Livingston County NY

Biography of Joel Hudson

Joel Hudson. The following biographical sketch of Joel Hudson, who is still living, was written by himself for the Springwater Enterprise in 1883, He then being in his 89th year: I was born in the town of Chatham, Columbia, N.Y., on the 10th day of October, 1794. In 1799, my father went to the town of Scipio, Cayuga county, and bought 145 acres of heavy timbered land with no improvements. In the winter of 1800, we moved to Scipio with an ox team, and were about three weeks on the road. In the spring, father put up a log house … Read more

Biography of Rev. James T. Dougherty

When De Nonville and his French army, in 1687, destroyed the Indian village of Gannagaro and Gaudougarae, the inhabitants were driven eastward and formed a village near the foot of Canandaigua Lake, which village and lake have since then borne that name. Among the Indian inhabitants in those days were many Catholics, some of them Senecas and most of them Hurons and Algonquin captives, the result of fifty years of missionary labor of the zealous Jesuits. Even in our day the beads and crucifixes given the Indians by the missionaries are still picked up on the sites of the old … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Albert C. Aldridge

(III) Albert C., son of Gilbert T. Aldridge, was born in Victor. March 13, 1849. He attended the public schools of his native town and Brockport, the Collegiate Institute at Brockport, the Rochester Business University, taking special courses in law and laboratory work. For ten years he was engaged in teaching school, two years in the public schools, one year in Canandaigua Academy, and six years in the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary at Lima, New York. In 1884 he was elected school commissioner of the second district of Ontario county, and was reelected from term to term until he had served … Read more

McLachlen, Don – Obituary

Don McLachlen Answers Call Death Comes After Brief Illness Funeral to be held from the Home Tomorrow Afternoon at 2 O’clock Donald A. McLachlen aged 37, died last midnight after an illness of less than a month brought about by hardening of arteries. The funeral will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock from the J. H. McLachlen home, 1803 Third street. His life has been despaired for several days and the end came about midnight last night. His son Archie was called from Portland, and his near relations were assembled in the home of his father, J. H. McLachlen … Read more

Biography of Hon. William Wallace Thayer

HON. W.W. THAYER- William Wallace Thayer, the present chief justice of the supreme court of Oregon, came to this state in 1862. He was born at Lima, Livingston county, New York, July 15, 1827. His boyhood was spent upon a farm in that county, where he attended the common schools and received the meager instruction that the times and circumstances of farm life afforded. But an early love for books and a retentive memory, characteristics that mark him even to-day, supplied what was lacking in his school education. He became a wide reader of standard literature; and, having determined to … Read more

Biography of William Wallace Thayer

The typical Western man is popularly conceived as a man of liberal ideas, of generous and hospitable instincts, imbued with a spirit of adventurous enterprise, and withal hardy and courageous. He is not punctilious in minor questions of etiquette or inclined to make much of mere forms and ceremonies. He is a friend to his friends, a man of sterling integrity and of firmness of character developed by habits of self-reliance. Such men are the State builders whose names and deeds are a part of the history of the newer States of the American Commonwealth. Every western community contains individuals … Read more

Biography of Ira Whitlock

Ira Whitlock. Prominent among the names of the early residents of West hill, is that of Ira Whitlock, who came into this town in 1886. He was born in Granville, Washington county, N.Y., where he passed the early years of his life. He was educated at the old “Granville Academy,” and after attaining his majority, he went to New York City, and for several years was employed as engineer on the Hudson and East rivers. In 1828, he came to the town of Conesus, where he engaged in the mercantile business. In 1836, he removed to this town, and in … Read more

Clark, William – Obituary

Of general debility at the residence of A.T. Ellis, near Hot Lake, Monday, May 28th, William Clark aged 70 years, 3 months and 28 days. Mr. Clark was an old and highly esteemed citizen of Grande Ronde valley having came here in 1862. In 1864 he and his partner Mr. Newhard took the claim on which the Hot Lake is located and proceeded to build the celebrated Hot Lake House which Mr. Clark has made his home ever since. Mr. Clark was born in Livingston County N.Y., January 31st, 1808 and came to California in 1850 from Illinois. A wide … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Daniel Mead

Daniel Mead was a native of the county of Limerick, Ireland, where he remained until 1840, when he emigrated to America, and after living in different places until 1858, he came to Springwater. and bought a small farm of twenty-five acres of land, and commenced farming, and by diligence and good management, in a few years he was able to add to his farm until he now has one hundred and fifty-five acres of land, comfortable farm buildings and well provided with stock. He has also considerable money invested in lands at the West. He has four children, two sons … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Amos Root

Amos Root was born September 2nd, 1796, in the state of Vermont, came West and finally settled at Livonia, and after a time married Roena Hale, who was born October 81st, 1794, and after living at Livonia for a time they moved to the state of Ohio, and not being satisfied with the country came back and stopped at Springwater, about 1827, and settled on a farm now owned by Jacob Snyder. About 1831 he bought the farm where James M. Root recently lived, and moved on to it, where he remained until his death, which was a number of … Read more

Biography of Hon. Andrew Jackson Thayer

HON. A.J. THAYER. – Few of the pioneers of Oregon are more worthy of having their memories perpetuated for their worth and services to the state than the late Judge Thayer. Andrew Jackson Thayer, the second child of Gideon Anne (Dodge) Thayer, was born in Lima, Livingston county, State of New York, on the 27th of November, 1818. He received an academic education at what was known as the Wesleyan Seminary, afterwards the Wesleyan University, studied law in the office of Doolittle & Thayer, the latter being his cousin. He was married to Melissa D. Chandler on the 9th of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George Lyman Van Voorhis

George Lyman, eldest child of Lyman and Elizabeth (Field) Van Voorhis, was born at Charleston, Kalamazoo county, Michigan, April 21, 1871. He was very young when his parents returned to the state of New York, and his education was obtained at the Victor high school, later the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary at Lima, and finally the Brock State Normal School, which he left prior to graduating. From early manhood he has been actively engaged in the interests of the Republican party. During this time he taught school during the winter months, and worked on the farm during the summer, a course … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Arthur Morley Worden

Worden, Arthur Morley; manager Worden-Crawford Co.; born, Dansville, N. Y., Aug. 21, 1887; son of Charles Arthur and Jane Morley Worden; educated, University of Pennsylvania, class of 1909, B. of Econ.; director Worden-Crawford Co., and mgr. Cleveland office; member Kappa Sigma Fraternity; Hermit and Rotary Clubs.

Biography of Orson Walbridge

Orson Walbridge, The writer of this biography was born on the 14th day of September, 1809, at the town of Burlington, Otsego County, New York was a son of Stephen and Eunice Walbridge, lived with his parents at Burlington until June, 1819, when they removed to Springwater, N.Y. Arrived at Springwater the 30th day of June, and went to live on the west hill, on lot No. 113, which is now known as the Edward Totten farm; attended school at the old log school house where the house known as the liberty pole school house now is; worked on the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Isaiah Horton

(IX) Isaiah (2), son of Isaiah (1) Horton, was born in Springwater, Livingston county, New York, August 27, 1831, and was educated there in the public schools. He was a farmer all his active life. He moved to Victor, Ontario county, in 1865, and for many years made a specialty of fruit culture and sheep raising. He has been retired from active business for several years. In religion he is a Universalist. In politics he is a Republican. He is an earnest advocate of total abstinence and at times has supported the Prohibition party. For ten years he was the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Frazer

Springwater Livingston County New York

John Frazer a son of David Frazer, was born August 1, 1818, and is now living on the old farm on which his father settled in 1810. He is a well-to-do farmer, and besides his farm here he has a large amount of land in the western states. He has never married, but lives with his sister, Jane, a maiden lady, who has remained at the old home and place of their birth. They were a family of eight children. I will give the names of the remainder: Palina, now living in Erie, Penn.; James died in 1838, Elizabeth died … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Prentiss W. Shepard

Prentiss W. Shepard was born in the town of Cohocton, Steuben County, N.Y.. on the 2nd day of July, 1829. After a few years moved to Naples, and married Anna Briggs in March, 1565. He came to Springwater and bought the H. H. Faskett farm on east hill. He was very successful in farming, and after a few years was able to buy other farms adjoining. Three years since he moved to Lima for the purpose of educating his children. He has three, one daughter, Mina M. Shepard, and two sons, the oldest William W. has just become of age … Read more

Biography of Edward Withington

Edward Withington Married his first wife in Stoughton, Mass., and settled in Dorchester, and from there in 1813 he moved to Windsor, Berkshire county, and from there he came with his family to Springwater, in the spring of 1813, and settled on the farm now occupied by Samuel Wheaton. Mr. Withington married for his first wife Nancy Monk, (She was a relative of Bezi Monk late of this town,) by whom he had seven children. He buried three of his children and his first wife in Mass. He married for his second wife Susan Chilson, by whom he had two … Read more

Biographical Sketch of C. C. King

C. C. King, farmer and stock dealer, P. O. Jewell City, was born in Springwater, N. Y., and July 9, 1838; removed to Iowa in 1855; thence to Nebraska in 1860. At the breaking out of the war he enlisted as private in Company F, Fifteenth Iowa Infantry. Was discharged in September 1862, for disability. Re-enlisted in March, 1863, in Company M, Second Nebraska Cavalry, to serve nine months; discharged in December following, and returned to his farm in Nebraska. He was married March 20, 1864, to Miss Lucinda J. Horner. Again he entered the army, August 15, as Sergeant … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Parker H. Pierce

Parker H. Pierce was born in Little Compton, R. I., Dec. 11, 1794, removing to Boston, Mass., in 1812, where he was married to Hannah Withington, Feb. 23, 1818. He was a merchant in Boston until 1838, when he removed to Springwater, where he purchased the Zaddock Grover farm, on which he lived until 1863. He died in Springwater, June 23, 1875, and his wife March 31, 1878. His children were Parker H. Pierce, Jr., who died in St. Louis, Aug., 1872; Hannah Elizabeth, wife of Rev. Daniel B. Woods, of St. Louis, Mo.; Wm. Henry and Geo. A., who … Read more