New York

Biography of Frank Rice

The present work would be incomplete were it not to record the life of Frank Rice, an eminent lawyer of Canandaigua, Ontario county, New York, who has risen to a position in the first ranks of his profession by a series of successful efforts, who has achieved prominence as a statesman and whose tenure of office has always been beneficial to his city, state and country. Frank Rice was born in Seneca, Ontario county, New York, January 15, 1845. His preparatory education was acquired in the Geneva Classical and Union School and Canandaigua Academy, and he then matriculated at Hamilton … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Cornelius Conover

Cornelius Conover lived in the town of Mohawk, Montgomery county, New York, and came thence to Victor, Ontario county. He married Margaret Bowers and they had nine children, two of whom were born in Mohawk, the others in Monroe and Ontario counties, viz: Vincent, Catherine, Benjamin, Betsey, William, Mary J., Angeline, John, mentioned elsewhere, Hannah.

Biographical Sketch of John Conover

John, son of Cornelius Conover, was born at Victor, New York. April 20. 1817. He was educated in the public schools of Victor. He and his three brothers worked on the father’s farm of four hundred acres during their youth, and he followed farming in Victor throughout his active life. In 1860 he planted an apple orchard that has made his farm one of the best fruit growing places of the town. In politics he was a Republican, in religion a Presbyterian. He died in Victor, October 10, 1908. He married, at Akron, Ohio, January 9, 1858, Elizabeth Tucker, who … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Theodore Conover

Theodore, son of John Conover, was born in Victor, November 22, 1858. He was educated in the district schools of his native town and at Canandaigua Academy and Rochester Business College. From 1888 to 1903 he was employed in a plaster mill, just outside the village of Victor, and since that he has been engaged in general farming in his native town. He has an excellent farm of one hundred and seventy acres. In politics he is a Republican. He married, September 20, 1881, Clara Mink, of Rochester, born in Illinois, August 10, 1857, daughter of Dr. Ezra and Mary … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henry Rowley

Henry Rowley, immigrant ancestor, was born in England, and died in Barnstable or Falmouth, Massachusetts, in 1673. He was one of the early planters of Plymouth and was a taxpayer as early as 1630. He was admitted a freeman in 1634, after removing to Scituate, where he and his wife Anne joined the church, January 8, 1634. In 1638 he removed with Rev. John Lothrop to the new settlement at Barnstable on Cape Cod. He was a deputy to the general court at Plymouth. In 1650 he removed to West Barnstable, and later to Falmouth. He married (first) Sarah, daughter … 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

Biographical Sketch of Moses Rowley

Moses (2), son of Moses (1) Rowley, was born November 10, 1654, at Barnstable, died at East Haddam, Connecticut, July 16, 1735. He was admitted freeman in 1690, and was an active and useful citizen of Haddam. He and his wife joined the Haddam church. He married (first) Mary Fletcher; (second) Mary, daughter of Thomas and Frances (Crippen) Corbe, of Falmouth and East Haddam. She died June 9, 1764, in her ninety-seventh year (gravestone record). His will was dated March 24. 1734-35 proved August 19, 1735: Children: Mary, married Captain Samuel Olmstead: Moses, married Martha Porter; Naomi, married Samuel Fuller; … Read more

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 Major David Tilden

(V) Major David Tilden, son of Christopher Tilden, was born at Boston, October 5, 1741. He married Joanna. He lived in Boston and Pembroke, Massachusetts and was prominent in the revolution. He was first lieutenant in Captain James Hatch’s company in 1776 and marched from Pembroke to Braintree. He was second major of Colonel John Cushing’s regiment (Second Plymouth county) in 1777 and was in the Rhode Island campaign. He was superintendent of mustering in 1778, in Plymouth county. Children: 1. Sarah, baptized at Pembroke, February 19, 1764. 2. James, mentioned in Deane’s “Scituate.” 3. Christopher, born in Boston, April … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William B. Tilden

(VII) William B., son of Christopher (2) Tilden, was born in Boston, August 5, 1799. He was educated in the public schools and learned the trade of tinsmith and hardware making. He resided for some time in Charlestown, New Hampshire. He married Sarah Hunt of that town. He died in 1865, in Palmyra, New York, whither he had removed and settled. They had a son Christopher, mentioned elsewhere.

Biographical Sketch of Christopher Tilden

(VII) Christopher (3), son of William B. Tilden, was born in Charlestown, New Hampshire, in 1827. We was but one year old when the family moved to Palmyra and he attended the public schools of that town and the Glens Falls Academy. He worked on his father’s farm in his boyhood. Afterward he located in Manchester, New York, where he bought a farm which he conducted for a number of years. He was a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal church, of Palmyra, of which he was a vestryman and warden. He was a member of the local grange, Patrons of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William H. Tilden

(IX) William H., son of Christopher (3) Tilden, was born on the homestead in the town of Manchester, Ontario county, New York, February 21, 1860. He was educated in the public schools of his native town and at Palmyra. He has always followed farming for a vocation. He is a member of the Protestant Episcopal church at Palmyra and of the Palmyra Grange, Patrons of Husbandry. He married, July 13, 1904, Daisy Hortense Culver, daughter of Alexander H. and Elvira H. Culver. They have one daughter, Florence Myrtie, born October 22, 1905.

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

Biographical Sketch of John Severance

(II) John (2), son of John Severance, was born November 27, 1647, in Salisbury. He and his father kept the inn, and about 1672, he went to Boston, where he settled. In 1680, he removed to Suffield, Connecticut, and in 1689, to Deerfield, Massachusetts, where he settled on Lot No. 1. He became a large landowner in Deerfield. About 1703, he removed again to Bedford, Westchester county, New York. where he remained about twelve years, returning to Deerfield about 1713, and living the last years of his life, with his son Joseph. He married, August 15, 1672, Mary . Children, … 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 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 Jesse Severance

(V) Jesse, son of Joseph (2) Severance, was born about 1751. his birth is not on record, but he was doubtless of this family. He died November 21, 1831, aged eighty years. In 1774 he was of Deerfield and of Shelburne in 1781. He settled in Conway and was selectman in 1784, and deputy sheriff in 1791. Before 1806 he returned to Deerfield and was a tavern keeper at Bloody Brook in 1810. In 1790 he was of Conway, according to the first federal census and had in his family four sons under sixteen and five females. He married Eunice … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jesse Severance

(VI) Jesse (2), son of Jesse (1) Severance, was born in Conway about 1775 and learned the trade of blacksmith. He came to the town of Phelps in 1815. He married Anna Sophia Abbott. Children: Sophia; Charles; Porter; Albert; William Sidney, mentioned elsewhere; Asa and Joshua.

Biographical Sketch of William Sidney Severance

(VII) William Sidney, son of Jesse (2) Severance, was born in Conway, September 10, 1800, and died in Phelps, New York, in 1865. He came to Phelps at the age of fifteen and located with his parents on Melvin Hill. He had a common school education and learned his father’s trade as blacksmith and followed it all his active life. He married Arzelia, slaughter of Charles Joslyn : Children : Ellen, married Jethro Sherborne, and had one child, Kate; Oscar lives in St. Louis, Missouri; William Dwight, mentioned elsewhere.

Biographical Sketch of William Dwight Severance

(VIII) William Dwight, son of William Sidney Severance, was born in Phelps, on the homestead at Melvin Hill, May 1t, 1836. He was educated in the union schools, and learned of his father the blacksmith’s trade. In 1857 he left home and located at Terra Haute, Indiana, where for five years he was in business as a blacksmith. Returning to Phelps in 1862, he conducted a farm there for two years and bought it in 1865. Since then he has followed farming in his native town and dealt extensively in horses, sheep and cattle. He has owned some very fine … Read more