Ontario County NY

Biographical Sketch of Andrew Pierce

Andrew (2), son of Ensign Andrew (1) Peirce, lived in Dover, New Hampshire, when it was an important centre of trade. He was a man of remarkable energy and sound judgment in all business management, represented Dover with ability in the state senate and held other positions of trust. His moral character was above reproach and was transmitted to his son. He married, August 11, 1811, Betsey, daughter of Thomas Wentworth, granddaughter of Colonel Jonathan Wentworth, an officer in the revolutionary army, and a descendant of Elder William Wentworth, one of the founders of Exeter, New Hampshire.

Biography of Bolivar Ellis

Bolivar, son of Henry Ellis, was born at Victor, New York, February 25, 1833. He attended school in the old stone school house in his native town, and in early life was a farmer, surveyor and conveyancer. Much of his education he obtained through reading and private study. He retired from active farming in 1883. Much of his time has been given to public service and he has held many offices of trust and responsibility and he has continued in business as a conveyancer to the present time. In 1882 he was elected county clerk of Ontario county and served … Read more

Biography of Reynolds Hill

Vigorous and active at the time of life when the majority of men are compelled by physical disabilities to surrender the cares and responsibilities of their respective callings to their successors of a younger generation, Reynolds Hill, chief engineer of the pumping station at Geneva, is still attending to his daily duties with a regularity and watchfulness which few veterans of the civil war can equal. Mr. Hill comes from an old Yates county family, his grandfather, Reynolds Hill, for whom he was named, having been an early settler in Reading, that county, and his father. Seth Hill, was an … Read more

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 Arthur Burtis

Arthur (2) Burtis, eldest son of Arthur (1) and Elizabeth (Palmer) Burtis, was born in 1807 in his parents’ home on the shore of the East River, which was the home of Lindley Murray at the time of the revolution. After two years at Columbia, Arthur Burtis completed his college course at Union, now (1910) Hobart College, Geneva, New York. He was organizer of the first secret college fraternity in the United States, Kappa Alpha. He then entered the law office of James Otis Morse, of Cherry Valley, and afterwards that of Hugh Maxwell and later of Kent & Foote, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Carpenter

(XII) John (6), son of John (5) Carpenter, was born in Connecticut, in 1658. His will was proved July 30, 1732. He lived in Jamaica, and took the oath as captain of troops there, November 22, 1703. He married Mary – . Children; born at Jamaica: Nehemiah, about 1685; John, about 1685; Solomon, about 1685; Joseph, about 1687; Increase, about 1688, mentioned elsewhere; Mary; Hannah; Susanna; Phebe.

Biographical Sketch of Alexander Turnbull

Alexander, son of Adam Turnbull, was born on the homestead in 1818, and died there in 1895. He married Elizabeth Burrell, who died in 1901. Children: Mary J.; William R., see forward; Thomas E.; Margaret Elizabeth, married John McCartney, and resides in Rochester, New York.

Biographical Sketch of Ensign John Rowley

Ensign John Rowley, son of Moses (2) Rowley, was born about 1690 in Falmouth, Massachusetts, died in January, 1763, in Colchester, Connecticut. He married (first) September 11, 1716, Deborah, daughter of John and Mehitable (Rowley) Fuller, of East Haddam, Connecticut. She died January 30, 1752, aged sixty-three. He had a second wife. He removed to East Haddam about 1722 and afterward to Colchester. He was a member of the Westchester parish church in Colchester. Children of first wife: Patience, born August 30. 1717: Content, March 26, 1719; Mindwell, October 9, 1720; Joseph. May i5, 1721; Sarah, January 17, 1722-23; Deborah, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Rev. Livingston L. Taylor

Rev. Livingston L. Taylor, who enjoys a well earned reputation as a forcible and eloquent preacher, and whose life is a consistent and unvarying example of the doctrines he preaches, is the son of William J. 1. Taylor, D. D., and Maria L. (Cowenhoven) Taylor. Rev. Livingston L. Taylor was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 16, 1860. His education has been a varied and thorough one at the following named institutions : Newark Academy, Newark, New Jersey; Rutgers College, from which he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1881, and which conferred the degree of Master … Read more

Biography of John W. Overacre

John W. Overacre, for many years postmaster of Manchester village, Ontario county, New York, is one of the veterans of the civil war, whose record in that struggle must make every right thinking person proud of the bravery and patriotism displayed by the citizens of the Union during that memorable time. He is descended from a family whose interests were those of the state of New York for a number of generations, and who in the earlier days were mainly engaged in agriculture. John Overacre, his father, was born in Herkimer county, New York, and was by occupation a millwright, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Luke Coye

Luke, son of Archibald Coye, was born at Union, Connecticut, January 27, 1765. He died February 16, 1859. He married, in 1786, Sebra Chapman, of Ashford. Connecticut. She died in April, 1799- He married, in the autumn following, Mercy Haviland. He resided in Ashford until about 1817, when he settled in Ontario county, New York. His second wife’s family was of Rensselaerville, New York, though they were married by Solomon Wales, Esq., a justice of the peace of Union, Connecticut. A letter written to Luke Coye by his brother Rufus, from Ashford, Connecticut, is in the possession of Elmer N. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas W. Hall

(II) Thomas W., son of Edward Hall, was born at Halls Corners. Ontario county, New York, January 31, 1812. and died September 7. 1901. He married Mary Ann Sibs, who was born in England and came to this country at the age of four years.

Biographical Sketch of Hon. Albert H. Herendeen

Hon. Albert H. Herendeen, son of Lemuel Herendeen, was born in Farmington, June 19, 1868. He attended the public schools and Hobart College, from which he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in the class of 1887. After leaving college he became clerk in the office of his father’s firm, and in 1892 started the retail trade in nursery stock, doing business under the firm name of A. H. Herendeen & Company and continued until his father died. He succeeded his father in the firm of Sears, Henry & Company, and since then has been an active … Read more

Biography of Gideon Granger

Gideon, son of Francis and Cornelia (Van Rensselaer) Granger, was born in Canandaigua, New York, August 30, 1821. His early life was surrounded by all the refinements of a beautiful home, and the most liberal opportunities for gaining a thorough education. Like his father and his grandfather, he was a graduate of Yale College, where he took his degree in 1843. Like them, too. he studied for the legal profession, and had he been so inclined might without doubt have taken a foremost position at the bar. Born with a heart in sympathy with suffering of all kinds, he gave … Read more

Biography of Andrew Pierce

Andrew (3), son of Andrew (2) and Betsey (Wentworth) Peirce, was born July 31, 1812, in Dover, New Hampshire, and began his business career at the age of twelve by becoming for a time clerk in a country store. He afterward resumed his studies at the Stratford Academy, but found soon that his inclination was for business. This youthful ambition was heartily approved by his father, who took him to Boston in one of his packets and purchased a small stock of goods on four months’ credit becoming responsible for the payment, April 22, 1831. He thus inaugurated his mercantile … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Humphrey Avery

(IV) Humphrey, son of Samuel and Susanna (Palmes) Avery, was born in Groton, July 4, 1699, died there, March 28, 1788. He married there, February 25, 1724, Jerusha, daughter of William and Margaret (Avery) Morgan, who died September 20, 1763. Children: 1. Humphrey, born March 10, 1725, married, June 19, 1745, Mary Baldwin. 2. William, born September 13, 1726, married Abigail Williams. 3. Solomon, referred to below. 4. Samuel, born October 17, 1731, married (first) in 1760, Sybil Noyes, and (second) Mary Ann Rose. 4. James, born August 13, 1733, married Williams. 5. Jerusha, born June 17, 1735, married Latham … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Edward Cook

Edward Cook, born in England in the latter part of the eighteenth century, was a prosperous yeoman, owning a large dairy farm in Somersetshire. He was married at Kingston, April 5, 1807, to Ann Jones, who was born in England in 1772. She became the mother of fifteen children, twelve of whom lived to maturity. In their old age Edward and Ann Cook came to America. Edward died in Texas and was buried there, and the remains of his wife were interred in Greenwood cemetery, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Biographical Sketch of Eber A. Knowles

(VI) Eber A., son of Seth Knowles, was born at St. Johnsville, Montgomery county, July 13, 1834 He came to Hopewell, Ontario county, in 1857; enlisted at Canandaigua, January 1, 1864, in the Fiftieth New York Regiment of Engineers, Company L, and served until he was mustered out with his company at the end of the civil war. He married, in February, 1855, Lydia Bastedo, who was born at Somerset county, New Jersey, November 4, 1837, and came to Cayuga county, New York, with her parents when she was sixteen years old. Her ancestors were residents of New Jersey. Among … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Vincent Reed

Vincent, son of Joshua Reed, was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1811, died in 1878. His calling was that of a farmer. He was captain of the militia. In religion he was a Presbyterian, and one of the elders of that church. He married Bethiah Reed, and they lived near Geneva, New York, where their children were educated. Children Calista M., Elvira, Elizabeth, Charles, Joshua, Nathan, Vincent, mentioned elsewhere.

Biographical Sketch of John Johnston

(II) John, son of James Johnston, was born at Kingston, Ontario, Canada, March 29, 1834, and died May 12, 1909. He was a farmer: a Conservative in politics, and a Methodist in religion. He married in Oro, March 13, 1861, Jane Jamieson, (by Rev. J. C. Slater). (See Jamieson). Children : 1. Margaret, born January 10, 1862, died young. 2. Margaret Elizabeth, born at Dalston, January 11. 1863; married at Minesing, April 18, 1883, Harry Wyles, of Grantham, Lincolnshire, England; children: Annie Wyles, born at Minesing, February 24, 1884: Edith Wyles, May 18, 1886, died June 22, 1887; Ethel Jean … Read more