Biographical Sketch of William Johnston

William Johnston, a Revolutionary soldier, came in from Hartwick, Otsego county, in 1807, and settled a half mile south of Bettsburgh, on the farm now occupied by Devillo Dutton. He took up 50 acres in Broome county, on the line of Afton, and bought about one and one-half acres in Afton, the title to which proved defective. He subsequently purchased it of Asa Stowel. He afterwards removed to the town of Sanford, in Broome county, where he died February 10, 1843, aged 91, and Deborah, his wife, April 14, 1843, aged 81. He had six children, only one of whom … Read more

Biography of Jacob Newton Butler, M.D.

Jacob Newton Butler, M.D., of Lempster, N.H., one of the best known physicians in this part of Sullivan County, was born in Lyndeboro, Hillsborough County, this State, February 6, 1821, son of Jacob and Sarah (Blanchard) Butler. His great-grandfather, William Butler, came, it is said, from England, and settled in Essex County, Massachusetts. He married, so we are informed, Sarah Perkins, and had seven children, three sons and four daughters. The three sons enlisted in the War for Independence, and one never came back. One was taken prisoner and carried to Halifax, N.S., where he died of small-pox. The other … Read more

Biography of Thomas Blakeslee, M. D.

Thomas Blakeslee, M. D. Perhaps no present resident of the thriving little City of Neodesha, Kansas, could better describe its early days than Dr. Thomas Blakeslee, its pioneer physician, now retired from professional life. Just graduated from one of the country’s greatest medical schools, Doctor Blakeslee came to this growing village forty-six years ago, facing hardships, as all pioneers must, but enthusiastic in his love of his beneficent profession, and hopeful as to the scope and success of his conscientious service. For over a quarter of a century he ministered to the sick with the medical skill that knowledge gave … Read more

Russell Todd of Lansing MI

Russell Todd7, (Chauncey6, Jonah5, Stephen4, Samuel3, Samuel2, Christopher1 born Jan. 5, 1830, died Feb. 25, 1907, married Sept. 10, 1875, Cora A. Brown. He was ordained to the deaconate by Bishop DeLancey in 1860 and to the priesthood the following year by the same bishop. His various charges have been: Morris (assistant) Westmoreland, Clark’s Mills, Augusta, Oriskany Falls and general missionary work in Chenango County, all in New York; Caro, Michigan; again in New York at Whitney’s Point; then in Missouri, at Lebanon and Marshfield, Cape Girarfeau and Canton. At the close of his labors at the latter place, his … Read more

Frank Hayden Todd of Binghamton NY

Frank Hayden Todd8, (Frederick H.7, Josiah6, Dan5, Christopher4, Samuel3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born Feb. 26, 1866, died Oct., 1894, married June 15, 1887, Alice May, daughter of Abraham Perry and Frances Amelia (Childs) Minturn, who lived in Binghamton, N. Y. Children: *2076. Fred Hayden, b. June 26, 1888. 2077. Leonard Minturn, b. Jan. 3, 1890; in 1919, he was unmarried; lived in Binghamton, N. Y., where he worked and made a home for his mother and also her mother.

Biography of Capt. Hiram Smith

CAPT. HIRAM SMITH. – Capacity for business may make a man a miser or a shark. Generosity may make him a pauper. In the one case he may so use his talent as to over-reach and distress his neighbors; and in the other he may impoverish himself and become a burden rather than a benefit to society. The benevolent heart is best when joined to a sagacious head. No man seems so happy, and certainly none so useful, as he who is able to gratify his love of doing good by having the means for its accomplishment ever at hand. … Read more

Biography of Daniel S. Buck

Daniel S. Buck was a noted hunter. He took 300 acres of land for which he paid with the bounties received for the destruction of wild animals, $60 for each wolf and $75 for each panther, of the latter of which he killed eleven in one year. He made hunting his business while game lasted and some seasons made more than his neighbors did at lumbering. While in Afton we spent an evening very pleasantly with his genial son Noble, who is now well advanced in years, listening to the recital of his father’s adventures while on hunting expeditions; but … Read more

Mahican Tribe

Mahican Indians (‘wolf’). An Algonquian tribe that occupied both banks of upper Hudson River, in New York, extending north almost to Lake Champlain. To the Dutch they were known as River Indians, while the French grouped them and the closely connected Munsee and Delawares under the name of Loups (‘wolves’). The same tribes were called Akochakaneñ (‘stammerers’ ) by the Iroquois. On the west bank they joined the Munsee at Catskill creek, and on the east bank they joined the Wappinger near Poughkeepsie. They extended north into Massachusetts and held the upper part of Housatonic valley. Their council fire was … Read more

Biography of Hon. John L. Underwood

Hon. John L. Underwood, postmaster at Montpelier, Idaho, successful businessman, prominent citizen, veteran of the civil war and influential Republican, is widely and favorably known throughout the state. He was born in Broome County, New York, January 15, 1832, of parents who traced their ancestry to good English families. Jonas Underwood, his grandfather, was a native of Fishkill, New York, and held a commission in the Revolutionary army. He died at Deposit, New York, in his eightieth year. His wife, who was of the New York family of Pine, survived him only a few days. Philip Underwood, son of Jonas … Read more

Tuscarora Indians

Tuscarora Tribe, Tuscarora Confederacy: From their own name Skǎ-ru’-rěn, signifying according to Hewitt (in Hodge, 1910), “hemp gatherers,” and applied on account of the great use they made of Apocynum cannabinum. Also called: Ă-ko-t’ǎs’-kǎ-to’-rěn Mohawk name. Ani’-Skǎlǎ’lǐ, Cherokee name. Ă-t’ǎs-kǎ-lo’-lěn, Oneida name. Tewohomomy (or Keew-ahomomy), Saponi name. Tuscarora Connections. The Tuscarora belonged to the Iroquoian linguistic family. Tuscarora Location. On the Roanoke, Tar, Pamlico, and Neuse Rivers. (See also Pennsylvania and New York.) Tuscarora Subdivisions. The Tuscarora should be considered a confederacy with three tribes or a tribe with three subtribes as follows: Kǎ’tě’nu’ā’kā’, “People of the submerged pine tree”; … Read more

Biography of Frederic Gregory Mather

FREDERIC GREGORY MATHER AN ALBANIAN whose name shines with no dim lustre in the republic of letters, is Frederic G. Mather. Born in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, on the nth day of August, 1844, he is a son of Samuel Holmes Mather, LL. D., of that city. This cultured gentleman was born in Jj 1813, at Washington, N. H.; his father was Dr. Ozias Mather of fl East Haddam, Conn. In 1835, a year after his graduation from Dartmouth College, Samuel H. Mather removed to Cleveland, when the city was a village of only four thousand inhabitants, today it … Read more

Biography of Isaac G. Perry

ISAAC G. PERRY AN architect of high standing and great popularity in his profession is Isaac G. Perry, the regular capitol commissioner, whose official residence is now in Albany. Born in Bennington, Vt., of Scottish ancestry, on the 24th of March, 1822, he passed his earliest days amidst the grand, patriotic scenes of the Green mountains, breathing pure, invigorating air and laying the foundation of a strong constitution. His father, Seneca Perry, a native of White Creek, Washington County, N. Y., and a carpenter and joiner by trade, died in 1868. His mother, whose maiden name was Martha Ann Taggart, … Read more

Fred Hayden Todd of Binghamton NY

Fred Hayden Todd9, (Frank H.8, Frederick H.7, Josiah6, Dan5, Christopher4, Samuel3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born June 26, 1888, married Feb. 21, 1912, Alice Etheleen, daughter of Frank H. and Della E. (Riddle) Cross. In 1919, they were living in Binghamton, N. Y. Children: 2649. Frederic Hayden, b. Dec. 10, 1912. 2650. Arthur Vincent, b. Sept. 12, 1914.

Henry Todd of Killawog NY

Henry Todd7, (John6, John5, John4, John3, John2, Christopher1) born Jan. 13, 1793, died Oct. 26, 1862, married Dec. 14, 1814, Elizabeth, daughter of Jonathan Mills, who was a Revolutionary war soldier. She was born Dec. 10, 1798, died March 6, 1862. Mr. Todd served in the war of 1812, the length of service being unknown to the writer. After the war, the Government gave the soldiers either a pension or a farm and he took the farm which was located just outside of Killawog, Broome County, N. Y. So far as can be learned he passed the remaining years of … Read more