Ontario County NY

Biography of Dr. Jay Byington Covert

Dr. Jay Byington Covert, one of the leading physicians of Geneva, Ontario county, New York, while still young in years, has already attained a foremost rank in the medical profession. His quick perception, sound judgment and thorough training, command the respect and confidence of all who know (1910) him, and he is held in the highest estimation by his fellow citizens. The fact is amply evidenced in the record of his daily life. He has devoted his life to a noble profession, and in all professions, but more especially in the medical, there are exalted heights to which genius itself … Read more

Biography of Willis C. Ellis

Willis C., only child of Abram W. and Marion A. (Phelps) Ellis, was born in Pike, Wyoming county, New York. January 12, 1868. His preparatory education was acquired in the Pike Seminary, from which he was graduated in June, 1888. He then became a student at Cornell University, from which he was graduated June 16. 1892. with the degree of Bachelor of Letters. He continued the study of law in the offices of Day & Romer, Buffalo. New York, and was admitted to the bar, June 12, 1893. In June of the following year he came to Shortsville, New York, … Read more

Biography of Jean La Rue Burnett

Jean La Rue Burnett, whose early death was greatly deplored, and whose career as a lawyer and statesman had shown much promise for the future, was a son of Perrine Burnett, a veteran of the civil war, son of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Mead) Burnett. Perrine Burnett married Harriet E., daughter of Edwin and Eliza (Barto) Rowley. Edwin Rowley was a son of Judah Rowley. a pioneer of Ontario county. Jean La Rue Burnett was born in Canandaigua, Ontario county, New York, January 10, 1871, died at Albany, New York, February 27, 1907. He was a student at the Union School … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Woolston

William, son of Joseph (2) Woolston, was born in Victor, Ontario county, New York. June 13, 1807. He received his education in the public schools and by private study at home and qualified himself to teach school. For several terms he taught in the district schools of the neighborhood. His main occupation through life, however, was farming. He died in March. 1888. He married Laura L. Andrus, born in Roxbury. Delaware county, New York, May 28, 1812, died in September, 1887. Her father’s farm adjoined the farm of Jay Gould’s father. Children: 1. Franklin, born April 24, 1836, on the … Read more

Biography of Horace D. Bennett

(III) Horace D., son of George and Sally dum) Bennett, was born’ in the town of Geneva, Ontario county, New York, June 29, 1828. His education was acquired in the Geneva district school, and under private tuition in a select school during two winters. Early in life he commenced to assist his father in the cultivation and management of the homestead farm, and in this manner has acquired a thorough mastery of all the details connected with an agricultural life. With the exception of the years spent at school, and the time spent in the service of his country, Mr. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Edward Clayton

Edward. son of William (2) Clayton, was born in Chichester, Pennsylvania, about 1690, died about 1760. He married, February 25. 1713, Anna, daughter of James Whitaker. He resided at Bradford on the southwest side of the village of Marshallton, Pennsylvania. The Friends Meeting House was built on part of his homestead. Children: John; Elizabeth; Hannah, married Robert Green; William, born 1728, died April 16, 1814, married Abigail, daughter of Henry Woodward: Sarah, married Isaac Spachman; Susanna; Joshua, mentioned elsewhere.

Biographical Sketch of Zadock Warfield

Zadock (2), son of Zadock (1) Warfield, was born in Frederick county. Maryland, February 15, 1808. He came with his father in 1828 and settled on a farm in Hopewell, Ontario county. He cleared and improved the land, erected substantial buildings, and was an important factor in the growth, progress and development of the county. He was of strong character, honest, upright and sincere. He was a member of the Baptist church. He owned two hundred and twelve acres and became very well-to-do. He married Chloe Knapp, born at Hopewell, in 1813, daughter of Leonard and Mercy (Brown) Knapp. Children: … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jonathan Buell

Jonathan (2), son of Captain Timothy and Olive (Norton) Buell. served as sheriff of the county and as member of the assembly, and died in 1865. He married (first) Sally, who died in 1845, daughter of Daniel and Aurelia (Dowd) Rice; (second) Mrs. Caroline (Buell) Robinson. Children: Mortimer, see elsewhere; Pomeroy Baldwin: Henry, married Sarah Mather, of Richmond; Sally Ann; Mary Saxton.

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

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Peck

(III) Samuel, son of Joseph and Sarah Pecke, was born in Lyme, Connecticut, July 29, 1678, died in Lyme, January 28, 1735. He was the first member of this branch to drop the final “e” from his name. He married (first) Elizabeth Lee, who died August 29, 1731 and (second), January 25, 1732, Martha Barber, widow, of Killingsworth, Connecticut. She married (third), January 8, 1736, Peter Pearson. Children, all but one by first marriage : 1. Elizabeth, born April 26, 1702. died January 15, 1705. 2. Elizabeth, born May 14, 1705, died October 8, 1730; married. January 23, 1724, Richard … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joseph Severance

(IV) Joseph (2), son of Joseph (1) Severance, was born October 7, 1713, and married, October 31, 1732, Mary, daughter of Joseph Clesson, born May 9, 1712, died July 25, 1775. He settled in Deerfield, on Lot No. 36. He was a soldier in the French and Indian war, in Captain Cheever’s company; was taken prisoner, August, 1757, at Fort William Henry, and taken to Canada, where he remained but a short time. He escaped and returned home. The date of his death is unknown. Children : Joseph, born April 13, 1733, died May 29. 1735; Joseph, born June 15, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James Le Roy

James Le Roy was born in Dutchess county, New York, September 10, 1820. His father was of the family mentioned above and a descendant in the fourth or fifth generation from Francis Le Roy, the first settler. His father lived and died in Dutchess county. James Le Roy was educated in the public schools in Phelps, Ontario county, whither he came when a boy. He followed farming all his active life and became one of the substantial and representative men of the town. He was active and prominent in the Methodist Episcopal church. He married (first) Fanny Palmiter and (second) … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joseph Tuttle

(III) Joseph (2), son of Joseph (1) Tuttle, was born March 18, 1668, and was a cordwainer by trade. He married, in Milford, Connecticut, November 10, 1691. Elizabeth Sanford. born 1671, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Paine) Sanford. He lived in East Haven and was prominent in town affairs. Children: Joseph, mentioned elsewhere; Noah, born December 12, 1694; Katharine, November 25, 1699; Elizabeth, July 27, 1705; Thankful, September 3, 1709; child.

Biographical Sketch of Elisha Brace

(III) Elisha (2), son of Elisha (1) Brace, was born about 1750. In 1790, the first federal census shows that he was living at Stockbridge, Berkshire county. Massachusetts, and had besides himself two females in his family. The only other head of family of this surname at Stockbridge was Joseph, who had three sons under sixteen and four females in his family. Elisha Brace and three brothers, two of whom were John and Joseph, purchased several sections of land in Victor, Ontario county. New York, in the northeast corner of the town, of the original owner, Enos Boughton, afterward exchanging … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Benjamin Franklin Westfall

Benjamin Franklin Westfall, son of Samuel Westfall, was born on the homestead at Phelps, August 1, 1837, and was educated there in the district schools. He also followed farming for an occupation. He married Harriet Peck, born March 6, 1836, died October 20, 1896, daughter of Hiram Peck. Children: Jennie B., born January 19, 1866, married John Cross; Burton S., mentioned elsewhere.

Biography of William Frederick Clark

William Frederick, son of Frederick P. A. and Eliza J. (King) Clark, was born in Glover, Orleans county, Vermont, January 7, 1849. His elementary and college preparatory education was received at the Montpelier Seminary and the Orleans Liberal Institute, in his native town, and this he supplemented later by taking up the study of law. His first actual business occupation was as a farmer, and he then entered into general business. It was at about this time that he engaged in his legal studies, which, however, he abandoned in favor of the real estate and insurance business, with which he … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jacob Vanderhoof

Jacob (2), son of Jacob (1) Vanderhoof, was born in Orange county, New York. In 1790 we find the following heads of families of the name in Orange county: Thomas with two sons under sixteen and three females; Jacob with two females; Cornelius with two males over sixteen, four under that age and one female; Jacob Jr. with two males over sixteen, one under sixteen and two females. There was also a Cornelius and Peter Venderhoof, of New York, both doubtless descended from the pioneers, Jacob or Cornelius.

Aikey, Virgil – Obituary

Sumpter, Oregon Virgil Aikey, 66, of Sumpter, died Oct. 16, 2004, at the Boise Veterans Hospital. There will be a wake in honor of his life at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Elkhorn Restaurant in Sumpter. Virgil was born on Aug. 7, 1938, at Canandaigua, N.Y. He moved to Southern California in 1960. He served in the U.S. Army in the 101st Airborne. He was the youngest journeyman in the heating and sheet metal business in the 1960s in Southern California. After that he became a swimming pool contractor for Bee Sunny Pools in Chatsworth, Calif. In 1988, he moved … Read more

Biography of George F. Licht

George F. Licht, ex-mayor of the town of Geneva, Ontario county, New York, at present superintendent and assistant treasurer of the Patent Cereals Company of Geneva, New York, is one of the most prominent men in that section of the country, and has served it in a number of public offices. George F. Licht was born on Long Island, New York, August 18, 1860. He was educated in the Brooklyn and other Long Island schools, and was graduated from the Brooklyn high school. At the age of sixteen years he entered the employ of Tiffany & Company, jewelers, of New … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Spengler

The late John Spengler, of Geneva, New York, came from Switzerland, but the name is indicative of a German origin. In the battle for education and professional supremacy his son Dr. John Arthur Spengler has won a decided victory. and he is recognized as one of the leading exponents of the science of optics. John Spengler, born in Switzerland, 1832, emigrated to the United States when a young man and subsequently became a shoe merchant in Geneva, New York. He died at Reading, Pennsylvania, December 20, 1907. He married in Rochester, New York, December 3, 1866, Elizabeth Von Huben, also … Read more