Biographical Sketch of Joshua Thompson

(III) Joshua, son of Corporal James Thompson, was born in Norridgewock, Maine, May 10, 1793. He rendered faithful military service in the war of 1812. He married Marcia Crane, a member of the celebrated Crane family of Connecticut, and a granddaughter of John Crane, one of the signers of the famous “fidelity oath” to the state of Connecticut. He was the father of nineteen children.

Biographical Sketch of Henry Ellis

Henry, son of Samuel Ellis, was born in Florida, Montgomery county, New York, December 10, 1798. He was a farmer in Florida and afterward at Victor in Ontario county. He married, December 29, 1823, Isabel, daughter of Amos Bennett, of Duanesburg. Schenectady county. They came to Victor, April 5, 1824, and in 1831 he succeeded to the homestead which his father bought in 1816 of Roswell Murray. He was interested in public affairs. He died September 1, 1884. His wife Isabel died January 24, 1875. Children: 1. Nancy M., born November 14. 1824, married Thomas C. Turner. 2. Eliza J., … 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 Edward Burrell

(II) Edward, son of Thomas Burrell, was born on the homestead in 1825, and after the land had passed into his possession made the improvements which the times and conditions warranted. He married Elizabeth Parker, who was also of English descent. He died in 1907, while his wife passed away in 1902. Children: T. William, see forward, and Edward P.

Biographical Sketch of Rev. Timothy Collins

(IV) Rev. Timothy Collins, son of John (3) Collins, was born in Guilford, April 13, 1699, died at Litchfield, Connecticut, in 1776. He graduated from Yale College in 1718. He became minister of the town of Litchfield and owner of one-sixtieth of the town rights. He probably was called through the influence of Deacon John Buell, who came from Lebanon. He was ordained June, 1723, and dismissed in 1752, after which he practiced medicine in Litchfield the remainder of his life. He studied medicine during the ministry. He was chosen justice of the peace in 1753. He married Elizabeth Hyde, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Ward H. Preston

Ward H., son of George H. Preston, was born at Shortsville, New York. May 24, 1867. He was educated in the Shortsville public schools, at Brockport Normal School, and at the Medical School of Buffalo University, but on account of ill health was unable to complete his course in medicine. From 1891 to 1895 he was engaged in farming, and from 1897 to 1903 carried on the coal and lumber business at Manchester, New York. He then moved to Lima, New York, to become manager of the Papec Machine Company. In 1909 this concern was moved to Shortsville, New York. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Young

William Young, the first of the family in this line of whom we have record, was of Providence, Rhode Island, and served in the continental army during the revolution. He had eleven sons.

Biographical Sketch of James M. Stanley

James M. Stanley was born in Canandaigua, New York, January 17, 1814; died April 10, 1872. He moved to Michigan in 1835 and became a portrait painter in Detroit; two years later removed to Chicago. About this time he visited the “Indian Country” in the vicinity of Fort Snelling, and there made many sketches. Returned to the eastern cities, where he spent several years, but in 1842 again went west and began his wanderings over the prairies far beyond the Mississippi, reaching Texas and New Mexico. His Buffalo Hunt on the Southwestern Prairies was made in 1845. From 1851 to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Collins

(III) John (3), son of John (2) Collins, was born in Connecticut in 1665, died January 24, 1751. He married, July 23, 1691, Ann Leete, born August 5, 1671, died November 2, 1724, daughter of John Leete and granddaughter of Governor William Leete, descendant of a distinguished English ancestry. Children, born in Guilford: Asa, May 9, 1692; Mary, April 11, 1694, died February 2, 1729; John, February 23, 1696; Timothy, February 11, 1698, died February 19, 1698; Timothy, April 13, 1699, mentioned elsewhere; Daniel, June 13, 1701; Susanna, September 25, 1703, died October 30, 1703; Samuel, November 2, 1704; Mercy, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Johnson

Thomas Johnson, who has been prominently identified with the public affairs of Ontario county, New York, for many years, is descended from an old family of Ireland, his father having come to this country about the middle of the last century and located in Canandaigua, New York. Thomas Johnson was born in county Derry, Ireland, January 10, 1856, and was very young when he came to this country. He was educated in the public schools of Canandaigua and Canandaigua Academy, and then entered upon his business career. He established himself in the lumber business in 1885, forming a partnership with … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Moses Rowley

Moses, son of Henry Rowley, was born about 1630, died in 1705, at East Haddam, Connecticut. He married, April it, 1652, at Barnstable, Elizabeth, daughter of Captain Matthew Fuller, soldier and surgeon-general of the colony. She died at East Haddam, or Colchester, Connecticut, after 1714. Moses is mentioned in the will of William Palmer as legatee, as “Moses whom I love.” The grandfather, Palmer, gives evidence of some unfriendliness towards the father and wishes young Rowley placed with Mr. Partridge, that “he might be brought up in the feare of God & to that end if his father suffer it, … Read more

Biography of George H. Preston

George H., son of George W. Preston, was born in Ontario, November 13, 1837. He attended the district school on the Ridge Road, Ontario, passing thence to Macedon Academy and Walworth Academy. At the latter institution, while still a student, he was employed in teaching classes. He also taught two terms of district school, working on his father’s farm during the summer months. At the age of twenty-seven he was married to Ellen F. Graham. and the year following removed to Shortsville, and entered the service of the Empire Drill Company. He was gifted naturally with mechanical skill and made … Read more

Biography of David H. Henry

David H. Henry, president of the Geneva Cutlery Company, and a member of the firm of Sears, Henry & Company, nurserymen, is the first member of his family to have settled in New York state. His father, Paul M. Henry, was a native of Bennington, Vermont, came to Geneva late in life, and died in 1887. David H. Henry was born in Bennington, Vermont, 1848. He came to Geneva, Ontario county, New York, in 1865, and soon became interested in the nursery business, with which he is connected at the present time. The firm of Sears, Henry & Company consists … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Burrell

T. William Burrell belongs to that class of citizens who have been very generally overlooked by the biographers of modern times in favor of those whose paths in life he in the learned professions. Yet it is a fact that no class is more worthy of the respect and esteem of all their fellows than those who labor earnestly to bring from the earth the best that it can yield, and improve and advance the methods of cultivation. The Burrell family has been engaged in agricultural pursuits for many generations and came to this country in the eighteenth century from … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Arthur Young

Arthur, son of Stephen and Betsey (Greene) Young, married Laurinda Stull, who was born April 23, 1818, and died August 20, 1906. They had seven children. Mrs. Young’s ancestors came from Holland in early colonial days. Her father was Joseph Stull, and her grandfather Captain Jacob Stull, settled in Elmira in 1782, served as a captain during the revolutionary war and was an active participant in many of the most important engagements, among them being: Three Rivers, Van Nest Mills, Long Island, Trenton, Princeton, Germantown, Springfield and Monmouth. For a part of this time he served directly under Washington’s command; … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Aaron Black

(II) Aaron, eldest child of Moses and Mary (McMaster) Black, was born in Seneca, New York, September 21, 1821 ; died there, January 27, 1900. He followed the occupation of farming all his life. He married, December 16, 1846, Hannah Jane Hipple, born in Pennsylvania, May 8; 1829; died May, 1888. She was three years of age when her parents-settled in Seneca, New York. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church.

Biographical Sketch of James Kennedy

Grant Maitland Kennedy, who was for a number of years identified with educational matters in the state of New York, and who has since then been engaged in the furniture and undertaking business, is of Scotch ancestry. (I) James Kennedy was born in Kells, Kirkcudbright county, Scotland, June 12, 1791, died October 13, 1888. He was a surveyor of taxes in Scotland, and a farmer after he came to America. He attended the Protestant church. He married, October 11, 1824, Margaret Houston, born September 15, 1806, died June 19, 1881. Children : 1. Mary, married Matthew Henderson, of Yates county, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Arthur Alberto

Arthur Alberto, from whom the branch of the family herein recorded descended, built a house in Hempstead, Long Island, in 1680, which stood until 1892, when it was torn down. Of the farm of fifty-two acres, where he lived until 1692, only the burying ground and a few acres remain. Five generations of the family are buried there, and living descendants of the name in the seventh generation are still there. He married Elizabeth, daughter of James Way, an English Quaker originally from Somersetshire. The Way family appear upon the records there in 1400. James Way died in 1695, a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Marvin A. Wilbur

Marvin A., son of Brownell (2) Wilbur, was born at Hamilton, Madison county, New York, January 9, 1837. He attended the public schools and was graduated from Madison (now (1910) Colgate) University. He taught in Rose Valley, Butler and North Rose public schools. In 1858 he gave up teaching on account of ill health and located on a farm in Victor, also assisting his father in conducting the homestead there in connection with a milling business. From 1860 to 1862 he was in the oil fields of Pennsylvania. He afterward conducted the farm until he sold it, and moved to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Severance

John Severance, the immigrant ancestor, was a resident of Boston, Massachusetts, as early as 1637. He was admitted a freeman that year, and in 1640, was a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company. He removed to Salisbury about 1639, where he had a grant of land. He was one of the prudential committee in 1642, and in 1645 was appointed highway surveyor. On December 21, 1647, he sold his houses, the “new and old,” to Thomas Bradbury, and opened an “ordinary.” He was afterwards known as a “victualler and winter.” He was on a committee in 1652 to … Read more