Livingston County NY

Biography of Cornelius Jay Andruss

(IX) Cornelius Jay, eldest child of George and Sarah (Ter Bush) Andruss, was born in Canadice, Ontario county, New York, October 7, 1845. His preparatory education was acquired at the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, and he then attended Cornell University, subsequently studying dentistry at the Philadelphia Dental College, from which he was graduated in 1877. Commencing in 1861 he taught for the larger portion of seven years in the district schools of Ontario and Livingston counties, New York, and for two years was deputy county surveyor of Lee county, Illinois. He commenced the practice of dentistry in association with Dr. A. … Read more

Biography of Jared Erwin

Jared Erwin was born in the town of Piermont, New Hampshire, June 12th, 1797, where he continued to reside until about 1885 or 1886. He was married January 1st, 1823. He came to N.Y. state, to Rochester and then to Mt. Morris, in 1886, where his wife died on the 27th day of April, 1838, leaving him with four children, one son and three daughters, viz: Henry, now living at Mt. Morris; Emily married Carrol M. Humphrey now living at Springwater; Hellen married George Baker, and Mary married Calvin Barnes, of Conesus. The two last mentioned are both dead. After … 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

Biography of Alanson Stacy

Alanson Stacy, the first member of this family of whom we have definite information, was the son of Elisha Stacy. He was born in Massachusetts, in 1812, and died in Avon, New York, in 1863. He was one of the first men to own a passenger boat on the Erie canal. Later he engaged in farming, and was one of Port Gibson’s representative men, serving as poor master for a number of years. At one time he owned . two large farms; these he sold and went to Avon. He married Emeline Smith, who was born in Vermont, died in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Henry Pierce

Wm. Henry Pierce was born Dec, 27, 1826. at Boston, Mass. Came to Springwater with his parents in 1838, and worked upon his father’s farm until 1845, when he went to Boston. Was engaged in mercantile business there and in St. Louis till Jan, 1869, when he removed to Syracuse, and engaged in the wholesale hardware trade with his brother-in-law, Robert McCarthy. In 1869, owing to ill health, he was obliged to relinquish business, and returned to Springwater, where at that time he was also connected in business with his brother, Geo. A. Pierce, and where he has since resided.

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 Arthur Gilbert Aldridge

(III) Arthur Gilbert, son of Gilbert T. Aldridge, was born November 24, 1861. He received his early education in the public schools of Victor and Lima, New York. During his boyhood he worked on his father’s farm, and at the age of nineteen took charge of the homestead. When his father. died he bought the shares of the other heirs and became the owner of the homestead. He now (1910) owns one hundred and twenty acres of land in Victor. In 1891 he made a specialty of raising seedpotatoes in a small way, and from year to year has increased … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Lieutenant Lester P. Thompson

(IV) Lieutenant Lester P. Thompson, son of Joshua Thompson, was born September 3, 1840, in Lima, New York. He married, and shortly after the birth of his son, Robert F., he removed to Phelps. New York, where he followed the occupation of a manufacturer of agricultural implements and resided there until shortly before his death, April 25, 1889. He rendered faithful service to his country during the rebellion, serving in the Fifth and Seventh United States Regular Infantry. He became prominent in Grand Army and political circles: a born leader of men, he wielded a powerful influence in that great … 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

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

Biography of Jonathan Frost

Jonathan Frost came to Springwater from Hartford, Washington Co., N.Y., in 1830 He purchased of David Luther the old tannery property near where Maurice Brown lived. He repaired the tannery and went quite extensively into the business of tanning leather and manufacturing boots and shoes, which he continued for about fifteen years, when he sold the property to Joseph C. Whitehead who continued the business for a number of years. But to return to Jonathan Frost and give a brief description of his family. He married Tamor Ballou. They had eight children, two sons and six daughters I will mention … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Rowlee Fausey

JOHN ROWLEE FAUSEY – To the general advancement of the interests of the public schools of Massachusetts, and particularly of Springfield and West Springfield, Mr. Fausey has devoted the larger part of his career as a teacher and superintendent, and with results that are recorded as having enlarged the bounds and increased the value of the educational institutions in those communities where he has taught and held official position. John Rowlee Fausey, son of James Seldon and Caroline Helen (Blauvelt) Fausey, was born March 19, 1870, in Elmira, New York, where he attended the public school, and he afterwards graduated … 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

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

Agreement of September 3, 1823

At a treaty held under the authority of the United States at Moscow, in the county of Livingston, in the State of New York, between the sachems, chiefs, and warriors of the Seneka nation of Indians in behalf of said nation, and John Greig and Henery B. Gibson of Canandaigua in the county of Ontario; in the presence of Charles Carroll, esquire, commissioner appointed by the United States for holding said treaty, and of Nathaniel Gorham, esquire, superintendent, in behalf of the State of Massachusetts. Know all men by these presents, that the said sachems, chiefs, and warriors, for and … Read more

Biography of Coe C. Horton

(X) Coe C., son of Isaiah (2) Horton, was born at Springwater, Livingston county, New York, April 12. 1864. He attended the district schools and the Victor high school. In 1882 he engaged in the lumber trade at Avon, New York; in 1889 he came to Victor and has followed farming there to the present time. He was for four years employed by the Wabash railroad in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. He was for one year in the employ of the New York Times of New York City, and three years in the furniture and hardware business in Bennington, Vermont. … Read more

Biography of William Hunt

Practically all of the Hunts in America are of English descent, and a family of this name coming from Ireland is rarely to be met with. Those about to be mentioned, however, are the exception. and are numbered among the great mass of their countrymen who, while preserving their identity to a greater or less extent, have become one of the important component parts of the American people. Among the sturdy Irishmen who were compelled by famine and oppression to emigrate to the United States prior to 1850, was William Hunt, a native of Queens county. Instead of remaining for … 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 John Weidman

John Weidman was born in the town of Sparta, Livingston Co., N.Y., on the 16th day of November, 1827. He was a son of Jacob Weidman, and one of a family of twelve children, all now living. He married Mary Ann Hartman, on the 24th day of March, 1849. In 1852 he bought the old Wadams farm, where Ezra Willis now lives, and moved to Springwater on to the said farm, where he lived for a few years, when he sold and bought a large farm of about three hundred and ten acres, on the south part of West Hill, … 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