New York

Biographical Sketch of Dr. Theodore D. Rupert

(III) Dr. Theodore D., son of William P. and Catherine (Bell) Rupert, was born in Seneca, Ontario county, New York, April 23, 1855. He attended the public schools and Geneva Academy, and spent one year at the Monroe Collegiate Institute at Elbridge, New York. He then matriculated at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, from which he was graduated in ,880, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. For ten years he practiced medicine in Mendon, Monroe county, New York, and in 1890 opened his office in Geneva, New York, and engaged in general practice, making … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Stephen Brace

Stephen Brace, immigrant ancestor, was born in England and came from London to this country in 1660. He owned Lot 13 on Charter street, Hartford, in 1673, and lived near Little River. He died at Hartford in 1692. His estate was valued at four hundred pounds. Children Elizabeth, Phebe, Ann, Stephen, John, Henry, mentioned elsewhere. Henry, son of Stephen Brace, resided also at Hartford. His widow Ann and son Henry administered the estate which was valued at nine hundred and seventy-eight pounds. Before he died he gave to his son his carpenter tools, half his house and barn, and his … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Elisha Brace

(II) Elisha Brace, son of John Brace, and probably nephew of Captain Henry Brace, aforementioned, was born in Hartford, died in 1752. He left an estate valued at six hundred and thirty-one pounds. He married Jerusha . Among his children were: John, Jared, Elisha, Joseph. Jonathan, guardian of Elisha, was probably an elder brother.

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 Major Williams Brace

(IV) Major Williams Brace. son of Elisha (2) Brace, was born in Stockbridge in 1791, and came to Victor with his parents when he was two years old, two years after the settlement of the town. He died March 14, 1857, at Victor. He attended the public schools and Canandaigua Academy and followed farming in his native town, owning at the time of his death two hundred and sixty acres, which was divided between sons, Thomas and Williams. In politics he was a Whig and afterward of the American party and finally a Free Soldier, his last vote being cast … Read more

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 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

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

Biography of Jonathan Oak

Jonathan, son of Nathaniel and Mary (Holloway-Farrar) Oak, was born in Marlboro, Massachusetts, August 21, 1717, and died between December 2, 1784 and March 12, 1785. He was the first to adopt the spelling Oaks, in his surname. He lived for a few years each, in Westboro, Boston and Storr, and settled on the Oak Hill farm in Harvard, Massachusetts, where he built his home, which was still standing in 1896. From his title of “Captain” on the old records he was probably captain of the training band, may have served in the French and Indian war, and in fact, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jonathan Oaks

Jonathan (2), son of Jonathan (1) and Sarah (Wheeler) Oaks, was born in Harvard, Massachusetts, died in Oaks Corners, Ontario county, New York, in 1802. He is named in his father’s will in 1784 as the oldest son, with a legacy of ten shillings “if he ever comes back to this place.” He was in Sunderland, Massachusetts, in 1767, in Deerfield, in 1770, and in Conway, Massachusetts, in 1773. In 1789 he settled in what is now (1910) Oaks Corners, New York, preempting six hundred acres of land on which he erected the Oaks Corners tavern. Here the first town-meeting … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thaddeus Oaks

Thaddeus, son of Jonathan (2) and Martha (Hawks) Oaks, was born in Conway, Massachusetts, and came to Phelps, with his father in 1790 and died there. He married Fanny Dickinson, also of Conway, Massachusetts. Children: Nathan, referred to below; Mary Lucretia, who married L. B. Hotchkiss, of Phelps, New York.

Biographical Sketch of Nathan Oaks

Nathan, son of Thaddeus and Fanny (Dickinson) Oaks, was born in Oaks Corners, Ontario county, New York, November 9, 1821, and died in 1905. He took an active part in the affairs of his native town and the Democratic party had in him an earnest member. He was twice nominated by his party for the state assembly and was supervisor of the town of Phelps from 1861 to 1865. He married, October 18, 1848, Susan, daughter of Truman and Mary (Aldrich) Hemingway, of Palmyra, New York. Children: Thaddeus, living in Geneva, New York; Albert T., died aged four; William A., … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William A. Oaks

William A., son of Nathan (1) and Susan (Hemingway) Oaks, was born in Oaks Corners, Ontario county, New York, July 29, 1853, and is now (1910) living there. He received his education in the public schools and the Carey Seminary and then engaged in farming, making a specialty of hop growing. He is a trustee of the Protestant Episcopal church of Phelps and trustee of the school at Oaks Corners. He is a member of Sincerity Lodge, No. 200, Free and Accepted Masons, and of the Grange. At one time he was master of, delegate to, the state grange. He … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Nathan Oaks

Nathan (2), son of Nathan (1) and Susan (Hemingway) Oaks, was born in Oaks Corners, Ontario county, New York, March 25, 1860, and is now (1910) living there. He received his education in the public schools of Phelps and Geneva, New York, and in 1886, engaged in the lumber, coal, grain and elevator business near Sheldrake Station, Seneca county, New York. Thirteen years later he gave this business up and engaged for four years in farming and then, on the death of his father in 1905. he sold his farm and returned to Oaks Corners, where he purchased the interest … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jonathan Burt

Jonathan Burt, a descendant of William Matthews Burt, and the founder of the family at present under consideration, was born in county Berks, England, August 25, 1768 and died in Brattleboro, Vermont. For the greater part of his life, he was an English sea-captain. He married Bathsheba , who was born August 10, 1773. Children: Erastus, born January 7, 1795; Ebenezer, born August 23, 1796; David W., born July 31, 1800; Susanna, born April 7, 1802; Jonathan, referred to below; Hollis, born March 24, 1809; Abigail, born March 14, 1815.

Biographical Sketch of Jonathan Burt

Jonathan (2), son of Jonathan (1) and Bathsheba Burt, was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, October 4, 1804, and died in Phelps, Ontario county, New York, January 14, 1885. He received his early education in the public schools of Brattleboro, and then determining to study medicine, he earned the money to pay for his professional education by teaching school and acting as clerk in the office of a stagecoach company. He graduated from the Geneva Medical College and then settled down to the practice of his profession in Phelps, New York, where he became one of the representative men of the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles Harris Burt

Charles Harris, son of Dr. Jonathan (2) and Mary Ann (Harris) Burt, was born in Phelps, Ontario county, New York, January 16, 1857, and is now (1910) living in that place. After graduating from the high school in Phelps and the Canandaigua Academy, he became a certified accountant and soon became recognized as an expert in his business in that part of the country. In 1896 he became one of the incorporators of the Zenith Foundry Company, and in 1907 was placed in charge of the company’s office. In September, 1910 he resigned this position, owing to his election by … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Wells

Samuel Wells was born in Suffolk county, England. He was a well known musician who traveled extensively both in this country and abroad, and for a number of years was engaged in the book and music business in Portsmouth and Newark, Ohio. His death occurred in 1879. He married Emma Rand. Children: 1. Samuel Sylvester, born in England; married a niece of General Benjamin W. Brice, U. S. A., died leaving a widow and five children. 2. Joshua Rand, died in 1906; was married and had ten children. 3. Frederick I., born in Newark, Ohio, in 1840; married and has … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henri E. Wells

Henri E. Wells, son of Samuel and Emma (Rand) Wells, was born in Newark, Ohio, September 14, 1843. He acquired his education in the public schools, and when eighteen years old he enlisted at Moline, Illinois, in the Nineteenth Regiment Illinois Infantry, recruited for service in the civil war, and commanded by Colonel Turchin, a Russian. He served with ability in the quartermaster’s department, later was thrown on the battlefield and participated in the battles of Stone River and Nashville, Tennessee, and having received a severe wound in the first-named engagement necessitating the amputation of his arm, he was honorably … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Elihu Osgood

Elihu Osgood, a native of Barre. Vermont, went to Ontario county very early in the last century, and locating in the then newly-settled town of Manchester, he found employment with Mr. Peirce, one of the early proprietors. A year after his arrival he purchased a farm, which he brought to a good state of fertility, and this property has ever since been known as the Osgood homestead. He married Amy LaMunion and had a family of eleven children.