Ontario County NY

Biographical Sketch of Franklin D. Smith

Franklin D., son of Asa and Hannah (Poor) Smith, was born in Manchester, New York, September 22, 1829. He received the education afforded by the schools of that clay, after which he devoted his attention to fanning, cultivating his acres in such a manner that they yielded an abundant harvest, thus bringing him in return a comfortable livelihood. He performed the duties entrusted to him in a satisfactory manner. and ranked among the substantial men of that section of the state. He married. February 1, 1865, Mary Wilson, daughter of Peter and Susan dambertson) Wilson, and a descendant of Samuel … Read more

Biography of Nathaniel Oak

The founder of this family, Nathaniel Oak(e) must not be confounded with Thomas and Edward Oak(e)s, the founders of the Cambridge-Malden family, or with the Welsh William, who founded the Worcester county family. As Nathaniel wrote his name, it was originally Oak or Oake. His son Jonathan added a final “s” and descendants of the fourth and fifth generations are about equally divided between the spellings Oaks and Oakes. Nathaniel Oak(e) was born about 1645, and died at Westboro, February 17, 1721. The following account of his immigration is inscribed in the family Bible of one of his greatgrandchildren : … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Anson S. Tuttle

(VII) Anson S., son of Joseph (4) Tuttle, was born in Seneca, August 9, 1822, and died in 1902. He was educated in the district schools, and after his father sold his farm he followed the trade of carpenter and woodworker. He was pattern maker and woodworker for some years in the railroad shops at Canandaigua, New York. He married, October 7, 1856, Amanda M. Smith, who was born on the Smith homestead, now (1910) owned by Richard A. Tuttle, mentioned elsewhere. Her father, Wilmarth Smith, was born on the same farm, April 13, 1792. Wilmarth Smith married, in 1812, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Ernest S. Bowen

Ernest S. Bowen, a member of the firm of Fay & Bowen, belongs to that class of society, which has developed our great manufacturing industries, spread our commerce and built up our cities. He is the son of Wilford M. Bowen, who was a farmer, and died in 1893. Ernest S. Bowen was born in Levanna, Cayuga county, New York, May 8, 1858. He attended the public schools of Aurora, New York, then Hillsdale College, Michigan, and finally, Cornell University, from which he was graduated in 1890 from the mechanical engineering department, his name being one of the ten on … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George W. Ottley

George W.. son of William Ottley, was born at Phelps, New York, April 22, 1852, died May 9, 1910. He received his early education in the public schools. For many years he followed farming and afterward was a carpenter and builder in Phelps, New York. For four years he was the truant officer of Phelps. He was a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal church and one of the official board. He was a member of the Maccabees. In politics he was a Democrat. He married Anna Ridley, born in Phelps, daughter of Thomas Ridley, of Phelps. Children: Alice Belle, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Benjamin Wheeler

Benjamin Wheeler, progenitor of the branch of the family now (1910) under consideration, was a native of Massachusetts, his birth occurring February 7. 1764. In early manhood, in 1800, accompanied by his wife and children, he removed to New York state, settling on the farm now (1910) owned by his grandson, Simeon R. Wheeler, in East Bloomfield, Ontario county, and he also erected the first grist mill in South Bloomfield. He was active and public-spirited, served in the revolutionary war, and in all ways performed his part faithfully and conscientiously. He married, July 28, 1782, Celia Buffington, born in Massachusetts, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Bowerman

(II) Thomas (2), son of Thomas (1) Bowerman, was born in Barnstable on Cape Cod, September, 1648, and settled in what is now (1910) Falmouth, on Cape Cod. He and his family joined the Society of Friends early. He bought a hundred acres of land, April 22, 1690, of Jonathan Hatch and Robert Harper, agents of Suckanesset (Falmouth), on the easterly side of the Five Mile river, bounded northerly by the pond and southeasterly by the river. He was town clerk in 1702-04-05. He served on a committee to lay out lands in Woods Hole. He resisted the law obliging … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jacob Janse Gardiner

Jacob Janse Gardinier, also Flooder, was the progenitor of Gardiner and Gardner families, or the greater part of them, in 1790. In 1790 the heads of families of these surnames, included in Columbia county, Dirck. Peter A., Peter H., Peter J., Samuel H.. Andrew, Gideon, Godrey, James, Labon and John. Jacob J. was at Beverwyck as early as 1638 and came from Holland. In 1656 he owned land on the north side of Wall street from William to Pearl street, New Amsterdam, and he divided this tract into house lots and sold them through his agent, Sander Leendertse Glen. He … Read more

Biography of E. A. Griffith

E. A. Griffith, a well-known attorney and counselor at law of Geneva, Ontario county, New York, has, by his honorable efforts and moral attributes, carved out for himself friends, affluence and position. The strength and force of his character have overcome obstacles which to others have seemed well nigh insurmountable, but with boldness and enterprise he has conceived and executed projects while others were considering the means necessary to carry them out. Wellington Griffith, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Pike, Wyoming county. New York, in 1835, and died in April, 1896. He was a farmer … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Brayton

Thomas, son of Francis (2) Brayton, was born June 14, 1681, died in 1728. He married, August 23, 1704, Mary, daughter of Gideon and Mary (Boomer) Freeborn, born August 24. 1679, died in 1761. He lived in Portsmouth, and East Greenwich, Rhode Island, and was deputy in the first place, 1719-21, and in the second, 1725-27. His will was proved April 19, 1728, and mentioned his wife Mary, sons Thomas, Gideon and Francis, daughters Mary and Hannah. In his will, besides his property, he disposed of two negro servants. The inventory amounted to nine hundred and thirty-four pounds five shillings … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William L. Crothers

William L., only son of Oliver and Mary (Ridley) Crothers, was born in Phelps, New York, April 25, 1865. He was very young when his parents removed to Newark, and received his preparatory education in his native town, upon their return to it. He then attended the Rochester Business College, from which he was graduated in 1883. For a year and a half he was employed as a clerk in a dry goods store, and in the fall of 1886 became associated with his father in the malting business, and in 1895, upon the retirement of his father, assumed the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Benjamin Throop

Benjamin Throop, son of Daniel (2) and Susanna (Cary) Throope. was born in Lebanon. Connecticut, October 8. 1754, died at Palmyra (Port Gibson), Wayne county, New York. January 17. 1842. He was named after his maternal grandfather, Deacon Benjamin Cary. He was one of the first settlers of Palmyra, and an account of his life was published in the Shortsville Enterprise in 1903. In 1801, he purchased, for four dollars an acre. five hundred and twelve acres of land from Ichabod Ward and Samuel Dorrance, mortgagees of Phelps and Gorham to whom large tracts of land were deeded in settlement … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joshua Parmelee

Joshua, son of John (2) Parmelee, was born in Guilford, in 1661, died in June, 1729. He was a farmer of Guilford, and was a taxpayer of considerable estate in 1716. He married (first) July 10, 1690, Else Edwards, of East Hampton, Long Island, and she died July 10, 1714; (second) in 1716, Hannah, widow of Benjamin Stone, of East Guilford. She afterward married Benjamin Hart, of Wallingford. Children of first wife: Daniel, born June 28, 1691; Susannah, June 19, 169J: Timothy, August 20, 1695; Ann, May 8, 1696; Samuel, March 31, 1698; David, July 31, 1699; Jonathan, mentioned elsewhere; … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joseph Severance

(III) Joseph, son of John (2) Severance, was born October 26, 1682; in Suffield, and died April 10, 1766. He was a tailor by trade and resided first at Deerfield, where he owned a house and hone lot. He was in the fight in the meadows in 1704, and was also a soldier in the service in 1713. He was wounded by the Indians and made a cripple, and was compensated for this by the general court which granted him two hundred acres of land east of Northfield on Mount Grace. His father also gave him land in Deerfield. He … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Richard A. Tuttle

(VIII) Richard A., son of Anson S. Tuttle, was born at Farmington, November 28, 1864. He was educated in the public schools of his native town. During his boyhood he worked on his father’s farm, and at the age of nineteen he succeeded to the farm. In 1897 he sold it to his brother, Joseph W. Tuttle, and bought out the other heirs of his mother’s farm, the Smith homestead, consisting of ninety-three acres, and since then has followed farming on this place. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the Orthodox Friends Society, and active … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Zadock Warfield

Zadock (3), son of Zadock (2) Warfield, was born in Hopewell in 1843. He was formerly a farmer, but has retired with a competence. He married (first) Carrie Douglass, (second), Minnie Runyon. Children: Herbert Douglass, Mary Estelle. married Stephen Beach, of Bristol, New York, and has two daughters.

Biography of Robert Titus

Robert Titus, the immigrant ancestor of those of the name hereafter mentioned, was born in 1600, probably in St. Catherines Parish, near Stansted Abbotts, Hertfordshire, England. He sailed from London, April 3, 1635, and the following entry relative to his migration is to be found in the passenger lists preserved in the public record office, London: “Theis under written names are to be transported to New England, embarked in ye Hopewell, Mr. Wm. Burdick. The p’ties have brought certificates from the minister and justice of the peace that they are no subsedy men, they have taken oath of all and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Matthew Bennett

(I) Matthew Bennett, the grandfather of Horace D. Bennett, was a native of Orange county, New York, and removed to Geneva, Ontario county, New York, in 1805, there founding the homestead of the Bennett family. He was a farmer and spent his life on the farm which he purchased in that section. During the revolutionary war he was an active participant in many of the most important engagements.

Biographical Sketch of John Freshour

John Freshour, son of the pioneer, settled in Frederick county, Maryland, in 1789. He married, in I810, Mary Angleberger, of Frederick county, Maryland, and settled in Hopewell, New York, where he purchased one hundred and fifty acres of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase and added to it until he owned about six hundred acres. He died in 1859 and his wife in 1869. He was a Whig in politics and served as commissioner of highways. They had four sons and two daughters. Among the sons were: 1. George W., born at Hopewell, New York, June 6, 1823, married Leonora, daughter … Read more

Biography of Nathan H. Coye

Nathan H., son of Luke Coye, was born May 22, 1817, in Naples, New York; died April 6, 1859. He had the homestead at South Bristol. He married, February 24, 1842, Lydia L. Brown, born June 8, 1819, died June 14, 1897, daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Browne) Brown. Her father was born in Stonington, Connecticut, September 18, 1788, and died July 17, 1875. He lived at Bristol, New York. Her mother was born August 10, 1994, and died at Coxsackie, New York, November 4, 1886. Elmer N. Coye has a book which his great-grandfather, Luke Coye, bought in Rensselaerville, … Read more