Biography of Sylvester Washington McMaster

Almost the only living individual among those earliest settlers who came to Rock Island County in the thirties and forties, when the present City of Rock Island was a small village, known as Stephenson, is Sylvester Washington McMaster, a man whom nearly every man, woman and child throughout Rock Island County knows, either personally or by reputation. He was born October 8, 1811, near Watertown, in Herkimer County, New York, and died January 22, 1908, at the age of ninety-six years. His early life was spent upon a farm and he received such education as he could in the country … Read more

Otsquak Cemetery, Van Hornesville, Herkimer County, New York

Tombstone inscriptions of the Otsquak Cemetery. This is the first burial place of the early settlers of the town of Stark. In this cemetery was located the first church in this section. It was built in 1798 and the presiding minister was John Christopher Welting. He is buried in the Fort Plain cemetery (in the southeast corner. On the stone it tells when he preached at the Otsquak and Guysenberg Churches). In this Otsquak cemetery are buried the ones who cleared the land and fought the wars of America. SHAUL Jeremiah, d. 2 Sept. 1882, ae. 62 yrs., 11 mos., … Read more

Biography of Arthur W. Bronson

For the past seventeen years a resident of Topeka, Mr. Bronson has been a considerable factor in the material prosperity of the state, particularly in connection with the agricultural interests. As resident agent for a firm of foreign capitalists, he has been instrumental during his time in handling and distributing over $25,000,000 cash to the land owners and farmers of Kansas and adjoining states, and he is perhaps as well informed as any man in the state on the subject of agricultural credit, land values and farming interests from the financial standpoint. A native of Herkimer County, New York, where … Read more

Charles Manning Todd of Fairfield NY

Charles Manning Todd8, (Eugene M.7, Manning S.6, Samuel B.5, Gideon4, Gideon3, Michael2, Christopher1) born May 8, 1868; he is married and lived in Fairfield, N. Y. Child: 2436. Leon.

Biography of Ward Salisbury

Ward Salisbury. The Salisbury family have been residents of Hiawatha County for over thirty years, and Mr. Ward Salisbury, who was a child when his father located there, had succeeded the older Salisbury as proprietor of the leading grain elevator and his business as a grain buyer extends all over that section of Kansas. Mr. Ward Salisbury was born in Norway, Herkimer County, New York, February 20, 1877. His lineage goes back for a number of generations in American history. The Salisburys came out of England and were colonists in New York. Mr. Salisbury is a member of the Sous … Read more

Biography of Rev. Gustavus Hines

REV. GUSTAVUS HINES. – Gustavus Hines was born in Herkimer county, New York, in 1809. On his mother’s side he was descended from the Carvets and Wilkensons of the old Massachusetts colony, and on his father’s from the Hopkinns of Rhode Island, all names of the highest respectability and even celebrity in the early history of New England. Governor Carvet of Massachusetts colony, and Stephen Hopkinns, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, were of the same families. he grew to his majority in the county of his birth, and in 1832 removed to Cattaraugus county, in the … Read more

John Pierpont Todd of Fairfield NY

John Pierpont Todd7, (Manning S.6, Samuel B.5, Gideon4, Gideon3, Michael2, Christopher1) born May 5, 1845, married, Jan. 27, 1869, Margaret Butler Harrison. They live in Fairfield, N. Y., where he is a mason and where he worked at his trade. Child: 1744. Hobert Harrison, b. Aug. 7, 1870; he is married and lives in Fairfield, N. Y. No children.

Edwin Hunter Todd of Dodgeville NY

Edwin Hunter Todd8, (Eugene M.7, Manning S.6, Samuel B.5, Gideon4, Gideon3, Michael2, Christopher1) born June 4, 1870, married June 28, 1913, Charlotte Gladys Stevens. They lived in Dodgeville, N. Y. Child: 2437. Eugene Francis, b. March 1, 1914.

Biography of Albert Barnes Watkins

ALBERT BARNES WATKINS IN THE broad and varied interests of education, and as possessing intellectual powers admirably fitted for the practical application of knowledge to the wants of our young men and women engaged in the courses of study, no man in Albany has earned a more excellent reputation than Dr. Albert B. Watkins, of the University of the State of New York. His career, marked by a supreme love for knowledge, reveals in full light the earnest, persevering and successful workings of the true educator under many pressing difficulties. He was born on the 8th of July, 1838, in … Read more

Biography of Samuel Wayne Mather

Mather, Samuel Wayne; manufacturer; born, Schuyler, N. Y., July 27, 1849; son of Asaph and Betsy Emily Davis Mather; limited education; his father was seriously injured when he was young, so could not go to school, after he was 11 years old; went to work to help support the family; worked three years in the woods burning charcoal; moved to Cattaraugus County, N. Y., with his parents and tor five years worked on his father’s farm; married, Frankville, N. Y., Sept. 6, 1887, Addie Viola Cooley; issue, five children, two living, Addie and William; his first wife died July 9, … Read more

Mary Todd Bullock of Herkimer County NY

BULLOCK, Mary Todd6, (Samuel5, Samuel4, Samuel3, Samuel2, Christopher1) she was called “Polly”, born in Conn., moved to Middletown, Delaware County, N. Y., in 1802, married Daniel Bullock. They moved to Herkimer County, N. Y. Children: I. Daniel, a Methodist minister. The story is that one time in his youth, he was visiting his aunt Clarissa and being oppressed at the noon meal, his aunt remarked gently, “Daniel, you must get religion”. He fied to the hay mow and wept and prayed, returning presently in great peace, having sought and found pardon of God. Later he began to preach and was … Read more

Lyman S. Todd of Little Falls NY

Lyman S. Todd6, (Samuel Beach5, Gideon4, Gideon3, Michael2, Christopher1) born Nov. 7, 1802, married Sept. 26, 1830, Sarah Damaris, daughter of Benjamin and Sally (Todd) Baldwin, of Brandford, Conn. For the ancestry of Sally (Todd) Baldwin, see No. 225. They lived at Little Falls, N. Y. Children: 1013. S. Fannie, m. Henry Link, of Little Falls, N. Y. 1014. Luzern S., d. Aug. 6, 1865, at New Orleans, La. He was a Lieutenant in the United States Army.

Samuel Beach Todd of Fairfield NY

Samuel Beach Todd5, (Gideon4, Gideon3, Michael2, Christopher1) born April 5, 1768, died March 12, 1852, married first, Lowly Humiston, who was born 1772, died Oct. 5, 1794, second,(???)Brockett, who died July 4, 1833, third, Polly Rice. He lived in Fairfield, Herkimer County, N. Y. Children by Lowly Humiston: 442. Ammi, d. in infancy. 443. Esther, d. young. Children by(???)Brockett: *444. Manning S., b. March 28, 1797. 445. Betsey, b. Sept. 27, 1798, m. Sept. 27, 1818, Eli McConnell; they had six children; lived in Salisbury Center, Herkimer County, N. Y. *446. Lyman S., b. Nov. 7, 1802. *447. Hermon S., … Read more

Biography of Dr. W. C. McKay

DR. W.C. McKAY. – One by one the pioneers who braved the wilderness and its dangers, in order that their posterity might enjoy the fruits of their hazardous conquests of the domain of the savage are passing away. As the poet sang of the valorous knights of the days of chivalry, “Their souls are with the saints, we trust,” so, at no distant day, will the same be sung o’er the graves of the last of the pioneers. So, while yet alive, let us honor them as they deserve to be honored; and when dead let their deeds be recorded … Read more

Stephen Todd of Salisbury NY

Stephen Todd6, (Stephen5, Stephen4, Samuel3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born Dec. 23, 1773, died on his birthday Dec. 23, 1827, in Salisbury, N. Y., married Bede Frisbee. He practiced as a physician in Salisbury, N. Y. Children: 697. Laura, m. Seth Miller. 698. Adeline, m. Dr. John Spaulding. 699. Eliza F., m. Thomas Burch. *700. Anna P.

Hermon S. Todd of Russia NY

Hermon S. Todd6, (Samuel Beach5, Gideon4, Gideon3, Michael2, Christopher1) born Feb. 5, 1804, died July 3, 1873, married Jan. 4, 1832, Susan A. Carpenter who was of Norway, N. Y. At one time they lived at Russia, Herkimer County, N. Y. Children: *1015. Hamilton H., b. Aug. 24, 1833. *1016. Morris M., b. Oct. 6, 1836. 1017. Jane Ann, b. Jan. 23, 1839, d. Feb. 12, 1839.

Biographical Sketch of Richard Gird

Richard Gird is the well-known owner of the Chino Ranch, San Bernardino County. The few facts obtained in regard to his life and successful career form an interesting chapter in this Memorial History. Mr. Gird was born in Herkimer County, New York, in 1836. His father, John Gird, was a native of New Jersey, a farmer by occupation, and to that calling he reared his son, giving him the benefits of such an education as could be procured in the common schools. The subject of this sketch was of studious habits and disposition, and made the best of his advantages. … Read more

Sohpia Helen Todd Taft of Mohawk NY

TAFT, Sophia Helen Todd7, (John Elliott6, John5, Timothy4, Jonathan3, John2, Christopher1) born Jan. 8, 1830, married Jan. 22, 1856, George William Taft, who was born Feb. 16, 1832. They lived in Mohawk, Herkimer County, N. Y. Children: I. William E., b. Oct. 20, 1860. II. George W., b. Feb. 8, 1866.

Ora B. Todd of Panama NY

Ora B. Todd7, (Bela6, Caleb5, Gideon4, Gideon3, Michael2, Christopher1) born Dec. 20, 1808, in Salisbury, N. Y., died Feb. 9, 1889, in San Jacinto, Cal., married Oct. 1832, Lorinda, daughter of Luke and Lucia Wolcott, who was born Oct. 27, 1810, died Oct. 19, 1885, in Santa Paula, Calif. They removed from Panama, Chautauqua County, N. Y., to Santa Paula, Calif., in March 1884, whence they seem to have moved to Santa Jacinto, where he died. Mr. Todd was a good reader of music, which he taught some in the old fashioned way; a fine violinist and a most excellent … Read more

Thomas Jefferson Todd of Nebraska

Thomas Jefferson Todd6, (Caleb5, Gideon4, Gideon3, Michael2, Christopher1) born March 11, 1803, at Fairfield, Herkimer County, N. Y., died Aug. 10, 1880, at Plattsmouth, Neb., married May 12, 1830, Mary Smith at Kiantone, Chautauqua County, N. Y. In the year 1832, they removed to Jamestown, N. Y.; in 1836 they went to Geauga County, Ohio; thence in 1839 to Carrol County, Ohio; then in 1841 they went to De Wittville, N. Y., to the farm originally owned by Caleb Todd and which was bought by him from the Holland Land Company, and which farm is now owned by Chautauqua County … Read more