
train came to the station judge Drake,
who was then helpless with paralysis
and was sitting in his carriage on the
hill above, looking at the arrival of
the train, the man who made the dis-
paraging remark at the public meet-
ing stood by his side.
Judge Drake was prominent in i)ub-
lic as well as in business affairs. He
was supervisor of the town of Owego
in 1813. He was appointed first judge
of Broome county April 8, ISlo, and
served until 1823. He was reappointed
first judge of Tioga county March 27,
1833, and served until April 18, 1838.
He was a member of congress from
1817 to 1819; member of assembly, in
1834, and iiresident of Owego village,
from 1841 to 1845, inclusive. In 1823
he was one of the three commis-
sioners appointed to supervise the
construction of the first Tioga county
court house built in Owego at the
198
southeast corner of Main and Court
streets.
Judge Drake married Jerusha
Roberts, daughter of .Joseph Roberts,
of Catskill. X. Y. She was born 6
July, 17S0, and died at Owego 27 April.
1S67. They were married 4 Sept..
1S03. at Catskill. The children of
John R. and Jerusha (Roberts) Drake
were as follows:
1. Harriet Gould Drake, born 22
Aug.. 1S0.5. at Xewburg. Married
David P. Tinkham 7 July, 1S25. He
died at Owego 10 Aug., 1S36. and she
12 Sept.. 1901.
2. Adeline Beebe Drake, born 'j
Mav. ISOS. at Xewburgh. Married
Isaac Bradford Gere 12 August. 1S34.
He died 16 Feb.. 1S60. at Owego and
she 21 March. 188S.
3. Delphine Drake, born 11 April.
Ibll. at Owego. Married Harmon
Pumpellv 16 Xovember, 1830. She
died 27 Feb.. 1839.
4. Theodore Drake, born 16 Jan..
1814. at Owego and died here 25 Aug..
1888. He was unmarried.
5. Charlotte Marsh Drake, born ."<
Xov.. 1S16. at Owego. Married Ed-
ward Ravnsford 17 July. 1837. He
died 27 X'ov.. ISSl, and she 26 Sept..
1898.
William F. Warner in his centennial
history of Tioga county writes as fol-
lows concerning judge Drake.
"Judge Drake for many years before
his death was paralytic, but in earlier
years few men surpassed him in vigor
of mind and body. He was a keen ob-
server of men and things and a right
royal talker. Like Mr. Jonathan Piatt
he found in the ordinary affairs of life
abundant amusement, and was dis-
posed to make the most and best of
everything. Although he may have
sometimes held his neighbors up in a
somewhat ludicious view, yet Mr.
Drake, though gifted with great
powers of sarcasm, generally aimed to
be just . . . Judge Drake held a
prominent place among the leading
199
men of the county, and had much in-
fluence in shaping the public affairs of
the village in wliich he resided, and of
this county as well."
David P. 'J'inkhain, a son of Dr.
Samuel Tinkhani. was born Nov. 22,
ISO:^, at Owego. His father dying
when he was less than a year old, he
was reared by his step-father, James
Pumpelly. He was graduated fioni
Union college. He afterward con-
ducted a general mercantile business
in 1827 and later in a wooden store,
which stood at the northwest corner
of F'ront and Dake streets. When
Rollin block was built on this corner
the old store was moved to the west
side of North avenue, nearly opposite
South Depot street and converted into
a dwelling house, where it was occu-
pied many years by Mrs. Edward
Raynsford. A few years ago it was.
with additions, converted into a notel
and called the European house, and it
is now a tenement. David P. Tink-
hani lived in a house which stood at
the northeast corner of Main street
and Central avenue. He was only 33
years of age at the time of his death,
in 1S36 and his widow continued to
live there until the property was sold
to Dr. P. S. Stearns and Mrs. James
Wilson in November, 1865, and the
Park hotel built thereon.
Isaac B. Gere was a son of Luther
Gere, who came from Connecticut and
settled in the town of Genoa, Cayuga
county. Luther Gere was a carpenter
and assisted in building the first
bridge at the north end of Cayuga
lake. This bridge was more than a
mile in length. He removed to Ithaca
about 1807, where he kept a tavern.
He built the old Ithaca hotel, the old
200
Columbian inn, and other buildings at
Ithaca. He owned 1,40(J acres of land
near Ithaca, and in one year he had
800 acres of wheat in harvest. He
was president of the old bank of
Ithaca, and was twice a judge of the
court of common pleas. A. B. Gere
was his only son. After his marriage
A. B. Gere came to Owego and lived
here all the rest of his life.
Edward Raynsford was born in 1S12
at Montrose, Pa. At the age of seven-
teen years he came to Owego and en-
tered judge Latham A. Burrows's
store as a clerk. He was afterward
employed in David P. Tinkham's
store. In company with Edward R.
Warner he later conducted a general
mercantile business in a store on the
south side of Front street, nearly op-
posite Lake street. This partnership
was dissolved July 27, 1836, when Mr.
Raynsford and his father-in-law, judge
Drake, formed a partnership and con-
ducted a store just above the bridge
on the same side of the street, remov-
ing a few years afterward to the store
opposite Lake street. When the New
York and Erie railroad was completed
to Owego in 1849 he built a large store
at the southwest corner of North ave-
nue and the railroad property, with a
large storehouse in the rear, and con-
ducted business there several years.
1 .e store was later converted into a
l)ublic house and known as the Cort-
right house, later as the Birdsall
house, and is now called the Lenox
hotel. Mr. Raynsford died at Sayre,
Pa., Nov. 28, 1881.
201
DR. JEDEDIAH FAY.
Dr. Jedediah Fay came to Owego in
1811. He was born -at Hardwick,
Mass., .Jan. 30, ITSfi. He was a de-
scendant in the fifth generation of
.John Fay, who was born in England
in 1648 and embarked from Grave-
send in the "Speedwell." He died at
Marlboro, Mass., Dec. 15, 1G90. He
was one of the proprietors of the
Ockoocangensett plantation, which
was purchased of the Indians in 1GS4.
Dr. Jedediah Fay was a son of Daniel
Fay who was born at Hardwiek.
Mass., in 1752 and died at Rand()l|)h,
Vt., in 1810.
December 7, 1811, soon aftt r his
coming to Owego, Dr. Fay formed a
partnership with Dr. Samuel Barclay
and practised medicine. Dr. Barclay
was an early resident here. In June,
1805, he bought of John Hollenback
the lot at the northwest corner of
Front and Ross streets and built
thereon the house which still stands
there. It was afterward successively
owned by Major Horatio Ross, judge
1 nomas Farrington, and Dieut. B. W.
Loring. When Dr. Barclay bought
the property he gave a mortgage on
it, and as he did not pay the claim
the property was sold at mortgage
foreclosure in October, 1807. Dr.
Fay's partnership with Dr. Barclay
was dissolved Aug. 12, 1S12.
Dr. Barclay was clerk of the town
of Owego from 1811 to 1814, inclusive.
Little is known of his history. Dr.
Lucius H. Allen once informed the
writer that when he (Allen) came to
Owego in 1832, Dr. Barclay was still
living here, old and broken down
through intemperance, and he died
here not long afterward.
202
In December, 1S12. Dr. Fay, in corn-
company with Joseph L. Lynde began
a general mercantile business under
the firm name of J. Fay & Co. in a
frame building which stood on the
northwest comer of Front and Lake
streets. This store was afterward
burned and on its site Dr. Fay built
another store, which was later occu-
pied by David P. Tinkham.
Dr. Fay continued in business with
Mr. Lynde until 1815, when Lemuel
Brown became his partner. They con-
ducted an extensive business and
opened a branch store at Spencer,
which was then the county seat of
Tioga county. Mr. Brown's son,
Richard Brown, had charge of the
Spencer store. They failed in busi-
ness. While in the mercantile busi-
ness Dr. Fay was elected clerk of the
town of Owego in 1814 and served
three years thereafter by re-election.
Ur. Fay afterward took charge of
judge John R. Drake's business and
conducted it for several years in a
store which stood on the south side
of Front street, opposite Lake street.
In 1830 he purchased judge Drake's
stock of drugs, medicines, paints, etc.,
and removed to the store adjoining
judge Drake's on the east, on ground
now occupied by Goodrich & Co.'s
store. It was at that time the only
drug store in Tioga county.
In 1835, Dr. Fay built a handsome
three-story brick building on the
north side of Front street, the fourth
brick building built in Owego, which
occupied the ground now covered by
the Ahwaga hall block. The upper
portion was occui)ied by him as a resi-
dence. One of the stores below was
THE
YORK
LIBRARY 1
Lenox mi Tlkfm ,
datloni.
90
DR. FAY'S DRUG STORE.
203
used by the old bank of Owego and
into the other Dr. Fay moved his drug
store in January, l.s:!ti. There he con
tinned in tlie driifj; business until his
death. He died Ai)ril 23, 1S4,S.
The cut of Dr. Fay's drug store illus-
trating this article is from a daguerro-
type taken soon after the building was
erected in IS.'^T). The daguerreotype
was pliotograi)hed by Mr. Cortwright
and the cut made from the ])h()t()-
graph. It is, probably, the only pic-
ture of any of the buildings taken be-
fore the great fire of 1S41) now in ex-
istence.
While with judge Drake, in May,
1S20, Dr. Fay was appointed postmas-
ter of Owego, and he held the office
by reappointment twenty-two conse-
cutive years. Judge Stephen Mack
was for some time his dei)Uty. At the
time of Dr. Fay's ai)pointment he
lived with his family in a little red
house, one and one-half stories high,
which stood near the sidewalk on the
north side of Front street, east of
Church street. Judge Mack owned
the lot which then comprised the two
lots now owned by xMrs. Henry Young
and Dr. E. E. Bauer. The house stood
near the west part of the lot, and in a
part of it judge Mack had his printing
office. The post office was afterward
removed to judge Drake's store, and
when Dr. Fay built his brick block
where Ahwaga hall now is, the office
was removed thereto and was kept
there until he was succeeded by
Daniel Ely as postmaster in 1841.
Dr. Fay was for several years in
the state military service. July 15,
1815, he was appointed captain of a
troop in the 8th regiment of cavalry
by Gov. Tompkins. He subsequently
204
resigned his commission and Gov.
Clinton appointed him surgeon of the
53d regiment of infantry, 41st brigade,
lyth division, Feb. 14. 1820. He held
this position until June 15, 1S22. when
he resigned from the service.
In his centennial history of Tioga
county William F. Warner thus
speaks of Dr. Fay:
"Methodical in his habits, he kept
for many years a record of atmos-
pheric changes, which is, probably,
still preserved by his family. He was
a man of wide intelligence and of re-
fined and agreeable manners, and was
held in high esteem by the people of
Owego."
Dr. Fay's wife was Caroline Roberts,
a sister of iNIrs. John R. Drake. They
were married July 2, 1812, the year
after Dr. Fay came to Owego. She
was born May 30, 1794, in Connecticut
and died at Owego March 1, 1879.
The children of Dr. Jedediah and
Caroline (Roberts) Fay were as fol-
lows :
1. Mary Ann Augustina Fay, born
December, 1813. Died June, 1814.
2. George W. Fay, born 10 Aug..
1815. He was unmarried.
3. Charles Pumpelly P^ay, born 13
June, 1818. Married Sarah H. John-
son, of Albany, Sept. 20. 1845. She
was born 25 Dec, 1823, and died in
1863. He married second the widow
Caroline Lawrence, daughter of Louis
C. Constantine. He had ten children
by the first marriage.
4. Frances Delphine Fay, born 12
April, 1821. Died at Owego 23 Sept.,
1895. She was unmarried.
5. Frederick J. P^ay, born 12 May.
1824.
6. Theodore M. Fay, born January,
1828, and died March, 1828.
7. Caroline E. Fay, born 28 May,
1829. Married Augustus B. Brown, of
Geneva, N. Y., 21 July, 1858.
8. Mary J. Fay, born 16 Feb., 1833.
She is stiil living.
205
After Dr. Fay's death two of his
sons, (leorge W. Fay, who had been a
clerk in the store, and Fredericl< .1.
Fay, continued the drug business in
the brick i)lock. When this Ijlock was
burned in the fire of Se]jteniber, l,S4!t,
they temporarily occupied i)art of a
wooden building on the north side of
Main street, opposite Lake street.
They immediately built the l)rick
building which still stands on the
north side of Front street the second
door east of Lake street, in the third
story of which they had a |)ublic hall.
known as Fay's hall. This was th<'
first brick building erected after the
fire and in the hall all the shows and
public entertainments were given un-
til T. P. Patch built his l)rick block
and hall in Lake street.
The Fays moved their drug store in-
to their new building in May, 1850.
They afterward built the Ahwaga hall
block on the site of their father's
drug store, and when it was com-
pleted in May, 1853, they moved their
drug store into tne east part of it.
The firm of G. W. Fay & Co. was
dissolved March 31, 1855, and Geo. W.
Fay continued the business alone un-
til the following December when he
sold the business to Angell & Mackey.
of Cooperstown, who subsequently
failed in business. Geo. W. Fay was
engaged until IN'.tl) in the manage-
ment of Ahwaga hall and the insur-
ance business. He died May 14, 1902.
Frederick J. Fay studied law in
Farrington & Avery's office. After
the death of his father he engaged in
the drug business. In 1858 he sold
his interest in the l)uslness to his
brother, Geo. W. Fay, and removed to
Columbus, Ohio, where he engaged in
206
the real estate business and where he
died Nov. 19, 1890.
Charles P. Fay was in early life a
clerk in his father's store. In 1842 he
removed to Albany to take the posi-
tion of deputy clerk in the ofRce of
Thomas Farrington. of Owego, who
was then state treasurer. He went in
1844 to New York city, where he was
employed as cashier in Peter Loril-
lard's tobacco works. In 1872 he was
stricken with paralysis and was un-
able to do any work thereafter. He
was retired on a pension of $1,000 a
year. He died in Brooklyn October
29, 1882.
ELIAKIM AND NOAH GOODRICH.
Eliakim Goodrich and judge Noah
Goodrich, cousins, came in 1802 from
Glastenbury, Conn., and settled in
what has ever since been known as
Goodrich settlement, in the town of
Tioga. Some of their sons and grand-
sons were business men at Owego and
many of their descendants still live
here.
Eliakim and Xoah Goodrich were
descendants of William Goodrich, who
with his brother, John Goodrich, came
to this country from near Bury St.-
Edmunds, county Suffolk, England,
where they were born, and settled at
Wethersfleld, Conn., about the year
1643. One of William Goodrich's
sons, Ephraim Goodrich, was born in
1663. Ephraim's son, William Good-
rich, born in 1697 at Rocky Hill. Conn.,
was the grandfather of Eliakim and
Xoah Goodrich. Eliakim Goodrich's
father was Elisha Goodrich, of Glas-
tenbury, and Noah's father was
Elisha's brother, Ephraim, also of
Glastenbury. Ephraim married Pene-
207
lope Tryon, of Glastenbury. She died
at Goodrich settlement Nov. 15, 1826,
aged 87 years.
Kliakini Goodrich was l)(>rn Xov. 28,
1762, at Glastenbury. He married
Sarah Iceland .Ian. i:i, 1781. She died
in Goodrich settlement Sei)t. 11, 1824.
Noah Goodrich was born Aug. :M),
1764, also at Glastenbury. He was
twice married. His first wife was
Prudence Goodrich, daughter of David
Goodrich. She was born April 11.
1754, and died Jan. 30, 1813. They
were married Nov. 23, 1786. His sec-
ond wife was Ruth Goodrich daugh-
ter of .leremiah Goodrich. She was
born Sept. 5, 1771, and married Wil-
liam Stratton .June 11, 17SS. Her hus-
band died and she married Asa Good-
rich. He died and she was married
to Noah Goodrich Oct. 31, 1813. She
died Aug. 22, 1846.
Eliakim and Noah Goodrich came
with ox teams and sleds through the
wilderness, arriving here July 2, 1802,
and settled on the property they had
bought of Col. David Pixley. This
property they purchased March 17,
1802. It consisted of 451 acres of
land, and the purchase price was
$5,000. The land was covered with
woods, which they cleared, owning all
their farming tools in partnershij).
As fast as the trees were made into
lumber, the lumber was taken in rafts
down the river to market, the rafts-
men walking back.
Noah Goodrich lived in the Pixley
homestead, a small house which was
for many years known as the Pixley
tavern and which is the only one of
the early houses in the settlement
still standing. It is at the right hand
208
side of the road as one goes from
Owego toward "Glenmary" and a few
rods north of the highway as it turns
westward toward the Erie railroad.
Eliakim Goodrich built a large
frame house with a wide hall in the
middle, similar to most of the other
farm houses built in this vicinity at
that time. It stood on the north side
of the highway, a short distance east
of where the railroad now runs. It
was torn down a few years ago. Dr.
Samuel Tinkham lived in a house
which stood between this house and
the Pixley house. This house was
also torn down about the year 1863.
Noah Goodrich was a member of
the board of supervisors in 1810-12.
He was also one of the members of
the first masonic lodge organized in
Owego, of which he was the master
in 1811 and 1812. In 1816 he was
appointed a justice of the peace. He
died in the Pixley house July 19, 1834.
Eliakim Goodrich was also ap-
pointed a justice of the peace in 1819.
He died Oct. 11, 1824. The children
of Eliakim and Sarah (Leland) Good-
rich were as follows:
1. Gen. Ansel Goodrich, born 27
Oct., 1782, at Glastenbury, Conn. Mar-
ried Mary Strickland 14 Oct., 1804.
He died i5 July. 1819, at Owego, and
she 18 Aug., 1860. at Athens, Pa.
2. Ira Goodrich, boni 18 April,
1784, at Glastenbury. Married Fear
Potter. They lived at Rochester, N.
Y. He died in 182.5.
3. Cyprian Goodrich, born 21 May.
1786, at Glastenbury. Married Abigail
Giles.
4. Lucy Goodrich, born 10 June,
.1778, at Glastenbury. Married Joseph
Berry, of Owego. She died 7 May,
1829."
.5. Alanson Goodrich, born 4 Sept.,
1790, at Glastenbury. Married Mary
209
I'ixley, daughter of David Pixley, .Ir.
He died 6 Nov., 1854, and she 23 April,
1875.
6. Silas (Joodricli, born If) .Jan.,
1793, at Glasteiibury. Married Mary
Ann Goodrich, daughter of .loreniiah
Goodrich, 11 March, 182.S. lie died II
July, 1863, and she 4 May, 1871.
7. Sarah Goodrich, born 9 Oct.,
1795, at Glastenbury.
8. Betsy Goodrich, born 13 Aug..
1797, at Glastenbury. Married Jona-
than Piatt, of Owego. He died 1<!
Jan., 1857, at Owego, and she 27 Nov.,
1878.
9. Anna Goodrich, ])orn 27 May,
1799. Died young.
10. Jasper (Joodrich, l)()ni •", Sept.,
1801, at Glastenbury. Marrier Betsy
Thorn.
11. William Warren Goodrich, born
26 Jan., 1804, at Goodrich settlement.
Married Mary Fo.x, of Towanda, Pa.,
25 Oct., 1830. He died at Wysox, Pa.,
27 May, 1872.
12. Fanny Goodrich, born It June,
1806, at Goodrich settlement. She was
unmarried.
Gen. Ansel Goodrich derived his
military title from his service in the
state militia. In 1807 he was commis-
sioned first lieutenant of a comjjany in
lieutenant-colonel Asa Camp's regi-
ment of infantry, and in 1809 he was
promoted to captain. The next year
he was second major in Col. Oliver
Huntington's regiment, and in 1811
first major. In 1812 he was promoted
to lieutenant colonel commandant of
the 53d regiment, succeeding Col.
Huntington, who was promoted to
brigadier-general of the 41st brigade
of infantry. Gen. Huntington was ap-
l)ointed sheriff of Broome county in
1816, and Col. Goodrich succeeded him
as brigadier-general. In June. 1S18,
he was promoted to major general of
the 19th division of infantry. 36th and
41st brigades, and held that rank at
21(3
the time of his death in the following;
year.
When a young man Gen. Goodrich
became a partner of his brother-in-
law, Jonathan Piatt, in the general
mei-cantile business at Owego. Their
store was on the south side of Front
street below Lake street, and he was
engaged in business there at the time
of his death in 1S19. He built and
lived in a house now standing in
Goodrich settlement, where Ephraim
Goodrich after«-ard lived. Later he
lived in a house on the north side of
Front street west of Park street,
where his mother, Mrs. Eliakim Good-
rich, also lived. After his death the
l)roperty was owned by Jonathan Piatt,
wno tore down the house and erected
in its place the house now owned and
occupied by Mrs. A. Chase Thompson.
The children of Noah and Pinidence
Goodrich were as follows:
1. Erastus Goodrich, bom lo June.
1788, at Glastenbury. Conn. Married
Hope Talcott, daughter of Elizur Tal-
cott. of Owego, 27 Feb.. 1812. He died
27 .Tune. 1854. at Buffalo. X. Y., and
she 13 Feb., 1865, at Owego.
2. Aner Goodrich, born 30 Sept..
1789. at Glastenbury. Married Ruth
Stratton 1 Oct.. 1S13. He died 15
July. 1871.
3. Norman Goodrich, bom 30 Dec,
1792, at Glastenburv. Married Eliza
True 20Jan.,lS20. He died 9 Feb., 1861,
and she 10 March, 1872. Norman
Goodrich was a commissioned officer
in the state militia. In 1816 he was
ensign of a company in the 53d regi-
ment of infantry, and was promoted
to lieutenant the ne.\t year. He re-
signed from the service in 1822.
4. Roxa Goodrich, born 16 Sept..
1798, at Glastenbury. Married David
Nealv 3 Sept.. 1824. He died 8 March.
1871. and she 21 Dec, 1824.
5. Prudence Goodrich, bom 25 Jan..
211
1805, at Goodrich settlement. Died
March ?,\, 1805.
fi. Anna Goodrich, born :;u Ajir.,
1807, at Goodrich settlcnicnt Died
lo Jan., 1808.
7. Penelope Goodricii. Ijorn :; .Ian
1812. Died G .Jan.. isili.
Erastus Goodrich was a prominent
member of the family. He was super-
visor of the town ofTiosn in 1828,1841,
and 1843, and represented Tioga county
in the assembly in 1848. He was the
father of George B. and David Good-
rich, both of whom were Owego nier-
tlumts. Three of his sons-in-law,
Daniel G. Taylor, George Truman, and
Thomas I. Chatfield, were also mer-
chants here. He died June 29, 1854.
at Buffalo, while on his return from a
visit to his son, Erastus, at DeKalb,
Illinois.
David Goodrich the eldest son of
Erastus Goodrich, was born Jan. ;j.
1813, in the town of Tioga. At about
15 years of age he entered the emi)loy
of John Hollenback, the Owego mer-
chant. In 1SC7 he entered L. Truman
& Brothers' store as a clerk. Four
years later he and George Truman en-
gaged in the dry goods business, and
in July, 1841, he married Mrs. Tru-
man's sister, Frances A. Truman.
From 186;! to 1872 he was in the mer-
cantile business with various partners.
Later he engaged in farming. He
died at Owego July 3, 1896.
George B. Goodrich, another son of
Erastus Goodrich, was during all his
business life a dry goods merchant at
Owego. Mention has already been
made of him in an account of the Tal-
cott family.
212
STEPHEN B. LEONARD.
Through the accurate care and in-
dustry of Mr. Lansmg, of Rochester,
the genealogy of the Leonard family
from the year 580 A. D., has been
carefully prepared. It was an old and
interesting race, and its sons and
daughters held high office and rank in
England. Sufficient for this article to
indicate that Lady Margaret Fienes
married Sampson Leonard, eleventh
baron Dacre, in 1605. Their son was
Sir Henry Leonard, whose younger
brother, Henry, was the father of
Thomas Leonard, of Pontipool, Wales,
and brother of Francis, fourteenth
baron Dacre.
About 1623 James and Henry Leon-
ard, younger sons of Thomas Leonard,
of Pontipool, settled in Massachusetts,
first at Lynn, and later at Taunton.
To them belongs the great honor of
having established the first iron
works in America, at Saugus, near
Lynn. They were the founders, there-
fore, of the great steel and iron in-
dustry of this country.
The following is the exact geneal-
ogy of the Owego Leonards:
James Leonard, of Taunton, died in
1691.
His second son was captain James-
Leonard, born about 1643, died No-
vember 1, 1726.
His son was Stephen Leonard, jurlgc
of court of common i)leas at Taunton.
His son was Joshua Leonard, who
emigrated to New Jersey, living at
Parsippiney. He died in 1760.
His son was Silas Leonard, born in
1756 at Parsippiney, and died at Owego
in 1832. He married Johanna Gregory,
of Bridgeport, Ct. He removed from
STEPHEN B. LEONARD.
founrf;;flont.
213
New Jersey to the city of New York
early in his young manhooil. and was
engasecl in the leathiT l)ii.siiicss in
what is now designated 'the s\vani|)'";
and which, i)robably, was known by
the same name in that day. His resi-
dence was in Wall street, and or-c-u-
pied the i)lace where the United
States custom house has stood for so
many years. Immediately opposite
his house was the city hall. The
sons of Silas and Johanna (Gregory)
Leonard were as follows:
1. Seth (5. Leonard, Havana, New
York.
2. Milton Leonard, of .Mai-lhorough,
died unmarried.
?.. General Harry C. Leonard, of
Reading, New York. He died at
Friendsville, Pa., 20 Feb., 1844, aged
44 years.
4. Stephen Banks Leonard, born in
Wall street, New York city, 15 April.
1793.
Silas Leonard removed to Owego
with his family in 1803. He was blind
during the last part of his life. He
died at Owego Sept. 29, 1832, aged Tf.
years. His wife died also at Owego
Sept. 27, 1816, aged 55 years.
Stephen B. Leonard was ten years
old when the family removed from
New York city to Owego. Three
years later, in ISOG, he entered judge
Stephen Mack's printing office as an
apprentice to learn the printer's trade.
Judge Mack was publishing "The
American Farmer." His office was in
the second story of his house in Front
street. When the term of his api)ren-
ticeship expired Mr. Leonard pur-
chased an interest in the office and
soon afterward went, in 1811, to Al-
bany, to perfect himself as a job prin-
ter in the office of Solomon South-
wick.
214
Mr. Southwick was a man of con-
siderable prominence in political life
in this state for several years. He
visited Owego in 1834 and wrote a his-
tory of the village, which he published
in pamphlet form, but no copy of this
Iiamphlet is known to be in existence
now. While Mr. Leonard was em-
ployed in Southwick's printing office
Thurlow Weed was also a journeyman
printer there.
From Albany Mr. Leonard went in
1813 to New York city, where he
worked in the book printing establish-
ment of the Messrs. Wood. While
there, in April, 1814, he picked up a
piece torn from a newspaper, in which
mention was made of judge Mack's
death. He returned at once to Owego
and assumed possession of the news-
paper establishment. Two months
afterward he changed the name of the
paper to "The Owego Gazette." Mr.
Leonard was editor and publisher of
the paper, some of the time with va-
rious business partners and the . rest
of the time alone, until 1835, when he
was elected to congress, and then the
office was sold to Shurtleff & Bull.
As editor of the Gazette Mr. Leon-
ard was naturally brought into politi-
cal affairs, and he became active and
prominent, not only in local politics
but in state politics also. In 1832 and
1833 he was a member of the village
board of trustees and was supervisor
of the town of Owego in 1854 and
1856. He was elected to congress in
1835 from the district then composed
of Chemung, Cortland. Tompkins, and
Tioga counties. He was appointed
postmaster of Owego in 1816 and held
that office four years. He was again
appointed postmaster in 1844 and
215
served I'oui- years more. During pre.si-
dent BuchaiiiiHii's adniiiiistration he
was a United States marshal. Mr.
Leonard was one of the original trus
tees of the old Owego academy and
remained a member of the board
forty-one years and mitil the institu-
tion was merged in the free school
system in 1864.
While i)ublishing the Gazette Mr.
Leonard was a member ol tiie stale
militia. In 1815 he was apijointed sec-
ond lieutenant of a com])any of the
Eighth regiment of cavalry. In 1821
he was ai)])ointed quartermaster of
the Forty-first brigade of infantry.
When Mr. Leonard began the i)ubli-
cation of the Gazette he at first de-
livered his papers by carrying them
on horseback to various points.
Later, while postmaster, he estab-
lished post-routes about the country
and afterward secured contracts for
carrying the mails, whicli mails were
delivered by ))ost-riders, who rode on
horseback and carried them. It was
by these post-riders that Mr. Leonard
delivered his newspaper to his sub-
scribers. His routes extended to
Binghamton, Norwich, Fenn Yan,
Bath, and other points. In 1816 Mr.
Leonard also established the first
stage route from Owego to Bath, and
a few years later he established an-
other stage route from Owego to
Montrose, Pa., which he conducted
until 1823, when he sold it to a stage
company.
Mr. Leonard married Esther Hen-
rietta Sperry, daughter of .Tared ana
Esther (Bostwick) Sperry, who was
born Sept. 6, 1798, at New Milford.
Conn. She was a half-sister of Wil-
216
liam, Anson, and Nathan Camp. She
was a woman of fine education, a
graduate of Mrs. Pearce's celebrated
school at Litchfield, Conn., and taught
a select school at Owego. She was
married to Mr. Leonard Feb. 22, 1816.
After his marriage Mr. Leonard
lived several years in a large house
which had been occupied as a tavern
by Ira Deforest and which stood at
the northeast corner of Front ana
Paige streets. When Arba Campbell
purchased the property he built a
brick house which stands there now.
He moved a part of the old tavern
building back and used it for the
kitchen part of his new house. There
was a large double house on the lot
between the tavern building and Mrs.
Betsy Truman's house. This house
Mr. Campbell moved back on the east
side of Paige street where it remained
until 1900. when it was torn down and
Lyman T. Stanbrough built a double
house in its place.
When Paige street was first opened
as a public street from Front to Main
street it was called Leonard street in
honor of Mr. Leonard, and it was so
called as late as 1837.
Mr. Leonard purchased the farm of
seven acres east of this village, known
as "The T.,ocusts," now owned by
.lames Archibald. There he lived un-
til 1869. In April, 1866, Lyman D.
Durphy bought sixty feet of the east
end of the lot on which Ezra S.
Sweet's house stood, on the north side
of Main street, east of Paige street,
and built a brick house thereon. This
house he sold to Mr. Leonard in ex-
change for the farm. Mr. Leonard re-
moved to the Main street house and
lived there the rest of his life. He
J17
died May 8, 1876. Mro. Leonard ditd
Ai'i-il 5, 1879.
In an obituary notice of .Mr. l.,eon-
ard, publislu'd at the time of iiis death
in the Clazttte, Hiram A. Beebe, the
editor of tlie paper, wrote the follow-
ing just tribute to .Mr. Leonard's char-
acter and worth :
"We think we may safely say that
Mr. Leonard was the oldest printer
and newsiiaper editor in the state, and
no person who knew him will dis-
l)ute the assertion that a more per-
fect gentleman never heard. Intelli-
gent and well informed ujion all sub-
jects of public interest, iK)lite, and
agreeable in his manners, with strong
predelietions for the right, yet never
offensive in the utterance of his views,
he was a model of courtesy and gen-
tlemanly bearing, and was very ju^^tly
held in the highest estimation by his
fellow citizens down tothe vt ry time of
his death. . . Often honored with
high official positions, he never be-
trayed a public trust, nor, in all his
life, forfeited his claim to a most un-
qualified confidence in liis integrity of
character."
In the centennial history of Tioga
county Mr. Warner says of .Mr. Leon-
ard:
"Mr. Leonard was held in high esti-
mation by his associates in congress,
and even his political opponents, after
the strife and turmoil of the campaign
were over, bore testimony to his
worth and integrity. The lives and la-
bors of such men as Mr. Leonard are
those elements which make the choic-
est treasure of our county. Their in-
fluence remains and is felt long after
the lives themselves are ended. A
century hence the name of Mr. Leon-
ard will be recalled as that of a man
who heljjed to educate and elevate
the people of his day and give wise di-
rection to the public affairs of county,
state, and nation."
The children of Stephen B. and
218
Esther Henrietta (Spen-y) Leonard
were as follows:
1. William Boardman Leonard,
born 17 June, 1S20, at Owego. Mar-
ried Louisa D. Bulkley, of Southport.
Conn., 6 July, 1847. He died 2 July,
1893, at Owego, and she 11 March,
1900, in Brooklyn.
2. Hermon Camp Leonard, born 31
Jan., 1823, at Owego.
3. George Stephen Leonard, born
9 April, 1827, at Owego. ^Married
Harriet A. Leach, daughter of Caleb
Leach, Jr., 15 April, 1856. She died
at Owego 1 Jan., 1874, and he 20
March, 1907.
4. Henrietta Leonard, born 20 May,
1830, at Owego. Married Oliver Bulk-
ley 28 June, 1854.
5. Emily Caroline Leonard, born
28 Sept., 1832, at Owego.
6. Washington Irving Leonard,
born 12 March. 1835, at Owego. Died
at Owego 17 May, 1874.
7. Laura Ann Leonard, born 23
April, 1839, at Owego.
Wiliam B. Leonard was from the
age of 16 to 21 ye-^.rs a clerk in Her-
mon Camp's store at Trumansburg
and afterward a clerk in the state
comptroller's office at Albany. Thence
he went to New York city, where after
some experience as a salesman he en-
gaged in the dry goods business,which
he conducted with various partners
tor many years and until 1869, when
he established a banking house, which
he conducted until 1881, when he re-
tired from active business. He was
afterward president of the Kings
county bank in Brooklyn, of which he
was one of the founders. He was one
of the founders of the American sur-
ety company, president and one of the
founders of the Homoeopathic hos-
l)ital in Brooklyn, and one of the
Brooklyn bridge trustees.
219
One or .Mr. Leonard's sons, lU. lie v.
William A. Leonard, Bishop of Ohio, was
rector of the Church of the Redeemer
in Brooklyn nine years until 18S1,
when he accei)ted the rectorate of St.
.John's Episcoi)al church at Washing-
ton. He has been Bishop of Ohio
since 1S!)1.
George S. Leonard lived all his life
in Owego. He was engaged sevciiil
years in the clothing business .ind
later in the insurance business. He
held various local ofhces, among
which were town auditor and excise
commissioner.
Hermon C. Leonard went early in
life to Portland, Oregon, where he be-
came eminently successful in business
and where he still lives, one of the
city's most prominent citizens.
220
JONATHAN PLATT.
The first man named Piatt who
came to America was Richard Piatt,
who came from Bovingden. a village
near Hertford. England, and settled in
1638 at New Haven, Conn., where he
became the owner of So acres of land
in and around the city. His second
son, Isaac Piatt, settled at Huntington,
L. I. Benoni Piatt, a grandson of
Isaac Piatt, settled at North Castle.
Westchester county, N. Y., as early as
1730. He was the father of Capt. Jon-
athan Piatt, who came to the town of
Nichols in 1793.
There were three Jonathan Platts.
The first was Captain Jonathan Piatt,
who lived near Bedford, Westchester
county, on a farm on the east side of
Byrum's lake, which farm is now
owned by Richard Harding Davis, the
author. He was a member from West-
chester county of the Third provincial
congress, in 1776, and of the Fourth
provincial congress the same year,,
and was one of the distinguished pa-
triots who constituted the committee
of safety at White Plains in 1776.
In 1779 he was a captain in the
Fourth New York regiment of infantry
in Gen. James* Clinton's brigade, which
met Sullivan's army at Choconut.
This regiment was commanded by
lieutenant-colonel Frederick Weissen-
fels. It was. probably, the knowledge
of the country obtained in this march
down the Susquehanna valley through
Owego that induced him to settle
fourteen years later with his family
at Nichols, then known as Wappa-
senah.
The second Jonathan Piatt, who
was known as major Piatt, was born
221
at Bedford, N. Y., April I'li. 1704. He
married Anna Brush. He came with
ills father to Nichols in 1793. He died
there in December, 1824, and his jjody
was buried in tlic lot on the old
i.ounsberry farm, near Xichols.
The third Jonathan Piatt was onl.\
ten years of age when his father and
grandfather came to Nichols. He af-
terward became one of the most prom-
inent business men in Owego.
The children of .Jonathan and Anna
(Brush) I'latt (2) were as follows:
1. .Jonathan Piatt (3), born i:; Oct.,
1783, at Bedford, N. Y. Married Betsy
Goodrich, daughter of Eliakim Good-
rich. He died 16 ,Ian.. 1S,')7, at Owego
and she 22 Nov., 187S.
2. Mary Piatt, born 20 May, 17sr..
3. Benjamin Piatt, l)orn .'> .June.
1787.
4. Edward Piatt, born 1!) Aug., 1789.
5. William Piatt, born 29 Oct..
1791, at Bedford. Died at Owego 12
Jan., 1855.
6. Brush Piatt, born C Aug.. 17!ir,.
7. Nehemiah Piatt, born 'I'^t Julv,
1797. Died in 1851.
8. Charlotte Piatt, born 25 Jan..
1800. Married Gurdon. Hewitt 17 Mav.
1S21. He died 24 Dec, 1871, and she
16 Jan., 1876.
9. Ben.1amin Piatt, born 2 April,
1803.
10. Deborah Piatt, born 6 Aug.,
1805. Married David Turner. He
died 30 April, 1842. She married sec-
ond Dr. John H. Arnold in 1845. He
died at Owego 29 July, 1876. She died
3 Aug., 1885, at the home of her son,
Edward C. Turner, at Flint. Mich.
11. Charles Piatt, born H May, 1808.
12- Sarah Piatt, born 9 May, 1811,
at Nichols. Married Frederick M.
Camp in 1832. Her second husband
was Hermon Camj), of Trumansburg,
N, Y., to whom she was married 20
Sept., 1848. She died at Trumansbursr
23 Jan., 1894.
Major Jonathan Piatt (2), with liis
famiUv and his parents, cai)tain and
Mrs. Jonathan Piatt, settled on a farm
a mile above the present village of
Nichols, where he built a house which
he kept as a tavern and in which he
lived until his death in 1824. He was
sheriff of Tioga countj- from February,
1810 to February, 1811. He was reap-
pointed in March, 1813. and served
until 1815.
His title of major was derived from
his service in the New York state mi-
litia. Tn 1797 he was commissioned
lieutenant. In 1802 he was promoted
to captain in lieutenant-colonel David
Pixley's regiment. In 1805 he was
commissioned second major in lieuten-
ant colonel Samuel Seymour's regi-
ment, and in 1807 was promoted to
first major.
Major Piatt's son, Jonathan Piatt
(3), was ten years of age when the
family settled at Nichols. William
Piatt was two years old. A third son.
Nehemiah Piatt, was a merchant at
Nichols and lived there all his life.
He was a prominent and prosperous
man of his town. He began the mer-
cantile business there in 1825. He was
supervisor of Nichols from 1825 to
1827 and was a state senator from
1841 to 1844. He died March 29, 1851.
Jonathan Piatt (3) came to Owego
in 1805 and entered Gen. John Lan-
ing's store as a clerk. He was after-
ward for a short time a clerk in
judge Gere's store at Ithaca. In 1810
he began a general mercantile busi-
ness on his own account in a store in
the old Laning tavern, known for
many years as the "Goodman coffee
house," on the north side of Front
street, a little east of Court street,
where he continued business until
1819. He was for a time thereafter
223
in company with liis brotlier-in-law.
Gen. Ansel Goodrich, and afterward, In
l.Si:3,in company with anotlier brother-
in-hiw, Gurdon Hewitt. Tnis partner-
ship lasted only a year. In 1825 he
formed another partnership with still
another brother-in-law, David Turner,
which existed several years.
Mr. Turner began business in Owe-
og about the year 1818, when he pur-
chased Charles Talcott's stock of
goods. Mr. Talcott was at that time
in business in one of the stores in
'Caldwell row."
Piatt & Turner became extensive
dealers in lumber and grain. They
built a d()Ul)le brick store, which stood
on the south side of Front stret, about
half way between Church and Lake
streets and opi)osite where Ah-
waga hall now is. When completed
one-half of the building was occupied
by Gurdon Hewitt and the other half
by Piatt & Turner. This was the first
brick building erected in Owego.
At the time of its construction no
other brick building had been built
in this part of the state, and doubts
were expressed by some people con-
cerning its safety when it should be
finished. It was looked upon as a
doubtful experiment, for it was be-
lieved that the severity of the climate
was such that the frosts would heave
it from its foundation and that there
would be danger of its tumbling down
upon its owners' heads. As time
passed along and the building con-
tinued to stand solid, all became con-
vinced of its stability, and other brick
stores were afterward built, but the
greater part of the stores were of
wood and they were all swept away
in the great fire of 1849.
224
In December, 1825, Piatt & Turner
bought of Abner Turner for $250 four
or five acres of land two miles north
of this village, on which stood a mill
and a distillery. There they built the
flouring mills known ever since as the
"red mills," together with a plaster
mill.
The firm of Piatt & Turner was
dissolved about the year 1S35 and
James Ely became Mr. Piatt's part-
ner. In that year Piatt & Ely con-
ducted an iron foundry in company
with Epliraim Leach at Leach's mills
in the town of Tioga.
Mr. Turner was a son of Abner Tur-
ner, who came from New Hampshire
in 1791 and was one of the earliest
settlers on the Owego creek, north of
this village, in the town of Tioga.
David Turner lived on the north side
of Front street, a little east of Wil-
liam street, in a while house now-
owned by W. X. Richards. He died
there April 30, 1842, agcii 48 years.
His widow married Dr. John H. Ar-
nold, who died in 1876, and after his
death she lived in the same house the
rest of her life and until a short time
before her death.
William F. Warner says of Mr. Tur-
ner.
"Mr. Turner was a man of great
energy, but became badly crippled by
a wound, on account of which he was
for many years before his death un-
able to transact business. In the
years of his retirement from business
he became very conspicuous by rea-
son of his white complexion and gray
hair, and their contrast with the fa-
mous black horse of immense size on
which he rode daily. This horse and
his master semed to be inseparable
companions, and the writer cajinot
remember David Turner and his
horse as disconnected in any circum-
225
stance — they almost realized the
mythological Thessalian centaur."
After the fire of 1S49 Mr. Piatt re-
tired jiermanently from the mercan-
tile business. He was one of the most
public spirited men in Owego. He
was president of the village in 1834
and one of the village trustees from
the organization of the village in 1827
for several years. He was also for
several years i)resident of the old
bank of Owego.
Mr. Piatt lived a few years at "Ves-
per Cliff," on the west side of the
Owego creek in the town of Tioga,
near the .Main street bridge, which
property he jjurchased in November,
1S42, of Horace Frizelle, and which he
sold in March, 1854, to Rev. Samuel
Hanson Cox, who was pastor of the
Owego Presbyterian church in 1855
and 1856. He afterward lived at the
northeast corner of Main and Church
streets in the house which still stands
there. This house was sold in Decem-
ber, 1862, after his death, to Mrs.
Emily M. Daniels. Some time before
his death he purchased the house and
lot in west Front street where Gen.
Ansel Goodrich had lived. He tore
down the house in 1855 and built in
its place the house now owned and
occupied by Mrs. A. Chase Thompson.
Mr. Piatt lived there at the time of
his death in 1857 and his widow died
there also.
Mr. Piatt served in the state militia,
in 1815 he was api)ointed first lieuten-
ant of a company of the Fourth regi-
ment of artillery, in which Dr. Jede-
diah Fay was captain and Stephen B.
Leonard second lieutenant. In 1817
he was appointed quartermaster of the
226
53d regiment of infantry. He resigned
from the service in 1822.
Jonathan Piatt married Betsy Good-
rich, daughter of Eliakim Goodrich, of
the town of Tioga, Aug. 13, 1797. He
died at Owego Jan 16, 1857, and she
Nov. 22, 1878. The children of Jona-
than and Betsy (Goodrich) Piatt were
as follows:
1. Charlotte Piatt, born 7 Aug.,
1817, at Owego. Married George Un-
derwood, a lawyer at Auburn. N. Y.
He was a graduate of Hamilton col-
lege, was a member of assembly in
1850-52, and mayor of Auburn in 1854.
He died 25 May, 1859, and she 15 July,
1900.
2. Mary A. Piatt, born i7 Septem-
ber, 1819, at Owego. Married Henry
Morgan, of Aurora, 3 Sept., 1845. He
died 30 Jan., 1887, and she 22 Nov.,
1893.
3. Charles Paltt. bom 19 March,
1822. Married Nancy H. Ely, daugh-
ter of Col. Oliver Ely, of Binghamton,
10 May, 1848. He died 18 Jmie, 1869.
She married second Fr-derick E.
Piatt. Charles Piatt's cousin. She died
July 16, 1902.
4. George Piatt, born 18 Aprll,1824,
at Owego. Died 8 Nov., 1855, at
Owego.
5. Frances Sarah Piatt, born 24
April, 1831. at Owego. She was un-
married and lived with her mother un-
til her mother's death. She afterward'
lived with her sister, Mrs. Underwood,
in Auburn, where she died 10 June,
1883.
6. Caroline Elizabeth Piatt, born 6
June, 1833, at Owego. Married Silas
Condit Hay, Sept.. 1858. Mr. Hay was
a son of Rev. Philip C. Hay, pastor of
the Presbyterian church from 1847 to
1855. He was for a few years agent
and manager of the United States ex-
press company in New York city until
January, 1867, when he engaged in the
banking business and became an ac-
tive member of the Stock Exchange.
He is now connected with the New
York insurance department.
227
7. Edward Jonathan Piatt, boni 3
Sept., 1S:'„S. Married Emma Antoi-
nette Ketclium. He died at Owego 14
May, 1891.
Ill his centennial history of Tioga
county Wm. F. Warner writes as fol-
lows concerning Jonathan Piatt.
"He was for many years one of the
most thorough and successful busi-
ness men of the county. 'A man of
great energy, he possessed a bound-
less humor, which not the vexations,
troubles, and ills of life, even when
supjilemented by the weight of years,
could suppress. He was one of the
foremost men in adopting and carry-
ing forward the jiublic improvements
of his day, and possessed a sterling
Integrity of character."
Charles Piatt, the eldest son of
Jonathan. Piatt, began his business ca-
reer as teller of the old Bank of Owe-
go, of which his father was the presi-
dent. In May, 1846, he and his brother,
George Piatt, formed a partnership in
the general mercantile business.
Their store was on the south side of '
Front street, directly opposite Dr.
Jedediah Fay's drug store, which stood
where the village library now is in
the Ahwaga hall block. The partner-
ship was dissolved in May, 1849, and
the business was closed. Charles
Piatt was afterward cashier of the old
bank of Tioga, which was organized
in 1856. This bank was converted in-
to the National Union bank, of which
he was president at the time of his
death in 1869. Mr. Piatt was presi-
dent of the village of Owego in I860
and 1864, and treasurer of Tioga
county in 1848-1851.
Henry Morgan was a descendant of
James Morgan, who was born in 1607
in Wales.
James Morgan's son was Capt. John
228
Morgan, born in 1645, whose son was
William Morgan, born in 1693.
William Morgan's son was Capt.
William Morgan, who was born in
1723 and married Temperance Avery,
daughter of Christopher Avery, of
Groton. Conn., who was a brother of
Samuel Avery, who came to Owego
with his family in 1803.
Capt. William Morgan's son. Col.
Christopher Morgan, was bom in 1747.
Col. Morgan's son, also named Chris-
topher Morgan, was born in 1777 at
Groton, Conn., and removed in ISOO to
Aurora, X. Y.. where he died in 1834.
He was a merchant and at the time of
his death had acquired one of the lar-
gest estates in western New York.
Henry Morgan, who married Mary A.
Piatt, of Owego, was his son.
WILLIAM PLATT.
Wiliam Piatt, the fourth son of Jon-
athan Piatt, was born at ^dford, X.
Y., and when his father came to
Xichols he was only two years old.
When a young man he removed to
Owego and studied law in John H.
Avery's oflace. He was admitted to
the bar in 1S14 and began practice in
Owego that year.
Mr. Piatt married Lesbia Hinch-
man, daughter of Dr. Joseph Hinch-
n:an, of Elmira, in 1814, the same
year he began his law practice here.
For a few years he was Mr. Avery's
law partner. He was for many years
agent for the tract of land known as
Coxe's Patent. A description of this
"patent" or "manor" may be found
in "Gay's Gazetteer of Tioga County,"
l)ublished in 1888 at page 24. He was
clerk of the town of Owego in 1818
and in 1820 and 1824, inclusive. He
229
was also a village trustee in 1841.
These were the only public offices he
ever consented to fill.
Mr. Piatt lived in a house on the
north side of Front street, west of
Lake street, which house stood on
ground now occupied by W. L. Hos-
kins's jewelry store. In 1819 he
bought the land on the north side of
Main street, where the new graded
school building was built in 1907 and
built thereon a house which was re-
moved when the property was sold to
the village for school purposes. He
lived there at the time of his death.
Mr. Piatt's law office was at an
early day in a small building which
stood at the northeast corner of
Front and Church streets. When he
built his house in Main street he also
built an office at the southeast corner
of the lot, which office remained there
until after his death.
Mr. Piatt was an elder of the Pres-
byterian church many years and until
his death. He was a lawyer of marked
ability and a man of great worth of
character. Wm. F. Warner, in his
centennial history, says of him:
"Few men have lived of whom it
could be so justly said that "his was
a blameless life — a man without
guile.' Mr. Piatt was occupied through
his business career as agent for the
land known as 'Coxe's Manor" or
'Coxe's Patent,' and, as in the case of
purchasers from James Pumpelly, the
purchasers of lands in that patent
had the good fortune of dealing with
a man of kind and gentle si)irit and
unflinching uprightness."
Mr. Piatt died Jan. 12, 1855. at
Owego. His wife died May 2, 1859,
also at Owego.
The children of William and Les-
230
bia (Hinchman) Piatt were as fol-
lows:
1. William Hinclimau Piatt, born
23 Sept.. 1815, at Owego. Married
Sarah Emily Pumpelly. daughter of
William Pumpelly. of Owego, IT Sept..
1839. She died in New York city 20
.Tan., 18.56. He married second Mary
Elizabeth Pumpelly, daughter of
.James Pumpellv. of Owego. 24 Feb..
1S59. He died 23 .Jan.. 1883. at Me-
tuchen, X. J., and she also at Me-
tuchen 24 Jan., 1884.
2. Stella Avery Piatt, bom 3 June,
1818. Married Joseph Kirkland Rugg
28 Feb.. 1839. He died 24 Jan., 1857,
at Flint, Mich. She married second
Frederick Leach, of Owego. She died
16 Aug., 1879, at Owego, and he 14
Feb., 1884. at Morrison. 111.
3. Frederick Edward Piatt, born 2
Sept.. 1819, at Owego. Married Ade-
line E. Huntington daughter of Jared
Huntington, of Owego, 4 Sept., 1821.
She died 14 Jan.. 1873 He married
second Nancy (Ely) Piatt, widow of
his cousin, Charles Piatt. He died
22 April. 1906.
4. Edward Piatt, borr. 26 Oct.. 1821.
Died 18 March, 1823.
5. Susan Catherine Piatt, born 3
Jan., 1824. She was married to Isaac
Benedict Headley 9 Sept.. 1847. He
died on St. Thomas Island in the
West Indies, 20 Jan., 1854, and she at
Owego 27 Feb.. 1851.
6. Anna Piatt, bom 26 Oct., 1826.
Died June 24. 1829.
7. Emily Elizabeth Piatt, born 28
April, 1829. Married Charles Phillips
Skinner, of Massilon, Ohio, 14 Oct.
1852. He died 10 June. 1882. at Owego.
Mrs. Skinner is still living in this vil-
lage.
8. Humphrey Piatt, born 8 July,
1831. Died 24 Jan., 1834.
9. Thomas Collier Piatt, born 15
.July, 1833.
William H. Piatt was a graduate of
the Owego academy and from Yale
college in 1835. From 1836 to 1840 he
was engaged in the general mercan-
tile business in Owego. He removed
231
to New York city in 1840, where he
was a oonimissiou niorohaiit. From
1875 until his death he licld a clerk-
ship in the New York ])ost office.
Jose])h K. HuRg studied law in
Joseph S. Bosworths office at Bing-
hamton. He was a mechanic, skilled
in the art of carving wood. After his
admission to the bar, in ]S:!4, he mar-
ried the eldest daughter of .John A.
Collier, of Binghamton. She died a
few years after their marriage. He
was appointed surrogate of Broome
county Feb. 12, 1S36, and held that
office four years. He married Stella
A. Piatt in 1839. He was later cash-
ier in a bank at Massilon, Ohio,
whence he removed to Flint, .Mich..
where he practised law and lived until
his death.
Frederick E. Piatt was for many
years in the mercantile business. He
opened a general country store at
Owego in 1836 when only 17 years of
age in company with his brother,
William H. Piatt. From 1847 to 1851
he was in the commission business in
New York city, and from 1851 to 1854
he was bookkeeper in the bank at
Massilon, Ohio, of which his brother-
in-law, Joseph K. Rugg, was cashier.
From 1854 to 1865 he was in the cloth-
ing business in Owego. The rest oi
his life he was engaged in banking,
and at the time of his death, in 1906.
he was cashier of the Tioga national
bank, which position he had held
forty-one years.
Isaac B. Headley was a college
graduate and was most of his life en-
gaged in the banking business. He
came to Owego when 27 years of age.
and was from 1837 to 1844 principal
of the Owego academy. He died Jan.
Z2Z
20, 1854, in the island of St. Thomas,
where he was living for the benefit of
his health, aged 44 years. He was a
brother of Joel T. Headley, the his-
torian, who was also a teacher at the
Owego academy, as well as their sis-
ter, Mrs. Irene Headley.
Charles P. Skinner was bom Aug.
.5, 1827, at Massilon. Ohio. At an
early age he became interested with
.James P. Gay, of Milan, Ohio, in a
line of transportation vessels plying
the great lakes. He came to Owego
in 18.39 and engaged with Frederick
E. Piatt in the clothing business.
From 1862 to 1866 he was in partner-
ship with Thomas I. Chatfield in the
grocery business. When the extension
of the Chenango canal was built to
Owego from Binghamton he built a
portion of it by contract. Later he
engaged in railroad construction at
Portland, Oregon, in C."nada, and else-
where. He was cashier of the Na-
tional Union bank of Owego and had
charge of closing its affairs in 1870.
Thomas Collier Piatt has attained
wider prominence than any other na-
tive of Owego. The history of his life
has been so fully published in the
local histories that a repetition in de-
tail here would be superfluous. WTien
23 years of age, in 1857, he was elect-
ed supervisor of the village of Owego.
Less than two years later he was
elected clerk of Tioga county. In
1872 he was elected to congress and
re-elected in 1874. He was a quaran-
tine commissioner in New York city
from 1880 to 1889. He was chosen
United States senator in January.
1881, but resigned the oflace in the fol-
lowing May. In 1897 he was again
chosen United States senator, and
233
was -re-elected in 1903 for six years.
In 1879 he was appointed agent for
the United States express company in
New York city, and was later made
president and general manager, which
position he still holds. As leader of
the Republican party of the state of
New York for a quarter of a century
his reputation has become national
and has extended throughout the land.
CHARLES AND PRINTICE RANSOM
Charles and Printice Ransom came
to Owego in 1830 from Tioga Centre
and began a general mercantile busi-
ness. They were grandsons of Capt.
Samuel Ransom, who was killed at
the massacre of Wyoming.
Samuel Ransom was born at Ip-
swich, England, about 1787. He came
to South Canaan, Conn., about the
year 1756, when he was nineteen
years old and married Esther Law-
rence on May 6 of that year. After
his marriage he is said to have seen
service in the French war and was
in the campaign at Ticonderoga and
Crown Point in 1758 with Capt. Zebu-
Ion Butler, of Lyme. Conn. In the
summer of 1773 he sold his real estate
in Litchfield county and removed to
the Wyoming valley.
In August, 1776, he was elected cap-
tain of one of two companies ordered
to be raised in the town of Westmore-
land. He and his son, George Palmer
Ransom, with their independent com-
pany from Wyoming, joined the conti-
nental army at Morristown, N. J. The
first time he was under fire after join-
ing the army was Jan. 20, 1777, at
Millstone, N. J., and he afterward
fought in the battles of Brandywine,
234
Germantown, and in other engage-
ments.
In June, 1777, he resigned, in order
to return to his home and defend it
against the British and Indians who
were advancing down the valley
under Col. John Butler. In the battle
at Forty Fort when every captain of the
six companies was killed, Capt. Ran-
som's dead body was found at the
front of the line, with a musket shot
through the thigh, his head severed
from his shoulders, and his whole
body scarred with gashes. His name
heads the list of killed, engraved on
the tablet of the granite monument
erected a few years afterward in
memory of those who fell in the
battle.
Capt. Ransom's widow afterward
married Capt. James Bidlack. Sr., and
is supposed to have moved back to
Norfolk, Conn., and to have died there.
The oldest son of Capt. Samuel
Ransom was also named Samuel Ran-
som and was later known as major
Ransom. He was only 14 years old in
1733, when his father moved into the
Wyoming valley. Peck's history says
that he "was in the battle of Wyom-
ing, had his arm broken by a ball, and
escaped by swimming the river and
diving when the savages shot at him
from the shore." In Wright's "Ply-
mouth Sketches" it is related that in
the night of March 10, 1781, when he
was twenty-two years old, the house
was surrounded by Indians. He took
his gun and walked out in the moon-
light. An Indian fired, breaking one
of his arms. He coolly and deliber-
ately rested his gun against the house,
and with his remaining arm fired and
235
brought down his man. The Indians
fled, leaving their dead comrade.
About 1787 Samuel Ransom and his
brother, William, bought land on Pipe
creek at Tioga Centre. William built
a house on the west bank oi' the creek,
about one hundred rods from its
mouth, while Samuel settled two
miles below Pipe creek, on the I)tnd
of the Susquehanna. He built on his
land the first tavern and the first
school house in the town of Tioga.
Major Samuel Ransom derived his
military title from his service in the
New York state militia. In 1789 he
was a])iiointed ensign in a company of
light infantry. In 1792 he was ])ro-
moted to captain. In 17!l7 tlie militia
of Tioga county was formed into a
brigade and he was promoted to first
major. He served until 1802, when he
was succeeded by Prince Alden. Major
Ransom was drowned in the Susque-
lianna river by the upsetting of a
skiff in the summer of 1807 or 180S.
William Ransom was also known as
Major Ransom from his service in the
state militia. He was appointed an
ensign in a company of light infantry
in 1792, and promoted to cai)tain in
1802. In 1808 he was promoted to
first major in Lieut.-Col. Asa Camp's
regiment. He became a large land
owner and shipper of lumber.
William Ransom was born at Ca-
naan, Conn., March 26, 1770. In 1792
he married Rachel Brooks, daughter
of James Brooks, at Tioga Centre.
He died Jan. 8, 1822, and she May 29.
1857. The children of Wiliam and
Rachel (Brooks) Ransom were as fol-
lows:
1. Ira Ransom, born 4 Dec, 1792,
at Tioga Centre. Married Sarah For-
236
man at Nichols 22 Jan., 1814 He died
at Wysox. Pa.. 1 June, 1848.
2. Sybil Ransom, born 14 Aug.,
1794, at Tioga Centre. Married Henry
Light at Smithboro 1 Feb.. 1816. Died
15 April, 1877, at Smithboro.
3. David Ransom, born 14 Oct..
1796. Died 9 May, 1827. at Philadel-
phia, Pa. He was unmarried.
4. Benjamin Ransom.born 26 Sept..
1799, at Tioga Centre. Married Lucy
Frost at Tioga Centre 7 July, 1821.
Died 18 Jan., 1830, at Tioga Centre.
.5. William Ransom, bom 9 April.
1801, at Tioga Centre. Married Ange-
lina Martin at Owego 14 Sept., 1831.
He died at Tioga Centre 7 Feb., 1883.
She died four days afterward, 11 Feb.,
1883.
6. Rachel Ransom, born 23 Aug..
1803, at Tioga Centre. Married David
Wallis at Tioga Centre 23 Jan., 1823.
Died 13 Nov., 1889.
7. Charles Ransom, bom 19 Sept.,
1805, at Tioga Centre. Married Hope
Maria Talcott, daughter of George
Lord Talcott, at Owego 2 Oct., 1832.
He died 12 Aug., 1860, at Tioga Cen-
tre, and she 1 May 1863.
8. Printice Ransom, born 17 Sept.,
1807, at Tioga Centre. Married Fanny
Thurston, daughter of David Thurs-
ton, at Owego 19 Oct., 1830. He died
15 Oct., 1889, at Iowa City, Iowa, and
she 18 July. 1902, at Iowa City.
9. Harriet Ransom, bom 15 Aug..
1809, at Tioga Centre. Married Asa
Guildersleeve, Jackson at Tioga Cen-
tre 19 May, 1840. Died 4 June, 1847,
at Tioga Centre.
10. Charlotte Ransom,born 13 April,
1811, at Tioga Centre. Died 26 June.
1811.
11. Marv Johnson Ransom, bom 24
Nov., 1812. at Tioga Centre. Married
Gilbert Strang at Tioga Centre 29
.Jan., 1833. Died 9 June, 1872, at
Tioga Centre.
When Charles and Printice Ransom
began business in Owego in May,
1830 they were aged respectively 24
and 22 years. Having formed a part-
nership with William A. Ely under
237
the firm name of Ely & Ransoms they
continued the general mercantile bus-
iness that had been established by
James, i:)aniel, and \Vm. A. Ely in a
store on the south side of Front street
belaw Lake street. Charles Ransom
did not remain long in the firm but
withdrew hi June, ISIJU, and the name
of the firm was changed to Ely & Ran-
som. This firm was dissolved Ai)ril 1.
1S;!o, Charles Ransom having i)ur-
chased Mr. Ely's interest. C. & P.
Ransom continued the business in the
same store. Later they removed to
the west side of Lake street into a
wooden store which stood opposite
where the Owego national bank now
is. After the fire of 1849, in which
their store was burned, they built the
brick store on the south side of Front
street now occupied by Buckbee,
Peterson, Wood & Co., and into which
they moved in .lanuary, 1S5L On the
oOth of the following September
Charles Ransom who had lived both
at Tioga Centre and Owego while in
business here, retired from the mer-
cantile business altogether and spent
the remainder of his life at Tioga
Centre, where he died nine years
later.
Upon the dissolution of the firm ol'
C. & P. Ransom, Printice Ransom and
his brother-in-law. Col. .lames S.
Thurston, formed a partnership and
continued the business under the firm
name of P. Ransom & Co., until Dec.
9. 1856.
In November, 18.j7, Mr. Ransom re-
moved to Iowa City, Iowa, where his
son Charles T. Ransom, was practis-
ing law. About ten years later he re-
turned east and engaged in the dry
goods business in Binghamton. but in
238
March, 1871, he disposed of his stock
of goods and returned to Iowa City,
where he lived the rest of his life.
Mr. Ransom held but one public
office. He was elected sheriff of Tioga
county in 1837 and served three years.
He was one of the organizers of the
Owego gas companny in 1856.
The children of Charles and Hope
M. (Talcott) Ransom were as fol-
lows:
1. George E. Ransom, born 19
Sept., 1833, at Owego. Died 12 Jan..
183.5.
2. Charles Edmund Ransom, born
7 Dec, 1835, at Tioga Centre. Mar-
ried Georgiana Anderson at Port De-
posit, Md., 21 Oct., 1862. He died 30
April, 1877, at Tioga Centre.
3. William Ransom, born 3 July.
1839 died 18 Nov., 1841.
The children of Printice and Fanny
(Thurston) Ransom were as follows:
1. Charles Talcott Ransom, born
27 Sept., 1831, at Owego. Married
Fanny Sarah Bacon, daughter of
George Bacon, at Owego 23 June,
1859. He died 5 April, 1888, at Iowa
City, Iowa, and she 8 Jan., 1897, at
Washington, D. C.
2. Chester Printice Ransom, born
31 Aug., 1833, at Owego. Died 2 Feb.,
1842.
3. Fanny Clarissa Ransom, born
8 April 1837, at Owego. Married
James B. Edmonds 6 Dec, 1859, at
Iowa City, Iowa. She died 9 Jan.,
1864, at Iowa City, and he Dec. 29,
1900, at Washington, D. C.
4. Elizabeth Rachel Ransom, born
26 Sept., 1841, at Owego. Married
Thomas Fanning Goodrich at Iowa
City, Iowa, 16 Dec, 1861. He died 8
Nov., 1904, at Owego.
5. Mary Neal Ransom, born 30
Nov., 1845, at Owego. Married Hel-
muth George Wullweber 30 May, 1877,
at Iowa City, Iowa. He died 4 May,
1879, at Dubuque, Iowa.
239
ASA H., J.YMAN, AND AARON
TRUMAN.
The first member of the Truman
family who came to America was
Joseph Truman, who was born in
Nottinghamshire, England. The first
record of him is at New London,
Conn,, where in 1666 he was a tanner,
conducting two tanneries. He died
there in 1697. His eldest son, also
named Joseph Truman, was also a
tanner. He had two sons, Shem (born
in 1760) and David. Capt. Shem Tru-
man was the father of Asa H., Lyman,
and Aaron Truman, who settled in the
town of Owego.
Capt. Shem Truman was born about
1760 at Sheffield, Mass. He saw some
military service both in Massachu-
setts and New York. He enlisted in
the continental army Aug. 20, 1 777,
for nine months, while living in
Massachusetts. He married Abigail
Spellman of Sheffield. They removed
to Canaan, Conn., where she died in
1785. They had three children as fol-
lows:
1. Levi Truman. He died young.
2. Lyman Trumah, born in 1783, in
Berkshire county, Mass. Married I>ucy
Barlow, of Candor, in 1809. He died
2 Nov., 1822, in Candor.
3. Aaron Truman, born 27 July,
1785, at Granville, Mass. Married Ex-
perience Park, daughter of Capt.
Thomas Park, in 1805. He died 13
Jan., 1823, and she 16 May, 1844, at
Owego.
The same year in which his wife
died Capt. Shem Truman came with
his sons to Jefferson county in New
York state, where he married Sarah
(Barto) Rose and where he lived sev-
eral years. He removed afterward
to Genesee, N. Y., and thence to the
240
town of Sparta, Livingston county,
where his second wife died. His third
wife was Lucy Remington. She died
in October, 1831.
While living in northern New York
he enlisted in the light infantry, and
in 1797 was promoted to lieutenant.
In 1802 he was promoted to captain.
He resigned his commission in 1804.
The children of Shem and Lucy
(Remington) Truman were as fol-
lows:
1. Asa H. Truman, bom 26 Feb.,
1793, at Sparta. Married Betsy S.
Dean 1 Jan., 181.5. He died 6 Feb.,
1848, at Owego and she 21 June, 1882.
2. Lucy Truman, born at Sparta.
Married Henry Williams, of Newark
Valley. She died 2.5 Feb., 1829.
3. Ann Truman, born at Sparta.
Married Charles Kellogg. He removed
to Yazoo, 111.
4. Lovisa Truman, bom in 1802.
Married Ebenezer Porter.
5. David Truman, bom 17 May,
1799. Married Phebe M. Pryne 18
Oct., 1832. He died 18 Dec, 1844.
6. Lydia Truman. Married
Scott, of Sparta.
Lyman and Aaron Truman and their
half-brother, Asa H. Truman, all set-
tled at Park settlement, in the town
of Candor— Aaron in 1804, Lyman in
1806, and Asa H. in 1810.
Asa H. Truman, the youngest of the
three, who was 17 years old when he
came to Park settlement, taught
school there for a time. From 1816 to
1825 he kept a store and tavern at
Flemingville. The building stood there
until March, 1885, when it was burned.
There were two taverns at Fleming-
ville for several years and this one
was known as the "lower tavern." In
1825 he came to Owego and began a
general mercantile business in a
wooden store which stood on the
241
south side of Front street, nearly o]j-
posite Lake street on the ground
where Henry Ripley's boot and shoe
store now stands. About the year
1840 he took into partnership one of
his sons, Edward D. Truman, and his
nephew, Stephen S. Truman. The
firm was known as A. H. Truman &
Co. The i)artnership existed until
Mr. Truman's death, in 1848.
Asa H. Truman lived at the time of
his death in a house which stood on
the north side of Front street, the
third house east of Paige street. Af-
ter his death his widow lived there
until she died, in 1882. After her
death the proi)erty was i)urc'hased by
Mrs. .1. B. Stanbrough. The house was
torn down and the lot on which it
stood was added to Mrs. Stanbrough's
grounds.
The children of Asa H. and Betsy
(Dean) Truman were as follows:
1. Juliett Truman, born 29 Oct.,
1815. Married John C. Laning 15 .lulv.
1839. He died 18 May, 1897, at Owego,
and she 7 April, 1900.
2. Lucius Truman, born 2 April.
1818, at Flemingville. Married Mary
P. Leach, daughter of Caleb Leacli,
Jr., 11 Aug., 1840. She died at Owego
in July, 1862. He married second
Mary D. Doumaux, of Charleston, in
1873. He died 26 May, 1890, at Wells-
boro, Pa.
3. Edward D. Truman, born 19
May, 1820, at Owego. Married Eleanor
M. Soule 10 Nov., 1843. He died 6
June, 1862, at Dixon, 111.
4. Aaron Truman, bom 29 Jan..
1823. Died 14 Oct., 1825.
5. Charles L. Truman, born 24
March, 1825, at Owego. Married Anna
Thurston Dexter, daughter of Stephen
Dexter, of Exeter, R. I., at Owego 12
July, 1849. He died Sept. 20, 1863.
6. Laura H. Truman, born 4 Sept.,
1829. Died 5 Jan., 1832.
242
7. Aaron Truman, born in 1827
Died 14 Oct., 1830.
8. William H . Truman, born 2
March, 1842, at Owego. :\Iarried Mary
Palmer. She died 13 Jan., 1873. He
married second Sarah Wild, of New
York city, 21 March, 1877. He died 5
Sept., 18'95. in New York.
Lucius Truman was seven years old
when his father removed from Flem-
iugville to Owego. After leaving the
Owego academy he entered into the
grocery business with his father in
Rollin block. In 1840, the year of
his first marriage, he formed a part-
nership in the general mercantile bus-
iness with William P. Stone, who had
been a clerk in Asa H. Ti-uman"s
store, under the firm name of Truman
& Stone. Their store occupied the
ground on the south side of Front
street where Frank M. Baker & Son's
hardware store is now and was known
as the "Empire Store." Charles I..
Truman was afterward received into
the partnership and the firm of Tru-
man. Stone & Co. continued the busi-
ness until 1S51, when it was dissolved.
Lucius Truman removed to Wellsboro,
Pa., where he engaged in lumbering
in company with .John R. Bowen.
\Vhen the civil war broke out he en-
listed and was mustered into the ser-
vice as first lieutenant of Co. E of the
First rifles (old Bucktails) on May 15.
1861. Four years afterward, July 28,
1865, he was mustered out as quarter-
master of the 109th regiment of Penn-
sylvania infantry. Then he resumed
the lumber business. In 1883 he was
appointed a United States deputy col-
lector of internal revenue, and in 1887
he was elected county auditor. He
died at Wellsboro May 26, 1890. Lu-
cius Truman built the house on the
243
south side of Main street, midway be-
twen Paige and Ross streets. The
house was afterward for many years
owned and occupied by S. S. Truman
and later by Chas. C. Thomas, and is
now owned by James .1. Walker.
Edward D. Truman, who was five
years old when the family removed to
this village, was a clerk afterward in
his father's store. About the year
1840 Asa H. Truman took Edward I).
Truman and his nephew, Stephen S.
Truman into i)artnership in the gen-
eral mercantile business, which part-
nershi|) continued until the senior
Truman's death in February, 1S4.S.
Then E. I). & S. S. Truman continued
the business until their store was
burned in the fire of 1849. They re-
sumed business after the fire in a
wooden building which stood on the
west side of North avenue. The front
of this store was painted in diamonds
of different bright colors and the store
w^as called the "Diamond Store."
When a brick store was built on the
ruins of the Front street store the
new store also had a diamond front,
similar to that of the North avenue
store. E. D. & S. S. Truman occupied
the new store until February, lSi>o.
when a new firm composed of E. D.
Truman, Gurdon G. Manning, and C.
E. Schoonmaker was formed under
the firm name of E. D. Truiuan & Co.
The name was changed later to Tru-
man, Manning & Co. In 1857 E. D.
Truman sold his interest in the busi-
ness to his partners and removed to
Dixon, 111., where he died June 6, 1862.
Charles L. Truman entered the vol-
unteer service of the United States as
a first lieutenant in the ISth regiment
of infantry March 6, 1862. He was
244
brevetted captain Sept. 19. 1863. for
gallant and meritorious service in the
battle of Chickamauga. He was killed
in battle Sept. 20, 1S63.
William H. Truman, who was only
six years old when his father died. was
employed for several years by the
United States express company. For
several years previous to his death,
in 1895. he had been collector of sta-
tistics of domestic receipts at the
Produce Exchange in New York city.
AAROX TRUMAX.
When Aaron Truman came in 1804
from the town of Sparta to Owego he
came to teach school. The next year
he married Capt. Thos. Park's daugh-
ter. Their children were as follows:
1. Lyman Park Truman, bom ">
-March, 1806, at Park settlement. Mar-
ried Emily M. Goodrich, daughter of
Aner Goodrich, of Goodrich settle-
ment, 10 Jan.. 1838. He died 24
March. 1881. at Owego. and she 9
April, 1896.
2. Charles E. Truman, bom 11
Xov.. 1807. Married Harriet Webster
26 May, 1836. He died 21 July, 1897.
at Flemingville, and she 21 Oct, 1887.
3. Dorinda M. Truman, bom 24
Feb., 1809. Married John Gorman 7
Sept.. 1841. He was captain of Co.
C. 109th regiment. X. Y. Vols., in the
civil war and was killed in the battle
of Cold Harbor, Va.. 31 Mav. 1864.
She died 12 Sept., 1895, at Owego.
4. Orin Tmman. bom 17 Feb.,
1811. Died 30 Sept., 1885, at Owego.
Unmarried.
5. Francis W. Truman, bora 13
Dec,. 1812. Died 20 Jan.. 1893. Un-
married.
6. Charlotte Truman,bom 12 Sept.,
1814.. Died 20 Sept.. 181-5.
7. George Truman, bom 16 June.
1816, at Owego. Married Eunice A.
Goodrich, daughter of Erastus Good-
rich 19 Xov.. 1842. He died 14 Feb..
1907, at Owego. and she 6 Oct., 1897.
245
8. Fanny Truman, born 1 April,
1818. Married to David L. Goodricli
13 July, 1841. He died 3 July. 1896,
at Owego, and she 10 Jan., 1892.
9. Mary E. Truman, born IS June,
1820. Married to Alfred Dodge 9 Jan.,
1859. He died 13 March, 1900, and she
3 Oct., 1907.
10. Adeline Truman, bom 17 June
1822. Died 13 Feb., 1823,
LYMAN PARK TRUMAN.
When Aaron Truman died, hi 1823,
his eldest son, Lyman P. Truman, was
17 years of age, Aaron Truman's farm
of sixty acres was so encumbered as
to almost preclude any possibility of
retaining it. With the remarkable
energy which characterised him
through life Lyman P. Truman set
himself resolutely at work and
through hard labor and the greatest
economy he finally liquidated every
claim against the farm. He confined
his attention almost exclusively to
raising potatoes which he shipped
down the river in arks, and it was
from this product that he realized,
during his management of the farm,
a sum sufficient to pay all debts and
leave a handsome balance with which
to begin a mercantile business.
In 1830 he came to Owego and en-
tered the general country store of his
uncle, Asa H. Truman, as a clerk, to
leani the mercantile business. Three
years later he formed a partnershi])
with John M. Greenleaf and began a
general mercantile business in a store
which stood on the east side of Lake
street on ground now occupied by the
Owego national bank building. This
partnership continued three years.
Having established himself secure-
ly in business here he brought three of
his brothers, Orin, Francis, and George
246
Truman, to Owego and in May. 1837,
established the firm of L. Truman &
Brothers, which existed nearly thirty
years. The brothers conducted an ex-
tensive mercantile and lumber busi-
ness. In 1839 Lyman P. Truman pur-
chased the ground on the south side
of Front street where Wicks &
Leahy's shoe store now stands, the
third store west of Lake street, where
he built a wooden store, into which
the firm removed its stock of goods
from Lake street. When the store
was burned in the fire of 1849 it was
immediately replaced with the pres-
ent brick store, where the brothers
continued the mercantile business un-
til 1865. In 1852 Lyman Truman and
Gurdon Hewitt, .Jr., made large in-
vestments in lands in the state of
Illinois, from the sale of which they
made a large amount of money.
Mr. Truman was active in public
life. He held various town offices —
constable, commissioner of highways,
etc., and was supervisor in 1849 and
1857. He was a village trustee in
1835. In 1857 he was elected state
senator and was re-elected in 1859
and 1861.
After the great fire of 1849, which
swept away all the stores in Front
and Lake streets, there was a great
depression in the business commun-
ity. Many of the insurance companies
failed and the loss to many property
owners was a total one. Mr. Truman
was one of the most active men in re-
building the business portion of the
village. It was largely through his
efforts that the Ahwaga house was^
built. In recognition of his public
spirit and enterprise a dinner was
given in his honor at that hotel in the
247
evening of July 6, 1852, at which
many of the prominent citizens and
their wives were present, on which
occasion a silver ])itcher was pre-
sented to him. Mr. Truman was pres-
ident of the old bank of Owego and of
its successor, the First national bank
of Owego from 1856 until his death.
While his brothers went into mer-
cantile life in Owego, Charles E. Tru-
mna remained on the farm all his life.
He served twenty-eight years as a jus-
tice of the peace and was also for
many years and until his death post-
master at Flemingville.
Before coming to Owego Orin Tru-
man taught school. From May, 1880,
until his death he was cashier of the
First national bank.
George Truman after the dissolu-
tion of the firm of L. Truman &
Brothers continued the mercantile
business in company with his son-in-
law, A. Chase Thompson, until January
1873, when he retired from the dry
goods trade. He succeeded his
brother, Lyman P. Truman, as presi-
dent of the First national bank in
1881 and held the position until his
death. He was a trustee of the state
hospital at Binghamton from June,
1880, to March, 1892.
LYMAN TRUMAN.
Lyman Truman was 21 years of age
when his father, Shem Truman, set-
tled at Park settlement. He married
Lucy Barlow, of Candor, in 1809. He
was a farmer all his life. He saw
. some military service, as did also
nearly all the able-bodied men of his
day, having been commissioned first
lieutenant in the Sixteenth New York
248
regiment of artillery. He died Nov.
2, 1S22.
The following were the children of
Lyman and Lucy (Barlow) Truman:
1. John L. Truman.
2. Levi B. Truman, born 11 Sept..
1809, in Candor, X. Y. Married Louisa
Lawrence 23 Oct.. 1S34. He died 21
May, 1879, and she 20 Oct., 1881.
3. James Truman.
4. Stephen S. Truman, born 28
April, 1816, in Candor. Married Cor-
delia Belknap 2 Nov.. 1843. He died
25 April, 1895, at Auburn, Cal., and
she 29 June, 1902, at Salt Lake City.
Utah.
5. Sybil Truman, bom 23 Nov.,
1812, in Candor. N. Y. Married Wil-
liam P. Stone 5 Nov.. 1836. He died
June 28, 1890, at Owego, and she 4
Aug., 1900.
6. Eliza Truman, bom 30 April,
1818. Married Frank R. Weed, of
Flemingville, 15 Aug.. 1844. She died
6 Sept., 1864. He married second Lucy
Truman, daughter of Levi B. Truman,
6 June, 1867. He died 1 April, 1882.
7. Benjamin L. Truman, born 23
June, 1822, in Candor. Married Maria
Dean 15 Nov., 1852. She died 30 May,
1882. He married second Susan So-
phronia Long 28 Feb., 1884. He is the
only survivor of the family and is
still living at Owego.
Stephen S. Truman, William P.
Stone, and Benjamin L. Truman were
all Owego merchants. Stephen S.
Truman left his father's farm in 1837,
the year following the setting off of
Chemung county from Tioga, and
worked in the Tioga county clerk's
office copying the records of lands
lying in Chemung county for use in
that county, in company with Wm. P.
Stone, Dr. John Frank, and others.
He was afterward a clerk in Henry
Camp's store, and later in Gen. John
Laning's store. In 1840 he went into
])artnership with his uncle, Asa H.
Truman and Asa's son, Edward D.
249
Tniman, in the mercantile business.
Particulars of this partnership have
already been given in these articles.
In February, 1855, he retired from
the firm and opened a dry goods and
grocery store in T. P. Patch's block,
which stood on the west side of Lake
street on the ground now occupied by
the L. N. Chamberlain block.
William P. Stone was born at Still-
water, Saratoga county, N. Y., .June
26, 1810. In 1817 his father, Luther
Stone, came to Tioga county with his
wife and seven children and lived in a
log house on Colonel David Fleming's
farm at Flemingville. In 1823 they
settled on a farm at Park settlement.
In 1830 he left the farm to travel
about the country selling clocks,
which were manufactured at a factory
which stood on the east bank of the
Owego creek, about two miles north
of this village. In 1834 he began a
general mercantile business in Owego
with Sheldon Osborne in a wooden
store which stood east of the bridge
in Front street on the ground where
Truman & Jones's produce store now
stands. They were unsuccessful in the
business. In 1837, after having fin-
ished his work for about a year copy-
ing the records of Chemung county
lands in the Tioga county clerk's
office, he entered his uncle, Asa H.
Truman's, store as a clerk. In 1839
he went into the general mercantile
business in company with Lucius
Truman. The firm of Truman &
Stone occupied a store which stood on
the south side of Front street on the
ground where Frank M. Baker &
Son's hardware store now stands.
Their store was known as "The Em-
pire Store." Charles L. Truman was
250
afterward received into the partner-
ship. Later Mr. Stone purchased his
partner's interest in the: business
which he transferred to his nephew,
Ezra S. Buckbee. The firm of Stone
& Co. was subsequently composed of
Messrs. Stone, Buckbee, Stephen S.
Truman, and Benjamin L. Truman
and occupied the block of two stores
opposite Ahwaga hall, then known as
the Empire block. When the block
was burned in March, 1S60, the firm
occupied the store now occupied by
Buckbee, Peterson, Wood & Co. The
Trumans had withdrawn from the
firm Feb. 1, 1S60, and Stone & Buck-
bee continued in business until 1874
when Mr. Stone sold his interest in
the store and retired from active
business.
Upon their withdrawal from the
firm of Stone & Co., S. S. and B. L.
Truman formed a new partnership
and began the mercantile business in
the store now occupied by Henry C.
Ripley as a shoe store. In 1868 B. L.
Truman retired from the firm and S.
S. Truman and his son, .John B. Tru-
man, continued in the business three
years. In 1876 S. S. Truman removed
to Nevada and thence in 1880 to
Auburn, Cal., where he died April 25,
1895.
Benjamin L. Truman in March,
1855, formed a partnership in the dry
goods business with Gurdon G. Man-
ning, who had been a clerk in Stone
& Co.'s store, and C. E. Schoonmaker,
who had been a clerk in E. D. & S. S.
Truman's store, and E. D. Truman
under the firm name of E. D. Truman
& Co. Three years later this partner-
ship was dissolved. From 1878 to
251
1900 he conducted a grocery business
in Front street.
DR. GODFREY WALDO.
One of tlie early physicians at Owe-
go was Dr. Godfrey Waldo, who came
here from Plymouth, N. H., in the
summer of 1810, and who lived here
29 years. He was a descendant of
Cornelius Waldo, who came from the
Netherlands to America in 1634 and
settled at Chelmsford, Mass. His
father was Daniel Waldo, who was
])orn in 1737 and died in 11\)2, and who
was a man of no particular account,
an itinerant, living in various places.
Dr. Godfrey Waldo was born .lune
10, 1773, at Pomfret, Conn. He married
Elizabeth Carpenter Jan. 3, 1805. She
was bom May 6, 1783, at Portsmouth.
N. H. They removed to Owego five
years after their marriage. They lived
in the little red house which stood at
the northeast corner of Front and
Church streets. The house was oc-
cupied several years afterward by
Luther Johnson, an eccentric negro
barber and fiddler, as a barber shop.
Dr. Waldo did not practise medicine
much, but was engaged in other busi-
ness the nature of which is not known
now. He was unsuccessful and was
advertised as an insolvent debtor in
October, 1811. and again in March.
1826. In 1839 he removed to Birming-
ham, Mich., where one of his sons.
Charles C. Waldo, had settled. Thence
he removed in 184.^ to Pontiac, Mich.,
where he died Sept. 16, 1848. Mrs.
Waldo was 93 years of age at the time
of her death at Holly, Mich., March
18, 1877. Dr. and Mrs. Waldo were
the parents of thirteen children, the
onlv survivors of whom at the time of
252
her death was a son, C. C. Waldo, and
a daughter living in Nebraska.
JOHN CARMICHAEL.
One of the first men to engage in
the jewelry business in Owego was
John Carmichael. who was of Scotch
descent, and was born Aug. 12, 1795,
at Johnstown, X. Y. He began an ap-
prenticeship at the trade of a watch-
maker at Albany when he was sixteen
years of age. He came to Owego in
October, 1819 and opened a jewelry
store and repair shop in one of the
wooden stores in Caldwell row in
Front street. In 1835 he built a store
on the ground where the Tioga na-
tional bank now stands, where he con-
ducted a successful jewelry business
until his store was burned in the Sep-
tember, 1849, fire. As he was in poor
health at this time he did not resume
business.
Mr. Carmichael was lame many
years previous to his death and was
compelled to walk with a crutch. He
was the first collector of taxes of
Owego from the time of its incorpora-
tion as a village in 1827 until 1834, in-
clusive. He was also for several
years a village assessor, and was
treasurer of Tioga county in 1837.
Mr. Carmichael's first wife was
Maria Mack, daughter of judge
Stephen Mack, whom he married Dec.
25, 1824. She died Sept. 22, 1829. He
married second Harriet Ely. daughter
of Dr. Elisha Ely, June 10, 1835. She
was born Sept. 11. 1794, at Saybrook,
Conn., and died Sept. 1, 1881, at
Owego. Mr. Carmichael died April
24, 1878, at Owego.
The children of John and Maria J.
(Mack) Carmichael were as follows:
'233
1. Charles Stei)hni Uarniichael.
T)()ni 22 Jan., 1Xl>«;, at Ovvego. Married
ftlargaret Cani|), daughter of Adoljjhus
€arnp, 23 Sept., 1863. He died 12
June, 1893. at Oweso, and she 1.'. Sow,
1907, at Bhiffluunton.
2. Horace Mack C-ariiiichai-l, born
"8 Feb., 1821), at Owego. Died 24 Sept..,
1866. He was mimarried.
Both Charles and Horace Car
niichael leanicd the -ffatchiniik^r'.-;
trade in their tuther's shop and after
the fire of 1849 continued the business
in a wooden store which their father
built on the west side of Lake street,
the fourth store north of Front street
They sold the business in the f;ill of
1852 to Horatio X. Greene. In Xov..
1854, Mr. Greene sold the business to
the Carniichael brothers and removed
to Mansfield, Ohio. C. S. &H. .M. Car-
niichael continued the business sev-
■eral years. In April, 18G4, C. S. Car-
niichael purchased a spoke, sash, and
blind manufactory in Adaliiie street,
which he conducted six years. In
1S7G he built on the site of his jewelry
store the three-story brick block now
occupied by A. W. Bunzey and Cunen
«iL- Bonugli.
.JOHN RIPLEY.
John Rii)ley was born March 17,
1792, at Coventry, Tolland county,
Conn. He was. probably, the descuid-
ant of William Ripley, who came to
Hingham, Mass., in 1683 from England
with his wife, two sons, and two
daughters. Many of the descendants
of William Ripley settled in Tolland
county.
After coming to Owego John Rii)ley
was a clerk in Charles Pumi)el]y"s
store. From 1823 to 1832 he was
under-sheriff of Tioga county and
lived in the old court house, which
254
stood at the southeast corner of Main
and Park streets. He was the first oc-
cupant of the building. The second
story of this building was the court
room, in which gospel services were
held on Sunday and performances
sometimes given in the evening of
other days in the week, when court
was not in session. On the lower
floor was the jail, the jailor's living
rooms, the sheriff's office, and two jury
rooms. Mr. Ripley's son and one of
his daughters were born in this build-
ing.
Mr. Ripley was a man of great force
of character, determined, and one who
carried out any undertaking fearlessly
and regardless of any consequences to
himself. It is related that at one time
while deputy sheriff he pursued a
criminal into Canada in the winter
and without going through the formal-
ity of obtaining extradition papers,
seized the fellow by main force, loaded
him into his cutter, and drove back
into this state and eventually lodged
his prisoner in Owego jail.
Mr. Ripley held the offices of con-
stable, town collector, and assessor.
He was elected a justice of the peace
in 1853 and held the office by re-
election until his death, with the ex-
ception of one year (1858.)
After leaving the court house he
lived in a small red house owned by
Charles Pumpelly, which stood on the
south side of Main street close to the
sidewalk at the northeast comer of
the lot on which Charles P. Storrs's
residence stands, near the foot of
Spencer avenue. There he lived at
the time of his death, Jan. 2, 1860.
Mr. Ripley married Diana Westfall.
of Warren Pa., Feb. 4, 1817. She was
255
born ill Orange county, N. Y., May 23,
1796, and died at Owego Dec. 29, 1868.
The children of John and Diana
(Westfall) Ri])ley were as follows:
1. Eliza Smith Rijiley, horn 24
April, ISIS, at Owego. Married Khen-
ezer Woodbridge, of Candor, 20 Sejit.,
1840. He died in 1890 at Lee Centre,'
111. Mrs. Woodbridge is still living at
Dixon, 111.
2. Sarah Pierce Ripley, born 11
Sept., 1820, at Owego. Died 1.") .June
1894, at Owego.
3. Charles Pomeroy Ripley, born
28 Dec, 1823, at Owego. Married
Sarah Merrick in Kentucky in 1849.
He died 31 Dec, 1863, at Sterling, 111.,
and she 27 Nov., 1907.
4. Frances Clarissa Ripley, born 23
Aug., 1827, at Owego. Married Ezra
S. Buckbee 16 Oct., 1849, at Owego.
He died 10 Aug., 1883. Mrs. Buckbee
is still living in Owego.
EZRA S. SWEET.
Ezra Smith Sweet, for many years
a prominent member of the bar of
Tioga county, came to Owego in 182.5.
He was a grandson of Silas Sweet,
who was born in 1745 and who lived
at New Bedford, Mass., where he
worked as a blacksmith, forging an-
chors for whaling and other vessels,
from 1770 to 1800, when he removed
to Bradford, Vt., where he purchased
a farm and where he lived the rest of
his life. He was a soldier in Captain
Thomas Sawyer's company of Ver-
mont militia, raised for the defence
of the northern frontier of the United
States. He entered the service June
20, 1779, and was discharged Aug. 20,
1779. He died at Bradford, Vt, Nov.
25, 1822.
Silas Sweet had four children, one
of whom, Paul Sweet, was the father
of Ezra S. Sweet. Paul Sweet was
born at New Bedford April 1, 1775.
256
He was a merchant and held the office
of justice of the peace. His first wife
was Rebecca Chadwick, whom he mar-
ried Sept. 11, 1794, and his second'
wife was Sarah Ford. Paul and Re-
becca (Chadwick) Sweet were the pa-
rents of seven children, of whom Ez.ra
S, Sweet was the oldest.
Ezra S. Sweev was bom, June 3,.
1796, at New Bedford. His parents re-
moved to Bradford, Vt., where hi&
father died April 27, 1S15, when Ezra
S. Sweet was nearly 19 years old.
Ezra S, Sweet was a school teacher a
few years. In 1819 he married Janet
McLaren Clow, daughter of Peter
Clow, at Schagticoke, X. Y., and soon
aftei'ward removed to Salem, N. Y..
where he studied law.
In December, 182.5, after his admis-
sion to the bar, he came to Owego.
He began law practice here in part-
nership with William Piatt In 1832,
his business connection with Mr.
Piatt having been dissolved, he formed
a law partnership with Col. Nathaniel
W. Davis, which existed about nine
years. He afterward practised law
alone until his eldest son, Charles H.
Sweet,was admitted to the bar in July.
1850. The partnership of the father
and son continued until tne breaking
out of the civil war, when Chas. H.
Sweet enlisted in the federal service.
Ezra S. Sweet continued the practice
of law until his death, Oct. 16, 1869.
Mr. Sw^eet was a leading member of
the old Whig party and was active in
l)olitical affairs. He was the first
clerk of the board of village trustees
from its organization in 1827 until
1832. He was district attorney of
Tioga county from July, 1838, to June,
1841, and from 1847 to 1851. He was
257
a member of assembly in 1849. He
was later nominated to congress by
the Whigs and defeated. He was
twice nominated for county judge and
in each instance defeated, first by the
Whigs, in 1851, and second by the
Democrats in 1863. He held the office
of justice of the peace several years.
Esquire Sweet (as he was generally
known) was noted among the lawyers
for many years as the best after-din-
ner speaker and stump orator
in Owego. For a long and sus-
tained effort he was not re-
markable, but for a short si)eech,
pithy, eloquent sententious, and some-
times sarcastic, such as he was often
called ui)on to make at a public recep-
tion, a political gathering, or a ban-
quet, his sparkling wit and bri]
liant phrases charmed his hearers.
William F. Warner, who knew him
well as a fellow member of the bar,
mentions him in his centennial his-
tory, as follows:
"He possessed many fine qualities
as a jury lawyer. He was brilliant,
witty, sarcastic, and full of anecdote.
Jurymen were not apt to dose, nor
even become inattentive, while Ezra
Sweet claimed attention. Like judge
Strong, he had as a lawyer more suc-
cess with a jury than at the bar. As a
I)olitical speaker he was very popular
for many years."
The children of Ezra S. and .Janet
(Clow) Sweet were as follows:
1. Maria Sweet, born Nov., 1820.
Died Aug., 1821.
2. Maria Louise Sweet, born 5
March, 1822, at Salem, N. Y. Married
Ben. Johnson 31 Oct., 1843. He died
IS) Aug., 1863, at Vicksburg, Miss. She
married second Gen. Henry Martyn
Whittelsey 12 July, 1866. He died S
Aug.. 1873, at Washington and she
also at Washington 14 April, 1878.
258
3. Charles Henry Sweet, bom I(>
Feb., 1S26, in Saratoga county. X. Y.
He married first Rosalia Laura
Barnes, daughter of Charles R.
Barnes, of Owego. She died 9 May.
1S57, at Owego. He married second
Francelia E. Hubbard, daughter of
Henry X. Hubbard, of Owego, 20
Sept., 1S.59. She is now living at Al-
bany. He died 29 Feb., 1S92, at
Owego.
4. Harriet Elizabeth Sweet born.
12 Jan.. 1S29, at Owego. Married Ed-
ward Hamilton Truex 9 Xov., 1853. at
Owego. She died in Xew York citv
17 Xov.. 1893.
5. Paul Sweet, born 1 May, 1831, at
Owego. He was a civil engineeer. He
died in Texas IT May, 1881.
6. ;Mary Delphine Sweet, born 30
Jan., 1841. at Owego. Married Linus
Edwin Post of Owego, 8 Feb.. 1871.
Ben. Johnson was a son of Haynes
Johnson and was born at Enfield. Xew
Hampshire, March 25, 1809, and was
reared from the age of nine years in
the family of his uncle, also named
Ben Johnson, a prominent lawyer at
Ithaca, X. Y. He was graduated from
Union college in 1830. He studied
law with his uncle at Ithaca and after
his admission to the bar lived at
Vicksburg, Miss., where he practised
law twenty years. In 1820 he sold his
residence and slaves, retired from
practice, and travelled in Europe iu
1850, coming later to Owego. During
the civil war in 1862 he was employed
by the United States government in
aid of the revenue department on the
Mississippi river, and was a short
time before his death appointed post-
master at Vicksburg by president Lin-
coln. He died at Vicksburg Aug. 19.
1863.
Gen. Henry M. Whittlesey was born
Aug. 12, 1821. He was a son of Rev.
Samuel Whittelsey, of Xew Preston,
259
Conn., who in INI 7 took ehurge of the
(leaf and diunh asyluiu at Hartford,
Conn. Later he and his wife con-
ducted large seminaries at Utica and
Canandaigua, X. Y. den. W'hittelsy
was educated at Yale college and was
admitted to the bar in 184."). He re-
moved to Detroit,Mich.,in 1854. He en-
tered the volunteer military service of
the United States as a captahi in the
civil war and rose to be chief ciuarttr-
master of the army of Georgia with
the rank of colonel in August, 1865.
He was chief quartermaster of the de-
liartment of Mississippi in September,
iNtiti. and was nmstered out with the
rank of brigadier general by brevet
July 17, 18C9. He was a])i)ointed
comptroller of the city of Washington
in 1870. He died at St. Elizabeth hos-
l)ital, near Washington. April 14, 1878.
Charles H. Sweet was admitted to
the bar of Tioga county Feb. 10, 1S50.
He practised law in com.pany with his
father until the breaking out of the
civil war when he enlisted and was
quartermaster's clerk under Capt.
Ransom of the regular army. After
his discharge from the army he con-
ducted the business of a planing mill
in Owego a few years, going later to
Elmira where he was in the service of
the Erie railway company in the com-
pany's offices for more than sevcntetn
years.
Edward H. Truex was a son of
David Campbell True.x, of Albany, and
a great grandson of Isaac .lacob Truex,
a Huguenot, who was born at Druex,
France, and who came to America
with his parents in the ship "Anna"
in 1G23. He came to Owego in 18.51
and opened a drug store in the store
at the west end of the Ahwaga house
260
block. He sold the business in Octo-
ber, 1854, to Thomas C. Piatt and re-
moved to New York, where he for
many years conducted a wholesale
drug business and where he died.
NATHANIEL AND CALEB H.
SACKETT.
Two of the early settlers at Owego
and who afterward removed to the
town of Candor were Nathaniel and
Caleb H. Sackett, twin brothers, who
came here from Westchester county,
N. Y., in 1793.
They were descendants of Simon
Sackett, who sailed in the ship,
"Lyon" Dec. 1, 1630, from Bristol,
England, and settled at Boston, Mass.
The descendants of Simon Sackett in
consecutive order were Simon
Sackett, Jr., Capt. Joseph Sackett,
Rev. Richard Sackett, Nathaniel
Sackett, and Col. Richard Sackett.
Col. Richard Sackett, who was the
father of Nathaniel and Caleb H.
Sackett, lived in the town of Bedford,
Westchester County, N. Y., and after-
ward in New York city. He was a com-
missioned officer in the war of the
revolution, serving almost contin-
uously from the beginning to the end
of the seven years struggle for inde-
pendence. In May, 1776, he was com-
missioned first lieutenant of grena-
diers in the Second Midland regiment,
and two years later was promoted to
captain. He was captured by the
British in a road which is now within
the limits of New York city and im-
prisoned several months. Immediately
after the disbandment of the conti-
nental army he was commissioned
lieutenant-colonel commandant of the
Westchester county regiment of mill-
261
tia and served until 17!)2, when he re-
moved to New York city and resigned
liis conunissic*)!!. The next year he
l)urchasied a tract of land at Owego
and settled his son, Xjitlnuiiel Sackett,
on it.
Col. Richard Sackett was taken Hi
aiid died in 1799, while on a visit tu
his real estate here and his body was
buried in the old burying ground at
the southeast corner ol' Main and
Court streets.
There were two Richard Sacketts
who purchased land in Tioga county.
The second Richard Sackett was born
in Westchester county June 7, 175-1.
He was a son of Jose])h Sackett and
grandson of Rev. Richard Sackett,
who was the grandfather of Col. Rich-
ard Sackett. The second Richard
Sackett was a man of wealth, who re-
moved in the summer of 1793 from
the town of Bedford to the western
part of the town of Nichols, where he
had ])urchased of Rob* rt Lettis
Hooper, the original paten tee, a square
mile of land for £808. Some account
of this Richard Sackett may be found
in Gay's "Gazetteer of Tioga County,"
published in 1888, on page 274. He
died in 1827.
Col. Richard Sackett married Rachel
Holmes. Their cliildi-* u were as fol-
lows:
1. Nathaniel Sackett, born 9 April,
1770. Married Sarah Warren 24 Jan..
1796. He died 7 Nov., 1S17, at Cata-
tonk, N. Y.
2. Col. Caleb H. Sackett. born 9
A])ril, 1770. Married Jane McMaster,
daughter of James McMaster, the first
settler htre and tlie original owner
by purchase from I lie Indians of all
the hind on whicli tln> village of
Owego is situated.
262
3. Betsy Sackett. :\Iarried William
Holmes.
4. Polly Sackett.
Richard Sackett left a will in which
he bequeathed to his wife, in trust,
one-third of his estate and to his two
sons the other two-thirds. At her
death her third was to become the
property of the two sons. Small
amounts were left in trust to the two
daughters.
In August. 1798, Nathaniel Sackett
purchased of James McMaster, Jr..
lot No. 21 on the east bank of the
Owego creek in the north western part
of the town of Owego. near the Newark
Valley town line, containing 100 acres,
together with the village lot on what
is now the southwest corner of Main
and Church streets, extending one-half
the distance south to Front street and
one-half the distance west to Lake
street. The south half of this lot was
owned by Luke Bates, who had a tav-
ern on the Front street end, which
Bates sold in 1803 to Chas. Pumpelly
and George Stevens.
In 1799 Nathaniel Sackett pur-
chased of James McMaster 100 acres
of land for |2.450 in the western part
of this village, bounded south by the
Susquehanna river and west by the
Owego creek. The north line of this
land was at a point a short distance
south of where the Erie railroad now
crosses the creek and extended east-
erly and diagonally across Main street
to a point about one-half way between
Park and Academy streets on the Sus-
quehanna river. This was known on
the original town map as Lot No. 1.
The eastern portion of this property
was afterward laid out into village
lots. As early as September, 1804.
263
that portion of it which is now bound
ed south by the Susquehanna river,
west by William street, north by Main
street, and east by Academy street
was laid out into village lots, with the
exception of a strip on the Main street
end on which Col. David Pixley after-
ward lived.
Nathaniel Sackett lived at Owego
until 1803, when he removed to Cata-
tonia, where he built a saw mill and
conducted a tannery. He became one
of the influential men of tlie town of
Candor. At the first town meeting in
March, 1811, he was elected a com-
missioner of highways. He was the
second supervisor elected in the town
after its organization, serving from
1812 to 1817. He was one of the first
commissioners of schools in 1813.
Col. Caleb H. Sackett purchased
land at what is now Candor village.
It is noted in one of the local histories
that "after the disastrous fire which
swept the settlement [Candor] in
1813, Caleb Sackett erected a grist
mill." He also built a saw mill atabout
this time and kept a tavern. It was on
this farm that the body of his father-
in-law, James McMaster, was buried.
About the year 1832 he removed to
the town of Ward, Allegany county, X.
Y., where he was a farmer and where
he died. His wife died at Almond.
N. Y.
The twin brothers, Nathaniel and
Col. Caleb H. Sackett were both sol-
diers in Lieut.-Col. Jacob Swartwood"s
regiment of infantry in brigadier-
general Coe's Tioga and Broome brig-
ade. Nathaniel Sackett was ap-
pointed quartermaster April 27, 1810.
Caleb H. Sackett's name also appears
in the military records as paymaster
264
of the same regiment tbe same year.
In 1817 he .was adjutant in the 95th
regiment. In 1820 he was promoted
to major of the same regiment and
in 1S21 to lieutenant-colonel of a new-
regiment of infantrj-, which was that
year formed from a part of the 95th
regiment and denominated the 199tli
regiment.
The children of Nathaniel and
Sarah (Warren) Sackett were as fol-
lows:
1. Capt. Richard H. Sackett. born
.^ Dec, 1796, at Owego. Married
Eunice Hollister. He died 15 Aug..
1876. at Owego.
2. Polly Sackett. bom 8 Jan., 1799.
Died 19 Feb.. 1799.'
3. Betsy Bush Sackett. bora 1
April, 1800, at Owego. Married Wil-
liam Walter Hunt, of Camden, X. J..
10 Sept., 1818. She died 7 Oct., 1885.
4. William H. Sackett. born 2',>
Sept., 1S02. at Owego. .Married first
Pluma Woodford, daughter of Ozias
Woodford, 1 Nov., 1827. He married
second Marv .lane Payne Clark, oi
Newark, N. J., 18 April. 1867. He died
30 May, 1878.
5. Nathaniel Lord Sackett, born
15 Oct., 1804, at Catatonk. .Married
Lucy Smith in 1828. He died 22 July,
1855.
6. Polly Teresa Sackett, born 24
Aug., 1807. .Married James Clark, of
Ithaca. N. Y. She died 2 Aug., 1848.
7. John James Sackett, bom 10
.Nov. 1809, at Catatonk. Married first
Adelaide Stanley. He married second
Fannv B. Talcott, daughter of George
Lord Talcott, of Owego, 6 Sept., 1836.
He died 9 Dec, 1879, at Candor, and
she 7 Dec. 1863.
8. Sarah Warren Sackett. born 14
April, 1812. Married Ira Keeler, of
Candor, 11 Feb.. 1836. She died 9
.March. 1886.
9. Susan Mead Sackett. born 'i
Feb., 1815. .Married Elias Richardson,
of West .Newark. He died 10 Sept.,
1892, at .McGrawville, .N. Y., and she
4 May, 1874, at Ottawa. 111.
265
10. Rachel H. Sackett, born 23
Oct., 1S17. Married Robert E. Joslin,
of Candor, November, 1841. She died
17 Oct., 1882.
Elias Richardson was born at Attle-
boro, Mass., March 3, 1802, and came
to West Newark in 1819. He removed
in 1855 to Ottawa, 111., where he bought
and sold grain and cattle. In 1880 he
returned to this state and lived with
his daughter, Miss Adell Richardson,
at McGrawville, N. Y., until his death.
He was a justice of the peace of the
town of Newark Valley continuously
for twenty-four years and until his re-
moval from West Newark in 1855.
In 1818, when Richard H. Sackett
was about 21 years of age, he was ap-
pointed quartermaster of the 95th reg-
iment of New York state infantry, of
which his uncle, Caleb H. Sackett, was
adjutant, and in 1821, when the 199th
regiment was formed from a part of
the 95th regiment, and which his
uncle commanded as lieutenant-
colonel, he was made adjutant. Mr.
Sackett and his sons, Charles R. and
Samuel H. Sackett, conducted the Cat-
atonk tannery under the firm name of
Richard H. Sackett & Sons for many
years and until it was purchased by
G. Truman & Co. in 1864.
Richard H. Sackett and his brother,
.fohn J. Sackett, built and conducted
for many years a woollen mill at Can-
dor, where John .J. Sackett also kept
a general store for a long time. John
J. Sackett was sheriff of Tioga county
in 1846. He died at Candor.
Richard H. Sackett removed to Owe-
go in 1864 and purchased the house
built by Henry L. Bean on the south
side of Front street, oi)posite Ross
street, now owned by Fayette S.
Curtis, and he died there in 1876.
266
LATHAM A. BURROWS.
Latham A. Burrows, who was for
several years a leading citizeu of the
village of Owego, was a son of Rev.
Roswell Burrows and was born Aug.
30, 1782, at Groton, Conn.
The first member of the Burrows
family in America of whom there is
any record was Robert Burrows, who
was at Wethersfield, Conn., in 1641.
and afterward at New London. His
son. .John Burrows, had a son also
named .John Burrows. A son of the
last named .John Burrows was Rev.
Silas Burrows, who was pastor or
the Second Baptist church at Gro-
ton, Conn., where, he labored sixty-
three years and where he died in 181S.
Rev. Roswell Burrows, son of Rev.
Silas Burrows, was born at Groton
Sept. 2, 1768. At the age of 17 he
joined the Second Baptist church or
Groton. At 38 years of age he was or-
dained to the ministry. He soon after-
ward made a missionary tour through
western New York, travelling on horse-
back about 1.300 miles and finding
what is now Buffalo, where there was
not then a soul professing religion of
any name. He preached afterward at
Preston. Conn., and Rocky Point, R.
I., and later succeeded his father at
Groton, Conn., in 1818, as pastor of th.r'
Second Baptist church. His wife was
Jerusha Avery, daughter of Latham
Avery. She died Nov. 3, 1838. In her
reminiscences, published not long
since in the Gazette, Mrs. Harriet G.
Tinkham mentions Mr. Burrows as th-^
first Baptist minister she remembered
ever hearing preach in Owego.
I>atham A. Burrows served for a
time as an ofiicer in the war of 1812-13.
267
He studied law and was admitted tri
the bar in Ink;. |1,. married Sarah
r.ester, dauglitcr of CliristoidK r Les-
ter, of Grotoii. in November, ixlfi.
She died Nov. 11, I860, in Buffalo.
In 1819, judge Burrows came to Owc-
So. From Feb. 14, 1S21. to Jan. 1, 1822.
he was county clerk of Broome count.v,
which count.y included Owtgo and
other towns now in Tioga county from
1806 until 1822. From 1824 to 1827, in-
clusive, he was an associate judge of
Tioga county. In 1827 he was elected
first judge of the court of common
pleas, and he was the first |)rofessional
lawyer who sat on the conunon |)leas
l)tnch in this county. He was the rep-
resentative of the sixth district in the
state senate from 1824 to 1828.
In December, 1828, judge Burrows
engaged in the general mercantile bus-
iness. His store was in the old Laning
tavern, which had been occui)ied by
Col. Amos Martin. His store was af-
terward on the south sid(> of PYont
street, where Buckbee. Peterson,
Wood & Co.'s store is now. In 1839
he removed into one of the stores in
the Rollin block.
Judge Burrows at one time lived on
the west side of Park street. In 18:n
he purchased the lot at the northeast
corner of Front and Church streets,
on which he built the brick residence
now owned and occupied by Frederick
C. Hewitt.
During his mercantile career judge
Burrows was jjresident of Owego vil-
lage from ls;i() to lSo9, inclusive. He
saw some military service, having in
1817 been commissioned ca])tain of one
of the comi)anies in the oMd New York
regiment of infantry. He was one of
the first trusteesofthe Owego academy
268
in 1S28. He removed in 1S39 to Roch-
ester, where he engaged in the bank-
ing business. In 1844 he removed to
Buffalo, where he was in the real es-
tate business all the rest of his life.
He died Sept. 25, 1855.
The children of Latham A. and Sarah
(Lester) Burrows were as follows:
1. Latham A. Burrows, Jr., born
.June 5, 1819, at Owego. He was grad-
uated from Brown university and
studied law in New York city. He
died 7 Sept., 1847, at Buffalo. He was
unmarried.
2. Roswell L. Burrows, born March
12 1821, at Owego. Married Maria \V.
French 6 Jan., 1848. He died 15 Feb..
1897, at Buffalo. She is still living in
that city.
3. Sarah Ann Burrows, born 2 Feb..
1823. at Owego. She lived in Buffalo
and died Aug. 6, 1848. at Parma, N. Y.,
where she was visiting. She was un-
married.
4. Jerusha A. Burrows.born 9 Sept..
1825. Married W. H. H. Newman, of
Buffalo, in 1849. They are both still
living in Buffalo.
5. Mary J. Burrows, born 14 May,
1827, at Owego. Married D. K. Robin-
son, of Buffalo, in 1849. He died in
Nov., 1887, at Ashville, N. C, and she
26 Jan., 1907, at Buffalo.
6. George W. Burrows.born 22 Feb.,
1830, at Owego. Died 14 May, 1830.
7. Lucy Burrows, born 13 Feb.,
1833, at Owego. Married W. R. Cop-
pock, of Buffalo, in April, 1858. He
died 9 Sept.. 1897, at Marshalltown.
Iowa, and she is still living at Buffalo.
8. Margaret W. Burrows, bom lo
June, 1837, at Owego. Died Feb. U,
1838.
DAVID THURSTON.
One of the early residents at Owego
was David Thurston, who came here in
1812 from New Hampshire. He was a
grandson of Benjamin Thurston, who
was a descendant of Daniel Thurston,
of Newberry, Mass., and son of David
269
Thurston, who was one of the first set-
tlers of Marlboro, X. H., as early as
1777 and who lived several years at
Leominster, Mass.
David Thurston, the son, was born
Oct. 17, 1768, at Leominster. He mar-
ried Fanny Darling, daughter of Rev.
David Darling, of Keene, N. H. He
was a farmer and when he came to
Owego he lived on the south side of
the river on the farm which lies west
of the highway which goes over the
hill to the Montrose turnpike and
south of the road from Owego to Xich-
ols. Later he lived in the house
known as the 'haunted house," near
the mouth of the Hollenback creek and
later on the north side of North
avenue, where he conducted a board-
hig house for twenty-five years or
more. He was one of seven persons
who united to form the first Methodist
church at Owego. He died .Jan. 16,1858,
aged 90 years. His wife died Jan. 3,
1860. His father, David Thurston,
came to live with him at Owego, and
he also died here Aug. 6, 1826, and he
was also 90 years old at the time of his
death.
The children of David and Fanny
(Darling) Thurston were as follows:
1. Fanny Thurston, born 27 .June,
1809, at Marlboro, N. H. Married
Printice Ransom, of Owego, 19 Oct.,
1830. She died 18 Julv, 1902. and he
15 Oct., 1889, at Iowa City, la.
2. Nancy Thurston, born 4 Dec,
1812, at Marlboro. N. H. Died 9 Mav,
1814, at Owego.
3. Nancy Darling Thurston, born
24 March, 1814, at Owego. She was
graduated from Cazenovia seminary
and taught school many years in New
York, Mississippi, and .Mobile, Ala-
bama, where she was married 6 Feb..
1864, to Drury Thompson, a grandson
of Gen. Elijah Clark of Revolutionary
270
history. She died 31 Aug., 1886, at
Mobile, Alabama.
4. Geo. Waldo Thurston, born 19
April, 1816. at Owego. Married Mary
Ann Collins of New York city. He
died 6 Aug., 1895. at Owego. and she
31 Dec, 1897.
5. Rev. David Whitney Thurston,
bom 8 April. 1818. at Owego. Married
Elizabeth S. Brown. He died 21 Dec.
1900, in Syracuse. X. Y.
6. John Metcalf Thurston, born 16
Oct.. 1820, at Owego. Married first, in
1850. Sarah Wood, and second, 30
April, 1860, Persis Wright. He is still
living at Utica. X. Y.
7. Mary Almeda Thurston, born 10
Feb., 1S23, Married first Anson Gar-
rison, of Cold Spring, X. Y. He died 7
Feb., 1851, at Owego. She married
second, 28 Jan., 1878, Rev. Benjamin
Pomeroy, of the Troy. X. Y.. M. E. con-
ference.
8. Col. James Sidney Thurston,
bom 14 Oct., 1825, at Owego. Married
Phebe Ann VanBunschoten. She died
5 Jan., 1899, at Albany, X. Y.
Rev. David Whitney Thurston in
early life received a license to exhort
and was afterward ordained a min-
ister. He preached twenty years. He
was an evangelist thirty years, sta-
tioned at Asbury Park, X. J., and was
for several years presiding elder.
George W. Thurston was a cabinet
maker. He learned his trade in Isaac
B. Ogden"s shop in Main street. He
for many years conducted a furniture
and undertaking store in a wooden
building on the east side of north
avenue which stood where the brick
building occupied for several years by
D. Beach & Co. now stands. During
the civil war he was engaged about a
year with a construction corps, build-
ing bridges on the military railroads.
Later he conducted a planing mill and
lumber yard at Owego.
271
Col. James S. Tluirston was actively
engaged in business at Owego and
later was prominent in jjublic affairs.
He was in tlie grocery business from
1856 to 1S(52. When the civil war
broke out he went to the front as quar-
termaster of the 109th regiment. In
August, 1863, he was appointed an
army paymaster with the rank of ma-
jor and assigned to the department of
the west. In Xoveniber, 1,S6."}, he was
promoted to lieutenant-colonel, and af-
terward received the rank of colonel.
In 1868 and 1870 he was business man-
ager of the Elmira Advertiser. He
was afterward publisher of the South-
ern Tier Leader In Elmira. During
his sojourn there he was twice elected
an alderman. He was treasurer of the
Southern Tier savings bank and super-
intendent of the Nobles manufactur-
ing company. In 1880 Col. Thurston
was aii])ointed superintendent of the
banking department of this state. In
August, 1883, he resigned and became
secretary of the American loan and
trust comi)any of New York city.
In January, 1886, he was again ap-
pointed deputy superintendent of the
banking department of this state. In
October, 1901, he resigned this position
and retired from public life. He has
lived ever since on his farm on Lake
Keuka, near Penn Yan.
272
JUDGE ZIBA A. LELAXD.
One of the early lawyers at Owego
was Ziba A. Leland, who was bom in
Vermont. Soon after his graduation
from college he came here and formed
a law partnership with John H. Avery
May 1, 1S20. In 1822 he was ap-
pointed a justice of the peace. Soon
afterward he removed to Bath,
where in 182-5 he obtained some pro-
fessional prominence for his untiring
zeal and ability shown in the defence
of a man named Douglas, who was
tried for the murder of one Ives, who
had attempted to arrest Douglas for a
felony that he was suspected of hav-
ing committed, and who, while strug-
gling to escape, stabbed Ives with an
ordinar>' pocket knife, fatally wound-
ing him. Ives had no warrant for
Douglas's arrest, neither was he an
officer nor acting in aid of an officer.
Douglas was a member of a gang of
burglars and thieves living near the
Canisteo river, not far from Addison.
The gang had become a terror to the
whole region between Big Flats and
Hornellsville, and the excited inhabi-
tants thirsted for vengeance. Notwith-
standing the ability with which Doug-
las was defended he was convicted
and hanged. In 1838 Mr. Leland was
elected first judge of Steuben county
and served until 1843. He represent-
ed Steuben county in the asembly in
1842 and 1843. Later in life he re-
moved to Auburn, where he practised
law several years, and thence to Sara-
toga county, where he died.
JAMES, JOHN, AND ROBERT
CAMERON.
James. John, and Robert Cameron,
brothers, were sons of John Cameron,
a farmer, and were born in Chance-
273
ford townshii), York county, Pa. —
.James in 1807, .John .June 25, 1814,
and Robert Feb. 3, 1817.
James Cameron came to Owego
about the year 1829 and was clerk in
Alanson Dean's tavern. This tavern
stood at the southeast corner of Main
and I^ake streets. It was burned in
1845 and the Central house was built
on its site. Mr Dean kei)t the house
from 1829 to 1831. He also had a
store at the southwest comer of the
same streets, and Mr. Cameron soon
went there as a clerk. About seven
years afterward he began a grocery
business on his own account in a
wooden store which stood at the
northeast corner of Main street and
North avenue. In 1838 he purchased
the corner property and erected a
store and dwelling house adjoining
thereon. His property was burned in
February, 1854. Mr. Cameron was
elected a justice of the peace in 1846
and served several years. His office
was in the front part of his house in
Main street. He also held the office
of supervisor of the town of Owego
in 1843.
In January, 1851, James Cameron
and Charles T. Bell opened a gro-
cery store in Dean & Perkins's
wooden building at the southwest cor-
ner of Lake and Main streets. The
partnership was dissolved in Decem-
ber, 1852, Mr. Cameron withdrawing
from the firm. He died May 31, 1865,
at Owego. He was twice married.
His first wife,Adelia Dwight, died May
27, 1847, aged 38 years, and his second
wife, Diana Merchant Nov. 11, 1865,
aged 53 years. Mr. Cameron had one
son. Rev. James Gibson Cameron, who
was born Oct. 4, 1852, at Owego and
.274
who is now living at Baltimore, Md.,
where he is in charge of Cavalry mis-
sion.
John and Robert Cameron both
came to Owego in 1831. John Came-
ron worked at the carpenter's trade
in Owego until 1834 and afterward in
New York city until 1S3S, when he re-
turned and entered into partnership
with his brothel", James, in the gro-
cery business. In 1840 he opened a
grocery store which he called "'The
Farmers' Exchange" on the west side
of North avenue, a few doors north of
Main street. The next year. May 27,
1S41, he married Mary Jane Cushman,
daughter of Richard E. Cushman, and
lived for several years in a double
house, i)ainted red, which stood on the
east side of North avenue, and which
occupied the ground on which Sporer,
Carlson & Berry's piano store and the
store south of it now stand. This
house had been previously occupied
by Daniel Armstrong. The family af-
terward lived over the grocery store
on the other side of the street.
Mr. Cameron continued the grocery
business here until the great fire of
September, 1849. While the fire was
raging T. I. Chatfield, whose store in
Front street had been burned, came
to Mr. Cameron and purchased Mr.
Cameron's store and all his stock of
goods except the liquors and took im-
mediate possession. Later Mr. Cam-
(:^ron resumed business in Briggs's
cooper shop, which stood where Ray-
mond & Emery's carriage shop is now
at the northwest corner of North
avenue and Temple street. Later he
bought and removed to the store
which Wm. A. Ely had built in 1814
on the south side of Main street at the
Z75
foot, of North avenue, where he con-
tinued in business until ISd!), when he
sold the store to Anson Decider and his
goods to Jdlni Welch. The store
which Mr. Chatfield iiad purchased
from Mr. Cameron was burned in
April, 187.'!, and on its site N. T. Bur-
ton l)uilt a block of two stores, which
stands there now. Mr. Cameron spent
nearly all the rest of his life in Owego
and died here Sept. 28. 1905, at the ad-
vanced age of 91 years. His wife died
Nov. 2."), 1897, at Owego.
The children of .John and Mary .1.
(Cushman) Cameron were all born
at Owego as follows:
1. George F. Cameron, born 12
March, 1842. Married Mary E. Keeler
at Waverly, N. Y., 28 Nov., 1865. He
died 6 Sept., 1902 at Paterson, N. J.
2. Charles A. Cameron, born 12
Dec, 184;j. Married Mary P. Hurlburt
at Ithaca, N. Y., 8 Oct., 1865. She died
in Brooklyn, N. Y., 17 Nov., 1876.
o. Calphurnia T. Cameron, born 1
Aug., 1845. Died 11 Feb., 1859, at
Owego.
4. John D. Cameron, born 18 April,
1847. Married Mercy D. Dutcher at
Catskill, N. Y., 3 Sept., 1872.
5. Sarah Adelia Eva Cameron,
born 16 May, 1851. Died 3 June, 1857,
at Owego
6. Frederick H. Cameron, born 5
Aug., 1861. Married Lizzie M.
Wheaton, of Binghamton, N. Y.. 29
Oct., 1893. He died 2 June, 1899. at
Owego.
Robert Cameron when he came to
Owego became -a clerk in James Cam-
eron's store, and was afterward his
brother's partner. The partnership
continued until 1838. In 1840 he
opened a grocery store in a
wooden store owned by S. S. Tinkham,
the first door below the bridge in
Front street. He afterward purchased
property above the bridge and con-
276
tiuued business there until the fire of
1849. He rebuilt with brick on the
same site and resumed business there.
He afterward built a brick store at the
northwest corner of Front and Park
streets where he conducted the gro-
cery business from Nov., 1859, until it
was burned in October, 1867. The
present brick building was subse-
quently built on its site. Mr. Cameron
continued the grocery business with
success until compelled to retire in
the summer of 1891 on account of ill
health. He died March 17, 1896. Mr.
Cameron married Julia E. ^Merchant, a
sister of his brother. Robert's wife.
She was born 27 Feb., 1819, and died
6 Oct., 1889, at Owego. Their children
were as follows:
1. Larue J. Cameron, born 2 Nov.,
1843. Died 1 Nov., 1894, at Owego.
2. DelRey A. Cameron, bom 7 May.
1848, at Owego. Married Bessie Ryan
24 Aug., 1871.
3. Leila Inez Cameron, born 29
Nov., 1858. at Owego. Married first
Charles J. G. Lapersonue and second
James E. Webster. She died 28 Aug.,
1906, at Owego.
COL. HENRY McCORMICK.
Col. Henry McCormick, who came
to Owego to live in 1814 was a grand-
son of Joseph McCormick, who lived
and died near the Giant's Causeway in
Ireland. Joseph McCormick's widow,
a Scotch woman named McDowell,
came to America in 1760. Col. Henry
McCormicks father, Henry McCor
mick. came to America as a lieutenant
in the British army at the beginning
of the revolution. He was captured
by the Americans and held as a pris-
oner of war. Learning that his brother
was serving in Washington's army, he
found him, enlisted with him, and hav-
277
ing received an officer's conunission
he fought valiantly with the conti-
nental army against King Ceorge and
his former comrades in arms until
the colonies were made free. He was
taken a prisoner at the storming of
Quebec, but made a most desperate
and daring escai)e. Soon after the
close of the war he settled at Painted
Post, N. Y., where he became an ex-
tensive land owner and was elected
to various imi)ortant offices.
Col. Hfnry McCormick was one of
four brothers, all of whom served as
officers in the war of 1812. He was
born in the town of Painted Post.
Steuben (then Ontario) county, N. Y.,
March H, 1791. In ISOS he came to
Newtown (now Elmira) where in 1812
he volunteered as a soldier in the war
with Great Britain and did gallant ser-
vice on the Niagara frontier. He
crossed the Niagara river in command
of a transi)ort scow several times
just before the disastrous battle of
Queenstown, the grape shot from the
British cannon on the heights strik-
mg almost as thick as hailstones in
and around his scow so long as it was
comi)elled to be within the range.
It is related of Col. McCormick that
he killed an Indian chief, who was
shooting the colonel's men from his
hiding place behind a fallen tree. The
chief was very brave and refused to
surender. Col. McCormick took the
chief's leather i)ouch, in which he car-
ried his bullets and flints, as a trophy,
and many years afterward presented
it to a nephew at Ithaca.
In 1814, at the close of the war, Col.
McCormick came to Owego to live.
His brother, .lacob Miller McCormick.
came with him. and they began busi-
278
ness here as gunsmiths. Their shop
was on the south side of Main street
where the rectory of St. Paul's Epis-
copal church now is. There they
made guns, the barrels of which they
bored and finished at Matson's mills
in Canawana.
Col. ilcCormick lived in a house
which stood on the north side of Main
street, about where Mrs. Asa X. Pot-
ter's house now is. The house was
several years afterward removed to
the northwest comer of Liberty and
Temple streets. About the year 1S37
Col. McCormick sold the business to
Jehiel Ogden, who had learned the
gunsmith's trade in his shop.
The guns manufactured here before
1834 were flint lock guns. After he
began making rifles with "half-stocks"
Col. McCormick employed laborers,
who dug out the stumps of black wal-
nut trees, which had been felled years
ago on the flat north of the present
Tioga county fair grounds. From
these stumps were made the half-
stock, a new style of gun of that time.
The roots that branched out from the
base of the trees in the ground
formed a natural bend, suited to the
form of the breech part of the gun.
without cutting across the grains of
wood to form a crook, which would
have rendered the breech very liable
to break.
Jacob M. McCormick removed to
Ithaca. Col. Henry McCormick pur-
chased a farm on the south side of the
river on the hill overlooking Owego
village. He lived the rest of his life
in a small house which still stands
there and which was occupied for sev-
eral years after his death by his
daughter. Mrs. Belinda Shaw. Col.
279
McCorniick died May 22, 1874, at the
home of his daughter, Mrs. Edward
J^lvermore, at St. Peter, Minn., where
he had spent the winter.
Col. McCorniick was sheriff of Tioga
county from 1828 to IS.'il. He was
also a member of the board of trustees
of Owego village in 1832 and 1833. He
served in the state militia, having
been commissioned cajitain of a com-
pany in the Sixteenth regiment of ar-
tillery.
Jacob Miller McCorniick was born
at Big Flats, Chemung county, in 1793.
He enlisted and served in the war of
1812, leaving the army at tlie close of
the war with a major's commission.
At Ithaca he became a man of promi-
nence. He owned oil, grist, and plas-
ter mills, large farms, a foundry, a
hardware store, and much merchan-
dise. He owned the Ithaca hotel. He
owned and conducted a stage route be-
tween Owego and Ithaca. He was post-
master many years. He was a vil-
lage trustee from 1836 to 1840, and
president of Ithaca village in 1840.
He was the first chief engineer of the
Ithaca fire department, in 1838. He
died Sept. 6, 1855, at ithaca, aged 62
years.
While living in Owego, in 1821, he
was ai)pointed captain of a company
of riliemen in the 53d regiment of
state infantry. His wife was Cath-
erine Conrad, of Lansing, X. Y., who
was called the "Lady of the Lake" on
account of her personal beauty and
social graces.
One of Col. Henry and Jacob M. Mc-
Cormick's brothers was Major Joseph
McCorniick, who was born April 18,
1787, in the tow'n of Wyoming, Pa.
Two years later the family removed to
2S0
Painted Post. In March. 1S06. he mar-
ried Mary Hatfield, of Xewtown. In
1812 he enlisted in the government
service as a captain of infantry. He .
fought in the battles at Tippecanoe,
Queenstown Heights. Lundy"s Lane. and
at the blowing up of Fort Erie. and was
promoted to major. He resigned his
commission in the army in 1816 and
engaged in the lumber and mercantile
business at Lawrenceville. Pa. In
1S29 he I'emoved to Louisville. Ky..
and thence in 1832 to Covington. Ind..
where he engaged in farming. Later
he became commander and owner of
the steamer "Detroit." plying between
Louisville and StLouis and the south-
em Mississippi ports. He was after-
ward elected a member of the Indiana
legislature, and in 1840, 1841, and 1842
he was re-elected. He subsequently
lived at Rob Roy. 111.. Manitowoc,
Wis., and Foresiville, and Ahnapee,
Wis. In 1870. when 84 years of age,
he was elected to the Wisconsin legis-
lature and enjoyed the distinction of
being the oldest person occupying a
seat in that body. He died at Ahna-
pee Aug.. 26, 1875, aged 88 years.
Col. Henry and Elizabeth McCor-
mick were the parents of two daugh-
ters. The eldest. Belinda McCormick.
was born at Owego May 2, 1822. She
was married to William James Shaw,
of Ithaca. Oct. 29, 1844. He went to
California in 1849 and never returned
to Owego. He died at San Francisco
a few years ago. Mrs. Shaw's father
and John Arnot. of Elmira, were both
of Scotch descent and strong friends.
After Mr. Arnofs death Mrs. Shaw
went to Elmira and lived with Mrs.
Arnot until her death and after that
she remained in the Arnot home with
281
the family of Mr. Arnot's son, Matthew
H. Arnot, and where she died Jan. 4,
1899.
Col. McCormick's younger daughter,
Mary Steward McCorniick, was born
Feb. 13, 1S2S, at Owego. She was the
second wife of Rev. Edward Liver-
more, to whom she was married Oct.
26, 1853. He was twenty-three years
rector of the Church of tlie Holy Com-
munion at St. Peter's, Minn., and later
chai)lain of Kemper Hall at Kenosha,
Wis., where he died May 28, 1866. She
died Feb. 16, 1906, at Phoenixville, Pa.
GURDON HEWITT.
One of the most successful business
men that ever lived at Owego was
Clurdon Hewitt, who was a resident of
the village 48 years. He was born
near New London, Conn., May 5, 1790.
When he was six years old his jjarents
removed to a farm, near the village of
Oxford, Chenango county, N. Y. His
early life was spent on the farm, and
he received his early education at the
Oxford academy. His father having
been ruined financially through en-
dorsing some notes for a friend, Gur-
don Hewitt when less than 21 years of
age went to New York city in search
of a clerkship, without funds and with
no acquaintances in the city.
It is related that in making the trip
he arranged with a man who was go-
ing to Newburgh on horseback to go
on the "ride and tie" plan. By this ar-
rangement the owner of the horse
would ride a few miles ahead and
then hitch his horse at the roadside
and proceed thence on foot. Mr.
Hewitt would walk until he reached
the place where the horse was tied,
unhitch the animal, and ride for sev-
282
eral miles past where he overtook his
companion. Then dismomiting he
would proceed on foot while the
owner of the horse would ride ahead
in his turn. Thus they proceeded to
Xewburgh. whence Mr. Hewitt made
the rest of his journey by boat to New
York.
Mr. Hewitt obtained a clerkship in
a store, where he remained about a
year and then entered the employ of
a celebrated bridge builder named
Burr as a bookkeeper. Mr. Burr was
then constructing a bridge over the
Susquehanna river, near Northumber-
land. Pa., and Mr. Hewitt went there
as his assistant. When this bridge
was completed, in 1819. he left Mr.
Burr's employ and went to Towanda.
Pa., where he began a general mer-
cantile business, in which he was
very successful. He also engaged in
lumbering at Monroe. He built a
store and a residence at Towanda.
While living at Towanda he was
treasurer of Bradford county from
1821 to 1822. He married a daughter
of Williams Means, of Towanda. She
died, leaving no children. May 17,
1821. he married Charlotte Piatt,
daughter of Major .Jonathan Piatt, of
Nichols, N. Y.
In the spring of 1823 he removed to
Owego and lived here all the rest of
his life. He formed a partnership
with his wife's brother, Jonathan
Piatt in the general mercantile busi-
ness. Their store was in a wooden
building, which stood on the bank of
the river a little above where the
bridge is now. Their partnership
lasted about a year, when Mr. Piatt
formed a partnership with David Tur-
ner and Mr. Hewitt continued the
283
business alone until 1,S.'!7. That year
he and John M. (Jreenleaf formed a
|)artn(rshj|) in the same business.
Their store was on the east side of
Lake street. The firm of Greenleaf &
Hewitt existed until their store was
burned in the great fire of September,
1849.
Mr. Hewitt did not resume the mer-
cantile business, but devoted his en-
tire attention to banking, in which he
was remarkably successful, laying the
foundation for the largest fortune
ever accumulated in Owego. He was
the first j)resident of the old bank of
Owego, now the First national bank,
and was for several years its cashier.
He was one of the trustees of the old
Owego academy from its foundation,
and most of the time president of the
board. The only elective office he
held was that of village trustee in
1830 and 1831.
Wm. F. Warner says of Mr. Hewitt:
"He had an intellect of remarkable
power, which had it been directed to
scientific or i)rofessional pursuits,
would have placed him among the
first in the land."
In February, 1833, Mr. Hewitt pur-
chased of .Jonathan Piatt a lot on the
north side of Main street nearly oj)-
posite the Baptist church and l)uilt a
house thereon. The house still re-
mains there and is the second house
from the Church street corner. Mr.
Hewitt lived there until 18.56 when he
purchased the property at the north-
east corner of Front and Church
streets, where he lived uutil his death.
He died Dec. 24, 1871, and his wife
Jan. 16. 1876.
The children of Gurdon and Char-
lotte (Piatt) Hewitt were Gurdon
284
Hewitt. Jr.: Sarah Hewitt, who mar-
ried Frederick H. Pumpelly, of Owe-
go; Charlotte Hewitt, who married
Stephen T. Arnot. of Elmira. and still
lives in that city, and Frederick C.
Hewitt, who still lives in this village.
Gurdon Hewitt, Jr., was born March
29, 1826, at Owego. He was educated
as a lawyer and admitted to the bar of
Tioga county in 1847, but never prac-
tised law. He entered the store of his
father and was associated in his busi-
ness affairs during the rest of his
father's life. In 1852 he and Lyman
Truman, as equal partners, made
large investments in lands situated
near Dixon, 111. They purchased
many acres of land at a low price,
realizing a great profit on their invest-
ment. The partnership continued un-
til 1857. During the civil war Mr.
Hewitt lived in New York city.
Through his management of his
father's estate it was greatly increased
and at the time of his death it was
the largest estate ever accumulated
in Owego.
Mr. Hewitt married Mrs. Frances
Augusta Gillett, widow of Col. Daniel
W. Gillett, of Elmira, in 1881. He
died Sept. 10, 1900, at Atlantic City.
N. J., and she Feb. 7, 1906, at Lake-
land, Fla.
JOHN M. GREEXLEAF.
John M. Greenleaf came to Owego
in 1826 and lived here until his death
fifty-five years later.
The Greenleafs in America are de-
scended from Edmund Greenleaf, who
was born in 1573 and who died in
Boston, Mass. One of his sons,
Stephen Greenleaf (born about 1628)
had a son. also named Stephen Green-
leaf, bom at Newbury, Mass., in 1652.
2S5
Stephen's son. Rev. Daniel Greenleaf,
was born at Newbury in lG7!t and
(lied in 17t!.'! in Boston. His son, Dr.
Daniel Greenleaf, was born at Cam-
bridge, Mass., in 1702 and died in
1795. Dr. Greenleaf's son, Gen. William
(Jreenleaf.wa.s the grandfather of .John
M. Greenleaf and was born in 17;!S. He
died at Lancaster, Mass., 1793. Hb
was several years sheriff of Worces-
ter county and a brigadier-general in
the state militia.
One of Gen. Greenleaf's sons was
.fohn Hancock Greenleaf. who was
born April :;o, 177;'>, at Lancaster.
Mass. He was a cabinet maker and
house joiner in Boston. He removed
to Granville, N. Y., where he married
Mary Norton Feb. 1, 1801. In March.
1817, he came with his family to this
county an4 settled first at Smithboro.
Four years afterward he removed to
Padlock in the town of Richford. In
the fall of 1826 he removed to Owego
and died here Jan. 28, 1852. His wife
also died here Sept. 28, 1860.
The children of .lohn Hancock and
Mary (Norton) Greenleaf were as fol-
lows:
1. Betsy Gardiner Greenleaf, born
about 1803 and died in infancy.
2. .John Matthew Greenleaf born
19 May, 1806. at Granville, N. Y. Mar-
ried Lucy Talcott, daughter of Elizur
Talcott, .Jr., of Owego, 20 June. 1837.
She was born 24 March, 1809. and died
at Owego 4 July, 1842. He married
second Emeline Wilbur, daughter of
Ismond Wilbur, 27 Sept., 1843. She
died 3 Dec, 1907, at Owego.
3. Martha Norton Greenleaf, born
17 April. 1809, at Granville. Married
William Gordon, who died about 1S43.
She died 15 Oct.. 1890.
4. Betsy Gardiner Greenleaf. born
25 Sept., 1811, at Granville. Married
George W. Allen, who died about 1853.
5. William Josephus Greenleaf.
286
born 25 Sept., 1815, at Granville. Mar-
ried Mary L, Ford 2 Dec, 1S17. He
died 22 March. 1S69.
6. Amos Canfleld Greenleaf, born 8
March, 1818. at Smithboro. Married
Mary Dougherty 22 Oct.. 1840. He
was associated with dry goods firms
in New York city several years and
died 1 Aug., 1894. at South Orange.
N. J.
» John M. Greenleaf was 20 years of
age when his father, John Hopkins
Greenleaf, removed to Owego. In the
fall of 1826 he entered Col. Amos
Martin's store as a clerk. He re-
mained with Col. Martin three years
and then became a clerk in Gordon
Hewitt's store. After six years of
service with Mr. Hewitt he became a
partner, in 1833, of Lyman Truman in
the general mercantile business.
Their store was in a brick building
which occupied the ground on the
east side of Lake street where the
Owego national bank building now
stands. This partnership was dis-
solved in July, 1836. In 1837 he
formed a partnership with his for-
mer employer. Gurdon Hewitt, and
the firm of Greenleaf & Hewitt ex-
isted twelve years. Their store was
on the south side of Front street, the
third store east of Lake street. This
store was burned Sept. 25. 1849. in
the big fire. The firm did not re-
sume business. Mr. Greenleaf having
been very successful as a merchant,
retired from all active business. He
died Aug. 23, 1881, at Owego.
The only son of John M. and Mary
(Norton) Greenleaf is Dr. John T.
Greenleaf, who has been since 1867 a
Homoepathic physician and still lives
in this village.
287
COL. AMOS MARTIN.
Col. Amos Martin, oiu^ of the early
merchants of Owego, was born Feb. 8,
1785, at Salisbury, Mass. He was a
son of Noah and Hannah Martin. In
1814 he removed from New Marlboro,
Mass., with his wife (nee Amanda
Hart) and two daughters, Malinda and
Angeline.and a large load of household
goods to Tioga county and settled at
Candor, where he began a general
mercantile business.
In 1816 the family removed to Owe
go. He moved into a house 'which
stood on the west side of Park street,
where Robert Handler's residence
now stands. The front of this house
he occupied as a store. This was the
same building that had been previ
ously occui)ied as a store by William
Pumpelly.
In 1819 Col. Martin leased the old
"Goodman Coffee House," a tavern
owned by Gen. .lohn Laniiig and later
known as the Franklin house, which
stood on the north side of Front
street, a little east of Court street. In
addition to conducting the affairs of
the hotel Col. Martin continued the
mercantile business in the west end of
the building, which had been occupied
as a store by .Jonathan Piatt. Lewis
:\Ianning succeeded Col. Martin as
landlord of the coffee house in 1823,
but Col. Martin continued to occupy
the west end of the building as a
store.
In the spring of 1827 Col. Martin
removed his store into a two-story
wooden building, which stood at the
northwest corner of Front and Lake
streets. This building had been oc-
cupied by J. Fay & (*o. In 1833 he re-
moved to the south side of Front
288
street, opposite Lake street, where he
continued in the mercantile business
until his death, which was caused by
hasty consumption. He died May 14.
1835. His wife survived him many
years, dying April 11. 1S7S. at the
home of her daughter. Mrs. W. C.
Taylor, at Tioga Centre at the ad-
vanced age of S9 years. She was bom
at New Marlboro, :Mass.. Dec. 2S. 178S.
and was married in 1S07.
Col. Martin in 1827 built the old
Academy building in Court street by
contract. He was a member of the
first board of trustees of the academy.
He built and lived many years in a
house which stood on the west side of
Park street south of the Congrega-
tional church, on the ground on which
L. B. Terbushs brick house now
stands, and which house was burned
Dec. 3, 1877, when the first Congrega-
tional church was burned.
The children of Col. Amos and
Amanda (Hart) Martin were as fol-
lows :
1. Malinda Martin, born 27 .Ian..
1811. at New Marlboro. Mass. Mar-
ried Harvey Coryell, of Nichols, in
1830. He died 3 Oct.. 1864. at Nichols,
and she in .July. 1888.
2. Angeline Martin, born 13 Sept.,
1812. at New Marlboro. Married Col.
William Ransom, of Tioga Centre, 14
Sept.. 1831. He died 7 Feb.. 1883. at
Tioga Centre, and she 11 Feb.. 1883.
3. Maria A. Martin, born 7 Feb.,
1815. at Candor. .Married Col. William
C. Tavlor. of Owego. 9 Sept., 1836.
He died 9 April, 1892. in Brooklyn, N.
Y.. and she 16 .Tan.. 1905.
4. Jay H. .Martin, born 14 Dec,
1816, at Owego. .Married Frances
.Johnson in 1835. Removed to Tioga
Centre, where he still lives.
5. John S. Martin born 18 Sejit..
1818. at Owego. Married first Harriet
Manning and second Ada Chambers.
289
He died Ifi Oct., 1904. at Kansas City,
Mo.
6. Elizabeth L. Martin , born 7
Sei)t., 1827, at Owego. Married Romeo
Woodiord, of Owego, 6 Aug., 1846.
She died in isr)0 at Owego. He mar-
ri( d second Angu.sta K. Sackett,
daughter of Ca|)t. Richard H. Sackett,
of Candor. He died S July, 1856, at
Owego.
Col. William C. Taylor was born
June 12. 181.J, at Florida, Orange
county, X. Y. He came to Owego in
1833 and entered Dr. .ledediah Fay's
drug store as a clerk. In October,
1836, his brother, Daniel C Taylor,
came to Owego and the brothers, in
company with William H. Bell, began
a general mercantile business under
the firm name of Taylors & Bell in a
store which stood on the south side of
Front street, east of Lake street. The
Taylors purchased Mr. Bell's interest
in the store two years afterward. A
year later Col. Taylor sold his interest
in the business to Mr. Bell.
In 1843 Col. Taylor went to Pier-
mont, N. Y., which was then the east-
ern terminus of the New York & Erie
railroad, where he was the station
agent until the comjjletion of the road
to Dunkirk. Then he went to Dunkirk
as superintendent of the western di-
vision of the road. A few years later
he removed to Jersey City, where he
was the company's agent until 1861.
When the civil war broke out, D. C.
McCallum, who had been general su-
perintendent of the road, was ap-
pointed military superintendent of the
railroads of the United States, with
the rank of general. He appointed
Mr. Taylor to take charge under him
of all the military railroads, to attend
to their construction, repair, etc., with
the rank of colonel. He served all
290
through the war and then went to EI-
niira, where he remanied until 1869,
when he removed to Brooklyn, where
he lived with his daughter. Mrs
Alexander Robb, until his death.
.John S. Martin was for many years
a salesman in Storrs, Chatfield &.
Co."s hardware store. In IS69 he re-
moved to Kansas City, Mo., where he
lived all the rest of his life. He was
for many years and until about twelve
years before his death a travelling
salesman, selling agricultural machin-
ery and implements. There were few
railroads in the west when he went
there, and he did most of his travel-
ling with a horse and buggy.
EDWARD S. MADAX.
Edward Shearson Madan was a car-
penter and builder, who was born
Sept. 20, 1785, at Sing Sing. X. Y., and
who came to Owego in 1824.
His father, Thomas D. Madan (or
de Madan, as the name was originally
written), was of French descent, lived
in Virginia, and fought in the revolu-
tionary war. He was born in 1762
and died Dec. 30, 1804. His wife was
Charity Odell, daughter of Abraham
Odell. She was drowned Xov. 30,
1805, together with her daughter,
Eliza, while on their passage from
Xewburgh to Xew York city. She was
born Feb. 13, 1756.
Edward S. Madan and his four
brothers and a brother-in-law all
served in the war of 1812. When E.
S. Madan was a child his parents re-
moved to Xew York city, where he
later learned the trade of a cabinet
maker. At the age of 22 he went to
Florida. Orange county, X. Y., where
Sei)t. 20, 1810, he married Lydia
291
Curry, daughter of Benjaniin Curry.
Ill 1822 they removed to Newark Val-
ley, where they lived until 1S24, when
they came to Owego, where they lived
the rest of their lives. Mr. Madan
died Oct. 11. 1S()S. His wife was born
Feb. 15, 1790, in New York city, and
died at Owego May 17, 1S42.
Mr. Madan was thrice niiirried.
His second wife was Lucy Allen, who
was born in May, 17SS, at New Haven,
Conn. They were married May 5,
1S44. She died March 2i). 1856, at
Owego.
His third wife was Mrs. F'Jlizabeth
Terry, of the town of Candor. She
died in that town three or four years
after Mr. Madan's death.
The children of Edward S. and
Lydia (Curry) Madan were as fol-
lows:
1. Anna Eliza Madan, born ti .Ian.,
1812, at Florida, N. Y. Married (Gil-
bert Williams 26 Feb., 1834. She died
lo Nov., 1877, at Warner, Onondaga
county, N. Y.
2. Sarah Jane Madan. born 9 May.
1814, at Florida, N. Y. Married Hiram
G. Williams 13 Aug., 1843. She died at
Susquehanna, Pa., in December, 1883.
3. Mary Louisa Madan, born 27
Feb., 1816, at Florida, N. Y. She died
13 Nov.. 1838. at Owego.
4. Harriet Emily Madan. born 2
Sept.. 1819. at Florida, N. Y. Married
first .lames Hill 4 April, 1839. He died
5 Jan., 1887, at Owego. She married
second Nehemiah E. Neal, of Nichols.
She died 9 .June. 1906. at Owego.
5. Caroline Amelia Madan, born
29 Oct., 1821, at \\ esttown. Orange
county, N. Y. Married Henry J.
Hodge in 1848. She died in June,
1899, at Susquehanna, Pa.
6. Andrew Jackson Madan, boru
15 April. 1824. at Newark Valley.
Married first Phoebe Sears 24 April.
1857. He married second Mv«. George
A. Dodd (nee Sarah Searles) 16 Jan.,
292
1887. He died 3 Dec. 1S9.5. at Owego.
and she 23 June, 1908.
7. Frances Melinda Madan. born
30 April, 1827, at Owego. She lives at
Warner, X. Y.
8. Benjamin Curry Madan, born 24
April, 1829, at Owego. Married Jennie
Nixon, of Owego. He died 21 Dec.
1871, at Owego.
Mr. Madan was a member of a long
lived family. His grandmother. Per-
silla (Priscilla?! Odell, was in her
120th year at the time of her death in
1788. Mr. Madan was active in the
temperance cause and an enthusiast
in masonic affairs. He was the first
master of Friendship lodge, F. & A.
M., in 1849 and 1850 when the lodge
reorganized and resumed work after
its discontinuance by reason of the
Morgan excitement. He was tiler of
the lodge from 1856 to 1S64, inclusive.
He was also the first high priest of
New Jerusalem chapter, Royal Arch
Masons ui)on its institution in 1852
and 1853. He is said to have filled all
the offices in both the "blue lodge"
and the chapter.
Mr. Madan lived many years in a
small house, which is still standing
on the east side of Central avenue,
the first house south of the brick
building at the Temple street comer.
This street was at that time a narrow
lane through which the tracks of the
old Ithaca and Owego horse railroad
extended down through the village
park into and up Front street to
Church street.
293
DR. .JOEL S. PAICE.
One of the most highly esteemed of
Owego's early residents was Dr. Joel
Sin.onds Paige, who lived here thirty-
four years. He was tilth in descent
from Nathaniel Paige, who came to
Roxbury, Mass., from lOngland in 1G85
with his wife and three children. Dr.
Paige's father was Moses Paige, a far-
mer, at Hardwick, .Mass., where Dr.
Paige was born Jan. 25, 1793.
Dr. Paige was educated as a physi-
cian at Troy, N. Y.. receiving his
dii>loma in June, 1816. July 1 of the
same year he married Jane S. Fair-
child, of that city, and very soon af-
terward they came to Owego. They
lived in a small house, which w^as on
the north side of Front street, the
second house west of Paige street
where A. C. Burt's house now stands.
Later he built and lived in the house
now owned by Frederick O. Cable at
the northeast corner of Main and
Paige streets.
All of Paige street from Main street
north to Fox street, its northern limit
then, was called Paige street in honor
of Dr. Paige. All of the same street
from Main street south to the river
was called Leonard street, in honor of
Stephen B. Leonard, who lived at the
northeast corner of that street and
Front street. Some time after 1837
the name of Leonard street was no
longer used and the entire street has
since been known as Paige street.
That part of the village in which Dr.
Paige lived was at the time of his
residence there commonly known as
"Paigeville."
In 1819 Dr. Paige was appointed as-
sistant hospital surgeon of the 41st
291
brigade of state infantry, niaicli was
commanded by brigadier-general John
Laning, of Owego. In 1S25 he held
the offi.ce of clerk of the town of Owe-
go. He was a member of the village
board of trustees in 1S2S and in 1S39,
and in 1839 he was also president of
the village. He was a prominent
member of the masonic fraternity.
He was master of Friendship lodge.
F. and A. M., from 1S24 to 1S27, in-
clusive and was master when it tem-
porarily suspended its meetings at the
time of what is known as the IMorgan
excitement.
Dr. Paige's first wife died Dec. 24.
1830, at Owego. His second wife was
Ann Eliza Limbrick. She was born in
ISll at Catskill and while visiting her
brother at Owego she met Dr. Paige,
to whom she was married June IS,
1833. At this time Dr. Paige owned
and lived in the house at the Main
and Paige street corner.
In 1850 Dr. Paige removed to Alex-
ander, Genesee county, X. Y., where
he died July 10, 1855. His wife also
died there Oct. 17, 1889.
The children of Dr. Joel S. and Jane
S. (Fairchild) Paige were as follows:
1. Margaretta Augustina Paige,
born 15 Sept., 1818. Married Ham-
mon D. Pinney at Owego 26 May, 1840.
She died 12 Jan.. 1860 at Owego.
2. Anson Fairchild Paige, born 31
May, 1822, at Owego.
Hammon D. Pinney was born June
2, 1814, at Clarksville. Albany county,
X. Y., and at 14 years of age went to
Albany to work as clerk in a dry
goods store. He came to Owego in
June, 1835. with his father. Joshua L.
Pinney, and opened a drug store in
judge Drake's wooden building, which
295
stood on the south side of Front
street, opposite I>ake street. In that
building and the one which was built
on its site after its destruction by fire
in 1849, .1. I,. PInney & Sons conducted
the drug and book store known as the
"Owego Arcade" forty-one years.
Patrick Henry Pinney, J. L. Pinney's
youngest son, was a partner in the
business until his death in August,
ISC.j. H. D. Pinney was a leader in
the movement for the abolition of
slavery and a strong advocate of tem-
perance. He was one of the thirty orig-
inal organizers of the Baptist church
in 1831, was thirty years leader of the
church choir, and was also thirty
years superintendent of the Sunday
school. He was a member of the first
board of school commissioners in
1864, the only public office he ever
held. His second wife was Mrs.
Eunice J. Harris, of New York city.
He died Feb. 24, 1898, at Owego.
Anson F. Paige was deaf and dumb.
He was a bookbinder. His bindery
was for several years in the third
story of the brick buildings on th-
northeast corner of Main street and
North avenue, which were built by
Franklin Slosson in 1854 and known
as Franklin block.
The children of Dr. .loel S. and Ann
Eliza (Limbrick) Paige were as fol-
lows:
1. Thomas Limbrick Paige, born 31
March, 1834, at Owego. Married Alzoa
N. Wilbur, daughter of Ismond Wil-
bur, 4 .June, 1862. at Owego. He died
10 Dec, 1867, at Owego.
2. Lucy Bonner Paige, born 4 Oct.,
1840, at Owego.
3. Lucy Aiken Paige, born 30 Aug.,
1842, at Owego. She was married to
Elijah Ransom Page 10 Aug., 1SU4. at
Alexander, X. Y.
296
4. Mary Paige, born 4 Feb.. 1S46, at
Owego. She was married in 1863 to
Xorlon Smith at Alexander.
Thomas L. Paige learned the
printer's trade in Owego, but aban-
doned type-setting for a clerkship in
Goodrich & Co.s dry goods store. In
May, 1864, he formed a partnership in
the dry goods business with Abram
H. Miller, buying the stock of Henry
X. Hubbard and continuing the busi-
ness in the store now occupied by E.
E. Strait on the south side of Front
street until his death in 1867.
JARED HUNTINGTON.
•Tared Huntington came to Owego
from Hebron. Conn., in 1818. and lived
here until his death, forty-eight years
later. His father, Solomon Hunting-
ton, was a saddler and a son of John
Huntington, who was born Nov. 14,
1700, at Norwich, Conn. Solomon
Huntington was also born at Norwich
August 6, 1738. He married Dimis
Fuller. He lived at Hebron, where he
died June 4, 1798.
Jared Huntington was born at
Hebron Dec. 22, 1784, and followed his
father's occupation of a saddler and
harness maker. His first wife was
Elvira Bliss, of Columbia, Conn. She
was born in 1782 and died at East
Haddam. Conn., in 1809. Four years
after her death he removed to Owego.
where he worked at his trade. In
1818 he married Martha Draper,
whose father was a blacksmith and
whose dwelling house and blacksmith
shop were at the northwest comer of
North avenue and Main streets.
Mr. Huntington lived for many
years in a house which stood near the
sidewalk on the west side of I^ke
297
street on the ground now occupied by
the two brick stores known as th-i
Hooker block. His house was at the
north part of the lot and his harness
shop adjoining at the south end of it.
At the time of the great fire in Septem-
ber, 1849. all the buildings on the
west side of Lake street were burned
from Front street to the Huntington
])roperty, where the i)rogress of the
fire was stopped. Another fire in
October, 1870, bunied all the wooden
buildings from the Main street corner
south, including the Huntington house
and shop. The old well between the
two buildings, which for many years
furnished the water for several house-
holds in the neighborhood, was in
use, until the Hooker block was built.
Mr. Huntington was clerk of the
town of Owego from 1826 to 1834, in-
clusive, and assessor from 1841 to
1846, inclusive. He was for many
years a justice of the ])eace. He was
also superintendent of the poor of
Tioga county from 1832 to 1837. He
died at Owego July 2, 1861. Mrs.
Huntington, who was born in 179-5,
died April 11, 1877. at Cazenovia, N.
Y., at the home of her daughter, Mrs.
Phelps..
The children of .Tared and Martha
(Draper) Huntington were all born at
Owego, with one exception, as fol-
lows:
1. Jared Bliss Huntington, born
May 2, 1809.
2. Elvira M. Huntington, born 19
■July, 1819. Married James M. Swift,
son of Thomas Swift, of Falmouth,
Mass. She died 27 Feb., 1854, in
Brooklyn, N. Y.
3. Adeline E. Huntington, born 4
Sept., 1821. Married Frederick E.
Piatt, of Owego. 4 Sept., 1821. She
died 14 Jan.. 1873.
298
4. Emily Catherine Huntington,
born 9 Aug.. 1S23. at Owego. Married
Dr. Jared F. Phelps in 1842.
5. Martha A. Huntington, bom 12
Oct., 182.5. Married Milton W. Han-
chett, of Syracuse, X. Y.. in 1S48.
6. William Silliman Huntington,
born 14 Dec, 1827.
7. Harriet Laura Huntington, born
30 Jan., 1830. Married James M.
Swift, who was the husband of her
siser, Elvira M. Huntington. She died
10 Sept., 1901, at Cazenovia, X. Y.
8. George Milnor Huntington, born
8 August. 1832. Married Louise Den-
ton, of Binghamton. 1 Oct., 18.57.
9. Charles T. Huntington, born 16
Xov., 1834. He was a telegraph oper-
ator. He died 11 May, 1S99,
Geo. M. Huntington learned tele-
graphy in 1847. In 1853 he was di-
vision operator and train dispatcher
on the Susquehanna and Western
divisions of the Xew York & Erie
railroad until 1862, when he was
called to Washington and appointed
superintendent of military railroads
under Gen. D. C. McCallura. At the
M-SR3. Cyl bqx.cIpdO klellrmpU
close of the war he was in charge of
all the captured roads leading into
Richmond. These were turned over
to their owners in 1865. In 1868 he
was agent in Xew York city for the
Great Southern mail route. In 1873
he went to St. Paul. Minn., as general
passenger and ticket agent of the
West Wisconsin railroad. The next
year he was appointed general eastern
agent of the Virginia Midland rail-
road.
ERASTUS MEACHAM.
Erastus Meacham was a black-
simth, a son of Silas Meacham, and
was bom Feb. 9, 1798, at Cornwall,
Conn. He was only seven years old
when his parents removed to Bain-
299
bridge, N. Y. When fourteen years of
age he was ii|)iirciiticed to h arn the
blacksniitli's trade and eight years
later, in 1820. he came to Owego. ma-
king the entire journey on foot. He
worked as a journeyman blacksmith
for a short time, but in July. 1S21. he
formed a partiiershii) in the black-
.sniithing and wagon making business
with Daniel Chamberlain, a wagon
maker, who lived in the fir.st house
north of the Congregational church in
Park street, which was afterward
owned by John !.. Matson and which
still stands there. Mr. Chamberlain
at one time conducted a bakery in the
cellar of tliis house. His wagon shop
was at the side of the house. It was
in this wagon shop that the Baptist
church of Owego was organized in
1831. Mr. Chamberlain sold the i)roii-
erty to Mrs. Henry H. Wells, of
Wilkes-Barre, Pa., about the year 1830
and removed to Choconut, Susque-
hanna county, Pa., and died there.
In October. 1823, Mr. Meacham pur-
chased of James Caldwell two village
lots on the west side of Lake street,
north of and adjoining the ground on
which the Owego national bank now
stands and fronting 100 feet on the
street. There he conducted a black-
smith sho]) several years. In August.
1838, he opened a general country
store in John Carmichael's building,
which stood on the north side of Front
street and east of Lake street. He
continued in business there several
years, a part of the time in comi)any
with his son. Myron E. Meacham.
Then he removed on the Ott farm on
Germany hill in the town of Tioga,
where he engaged in farming thirteen
years. He afterward returned to
300
Owego. where he resumed work at his
trade of a blacksmith, which he fol-
lowed all the rest of his life. He died
at Owego Jan. 25, 1890, at the ad-
vanced age of nearly 92 years.
Nov. 9, 1820, Mr. Meacham married
Betsy Lake, daughter of Truman
Lake, of Spencer. She died at Owego
Aug. 29. 1892, aged 89 years. They
^•ere two of the forty original mem-
bers of the Congregational cnurch of
Owego. Their children were Myron
E. Meacham. who removed to Hor-
nell; Mary A. Meacham. who married
Henry Shipman: Maria and Milton H.
Meacham. both of whom died in in-
fancy, and Melinda Meacham. who
married John M. Head.
JAMES ARCHIBALD.
James Archibald, a tanner, came to
Owego with his wife and six children
from Caldwell. Warren county. X. Y..
on Lake George. His father. Robert
Archibald, came to America from
Scotland and fought in the revolution-
ary war.
James Archibald was bom on the
day of our national independence.
July 4, 1776. in the town of Bolton.
Warren county. X. Y.. and he arrived
at Owego on Washington's birthday.
Feb. 22, 1822.
According to the state military
records James Archibald was in 1804
promoted to ensign in Simon DeRid-
der's regiment of the brigade in the
county of Washington, which county
adjoins Warren county. The next
year he was promoted to lieutenant,
and in 1808 he was reported as
"moved."
The family settled on a farm owned
by James Pumpelly on the south side
301
oi the river. Jn 1824 Mr. Punipelly
built a small tannery there. It stood
on the south side of the road leading
to Nichols, between that road and the
river, and was a little west of where
the Nichols road leaves the highway
running from Owego to the Montrose
turnpike. Mr. Punipelly leased this
tannery to Mr. Archibald. The water
to run the tannery was sui)i)]ied from
a little run (dry now for many years),
which came down from the hill to the
river, a little east of the tannery. The
power to grind the tanbark was su|i-
plied by a horse. Nearly all the vats
were out in the field in the open air.
In .June, 1830, Elihu Parmenter, who
conducted a tannery on the Hunting-
ton creek, in the northern part of the
village of Owego, and James Archi-
bald purchased the exclusive right for
a term of fourteen years for the use
of a patent for handling hides and
skins, which patent Samuel Rogers,
.Jr.. of Philadelphia, had obtained in
January, 1829. The purchase was
made of James Brown, who owned the
right to sell in Tioga and Tompkins
counties. It provided for vats 3V^
feet dee]), ^i^ f^-c't wide, and from 7
to S feet long. This introduced new
methods of tanning here.
This tannery was abandoned about
theyear 1844. The building was moved
five or si.x rods down the river and
converted into a barn. Many years
later it was used by Gurdon H. Puni-
pelly as a part of a large tobacco
shed, now standing there.
In May. 1832, three of Mr. Arch-
bald's sons, Alvah B., Almon \V.. and
Samuel A. Archibald, purchased lots
15 and 16 in Coxe's patent of John
Redman Coxe, of Philadelphia. These
302
lots contained one hundred acres each
and were on the side of the hill south
of this village, and the road which
passes over the hill to the Montrose
turnpike passes diagonally through
them. The same month they also
purchased lot No. 176, which is south
of and adjoining the other two lots
and contained 270 acres. This in-
cluded the present farm of James For-
syth and the small farm sold to Col.
Henry McCormick in September, 1832.
While engaged in tanning Mr.
Archibald and these three sons
cleared much of the woods from the
farms. Their sawmill stood on the
north side of the creek known as the
Pumpelly creek and on the east side
of the road. The ruins of the old mill
stood there until a few years ago.
They engaged extensively in lumber-
ing and purchased and shipped a
great amount of lumber down the
river in addition to that produced
from their own farm.
The three sons were not only en-
gaged in lumbering, but they also
engaged in the tanning business, in
the sale of boots and shoes, and in the
manufacture of deer skin gloves and
mittens. Alvah B. Archibald con-
ducted a leather and shoe store on the
south side of Front street, a little be-
low Park street. He was elected a
justice of the peace in January, 1862.
but was prevented by ill health from
assuming the duties of the office. He
died in the following June.
The second tannery built by the
Archibalds was in 1838. It stood on
the bank of the river just below the
bridge. It was about 90 by 50 feet in
size. It was bunied in the fire of
Jan. 31, 1860. It was rei)laced the
303
same year by a larger tannery, 114 by
50 feet, with a brick engine house 50
by 22 feet, and a bark house 22 i)y 36
feet. It was coni])ose(l of four build-
ings, all attached. This tannery was
twice burned, in .January, 1S60, and
September, 1878. It was rebuilt on a
smaller scale. In 1881, when the
Lackawanna railroad was built to
Owego, the company bought and oc-
cupied the ground on which the build-
ings stood for its tracks. The tannery
building was cut in two. Part of it
was used as an ice house for a few
years and finally the whole was torn
down.
Almon W. Archibald retired from
the lumbering business in 1852 and
engaged in farming. He removed to
this village six years previous to his
death and lived in west Front street.
Samuel Archibald conducted the tan-
nery for several years alone until he
discontinued the tannery business al-
together.
Allen C. Archibald, the youngest
son of James Archibald, was a civil
engineer. He went south and lived a*t
Louisville, Ky. At one time he was
emjiloyed in the survey of the Panama
canal.
•James Archibald followed farming
all his life. He died Feb. 8, 1857. at
Owego. His first wife was Mary Wil-
son, of Bolton, who died in 1814. His
second wife, Elizabeth Chase, was a
Quakeress and was born in the colony
of Rhode Island in 1774. She died
May 31, 1860, at the home of her son,
Allen C. Archibald, in I^ouisville, Ky.
The children of James and Mary
(Wilson) Archibald were as follows:
1. Martha Archibald, born in the
town of Bolton, Warren county, N. Y.,
304
m 1803. Man-ied Samuel Babcock, of
Owego. He died in 1S39, and she in
1S51.
2. Alvah Bosworth Archibald, bom
in the town of Bolton in 1805. Mar-
ried .Jane McQuigg. daughter of
Daniel McQuigg, Jr.. of Spencer. She
died in 1S.56 and he .June 8. 1862.
Their only son, Frederick Archibald,
was killed in the battle of Gettysburg,
in 1863.
3. Almon Wilson Archibald, born S
Xov.. 1807, in the town of Bolton.
Married Abagail Bates, of Owego. 3
Aug.. 1828. She died 8 Jan., 1862. He
married second Valeria A. Babcock, of
Windham, Pa., daughter of Benjamin
Babcock, 30 April. 1864. She died 19
July, 1896, and he IT Feb., 1892, at
Owego.
4. Anson Samuel Archibald, born
at Caldwell. X. Y.. 11 June, 1810.
Married Adaline Ma?on, daughter of
James Mason, of Kelloggsville. X. Y.,
22 Feb., 1828. She died 2S Jan.. 1887,
and he 2.5 Xov., 1891. Both died at
the old homestead.
5. Maria Baldwin Archibald, born
at Caldwell, X. Y.. 27 June. 1812. Mar-
ried Ralph Manning, of Berkshire. N.
Y.. 31 Jan.. 1849. He died 22 Sept.,
1872, in Berkshire. She died in 1897,
at the home of her daughter, .Mrs.
>Iary Labrec. at Big Foot. 111. -Mr.
Manning was the father of Gurdon C..
Manning, who was a dry goods mtr-
chant in Owego.
The only son of James and Eliza-
beth (Chase) Archibald was Allan
Chase Archibald, bom 15 Jan., ISIS,
at Caldwell, X. Y. He married Mary
A. Finney, daughter of Joshua L.
Finney, of Owego, in 1840. He
died in 1862 in Cincinnati. Ohio, and
she 29 Xov.. 1892. at the home of her
daughter. Mrs. Elizabeth A. Cline, in
Wilmington. Del.
When James Archibald came to Owe-
go Richard Brown was conducting a
small tannery, mention of which has
been made in these articles. At that
305
time a man named Wicks was con-
ducting the tannery on the Huntington
creek, whicli taimery he subsequently
sold to I<:iihu Parmenter.
Samuel Archibald was a member of
the board of village trustees in 1858,
1859, 18CS, and 1869. He was also a
commissioner of highways of the town
of Owego. He was a commissioned
officer in the state militia, serving as
lieutenant, captain, and major.
Samuel Babcock, who married Mar-
tha Archibald, was a blacksmith. He
came to Owego from Bolton, N. Y., in
1823. He lived on the west side of
North avenue, south of Temple street.
He owned three village lots. On one
of them was a blacksmith shop, on an-
other a carriage shop, and between
them was his dwelling house. Samuel
and Martha (Archibald) Babcock ha.l
four sons, Edward, George W., David,
and Alvah Babcock, and two daugh-
ters, Elizabeth and Emily Babcock.
Elizabeth Babcock was the first
wife of Albert A. Baker, a son cf
Lemuel Baker. He was a stone cutter
and went south to work on a contract
on the state capitol of Tennessee at
Nashville, and died at Huntsville,
Ala., July 25, 1901. He returned north
just before the breaking out of the
civil war and lived on a farm he hatl
purchased two miles south of Newark
Valley. From March, 1874, to Decem-
ber, 1877, he was engaged in the dry
goods business at Owego. He after-
ward returned to Alabama, where he
engaged in the marble business. He
was a brother of James R. Baker, who
is still living at Owego.
Emily Babcock married Mr. Elliott,
of Alabama. Both the sisters died ^i
Huntsville.
306
George W. Babcock now lives at
Ithaca. He was for many years in the
charge of the repair shops of the Erie
railroad at Owego and later in charge
of the repair department of the
Geneva. Ithaca. & Sayre branch of the
Lehigh Valley railroad.
Alvah Babcock was a tinsmith. He
went to Huntsville. Ala., a short time
before the breaking out of the civil
war and served in the Confederate
army. He died at Huntsville in Octo-
ber, 1S65. Edward Babcock also died
at Huntsville about three weeks after
Alvah's death.
CALDWELL ROW.
Mention has been made in these
papers of Caldwell Row. This was a
block of wooden buildings one and
one-half stories high and painted yel-
low. It extended on the north side of
Front street from Lake street to the
present Ahwaga house block. The
row was occupied as stores, shops,
and dwellings. The owner, James
Caldwell, who lived at Albany, was a
wealthy tobacconist. He invested
largely in lands in this part of the
state. He acquired this property in
.January. 1797, by purchase from Wm.
Rhodes and John McGregor. New-
York merchants. The purchase in-
cluded seven Owego town lots con-
taining about 1,108 acres and eight
other lots in the village of Owego, for
all of which he paid £800.
Three of tue village lots comprised
all the land on the north side of Main
street including the M. E. church
property and the lot on which the new
graded school building now stands
with all the land between them, in-
307
eluding the part through which Spen-
cer avenue now extends.
Another of these lots was the west
one-half of the present square bound-
ed by Lake, Main, Church, and Front
streets, and included the land oppo-
site on the south side of Front street
to the bank of the Susquehanna river.
Still another of these lots was at
the northeast corner of Front and
Church streets, now owned by F. C.
Hewitt and extended back to Main
street. All this property had been
originally owned by James McMaster,
who sold it to his brother, David Mc-
Master, from whom it was i)urchased
by Rhodes and McGregor.
Among Caldwell's other investments
in lands in southern New York was
the purchase in July, 1804, for $4,000
of nineteen village lots containing 1,936
acres in what is now the business part
of the city of Elmira. Mr. Caldwell
never lived at Owego, but came here
occasionally tolook after his property.
He died in 1831, aged about 70 years.
The ground on which Caldwell
Row stood became the property of
Caldwell's daughter, Mrs. Stephen
Sewell, of Montreal, who sold it in
May, 1832, to James Ely, Jonathan
Piatt, and George Bacon. This piece
had a front of 128 feet on Lake street
and 11.". on Front street. It was
divided by agreement, Ely taking the
lot on which Ahwaga hall now stands.
Piatt the lot now occupied by the Ti-
oga national bank and the store ad-
joining west of it, and Bacon the cor-
ner lot on which the Partridge drug
store stands. Mr. Bacon also received
in the division the part on the east
side of Lake street where the brick
308
front building now occupied by the
Owego national bank stands.
The lot between the Tioga national
bank and the corner drug store in
Front street was sold in September.
1S32, to James W. Taylor and Nelson
B. Skeel. who erected thereon a three-
story wooden building, which was so
narrow and towered so high above all
the others that it was commonly
known as "the lighthouse" and "the
shot tower." John Carmichael bought
the bank lot. on which he built a
three-story brick store in 1S35. The
"lighthouse" leaned on Mr. Car-
michaels property so that he had to
cut away the rafters to build his
walls. Dr. Jedediah Fay bought the
lot on which Ahwaga hall stands in
1S35 and built a three-story building
thereon, with two stores, one of which
he occupied as a drug store.
Taylor & Skeel were tailors and
occupied their building as a tailors
shop. Taylor removed to Ohio about
the year 1840. Skeel came here from
one of the eastern states and after re-
maining here a few years went west,
where he became captain of a Missis-
sippi river steamboat and died while
running a steamboat on that river.
VINE KIXGSLEY.
Vine Kingsley. one of the earliest
settlers at Owego. came in 1790. He
married Esther Wright. At the first
election for officers of the town of
Owego on April 3. 1800. he was elected
to three offices — overseer of the poor,
poundmaster. and fence-viewer. The
offices of overseer of the poor and
fence-viewer he held by re-election
four years. He was also appointed a
justice of the peace. In 1S05 he re-
309
iiioN ed to Scipio, N. Y., where he dieci
ui 1S11, aged 44 years. He had three
tfoiis. .losiah Wright Khigsley, honi in
ITyG at Owego, and Elias and Eliada
Kingsley (twins), born aljout 1805.
The three brothers removed to Perry,
Wyoming coimty, where Josiah W.
died in 1885 and Eliada in 1856.
El.IAS AND EBENEZER Al.LEN.
i''lias Allen was an early settler
here. He was a shoemaker, but did
not work at his trade, but dug wells
and built cellars. He lived on the
east side of North avenue adjoining
the Presbyterian church i)roi)erty.
His son, Ebenezer Allen, was also a
shoemaker. His shoe shop and resi-
dence, a small building one and one-
half stories high, was on the north side
of Main street at the North avenue cor-
ner, then known as the Tinkham cor-
ner. In 1823 his sho]) was on the
south side of Front street, a little west
of Church street. Later he i)urchased
a lot near Leach's mills and built a
house there, and there he died .Ian.
20, 1867, aged 73 years.
Mr. Allen was an expert river pilot
and made trips down the river with
rafts and arks during the rafting sea-
sons. He was many years bellringer
and sexton of the Presbyterian
church. He was also for many years
and until his death crier of the courts
of Tioga county. He was an expert
fisherman and owned the eel rack
which was in the Susquehanna river
opposite the mouth of the Owego
creek, which remained in use several
years after his death. One of his
daughters, Mary Ann Allen, was a
nurse and matron at St. Lake's hos-
liital in New York 32 years. She died
ill that city Dec. 20, 11IP4. aged SO
310
years. Another daughter, Frances
Allen, became the wife of Watson L.
Hoskins, of Owego. She died July 5.
1905, at Owego, aged 74 years. A
third. Miss Adeline Allen, lived at La-
fayette, 111.
GEN. ISAAC B. OGDEN.
Gen. Isaac B. Ogden was a cabinet
maker. He was born in New Jersey
in 1805. His mother died when he
was very young and he was reared by
his grandmother. Mrs. Canfleld, of
Smithboro. He learned his trade of a
cabinet maker at Owego. He after-
ward went to New York city, where
he spent several years, and upon his
return here he formed a partnership
in the cabinet making business with
Dana & Kingsley.
At that time all the furniture in use
was made by hand, and the demand
hereabouts was largely supplied by
his firm. In 1834 Mr. Ogden pur-
chased the interest of his partners in
the business, and the next year he
married Priscilla G. Goodman, daugh-
ter of Philip Goodman, who was for
several years landlord of various pub-
lic houses at Owego and an early
comer here.
Mr. Ogdens cabinet shop stood on
the north side of Main street opposite
where the new Owego hotel now
stands. This cabinet shop was
burned Aug. 5, 1841. The fire burned
all the wooden buildings to the North
avenue corner, and up North avenue
to the old Tioga house, a hotel which
stood about where Sporer, Carlson &
Berry's piano factory is now. This
fire burned Gen. Ogden's dwelling
house, which stood east of the cabi-
net shop, together with James Conk-
311
lin's wagon sho]), and Gad Worthing-
ton's residence.
The cabinet shop was immediately
rebuilt on a larger scale. The new
manufactory was a large two-story
wooden building, painted red, which
stood on the north side of Main street
opposite where the new Owego hotel
now stands. The factory was in the
rear part. The front part, which was
used as a salesroom, was so large
that it was also used sometimes as a
l)lace for holding public meetings and
for the performances of travelling
theatrical companies, etc.
There has of late been a craze in
these parts for collecting old furni-
ture, which after having been re-
paired and revarnished by a more
modem cabinet maker is made to do
new service in the parlors and sitting
rooms of our citizens. Much of this
stuff, which its happy possessors rank
with the masterpieces of Sheraton,
Chippendale, and Heppelwhite, was
turned out at Gen. Ogden's factories
and was the workmanship of Gideon
O. Chase, Abram B. Elston, Ossian E.
Dodge (afterward the principal singer
in his travelling concert company,
known as "Ossian's Bards," which
gave concerts throughout the coun-
try), and many other good workmen
of the time, whose names some of our
"oldest inhabitants" still remember.
This cabinet factory was also
burned in the night of February 16,
1854. This fire swept away all the
wooden stores and houses to the
North avenue comer. At the time of
this fire the factory was occupied by
J. L. Matson as a furniture store.
After Gen. Ogden's house in Main
street was burned he lived in a house
31 Z
which still stands on the south side
of the Susquehanna river and is tlie
seventh house east of the Court street
bridge.
Gen. Ogden was a public spirited
man, and was greatly interested in
the welfare and improvement of Owe-
go. He was a member of the village
boardoftrustees eleven years between
the years 1831 and 1849 and was
president of the village from 1846 to
1849. inclusive. He was active in or-
ganizing the first hook and ladder
company in 1835. He died at Owego
April 14. 1868. aged 63 years.
Gen. Ogdens eldest son. Rev.
Claries Ezra Ogden, was an Epis-
copal clergyman and preached at Bel-
lows Falls. Vermont. His daughter,
ilrs. .Jennie Locey removed to La-
Salle, 111.
ROMEO WOODFORD.
Romeo Woodford was one of the
earliest merchants in the hardware
and tinware trade at Owego. He
came here from Candor in 1814. He
was the father of Bissell and Romeo
Woodford, who were engaged in the
tame business several years.
They were descendants of Bissell
Woodford, of Farmington. Conn., a
soldier of the revolution, four of
whose sons removed to Tioga county
in 1804. Chauncey, the eldest son,
and Ira Woodford settled at West
Candor. Cyrus settled in east Spen-
cer, where he died Nov. 6, 1878, aged
80 years. Romeo lived at Candor until
his removal to Owego. Chauncey
Woodford was a farmer. Bissell
Woodford, the father, came about the
year 1825 from Farmington to Can-
dor, where he died Sept. 3, 1835, aged
81 years.
313
Ira and Roiiit'o Woodford were tin-
smiths. Romeo Woodfora carried on
the business at Owego and Ira at
West Candor. In those days business
was conducted on an extensive scale
at many small country villages. At
West Candor Ira Woodford's manu-
factory was a large one, and he sent
peddlers out with wagons all over the
country. The peddlers sold tinware
and whiplashes, taking in exchange
furs.
After the death of Romeo Woodford
at Owego, in 1819, his widow, Rhoda
(Hulburt) Woodford, removed to
West Candor with her two sons, Bis-
sell and Romeo Woodford, Jr., where
Bissell Woodford learned the tin-
smith's trade in his uncle's shop.
In the spring of 1838 Mrs. Woodford
and her sons returned to this village,
where Ira Woodford opened a branch
of his West Candor manufactory in
company with Bissell Woodford.
Their shop was the first building be-
low the bridge in Front street. Soon
afterward the Owego business passed
into the hands of the brothers, Bissell
and Romeo Woodford. In July, 1839,
they removed into the brick store
which had been occupied by L. Tru-
man & Bros., in Lake street where the
First national bank now stands. They
increased the business rapidly, and
carried the largest stock of any tin-
ware establishment in this part of the
country. At the time of the great fire
of September, 1849, their store was
burned.
After the fire the brothers con-
tracted with John R. Drake for the
purchase of the RoUin block property
at the northwest corner of Lake and
Front streets. This lot extended 54
314
feet west on Front street to Dr. E. B.
Phelps's property and 94 feet north
on Lake street to Lorenzo Reeves's
store. The brothers built thereon the
four-story building that now stands
there, and which they occupied as a
hardware and tin store. i.he firm of
R. Woodford & Co. conducted the
store until May, 1855. when the
brothers sold it to Storrs & Chatfield
and retired from business.
Ira Woodford, who was known as
Captain Woodford, was in 1821 ap-
pointed lieutenant of a company in
the 199th regiment of infantry, which
was organized that year from a part
of the 95th regiment, and was later
promoted to captain.
The elder Romeo Woodford's first
wife was Mary Gridley, of Candor.
His second wife was Rhoda Hulburt.
Bissell Woodford, the eldest of the
two sons of Romeo and Rhoda (Hul-
burt) Woodford, was born 23 Oct.,
1816, at Owego. He married Mandana
Fortntr, daughter of Lewis Fortner,
of Danby, 15 Oct., 1845. He died 19
May, 1897, at Owego and she 29
March, 1891.
Romeo Woodford was born ?> .Ian..
1820, at Owego. He married Eliza-
beth Martin, daughter of Col. Amos
Martin, of Owego, 6 Aug., 1846. She
died 30 .Ian.. 1850. at Owego. He
married second Augusta E. Sackett,
daughter of Richard H. Sackett, of
Catatonk. He died 8 .luly, 1856, at
Owego, and she Dec, 1855.
Bissell Woodford was a member of
the board of trustees of the village of
Owego in 1848, 1852, and 1857.
315
JOHN DODD.
.Tolni Dodd was a carriage maker,
born July 29, 1782. He lived at New-
Haven, Connecticut, and removed
thence to Goshen, N. Y., in 1810. He
oanie to Owego in 182!) and lived here
all the rest of his life. His carriage
shop was on the west side of North
avenue, and the house in which he
lived was further uj) the same street,
oi)])osite Chestnut street. The house
still stands there, but it was recon-
structed after his death by elevating
it and building a basement beneath
it.
Mr. Dodd lived an uneventful life
here and died Sept. 3, 1854. He mar-
ried Susan Potter, who was born
March 1, 1785. She survived him
twenty years, and died here Dec. 17,
1874. The children of .lohn and Susan
(Potter) Dodd were as follows:
1. Hannah Dodd, born 24 Dec,
1804, at New Haven, Conn. Died 8
.Jan., 1805.
2. Maria Dodd, born 3 Feb., 1806.
at New Haven. Died 16 March, 1861,
at Owego. Unmarried.
3. .John S. Dodd, born 11 Sept.,
1808, at New Haven. Married Lucy
Hatch in 1831. He died 21 Feb., 1870.
at Ithaca, N. Y.
4. Caroline Dodd , born 20 Oct.,
1810, at New Haven. Died 30 Aug.,
1884, at Owego. Unmarried.
5. Edward D. Dodd, born 11 Jan.,
1813, at Goshen, N. Y. Married Sarah
A. Lacey, of Laceyville, Pa., 2 Feb.,
1840. He died 1 Sept., 1894, at El-
mira, N. Y., and she IS Jan.. 1908,
also at Elmira.
6. Jane Dodd, born 20 Aug., 1815,
at Goshen. Married Otis W. Liver-
more, of Owego, 7 Nov., 1853. She
died 17 Oct.. 1900, in Athens town-
ship. Pa., and he 21 March, 1895, at
Owego.
7. William Dodd. born 24 Sept,1818,
316
at Goshen. Died 26 July. 1839, at
Owego.
8. Thomas A. Dodd, born 2 March,
1822. at Goshen. Married Harriet E.
Freeman, of Goshen. 2 Oct., 1851. He
died 18 Jan., 1900, at Owego, and she
died at Ehnira.
9. Louise L. Dodd, born 16 April.
1825, at Goshen. Married Dr. Elias
W. Seymour, of Owego, in Oct., 1850.
He died 26 June, 1893, at Owego, and
she 26 Feb., 1900.
10. George A. Dodd, born 12 May.
1827, at Goshen. Married Sarah
Searles, of Owego, 23 Nov., 1848. He
died 14 Jan., 1864, at Owego, and she
23 June, 1908.
Edward D. Dodd was an iron
moulder. He removed to Laceyville.
Pa., in 1840, and thence to Elmira.
Thomas A. Dodd was from 1849 to
1867 a conductor on the New York &
Erie railroad.
Elias W. Seymour was born at
Windsor, N. Y.. Feb. 7, 1823. His
father, judge William Seymour, was
a prominent man in Broome county
and was a brother of governor Hora-
tio Seymour. William Seymour was
a lawyer. He was appointed first
judge of Broome county in 1833 and
was elected to congress in 1834. Elias
W. Seymour came to Owego when 18
years of age. He studied medicine in
1866 and began practice in 1870. He
died June 26, 1881, at Owego.
ABRAHAM GREEK.
Another of the early residents of
North avenue was Abraham Greek.
He and captain Sylvenus Fox were
"bound boys" and were brought here
by Elizur Talcott and his sons
from Glastonbury. Conn., in 1803.
Both learned and worked at the car-
penter's trade. Capt. Fox bought the
lot at the southeast comer of Fox
street and North avenue and built a
317
house thereon, in which he lived the
rest of his lile. Mr. (Jreek bought
land on the west side of North ave-
nue, a little south of Fox street and
built thereon two houses and lived in
one of tlieni luitil he died .March 14,
1862.
Mr. Greek's wife, Mrs. Harriet
Creek, was an eccentric woman
whose vocabulary was more extensive
and comprehensive than accurate.
She was a combination of Smollett's
Tabitha Bramble, Sheridan's Mrs.
Malaproi), and Shillaber's Mrs. Part-
ington, and her sayings created much
amusement for her neighbors. She
once described an iron safe as a
■'bugle proof safe with a revolt in
it," and she expressed her opinion
pretty emphatically of some of the
good ))eople of the village who were
outside of her social circle as "jjut-
tlng on altogether too much codfish
aristocracy." To a neighbor thi.s
cheerful old lady once said that she
had always had a "resentment" that
she would "die in a prance," but her
presentiment proved to be unfounded
in anything but vague surmise, for
instead of lingering in a trance she
passed away suddenly on the 23d of
December, 1863, at the not very ad-
vanced age of 60 years.
ISAAC LILLIE.
Isaac Lillie, a school teacher and
civil engineer, came to Owego in 1814.
His father, Abraham Lillie, came at
an early day from England to Roston.
aiass., and engaged in shii) building.
Isaac Lillie was born at Scotland.
Windham county. Conn., Oct. 19, 1788.
He lived at one time at Butternuts.
Otsego county, X. Y.. and later at
Montrose, Pa.
318
After coming to Owego Mr. Lillie
surveyed much of the land in Coxes
patent. He taught school several
years in the old school house which
stood on the south side of Main street,
near where the rectory of St. Paul's
ahurch now stands. When the Owego
academy was built in 1828. he was
asked to take charge of the school as
principal, but declined to do so. He
was much interested in the cause of
temperance and the abolition of
slavery, and he co-operated in forming
the first anti-slavery society in Tioga
county in 1839. As a surveyor he was
naturally conversant with land values
and was elected an assessor of the
town of Owego in 1851 and 1854.
Mr. Lillie was twice married. Of
his first wife we have no record. His
second wife was Rachel Nealy. She
was a daughter of John Nealy, who
came to Owego in April, 1785, with
.lames and Robert McMaster and
William Woods from Florida, N. Y.
Her brother, David Nealy, is said to
have been the second white child born
in Owego. He died March 8, 1871.
aged 78 years.
Mr. Lillie lived during the last
twenty years of his life in a house
which stood on the north side of Front
street, east of William street. He
purchased the property in April. 183:'.,
from John Mack, of the town of
ITlysses, Tompkins county. After his
death this property, together with the
drug store building at the northeast
corner of Front and Lake streets,
passed into possession of his daugh-
ter. Mrs. Deming. The dwelling house
in west Front street was subsequently
torn down and in its place she built
319
the house now owned and occupied by
John Jones.
Mrs. l^illie died at Owego Feb. 2,
1849, aged 54 years. Mr. IJlIie died
Sept. 23, 1854.
The children of Mr. IJllie and his
first wife were Susan IJllie, who mar-
ried Mr. Muar and lived at Scottsville,
N. Y., and John Hoyt Lillie, who was
born 13 Ai)ril, 1813, at Montrose, Pa.,
and married Charlotte B. Curtis, of
Montrose. She died at Rochester, N.
Y., and he 30 March, 1903, at Los-
Angeles, Cal.
The children of Isaac and Rachel
(Nealy) Lillie were as follows:
1. . Sarah Liilie, born 4 Jan., 1827,
at Owego. Died 4 July, 1838.
2. Catherine B. Lillie, born 4 Oct.,
1828, at Owego. Married Horace R.
Ueming 18 Sept., 1858, at Owego. He
died 7 April, 1882, at Waterbury,
Conn.
3. James Edward Lillie, born 11
Sept., 1833, at Owego. Married Lucy
Ketchum, of Corning. He died 27
May, 1901, at Washington, D. C.
James Edward Lillie was a ma-
chinist. He lived at Corning, N. Y.,
and at Susquehanna, Pa., and was
later and for many years employed in
the government machine shops in the
ordnance department at Washington,
D. C, in which city he died May 28,
1901.
Catherine B. Lillie married Horace
R. Deming, of Owego, and still lives
in this village. Mr. Deming was born
May 1, 1829, at Bennington, Vt. He
came to Owego in 1843 and learned
the tinner's trade. He was for many
years engaged in the hardware and tin
business with various partners, and
was afterward in the grocery business
with Michael Bergin. Later he con-
ducted a wholesale butter and cheese
320
business in New Haven, Conn., and
still later he engaged in the same
business in Newark. X. .J. He died
April 7. 1SS2. at Waterbury, Conn.,
where he was conducting a wholesale
flour, grain, hay, and butter business.
Dr. John Hoyt Lillie had a so.ne-
what remarkable career. In May.
1832, he accompanied an uncle on a
trip to Illinois, which was then in the
■far west." He volunteered to take
the census of Chicago, and did so. the
tnumeration showing the population
to be 1,65U people. Later he returned
to Owego, where he remained until
1839.
Mr. Lillie was a man of great in-
genuity, and had learned the trade of
a watchmaker. In 1839 he built a
steamboat, the second one ever con-
structed at this village. In the fall of
that year he and Gilbert Forsyth, with
their families, started down the river
in the boat, intending to go to Cincin-
nati, Ohio. The boat was wrecked
near Wysox, Pa., and the rest of the
journey was made overland. In Cin-
cinnati Mr. Lillie studied medicine
and obtained a physician's license to
practise.
In 1S41 he settled at Joliet. 111. He
had become interested in the study of
electricity, and he built a circular
railroad, twelve feet in diameter, on
which a miniature locomotive, de-
signed by him, was driven by elec-
tricity. In order to obtain money with
which to patent his invention, he ex-
hibited his model and delivered public
lectures. At Peoria he attracted the
attention of senator Thomas H. Ben-
ton, of Missouri, who gave him letters
to Prof. Henry, of the Smithsonian in-
stiute. and other jirominent men in
321
Washington, who assisted him finan-
cially.
In 1850 Dr. J.illie obtained his first
patent for the first electric motor, but
not without some difficulty. An officer
in the patent office tried to steal Dr.
IJllie's claim to the invention, and he
might have succeeded had not Prof.
Henry made dire threats of exposure
and disgrace.
In order to raise money with which
to develop his invention toward the
point of commercial value, Dr. Lillie
engaged in further lecturing tours, in
one of which he met P. T. Barnum,
the showman, who paid him $250 for a
model of the new motor for e.\hibitioii
in Barnum's iMew York museum. This
proved unfortunate for the inventor,
as the public looked upon the model in
the museum more as a freak toy than
as the beginning of immeasurable,
commercial achievements.
Dr. Lillie's circular electric railroad
was e.xhibited by the inventor at his
old home in Owego in 1851. His lec-
ture was delivered in Patch's hall,
which occupied the third story of a
brick block on the west side of Lake
street, where the Chamberlain block
now stands.
On a wooden framework, supported
by posts about four feet high and
standing on the floor Dr. Lillie had
constructed a circular track of two
continuous rails in the form of a large
hoop, twelve feet in diameter
over which a miniature four-wheeled
truck was run. On this truck was a
galvanic battery and a combination of
wheels. Electric power was applied
by the battery to the wheels causing
them to revolve, sending the cars
round and round on the circular track.
In 1850 Dr. Lillie removed to Hor-
nellsville. X. Y., where he continued
his experiments. In 1860 he travelled
through the country exhibiting Miss
Dollie Button, a dwarf, and in 1863, he
travelled giving exhibitions of nitrous
oxide, or laughing gas. In 1S6S he
removed from Rochester to San Fran-
cisco. Cal., and thence in 1873 to
Santa Rosa. In 1ST6 he conducted a
ear of tourists to the centennial ex-
position at Philadelphia and in 1878
and again in 1886 he visited Europe.
Upon his return in the latter year he
became a resident of Los Angeles,
where he lived until his death.
When he settled in Los Angeles he
possessed only a modest competence,
but this he judiciously invested in the
business of buying and selling real
estate, until at the time of his death
he had amassed a fortune of $2r)0.00O.
Dr. Lillie's death was the result of
an accident. In the night of March
26, 190:!, he inadvertently stepped off
the back porch of his house and
plunged six feet to the flagging. His
skull was fractured and he died four
days afterward on March 30.
JOSEPH OGDEN.
Joseph Ogden, whose sons. Jehial
Walter, and Charles Ogden. were gun-
smiths, came to Owego from Orange
county, X. Y., about the year 1810,
driving the entire distance with a
team, and settled on a farm three
miles east of this village, known as
the John Camp farm. Several years
later he removed to Owego and
worked as a stone mason and also as
a watch repairer.
It may seem a little singular in
these days but two trades so entirely
323
different — one requiring i)atience and
sliill and tlie other strengtli and en-
durance — should have been learned
by the same man. The exi)lanations
is sinii)le. There was not sufficient
work in small connnunlies in those
days to keep a man enii)loyed at one
trade all the year round, and while
mason work was readily obtained in
the summer season, masons were idle
In winter, so two trades were learned
by one man, in order that he could be
employed at one while there was no
employment to be had at the other.
His eldest son, Jehial Ogden,
learned the trade of a gunsmith in
Col. Henry McCormick's gun shop,
and became foreman of the shoj).
Walter Ogden was bom on the farm
Dec. 2, 1819, and was fifteen years of
age when he became an apprentice to
learn the trade in Col. McCormick's
shop. In 1837 Jehial Ogden built a
gun shop at the northwest corner of
Main and liberty streets where St.-
Paul's Episcopal church now stands,
and he and Walter Ogden conducted
the business there until April, 183!),
when Walter Ogden bought the lot on
the west side of North avenue on
which the brick store owned by Geo.
Snyder and the two stores adjoining
it at the north now stand, and built
thereon a gun shop. In 1848 Charles
Ogden became a partner in the busi-
ness. Several years afterward they
purchased of Charles Talcott the
brick store now occupied by I^. T.
Stanbrough's plumbing store opposite
the Ahwaga house in Front street,
where they conducted a gun shop and
variety store.
Charles Ogden died Dec. 6, 1868,
aged 46 years. Walter Ogden died
324
Feb. 23, 1879, aged 59 years. .Jehial
Ogden died Feb. 21, 1S80, aged 68
years.
Joseph Ogden had three daughters.
Rebecca Ogden died July 20, 1880.
aged 58 years, and unmarried. Sarah
Ogden married John Gardiner. Selina
Ogden married Ambrose Townsend.
Mr. Townsend was a carpenter. He
was born Sept. 27, 1810, in the town
of Burn, Dutchess county, X. Y., and
died in Owego April 17, 1859. His
wife died June 21, 1876, aged 62 years.
Mr. Townsend built the house on the
north side of Main street, the fifth
house east of Paige street, which was
owned by Thomas A. Dodd after his
death and is now owned by Mrs. Mary
Chesbro.
Joseph Ogden died Sept. 19, 1855, at
Owego, aged 63 years. His wife,
Sarah Ogden, died Jan. 10. 1864, aged
75 years.
FRANCIS ARMSTRONG.
Francis Armstrong was born at
Florida, Orange county, N. Y., Dec. 4,
1788. In February, 1821, he came to
the town of Newark Valley, where he
purchased a farm, near the Owego
town line and where he followed farm-
ing seven years. In 1829 he came to
Owego to take the office of deputy
sheriff under Col. Henry McCormick.
At that time Tioga and Chemung were
half-shire counties, and one sheriff
was elected for both counties. Mr.
Armstrong lived in the old court
house at the southeast comer of Main
and Court streets, which building was
occupied as a sheriffs residence and
jail on the first floor, and as a court
room on the second floor. Here Mr.
Armstrong lived nine years as deputy
325
under Col. McCorniick and Col. Mc-
Corniick'.s successors in office. In
1S;50 he was elected a justice of tlie
peace and served eight years. His first
wife was Elysian Poj)i)ino, who died
in Newark Valley, in 1S21. His sec-
ond wife was her sister, Huldah Pop-
l)ino. They were married Jan. 15,
1S23. Mr. Armstrong's children were
Rev. Anizi Armstrong, who was jias-
tor of the Presbyterian church of
Dutch Neck, N. J.; Francis Arm-
strong, who was a bookkeei)er and
who lives in Pittsburg, Pa.; Mrs. Han-
nah Inslee and Mrs. Harriet Eaton,
who removed to Washington, D. C;
Mrs. Elysian Fassett, who removed to
Rock wood, Minn., and Mrs. .lames H.
Board, who removed to Canaseraga,
N. Y. Mr. Armstrong died Nov. 2G,
1S81.
Daniel Armstrong also came to
Owego from Orange county, wliere he
was born. In early life he was a
school teacher and later a bookkeeper
and accountant. He died at Owego
.Tan. 2.5, 1886, aged 79 years.
.lames Conklin and his sons, wagon
makers, were ea 
